OBS Chapter 298 Cooperation and Win-Win
Chapter 298 Cooperation and Win-Win
Chapter 302 Cooperation and Win-Win
The gardens of the Golden Lion Castle are very large, more than five times larger than the Frost Gardens.
The garden is planted with golden and silver osmanthus trees, which are rare in the North and are in full bloom, filling the garden with sweet fragrance.
On both sides are neatly trimmed low shrubs, and every few steps there is a bronze lion, some crouching and some standing, each in a different posture.
The lion bases are engraved with the names and achievements of the heads of the Golden Lion family throughout the ages, the oldest dating back six hundred years.
In the center of the garden stood a pavilion, where Richard sat down, his fingers carefully stroking the crystal wine glass in front of him.
The outer cup features a relief of a golden lion emblem, depicting a roaring lion with its mane flowing, lifelike.
He looked around.
The carvings on the stone pillars, the patterns on the table edges, the stone bricks and curtains, the silverware and wine cups, and even the copper buttons on the servants' collars, all bear the mark of the golden lion.
This is a low-key display, silently telling outsiders about the family's 600-year heritage, with each generation of Golden Lions leaving its mark in this castle.
Chiffon cakes lack this kind of historical depth.
The Yitian Sword Pavilion is indeed magnificent and solemn, but it is too new, so new that it doesn't even have a single embroidered curtain of its own.
This doesn't work.
Richard plans to hone his skills in this area once he gets back, and he'll just copy Golden Lion Castle's approach.
Gardens, candlesticks, tablecloths, curtains, carpets, tableware, and even the maids' various uniforms all had to have the Stormy Cloud Clan emblem put on them.
It should be so clear to people at a glance that the place they are in is called Chiffon.
"Richard, my garden may not be as elegant or have as many flowers as yours, but it's still pleasing to the eye, isn't it?"
Lawrence's voice pulled him back from his thoughts. Count Golden Lion, now dressed in a long robe, approached with a smile.
Richard remarked with genuine admiration, "The rich history of the Golden Lion is truly enviable."
Lawrence laughed triumphantly: "Six hundred years for a single word of envy from you, it's not a bad deal."
After saying that, he gestured with his chin toward the nobles around him: "Come on, I'll take you to meet Marquis Amethyst and the others. They can't wait to meet you."
"7
Marquis Amethyst was also a famous nobleman in the North, over fifty years old, with a dignified demeanor.
In response to Richard's greeting, he nodded slightly as a greeting, displaying the haughty demeanor typical of high-ranking nobles.
Even if Richard is very capable and even offers his farming techniques for sale, he is still only a viscount, and besides, everyone else has already paid money.
Don't ask how much you'll have to pay.
Even a gold coin is money!
The counts beside him were the same; though their gazes were curious, they maintained a respectful distance.
The viscounts, however, were more enthusiastic, taking the initiative to shake hands and exchange pleasantries with Richard, their tone carrying a hint of sincere flattery.
The atmosphere gradually became more lively.
Seeing that the time was right, Lawrence clapped his hands, signaling everyone to return to the pavilion.
"Gentlemen," he said, standing in the pavilion, his gaze sweeping over every face present, "besides catching up, I have something I'd like to share with you all today."
As they were talking, a dozen servants filed in carrying trays and placed a jar of black pepper in front of each of them.
The nobles were all taken aback.
Black pepper is very expensive, costing more than ten silver coins per peppercorn, and even nobles cannot afford to eat it every day.
The jar in front of me contains at least a kilogram, which translates to several hundred gold coins.
There were more than a dozen bottles on the table, and if you put them all together, the total value would be conservatively estimated to be over ten thousand gold coins!
Marquis Amethyst frowned, looked at Lawrence, and said displeasedly, "Lion, are you showing off or what?"
Amethyst and Lion have been staunch allies for hundreds of years, and they are even father-in-law and son-in-law.
He couldn't figure out what Lawrence was up to, but this table full of black pepper must have cost a lot of money to get.
Judging from his current state, he actually wants to give it away as a gift. Has he eaten a diseased sheep and lost his mind?
The other nobles also realized what was happening and looked at Lawrence in confusion.
Although black pepper is precious, it is ultimately just a seasoning.
We're all old friends, so if he really emptied his pockets to buy gifts for everyone, they wouldn't accept it.
Lawrence didn't keep us in suspense.
He patted Richard on the shoulder with a smug look on his face, stepped aside, and pushed Richard in front of the crowd.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is not actually from my Golden Lion Castle, but a gift from Viscount Richard to you all."
Richard bowed slightly, meeting the dozen or so surprised gazes, and said calmly, "I have figured out how to cultivate black pepper. Today is my first time meeting you gentlemen, so I brought some with me as a small token of my appreciation."
Upon hearing this, the expressions of all the nobles present changed drastically!
Even the Marquis of Amethyst was unsettled. He glanced down at the jar of black pepper in front of him, then looked up at Richard.
Cultivating black pepper?
If these words were spoken by some free man, he must be craving a whip, and the Marquis of Amethyst wouldn't mind giving him a few lashes to let his ass have its fun.
If it was His Highness the Crown Prince who said it, Marquis Zijing would definitely think that he was up to no good again and wanted to trick someone badly.
However, these words came from Richard, the Viscount Chiffon who developed new farming techniques.
So he had no doubt about whether it was true or false!
The other three earls sat to the left of the Marquis of Amethyst and exchanged glances.
On the day of Chiffon's opening ceremony, I heard that Richard gave each of the dozen or so minor nobles present a hundred magic lamps.
Back then, the three of them laughed at this nouveau riche behavior behind their backs. They thought that the money they made by selling their technology was not worth saving and that they would squander their fortune sooner or later.
Now they feel like they're the joke.
A hundred magic lamps are nothing; they can easily give away tens of thousands of gold coins worth of black pepper these days!
frugal?
If someone who can grow gold were to be even slightly frugal, the other nobles would laugh at him mercilessly!
The viscounts reacted even more directly, looking at Richard with great eagerness, and they were all almost unable to sit still.
Lawrence saw their reactions and felt incredibly pleased. Inviting Richard to the autumn harvest banquet was a huge honor for Golden Lion!
Marquis Amethyst put down his wine glass and finally spoke. His voice was not loud, but the noise in the pavilion instantly subsided.
"Viscount Richard, I admire your expertise in agriculture, and it is a great blessing to our Star Empire."
Richard smiled slightly.
"You flatter me, Your Excellency. I am a new lord with limited connections and a weak foundation. I will need the support of my seniors in the future."
""
These words were spoken humbly, and several of the older nobles, including the Marquis of Amethyst, all nodded slightly.
Richard paused for a moment, then continued, "Besides attending this banquet today and gathering with you all, I also want to discuss a business deal with you all."
As he spoke, he picked up a jar of black pepper from the table and said with a smile, "To be honest, this batch of black pepper grown by Qifeng will produce about 100,000 kilograms. There's not enough for Qifeng Trading Company to sell, and we don't have that many sales channels."
"I'd like to offer the sales rights for the capital city and the other three regions in collaboration with you gentlemen. I wonder if anyone is interested?"
Upon hearing this, all the nobles present were shocked and could no longer remain calm!
100,000 kilograms!?
The stars are above!
You actually produced 100,000 kilograms of this rare stuff that can sell for more than a dozen silver coins per grain!?