Chapter 272: Chapter 270:
For individuals as knowledgeable as Han Fei, Zhang Liang, Wei Zhuang, and Zinu, very few things could truly surprise them. However, Daniel's display at his shop left them momentarily speechless. Daniel had used modern design principles to showcase his glass products, which left even these seasoned individuals stunned.
This level of interior decoration was only possible because of Daniel's mastery of alchemy. Otherwise, achieving such an outcome within such a short time would have been impossible.
The storefront that Zinu had found was spacious, consisting of four interconnected rooms. Daniel had meticulously organized various glass products by category. In addition, there was a separate room dedicated to showcasing mirrors exclusively for female customers.
Glass cabinets, glass tables, glassware—Daniel had produced almost every conceivable glass item. This unprecedented innovation and design left Han Fei, Zhang Liang, and Wei Zhuang utterly amazed, though Zinu remained calm, having already processed her initial shock.
After all, it was Zinu's staff who had helped set up the shop. Even if Zinu hadn't deliberately planted spies, she would naturally be privy to some of Daniel's activities.
"This is truly extraordinary," Han Fei remarked as his composure gradually returned. Wei Zhuang and Zhang Liang also regained their calm, their minds racing with thoughts on the implications of what they had seen.
"This is expensive," Han Fei commented after picking up an exquisitely crafted patterned wine jug and noticing the steep price. As a prince of Korea, Han Fei had his own wealth, but even he found the prices here a bit daunting.
Daniel had priced these items as luxury goods, with the cheapest starting at twenty gold. At this stage, these products weren't meant for the common folk but for the wealthy elite. As luxury items, their high prices were expected, and for the wealthy, money was not a concern.
"A fortune of this magnitude is bound to stir up quite a storm," Zhang Liang said with a sigh after surveying the shop.
Wealth was a powerful motivator, leading people to do anything for riches. Many had perished in pursuit of the rumored treasures of Baiyue, with survivors like the Broken Hair Three Wolves continuing their search for years. Even the Blood-Clothed Marquis coveted these treasures.
The items in this shop could be worth a fortune large enough to sustain an army. If these glass products could be produced in large quantities, they might even surpass the value of Baiyue's treasure.
"A storm indeed—a storm of blood," Wei Zhuang remarked coldly.
While some individuals might not care about wealth, any organization would need it. Han Fei's Quicksand wouldn't be able to grow without sufficient funds.
"The fact that he dares to display these means he must have a plan in place. I'm becoming more and more curious about him. Let's go meet him." Han Fei suggested, noting that Daniel hadn't yet made an appearance, even though he was surely aware of their arrival.
Daniel was indeed aware of Han Fei's presence; someone had already reported it to him. However, Daniel wasn't particularly concerned and continued lounging in the garden, reading a scroll.
"Reading *The Analects* in this setting... I must be crazy," Daniel mused as he set aside the bamboo scroll. *The Analects* was a famous work, but Daniel had never bothered with it in the modern world. Yet here he was, reading it in a completely different era.
He could recall a few lines from *The Analects*, phrases he had memorized long ago, such as "Is it not a pleasure, having learned something, to try it out at due intervals?" and "Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?"
To be fair, *The Analects* contained many valuable insights, but it wasn't an ideal text for beginners. For beginners, something like the *Three Character Classic* or the *Thousand Character Classic* would be more appropriate. *The Analects* was better suited for in-depth study by adults.
For children, *The Analects* could serve as an excellent sleep aid—no wonder Tianming often fell asleep during lessons at the Lesser Sage Village.
"You certainly know how to enjoy life," Han Fei remarked as he and his companions arrived in the garden, just as Daniel was setting his bamboo scroll on a glass table and sipping a drink. Without hesitation, Han Fei took a seat on the lounge chair opposite Daniel.
"Ah, the Ninth Prince has graced me with his presence. My humble abode is truly honored," Daniel said as he rose from his chair to greet Han Fei.
"This hardly qualifies as a humble abode when every item here is priceless."
"Some things may seem priceless, but in reality, they might be worth nothing at all," Daniel replied. To him, glass was nothing more than refined sand, and he never placed much value on it.
