Negotiation

In front of a grand pavilion at the heart of the city, a carriage came to a halt. A middle-aged man emerged from the carriage, his long brown hair and slanted eyes exuding an air of wealth. Despite his light steps, the people around him respectfully bowed their heads. He entered the pavilion and was guided to the highest room.

With a gentle knock on the door, the man spoke, "Zhang Tianming."

"Please come in," a soft voice echoed from inside, inviting him forward.

Upon entering the room, the man laid eyes upon Li Xuan, the renowned figure of the Li Clan. Li Xuan was adorned in an elegant gown embroidered with flowers. While her usual attire conveyed strength and assurance, for this meeting, she aimed to project a calm and refined demeanor. The battle to be fought here was not with swords, but with words.

"Welcome, Mr. Zhang," Li Xuan greeted with a polite bow.

"It is a pleasure to meet the famous Li Xuan of the Li Clan. I have heard much about your excellence," Zhang Tianming clasped his hands together, his expression serious. Although he maintained decorum, his professionalism indicated that Li Xuan had something important in mind by inviting him here.

Zhang Tianming soon noticed a few bottles in the corner of the room. At first, he mistook them for wine, but the slight pungent smell reminded him of the scent of crude oil.

"Please, take a seat, Mr. Zhang," Li Xuan extended her hand.

"I shall respectfully comply," Zhang Tianming nodded and walked towards the empty seat before her. Before sitting down, he inquired, "May I know the reason for Miss Li's invitation? I doubt it is solely for a drink."

Li Xuan smiled, withholding her answer for the moment.

"I apologize for my rudeness, but Zhang doesn't wish to waste Miss Li's time. So, may I ask if Miss Li's intention in inviting me here is related to the bottles in the corner?" Zhang Tianming turned his head, directing his gaze toward the source of the mysterious smell.

"Mr. Zhang's resourcefulness and quick wit impress me," Li Xuan acknowledged. "Please, take a seat first, Mr. Zhang. I shall explain everything."

With Li Xuan's confirmation, Zhang Tianming finally sat down, observing as Li Xuan approached the bottles. There were two empty containers resembling flat bowls.

"Mr. Zhang is correct. The reason I called you here is to propose a deal. I have heard much about the renowned Zhang who brought Golden Harvest to its glory. Your business is related to vegetable oil, commonly used for cooking. I would like to introduce a new oil product, slightly different from the conventional vegetable oil."

Zhang Tianming raised an eyebrow. "A new oil product?"

"Yes." Li Xuan took the first bottle and poured its contents. The translucent yellow liquid appeared clear and almost transparent, resembling water. While it bore a resemblance to the usual vegetable oil, the scent was vastly different.

"This is..." Zhang Tianming immediately noticed the distinction and asked, "I don't think this is cooking oil..."

"As expected of Mr. Zhang, you are partially correct. This oil is indeed used for cooking, but that is not its sole purpose..." Li Xuan took out a wick and dipped one end into the oil, while the other end was affixed to an iron fixture. The oil slowly soaked into the wick.

Once Li Xuan deemed it sufficient, she ignited the other end of the wick, setting it ablaze.

"This is..." Zhang Tianming's eyes widened in shock. "It can actually light up?"

"Certainly," Li Xuan affirmed without hesitation. "This new oil is called kerosene. It can be used in three different ways. First, it can be used for lighting. As you can see, we can create lamps with an outer structure, right?"

"Indeed," Zhang Tianming agreed, gazing at the oil beneath the lamp. It didn't appear to deplete significantly, indicating that this amount of oil could last for a few hours.

"The second purpose is to serve as a replacement for firewood. It can be used to light fires for cooking, not as a substitute for vegetable oil, but as an alternative to firewood. If you feel the heat from the flame, you will notice it possesses similar characteristics to firewood."

"That's true. In fact, regular black oil can serve the purpose adequately. However..." Zhang Tianming furrowed his brow.

"As you might anticipate, this oil is nearly transparent. Unlike black oil, which leaves greasy residue, this oil does not. Cleaning it up is as simple as rinsing, unlike the black greases that require scraping, potentially damaging the container."

Zhang Tianming looked surprised. The two uses alone were already astonishing, but Li Xuan mentioned yet another application. "This oil can reach high temperatures. Unlike firewood, which occupies significant space in one's home and requires drying, this oil can serve as a heating substitute. It will prove extremely useful during the winter."

Zhang Tianming's eyes widened in shock. He asked, "Miss Li... Are you inviting me here to..."

"Indeed. I am discussing an opportunity regarding this oil," Li Xuan smiled. "We plan to produce the oil in large quantities and popularize its use. I wonder if Mr. Zhang is interested in being part of this advancement?"

"May I know the details?"

"As I mentioned, I have established a new merchant group dedicated to producing this type of oil."

"I see." Zhang Tianming stroked his beard thoughtfully before saying, "You want to supply me with this oil, and I will be responsible for selling it on the market. What are the terms of the agreement?"

"It's simple. You would need to purchase a substantial amount of oil from us in advance, and we would handle the transportation to your location."

"In advance?" Zhang Tianming frowned. "Miss Li..."

"I understand your concerns about the risk. However, this new merchant group operates under my name, and my father, the patriarch of the Li Clan, will serve as the guarantor. Isn't that sufficient?"

Zhang Tianming was well aware of the Li Clan's magnitude, including the patriarch's influence. It seemed that this new project was ambitious but lacked funds.

After a moment of contemplation, Zhang Tianming asked, "How much oil can you provide me with daily?"

"We will start with one thousand liters per week, or approximately seven barrels per week. And that is just the beginning."

"One barrel per day..."

"However, we would like to make two requests. Firstly, we will sell you the oil at 2 copper coins per liter, and in return, we request that you sell the oil for 3 copper coins per liter."

"Hmm? This oil is already revolutionary. If you sell it at that price..."

"That is not the primary objective of this deal, Mr. Zhang. This new oil is revolutionary, but not many people are aware of it yet. We aim to spread its use and convenience to the general public."

"I understand," Zhang Tianming nodded, grasping her intention. "In that case, the second request..."

"You will introduce our products to the public, showcasing how they can be used for lighting, heating, and cooking."

Zhang Tianming stroked his beard again, pondering. "The price is low, but if we can encourage widespread adoption and awareness, people will realize that this new oil far surpasses black oil. As production expands and profits increase, I see that we may initially operate at a loss. However, by boarding this ship now, I might be able to rise even higher..."

It didn't take long for Zhang Tianming to clasp his hands together. "Shall we prepare the contract?"

"I have already prepared it for you," Li Xuan replied, bringing forth the contract. Observing Zhang Tianming's reaction, she realized it wasn't the right time to introduce the lubricating oil. To secure more funds, she planned to invite another wealthy merchant to invest in their product.