Invest

"Young Miss, you have received a few letters," a maid approached Li Xuan, holding two envelopes and a piece of paper.

"Alright, thank you," Li Xuan acknowledged, taking the letters. After the maid left, she began reading the contents. As she opened the piece of paper, she noticed that it had been delivered by a bird, indicating its smaller size.

Her eyes widened as she read the single letter on the paper: "Wu." It immediately reminded her of the conversation with her father. The Wu Clan was revealed to be the culprits behind the previous assassination attempt.

"The Wu Clan..." Li Xuan muttered, realizing the significance of this information. She suspected the Zhang Clan's involvement, but it turned out her father was correct about the Wu Clan's role.

Li Xuan continued reading the other two letters. The first one was from Elder Han, informing her that the pumpjack had been completed and that they were close to finishing the distillation barrel. The progress was good news for their oil production plans.

The second letter brought even more good news. Craftsmen from a neighboring city had responded to their call and arrived that morning. This development boosted Li Xuan's confidence in their project, especially in comparison to Li Ming.

When Li Xuan arrived at Li Ming's courtyard, she was surprised to find him stretching in the garden.

"Is it time for us to leave?" Li Ming asked.

"Yes, but before that, I have two pieces of good news and one piece of bad news. Which one would you like to hear first?" Li Xuan inquired.

"Hmm... Let's start with the bad news," Li Ming responded.

"The bad news is that we have identified the culprits," Li Xuan revealed, her face turning serious.

"That's considered bad news? Why?" Li Ming questioned.

"Because of their identity. The culprits are from the Wu Clan," Li Xuan explained, her expression grim.

"The Wu Clan..." Li Ming recalled the information he had come across in his studies. "If I'm not mistaken, the Wu Clan is one of the seven prominent clans in this kingdom. Known as the Wu Clan of the Iron Talon, they specialize in hand-to-hand combat and defensive techniques."

Li Xuan confirmed his understanding. "Yes, now that we know the culprits, we can speculate about their motives for wanting to eliminate you."

"Oh? Is it related to the oil?" Li Ming asked, connecting the dots.

"Yes, there are two reasons. First, the Wu Clan is our direct competitor, so they naturally wouldn't want our clan to rise further. However, the fact that the tenth elder was a spy indicates that the Wu Clan already had some understanding of your capabilities. Additionally, the Wu Clan is the largest oil producer in the region. Their lands are as rich in oil as ours," Li Xuan explained.

"I see. So, they want to eliminate me because the oil discovery would undoubtedly empower the Li Clan. The tenth elder must have realized this, given my extensive knowledge of the terrain and oil, making it clear that I could exploit it better than them," Li Ming summarized, his head throbbing with a headache.

Li Xuan reassured him, saying, "Now that we have identified the culprits, we will make sure to protect you. As the Wu Clan, we cannot let them succeed."

On one hand, Li Ming didn't care much about the Li Clan. On the other hand, he saw the opportunity to leverage the clan's support to expedite his own rise and share his knowledge with others.

Li Ming then asked, "And what about the good news?"

Li Xuan brightened up, ready to share. "The craftsmen have arrived and started working under Elder Han's guidance. Additionally, Elder Han has completed the pumpjack, and the distillation barrel is nearly finished."

"Good," Li Ming replied with a smile. "Since the Wu Clan wants to kill me, why don't we fight back?"

Li Xuan was intrigued. "How do you propose we do that?"

"It's simple. We just need to produce and distribute the oil separately. By entering the market, the Li Clan will surpass them," Li Ming suggested nonchalantly.

"But the people have never seen oil products like this before. They may be confused and hesitant to buy from us. I had planned to introduce the oil gradually, but that would take time," Li Xuan pointed out.

Li Ming shook his head. "It's simple. Look at you," he pointed at Li Xuan. "We can present the oil to the public as a new product without the disadvantages of traditional oils, albeit at a slightly higher price. Naturally, the supply will be limited compared to crude oil."

Li Xuan pondered for a moment before realizing his intention. "So, by initially selling at a loss or even at cost, we can introduce the oil to the market. Once people recognize its advantages, the demand will skyrocket. Then, we can gradually increase the price."

"Exactly," Li Ming affirmed, pleased that Li Xuan grasped his plan. He had consulted Eyses on how to market the oil effectively, and the approach they discussed was to invest heavily and operate at a loss initially to ensure rapid adoption. Once the product gained traction, they could begin making substantial profits.

