Chapter 135. Sharing profit.
With the first request receiving a positive response, Lin Shuli’s confidence gradually began to grow.
"Patriarch, the elders also asked me to mention something else."
Lin Xuan took another sip of tea.
"What is it?"
"They hope the family can build each of them a separate mansion."
She spoke honestly.
"They said they’ve served the Lin Family for many years and deserve one."
Lin Xuan calmly set his teacup down.
"Do you think they deserve one?"
Lin Shuli immediately shook her head.
"No!"
She answered without the slightest hesitation.
"If anyone deserves a mansion, I think it should be Young Miss."
That answer immediately piqued Lin Xuan’s interest.
"Oh? And why do you think so?"
Lin Shuli’s eyes sparkled.
"Patriarch, Young Miss is still so young, yet she’s already reached the Golden Core Realm. That alone is already incredible."
She leaned forward excitedly.
"But that’s not even her greatest accomplishment! She personally led twenty-three children and every single one of them broke through into the Qi Refinement Realm."
Lin Xuan was genuinely surprised by her answer.
After a brief pause, he smiled.
"Aren’t you jealous? The children are advancing much faster than people from our generation."
Lin Shuli simply grinned at the question before replying,
"Because their achievement is theirs. I don’t see any reason to be upset about it. If a member of our clan becomes stronger, shouldn’t that be something worth celebrating?"
Lin Xuan’s eyes suddenly lit up.
What a sensible mindset. I like her already.
Though... for some reason, that sentence felt strangely familiar.
Before he could dwell on it, Lin Shuli suddenly leaned forward excitedly.
"You remember, don’t you?! That’s the exact line Young Miss said when Zhaowen awakened a Grade Six Martial Spirit!"
Her eyes practically sparkled.
"She’s so young, yet so graceful and gentle with her words!"
Lin Shuli clasped both hands together, her face overflowing with admiration.
"Ahhh... Young Miss was so cool when she said that!"
She looked at Lin Xuan with hopeful eyes.
"Patriarch, can you help me get Young Miss’s autograph?"
Lin Xuan’s smile stiffened.
"..."
...Wasn’t she supposed to be my fan?
Hmm... I’m already a mature person. I’ll let it slide.
With that thought, Lin Xuan smiled faintly.
"Sure, I’ll get you her autograph. But don’t you think we’ve strayed away from the discussion?"
"Ah! Yes, yes!"
Lin Shuli nodded enthusiastically.
"Thank you, Patriarch! I’ll look forward to it!"
She quickly cleared her throat and regained a more serious expression.
"Ahem... the next agenda."
She reached into her sleeve, took out a thick file, and placed it neatly on the table.
"The Finance Department has proposed that we dismiss the family’s alchemists to reduce—"
"No."
Lin Xuan rejected the proposal before she could even finish.
Lin Shuli blinked.
"..."
She quietly closed the file before obediently placing it back on the table and then she simply sat there in silence.
"..."
Lin Xuan stared at her.
...What is this situation?
This wasn’t the response he had expected.
At least argue a little. Isn’t that one of the Supreme Elder’s responsibilities? To question my decisions and keep the Patriarch in check?
The only Supreme Elder he had ever worked alongside was Lin Zhenghai, so this was his first experience with someone else holding the position.
A Supreme Elder who simply accepted his answer without saying another word, it felt strangely awkward.
Lin Xuan let out a light cough.
"Ahem... I’ll explain why I said no."
Lin Shuli immediately straightened her back.
She nodded eagerly, her eyes filled with anticipation.
Lin Xuan began calmly.
"Why did the Lin Family nurture alchemists in the first place?"
Almost immediately, Lin Shuli raised her hand.
Lin Xuan paused.
"..."
She continued holding her hand up, looking at him expectantly.
Only then did he realize what she was waiting for.
"...Yes, please speak and you don’t need to raise your hand every time. Just be comfortable."
Lin Shuli obediently lowered her hand before answering with a bright smile.
"To be self-sufficient!"
Lin Xuan nodded.
"Exactly. So dismissing our alchemists isn’t becoming self-sufficient. It’s the first step toward self-destruction."
Lin Shuli raised her hand once more and Lin Xuan couldn’t help but chuckle.
"I just said you don’t have to raise your hand. Please, just speak."
Lin Shuli awkwardly lowered her hand.
"The Finance Department argued that the pills our family alchemists refine are all of very low quality compared to the pills Young Miss procures."
"And?"
Lin Shuli blinked.
"...That’s it, Patriarch. That was the only reason they gave me."
Lin Xuan nodded.
"Then it’s a no. The pills Young Miss procures come through her own channels. We should be grateful that she’s even willing to share the profits with the family."
Lin Shuli instinctively raised her hand again.
Realizing what she had done, she quickly lowered her hand before speaking.
"Does... does she not have to do that simply because she’s your daughter?"
For a brief moment, Lin Xuan wondered if she was accusing him of placing his daughter above the clan’s rules.
However, looking at her geniune expression, he dismissed the thought.
...I’m probably overthinking it.
He gave a small shake of his head.
"No. That has nothing to do with her being my daughter."
He calmly continued,
"At present, she’s voluntarily giving fifty percent of the profits from her pill business to the Lin Family.
However, according to the Lin Family’s rules, if any member of the family starts their own business while using the family’s name and protection, the family is only entitled to fifteen percent of the annual profits.
The remaining eighty-five percent belongs entirely to that individual."
Lin Shuli’s mouth slowly fell open.
"...Oh my God. The Young Miss becomes even more amazing the more I learn about her!"
She clasped both hands together, her eyes shining with admiration.
Lin Xuan stared at her and couldn’t help but thought inwardly.
...Hey, lady. Your true allegiance is showing.
"Ahem. Anyway, let’s get back to the topic. What happens if we dismiss our alchemists and then, through a stroke of bad luck, the Young Miss suddenly stops supplying the family with pills?"
Lin Shuli immediately shook her head.
"The Young Miss would never!"
Lin Xuan smiled helplessly.
"I’m saying what if. Alright, let’s put it another way. What if she loses her source of pills as well?"
Lin Shuli blinked.
"Then... we wouldn’t have any pills."
She thought for a moment before adding,
"But we could just buy them from the market, right?"
Lin Xuan nodded.
"And what if the people selling them decide to raise their prices?"
Lin Shuli froze as a look of realization slowly spread across her face.
"...Ah. I see why you rejected the proposal now. If we abandon our own alchemists, we’ll end up depending entirely on others. Once that happens, they’ll be free to charge whatever they want."
She looked at Lin Xuan with eyes full of admiration.
"You’re amazing, Patriarch!"
Lin Xuan nodded in satisfaction.
"You’re not half bad yourself."
He gently set his teacup down before standing up.
"Alright, let’s finish the remaining agendas so we can get back to work."
Lin Shuli blinked in confusion.
"Huh...? This isn’t work?"
Lin Xuan couldn’t help but laugh.
"Oh, my. How innocent of you. You thought us sitting down and talking was actual work? hahaha, you’re real funny, you know that?"