My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 26 82%
"Young master, could this be salt and sugar?"

Liu Feng finally answered: "That's right, it's snow salt and rock sugar."

"Snow salt... rock sugar..."

Mi Zhu murmured two nouns, his eyes growing brighter and brighter: "A good name! It truly lives up to its name."

Crystal clear as snow, pure and immaculate.

Great! Great name.

At this point, Liu Feng added, "Does the Prefect know how these two items are made?"

Mi Zhu paused slightly and couldn't help but look at Liu Feng.

Although Mi Zhu knew it was impossible, he couldn't help but have a glimmer of hope. Could it be that Liu Feng would even tell me this?

Unexpectedly, Liu Feng made his dream come true the next moment and continued talking.

He gave a brief explanation of the process of making snow salt and frosting sugar in front of Mi Zhu.

Finally, under Mi Zhu's incredulous gaze, he smiled and said, "This humble one wonders if I might have the honor of cooperating with your family to sell this snow salt and rock sugar throughout the world?"

Mi Zhu could no longer remain calm.

Who would have thought that Liu Feng would prepare such a grand gift?

The Mi family had been wealthy merchants for generations. Mi Zhu was a complete novice when it came to being an official, but he was an expert in business and handled it with ease.

In Mi Zhu's view, both snow salt and rock sugar are treasures comparable to a cornucopia, and the kind that can be passed down through generations.

In the future, Hai Dong Mi Family might very well have to change their name to Snow Salt Mi or Rock Sugar Mi!
There are plenty of wealthy and powerful clans in the world; they never lack money or manpower, only enjoyment.

Such snow-white, salty, and fresh-tasting snow salt, without any bitterness, and pure, translucent, and sweet rock sugar—either one could completely conquer those powerful clans and nobles, making them obediently open their clan treasuries and beg you to sell them their wealth.

Now, Liu Feng has actually told me the entire production process without reservation. Does this mean he really wants to cooperate with me?

hiss……

After calming down, Mi Zhu was shocked again.

He had realized why Liu Feng was so generous in seeking cooperation with him: in Xuzhou at present, only the Mi family had a stable trade route and channels to sell their products throughout the country.

Although these trade routes and channels became increasingly difficult due to the chaos of the world and the collapse of the social order, they were still readily available.

If Liu Feng were to sell these products himself, it would probably take him a year and a half to fully expand the business within Donghai County.

Thinking about it this way, if we were to cede a few percent of our profits in exchange for the Mi family's trade routes, that would actually be a very clever move.

After calming down, Mi Zhu began to make plans.

This deal is worth doing.

No, it's less of a business deal and more like stumbling upon a gold mine while walking.

It's like the God of Wealth has fed them right to their mouths.

"We are deeply grateful for your kindness, young master. Our Mi family will certainly not be ungrateful."

With a sincere expression and earnest demeanor, Mi Zhu said, "My Mi family is willing to bear all costs, only asking for a 30%... no, a 20% profit." Mi Zhu had already calculated in his mind that Xuzhou produced salt and sugar, and these two raw materials were not scarce locally. The trade routes and channels were also readily available, so the Mi family would not need much additional expenditure.

Moreover, the cost of salt and sugar is not high.

For example, a stone of salt costs around 800 coins, while salt is produced locally in Xuzhou, and the price is even lower.

Taking the Mi family's own saltworks as an example, the cost could even be reduced to 500 coins per shi (a unit of dry measure).

Sugar is more expensive, but sugarcane is grown in the southern part of Guangling County, the southernmost part of Xuzhou, so the Mi family can easily go there to purchase it. Although the cost of a pound of sugarcane may be as high as one hundred coins, rock sugar can be sold for more than ten times that price.

Therefore, Mi Zhu initially quoted 30%, but after submitting the quote, he felt it was still too high and felt somewhat embarrassed, so he voluntarily lowered it by another 10%.

Liu Feng was a little confused; he had originally thought it would be a 50/50 chance.

Liu Feng provided the technology, the Mi family provided the costs, and the profits were split in half.

Unexpectedly, Mi Zhu was so generous that he was willing to cover all the costs with only a 20% profit margin.

This made him realize that he had underestimated the value of these two treasures.

Indeed, Liu Feng was unaware that sugar syrup and snow salt were currently more expensive than gold; an ounce of sugar syrup or snow salt was equivalent to an ounce of gold. Moreover, not only were the quantities of sugar syrup and snow salt on the market scarce, but their color, appearance, and taste were also far superior to Liu Feng's products. Not to mention, the supply was extremely unstable, sometimes available and sometimes not.

This scarcity not only greatly increases the value of snow salt and rock sugar, but also separates them from simple commodities, increasing their status as valuable items.

Just like Moutai in later generations, is it still just a single type of baijiu?

Liu Feng hesitated for a moment, then decided to accept Mi Zhu's opinion in its entirety.

Since Mi Zhu was already very satisfied with a 20% profit, Liu Feng couldn't offer too much.

Firstly, Liu Feng was indeed reluctant to part with it. It wasn't that he was a miser, but rather that money was needed everywhere. The 5,000 hectares of farmland was just the beginning, and Liu Feng wanted to continue farming, at least to take over all the counties that Cao Cao had emptied. These were opportunities that were hard to come by.

It's rare that the gentry and powerful families in these counties have been wiped out. Without these people draining their resources, the tax revenue that a county can obtain may be several times that of other counties.

Most importantly, these counties will inevitably become the Liu family's base and true core strength in the future.

Secondly, Liu Feng needs a lot of funds to cultivate talent, and the expansion of Liu'er Camp is imperative. These orphans are Liu Feng's most loyal subordinates, and he can rely on them for the foundation of both politics and military affairs in the future.

Thirdly, Liu Bei had already promised Liu Feng a force of one thousand men, who would be Liu Feng's personal guards. To improve their treatment, upgrade their equipment, and enhance their combat effectiveness, a large amount of funds and resources were needed.

Fourthly, Liu Feng still had many plans to carry out. Whether it was papermaking or iron smelting, both required a lot of capital. These were long-term investments, and it would be difficult to get returns in the short term. He could only rely on snow salt and rock sugar to provide financial support.

Finally, Liu Feng also worried that giving too much might make Mi Zhu greedy.

Although Mi Zhu was always very clear-headed throughout history, he disdained even Cao Cao's attempts to win him over with high-ranking official positions and titles such as Marquis of Guannei.

That's why Liu Feng wanted to protect him better, hoping to have a good relationship with the Mi family from beginning to end.

Under Mi Zhu's expectant yet apprehensive gaze, Liu Feng nodded in agreement: "Alright! We'll do as you say, Prefect."

"Young master, it's a deal then!"

Mi Zhu was overjoyed and took the initiative to inquire about the location of the military farms. He then added that if Liu Feng was willing, he could send grain and supplies directly to Cheng County and Lanling County.

After the agreement was reached, Liu Feng spoke again: "Prefect, I have another request."

(End of this chapter)