Is this cheat code from Bika? Just do it!

Link, who had been sitting in a large chair, head slightly bowed in thought, slowly raised his head upon hearing the soldier's report. He raised an eyebrow, a barely perceptible glint of amusement in his eyes, and chuckled, "Oh? There really are flies buzzing around... Someone's coming, that's to be expected. But the idea of ​​murder is quite novel; it makes me a little curious about their motives." With that, he closed his eyes slightly, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest, his mind racing.

According to what he knew, Lydia had a severe cold and fever, and was extremely weak. In this unpredictable season, with the relatively primitive medical methods of that era, the chance of her condition worsening and causing death was over 80%. Thinking of this, Link already had a general idea. He opened his eyes, a mocking smile playing on his lips, and muttered to himself, "They're not stupid; they know how to use this kind of thing to their advantage. But this method is really despicable and can't be done in a respectable way."

Just then, light footsteps sounded from outside the door, followed by Sophia's melodious voice. She then entered the hall with graceful steps, her elegant dress swaying gently with her movements. She approached Link, gave a slight bow, and performed a perfect aristocratic curtsy, saying softly but with deep gratitude, "Thank you, Lord Link, for saving Lydia. Without your help, I don't know what would have become of Lydia."

Link waved his hand, a faint smile on his face, and said in a relaxed tone, "I just happened to run into them, so I helped them out. No need to be so polite." Then, he changed the subject, a hint of teasing in his eyes, and asked, "But, are those troublemakers outside the castle your companions? They don't seem very friendly."

Sophia shook her head slightly, a hint of disdain on her beautiful face. "No," she said, "they're not my companions. I've only met them a few times; we're not close. Their trouble is simply an attempt to shirk responsibility." She frowned slightly and continued, "Sophia is incredibly intelligent; she immediately understood why Upton and his men did this. They must think Lydia is dead and are trying to avoid responsibility to prevent trouble. But they don't consider that Lydia is destined for good fortune. I can imagine that in a few days, when Lydia suddenly reappears, those people will shamelessly pester her again. Their behavior is truly disgusting."

Link smiled gently, a hint of certainty in his eyes, and said, "Then it seems I still have to lock them up for a few days to let them reflect on their actions." He paused, then added, "The environment in the dark room will be enough for those people to endure, although I haven't even seen what they look like yet."

Sophia paused for a moment, then said seriously, "Lord Link, as long as it's not too outrageous, Lydia will handle it. After all, Lydia is the Duke's daughter, and with her status, really no one dares to offend her easily. Once she recovers, those people will naturally not dare to cause trouble again."

Link waved his hand again and said with a smile, "It's alright. I just locked them up to let them calm down and teach them a lesson. I don't want to make things too big."

Sofia's mouth gaped slightly, a hint of surprise on her face. She thought to herself, "This method is far too gentle!" If it were her, she would have given them a good beating to teach them the lesson of offending her. However, she didn't say these words aloud, only nodding slightly.

Link seemed to sense her thoughts and didn't continue talking about the small dark room. Instead, he changed the subject and asked with concern, "How are you feeling, Lydia? Has her condition improved?"

Sofia said softly, "She asked me to thank you, saying she's feeling much better now, though still a little weak. She'll come to thank you in person once she's fully recovered." Thinking of Lydia's instructions before she came, she hesitated, as if wondering whether to say it or not.

Link smiled, his eyes revealing an all-knowing glint. He could vaguely guess what was going on, so he asked softly, "Is there something you want to say? Please speak freely."

Sophia's blue eyes sparkled with amusement. After a moment's hesitation, she said softly, "It was Lydia who asked me to do this. She wants to ask Lord Link not to let anyone know that you gave her an acupuncture needle."

Link nodded seriously and said, "Of course, I've given her a gag order, so she can rest assured. No one who knows will tell anyone. Mental torment is more painful than physical torment. It could cause psychological trauma, such as becoming extremely afraid of the dark or becoming a chatterbox. I don't want to cause her any unnecessary trouble because of this."

Sofia breathed a sigh of relief, secretly rejoicing. She really couldn't let the fact that a man had seen her naked get out, otherwise Lydia's reputation would be ruined, and she would never be able to hold her head up in social situations again.

At that moment, Link suddenly remembered something and said casually, "By the way, you are Mr. Solo's daughter? Could you tell me about your fleet? I am very interested in your fleet."