While Daniel might not care, Han Fei and his companions couldn't ignore the implications. Daniel's words left them puzzled, though this mystery would remain unsolved until the glass manufacturing process was eventually leaked.
"Let's move to a different location," Daniel suggested, noticing that only he and Han Fei were seated while Zhang Liang, Wei Zhuang, and the others remained standing. Feeling slightly embarrassed, he led the group to a pavilion in the garden.
There, Daniel brought out a bottle of wine to share with his guests, and they spent the next while engaging in casual conversation before Han Fei and his group took their leave.
Although they had a pleasant chat, Han Fei didn't delve into Korea's internal affairs or Nightfall's activities, as he and Daniel were still strangers, and Daniel claimed to be from the West.
"It seems I've underestimated the value of these glass products. Wealth does indeed drive people to act." After Han Fei and his group left, Daniel muttered to himself. Although they hadn't discussed anything in-depth, Han Fei had subtly warned Daniel about the potential dangers of such a valuable product.
If Daniel hadn't already gathered significant intelligence about Korea, he might have overlooked Han Fei's warning, delivered with the finesse typical of this era's skilled orators.
"Welcome, welcome." The grand opening had finally arrived. Thanks to Zinu's efforts and perhaps Han Fei's influence, the event drew a large crowd. Han Fei even brought Princess Honglian, a rare and favored daughter of King Han, who was cherished not only in Korea but also by the Dowager Empress of Wei.
In contrast, Han Fei, despite his extraordinary talent and wisdom, wasn't particularly beloved. Han Yu, however, was more popular, even in an era where traditional values were crumbling and rebels were often not well-liked.
"Even Sima Wanli is here. I didn't expect to see him in Korea. Perhaps I can obtain the Farmers' cultivation technique through him," Daniel thought, his gaze narrowing as he spotted Sima Wanli.
Although Daniel was primarily interested in the Yin-Yang and Daoist techniques, the Farmers' techniques were also valuable, especially with their Supreme Formation, the Earthly Zephyr Twenty-Four Formations.
However, Daniel quickly noticed something: while cultivation techniques were indeed important, innate talent was even more crucial. Despite sharing the same technique, Sima Wanli's martial prowess was clearly at the bottom compared to experts like Tian Ci and Tian Yan, both top-tier martial artists.
Sima Wanli wasn't yet the head of the Farmers' Six Halls, only overseeing Qianlong Hall. The Farmers were quite formidable, involved in everything from medicine to gambling. Drunken Dream Pavilion, one of their strongholds, was a testament to their ambition. It was evident that the Farmers' scope had grown far beyond their original focus on agriculture and medicine, now encompassing multiple areas, including significant influence in Korea.
"The Prince of Changping, huh?" Seeing Sima Wanli reminded Daniel of the infamous Prince of Changping, a mastermind who had been manipulating events from behind the scenes. This man was so ruthless that he had even sent his daughter to Drunken Dream Pavilion, albeit only to perform, not to sell her body, demonstrating just how far he was willing to go.
The notion that the Prince of Changping had betrayed Qin out of loyalty to his homeland was a convenient lie for the masses. If that were true, the Farmers and the powerful Xiang clan of Chu wouldn't have made him their leader.
"The Xiang clan's supposed loyalty is a joke," Daniel scoffed. The Xiang clan didn't serve the current King of Chu; they were loyal to the Qin chancellor. This so-called loyalty was nothing short of hypocritical.
"Given the Prince of Changping's influence, it's no surprise the Farmers have stationed people in Korea." With this thought, Daniel no longer found Sima Wanli's presence in Xinzheng surprising.
He only regretted not arriving in Xinzheng earlier to witness Han Fei's barter at Qianlong Hall. Had he been there, one person wouldn't have left alive: Touman, the Xiongnu leader. Although Touman's presence in Korea was unusual, it wasn't entirely impossible. Conversations between Nightfall's Jade Tiger and Ji Wuye revealed that they likely had dealings beyond the northern borders.
Goods from the Central Plains could fetch ten times their value in the Xiongnu territories, making it an incredibly lucrative, though risky, trade. Likewise, Xiongnu warhorses, cheap on the steppe, were worth a fortune in the Central Plains.
