I was a lord farming, how did I become an emperor?

Is Chapter 81 enough?

The next morning.

Dark clouds obscured the dawn, and the sky was gloomy and overcast.

But this did not affect Menxiu's mood at all.

Filled with curiosity, he hurriedly finished his breakfast and arrived at the manor early to wait.

Rhodes, who got up early, wasted no time. After meeting with Manshu, he took him to the wooden house behind the manor.

Quicklime was scattered around the wooden house specifically to prevent moisture.

The center of the wooden house was piled with items, covered with a large tarpaulin.

Rhodes waved his hand casually and gave a signal with his eyes.

Gunle, who was standing nearby, immediately understood and quickly stepped forward to lift the tarpaulin covering the barrel.

Next, Gunle moved the nearest barrel to Menshu and opened the lid.

Manxiu stared at the glistening crystals inside, clearly momentarily stunned.
"This is... salt?"

Manxiu suspiciously reached out, lightly touched a little crystal with his fingertip, and cautiously placed it on his tongue to taste.

His eyes lit up immediately, and he exclaimed in delight, "It really is salt!"

He quickly looked up into the warehouse, where it was densely packed with wooden barrels, more than a hundred barrels!

Each barrel of salt typically weighs between 180 and 220 jin (approximately 600-1100 kg), which means there are nearly 20,000 jin (approximately 10,000 kg) of salt here!

"This is all salt?!"

Although Manshu knew the answer, he couldn't help but ask.

"of course."

Rod smiled calmly and said, "Actually, the production is not high. This was specially reserved for you."

Because I trust you now, my friend.

He gently patted Manshu on the shoulder. "You should understand what I mean."

"I understand, thank you for your trust."

Manxiu couldn't help but bow and express his gratitude.

Salt mines were not very valuable in the coastal western and eastern provinces, and residents in coastal areas could easily obtain sufficient salt by means of seawater.

Sunshine and seawater, gifts from nature, ensure that the people there never worry about the supply of salt.

The surrounding area therefore has no shortage of salt.

However, most of the northern provinces are inland, and the few remaining coastlines are tightly surrounded by continuous mountain ranges.

Blocked by natural barriers, it is virtually impossible to obtain salt from the sea.

This makes salt mines extremely valuable, in no way inferior to other metal veins.

After all, salt is an essential food item; we can't do without it.

The suffering caused by salt deficiency is not just a matter of taste monotony, but also a matter of life and death.

Therefore, the discovery of salt mines in a territory easily attracts the covetous eyes of other lords.

Of course, if the salt mines were located in the center of a clearly defined territory, the existence of imperial laws would prevent noble lords from openly vying for them.

But this does not prevent them from using shady and covert methods to seek profit.

The most common tactic is to impersonate or secretly fund robbery gangs.

This way, one can get what one wants while maintaining a facade of innocence.

The nobles were well aware of these matters, so after discovering salt mines in their territories, they would keep it as secret as possible, selling the salt only through reliable channels to minimize the risks.

Manshu knew very well that Rhodes' current actions showed that he truly trusted him, which was why he suddenly bowed so solemnly.

Rhodes smiled and nodded, saying, "I think this should be enough to pay for the slaves and livestock, right?"

“You’re joking. Half the salt here is enough. I’ll need to pay extra for the rest.”

Manshu felt he might not even have enough gold coins, and smiled helplessly, "No wonder you asked me to leave all the goods behind." So much salt was more than enough to fill Manshu's caravan, and might even require additional vehicles for transport.

Thinking about this, Manxiu even began to worry, fearing that he might encounter a band of robbers.

"Don't rush, there are other goods as well, you'll definitely be interested in them too."

Seeing Rhodes's mysterious smile, Manshu's curiosity was piqued once again.

What could make a businessman happier than salt?
Until Rod led him to the nearby cabin and saw the piles of new paper in the box, he froze on the spot.

Both Mancho and Luxembourg reacted similarly, both being shocked.

However, as a businessman, Manshu did not question the quality of the new paper and eagerly asked Rhodes,
How much of this new paper do you have? What is the price?

Luxembourg was a spellcaster who judged the value of new paper more based on his own needs.

As a businessman, Manxiu's mind was filled with the needs of all sorts of different people, as well as the flow and changes in the market.

The price and production volume of new paper will determine who it can serve—whether it can only satisfy the luxuries of the nobility or become a practical commodity for ordinary households.

Rhodes replied, "60 copper coins each, and I can sell you around 40,000 of them."

"really"

Manxiu's eyes lit up, then he lowered his head and began to think seriously.

Rhodes remained calm, his hands behind his back, waiting patiently and giving Manshu ample time to think.

After a long while, Manshu raised his head and said, "I must admit, Baron, your new paper has given me a lot to think about."

I think it will be needed in many places, especially by the nobles of the empire.

With this new paper, the parchment we use now will be replaced in many ways.

"But your price is really making me uncomfortable."

Manxiu smiled wryly, somewhat helplessly: "Your 60 copper coins per piece have just squeezed out my profits."

Of course, I would still buy at this price, but I can only buy five thousand for the Chamber of Commerce.

New paper may not be immediately accepted by the market, and after purchasing it for 60 copper coins, Manshu didn't have much profit margin.

Therefore, from a business perspective, new paper is not a particularly ideal commodity.

However, for the daily use of the chamber of commerce, such as recording accounts and communication, this price is just right, balancing cost and benefit.

Rod smiled and countered, "You just want a wholesale price from me, right?"

"Yes, I need more profit."

Manshu made a very frank request.

"How many do you want?" Rod pressed.

"I want them all."

Manxiu finished speaking without hesitation, and then added, "But please give me a little bit of benefit."

The voice was gentle, with a hint of pleading.

"Yeah, I understand."

Rhodes' pricing was indeed based on market prices, leaving no profit margin for other merchants.

Luxem didn't care, because he was buying it for his own use, and sixty copper coins was acceptable.

Komanshu is going to put the new paper on the market. If you buy it for sixty copper coins, you have to sell it for at least seventy or eighty copper coins a piece.

However, such a price reduces its advantage over traditional parchment and may hinder the sale of the new paper.

"How about this, you'll get a profit of two copper coins for each card, so even 40,000 cards will yield a net profit of eight gold coins."

Since he was facing Manshu, Rhodes was not stingy and said frankly, "If you sell them for sixty-five copper coins each, you will have a profit of twenty-eight gold coins."

"Many thanks!"

Manxiu's face was full of joy, and he hurriedly bowed to express his gratitude.

(End of this chapter)