Chapter 23 Partner
“Karma City?” Viscount Leslie quickly looked at Butler Brunei who had been standing on the side the entire time and said in an astonished voice, “I never thought that you would have already sold Magic Fans in other cities, that really is unexpected.”
Xu Yi laughed and shook his head, “Strictly speaking, we didn’t sell them, but rather they were the ones who came to us.”
“Oh? What do you mean by that?” Viscount Leslie asked in a very curious voice.
“Lord Viscount has just said it, the population in Banta City is limited. Even adding in the villages outside Banta City, there is still a limit to the need for Magic Fans, so we have already made plans to promote the Magic Fans in areas outside of Banta City. But we didn’t promote this earlier because the timing was not right.”
“Why wasn’t it right?” Viscount Leslie was a bit confused, “If people are willing to buy, you aren’t willing to sell?”
“No, it’s not like this. This is based on my consideration for the future.”
Xu Yi put down his fruit juice and decided to explain it all to Viscount Leslie.
After the short period of contact with him, his impression of Viscount Leslie had greatly changed. He felt that he wasn’t as useless as those normal noble dandies and rather had his own ideas and views. With this kind of person, Xu Yi was willing to interact with him more.
“Although looking at it from the surface, it is inevitable that we would bring the Magic Fans to a broader market, this is still very good for our development. But we can’t rush this matter because as the number of sales increase, we must also increase our output. Otherwise, if our output can’t keep up and we can’t fulfill the orders we receive, not only will it create losses in terms of sales, the most important thing is that it will be a large hit to our reputation. If we lose our reputation, it will damage our foundations and hurt our future development.”
Viscount Leslie thought about it and asked with knitted brows, “Then why can’t you increase the output? Is it because you don’t have enough people? But I’ve heard Brunei say that you have only recruited thirty students from Baron Rickto Magic Academy, you aren’t producing to your full potential yet. You said just now that you are producing one hundred and fifty Magic Fans each day, then if you recruited some more people, you don’t have to recruit a lot, wouldn’t you at least be able to produce two hundred per day?”
“Lord Viscount, you’ve forgotten a very important question.” Xu Yi shook his head.
“What is it?”
“That is quality. Although it is very simple to make the Magic Fans, up until now, the people that can produce them has been very small. Accurately speaking, there is only me who can make Magic Fans perfectly. Those students that were hired, although they can work on the most important Magic Array, for the small adjustments and installations, there is no one else but me who can do it. This is a fact that has made me very helpless, which is that the production of the Magic Fans depends completely on my work efficiency. But as a single person, my abilities are limited, so the production line is limited and it can’t be increased.”
Viscount Leslie looked at Xu Yi for a while, “This isn’t right. Since you can give the most important Magic Array work to the students, it is impossible to give the other work to other people to do. I think…..you should be afraid of revealing the core secrets, so you’re not willing to do this, right?”
“Lord Viscount, you’re looking down on me.” Xu Yi revealed a smile, “I have just said that the Magic Fans aren’t hard to make and to me, they aren’t considered a secret at all. Only, I’m in charge of a very difficult matter right now, so it’s hard for me to hand it to other people. But I believe this won’t last for long. Those students have slowly started to learn the main parts and I believe that after a period of time, they will be able to completely take over my work. When that time comes, you’ll find that the Magic Fan production will greatly increase.” After saying this, Xu Yi paused for a bit and revealed a mysterious smile, “Other than that, I might as well disclose a real secret to you. If nothing unexpected happens, a new generation of Magic Fans are about to appear.”
Viscount Leslie was instantly stunned, “A new generation? There are different Magic Fans? What is different about it compared to the Magic Fans you sold before?”
“As for what difference it has, I’m afraid I can’t simply describe it. When the new generation of Magic Fans appears, you will naturally know.” Xu Yi deliberately kept him guessing, “Moreover, I can tell you that the new generation of Magic Fans are made with completely different production methods and has a completely different design. Its output will far surpass the Magic Fans currently being produced. When that time comes, that is when we push the Magic Fans onto the broader market.”
Viscount Leslie stared at Xu Yi for a while before shaking his head with a smile and saying, “When I saw the plan Butler Brunei gave me at first, I thought you were a lunatic with big words. Looking at you now, it seems I’ve truly underestimated you. Very good, since you didn’t disappoint me, that means we can discuss this further. Brunei, bring out the contract.”
Butler Brunei bowed before turning to leave.
“Contract?” Xu Yi saw Viscount Leslie’s confident look and slightly knit his brows.
Could it be that this fellow wants to play some tricks?
After a while, Butler Brunei came back with a document, which Viscount Leslie placed in front of Xu Yi.
“Look at this and feel free to ask any questions you have.”
Xu Yi curiously picked up the document and found that it was a land rental contract that was about the land that he was currently renting.
