Chapter 10: A Win-Win Business Partnership with the Nolan Family

Liang Di sat in the carriage, oblivious to the bustling street scenes flashing by outside the window. Her head was down, staring at the transaction list in her arms and the recent letter from the Nolan family; her expression was less than pleasant.

The Mist family was determined to compete with the Langwendi family for business this time. To gain this advantage, they're even prepared to pay a high price to buy Nolan's entire season's fabrics. But Nolan's fabrics are of mediocre quality; why insist on buying them?

Liang Di closed her eyes and pondered for a moment, concluding there was only one reason: the eldest son of the Nolan family was engaged to the princess, the most beloved daughter of the former queen and the king's favorite. The Mist family had decided to curry favor with the Nolan family.

As for why Auston didn't curry favor with the Nolan family, it was probably because he felt he had the current queen as a powerful backer, and this backer happened to despise the two princesses left by the former queen. Auston naturally wouldn't dare give a second glance to someone his master disliked.

"Does he really think Gael will inherit the throne?" Liang Di scoffed, folding the letter from the Nolan family and stuffing it back into her pocket.

After a journey of over an hour, the carriage finally came to a slow stop. The coachman and the two accompanying maids worked together to unload the wooden wheelchair from the carriage. Then, one of the maids lifted Liang Di down and gently placed her in the wheelchair.

Sigh, life without legs is so troublesome. Hopefully, her legs will grow back quickly.

"You must be Miss Liang Di."

At the entrance of the Nolan family mansion, an elderly butler with white hair bowed to Liang Di and gestured for her to follow. "Miss Liang Di, please come with me."

Liang Di nodded, gesturing for her maid to push her along as she followed the elderly butler.

On the way.

"Miss Liang Di, if you're here to discuss a fabric business, I think you might have come for nothing."

"It's not exactly to discuss a fabric business," Liang Di said with a mysterious smile. "I'm just here to ask Duke Malken if he's interested in partnering with me on a business deal."

A flicker of surprise crossed the butler's aged, cloudy eyes.

"My father's inaction doesn't mean I'm inactive."

The butler smiled. "Miss Liang Di, you seem more astute than your father."

Liang Di knew that the butler, due to his status, couldn't directly call Auston a foolish patriarch.

Walking through a dense forest, where most of the trees were short and thin, some leaves even brushed against Liang Di's face. Liang Di picked a leaf and played with it, but accidentally broke it, letting the sap spill out and stain her fingernails.

Liang Di was surprised to find that her fingernails, stained with the leaf sap, turned a pale pink. She nodded thoughtfully, silently adding a plan to her agenda.

In the center of the forest stood a wooden cabin, understated yet luxurious. After all, a true farmer living in a wooden cabin wouldn't use a gold chain to keep a snarling, vicious dog.

Knock, knock, knock.

The butler stepped forward and knocked on the door.

"Come in."

A deep voice came from inside. The butler turned the doorknob and pushed open the door.

"Miss Liang Di, please come in."

The maid pushed Liang Di into the room.

Inside the room, the marble floor gleamed like a mirror, a pure black champagne table stood elegantly in the corner, the sofa cushions adorned with exquisite patterns, and a bookcase carved by a master craftsman occupied an entire wall.

From the outside, one would never guess the interior was so luxurious.

“Duke Malken, hello. I’m sorry, I have a leg problem and cannot stand up from my wheelchair to greet you. Please forgive my rudeness,” Liang Di greeted Malken politely, bowing her head.

“It’s alright.” Malken rose from the sofa, hands behind his back, and slowly approached Liang Di. “Miss Liang Di, I imagine you’ve come about our fabrics. I’m sorry, I’ve already agreed on a price with Claude (the second son of the Mist family), unless…”

Malken hesitated, but Liang Di knew that the old man’s words implied he wanted her to raise the price. If she raises the price, the Mist family will most likely follow suit. Then, this guy will make a fortune, while the noble families who bought their fabrics will lose money.

Although the Langwendi family has declined, they still own a considerable number of shops and have a substantial amount of gold coins stored up. It's not impossible for them to snatch this season's worth of fabrics with gold coins. But… Liang Di has her own longer-term plans, plans that will better cultivate a future relationship with the Nolan family.

They are nobles, but also merchants. Merchants only have interests, not friendships. Trying to sway a cunning old merchant like Malken with a single season's worth of fabrics is unrealistic.

Therefore…

"Duke Malken, I have no intention of raising the price," Liang Di said with a smile to Malken.

Malken was stunned, then frowned, his expression displeased. "Then you came here to…"

Before he could finish his sentence, Liang Di interrupted him.

"Duke Malken, I’ve come today to discuss a mutually beneficial business deal with you. This deal will be far more profitable than simply selling fabric."

Liang Di beckoned, and her maid immediately took several pages from her purse and placed them in Liang Di’s hand. Liang Di handed the papers to Malken.

"Please take a look."

After Malken took them, Liang Di continued, “I think, Duke Malken, you know that your family’s fabrics aren’t top-quality clothing materials. Many formal occasions held in the palace, and even many private tea parties for noble ladies, don’t use your fabrics for their dresses. Only a small number of wealthy merchants use them.”

“Your fabrics… are only slightly better than what commoners wear, perhaps… about the same. That’s why the price has always been low.”

Malken’s expression froze; these words had struck a nerve.

“You know what? The clothes commoners wear these days look so plain and unfashionable because they don’t have tailors like our nobles. They only have women with some craftsmanship making clothes.”

Liang Di pointed to the white paper in Malken’s hand. “But we nobles have many tailors, and many tailor shops that sell and make noble clothes. However, there are just too many of these shops. It’s not uncommon for a week or two to go without a single noble visiting. If they don’t like the style, they won’t even glance at it. No matter the price, nobody cares about the gold coins.”

“So, why can’t we allocate most of our tailor shops to make clothes for commoners?”

Malken’s eyes widened slowly. “Miss Liang Di, you mean…”

“What I mean is, our Langwendi family is willing to allocate most of our tailor shops to make clothes for commoners.”