Lord: Starting with Summoning the Regular Army of Earth

"Sir, this is impossible! Who would buy it at this price?"

"In that case, it seems I need to visit the Golden Flower Merchants Association. I think they will definitely not miss this good opportunity to attract high-end customers."

Matthew's words struck Groom like a hammer blow. His expression shifted rapidly; the other man had completely grasped his psychology. The recent success of the Golden Flower Merchant Guild had indeed been keeping him up at night, and he desperately needed a unique product to reverse the decline. And the effects of this soap, once widely available, would definitely cause a sensation.

"One gold coin and fifty silver coins, that's the highest price I can offer. And you must guarantee that within the Ironrock City area, you can only supply the Black Bear Merchant Guild," Grum said, sounding fierce but actually weak.

Matthew didn't say a word and immediately got up to leave.

"Wait a minute, Mr. Morpheus!" Groom called out to Matthew, staring intently at him, trying to discern something beneath the mask, but seeing only a profound calm.

After an internal struggle, he gritted his teeth and asked, "How much did you bring, sir?"

"Thirty dollars!" Matthew's voice remained calm.

"I'll buy five first, and if sales are good, I'll order more from you," Groom said, still making a last-ditch effort.

He guessed that this soap was probably a new product that had appeared in the capital, and he bought five bars as samples to attract nobles to pay a deposit.

Then I immediately went to inquire about the situation and see if I could buy the subsequent products at a lower price.

"I've traveled all this way to Ironrock, and I'm not taking them back. If you only buy five and give up your exclusive partnership with me, then I'll have to sell the rest to the Goldfinch." Matthew's attitude remained firm.

Groom fell silent again, knowing he had no room for negotiation and could not give this opportunity to the Goldenleaf.

Moreover, the person in front of him was clearly prepared and had obviously figured him out, but he was helpless and could only say that he had met a master.

"Fine! Thirty dollars, I'll take them all. Sixty gold coins, exclusive cooperation!" Groom said through gritted teeth, each word deliberate and unspoken. The slick smile of a businessman had vanished from his face, replaced by a resolute expression that bordered on heartache.

He stared intently at Matthew and continued, "But how can you guarantee that this 'exclusive' claim isn't just empty talk?"

"My promise is the best guarantee," Matthew said with a laugh.

I don't believe you for a second!

Groom cursed inwardly; such empty promises were nothing short of child's play in the business world.

However, he currently has no initiative and has been completely controlled by the other party.

The other party was clearly well-versed in this, and was certain that he would never dare to let go of this opportunity to suppress the Golden Broom Flower.

Moreover, the other party has consistently refused to reveal their true identity, clearly indicating that they do not want to expose their background or origin. This in itself means that subsequent "exclusivity" claims will be difficult to truly constrain them.

He did gamble on this deal.

But he wasn't betting on the other party's integrity; rather, he was betting on the time difference and market advantage.

never mind!

Groom made a tough decision.

By spending this "unnecessary money," we can at least seize the market opportunity, retain high-end customers, and severely dampen the arrogance of Golden Broom Flower.

Even if it turns out that this thing is already commonplace in the royal city, these sixty gold coins can be considered as buying a definite piece of information and a temporary monopoly.

Moreover, given the effectiveness of this soap, even with a low profit margin, it could still be profitable in the specific market of Iron Rock City if managed well. The key is its significant strategic importance.

"Deal!" Groom no longer hesitated, forcing a slightly stiff smile back onto his face, and said to the steward beside him, "Bard, go and fetch sixty gold coins, the newly minted Griffin coins!"

He turned to the steward and gave instructions, emphasizing the purity and credibility of the gold coins, in an attempt to save face at the last minute.

"Your Excellency is a wise man." Matthew nodded slightly, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.

Soon, a heavy suede money bag was placed on the table. When opened, it was filled with gleaming gold coins of excellent quality.

Although Matthew remained outwardly calm, he was inwardly overjoyed. With these sixty gold coins, he could help Emberstone Ridge purchase a large batch of resources.

Most importantly, this soap will provide a steady stream of income.

After carefully counting the gold coins, Matthew also handed over the thirty bars of soap, wrapped in soft cloth, to Groom for inspection.