But compared to the first contract, this one was much more in depth and also much more preferential.
In the previous contract, Xu Yi and Heinz had only been renting the land from Viscount Leslie for a year and they didn’t have any authority at all. They were very limited by Viscount Leslie and if he felt unhappy one day, he could drive them away without any questions.
As for this contract, it clearly stipulated that Xu Yi had completely control over the use of the land and Viscount Leslie only had property rights.
This also meant that Xu Yi could do whatever he wanted with the land without any problems, even without needing agreement from Viscount Leslie.
At the same time, Viscount Leslie had directly increased the length of the contract from one year to five years, as well as decreasing the rent. One hectare per year was actually decreased by half, which became only fifty gold coins!
Xu Yi carefully looked over the contract and after confirming he had missed nothing, he put down the contract. Thinking about it, he asked, “Viscount Leslie, do you have any conditions?”
A look of praise flashed in Viscount Leslie’s eyes and he said with a faint smile, “If I didn’t raise any conditions, would you believe it?”
Xu Yi smiled without saying anything.
“Ha, ha, alright, I won’t joke around. Of course there is a condition, but I think you won’t reject it.”
“Lord Viscount, please tell me.”
“Un, this condition is very simple, I want to invest. Pay attention, this is not as simple as the 10% share you gave me, rather I want to participate. In the future, whether it is the Magic Fans or any other projects you make, I want the right to know and to give my opinion. Of course, I will not force my way in. Other than providing land, I can also inject capital into the Frestech Chamber of Commerce. Other than that, I can also rely on my connections to open up markets for you. For example, I can help you bring this Magic Fan to Anvilmar City to sell. How about it, what do you think of this condition?”
Xu Yi’s expression didn’t change and after thinking for a while, he asked with a serious look, “Lord Viscount, I want to ask something. When you raised this condition, are you using your identity as a noble or as an ordinary merchant?”
“Oh? Is there a difference?” Hearing Xu Yi’s strange question, Viscount Leslie was very interested.
“There is a large difference.” Xu Yi nodded, “If you use your identity as a noble, then according to the rules set by the kingdom’s Royal Parliament, your rights as a shareholder must be supervised by the Royal Parliament and can’t hide anything. Like this, there will be many things of our company that can’t be hidden from the Royal Parliament. This is one thing that I can’t accept and I can only apologize to you.”
“Then if it’s as a normal merchant?”
“If it’s as a normal merchant……” Xu Yi revealed a sly smile, “Then in terms of business, the condition you have stated is very attractive. But I must clearly tell you that while there is no problem for you to become a shareholder of the Frestech Chamber of Commerce, you will only have a small amount of rights. That means that other than the right to give ideas, you will not have any decision making powers. What do you think about that?”
Butler Brunei on the side tightly knit his brows and angrily said, “Audacious! The Lord Viscount is willing to invest in your little company, that is your honour! You dare say the Lord Viscount won’t have any decision making power? Simply audacious!”
Xu Yi’s expression didn’t change. He completely ignored Butler Brunei and kept looking at Viscount Leslie with a faint smile.
Viscount Leslie did not show a single trace of surprise, rather he nodded and asked, “I understand your thoughts, but Xu Yi, how can you ensure you won’t make the wrong decisions? Simply speaking, how can you guarantee my benefits?”
Xu Yi smiled and unexpectedly winked at Viscount Leslie as he said, “Lord Viscount, don’t you believe in me?”
Viscount Leslie was surprised before breaking out in laughter.
“Good! Good! Xu Yi, you really are an interesting person. Brunei, it’s fine, take out the other contract for him to see.”
Xu Yi received another contract from Brunei and found that it was an investment contract.
The contract stated that Viscount Leslie would be using territory to join the Frestech Chamber of Commerce and his original 10% would be raised to 30%.
The contract also clearly stated that in terms of company decision making, Viscount Leslie didn’t have any decision making power. For everything about the company, Xu Yi was in charge and Viscount Leslie could not interfere.
Another thing that was specially added was a privacy clause, which meant that this contract wouldn’t be protected by the kingdom’s Royal Parliament.
But because of this, Xu Yi felt relaxed.
After carefully reading the contract, Xu Yi looked up and stretched his right hand out as he looked at Viscount Leslie with a smile.
“Lord Viscount, to a good cooperation.”
Viscount Leslie also stretched out his hand with a smile and tightly gripped Xu Yi’s hand.
“To a happy cooperation.”
Chapter 24 Men can also become jealous
It was past noon when Xu Yi left Viscount Leslie’s manor. Looking up at the bright son, he determined that it was better not to brave this burning heat to go to the factory and let Butler Brunei send him back to Banta City with the horse carriage instead.
With this hot weather, Banta City was in the same deathly silence as usual. Xu Yi looked around from inside the horse carriage and found that many houses and stores had traces of Magic Fans turning. He couldn’t help revealing a smile.