Sofia tossed her long, crimson hair aside, a hint of curiosity flashing in her eyes. She too wanted to know what kind of cooperation her father had mentioned, so she smiled and said, "Of course." She composed herself and began to explain calmly, "We've brought only twelve large ships this time. These ships are all meticulously crafted, sturdy and durable, and have a large cargo capacity. With these ships, we can transport goods to many parts of the country, and we've even traded in other countries, experiencing different customs and cultures. We've also been to the seaside; the scenery there is breathtaking, with the waves crashing against the shore, making a melodious sound."

Link stared intently at Sophia, a hint of urgency in his eyes, and asked, "Do you have any shipwrights who know how to build ships?"

Sofia paused, a little puzzled. Why was the question being asked in such a strange direction? Shouldn't the question be about how much cargo it could carry? Nevertheless, she answered honestly, "Yes, we have over a dozen shipbuilders. They are all experienced master craftsmen with superb skills, and the ships they build are of excellent quality."

Upon hearing this, a hint of joy flashed in Link's eyes, and he slowly said, "Could you give me a few of them? I can offer them high salaries."

The current fleet of ships is simply not enough; Link has bigger plans and is preparing to build an even larger fleet.

With more ships, one can open up broader trade routes, bringing more wealth and opportunities.

"Shipbuilders?" Sophia's clear, lake-like blue eyes flickered slightly, filled with doubt and contemplation. She stood there quietly, her mind racing with the reason Link had made this request—to actually ask for some shipbuilders was truly beyond her expectations.

In Sophia's mind, it was truly baffling that Link, as a nobleman, would suddenly make such a request. She frowned slightly and couldn't help but ask, "I don't quite understand, Lord Link, why do you need shipbuilders? Do you want to build your own ships?" In her opinion, this seemed to be the only plausible explanation.

However, the moment the idea crossed Sofia's mind, she shook her head, muttering to herself: "But this shouldn't be happening. Shipbuilding is no simple task; it's not something a few skilled shipbuilders can handle. It requires not only substantial financial investment but also precise blueprints and mature technology. Building a ship from scratch is a level of difficulty and cost that most people can't even imagine. In comparison, it would be much cheaper and easier to simply go to a coastal shipyard and buy a few ready-made ships."

Seeing the puzzled look on Sophia's face, Link nodded gently and said calmly, "Yes, I want to build my own ship, and I need a big one." He had long harbored a dream of shipbuilding and always wanted to put it into practice. However, he had previously been hampered by a lack of experienced shipbuilders and could only helplessly build small boats to soothe his longing.

In fact, Link had his own plans for shipbuilding. He did have meticulously drawn blueprints, but he also knew that these blueprints alone were far from enough. Shipbuilding is a complex and delicate craft, requiring experienced carpenters, or professional shipbuilders. With years of practical experience, they were familiar with the properties of various types of wood and knew how to skillfully combine different types of wood to create a sturdy and durable ship.

Winterfell has long been limited by technological and personnel constraints, only able to build small ships. But now, Link feels his opportunity has arrived. If Sophia can provide him with some experienced shipbuilders, he's confident he can attempt to build large vessels and realize his long-held dream.

"Big ships? There are twelve big ships right here at the alley entrance, Lord Link. Isn't that enough for you?" Sophia frowned upon hearing Link's words, her face full of confusion. She really couldn't understand this nobleman's way of thinking. Why go through all the trouble of building his own when there were already big ships right in front of him?

Link smiled gently, his eyes revealing a sense of anticipation and determination for the future. He said, "No, no, I think Miss Sophia has a slight misunderstanding about large ships." In his mind, the so-called large ships of this era were still too small. His ideal large ship was a colossal treasure ship, hundreds of meters long; only such a vessel could fulfill his future plans and ambitions.

"Misunderstanding the big ship? What do you mean?" Sophia's interest was piqued by Link's words, and she involuntarily sat up straight. From the moment she met Link, he gave Sophia a unique feeling, a distinctive aura that inexplicably made her want to pay attention to him and understand the qualities he displayed.

To use a popular phrase from Earth, Link was the quintessential "tall, rich, and handsome" guy. The clothes he wore were the most exquisite Sophia had ever seen; the fine materials and meticulous tailoring even surpassed Princess Lucy's attire in luxury. How could she not be curious about such a nobleman of such high status and extraordinary bearing suddenly proposing to build his own massive ship?

