"This girl is kind-hearted; she wouldn't stoop to stealing another woman's husband!"
Upon seeing Cen Xi, Wen Qixi instantly concealed her sharp edge.
"You flatter me so much, businessmen are indeed very smooth with their words. But I like hearing it, so I'll take it. Shall we continue with the business?"
Cen Xi sat down opposite Wen Qixi, smiling and teasing her.
"Not at all, Miss is an exceptional person. The men below are ignorant and spoke without thinking. We take your words to heart. May I ask how Miss intends to discuss business with me?"
Wen Qixi spoke softly and gently, her tone making people feel very comfortable.
"Here! Take a look at this booklet. I've loved drawing since I was a child. I drew this in my spare time after coming to the banquet. Give me your feedback after you've seen it."
Cen Xi handed Wen Qixi the garment design sketches she had drawn in her spare time at the Hidden Gate.
Unlike other transmigrators, she didn't have any special status to back her up. She used to be just a general manager's secretary, so she didn't have many impressive possessions.
That's all the drawing skill I have.
Although Ms. Li had been pushing her children to excel academically for many years, the only skill she could use to earn money in ancient times was painting.
She does know how to play the guzheng, and is quite proficient at it, but she can't very well go to a brothel to perform for money.
As for English, French, Japanese, and other languages, they seem to be completely useless in this strange world.
There are no foreigners here at all, so she can't use this for diplomacy.
"The patterns you've drawn are very novel and creative. If they were made using our Wen family's Yun brocade, they would be absolutely dazzling and stunning. Are you planning to do business with me?"
Wen Qi carefully flipped through the booklet again and again, her eyes full of admiration. The clothing designs were indeed stunning, much more novel and exquisite than the styles currently available on the market.
"Yes! Not to brag, but my painting skills are unparalleled in the world. Even the great Confucian scholars of the time cannot compare to them."
Cen Xi has absolute confidence in her painting skills.
"Yes! That's right. The two masters with outstanding painting skills at the banquet are Wen Keqin, a great scholar from Qingshan Academy in Shangyang City, and Liu Zhongyan, the Imperial Academy in the capital. Both are great talents of their time."
"But my painting skills are nowhere near as vivid and lifelike as the characters you depict. I believe that if your paintings were to be published, they would fetch an astronomical price. My family also runs a bookstore; would you like to collaborate on this project?"
While talking to Cen Xi, Wen Qi glanced at the booklet again, clearly enamored with it.
"Okay, but the signature on this catalog can't be my real name. How about I use a stage name?"
Cen Xi thought about it and realized that the characters in her booklet were quite lifelike, so it was no wonder that the young master of the Wen family would take a liking to them.
"We won't interfere with that, young lady, feel free to do as you please. So, how should we proceed with our discussion? Do you have any guidelines in mind?"
As a businessman, Wen Qixi had obviously seen the huge profits behind this booklet. Before coming here, he did not have much hope of reaching any conspiracy with the bandits of Feifeng Mountain. He only hoped to get the batch of Yun brocade back smoothly.
I really didn't expect to be able to negotiate such a big deal.
"So, follow the patterns in the booklet, use the finest brocade, or if you have better fabric, use the best fabric, and make a few sets of clothes to sell at your clothing store in the capital. Remember, don't make too many, ten sets will be enough."
"The price is ten times higher than the best ready-made garment you currently have. See how it goes."
"As for the bookstore, finish all the designs for this booklet first, then put it up for sale. Since you said this booklet can sell for a sky-high price, then sell it for a sky-high price. Display this booklet in your bookstore for ten days, and whoever offers the highest price after ten days will get it."
"Young Master Wen, what do you think of this?"
Cen Xi thought for a moment and then said.
"It's good, but there's an unwritten rule in our industry: as soon as a merchant comes out with a good-looking new product, other merchants will follow suit, and then the goods won't fetch a good price."
Clearly, Wen Qixi is well-versed in business; even before the business has begun, he has already anticipated when the product will be worthless.
“Young Master Wen, I only sell one of my designs. Let other businesses try to imitate them. After all, once there’s one, even if the second, third, or fourth ones are very successful imitations, they’ll just be fakes. They’re not worth as much as the real thing.”
Cen Xi said confidently.
"You mean we'll use the first ten items to test the waters, and then sell only one of each style after that?"
Wen Qi thought for a moment and then asked.
"Yes! From now on, each design will be unique and sold at auction, with the highest bidder winning!"
Cen Xi answered her very confidently.
"It's possible, but there are too many nobles in the capital. If we only buy one item, it might cause trouble."
Wen Qi frowned, pondering the feasibility of this plan.
"Young Master Wen is so clever, how could he not think of a solution? Let me give you an example. Take the thousand-year-old snow lotus, a top-quality medicinal herb. You only have one, but there are ten people of noble status sitting opposite you, each of them wanting the thousand-year-old snow lotus in your hand. What do you think you would do?"
Cen Xi raised an eyebrow and asked with a smile.
"That's different, that's a treasure, how can it be compared to the clothes you're wearing?"
Wen Qi said with some disapproval.
"What's different? A unique and stunning garment is a treasure in my eyes."
Cen Xi's mouth was dry from talking, but those bastards on the mountain were up to no good today, leaving no one to serve him tea.
Cen Xi had no choice but to get up and go find some water.
"Think about it carefully first! I'll go get you some water."
"At least you know how to get us some water! It's like the sun has risen in the west! If you don't get us some water soon, our young master will die of thirst. How can we talk business with you then?"
Manager Zhang watched Cen Xi's departing figure and couldn't help but grumble inwardly.
Cen Xi went for a while and somehow got a teapot and a few cups.
"Alas, today the brothers in the mountain stronghold are tired of living and want to stage a coup. I had no choice but to sing along with them. In the end, it was so chaotic that there was no one to serve tea. Please forgive me, Young Master Wen!"
"It's also our fault for going up the mountain at the wrong time, young lady, please don't blame yourself. If we cooperate, I wonder how the profits will be divided? Do you have any rules in mind?"
While Cen Xi went to fetch some water, Wen Qixi seemed to have figured out the key point, and her face was no longer worried.
"How about 50% of the monthly profit?"
Cen Xi handed Wen Qi a cup of tea and then said.
"You only provide one picture for a 50% profit margin. You're shameless. This isn't how you rob people."
Upon hearing this, Manager Zhang snorted disdainfully.
"Uncle Zhang!"
Before Manager Zhang could finish speaking, Wen Qixi immediately reprimanded him.
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