Chapter 10 Personality Charm
Lu Chenyang thought for a moment and said, "I want to meet the grain merchant."
Tan Feng took Lu Chenyang out to meet the grain merchant. The grain merchant was in his forties and had a friendly face. He bowed to Lu Chenyang when he saw him.
"Greetings, Lord Lu. You are worthy of being the first top scholar in the history of our Dagan to pass the imperial examination with six top marks. You are truly dignified and handsome." Grain merchant Wang Zhong complimented.
Lu Chenyang smiled and said, "Boss Wang, you're welcome. Thank you very much for this."
Wang Zhong bowed and said, "I don't deserve Lord Lu's thanks. Lord Lu, please forgive me."
Lu Chenyang's attitude was gentle, but Wang Zhong was terrified. Given Lu Chenyang's status, being so gentle towards him must have other motives, and he was a little afraid.
Lu Chenyang asked, "Boss Wang, don't be nervous. I just want to ask you, is your business going well? The world has been so unstable lately. Can you get enough food?"
If it was about collecting grain, Wang Zhong wouldn't be nervous. He said, "Shu is indeed difficult to travel to, but the prices here are high, and there have been disasters in the past two years, so there's a food shortage. In our Jiangnan area, the weather has been good in the past two years, so the price of grain is lower. This round trip will earn you some hard-earned money."
Lu Chenyang nodded and asked about the price of grain, and Wang Zhong answered all his questions one by one.
Lu Chenyang discovered that the price of grain had doubled from Jiangnan to Shu.
Wang Zhong added, "I'm a conscientious businessman. I only earn a little hard-earned money. Some businesses charge three or four times more."
Lu Chenyang knew that he was telling the truth.
Lu Chenyang looked at him with a gentler gaze, "Boss Wang, how about I treat you to a meal?"
Tan Feng couldn't help but shudder. His family's parents were so stingy, actually wanting to treat people to a meal?
Wang Zhong was terrified and asked quickly, "Lord Lu, please tell me what you want. Although my words may not carry much weight, I will do my best to help you."
Lu Chenyang poured him a glass of wine with a smile: "I just want to ask Boss Wang if you are interested in expanding your business, for example... Lingnan."
Wang Zhong was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously looked at Lu Chenyang, meeting his smiling eyes.
Wang Zhong quickly shook his head. "No, no, no. Lingnan is remote and filled with miasma. It's also full of bandits and thieves. I went there once and nearly lost my life. Besides... Lingnan's trade routes are controlled by the Shen family. No one dares to buy without their permission."
"That was the case before, but now I'm here, right?" Lu Chenyang said gently, "Boss Wang, you can follow my path. As long as you're willing to send the grain to Lingnan to sell, I'll guarantee your safety."
Wang Zhong felt that Lu Chenyang was more like a businessman than he was. How could he be so deceptive? He hadn't even taken office yet, and yet he was making such boasts. But he didn't dare to believe it.
Wang Zhong thought about it and agreed. How could he find someone to go to such a place in the world?
Lu Chenyang said, "Here's a letter. If you plan to come to Lingnan for business in the future, you can go to the Weiyuan Escort Agency and hire someone to escort you, free of charge. And I promise you, as long as you're willing to come to Lingnan, I won't charge you any business taxes." After a pause, he continued, "The court won't leave Lingnan unattended forever. This time, the court sent me to Lingnan with the intention of rectifying the current situation in Lingnan, including the trade routes! Lingnan welcomes more merchants. As for safety, I can guarantee it! As long as Boss Wang is willing to take the first step, I dare to guarantee that you will monopolize the entire grain industry in Lingnan!"
Wang Zhong's eyes flickered, and he asked tentatively, "Lord Lu, are you so confident that you can be the master of Lingnan?"
"How about we make a bet? The limit is three months. After three months, Boss Wang can understand the situation in Lingnan and then decide whether to come to Lingnan to do business. Of course, all the conditions I give count." Lu Chenyang said with a smile.
The elegant and graceful young man, with a calm and smiling face, seemed to have everything under control, which inexplicably gave people a sense of trust. Moreover, the man before him was the first person in the history of Dagan to achieve the sixth place in the imperial examination. Wang Zhong's natural awe for scholars made him hesitate.
He hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, then it will be three months. I trust Lord Lu. After three months, no matter what, I will go to Lingnan and live up to Lord Lu's trust!"
Lu Chenyang was deeply moved and immediately poured him a glass of wine, which they both drank in one gulp.
The two of them chatted happily, and Wang Zhong felt that he had met Lu Chenyang too late, and they almost became sworn brothers on the spot. When Tan Feng came back from work, he was stunned by the scene.
Lu Chenyang left only after showing his personal charm.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
