Chapter 48 Doing Business Together

Just as she was wondering how to respond, Zhou Ruiyuan suddenly spoke up, “Steward Liu, I’m afraid this arrangement isn’t quite suitable.”

“Not suitable?” Steward Liu looked at the young man in front of him with a puzzled expression.

Zhou Ruiyuan said slowly, “Since Master Fang is interested in our craftsmanship, he must sincerely want to do business in incense. However, our Zhou family is not foolish. A monthly wage is worth only a few bottles of high-quality scented dew. Why shouldn’t we just make and sell it ourselves?”

Steward Liu raised his eyebrows slightly, about to explain.

But Zhou Ruiyuan continued, “I know what you’re going to say—that our Zhou family has no shop, no customer base, and that we wouldn’t be able to run a business. That’s why I have a solution that benefits both sides.”

“What solution?” Steward Liu asked.

Zhou Ruiyuan calmly replied, “Master Fang provides the shop and the customers, while our Zhou family provides the finished incense. The profit is split 20-80.”

“You take 20%, and we take 80%.”

Steward Liu was taken aback, not expecting a simple farming family to be this shrewd. He quickly did some calculations in his head before standing up and saying, “Alright, I’ll relay your proposal to our master and see what he says.”

Zhou Ruiyuan walked him to the door and added, “If Master Fang doesn’t agree, that’s fine. Our Zhou family won’t force the deal.”

Steward Liu paused for a moment, then turned back to look at him, his gaze deep and thoughtful. A moment later, he chuckled, “You’re quite a sharp young man!”

With that, he shook his head, stepped out of the courtyard, and got into a carriage.

Madam Zhou watched him leave and immediately turned to Zhou Ruiyuan. “Ruiyuan, what did you mean just now? What’s this ’20’ and ’80’?”

Du Wanchun approached with a smile and explained, “Mother, my husband means that we will go into business with the Fang family. They’ll take 20% of the profits, and we’ll take 80%. This way, no one is taking advantage of the other. It’s much better than just working for wages because it allows us to expand our Zhou family’s business while ensuring we keep most of the profits every month.”

Madam Zhou understood immediately and was overjoyed. “This is great! This way, we won’t even have to handle the business directly.”

Zhou Ruiyuan nodded slightly. “Yes, but we still don’t know if Master Fang will agree.”

When Master Fang received the proposal, he was neither angry nor did he try to bargain down the Zhou family’s share. Instead, he agreed outright. “Alright, we’ll do as they suggested. We provide the shop and the resources, and we split the profit 20-80 with them!”

Steward Liu was surprised. “Master, do we really need to agree? We’re not lacking in the incense business, after all.”

Master Fang held up the burning incense in his hand and took a deep breath. “I haven’t smelled sandalwood of this quality in over ten years—since my time in the palace.”

Steward Liu was taken aback. “The palace?”

Master Fang nodded. “That’s right. I remember that His Majesty loves incense. If we can expand this business to the capital and eventually to the imperial court, becoming official suppliers to the royal family, it will be a completely different story.”

“But can this incense really make it to the capital?” Steward Liu asked with some concern.

Master Fang’s eyes glinted with amusement. “With my connections, of course it can. No matter how we split the profit with the Zhou family, this business is guaranteed to be profitable. There’s nothing to worry about.”

Still somewhat uncertain, Steward Liu helped light another incense cone for Master Fang.

Master Fang inhaled the fragrance and leaned back against his chair. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind, and his gaze became distant as he murmured, “In the past… I remember that the first madam of the Lu family was the most skilled at making incense. It’s a pity she died so early…”

Steward Liu hesitated before cautiously asking, “The Lu family that was exiled?”

Master Fang didn’t answer, only slowly closed his eyes.

But even without a response, Steward Liu knew—yes, it was that Lu family. In the entire Xuan Yue Kingdom, only the empress’s maternal family had been known for their exceptional incense-making skills.