Link shook his head slightly and patiently explained, "The large ships I'm talking about aren't those thirty-meter-long vessels." In his view, while thirty-meter-long ships were indeed of a certain size, they had many drawbacks. On the one hand, due to their structural limitations, their speed was extremely slow, often consuming a great deal of time at sea; on the other hand, their carrying capacity was far from meeting his needs and could not accommodate the large amount of cargo he planned to transport.

Sophia listened attentively to Link's words, and after a moment's thought, said, "Lord Link, if you find a 30-meter ship too small, you can also place an order with the shipyard to build a 50-meter ship." She knew all too well that a 50-meter ship was extremely expensive to build, and that the technology was not yet mature enough. During construction, eight out of ten ships might encounter problems, either sinking during the voyage or breaking apart and sinking halfway through.

This is also why Sofia's fleet hasn't purchased any 50-meter ships. After all, a 50-meter ship costs several hundred gold coins to build, and aside from a few wealthy kingdoms that might buy one or two for special needs, almost no one is willing to take such a risk. From a cost-effectiveness perspective, it's simply not worthwhile.

Hearing Sophia's words, Link rolled his eyes and said, "I don't want those huge ships that could sink at any moment." He knew that the shipbuilding technology of this era was still immature in many ways, especially in terms of hull structure. This was the main reason why fifty-meter-long ships were prone to breaking apart and sinking. If these problems weren't solved, even if larger ships were built, they would only be empty shells, unable to be truly put into use.

“This…” Sophia’s eyes twitched involuntarily upon hearing Link’s words. She inwardly wanted to tell Link that if even a large ship built by a professional shipyard couldn’t satisfy him, then what right did he have to build a decent ship himself? In her opinion, this was simply audacious. But she held back, after all, Link was a nobleman, and she didn’t want to offend him with a verbal conflict.

Seeing Sophia's hesitant expression, Link didn't bother to explain further and asked directly, "Could you give me a few shipbuilders?" He knew that all explanations would be futile; only by actually building the ship and letting the facts speak for themselves could he convince everyone.

Moreover, Link didn't initially intend to build a 100-meter-long ship right away. He had a clear plan: to first build some medium-sized 50-meter-long ships to accumulate experience through practice. Once he had mastered enough technology and experience, he would gradually try to build larger-scale ships, with the ultimate goal of creating his ideal 100-meter-long ship.

As for steel ships, Link was well aware that with the current technological level and resource conditions of his territory, achieving this goal was still too early. The technology was too limited; perhaps only after the territory had grown several hundred times larger could they begin planning to build steel ships.

Hearing Link's words, Sophia gazed at him quietly with her blue eyes. After a moment of silence, she slowly nodded and said, "No problem. How many men does Lord Link need? However, the shipbuilders on my ship are all from small coastal shipyards, and they are mainly responsible for maintaining the ships in our fleet." She understood that Link must have his own plans for asking for men. But she also had her own difficulties; the fleet also needed these shipbuilders to ensure the normal operation of the ships.

“Hmm!” Link understood what Sophia meant and knew that she couldn’t give him all the shipwrights, after all, her fleet also had its own needs.

After a moment's thought, Link said, "I need twenty people." He thought to himself that the more people there were, the faster the shipbuilding would proceed. He hoped to see his ship successfully launched next year, opening a new chapter in his business.

“What? That’s impossible.” Sophia immediately refused without hesitation upon hearing Link’s words. Her fleet wasn’t large, with only about twenty shipwrights in total. If Link were given twenty people all at once, how could her fleet operate normally? It was clearly unrealistic.

Seeing Sophia's decisive refusal, Link frowned. After a moment's thought, he compromised, "Fifteen?" He knew that too few people would definitely affect the shipbuilding progress. But he didn't want to make things too tense, so he could only try to get a number that both sides could accept.

Sophia didn't answer Link's question immediately. Instead, she asked, "How much is the salary?" In her opinion, if the salary was too low, the boatmen probably wouldn't agree. After all, everyone works to earn money to support their families, and no one wants to leave their hometown for a meager wage.

