A week later, there was a large motorcade that passed the border between the Norton Duchy and the Candra Empire.
After travelling on this road that was finally built in the southwest province of the Candra Empire for three hours, they reached the capital of the southwest province, which was also the place that had the Governor Manor, Canberra City.
The motorcade didn’t enter Canberra City and stopped in a patch of open land outside the city.
Although this place was only a suburb outside the wall, Canberra City was the large capital, so it was very lively and filled with people. There were all kinds of vendors calling out, seeming much more lively than many smaller cities.
Xu Yi stopped his Magic Sedan and came out of the driver’s seat, finding that the surrounding people were looking at the motorcade he was a part of before looking away. They didn’t look curious and they didn’t look surprised like they were seeing something new.
“It isn’t strange that the people of Canberra City have seen Magic Cars before.” Chairman Cruise on the side explained, “Actually, it isn’t just Magic Cars, many people here are already used to many of the household magic machines. You don’t need to think that they will be surprised like they would be seeing it for the first time.”
“No, I wasn’t hoping for this. I was just a bit curious. Since the people of the Candra Empire have already experienced the magic machines, why isn’t there a higher demand for these things?” Xu Yi knitted his brows.
“Who told you there isn’t a high demand?” Chairman Cruise rolled his eyes before pointing to the right, “Look at what that is.”
Xu Yi looked at where he was pointing and saw that there was a large stall by the street where many people were gathered, looking very lively.
“What are they doing there?”
While Xu Yi was confused, there was cheer that came from the crowd. They surrounded a person who was holding something who turned to run, as if he was afraid that the others would steal it from him.
Xu Yi looked carefully and found that the thing that he was holding like a treasure was actually an old Magic Fan, feeling a bit surprised.
“It’s just an old Magic Fan and he’s even acting like this……”
“Because it’s second hand, it’s quite cheap. Being able to get one isn’t easy.” Chairman Cruise gave a shrug, “Now that it’s getting hotter, these things are very popular. If a normal person like that can get a Magic Fan, it will be equal to saving their lives.”
Xu Yi knitted his brows, still feeling confused.
“The latest Frestech Brand Magic Fan is only selling for three gold coins and fifty silver coins, it isn’t that expensive. Why do they need to snatch for an old Magic Fan that’s about to be trashed like that?”
Chairman Cruise looked at Xu Yi before giving a sigh and shaking his head, “Xu Yi, I think that you’ve been separated from normal people for too long and you’ve already forgotten the most important problem. Do you think…..three gold coins and fifty silver coins for a normal person who can’t even feed themselves would be little?”
Xu Yi was speechless.
It wasn’t that he was separated from normal people for too long, rather it was because of the thought “normal people couldn’t afford to buy a Magic Fan”.
Whether it was the Stantine Duchy or the Lampuri Kingdom, the citizens of those two countries, as long as they were willing to work, they would be able to easily find a job that would pay at least ten gold coins a month.
If it was the wages of a family, putting aside their basic living costs, there was no pressure taking out a few coins to buy a Magic Fan.
But that was only limited to the Stantine Duchy and the Lampuri Kingdom because the magic machine industry led by the Frestech Chamber of Commerce had developed those two countries well. Now there were many factories related to magic machines in those two countries and there was a large demand for labour, so that was why people were able to easily find such good jobs.
But other than this, even if the Rudson Kingdom and the Drake Duchy were developing magic machine industries, it was lacking compared to them.
When comparing it, the Sack Kingdom was even worse.
Because they had tense relationships with the Lampuri Kingdom and the Frestech Chamber of Commerce before, their magic machine industry wasn’t that developed.
But compared to the Candra Empire…..it was actually better.
The Candra Empire was one of the two empires of the continent, with national strength that couldn’t be compared with on the Sines Continent, but when it came to the living conditions of normal people……It was even worse than the Lampuri Kingdom from seven to eight years ago.
These normal citizens living in the Candra Empire’s southwest province’s capital of Canberra Cite, most of them were still at the level of worrying about making a living, so it was impossible for them to take out several gold coins for a Magic Fan.
“Then what’s up with those old Magic Fans? Although they don’t seem like our company’s Magic Fan, they can sell for one to two gold coins each?” Xu Yi asked.
“You have to ask that chairman Doyer over there.”
Xu Yi turned his head to look at chairman Doyer who just came over.
