It took The Third Lord Wei a while to fully explain his business plan to everyone.
After everyone had taken in the Third Lord’s proposal, they were elated by the prospect of making over a billion yuan a year. Although most of the profit would go to Master Chen, a fraction of that huge income would be enough to make everyone happy.
“Master Chen, how are you planning to sell this heavenly water?” The Third Lord Wei hazarded.
Of all the people in the room, only he and the Wei Family had enough resources and credentials to sell these bottles of water at such a high price. Any no account salesman trying to make a sales pitch to a rich buyer about these heavenly water would be scoffed at as swindlers.
“I don’t even expect to half the profit with Master Chen. I would be happy if I could get twenty percent. Heck even ten percent, I will be making a hundred million a year.” The promise of becoming rich make Third Lord Wei’s face bloom like a flower.
“Who told you that I am going to sell it to the public through you?” Chen Fan said calmly.
“You are not?” Everyone was taken aback.
“Why not? We can both make so much money!” The Third Lord Wei shrieked as he could no longer hold back his greed.
“Master Chen, all you have to do is hand that water to my Fang Sheng International Group and me. You will take eighty percent of the profit or even ninety percent if that makes the deal even sweeter for you. We are practically turning water into gold; what other line of business could be more profitable than this?”
“Indeed.” Zhou Tianhao hurried to chime in.
“I have no need for money.” To everyone’s surprise, Chen Fan shook his head and said, “To tell you the truth, I am planning to sell this water, but I won’t give you the exclusive sale rights. Everyone in the Jiang Bei Region will have their fair share.”
“Everyone will have their share?” The Third Lord Wei asked curiously.
“Indeed.” Chen Fan nodded. “I have heard your plan of consolidating power in the Jiang Bei Region. However, you have overlooked one tried and true method in management: carrot and stick. We need a hook for their royalty.”
“Um…” Everyone stared at each other and were not sure what to say.
“The heavenly water is the hook and the carrot.” Chen Fan said.
It would not be easy to convince the lot such as Xu Ao and Baldy Liu to give up their power without any incentives. However, the story would be different if they were presented with the opportunity to earn over a hundred million yuan industry. They didn’t even need too much marketing efforts since their rich relatives and friends should be able to absorb most of the sales. Once they had established proper sales channels and markets, the profit would come in at tens, if not hundreds of billions.
“I will not give them the heavenly water for free, I will take half of their sales, and they can do whatever they want with their share. Sell it, or give it away, I don’t care.
“If they obey me, I will give them more share, if they don’t or even defy me, I will not give them a drop.”
The Third Lord Wei felt a chill down his spine after hearing Chen Fan’s plan.
“This is much worse than fifty-fifty.”
Chen Fan’s ambition had far exceeded the Third Lord’s expectation.
He was not selling the water for money, but as a tool to keep everyone under his boot.
The immense profit from the sale of the heavenly water was too great to ignore by any reasonable businessman. The water was bound to be highly sought after since only a few tycoons of the Jiang Bei Region have the right to sell them.
By then, people would flock to the Jiang Bei Region to secure deals with the local gentry. This asymmetric relationship would give the Jiang Bei businessmen huge leverages in expanding their influence to the outside of their home region. It wouldn’t take long before they could establish a web of personal connections that covered the entire Jiang Bei region and beyond to protect their assets: Chen Fan and his ability to produce the heavenly water. This web would serve as the first line of defense against any enemy of Chen Fan.
“But… but is this really necessary?” The Third Lord Wei said with a massive frown.
In the mind of the Third Lord, the more rational approach would be to take it slow and establish the market first. There was no need to give away their trump cards so soon.
Indeed, fifty percent of the sale, which amounted to five billion would be a huge draw for the local businessmen, and it might be able to secure their loyalty for a short period of time. But it was only a matter of time before greed consumed them and drove them to ask for more.
“I have heard enough. My mind is set.” Chen Fan said as he slowly stood up.
“I will share the water with you so that you can bring the magnates of the Jiang Bei region to their knees. You have only one chance, so don’t fail me.”
“… Yes!” The Third Lord Wei replied with a deep bow.
After everyone was through the door, Zhou Tianhao found out that The Third Lord Wei was quiet and had a troubled look on his face.