Link said calmly, "Five hundred copper coins per person, and one silver coin per month for those with exceptional skills." Link had always been generous to his technical staff and was willing to pay high salaries to hire them. He knew that outstanding technical talent was the key to driving business development. Only by giving them sufficient rewards could he attract them to work for him and create high-quality products.

“Poaching? Isn’t that how it works?” Link thought to himself. “Others can’t poach my people at all, because I always treat my people with great care and generosity. Only I have the ability and the guts to poach other people’s people.”

"This... Lord Link, you're not joking, are you?" Sophia's mouth dropped open slightly upon hearing Link's words, her face filled with astonishment. She couldn't believe her ears; a shipbuilder was being paid five hundred copper coins, and skilled workers could even earn a silver coin—many times more than the shipbuilders at the major shipyards.

Her face was filled with complex emotions, her heart brimming with complex feelings. This was completely different from her usual business model, which was always meticulous about every penny of profit. In her mind, doing business meant being shrewd and calculating, minimizing costs and maximizing profits. Link's extravagant spending and willingness to spend lavishly on talent seemed like a wasteful endeavor to her. She had never seen anyone do business like this before.

“Of course not,” Link said firmly, his eyes revealing determination and confidence. He knew in his heart that the shipyard would definitely be built, and now was the perfect time. With winter approaching, there were many surplus people in the territory with nothing to do. Organizing them to cut timber now would provide raw materials for shipbuilding, making full use of human resources and advancing the shipbuilding plan.

“Then I’ll have those fifteen boatmen come to Lord Link,” Sophia said softly, a hint of helplessness in her voice. She knew that such a high-paying job would be incredibly attractive to those boatmen. They would definitely be vying to work for Link, and she couldn’t stop them. There was nothing she could do but recruit more boatmen on her next trip to the coast to fill the gaps in the fleet.

“Very good.” Link chuckled, a confident smile on his face. He knew that with these fifteen shipwrights, plus the precise blueprints, extensive carpentry knowledge, and advanced tools he had provided, the launch date of the first large ship was entirely predictable.

Once the large ship is successfully launched, the city along the Sipplet River will become Winter City's largest commercial city. At that time, Winter City's commerce will experience unprecedented prosperity, with various goods being transported continuously to different places through this golden waterway, driving the economic development of the entire territory.

As for the more distant seas and other countries, that will have to wait for larger ships to be launched. Current shipbuilding technology is insufficient to support long-distance sea voyages; a round trip would not only consume a great deal of time and energy but also face numerous unknown risks. Link knew that to achieve his goal of long-distance voyages, he needed continuous effort and innovation to build more advanced and robust large ships.

Once he establishes markets in all the cities along the Sipplet River, the river can be known as the Golden Waterway. It will connect the cities, promote trade and cultural exchange, and bring tremendous opportunities for the development of the entire region.

Link possessed a keen business sense and a long-term strategic vision. He understood that while Sophia and her fleet could maintain a certain scale of business in the early stages, this model would have very limited sales potential in the mid-term. Although the capital market had enormous potential, it would soon reach saturation.

Therefore, Link had to plan further ahead. Before the capital city's market had even truly begun to expand, he had already set his sights on all the cities along the Sipult River. While the sales volume of individual cities might not match that of the capital, their sheer number was overwhelming. Even three, four, or five cities combined would generate considerable sales.

Moreover, once past Northwind City, the Sipult River widens considerably, easily accommodating ships a hundred meters long. Furthermore, the river branches off in numerous kingdoms and duchies. These regions possess immense commercial potential, representing the largest markets of the future. Link seemed to already envision a future commercial blueprint, his heart filled with anticipation and longing.

200. Arrangement

Sofia leaned back lazily in the soft chair, her body swaying with the chair's curves, her shapely lines subtly revealed in the soft light. She tilted her head slightly, her eyes filled with a hint of doubt and scrutiny as she quietly watched Link, who was deep in thought. Link's brow furrowed slightly, his fingers lightly tapping the table, as if pondering a crucial decision.

Sophia muttered to herself, utterly baffled as to why her father would choose to partner with this undeniably handsome nobleman. In her view, the collaboration was fraught with uncertainty and risk, especially as she noticed signs in some details suggesting the other party wasn't entirely reliable. She grew increasingly pessimistic about the future of the partnership. She felt that if the other party was so wasteful or acted with such recklessness, the collaboration could very well drag the family into dire straits.

