Wealthy beyond measure, yet you call me a sister-supporting-brother demon?

The jacquard pattern on this piece of fabric is exquisite, and the fabric's luster and texture are somewhat like silk. However, as a large fabric merchant who has been in the fabric business for decades, Liu Tianchao knows that this is not silk.

"Could this be... cotton cloth?" Liu Tianchao asked in surprise.

Shen Fanxing nodded emphatically. "It's cotton cloth! Guess how much it costs?"

Although Liu Tianchao had already guessed the answer, Shen Fanxing's reply still caused a huge uproar in his heart!

It's actually made of cotton!

What technology is it that can make cotton fabric look like silk?

Liu Tianchao forced himself to remain calm, as it would be beneath his image to make such a fuss as the head of the guild. He stroked the jacquard pattern on the brocade, saying, "This kind of workmanship, just these embroidered pieces alone cost one tael of silver. Add to that the quality of this cotton fabric, and I guess the cost price is two taels of silver, and the selling price is three taels of silver."

After all, silk with the same embroidery would probably cost ten taels of silver. Even if it were sold for three taels of silver per bolt of cloth, it would still be very competitive and would impact their mid-range customers.

Shen Fanxing shook his head helplessly. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have imagined such a price.

"I won't beat around the bush with you anymore, this kind of jacquard poplin costs eight hundred cash a bolt!"

Plain cotton cloth is priced at 230 wen per bolt.

Printed solid color cotton fabric, 270 cash.

Jacquard cotton fabric was priced at 480 wen per bolt.

The price of poplar silk is 570 cash per bolt!

Liu Tianchao was so agitated that he knocked over a teacup on the table. "What did you say?!"

“I said this jacquard silk is eight hundred cash a bolt!” Shen Fanxing repeated.

Liu Tianchao exclaimed in disbelief, "Absolutely impossible! This jacquard embroidery alone costs one tael of silver! How could the retail price be only eight hundred coins!"

Shen Fanxing looked at his old friend and sighed heavily, "At first I didn't want to believe it either, but this is the price they sell it for at Wang Family Cloth Shop, and there's no limit to the quantity. Customers can buy as much as they want!"

"Think about it, if they can even develop poplin with a texture like silk, what else is impossible? These jacquard patterns might even be woven by machines!" Shen Fanxing boldly speculated.

Liu Tianchao felt dizzy and sat down heavily in a chair.

How can it be?

How can it be!

The Yuanshi Textile Factory actually possessed such technology!

Liu Tianchao did not own a weaving factory, but his brother-in-law owned five huge weaving factories in Jiangnan, each with hundreds of workers!

With such a major technological transformation at the Yuanshi Textile Factory, is there any hope for textile factories in Jiangnan to survive?!

Liu Tianchao paused for a while before starting to examine the other cotton cloths on the table.

Even ordinary solid-color cotton fabric is of much better quality than theirs, whether it's the density of the fabric, the printing, or the weaving method; they all have a clear advantage.

The price was even 20 coins cheaper than the wholesale price in Jizhou!

It is almost predictable that Yuan's cotton fabrics will dominate the low-to-mid-end market in Daqian.

The entire fabric industry is about to undergo a dramatic change!

Thinking of this, Liu Tianchao couldn't help but feel dizzy.

He wasn't worried about the cotton fabric stockpiled in the warehouse; he was worried about the future! He was worried about the entire industry! Would they even have a chance to survive?!

Seeing the dejected look on his face, Shen Fanxing advised, "Tianchao, don't be too discouraged. I think this might be an opportunity for us."

"What?" Liu Tianchao didn't expect Shen Fanxing to say that.

Seeing his old friend like this, Shen Fanxing was smug. Although Liu Tianchao was the leader, he still had to be calm and collected in the crucial moment.

Shen Fanxing explained, "Tianchao, let me ask you, can the cotton fabrics from Yuan's Weaving Factory sweep through the entire mid-to-low-end fabric market of Daqian?"

"Yes." That really hit the nail on the head.

Shen Fanxing said with a smile, "Although we can't be among the first batch of wholesalers for Yuan's Weaving Factory, we can be among the second batch! Those cloth merchants ultimately don't have much capital and can only do business in the Jizhou cloth market. We are different. Whether it's capital or connections, we are much better than them. We can target the cloth markets in other prefectures and counties."

Liu Tianchao's dejected spirits rose again; how could he not have thought of that?!

Thinking of his brother-in-law's textile factory in Jiangnan, Liu Tianchao sighed, "Ah! It's just that my brother-in-law's textile factories..."

Shen Fanxing said, "There's nothing we can do about it. There's been a major revolution in weaving technology. The old technology is no longer competitive and will be eliminated sooner or later. It has nothing to do with whether you are loyal to your brother-in-law."

Indeed, it's not his fault. He was just putting on an act to avoid his friend saying he was heartless.

“Unless your brother-in-law has a way to obtain the Yuan family’s weaving technology and bring the finished products and quality up to the same level as the Yuan family’s weaving factory,” Shen Fanxing added. “But, as you saw when we went to gather information before, the entire weaving factory is like an iron barrel.”

Liu Tianchao gradually calmed down. "We ordinary people can't get it, but my brother-in-law has the backing of Zhang Zhitong, the current prime minister. He must have a way. It's just that Yuan Jinglou is still surnamed Yuan, which means that the Yuan family has a very strong backer."

Liu Tianchao is only now beginning to take Yuan Sheng seriously. He can't help but think of the rumors about Yuan Sheng. This man is a legendary genius who always has some ingenious ideas. Otherwise, he could not have invented such an amazing glass mirror.

Shen Fanxing nodded. “That’s right. I think you should send a letter to your brother-in-law to inform him of the situation in Jizhou. As for how to secure the technology for the Yuan family’s textile factory, that’s something your brother-in-law and his backer need to consider.”

“Tell your brother-in-law our thoughts directly, and I think he will understand that we are sourcing our goods from Yuan’s Textile Factory.”

Whether they commit murder, make threats, or engage in any kind of conspiracy, it's none of their business anymore.

That was a power struggle between the people behind Yuansheng and the current prime minister.

Liu Tianchao had completely recovered from the shock he had just experienced. "What you said makes sense. If the prime minister takes action and kills that brat Yuan Sheng, we can obtain the technology of Yuanjing Tower and Yuan's Weaving Factory."

Liu Tianchao said fiercely.

Yuansheng and these small cloth merchants made him very unhappy!

Yuan Sheng was essentially slapping him in the face! A mere brat, so arrogant and ignorant!

"A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime." Although Yuan Sheng's Yuanjing Tower was also shocking, this time, Yuan Sheng directly infringed upon Zhang Zhitong's interests. Ha! He wanted to see if Yuan Sheng would lose his life because of this.

Shen Fanxing chimed in, "That little brat really deserves to die! You have no idea, I was waiting for the Wang family to go bankrupt. Today I saw a long line of customers waiting in front of the Wang family's house. I'll have your brother-in-law ask the Prime Minister to lend a hand!"

Shen Fanxing thought, no matter how powerful the person behind Yuan Sheng is, he can't be as powerful as the current prime minister!

Lord Zhang is a figure second only to the emperor, above ten thousand others!

This is going to be interesting!

"But these are all things for later. Let's quickly prepare generous gifts and have the Shangyuan family apologize with thorns on their backs," Shen Fanxing added.