Chapter 20: A Huge Profit!

"If you think this is acceptable, we can continue our discussion; if you find it difficult, then there is no need to talk further."

Xu An looked at the sugar shop manager with a calm expression. He had the confidence to speak this way. The white sugar in his hands was a product far beyond the capabilities of this world. Once it hit the market, it would undoubtedly cause a massive shock to the current trade. Any intelligent person would understand exactly what that meant.

"May I ask what percentage you are looking for, young master?"

Xu An pondered for a moment. "Thirty percent!"

This thirty percent referred to the net profit. In other words, the manager would have to pay the standard price for the white sugar, and on top of that, Xu An would take an additional thirty percent of the profits. He was getting paid twice over!

"Thi... thirty percent? This..."

The manager was, after all, a businessman—and the nature of a businessman is to maximize earnings and minimize costs. He immediately wore a troubled expression. "Young master, thirty percent is a bit much. After all, the retail price of this white sugar hasn't even been set yet!"

"Thirty percent. If you agree, we sign the papers now. If you don't, I will go find someone else. Of course, I came here with sincerity; I have already discussed the procurement costs with my relative, and I have the authority to set the price. But before that, I need to hear what price you are willing to offer."

The manager was overjoyed, realizing that a deal was possible. He ushered Xu An into an inner room, sat him down, poured him a cup of tea, and said, "Young master, to be honest, I am merely the manager in charge of this shop, not the true owner. I can see that you are a very straightforward person, and we truly hope to establish a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership. However, this deal is of great importance, and I cannot make the decision alone. I must report this to the owner and have them make the final call. I hope you can give us some time."

"How long will it take?" Xu An frowned. He was in urgent need of money and didn't have time to wait.

Seeing the change in Xu An’s expression, the manager felt a pang of anxiety. He quickly added, "Young master, our owner will be coming to Linyuan County to inspect the business in two days. At that time, I will arrange for you to meet the owner to discuss this in person. How about that?"

"Two days is too long." Xu An spoke up. He still owed high-interest debt that was due the day after tomorrow. Two days would be cutting it too close.

The seasoned manager, sharp as a fox, immediately guessed that Xu An was in urgent need of cash. He hurriedly said, "Young master, please be patient. We are very willing to cooperate with you. To show our sincerity, I am willing to pay you a portion of the deposit in advance. What do you think?"

Xu An looked at the manager, marveling at the old man's shrewdness. He smiled and asked, "Then how much of a deposit are you willing to pay?"

The manager thought seriously for a moment before speaking solemnly: "Current white sugar sells for about five hundred wen per catty, but the quality of your sugar—both in color and taste—is far superior to the ordinary sugar available today! Therefore, I will take the liberty of placing an initial order of fifty catties at nine hundred wen per catty, which comes to forty-five taels of silver. As for subsequent pricing, we can settle that once you have officially reached an agreement with our owner. How does that sound?"

Nine hundred wen per catty was significantly higher than what Xu An had anticipated. He did not say anything more and readily agreed. Of course, if he wanted to, he could have pushed for an even higher price, but there was no need. To make real wealth in business, one must have a broader vision; one shouldn't just think about one's own profit but also ensure that one's high-quality partners make money too. Only when everyone benefits can a partnership remain stable and lead to greater wealth. Otherwise, one would only ever make small change.

Besides, the manager had acted like an upright person and seemed reliable. Xu An naturally wouldn't let himself be looked down upon for the sake of a little extra money.

"In that case, I look forward to working with your young owner."

"Our Song Family Sugar Shop also looks forward to working with you, young master." The manager bowed politely and pushed an ingot of silver toward Xu An. "This is fifty taels of silver. Please keep it safe."

"Isn't it forty-five taels?" Xu An asked with a smile, not immediately taking the silver.

The manager smiled slightly. "I need to show the sugar you have on hand to my owner. Also, since we have reached a preliminary consensus, I hope you can wait patiently for a few days. Please do not contact any other sugar shops during this time."

This old fox—he really was a businessman. Not only was his vision broad, but he also knew how to get things done!

Xu An laughed. "That goes without saying. In that case, I will accept it graciously."

With fifty taels of silver in hand, and subtracting the cost of about fifteen taels for the raw sugar, he made a net profit of thirty-five taels! It was an absolute windfall. Thirty-five taels of silver were enough to solve many of the problems he was currently facing.

After chatting a little longer, the manager rose to see Xu An out. Watching Xu An’s retreating figure, the manager couldn't help but sigh: "His words and actions are quite extraordinary; he is definitely not a man who will remain in the shallows for long. The Young Miss has just taken control and is surrounded by wolves; to stabilize her position, this young man might just be an excellent partner. When the Young Miss arrives in two days, I must speak with her about this."

...

Leaving the sugar shop, Xu An bought several items: a few catties of flour, sweet potatoes, lard, pork ribs, a set of clean clothes, and various seasonings for cooking. Finally, he bought some assorted pastries and two sticks of candied hawthorns. These were naturally for the little girl.

In total, he spent one tael of silver. He had to admit that prices in the Great Wei Dynasty were truly exorbitant; the purchasing power of silver was even lower than in the Ming Dynasty of history.

Xu An didn't buy more raw sugar but headed straight home. The development of this matter had exceeded his expectations; he hadn't anticipated that the manager would order fifty catties of white sugar right away. To produce that much, he would likely need over seventy catties of raw sugar. If he had to carry it back himself over dozens of miles, wouldn't he be exhausted to death? He needed to find someone to help.

At the thought of this, the image of Li Erzhuang came to mind. Li Erzhuang was sturdy and strong, had a donkey cart at home, and was reliable. He was the perfect candidate for the job. Xu An decided to talk to him that evening.

It was still early as he headed back, but the thought of the little darling waiting for him at home made Xu An quicken his pace. His face was full of smiles. Even away from the glitz and glamour of modern life, it wasn't impossible to be happy; all it took was a cute, sensible little girl.

"The little one's leg is inconvenient; I wonder how she's doing at home alone, or if she's hungry." Xu An felt a bit worried. He should have asked his sister to help look after her.

However, just as Xu An was rushing home full of anticipation, a figure suddenly darted out from the woods beside him and collapsed directly into his arms.

Looking closely, it was a woman of stunning beauty! But at this moment, she looked incredibly disheveled, with a trail of fresh, bright red blood staining the corner of her lips.