Volume 3 Chapter 134 Wanting benefits
In order to welcome the Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s motorcade, when night came, Count Sean held a grand welcome banquet at the City Lord Manor. Not only did he invite everyone from the motorcade, he even invited all the important people of Sowell City, including the nobles, the merchants, and even the officers of the city guards.
Xu Yi didn’t want Count Sean to hold this welcome banquet, feeling that it was too troublesome, but he also knew that this was something that Count Sean had to do to quickly integrate the Frestech Chamber of Commerce into Sowell City, so naturally he didn’t reject.
Even if Xu Yi didn’t like these banquets and dealing with these people, in order to not let down Count Sean’s hard work and since he was one of the main characters of this banquet, so Xu Yi had to invigorate himself. He talked to all the guests that came and noted down their names, backgrounds, and various other information.
If the Frestech Chamber of Commerce wanted to develop in Sowell City, even if they had the support of the City Lord Count Sean, that didn’t mean that others in the city would work with them.
After dealing with the people who came, Xu Yi had made contact with all the guests that came and finally had an opportunity to catch his breath.
When he took a sip of his wine, Princess Caroline suddenly appeared.
“Chairman Xu, are you very tired?”
Seeing Princess Caroline’s energetic look, Xu Yi was a bit confused, “Aren’t you tired? Your highness, I think that you are more popular than me.”
“What? You’re jealous?” Princess Caroline raised her wine glass with a smile and clinked it with Xu Yi’s before taking a sip. She suddenly gave a sigh and looked at the banquet as she said in a soft voice, “Although I am very popular, most of the ones who came are all men. They are only interested in my body, it isn’t like chairman Xu where they are interested in your power.”
“Your body is also a part of your strength. I hope that they would be more interested in my body, at least that would mean that I have some confidence in my own charm, right?” Xu Yi said with a smile.
Princess Caroline laughed and gave Xu Yi a wink as she said with a faint smile, “Chairman Xu, you are already very handsome and I am interested in your body.”
While saying this, Princess Caroline approached Xu Yi and stood on her tiptoes a bit, putting her face by Xu Yi’s face. She let out a soft breath and the fragrance mixed with liquor hit Xu Yi’s face before she said in a charming voice, “I said it before when I was in Banta City last time, chairman Xu, I will prepare my bed in Sowell City and I’m waiting for your honourable self to visit. Now that I’ve already prepared my bed, are you interested in spending the night with me?”
“Your highness, you are drunk.” Xu Yi took half a step back and turned slightly to not look directly at Princess Caroline.
The drunk Princess Caroline was very charming and very lethal. He didn’t dare guarantee that if he was charmed like this, he would be able to hold on.
Princess Caroline giggled, but she no longer approached. Rather she quickly changed the topic, “Chairman Xu, I am still thinking about the reinforced concrete walls you mentioned this morning. I want to ask, if our duchy can produce our own steel and cement, how much would we save on the cost?”
Xu Yi shook his head, “I don’t suggest you do this, at least not now. The reinforced concrete is strong other than the structure itself, the most important thing is the quality of the steel and concrete. It’s fine with the concrete, but the quality of the steel can’t be guaranteed with the current level of technology of your Drake Duchy. If you try to rashly solve the problem of the materials, the consequences will be serious.”
Princess Caroline had a bitter smile, “Although I want to say that you are trying to deceive me as a merchant, I’m very clear that chairman Xu isn’t that kind of person. I think…..it is impossible for your Frestech Chamber of Commerce to give us the steel and concrete technology, then is your Frestech Chamber of Commerce willing to invest in a factory in our Drake Duchy? If we produce it locally, at least we can save on basic materials, right?”
“I think that you should be clear that that decision isn’t on me, rather it’s on the Sack Kingdom.” Xu Yi said.
Princess Caroline slightly knit her brows. She sipped her wine while seriously considering this.
It had to be said, the flirty appearance that Princess Caroline normally revealed was very tempting to Xu Yi, but to Xu Yi, he preferred Princess Caroline when she was deep in thought.
To him, the most attractive and what leaves the best impression on him was a woman who had her own thoughts and made her own decisions.
Still had moved his heart in the beginning and made him choose to marry Still was because Still very clearly demonstrated this.
After thinking for a bit, Princess Caroline put down her wine glass and revealed another faint smile.
“Alright, it seems like our cooperation has to proceed step by step, it can’t be rushed. Chairman Xu, I have a small request for you now, can you agree to it?” Princess Caroline asked.
“As long as it isn’t inviting me to spend the night with you, it can be discussed.” Xu Yi said.
Princess Caroline was stunned before she couldn’t help breaking out in laughter.