It was just in a single month, but the Magic Fans had spread all over inside and outside Banta City. Other than those rich people who can afford to lay down large scale Frost Arrays inside their houses, every household had one or two Magic Fans. It was simply impossible to raise one’s head and not see one in the neighbourhood.
According to Heinz’s data, up to this point, the Frestech Chamber of Commerce had sold a total of two thousand three hundred and seventy one Frestech Brand Magic Fans.
Adding in all the assorted costs, the net profit was over two thousand and two hundred gold coins.
Then taking away the commission Heinz made and the commission from Viscount Leslie’s 10% share, Xu Yi had made a profit of one thousand and five hundred gold coins from just this!
And this was just his net income for a single month.
It had to be known, the average income per month for people in Banta City was only ten gold coins and their yearly income was around two hundred gold coins.
With Rem’s thirty gold coin income at Camilla’s Magic Tower, he could be considered someone with a high income in Banta City.
But compared to the current Xu Yi, there was no doubt he was lacking by countless times.
It was no wonder Heinz frequently tried convincing Xu Yi to stop working at the Magic Tower and focus on the company.
Of the reasons why the Magic Fan’s production couldn’t be raised, the deciding factor was Xu Yi’s limited energy.
Although his workload at the Magic Tower was not considered heavy, it did consume a large part of his energy.
From Heinz’s point of view, this was basically a large waste.
But as for Heinz’s proposition each time, Xu Yi kept firmly rejecting him.
Heinz didn’t have foresight, but Xu Yi didn’t lack it.
After getting out of the horse carriage, Xu Yi gave the driver a gold coin and carried a large and small bag into the Magic Tower.
He came across quite a few colleagues in the Magic Tower, who all looked at him with a smile when they saw him.
During this time, Xu Yi had sold large amounts of Magic Fans he designed in Banta City, so even with how little the magicians of the Magic Tower cared about normal things, they still heard all about it. Through this, they began recognizing this black haired kid none of them knew before.
But in the eyes of the magicians of the Magic Tower, Xu Yi was ignoring his main profession.
As a magician, he wasn’t properly conducting magical research and running of to make some unknown Magic Fan, this was simply an embarrassing magician!
Xu Yi turned a blind eye to all the strange gazes mixed with these smiles and maintained his own smile as he headed into the lab.
Seeing Xu Yi come in, the young colleagues in the lab all shouted out and charged over. They stole the bags from Xu Yi’s hands without any politeness and quickly opened them.
“It’s mung bean juice again? I say, Xu Yi, don’t you have anything new?” A colleague didn’t forget to complain.
Xu Yi laughed, “What? You’re sick of it? Alright, I’ll remember to bring something new next time.”
“Don’t listen to his nonsense, it’s already pretty good having something to eat.” A female colleague pushed the colleague who complained aside, “Xu Yi, you always bring something to eat back, it’s embarrassing for us.”
“It’s nothing, just some small cheap things. I’m always taking vacations and leaving the work in the lab for you all, so this is considered an apology from me.”
“He, he, you’re too polite……”
“Humph! So you do know.” A cold snort suddenly cut through this harmonious atmosphere, “Xu Yi, don’t think that you can show off here with the bit of money you’re making from the Magic Fans. Don’t forget, you are a magician in the end. We magicians rely on our magical strength and it’s the Magicians Guild’s certification exam next month. I’ve heard that you haven’t even passed the lowest level test yet, right? If you still can’t pass it next month, that will be a joke!”
Xu Yi looked over and found that one speaking was the one who was second in terms of magic power in the lab, Cimirot.
Since Xu Yi came to this lab, this Cimirot had always been critical of him, looking down on him in many ways.
Xu Yi didn’t understand what was the matter, but after asking around with his colleagues, he found that Cimirot always had thoughts about Still. After learning that Xu Yi was brought in through the back door by Still, he thought that Xu Yi and Still had some kind of special relationship, so naturally he didn’t like Xu Yi.
For this kind of people, Xu Yi knew that he would become more excited the more you paid attention to him. He had always ignored him, not acknowledging his existence.
After a long time, Cimirot realized that him grumbling by himself didn’t have any meaning. Adding in the fact that Xu Yi didn’t have any special relationships with Still, he gradually stopped.
He never thought that he would suddenly start again.
“Hey, Cimirot, aren’t your words a bit too harsh?” The female colleague who had spoken up for Xu Yi earlier said in a dissatisfied voice, “Although Xu Yi hasn’t passed the certification test yet, everyone has been working together for this long, do we still not know what kind of power Xu Yi has? If it was me, I’m certain he will pass the certification test next month!”
“Humph! Lotte, Xu Yi has bought some small things for you and he has already bought you off? You say he will definitely pass the test? Then so what? I can see that his strength is at most at the Primary Magician Grade? Do you think a Primary Grade Magician is strong?”
