Chapter 245: Breaking News

Chapter 245: Breaking News

The second thing Luo Ning wanted was naturally related to the iron mine in Chishan Town.

However, he understood that it would be impossible to gain a share simply by relying on the father-son relationship.

Moreover, Wiggins only owned a small stake in this iron mine, so he had little influence over its operations.

Thus, Luo Ning didn't dwell on that path.

"I hope my father can help me negotiate with Chishan Town so that the iron ore produced there can be sold to me at a favorable price."

The last time, Luo Ning and his team purchased 50,000 kilograms of iron ore, which was sold at eight copper coins per kilogram. They spent a total of 400 gold coins, not including transportation and smelting costs.

"You want iron ore?" Wiggins asked, surprised. "Do you want to smelt iron yourself in Wubei?"

Luo Ning nodded. "There are plenty of trees in Wubei Territory that can be used as fuel. I can smelt iron myself. This way, I'll save a lot of gold coins."

When iron ore turns into wrought iron, its selling price increases by at least five or six times.

Producing it himself would not only save a lot of money but also allow him to produce the molten iron he needed for casting.

"How many kilograms of iron ore do you think your territory will need each year?" Wiggins asked immediately.

"I made a rough estimate last night. Wubei Territory will need about 200,000 kilograms of iron ore annually. But this is only for the current situation. As Wubei Territory develops, the demand will increase further."

With the current smelting level, it would be excellent if 600,000 to 800,000 kilograms of iron could be produced from 200,000 kilograms of iron ore.

Even with such a large amount, the current leader of Wubei might not be able to consume it all.

But it didn't matter. Wubei Territory lacked iron ore, so being able to buy it cheaply from outside could be considered strategic resource stockpiling.

Kabir, who was listening on the side, gained a higher opinion of Luo Ning.

The fact that this young viscount could give such an estimate without hesitation showed that he had a clear understanding of the situation in his territory.

He couldn't help but think, "Luo Ning has only been a lord for less than a year, and yet he handles things like a seasoned leader. When did he change so much?"

On the other hand, Wiggins was thinking about whether this deal would be profitable.

After a while, he spoke. "I can offer you a preferential price of six copper coins per kilogram of iron ore, but you'll need to transport the ore from Chishan Town to Wubei yourself. I won't cover transportation."

The market price of iron ore is usually between five and eight copper coins per kilogram, but this can vary based on transportation costs and demand.

If it were wartime, the price of iron ore as a strategic resource would inevitably rise.

Although Wiggins asked Luo Ning to handle the transportation, the price of six copper coins per kilogram was still considered a concession.

"Okay, but you can't sell me poor-quality iron ore, Father," Luo Ning said.

Wiggins smiled. "Don't worry. The quality of the iron ore from Chishan Iron Mine may not be the best, but at least it won't be bad."

He felt his mood lift.

He owned 10% of the iron ore in Chishan Town, meaning he had access to around 360,000 kilograms of iron ore each year.

However, he wasn't involved in mining, transportation, or sales. His role was simply to collect money from Corrine and Hahn each year.

By negotiating a deal with Luo Ning today, he'd sold a large portion of the goods himself, which would earn him a few hundred extra gold coins.

"Luo Ning, if your Wubei Territory can handle more iron ore, I might be able to offer you a better price. For example, for the first 200,000 kilograms, I'll sell to you for six copper coins per kilogram. For the next 100,000 kilograms, I can give you a price of five copper coins per kilogram."

Luo Ning grinned. "I believe that with the help of you and Kabir, Wubei Territory's population will grow. Maybe in two or three years, I'll need even more iron ore."

"Hahaha, alright!" Wiggins smiled broadly. "Manage your territory well. I'm optimistic about you!"

Kabir also chimed in, "With Luo Ning's ability, I believe that in the near future, a large city like Wushan City will definitely rise in Wubei Territory."

The afternoon passed quickly, and as dusk fell, guests began arriving at Wushan Fort for the evening banquet.

In addition to the nobles, Diane had also asked Hallward to find the best performance troupe in Wushan City.

After all, a banquet would be dull if people only ate, drank, and talked. Entertainment like music performances, dance performances, and social balls had to be arranged.

In both his past and present lives, Luo Ning had never had such a lively birthday. All of this was thanks to the blessings of the "aristocracy."

Of course, more than that, it was due to the changes in his identity and status.

Taking his unlearned predecessor as an example, on past birthdays, he would have simply celebrated with a few friends at Wushan Supernatural Academy.

Lu Lans also attended the birthday party. In addition to having a cordial conversation with Luo Ning, he also greeted the other guests.

This was the first time Lu Lans had made a public appearance since the beginning of the year. The rumors that he, like Orson, had trouble getting out of bed would likely be dispelled after tonight's banquet.

"Luo Ning, I have a letter for you."

Lu Lans pulled Luo Ning aside, took a letter from his pocket, and handed it to him.

"Who's it from?"

Luo Ning asked with surprise.

"Blanche, of course."

Lu Lans chuckled. "The letter arrived this morning, just in time."

Luo Ning walked over to a quiet corner of the dance hall, opened the letter, and started reading.

It was a "Happy Birthday" letter. Blanche's handwriting was beautiful, and although there was no explicit declaration of love, a sense of longing was evident in the words.

Luo Ning couldn't help but smile. He hadn't expected his charm to leave such a deep impression on the other person.

"What are you laughing at, Ronin?"

McKinney came over and said, "Come dance with me."

Luo Ning smiled wryly. "Why, my beautiful sister, has no one invited you to dance?"

McKinney smiled. "I'm not an unmarried girl. How could anyone easily approach me?"

This was true. A noble lady had to consider many factors when accepting a dance invitation, such as the other person's status and their identity and motives.

"Well then."

Luo Ning gave in, put away the letter, and stood up. He took McKinney's hand and walked onto the dance floor.

After attending several banquets, his dancing skills had improved significantly.

Meanwhile, Wiggins' yard was much quieter.

He had once been the center of attention at these events, but now that he couldn't dance anymore, he found an excuse to slip away after eating and drinking.

Every time this happened, he cursed the damn Skull and Bones Society in his heart. If not for that incident, he could be so carefree now.

"Boom, boom, boom!"

A hurried knock at the door interrupted his thoughts, further aggravating his mood.

"Who's there?"

"Sir, it's me, Carolina," came a pleasant female voice from outside.

The displeasure on Wiggins' face faded a little, and his tone softened. "Come in."

Carolina entered, a middle-aged woman with a pretty face. As the liaison officer of Wushan Fort, she couldn't compare to Diane, but she was still attractive.

"Why don't you go to the party and have fun instead of coming to see me?" Wiggins asked.

Carolina didn't elaborate but handed him a letter, her face anxious. "My Lord, this is a letter from Lord Corrine of Boulder City. It's of the highest urgency!"

"What?" Wiggins' heart skipped a beat. He quickly opened the envelope and read the letter inside.

As he read, his face flushed, and his breathing grew rapid.

Carolina, who was familiar with Wiggins, knew that what was written in the letter would definitely make him angry.

From recent correspondence with Boulder City, and the urgency of this letter, she had a pretty good idea of what it might concern.

Could something have gone wrong in Chishan Town?

After finishing the letter, Wiggins finally roared, "Damn it! How could this happen!"

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