“Third Lord, what’s up?” Zhou Tianhao asked curiously. “We will make less money, sure, but so what? We will be the top dogs of the Jiang Bei Region nonetheless. This is much more desirable than simply making money, isn’t it? ”
“No….no…” The Third Lord of Wei murmured as he shook his head. “It’s too fast.”
“Why is it too fast?” Zhou Tianhao asked perplexedly.
“I think Master Chen is moving too fast.” The Third Lord of Wei furrowed his brows.”We should be able to dominate the market in at most five years if not three. However, he still rushed into things like there was no tomorrow. It will leave us with a shaky foundation.
“Unless Master Chen is in a hurry to establish control because he needs to face against an enemy in half a year?” The Third Lord Wei said as realization flickered in his eyes.
“But against who? Could there be anyone else in the Jiang Bei region that would pose a threat to him?”
Suddenly, a name drifted into his mind.
The thought of the man’s name made The Third Lord Wei shiver in fear.
If Master Chen were really going to butt heads against him, their clash would definitely bring chaos to the entire Jiang Bei region.
Because the person on his mind was the richest man of the Jiang Bei region.
Chen Fan sat in a wicker armchair on the third-floor balcony. He looked into the distance while his finger gilded back and forth across the coffee table in front of him.
The Spirit Qi Water was only a ploy that he could dispose of readily, yet it had the entire Jiang Bei region excited.
He had countless tricks like this up his sleeves.
“Shen Junwen, I hope you are ready.”
“I have spent a half year focusing on my cultivation, and finally I could shift my attention onto you and think about how to do away with you.” Chen Fan thought to himself while an eerie smile surface on his face.
“In my last life, you have outdone me and pushed me to my last leg. After I had fallen from grace, I could only look up at you like a wounded street dog.
“This time around, I will repay the harm you have done to me in kind.
“Yes… I will start the operation with your family business.”
Chen Fan was reborn in the middle of January of 2008; by then, his first semester was almost over.
Of late, he attended the school like a normal high school student and mostly kept things to himself. The only person he saw was Auntie Tang who came to visit and occasionally slept over at the mansion. Chen Fan made sure that he turned on the Spirit Gathering Array only after Auntie Tang was asleep.
Every time Auntie Tang spent the night in the mansion, she always felt like a whole new person the next morning, bursting with energy. It was as if every cell in her body was recharged overnight.
All the while, she thought it was the effect of living at the top of the mountain; therefore, she didn’t think of asking Chen Fan for the cause of her refreshing feeling.
Every time Jiang Churan met Chen Fan, she hesitated to speak up and fail to form any words in her mouth.
Chen Fan knew she wanted to ask about the mansion and the Wei family, but she was too embarrassed to raise the question.
As the winter-break approached, everyone’s mood lightened significantly, and they started to talk about their travel plans. Although the term was not over yet, they have already finished the first mock exam, and therefore the teachers didn’t mind the student’s being distracted by their vacation plans.
After the school was over, Jiang Churan and Xu Rongfei came over to Chen Fan.
“Going out?”
Chen Fan was taken aback by the abrupt question.
“Of course! This is the last week before the winter break. Everyone is going back to their hometown, and we won’t see each other until next year.” Xu Rongfei said in a musical voice as she batted her lashes.
“Where are we going? Can I come with you?” Jiang Tanqiu asked expectantly.
“I have heard that the Qin Shui city opened a new lakeshore resort.” Xu Rongfei said with her head tilted slightly to one side like a puppy.
“Ah right! I have heard of that too. Rumor had it that the resort cost over a hundred million to construct. It’s crazy inside. ” Jiang Tanqiu exclaimed. “My girlfriend, Xiao Qian. always wanted to spend a weekend there, but the price for a just a night was too expensive for me.
“Let’s go, Chen Fan. We will only stay there for a couple of days anyway.” Jiang Tanqiu siad.
“Fine.”
Seeing Xu Rongfei’s expectant gaze, Chen Fan suddenly felt bad for leaving her for three months without a word. The conscious besting reason, he agreed.
“Awesome!” A joyful smile broke over her face.
Jiang Churan watched the two’s exchange quietly as a fit of jealousy rose inside of her.
“Humph! one day, I will make you pay!”
She snorted.