Chapter 724 — Business and Enterprise
Blade of Dawn · Page 1 of 2
The silently operating thermostatic array shielded them from the bleak wind outside the castle. The decorative shields on the walls had been polished to a gleam; the magnificent classical tapestries bore symbols of heroes, monsters, and gods; the precious incense from fairy hands gave off a pleasant, refined fragrance from within its bronze censer; and the light of the magic crystal lamps spilled down from the ceiling, falling into the gold-rimmed teacups, where the bright red liquid shimmered with a warm layer of floating light.
Wenna the gray elf lifted the teacup before her and gently swirled the liquid, whose texture was so distinct, specks of light reflected in her pale eyes: "Goods from the Typhon Empire? That... is indeed novel. What exactly are they?"
"Textiles, mainly textiles, along with dyes and white crystal," Bai Yu said with a smile. "Superb quality, ample supply. Our friends among the tribes of the Western Plains should like them."
"Setting everything else aside, textiles do interest me somewhat," Wenna raised her eyes. "May I see a sample?"
Bai Yu rose with a smile and nodded to the attendant beside him: "Of course. Open it right here."
The attendant opened the wooden crate holding the samples, and the guests from the Augurey Tribal Kingdom immediately cast curious glances their way. Duke Bai Yu stepped forward himself, took a length of white cloth from the crate, and presented it to Wenna the gray elf: "My lady, if you would examine it."
Wenna reached out and took the cloth, studying it closely with expectation and curiosity, but within seconds her expectant expression turned somewhat astonished and disappointed. After a brief silence, the gray elf tribal chief frowned and shook her head: "My friend, I was just now praising the creativity of human craftsmen in the realm of art... and now I find myself rather perplexed."
As she spoke, she raised her head and looked at Duke Bai Yu with curiosity: "Forgive my frankness—is that distant Typhon Empire lacking in craftsmanship? You must be able to see that although this cloth is sturdy, its weave and pattern are utterly devoid of taste. Even an apprentice who has just learned to weave could produce such a thing. It—"
"Sixteen silver shield coins," Bai Yu said suddenly.
"What?" Wenna was caught off guard for a moment.
"Sixteen silver shield coins," Bai Yu said with a smile, patting the wooden crate beside him. "One hundred and sixty spans in total."
The gray elf Wenna's ears twitched involuntarily: "...Are you joking?"
"You wore the same expression and said the same words the last time I quoted you the price of alchemical potions," Bai Yu shook his head and sat back in the high-backed chair, his expression turning serious. "This is the real price. As you can see, these cloths are indeed utterly devoid of taste in weave and pattern. That is because they are woven by machine, and with current machine technology, only cloth like this can be produced. They truly are beneath the notice of the upper nobility, but as for the price... they will certainly be enormously popular among the middle class and common folk."
"Machine... this is not the first time I have heard that word," the astonished and disappointed look on Wenna's face had vanished, replaced by contemplation. "If it is machine-made, then I can understand its price. But I have a question—even if it is machine-made, you still must transport these cloths from distant Typhon to the western frontier. After such a long journey, are these goods still so cheap? In my understanding, even moving a single stone from the east of your country to the west would cost a considerable sum in freight alone."