"Bang bang bang!" A series of rapid and forceful knocks suddenly rang out, echoing in the quiet study and instantly interrupting Link's thoughts. He was slightly startled, then came to his senses, turned his head and called out to the door, "Come in!" His voice was steady and powerful, carrying an unquestionable authority.

With a soft click, the heavy door to the study was slowly pushed open. Luca entered first with light and elegant steps, her eyes bright and intelligent, as if holding countless thoughts. Behind her followed closely Solo, his posture upright, his face showing a hint of respect and caution. Next came Claudius and Bernice. Claudius skipped into the study, a slight look of disappointment on her face, while Bernice smiled and walked with composure.

Kuratia pouted, her pink lips almost big enough to hang an oil bottle. It turned out that the team she had been supporting had lost the match that had just ended, and she had wagered three lollipops on it. These weren't ordinary lollipops; they were given to her by Link. In her heart, these lollipops held special meaning. They were already scarce, and now that she had lost three, she was incredibly upset.

Bernice smiled, her gaze sweeping over Claudia before taking in her surroundings. The stark contrast between Claudia's dejected appearance and her own relaxed and cheerful demeanor was immediately apparent upon entering.

"What? Lost the bet again?" Link knew Kuratia quite well. This lively, energetic, and somewhat naive girl liked to make bets with others, but unfortunately, she wasn't very lucky and always lost more than she won. Link looked at her dejected expression, a hint of pity flashing in his eyes.

"Yeah!" Kuratia nodded dejectedly, her voice tinged with grievance. "I never imagined that Team One would be overturned at the last moment. It was the same in the last boxing match. We were leading for the whole time, but at the last moment, our opponents overtook us." She became more and more frustrated as she spoke, and her head drooped even lower.

"Alright, I'll make you scrambled eggs with tomatoes for dinner tonight," Link said with a touch of pity. He knew that although Claudia was usually carefree, she actually cared a lot about these little things. Moreover, in her eyes, the lollipop Link gave her was like a precious gift, and losing it would naturally make her very upset. In comparison, Claudia's luck was indeed much worse than Fiora's.

"Yay! Link-sama is the best!" Claudia's brown eyes instantly curved into crescents, a bright smile bloomed on her face, and she jumped up, her joyful appearance seemingly forgetting her earlier disappointment.

"Go sit down and get ready to report the data." Link chuckled and waved his hand, finding it somewhat amusing to look at Kuratia's easily satisfied expression. These girls were sometimes like that; the smallest surprise could make them incredibly happy. There was already tomato and egg stir-fry planned for tonight, and just bringing it out to appease her made her so delighted.

"Mmm!" Curatier nodded obediently, then pulled a bewildered Bernice and sat her down on the desk with a grin. Her lively actions left Bernice somewhat at a loss. Bernice stared blankly at Link, then glanced at Curatier, thinking: What's going on here? She felt like she couldn't keep up with Curatier's pace.

Luca's lips curved into a beautiful smile. Looking at Kuratia's adorable expression, she understood that Kuratia was either being affectionate or seeking Link's attention, even if it was just verbal concern. Luca tiptoed, her graceful figure like an elegant cat, and sat on the corner of the desk, her slender hand pulling a slip of paper from her pocket and handing it to Link. This slip of paper contained new information she had casually picked up while calling Solo at the Oak Tavern. She knew Link was keeping a close eye on the situation, and this information might be helpful to him.

Link took the note, slowly unfolded it, and carefully read its contents, his dark eyes gleaming. Then, he pursed his lips slightly, silently tucked the note into his notebook, seemingly pondering the impact of this intelligence.

“Father, you’ve arrived.” Just then, Sophia stood up, a smile on her face, and looked at Solo softly. Her voice was gentle and sweet, and her demeanor was elegant and graceful. “I was delayed by some matters and did not greet you, Father. I hope you will not be offended.”

"Uh...it's alright, it's good that you're okay." Solo gave a wry smile. Looking at Sophia's formulaic smile, he understood that Sophia was a little dissatisfied with him. Usually, when Sophia saw him, she would always act affectionately and coquettishly, but today she spoke so politely and formally, which clearly indicated that she was dissatisfied with some of his previous decisions or actions.

