Chapter 750: Chapter 454 First Negotiation_2
"Welcome, your excellences, please take your seats."
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the group quickly got down to business.
"This is this year’s grain production forecast for the entire Tilaimei Plain."
Atbolde waved his hand lightly, and the crystal on the table lit up, casting clear projections in front of each merchant representative.
"Hiss... Is this production volume for real?" Frank exclaimed in shock as he saw the figures written on the forecast.
Dougla also raised an eyebrow, showing a hint of surprise on his face.
"The error will not exceed five percent," Atbolde nodded and said with a faint smile, "Under the guidance of Councilman Colin, Tilaimei Plain has improved its planting techniques this year, and the overall grain production has increased significantly from previous years."
"Councilman Colin truly lives up to his reputation, having done another good deed for the people!" Frank praised grandly, all the while thinking to himself that he might be able to secure a larger share of the grain this year.
The market’s demand for grain is much stronger than in previous years.
The more grain Tilaimei could produce, the more they could earn.
The group discussed the estimated production of the fields for a while, with Atbolde effortlessly smiling and responding as the merchant representatives took the opportunity to flatter him.
After about half an hour, Dougla brought up the main topic.
"May I ask what the specific export price of grain is planned to be on Tilaimei Plain this year?"
If it were Colin, he would probably have grown impatient by now, but Atbolde maintained his composure and asked in return with a light smile, "What is your intended price, gentlemen?"
Dougla glanced at Atbolde, then turned to exchange looks with a few merchant representatives beside him before he solemnly spoke:
"The Oden Commerce Alliance is willing to buy this year’s wheat for a hundred copper per bag."
The bag referred to by Dougla was a standard bag, which is roughly equivalent to about 25 pounds in the previous world.
"The Thomas Commerce Alliance is also willing to buy this year’s wheat for a hundred copper per bag."
"The Sandy Commerce Chamber is willing to buy for ninety copper..."
"The Huel Commerce Chamber is offering a price of a hundred and five copper."
As Dougla finished speaking, the other merchant representatives hastily threw out their bids, fearful of falling behind the others.
The regions they primarily sold to were different, so considering transportation and other costs, the combined costs differed, but they all loosely adhered to the standard of a hundred copper per bag set by the Oden and Thomas Commerce Alliances.
Atbolde nodded lightly, and after everyone had spoken, he sat up straight, looked around the room, and said:
"I have a general understanding of your intended price now..."
’I knew it wouldn’t be that simple...’
Hearing such words from Atbolde, Frank furrowed his brow slightly, instinctively thinking that Tilaimei Plain intended to export at a high price this year.
However, a hundred copper per bag wasn’t the limit price for Thomas Commerce Chamber either; there was still room to increase, only hoping that Councilman Colin... had a bit less of an appetite.
As he was deep in thought, a series of astonished murmurs reached his ears.
"Only thirty copper per bag?" Dougla couldn’t help but verify, his mustache trembling slightly.
Frank snapped back to reality, his face still showing traces of astonishment.
What had Atbolde just said while he was distracted? Thirty copper per bag... What was that?
"Yes, gentlemen, you heard correctly, the unified export price of wheat from Tilaimei Plain this year—thirty copper per bag," Atbolde repeated with a calm smile.
"Thomas Commerce Chamber is willing to buy all the wheat!"
Frank finally reacted, his corpulent body erupting with a speed that completely belied his size as he rose and stepped forward, taking Atbolde’s hand earnestly.
Dougla couldn’t help the twitch in the corner of his eye.
"There’s no need to rush, your excellency. If you wish to purchase wheat from Tilaimei Plain at such a low price, there is an additional condition," Atbolde said, smoothly withdrawing his hand.
Dougla nodded slightly and asked softly, "May I ask what this additional condition is?"
Atbolde smiled and waved his hand gently, causing the crystal’s light to flow and project a new document in front of each representative.
Frank rubbed his nose, not showing any embarrassment, and calmly returned to his place to look at the latest projection.
Quickly, he raised his head again and frowned, "What does it mean that ’the actual selling price must not exceed ten percent of the suggested retail price’?"
"It means just what it says. As for the suggested retail prices, they differ by region, and these are marked at the end of the projection," Atbolde replied simply.
No sooner had he spoken than the entire conference room became abuzz.
The representatives of the trade caravans began to "quietly" discuss among themselves.
"This..."
"Cannot exceed ten percent... Since when did we have to listen to Tilamei Plain’s opinion on pricing?"
"Exactly, this suggested price is ridiculous. With the market price of grain generally high, if we sell our grain at this so-called suggested retail price, wouldn’t that disrupt the normal market order?"
Disrupt the market order... Hearing this, the corner of Atbolde’s eyes couldn’t help but twitch.
It was as if they were pretending that the current market for wheat was somehow normal.
If it hadn’t been for these merchants present, the price of wheat would never have risen so much.
The meeting room was a cacophony of voices, merchants occasionally glanced over at the main seat, but Atbolde remained sitting calmly, his countenance serene.
Colin was very determined on the issue of food pricing, and he naturally intended to see it through.
Besides, even if these merchants were dissatisfied, what could they do?
Tilamei Plain had always been under Colin’s control!
Seeing that Atbolde remained unresponsive, the representatives of the various trading blocs gradually ceased their discussions.
Led by Dougla and Frank, they commenced another round of negotiations with Atbolde.
However, with Atbolde’s determined stance, the first round of negotiations still ended without agreement.
"Those trade association representatives... I guess they won’t give up just like that."
Lillian walked in through the side door and whispered as she watched the caravan representatives depart down the corridor.
"Don’t worry," Atbolde shook his head. "We always have the grain in our hands. If they’re unwilling, plenty of others will be!"
"I just feel that these chambers of commerce are, after all, major grain merchants within Neustadt..."
"Lillian, you’re mistaken about one thing," Atbolde shook his head and interrupted her, "It’s these chambers of commerce that need us, not the other way around."
"Just as Colin said, such merchants have always chased minor profits without greater integrity, and even though they don’t participate in production, they control the discourse power in the grain market, which is an abnormal phenomenon."
"Now, by doing this, Colin aims not only to ensure the lower class citizens are well-fed but also to reclaim the dominant position in the grain market."
Atbolde paused for a moment, then continued, "Have you forgotten what he told us that day?"
"The real determinants of the market are always the consumers."
"In a market with essential goods like grain, the producers might also have a say, but in no way should these merchants have a voice."
Lillian nodded, still somewhat worried, "I understand the rationale my junior brother speaks of, but... no one has ever said these things before..."
Atbolde smiled, "In the past, no wizard has ever become a Supreme Councilman while being at the Second Rank... Colin is not an ordinary person."
There was a hint of emotion on his face, and his praise came from the heart.
Indeed, Atbolde had developed a sense of admiration for his student.
It wasn’t just Colin’s monstrous Talent and formidable strength, but also his profound insights into commerce and society as a whole.
Consumption decides the market... Simple words, yet they contained profoundly deep truths.
And even... they could now serve as universally applicable truths.
’I wonder, what is Colin doing right now?’
Atbolde stood up and walked over to the window on the right, gazing into the distance.
Through the layers of gray and black buildings, he barely caught a glimpse of gold swaying in the blue Sky - kissed by the breeze.
—That was the wheat field nearing harvest.
The time for spring harvest was drawing closer.