Chapter 134 - 129: Bargaining
The early morning mist had not yet scattered as more carriages rolled through the mud, arriving at Newly Town.
In stark contrast to the grandeur of the Seven Ports Alliance from the day before, most of today’s arrivals were minor lords from the surrounding coastal territories.
Their carriages were old, their emblems were faded, and the horses pulling them were a motley mix of colors.
The nobles who stepped out of the carriages were dressed respectably enough, but the frays on their cuffs and collars betrayed their dire financial straits.
Velin still stood before the main gate, treating them no differently despite their lower status.
The celebration officially began at noon.
Forgoing tedious formalities, Velin led everyone directly through the bustling square toward a salt-crusted patch of alkaline land to the east of town.
Within the crowd, a few lords were conversing in low voices.
"Kane, my friend, do you see this? This land looks exactly like that barren patch of mine! I planted rye last year and lost my entire investment!"
"I wonder how good these... potatoes really are. The taxes and levies just keep piling up. If we don’t figure something out soon, we won’t even be able to afford our soldiers."
All their eyes were now focused on the center of the field, watching with curiosity.
Velin gave a signal. A few brawny, bare-chested farmers who had been waiting nearby raised their tools.
Iron pitchforks plunged easily into the hard, dry soil, turning up large clods of earth.
WHOOSH—
Like a gushing spring from underground, plump, bright yellow Sea Salt Potatoes tumbled out from the clods of earth, quickly forming a small mound on the furrow.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. The minor lords stared intently at the potatoes, their breathing growing heavy.
A crate and a large scale were brought forward.
The farmers weighed the harvested Sea Salt Potatoes, and Barrett announced the result.
"Test plot results! Seeded with one hundred twenty pounds, harvested four hundred ninety pounds!"
That was a yield of over four to one!
That number hit the lords, who all personally managed their own farmland, like a sledgehammer.
They knew from experience that even on the best land, in a year with perfect weather, the seed-to-harvest ratio for barley was typically only one-to-five.
And now, a crop they’d never even heard of was producing a harvest like this on alkaline soil where not even weeds grew well!
Garris led the applause, the smile on his face warm and sincere.
"A truly great miracle, Baron Klein. You have made a remarkable contribution to the Duchy’s agricultural technology."
His words were elegant, but Velin couldn’t detect a shred of sincerity behind the man’s monocle.
That afternoon, in a conference room at the Lord’s Mansion, the negotiations officially began.
The atmosphere on opposite sides of the long table was starkly different.
Velin and Caroline sat on one side. On the other was the delegation from the Seven Ports Alliance, led by Garris.
The minor lords weren’t qualified to sit at the table, so they could only crane their necks from the doorway, trying to listen in.
Velin’s fingers tapped lightly on the table, breaking the silence.
"You have all witnessed the potential of the Sea Salt Potato with your own eyes. My proposal is simple."
His gaze was calm and direct.
"We will cooperate by selling you the seed stock. I will provide the seed potatoes and the cultivation techniques. You will reap the harvest and strengthen your territories. Furthermore, the Golden Sail Commerce Association will act as the exclusive distributor for the seed stock. Every seed potato sold will be soaked in a Magic Potion to ensure it cannot be used to grow a new crop the following year."
Garris listened quietly, a warm smile on his face. He even applauded in approval.
"A most visionary plan, Baron." He interlaced his fingers on the table and leaned forward slightly.
"You have a heart of gold, wanting to let those mud-legs fill their bellies. Such sentiment reminds me of the heroic epics sung by the bards. The Banky Commerce Association, and the Seven Ports Alliance behind me, would be honored to participate in this grand endeavor."
His words were like a warm spring breeze, and the faces of the minor lords in the doorway lit up with joy.
However, his tone then shifted, taking on a hint of reservation.
"But, Baron, have you considered the enormous risks that also lie behind this breakthrough?"
Caroline raised an eyebrow, watching his performance with great interest.
Velin, however, remained perfectly calm, as if he had anticipated this all along.
Garris sighed, his gaze shifting to the doorway. "Baron Kane, I recall that your territory sells three hundred sacks of rye to our Banky Commerce Association each year, correct? That’s an important pillar of your territory’s finances."
Lord Kane stiffened and nodded instinctively. "Yes, Lord Garris."
Garris’s expression grew even more troubled. "Then have you considered what will happen to the price of grain if everyone starts planting these high-yield Sea Salt Potatoes next year? It will plummet like a landslide! When that happens, all your hard work for the year might not even earn you as much as you made this year!"
The moment he said that, the color drained from Lord Kane’s face.
The expressions of all the minor lords in the doorway shifted from joy to shock, and then to deep-seated anxiety.
Satisfied with their reactions, Garris turned his gaze back to Velin, his tone full of "well-intentioned" advice.
"Therefore, to ensure market stability and to protect honest business partners like Baron Kane, our Banky Commerce Association is willing to assume this responsibility and risk."
"We are willing to purchase the entire output of Sea Salt Potatoes from Newly Town for the next ten years at a ’protective price,’ and we will control the rate at which they are released to the market. Of course, the Banky Commerce Association will require exclusive rights. This is for the sake of taking responsibility for everyone involved."
The seven port representatives behind him chimed in, their words all emphasizing the "sacrifice" and "burden" the Banky Commerce Association was shouldering for the "greater good."
The excitement had long since vanished from the faces of the minor lords in the doorway, replaced by complicated expressions.
On the one hand, they coveted the Sea Salt Potatoes. On the other, they were more afraid that the potatoes would end up hurting them.
Besides, without Sea Salt Potatoes, the worst that could happen was a few "mud-legs" starving during a bad year. But if they offended Banky, they themselves would be the ones to suffer.
Garris’s proposal seemed to be the only way out.
He was confident that no one could refuse such an overt scheme.
However, the expected anger and struggle never materialized.
Caroline even let out a small chuckle. She raised her cup of black tea and took an elegant sip.
"Mr. Garris, your foresight is truly... ’admirable.’"
She wasn’t angry at all. On the contrary, she rose to her feet with poise.
"Today’s negotiations have been very fruitful, giving us a much clearer understanding of each other’s positions. I propose we adjourn for now. The next three days are for Newly Town’s harvest festival, and we have prepared some simple refreshments for all of you."
The smile on Garris’s face froze. The representatives behind him exchanged confused glances.
’What kind of move was that? Shouldn’t there have been a war of words, or someone storming out in anger?’
’An adjournment?’
For the next three days, Grey Marsh Territory did exactly as it had promised.
Every day, Velin was by the fields, meticulously explaining every detail about the Sea Salt Potatoes to any interested lords and representatives.
The more open and honest Velin was, the more puzzled Garris became, and a faint sense of unease even began to creep in.
His initial confidence of holding a winning hand was slowly being eroded by the unknown.