Expelled from the Duke's mansion, the fake heiress is richer than a country.

Chapter 153 The Golden Trade Route

Truly capable people are respected wherever they go.

The two Pahang businessmen, a stark contrast to their usual demeanor, visibly became obsequious and exchanged pleasantries with Yu Wanran smoothly.

Yu Wanran listened to their advice and asked Yan Chengan to change a few dishes that did not suit the eating habits of the people of Pengheng. At the same time, she removed the maids who were serving her.

Because Pahang businessmen don't like women present when they're discussing business. Even if they can't understand what women are saying, it's still unacceptable.

Yu Wanran, as a foreigner fluent in Pahang, is an exception in gaining their trust and respect, but there is only this one exception.

Their deep-seated prejudice against women will not change.

After the two sides began discussing business, Yu Wanran took the lead as host and translator, and they started negotiating the price of the spice trade.

As the negotiations reached their climax, Yan Cheng'an was reduced to a mere spectator. He could only stand by like a fool, watching Yu Wanran engage in a fierce verbal battle with the other party, neither giving an inch.

He could only judge from their expressions that the bargaining was intense. But he couldn't understand a single word they were saying.

Yan Cheng'an felt incredibly bored. However, his refined upbringing kept him smiling throughout. Occasionally, when he noticed the tea or wine in the cups in front of the three of them was empty, he would act as a maid and refill them.

Finally, Yu Wanran's negotiations with the two Pahang businessmen came to an end.

She asked the other party to continue eating, indicating that she needed to discuss it with Young Master Yan before making a final decision. Then she turned to Yan Cheng'an and told him the result of their previous argument.

The price per catty for Pahang merchants was 300 to 500 wen for frankincense; about 500 to several thousand wen for agarwood; 5 to 10 taels of silver for camphor; and no more than 1 tael of silver for sappanwood.

As for pepper, it's the cheapest, costing only a few dozen coins.

If they agree to the price, they can go to the embassy to inspect the goods immediately.

Yan Cheng'an was overjoyed upon hearing this.

He didn't know anything else, but he knew a lot about pepper. There were small quantities of pepper that had leaked from the imperial court or the homes of the powerful and wealthy, and they were sold for two taels of silver.

As for sappanwood, the imperial physician told him that it could indeed be used to make wound medicine. The high price was simply due to the lack of a supply channel.

Agarwood, frankincense, and borneol, on the other hand, were labeled as items for imperial use and the use of the powerful. Even the wealthiest ordinary person could only dream of obtaining them. If someone had the goods, selling them for several times, even dozens of times, the price was not difficult.

That's incredibly profitable!

However, for long-term dealings with Pahang merchants, no one but Yu Wanran is suitable. He can provide sales channels and connections, which are precisely what Yu Wanran might lack. Otherwise, why would Yu Wanran bring him along on such a lucrative business route?

Yan Cheng'an, with his keen insight and clear understanding of the situation, quickly made a decision.

"Miss Yu, let's cooperate! I'll handle the sales channels and safeguard the business; you'll be responsible for communicating and negotiating with Pahang merchants. As for purchasing and selling goods, we'll split the investment 50/50, with profits shared?"

Even close brothers should keep clear accounts. Even if the other party was a commoner with no social standing or background, he would never take advantage of Yu Wanran because of the faint, unspoken affection he felt for her.

Instead, they were thinking about how to use this cooperation to support the other party.

Yu Wanran prefers this kind of cooperation where she can be a hands-off manager. If the other party is willing to take on the hard and tiring work, she will do her best to persuade the Pahang merchants to get the lowest possible purchase price.

However, she is currently a little short of money due to her diversified investments.

"I can only come up with a little over two thousand six hundred taels of silver at most right now..."

Two thousand of them are still being kept by Zhong Yeliu in Huangshan County.

One can discern the refined meaning from the music.

Yan Cheng'an immediately smiled and said, "Miss Yu, you don't need to worry about that! I will fully fund this time, so you can focus on dealing with them! Once the spices are sold, we will deduct your half of the investment when we share the profits."

"We'll write the contract right away!"

Fearing that Yu Wanran might worry, he added an extra sentence.

Although the other party was the son of a powerful and wealthy family, Yu Wanran had developed an inexplicable sense of trust in him after several interactions. Hearing him say this, she nodded with pleasure.

"Then let's go to the embassy now."

After the two Pahang merchants had eaten and drunk their fill, the four of them rode together in a carriage to the Huitongguan. The Dazhao people inherently looked down on these small countries that came to pay tribute from all directions, and behind their backs, they called the Huitongguan, where these delegations of envoys from various countries gathered, the Siyiguan (Four Barbarians' Hall).

It was the emperor's birthday, and people from all over the world came to pay tribute, filling the embassies of various countries with people.

Stepping into the meeting hall felt like entering a foreign world. People of all skin colors and appearances, dressed in strange clothes, were everywhere. They spoke in broken local languages ​​and performed all sorts of nonsensical rituals, making Yan Cheng'an's eyes ache.

As he passed by the embassy where the Javanese delegation was located, he couldn't help but ask Yu Wanran a question.

“Miss Yu, I’ve heard that Java is also rich in various spices. Why don’t we contact Javanese merchants again…”

Yu Wanran frowned: "Javanese especially despise women, even more so than Pahang. If Young Master Yan wants to deal with them, he will need to find a man who understands Javanese."

That place is the source of every woman's nightmare.

No matter how skilled she was in martial arts, going there would be like sending a lamb to the slaughter. It was better to forgo developing a trade route than to deal with them.

"Then let's not look for them!"

Yan Cheng'an nodded in understanding.

It's good enough that he's connected with Pahang. His father and older brother often scold him for neglecting his duties and not understanding the family's priorities. This time, working with Miss Yu, he'll make a fortune and impress them!

Following two Pahang merchants, they arrived at the Pahang delegation's lodging. Upon hearing the news, the Pahang delegation leader came out to greet the two.

The two Pahang merchants who were able to accompany the envoy delegation to Da Zhao were naturally confidants of the Pahang envoy leader. This kind of private trade was tacitly approved by the Pahang government.

Only through collusion between officials and businessmen can trade routes be opened smoothly and profits be made.

Without Yan Cheng'an's support, Yu Wanran wouldn't have dared to directly engage in the spice business. She feared she would end up losing both money and reputation.

She acted as a translator, facilitating the negotiations between Yan Cheng'an and the Pahang envoy leader. The Pahang leader personally led the two to the guesthouse to inspect the goods that had been brought from Da Zhao.

However, given the lack of previous successful sales of spices, they didn't bring much stock this time.

Aside from the tribute given to the Emperor of Dazhao, there were only three cartloads of spices left.

The two carefully examined the three cartloads of spices. Pepper was the most abundant, followed by sappanwood. The camphor was extremely valuable; there were only ten boxes, in crystalline form in chunks and flakes. It was commonly known as "plum blossom camphor" or "rice camphor."

Even though Yan Cheng'an had the opportunity to come into contact with such high-end incense, he had never seen what it looked like before it was finished. Therefore, he basically couldn't judge whether it was good or bad.

He had originally planned to go back and ask a few experienced craftsmen for help. But when he saw Yu Wanran skillfully inspecting the goods and communicating freely with the people of Pahang in Pahang dialect, he couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise again!

Even someone of his status would find it difficult to access such high-grade spices frequently. Why is Miss Yu so familiar with them?

Could it be that the Duke's mansion has a stronger historical foundation than the imperial palace?

He didn't dare to think about it.

But no matter what, because it was Miss Yu, he would only keep these doubts to himself and would not tell anyone.