“Chairman Xu, do you think of me as a nympho? Be assured, I won’t eat you.” Princess Caroline rolled her eyes at Xu Yi with hidden bitterness before saying with a serious expression, “What I wanted to request is that when your Frestech Chamber of Commerce builds your construction base in Sowell City, I can watch over the entire process.”
Xu Yi thought about it before saying with a nod, “Alright, but you have to leave when there are some secret things.”
“Of course.” Receiving Xu Yi’s agreement, Princess Caroline was very happy as she reached her hand out to Xu Yi, “Chairman Xu, here’s to a happy cooperation.”
Xu Yi also reached out his hand to softly hold hers.
When he felt her smooth and soft hand, Princess Caroline suddenly pulled Xu Yi in towards herself and then Princess Caroline got on her tiptoes, quickly planting a kiss on Xu Yi’s face.
“Chairman Xu, I won’t close my doors tonight. I’ll be waiting for you.”
Seeing Princess Caroline leave while laughing, Xu Yi rubbed his face with a bitter smile. He looked around and found that many people were looking at him with a surprised look.
Xu Yi also felt a bit strange.
With Princess Caroline’s image as a social butterfly, she shouldn’t display her feelings towards him so openly.
It can’t be that she really liked him, right?
Xu Yi shook his head and threw out this thought.
Turning to the side and seeing Count Sean waving at him not far away, Xu Yi quickly walked over.
“Come Xu Yi, let me introduce you. This is our Sowell City’s city guard commander, general Maral. There might be many things you need to work together on in the future, so you should get to know each other.” Count Sean pointed at the well built and straightforward looking middle aged man beside him as he spoke to Xu Yi.
Xu Yi quickly reached his hand out to Maral, “Hello general Maral, our Frestech Chamber of Commerce will need you and your guard brothers to take care of us in Sowell City in the future.”
Maral gave a refreshing laugh and said, “Chairman Xu is too polite. The lord City lord has already told me about you. He said that once your Frestech Chamber of Commerce came, we city guards needed to work with your company to let your company develop safely in our Sowell City. Be assured, I can guarantee that you will not receive any trouble in Sowell City.”
“Then I’ll have to thank general Maral for your care.”
“Xu Yi, if someone is taking care of you, you need to give them a bit of benefits.” Count Sean suddenly said with a smile, “Without any benefits, how could it be possible to have Maral give his all?”
Xu Yi was surprised and seeing that Maral was also smiling, he immediately understood. Xu Yi said with a wide smile, “Of course, of course, the Lord City Lord’s advice is correct. Then may I ask, general Maral, what benefits do you and your city guard brothers want?”
Maral broke out in laughter and patted Xu Yi’s shoulder.
“Good, I like straightforward people like chairman Xu. The brothers don’t want much. Didn’t your company provide a set of weapon and armour for each person in the northern army, it’s good enough if you provide a set to the brothers in our city guards.”
Xu Yi immediately asked Maral, “General Maral, how many brothers are there in the city guards?”
“No much, just over eight thousand.” Maral replied in an uncaring manner.
“Eight thousand?” Xu Yi took a cold breath and couldn’t help shaking his head.
The set of armour the Frestech Chamber of Commerce provided to the northern army cost as high as fifty gold coins per set. For eight thousand sets, it would be over four hundred thousand gold coins!
Although it wasn’t that Xu Yi couldn’t deliver and if it was calculated at the cost, it would only be around two hundred thousand gold coins, Xu Yi still couldn’t help feeling some pain giving out that much at once.
“Hey, Xu Yi, what are you thinking? It isn’t you giving it for free, look at how scared you are.” Count Sean scolded him with a smile, “I hope that you can provide eight thousand sets of fine steel weapons and armour at base price to our Sowell City’s guards.”
Xu Yi let out a sigh of relief and waved his hand, “Since it is Lord City Lord’s request, that is simple. Eight thousand sets isn’t enough to show my sincerity, so ten thousand sets! General Maral, are you satisfied?”
“Satisfied! Satisfied! Definitely satisfied!” Maral nodded while laughing before slapping Xu Yi’s shoulder, “Chairman Xu, if your Frestech Chamber of Commerce needs anything from us city guards, you can come find me and I guarantee I will do everything I can!”
Watching Maral leave, Xu Yi rubbed the shoulder that was sore from being patted by Maral. He knit his brows as he asked Count Sean, “Lord Count, secretly changing the equipment of the city guards under you, would there be a problem?”
Count Sean revealed a faint smile and shook his head, “Although it is a small problem, it isn’t big. Moreover, not only do I want to change their equipment, I also want to open an arms factory in Sowell City. Xu Yi, can your Frestech Chamber of Commerce do this?”
“Arms factory?” Xu Yi looked at Count Sean in shock, “Lord Count, are you planning on revolting?”