Moreover, he had already heard about the matter from Miss Luca; he hadn't expected the Duke's daughter, Lydia, to also come, and to suddenly fall seriously ill. This was a serious matter; if Lydia were to suffer an accident on their territory, the consequences would be unimaginable. He might immediately pack his bags and flee north with his family to avoid any potential trouble.

"Greetings, Lord City Lord." Solo gave Link a noble salute, his movements precise and proper, showing his respect for Link.

“Have a seat!” Link waved his hand, then said calmly, “I called Mr. Solo here today to continue our discussion about our last collaboration.” His eyes were calm and deep, making it impossible to discern his inner thoughts.

“Understood.” Solo’s smile faded, and his expression turned serious. He knew the most crucial moment had arrived; whether his family could expand its business and influence depended on this conversation. He took a deep breath, composed himself, and prepared for this critical negotiation.

Sophia sat quietly to the side, an observer. She had gleaned too little information about the collaboration from the letters; many details were unclear, so for now, she could only listen and not speak. She sat up slightly, her gaze fixed intently on Link and Solo, trying to glean more information from their conversation.

“As I said before, the linen business will be handled by Mr. Solo for transportation and sales, and Mr. Solo will only take one percent of the profit,” Link said softly, his dark eyes sweeping over Sophia, whose expression had changed. His voice was steady and slow, as if he was deliberately emphasizing the profit percentage.

Sophia stared blankly at Solo, her eyes filled with disbelief. She wondered if this was really her father; how could he say something so idiotic? One percent profit? That was far too low; for the family, it wouldn't bring any real benefit.

“Yes, based on the amount of linen the city lord mentioned last time, there will be approximately a thousand gold coins traded annually.” Solo’s eyes gleamed, a slight smile playing on his lips. Although he felt the profit margin wasn’t high, it was a decision he had made after careful consideration. He reasoned that if he could secure the transportation and sales rights to this batch of linen, he would have the opportunity to profit in other areas.

Sofia gritted her teeth. While the sheer amount of gold coins was somewhat startling, she was more concerned about the profits her family would receive. In her view, their profits were far too meager; they were barely making ends meet. Moreover, if anything went wrong during transport, they might even have to pay out more gold coins. This was simply a partnership where the risks and rewards were extremely mismatched.

Could it be that Father has become senile? But he's still a long way from fifty! Why would he say such absurd things? Sophia was filled with doubt and dissatisfaction. She stared intently at Solo, hoping he could give her a reasonable explanation.

“Mr. Solo, I’ve heard about the major reforms being implemented in the north. Is it true or false?” Link tilted his head slightly forward, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes as he recalled the information on the note he had just read. He had heard about the reforms in the Northern Kingdom, but he wasn’t entirely sure about the details, and now he was taking this opportunity to verify it with Solo.

"Uh...Lord of the City? You know about it too?" Solo's eyes widened, a look of surprise on his face. He hadn't expected that Link would also receive news of the Northern Kingdom's reforms in this remote place. Then, he smiled bitterly and nodded, "It's true. The new queen over there has ascended the throne and is sweeping away some outdated systems. The entire kingdom is undergoing tremendous changes."

Sophia frowned, pondering their conversation. She knew about the reforms in the Northern Kingdom; it seemed to have started a year ago. However, due to the distance—a round trip would take two months—she hadn't paid much attention to it. After all, events happening in such a faraway place didn't seem to have much impact on their area.

Why do Link and his father look so surprised now? Sophia was a little puzzled. She recalled the conversation that had taken place in the study from the beginning, trying to find the answer.

“Could it be…” Sophia’s blue eyes narrowed, and she abruptly turned to look at Solo, a bold guess forming in her mind. Comparing the intelligence she had received in the capital with her father’s unusual behavior, she immediately knew where the key point lay. She realized that the reforms in the Northern Kingdom might contain huge business opportunities, and her father seemed to want to take advantage of this opportunity to do something, but perhaps for some reason, he hadn’t told her the whole plan.

“I only recently learned this myself. Mr. Solo is truly a shrewd businessman,” Link said calmly, a hint of admiration and wariness in his eyes. He appreciated Solo’s keen eye for business opportunities in the Northern Kingdom, but was also wary that Solo might do things detrimental to cooperation for profit.