“You…..”
Xu Yi stretched out his hand to stop Lotte who kept wanting to argue. He looked at Cimirot and said with a faint smile, “Senior Cimirot, my magic power can’t compare to yours, I think we don’t need to discuss this matter.”
Cimirot never thought that Xu Yi would actually admit that he couldn’t compare to him in front of all these people and he was stunned. He was too embarrassed to keep going, so he gave a grunt and sat back down. It was unknown if he was wholeheartedly focused on his work.
“What kind of person is he!” Lotte disdainfully looked at Cimirot before giving a soft snort. She then slightly knit her brows as she said to Xu Yi in a soft voice, “Xu Yi, why did you say that you can’t compare to him? Isn’t this urging him to become even more arrogant?”
“The problem is that I am indeed inferior to him.” Xu Yi revealed a smile, not looking angry because of it at all, “Lotte, I am an engineer. The most basic requirement for me is honesty, I can’t lie about anything.”
Lotte glared at Xu Yi, “You are indeed quite calm.”
Xu Yi revealed a faint smile. Looking around, he didn’t see Rem and Wella.
“The two took a day off together today, I think they’re most likely going on a date.” Lotte giggled as she spoke, “Speaking of this, that fellow Rem really isn’t single minded, he still knows to ask Wella out on a date.”
“It’s like this…...It’s really a pity, I wanted to find Wella for something.” Xu Yi helplessly said.
“You’re looking for Wella again?” Lotte looked at Xu Yi doubtfully. She suddenly became mysterious and said in a small voice, “Hey, Xu Yi, don’t blame me for not warning you, but it’s best if you don’t look for Wella alone. Although Rem hasn’t said anything, I can tell that he is very unhappy because of this.”
Xu Yi was stunned, “I am only looking for Wella for business.”
“That still isn’t good.” Lotte firmly said, “Men can also be jealous, you should be careful.”
Xu Yi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. After thinking about it, he could only shake his head with a bitter smile, “Alright, I’ll be more careful in the future.”
Since Wella wasn’t here, Xu Yi lost his goal in coming to the lab today. After he went back to his station to finish the work that had piled up, it was already close to getting off work.
Xu Yi hesitated a bit before leaving the laboratory, stepping onto the magical ladder.
The top layer of the Magic Tower was completely cool. Xu Yi reported his name and the door to Great Magician Camilla’s lab automatically opened, revealing the space inside.
“Xu Yi, you actually didn’t take the day off today?” Great Magician Camilla had just finished a magic experiment and was taking a short break. Seeing Xu Yi come in, he even revealed a small interested smile.
Xu Yi awkwardly smiled. He knew that he had taken quite a few days off, even Great Magician Camilla knew about it.
“Speak, what are you looking for me for?” Great Magician Camilla asked.
“I have two things. The first is to express my gratitude to your excellency Great Magician.”
“Thank me for what?” Great Magician Camilla asked with knit brows.
“To thank you for the recommendation quota you gave me for the Magicians Guild certification exam.”
“Gave you?” A trace of confusion appeared on Great Magician Camilla’s face before he suddenly remembered something and nodded, “It’s nothing, your magical talent is pretty good, so it’s very appropriate to recommend you. Anyway, this quota won’t play that much of a role, it just makes it a bit easier for you, so you don’t need to thank me. You said there’s another thing.”
“No matter what, I still need to thank you.” Xu Yi gave a deep bow to express his gratitude to Great Magician Camilla before taking out a blueprint, “The other thing is to consult you about a matter.”
“It’s another Magic Array?” Great Magician Camilla took the blueprint and looked it over before making a faint yi sound, “This…..It seems to be a Frost Array?”
“You truly are your excellency Great Magician, recognizing it with a single glance.” Xu Yi immediately flattered him, “That’s right, this is indeed a Frost Array, or accurately speaking, a modified Frost Array.”
“I can see that, but what changes have you made to the Frost Array?” Great Magician Camilla pointed at the blueprint, “Why have I noticed that the changes you have made to the Frost Array is similar to the modifications you’ve made to the Revolving Wind Array?”
Xu Yi was instantly impressed as he happily said, “Your excellency Great Magician, you really are too powerful, you can see the core of this array with a single glance. That’s right, the goal of modifying this Frost Array is the same as modifying the Revolving Wind Array, it’s to let the Frost Array have a stable output. Can you see what the effects the array has?”
“Un…...This modification is very good, but there are small problems in several places…..” Great Magician Camilla suddenly looked up, “Xu Yi, you wouldn’t be planning to use this Frost Array to make something, right? Just like that Magic Fan thing?”
Xu Yi nodded with a faint smile, “That’s right. I want to make a Magic Air Conditioner.”