Chapter 481 - 183: Business (Part 2)
Chapter 481: Chapter 183: Business (Part 2)
She had thought that as a stranger, she would surely be chased away as a fraud or, at the very least, be deliberately lowballed.
But unexpectedly, she never met the owner. Instead, she met the Shopkeeper of the Kangning Fragrance Workshop. And the moment that Shopkeeper saw her, she addressed her as Mr. Chen.
Chen Wanqing was stunned.
Seeing her reaction, the female manager of the Kangning Fragrance Workshop smiled. "The Moonlight Fragrance you created has taken a huge chunk of our business. How could we not investigate such a formidable competitor? Please forgive our forwardness; they were extraordinary circumstances..."
From the female manager, Chen Wanqing learned that she had been thoroughly investigated the last time she came to the Prefecture to look for Zhao Jing.
But the Kangning Fragrance Workshop was a chain with branches in every Prefecture, and its owner was a noble from the Capital City. To be honest, the business they had lost was just a drop in the bucket to them; it was hardly worth their notice.
Furthermore, they ran a legitimate business. If their sales were inferior, it was due to their own lack of ability. They wouldn’t steal another’s fragrance recipe just because it was superior, nor would they stoop to framing or suppressing a competitor.
They had also heard that Chen Wanqing had her own Fragrance Workshop in Qingshui County and had even bought some of her incense from a few of her old customers.
Unfortunately, only the Dream Spirit Fragrance and Moonlight Fragrance were considered exceptional. The rest, in their opinion, were merely average.
They had given up on the idea of commissioning a fragrance from Chen Wanqing, but to their surprise, she had come to them on her own initiative.
"We are truly delighted that you’ve come to us. It’s not that we look down on anyone, but frankly, while Moxiang Pavilion has deep roots in the Prefecture, they are quite insignificant in the context of the entire Wei Dynasty. Choosing to do an exclusive deal with them has cost you the chance to earn big money."
Kangning Fragrance Workshop also wanted to buy her recipe for Moonlight Fragrance and was even willing to pay the penalty for breaking her contract. But Chen Wanqing was a person of integrity. How could she go back on her word?
The market for Moonlight Fragrance in Xinghuai Prefecture was entirely entrusted to Moxiang Pavilion, but the Kangning Fragrance Workshop could act as the distributor for Moonlight Fragrance in the rest of the Wei Dynasty.
This was another reason she had gone to the Xie Family’s home today: to discuss Kangning Fragrance Workshop distributing Moonlight Fragrance in other regions.
Although she didn’t need Xie Ming’s approval for this, informing him was a matter of respect for her business partner.
As for the other incense Chen Wanqing had developed, it was called Green Plum Boiled Snow.
Without a doubt, this incense was inspired by plum blossoms.
It blended notes of cedar and a slightly tart fruitiness, creating a sense of story. The fragrance was subtle yet rich, perfect for winter and even more so for the young ladies of high-ranking noble families.
The Shopkeeper of Kangning Fragrance Workshop was immediately captivated after trying the incense. Like Xie Ming, she wanted to buy the recipe outright and even offered a high price of twenty thousand taels. But Chen Wanqing, having tasted the benefits of profit-sharing, was not about to sell the recipe so easily.
With both sides at a standstill, Chen Wanqing was prepared to try the other two fragrance workshops. The female manager, however, asked her to wait, saying she would quickly send a message to the Capital City to ask for the owner’s opinion.
Concessions involving such significant profits required the owner’s approval.
Of course, this was also because Chen Wanqing didn’t seem to be in a hurry. If she had made it clear she was about to approach the other two workshops, the female manager would surely have yielded and finalized the deal on the spot.
But Chen Wanqing didn’t want this to be a one-time deal.
Both she and Zhao Jing had shallow roots in Xinghuai Prefecture. To minimize potential trouble, she planned to entrust all the incenses she developed to Kangning Fragrance Workshop for distribution during the years Zhao Jing was studying.
This was a long-term business arrangement; it was only natural for both sides to haggle over their respective interests.
The female manager had visited today and was lingering. Unsurprisingly, she must have brought good news.
Seeing that the visitor was a woman and someone Chen Wanqing knew, Zhao Jing didn’t stay long. He gave a slight bow as a greeting and quickly left the drawing room.
"So this is the renowned Scholar who achieved the Lesser Triple Crown! He truly is a man of remarkable talent. You, Mr. Chen, are a perfect match for him—a match made in heaven."
"You’re too kind. In my opinion, Xinghuai Prefecture is full of outstanding people. You, Shopkeeper, are the one who is truly admirable—so composed, proper, and quick-witted."
"Oh, let’s stop flattering each other and get down to business."
The business at hand was that the owner had agreed to Chen Wanqing’s proposal for a fifty-fifty profit split.
This fifty-fifty split was quite different from the seventy-thirty split she had with Xie Ming.
With Xie Ming, Chen Wanqing had to supply the goods herself, which was why she took seventy percent of the profits. It might have sounded like a lot, but it really wasn’t. After all, Xie Ming only needed to provide the storefront, along with the sales efforts of his shopkeeper and assistants. She, on the other hand, had to produce the incense and ensure it arrived at Moxiang Pavilion completely intact...