"I'm ashamed, I'm ashamed..." Solo gave an awkward smile. He hadn't expected that even this remote place would be affected by the Northern Kingdom's reforms, which ruined his plan to resell linen. Yes, Solo originally had his own plans. He intended to settle with Link at the market price in the capital, or at a slightly higher price, for the linen he obtained from Link.

Solo, however, wouldn't sell linen in the capital; instead, he would transport it to the northern kingdoms. There, linen was in short supply, and with the reforms and revival underway, its price was double that in the capital. By reselling it, Solo would only incur minor travel and labor costs, yet he could reap two-thirds of the original profit from the linen shipment. For him, this was an incredibly lucrative business.

The news of the Northern Kingdom's reforms was leaked by the same northern merchant who had previously used a loophole in the contract to frame Solo. That merchant deliberately leaked the information to sabotage Solo's business and ruin his plans.

So, when Solo saw Link's linen stockpile, he planned to sell it to the Northern Kingdom, hoping to reopen trade routes in the north with it. However, at the crucial moment, the plan was leaked, and now it was up to Link to decide what to do. He felt uneasy, wondering if Link had already discovered his plan and how he would react.

201.Reason

Sofia stood there quietly, her deep blue eyes, like a still lake, filled with complex emotions. She lowered her gaze slightly, her mind churning as she recalled her father, Solo's, usual ways of doing things, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly. She knew in her heart that her father, Solo, was indeed still that shrewd businessman, as clever as a fox, capable of devising a way to profit from the price difference between the two places. The profit margin must have been calculated countless times in his mind.

However, plans can't keep up with changes, and the incident has been unexpectedly leaked. At this moment, Sophia and Solo are both nervously watching Link, barely daring to breathe, their eyes filled with anticipation and trepidation, as if awaiting a verdict concerning their future fate. They know in their hearts that if they don't cooperate with Link, then their arduous journey here will have been in vain, and all their efforts will have been in vain.

Link sat in his chair, looking at the nervous father and daughter before him, and smiled gently. His smile was like the warm spring sun, making them feel exceptionally at ease. He spoke slowly, "Don't be nervous. Being able to sell linen to the Northern Kingdom is your skill." His voice was deep and steady, carrying a convincing power.

He was telling the truth. To outsiders, selling linen to the Northern Kingdom seemed to yield higher profits. But what if Link hadn't known this information? Wouldn't he have simply followed his original plan and sold the linen to the capital first? In that case, the profits would be essentially the same. Even if he partnered with someone else, the outcome would be roughly the same. Ultimately, the key issue was the asymmetry of information. Even if Link knew the market situation in the Northern Kingdom beforehand, he would still have sold the linen to the capital, not the more distant Northern Kingdom. After all, the Northern Kingdom was too far away, and transporting goods would require a significant amount of time and effort, resulting in slower returns. For a merchant, time is money, and Link was well aware of the pros and cons.

As for whether there was deception, Link was initially just following his plan to sell the linen to the capital, not the Northern Kingdom. It can only be said that Solo had ulterior motives and concealed the more advantageous market information from the Northern Kingdom. But who doesn't have selfish motives? Those who dedicate everything to others are already saints, beyond ordinary people. As long as you're human, you'll have selfish motives; it's human nature.

"Thank you for your understanding, Lord City Lord." Hearing Link's words, Solo finally felt a huge weight lifted from his heart. He quickly rose, bowed slightly, and performed a standard noble greeting, his movements elegant and proper. Seeing this, Sophia also bowed slightly in thanks.

Indeed, Solo knew he had his own selfish motives, but he never intended to take Link's share of the profits. Otherwise, he wouldn't have only asked for a symbolic one percent cut of the profits; he simply wanted to secure more benefits for himself and his family in this business.

"The linen can still be transported and sold by you, but I have only one condition: it can only be sold in the capital." Link rested his chin on his hand, his eyes revealing a hint of wisdom and composure as he spoke slowly. His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness.

"This..." Solo was stunned for a moment upon hearing Link's words, a look of hesitation on his face. He secretly calculated that if he only sold in the capital, even if he raised the price a little, the market there was only so big, and the profit share wouldn't be much. He had originally planned to make a fortune by taking advantage of the Northern Kingdom's market, but now that plan had fallen through, he found it hard to accept.

“Don’t worry, you won’t work for nothing.” Link smiled slightly at Solo’s hesitant look, a smile that seemed to see right through Solo’s thoughts. He continued, “Based on the sales figures in the capital, I will give you five percent of the profits.” His voice was clear and strong, as if giving Solo a reassurance.

