"Holy Pharaoh!"
"I am willing to exchange Inca gold, silver, rare minerals, and exquisite works of art!"
"If that's not enough, I can also offer future trade privileges!"
Hearing this, Lin Ke finally breathed a sigh of relief.
This is the moment he has been waiting for.
“I will not buy your grain at a low price. I will absolutely not let my friend go unprofitably, just as you said before!”
"However, I hope that the Holy Pharaoh will be willing to sell me the grain from Holy Egypt! To help the Inca solve their current urgent problem!"
After saying this, Pachakutek appeared calm, but in reality, he was on edge, ready to face either an exorbitant price or a complete rejection.
Lin Ke was also well aware that the other party actually had one more thing to say: they wanted Holy Egypt not to sell him the grain at an exorbitant price.
Of course, this unspoken statement already represents Pachakutk's bottom line.
Strictly speaking, what Pachakutk is proposing now is more like a deal.
After hearing Pachakutek's words, Linke simply gazed at the king before him who would rather take a risk than beg, and felt even more respect for him.
On the surface, Lin Ke pretended to be deep in thought, her brows furrowed and her fingers lightly tapping the table.
Of course, he did this to make it appear as if he was calculating costs and benefits.
He needed to make it clear to Pachakutek that although the Holy Pharaoh was "straightforward," he was rational when it came to matters concerning Holy Egypt.
“I see, I understand now, King Pachakutek.”
"Please, have a seat."
Pachakutek slowly sat down, but he looked very nervous, and even his eyes trembled slightly as he looked at Lin Ke.
Lin Ke didn't look at Pachakutek; he simply turned his gaze to the other side, still maintaining an expression of careful consideration.
“King Pachakutek, although we have only just met, I have a feeling that I have known you for a long time.”
"Don't worry, I, Saint Egypt, will definitely help you with this."
Upon hearing Lin Ke's words, Pachakutek immediately showed delight.
Even his face, which had appeared somewhat pale in the firelight, regained its color at this moment.
Clearly, he had no idea that the Holy Pharaoh, whom he had only recently met, would so readily agree to his request.
Pachakutek stood up, his voice trembling with excitement.
"Thank you! Thank you, Holy Pharaoh!"
"Your willingness to lend a helping hand... has truly saved my Inca civilization from dire straits!"
"On behalf of my Inca people, I express my gratitude to you!"
Pachakutek bowed slightly, but Lin Ke quickly stood up, indicating that he didn't need to.
Lin Ke knew very well that what they were about to discuss was the most crucial thing of all.
That's the price of grain.
If Lin Ke sets the price too high, it will definitely cross Pachakutek's bottom line.
That would mean that Pachakutk would be better off buying grain from the kingdoms surrounding him.
This could render all of Lin Ke's efforts today futile.
He came to Lin Ke to buy grain because of the famine in China. If the price was outrageously high, he might as well buy from someone else.
In this way, all the food Lin Ke had painstakingly prepared, the polite words, and the warm hospitality she had shown today—that is, all her plans—were wasted.
Moreover, Pachakutek will surely feel upon returning that this Holy Egyptian is two-faced and unreliable.
This is tantamount to labeling Lin Ke as a "liar".
But if Lin Ke sets the price too low, that won't work either.
This would make Pachakutek think that Linko was either too easy to manipulate or had ulterior motives.
After all, who would be foolish enough to do a losing business?
Especially after Lin Ke had already made a thoughtful gesture, if he set the price too low later, it would make Pachakutek think that he was out of his mind, or that he actually had a bigger conspiracy.
Moreover, the low price makes Lin Ke seem unprofessional, as if he doesn't understand market conditions, which is not good for the face of a leader of a major country.
The best price should be one that sounds like a good deal, but isn't outrageous.
Therefore, transportation costs, time losses, and so on must be taken into account to make Pachakutke feel that the price is cheaper than I expected.
Only if the price is right can Pachakutek feel: This holy pharaoh is so kind, not only saving my country but also giving me such a great deal!
This would allow Pachacuti to obtain cheap grain while also feeling grateful, thus changing the Inca's attitude towards Holy Egypt from neutral to friendly.
So Lin Ke then put on a slightly troubled look, and Pachakutek, seeing Lin Ke's expression, immediately spoke up.
“Holy Pharaoh, my friend! If you have any difficulties, please don’t hesitate to ask!”
"Anything we can help you consider and resolve, we will do our best to accomplish!"
Lin Ke looked at the other person, nodded slightly, and made it seem as if she was about to start a detailed discussion with them.
"That's right, King Pachakutek."
“Grain trade involves many considerations, and this is the first time that Holy Egypt and the Inca have cooperated, so I’m afraid there will be many more problems than we expect.”
Pachakutek listened attentively, nodding occasionally.
Lin Ke continued speaking, her voice becoming more serious.
"I'm certainly willing to offer you a low price, but you should be aware of the differences between Holy Egypt and the Incas..."
At this point, Lin Ke sat up straight and looked into the other person's eyes.
"You see, the journey from my Holy Egypt to the Inca is long and requires crossing a vast ocean."
"If successful, this will be our first extremely long maritime trade route."
"Transportation losses, fleet escort, warehousing and storage—all expenses must be included in the cost..."
You should understand what I mean, right?
Pachakutk's breathing became rapid upon hearing this, because every word Link said about the grain trade was tugging at his nerves.
Then, Lin Ke introduced the Holy Egyptian fleet, its route, and the dangers it might face along the way, as well as the fact that the fleet would need other large ships for escort.
Pachakutke didn't have large ships like those of Holy Egypt, so when Lin Ke described and analyzed it, he only felt that it was indeed a very troublesome matter that would cost a lot of money and time.
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