Chairman Doyer gave a dry laugh as he awkwardly scratched his head, “This…..We found after coming to the Candra Empire that there were several people who had heard of the magic machines before, but they thought that new magic machines were too expensive, so we directly sold these old magic machines to them. Ke, anyway, they are satisfied, so I don’t feel that there is any problem…..”
Xu Yi immediately understood.
In the end, after the Candra Empire and the Lampuri Kingdom signed the trade contract, the merchants from the Lampuri Kingdom were directly taking the old magic machines from the Lampuri Kingdom and reselling them in the Candra Empire.
This was without a doubt to Xu Yi a kind of cheat, but it actually suited the Candra Empire’s current situation which made him a bit speechless.
“Ke, this is also benefiting the normal people of the Candra Empire.” Chairman Doyer said with a faint smile, “Anyway, they can’t afford the new items and the old items are cheaper. For example, that Magic Fan that person just bought, it’s less than one gold coin for one, so of course they like it very much.”
“One gold coin for one? What price did you buy it for in the Lampuri Kingdom?” Xu Yi asked.
Chairman Doyer’s expression became more awkward and after hesitating a bit, he came closer to say in a low voice, “We learned from chairman Xu and your Frestech Chamber of Commerce, using exchanging old products for new products to get them back. The actual cost…..is around…..less than twenty silver coins for one…..”
Xu Yi couldn’t help rolling his eyes.
One for less than twenty silver coins? Because of the new trade agreement between the Candra Empire and the Lampuri Kingdom, the tariff for magic machine products was the lowest. So if they sold an old Magic Fan for one gold coin, they would only need to pay around ten silver coins as a tariff.
Adding in the transportation costs, the total costs for one Magic Fan wouldn’t be more than forty silver coins.
They were selling it now for close to a gold coin, they must be making more than half a gold coin from each Magic Fan.
“No, no, no, chairman Xu, we are just gathering products for merchants on this side and letting them sell it, so the price that we are selling it for is much less than one gold coin.” Chairman Doyer quickly waved his hands.
“Then what about the income that you get from selling a Magic Fan after exchanging for an old one?” Xu Yi rolled his eyes.
“Hei, chairman Xu, we learned this from you.” Chairman Doyer said with a smile.
Xu Yi waved his hand, “Alright, I don’t care about this. But I do need to remind you that a reputation is very hard to establish while being very easy to break. Household magic machines haven’t been in the Candra Empire for long, so you need to establish a reputation and leave a good impression on the people of the Candra Empire during this most important period. At this time, it’s better not to deceive people with second hand items. Otherwise if you leave a bad impression and want to change it later, you will have to pay a much higher price than you can imagine.”
Chairman Doyer knitted his brows and didn’t seem to believe Xu Yi’s words.
But he couldn’t refute Xu Yi to his face, so he just smiled and bid his farewell.
“Hei, Xu Yi, don’t waste your breath. How could these small merchants see that far, they clearly only care about earning small amounts and don’t care about the development or reputation of the entire industry. Only people with abnormal thoughts like you care about those kinds of things.” After chairman Doyer walked away, chairman Cruise said this with a laugh.
Xu Yi gave a cold snort, “I don’t believe that you’ve never thought of this, otherwise why would your company attach such importance to the apartments being built outside of Canberra City?”
Chairman Cruise gave a shrug, “I’m not a small merchant like them without any experience and vision.”
“Ha……” Xu Yi couldn’t help laughing as he thought that chairman Cruise’s face was was getting thicker.
But he was right. Compared to a chairman Doyer who was from a small company, chairman Cruise was someone who had been in business for many years and had vision that was far beyond normal merchants.
Moreover, he was gradually being influenced by Xu Yi, beginning to think further and further into the future. Naturally he was not someone who would ruin his future benefits just for a little bit of gain.
“Speaking of importance, compared to the apartments, I care more about the roads.” Chairman Cruise turned to Xu Yi to seriously ask, “Do you think…..How confident are you in convincing the Candra Empire to pave roads?”
Xu Yi was surprised, “It’s at least 90% to convince his highness Frank and the southern province, but to convince the Candra Empire…..less than 30%.”
Chairman Cruise was surprised, “Why?”
Xu Yi gave a bitter laugh, “There’s no other way, the Candra Empire is just too big……”