"Is linen the only product?" Solo asked cautiously, a hint of expectation and worry in his eyes. He knew that after the year's linen sales revenue sharing, he could earn a little over fifty gold coins a year, according to current estimates. This was much less than his previous business profits. With only linen as a product, even if sales volume was considerable, the limited market and competition from other merchants would further compress profit margins. He could earn a little more, but based on the original production data, the quantity of linen would certainly be limited, which made him somewhat worried.

“For now, I can only offer five items.” Link pulled a piece of paper from his desk, which fluttered gently in the breeze. He handed it to Solo and said calmly, “These are the five items. If you'd like, let’s sign the contract.” A hint of confidence shone in his eyes, as if these five items were enough to change everything.

“This… huff huff huff…” Solo’s pupils contracted as he stared intently at what was written on the paper, as if he had seen something unbelievable. His hand gripping the paper tightened suddenly, his knuckles turning white from the force, his breathing became rapid, and his chest heaved violently.

"Well? With these five items, we should be able to open up the market in the capital," Link chuckled, casually twirling a pen in his hand with an elegant and natural movement. A hint of anticipation flickered in his eyes, as if he were waiting for Solo's affirmative answer.

"Yes!" Solo nodded eagerly, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He had used all five items before and knew how sought-after they were. These goods were practically rare commodities in the market; once they hit the market, they would undoubtedly be snapped up. He could almost see a mountain of gold coins beckoning to him.

"These five products can only be sold in the capital. Without my permission, they cannot be sold in other cities," Link said calmly, his tone tinged with seriousness. He had his own plans; he wouldn't hand over the entire market to a merchant. What he wanted to implement was a regional distributor program. Once someone accepted, they would essentially be working for him, their salary being only five percent of the profits. As long as he regularly sent auditors to check the accounts, he could ensure everything was under his control.

Link knew that now was not the time to advance into the northern market. Things were far from peaceful there; the reforms in the Northern Kingdom hadn't been smooth sailing. Many of the overthrown nobles had become roaming bandits, wreaking havoc across the vast lands, committing arson, murder, and looting. Others had fled to the seas, becoming pirates and causing havoc, seriously threatening the safety of merchant ships. Getting through safely would be incredibly expensive and extremely risky. But he didn't mention it, trusting that Solo and his crew would receive the news upon their return. After all, his intelligence sources were reliable, coming from the crew Sophia had brought. The leading captains were feasting and drinking in the oak tavern's private box, loudly boasting and vividly describing the situation in the Northern Kingdom; this news would soon spread among the merchants.

"What? Only selling in the capital?" Sophia stared at Link with her blue eyes, her gaze filled with disbelief and dissatisfaction. She felt this condition was far too harsh. This would severely limit their business scope and reduce their earnings. She simply couldn't understand why Link would make such a demand.

“Okay.” Solo hesitated only for a moment before readily agreeing. He even gave Sophia a wink, signaling her to remain silent. He had his own calculations in mind. Based on the profit margins of these five commodities, he had roughly calculated that even a five percent profit would bring him at least five or six hundred gold coins a year. This was a considerable sum for him, enough to make his family even wealthier.

“Then let’s sign the contract!” Link took out two documents from the drawer and neatly placed them on the desk. He handed the pen to Solo, a hint of expectation in his eyes.

“Okay!” Solo quickly took the document and began to examine it carefully. His eyes were focused and meticulous, not missing a single clause. The more he read, the more astonished he became. Many of the clauses blocked any loopholes, leaving him with no opportunity to cheat. Most importantly, the handwriting on the document didn't seem like it could be written by hand; the strokes were neat, the spacing even, as if it had been printed with some kind of magical tool.

After carefully examining the document, Solo took the pen, his hand trembling slightly as he signed his name and pressed his fingerprint before respectfully handing it to Link. His movements were extremely cautious, as if the document were an invaluable treasure.

“The goods will take a few days to prepare. You can rest in the city for a few days…” Link took the documents, signed his name, and stamped them. The design on the stamp was clear and imposing, as if representing supreme power. He handed one of the documents to Solo, saying, “This document is valid for three years. You must come back to sign it again after three years.” His tone was serious, reminding Solo to abide by the agreement.