"It's a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Morpheus. I hope we can have the opportunity to work together long-term." Groom extended his hand.

Matthew gave him a light handshake, then quickly let go: "As you wish. Well then, farewell."

"Bard, see Mr. Morpheus off for me." Groom smiled as he watched Matthew's figure disappear outside the Chamber of Commerce gate.

The moment the door closed, Groom's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a grim expression.

He strode back to the inner room and whispered urgent orders to his trusted subordinates: "Send two alert men to keep a close watch on him, see where he's staying and who he's contacting. Remember, absolutely no one can be discovered!"

"Also, send more people to keep a close eye on the Golden Flower Merchant Guild. See if they make any unusual moves, especially whether any unfamiliar faces visited that woman Eleanor today."

"Yes, sir!"

Soon, Bard returned, and Groom immediately said, "Bard, you personally arrange for a team of fast horses to immediately dispatch several samples to the capital, traveling day and night. Spare no expense, utilize all available connections, and find out for me whether this soap-like product has recently appeared in the capital, who is selling it, how much it costs, and where it comes from. I need the most detailed information!"

He took a breath, his eyes flashing with a shrewd, cold light.

He knew that even if it was eventually confirmed that the royal city already possessed this item, his sixty gold coins would still be considered a lesson learned and a piece of information.

But what if... what if it really is one of a kind? Then he'd made the right bet.

Moreover, as long as we keep a close eye on this Morpheus, we might be able to follow the trail and find the real source of the goods. Then... heh heh.

Groom Winton sat back down in his thickly bear-skin-covered armchair, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table, a sly glint in his eyes.

On the other side, Matthew walked out of the Black Bear Merchant Guild and seemingly casually merged into the bustling crowd in the central district.

But his gaze met Conrad's, who was hiding in the distance, and then he walked forward at a leisurely pace, his senses heightened to the extreme.

Sure enough, before he had gone two blocks, he used the keen intuition that the original owner had honed in the complex court environment to spot the two shadowy yet deliberately distant gazes behind him.

"The tails are catching up, two of them." Matthew sneered inwardly. This Groom was indeed a shrewd businessman; just as expected.

Matthew wasn't surprised, because he had expected this, and he and Conrad had even made a plan before he came.

So he remained calm and continued on his way, eventually turning into the area where the lower city met the market. It was a chaotic place with maze-like alleyways, a perfect place to shake off his pursuers.

He quickened his pace and pretended to stop and select pottery at a stall, using the corner of his eye to confirm the clothing and general appearance of his follower—two unremarkable men in ordinary gray cotton jackets, but with alert eyes and nimble movements, clearly veterans in this business.

Matthew picked up a ceramic pot, then put it down. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Conrad, who had been hiding in the crowd, suddenly rush out and collide directly with the two men in gray.

In that instant, Matthew darted into a narrow alleyway piled with clutter.

Then he tore off his robe and leather mask, crumpled them up, and stuffed them under a broken basket full of rotten vegetable leaves.

"Can't you see where you're going?!" Conrad cursed.

"Get out of my way!" the follower who was hit yelled, trying to push Conrad away, but found that he couldn't budge him at all.

The other person noticed Matthew seemed to be missing, his expression changed, and he immediately tried to walk around Conrad, but Conrad grabbed him: "Did I say you could leave?"

"Sorry, we weren't watching where we were going." The man didn't want to get entangled with Conrad, so he quickly apologized.

But Conrad drew his sword, tapped his mud-caked shoes, and said, "You've all dirtied my shoes, what are you going to do about it?"

"Sorry, we'll compensate you." Not wanting to waste any more time, the two quickly took out a few copper coins, stuffed them into Conrad's hand, and prepared to leave.

But Conrad stopped him again: "A few copper coins? Are you trying to appease a beggar?"

"I'm warning you, we're from the Black Bear Merchant Guild, don't go too far," the man who had pushed Conrad earlier shouted.

Seeing that a large crowd was gathering around him, Conrad didn't want to attract too much attention, and besides, after such a long delay, he figured His Highness had probably already escaped.

So he decided to call it a day, leaving behind the words "Watch where you're going next time" before walking away in the other direction, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips.

……

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