"If capital gains 50% profit, it will take risks; at 100%, it will disregard all laws; and at 300%, it will commit any crime, even risking the gallows." This principle held true in any era. Greed knew no bounds, and people could be driven to insanity by the lure of profit.
If people were gullible enough to believe drinking bleach could prevent disease, there was no limit to what could happen.
Lost in
thought, Daniel approached Sima Wanli. Despite Sima Wanli's appearance as a kind and generous man, Daniel knew better. Sima Wanli was the type who would sell out even his closest friends for enough profit.
"I'll deal with this later," Daniel decided when Sima Wanli expressed interest in becoming a distributor for glass in Chu. Daniel neither agreed nor refused.
"I'll take this, this, and that one too," Princess Honglian declared with typical extravagance. She purchased anything that caught her eye, some items intended as gifts for King Han and others for the Dowager Empress of Wei.
When it came to wealth, Han Fei couldn't compare to Princess Honglian, who had never lacked for money.
"A fortune earned in a single day—congratulations." Although Daniel had set high prices, the glass products sold quickly. Most buyers didn't stop at just one set, recognizing these items as perfect gifts. After tallying the first day's earnings, even Zinu couldn't hide her surprise.
Zilan Xuan was indeed profitable, but it also had significant expenses. While Zinu didn't know Daniel's production costs, she remembered his earlier comment implying that they might not be high.
Despite the fact that Daniel had no staff of his own, he could always produce large quantities of glass—a detail Zinu wisely chose to ignore.
The news couldn't be kept secret for long. Word of the exquisite glass quickly spread through Xinzheng's upper echelons, reaching the ears of Han Yu and Ji Wuye.
"My dear brother certainly has some good luck," Han Yu muttered as he reviewed the report. He had never considered Han Fei a serious threat, despite his reputation. However, Han Fei's recent actions had forced Han Yu to reevaluate, sensing a potential rival.
The current Crown Prince of Korea didn't concern Han Yu. In truth, being a crown prince was a perilous role. Throughout the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States, very few crown princes actually ascended the throne.
Even the current King of Korea, Han An, wasn't originally a crown prince; he had ascended to the throne only after eliminating the previous heir. Fusu was another example—few could resist the allure of the supreme position.
Daniel didn't covet that position. However, if he were to meticulously plan using his knowledge of future events, it wouldn't be out of the question for him to consider it.
"Prepare everything. I'll pay a visit tomorrow."
"Tiger, are you sure about this?" In the General's Mansion, Ji Wuye admired a glass goblet in his hand, his expression one of pure joy as he questioned the obese man beside him, none other than Jade Tiger.
Although Ji Wuye hadn't bought the glass himself, he couldn't resist accepting it as a gift.
"Absolutely, General. If we obtain the method to produce this new type of liuli, we'll have an endless fortune. I've heard he made over ten thousand gold just today."
Ji Wuye had gone to great lengths to acquire ten thousand taels of military pay; this was even more enticing. If he could get his hands on this, he could sell it across the Seven States and beyond the northern borders. At that point, Korea would be his.
"Someone, come here!" As Ji Wuye spoke, black feathers filled the air, signaling Moya's arrival.
"You heard what was just said. Take your men and bring him to me. Alive."
"Yes, General."
Blinded by greed, Ji Wuye could see nothing but the wealth before him, ignoring everything else.
"Tonight will be interesting," Han Fei remarked as he, Wei Zhuang, Zhang Liang, and others sat in the fourth-floor lounge of Zilan Xuan, overlooking Daniel's Qiwutang. The two establishments were close, both located on Xinzheng's main street.
"When the sandpiper and the clam fight, it's the fisherman who benefits," Han Fei mused. He and his companions had anticipated the trouble Daniel would face; they knew all too well the depths of Ji Wuye's greed.
"There are quite a few rats tonight," Daniel noted. Ji Wuye wasn't the only one scheming. Various underground factions had also become involved, with the Scorpion Gang, the very group that Wei Zhuang would later destroy, making the first move.
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