"That's an interesting idea. However, there's another problem. To execute such a strategy, the Li Clan would require a significant amount of money. Do we have those funds?" Li Xuan inquired.

Li Ming fell silent, contemplating the financial situation. The Li Clan was a prominent clan, but even a large corporation on Earth would need to consider its cash flow for such an undertaking.

"We might be able to sustain it for two to three months, but beyond that, it becomes challenging," Li Xuan revealed.

"That's why we need an investor," Li Ming grinned, revealing his solution. It was a common practice on Earth to seek external investors to raise funds for projects.

"An investor? What is that?" Li Xuan asked, unfamiliar with the term.

"The investor is someone who injects capital into our project. They buy shares, and in return, we promise them future results. Alternatively, we can estimate the amount of oil we expect to produce from the wells and offer that as a guarantee in exchange for funding," Li Ming explained.

"I see. It's like reserving an item with a down payment... but in this case, we have to pay everything upfront. If we fail to deliver, it would damage the Li Clan's reputation. So, that's why you asked if the Li Clan dares to do it," Li Xuan comprehended.

"Exactly," Li Ming nodded.

Li Xuan raised another concern. "There's one more problem. These investors would need to contribute their money upfront, right? That means they must be extremely wealthy to do so. Should we approach merchant families to raise the necessary funds?"

"Yes, merchant families are suitable for this purpose. If they understand our product's potential and have a long-term vision, they will likely invest in our project. We can utilize the funds raised to sustain operations. Furthermore, if these merchants foresee the future success of our venture, they may be willing to invest more in exchange for future shares," Li Ming elaborated.

Li Xuan mused over the concept, realizing its revolutionary nature. "This is an intriguing idea. However, if we consider the future, the Li Clan alone may not be able to support the entire project."

"Obviously. That's where a new merchant group comes into play. This group will be responsible for distributing the oil. With you as its leader and the Li Clan's support, it will enjoy high credibility. Eventually, the name of this merchant group will resonate throughout the kingdom," Li Ming explained.

"That sounds promising. If I understand correctly, there's one more advantage. If this plan fails, the Li Clan can disassociate itself and blame the merchant group, right?" Li Xuan proposed.

Li Ming smirked, appreciating Li Xuan's astuteness. "Precisely."

Li Xuan shook her head in disbelief, never imagining that such a business model could be applied. "But what about you? Why am I the leader of this group instead of you? I mean, I understand my unique identity, but is that the only reason?"

"No, it's not just that. You will be the public face of the company, handling negotiations and other related matters. Meanwhile, I will be working behind the scenes, managing the business's progress and development," Li Ming clarified.

Li Xuan's eyes brightened as she grabbed Li Ming's hands. "You're amazing."

Li Ming felt slightly taken aback by her sudden display of affection. "Am I?"

Realizing her impulsive behavior, Li Xuan quickly stepped back and averted her gaze. She pointed toward the exit, her face turning slightly red. "In that case, let me discuss this with my father for a while. It won't take more than thirty minutes. After that, we can depart and continue with the rest of our work."

"Sure," Li Ming agreed, observing her departure with a bewildered expression. He was surprised by Li Xuan's sudden change in behavior after their conversation about martial arts the previous day. It seemed that the Li Clan had begun taking their plans seriously.

As Li Ming checked his watch, Eyses issued a warning: "Potential honey trap detected."

Li Ming sighed, realizing that Li Xuan's recent behavior was likely influenced by the Li Clan's movements. As Eyses had predicted, they were starting to play their cards more seriously.

While the discussion with her father didn't take long, Li Xuan proposed that they continue their conversation in the carriage since time was limited. They had prepared an open carriage, typically used by farmers to transport their products.

"It seems that my father has approved our plan," Li Xuan revealed, her face beaming with a smile.

"Yes, he had one request though," she continued.

Li Ming was intrigued. "What is it?"

"If we want to pursue this plan, we must go all out. As you mentioned, I will be the public face of the company, so my father wants me to extend our hand to the Zhang Clan," Li Xuan explained.

"The Zhang Clan?" Li Ming queried.

"Yes, just like the Wu Clan, the Zhang Clan is one of the prominent clans in the kingdom. We will introduce our new products to their market and seek their investment. Together, we can crush the Wu Clan," Li Xuan revealed, her eyes filled with determination.

Li Ming grinned at the development.