Chapter 338: Chapter 337: Final Payment in Hand

A fine rain began to fall from the sky. At dawn, Qin Yao donned a cloak and bamboo hat and rode out of the village on horseback.

Liu Ji stood on the flat by his doorstep, sending her off from afar. Only after she disappeared did he happily bounce back inside.

Thinking that Qin Yao would be away from home for several days and that he was in charge of the house, Liu Ji almost laughed out loud with his hand over his mouth.

He weighed the two taels of silver she had given before leaving and couldn’t help but smile even wider.

Qi Xian was sitting in the main room, lighting a candle to read when he saw the petty look of someone in the courtyard. He shook his head helplessly, thinking how the monkey plays king when there’s no tiger in the mountains.

The whole day was gloomy due to the rain. Qin Yao rode swiftly and by noon arrived at Gao Yicheng’s posthouse.

After resting briefly and having a meal with Gao Yicheng, she bought some dry rations and set off again. Riding the whole afternoon, by dusk, she reached the abandoned Daoist temple where everyone had first met.

Qin Yao didn’t expect her old horse to perform so well. Alone, at night, while preparing a meal from her hunt in the mountain, she also fetched a large bundle of fresh hay for Old Huang.

One person and one horse, they gathered around a warm fire; one ate grass, the other gnawed on meat, savoring each bite.

There was no rain at night, so Qin Yao leaned between her horse’s belly and a ruined wall, covering herself with a thin blanket as she slept the whole night.

Awakening the next day with a sore back and waist, she found herself momentarily lost in thought, surprised at not being used to sleeping anywhere else since she’d been fine sleeping on ruins in the past.

She smiled soon after, picked up her bow and arrow, led Old Huang, and joyfully stepped out of the temple with plans not to rush back but to stay at an inn in town.

The Prefecture was less than half a day’s fast ride away. Qin Yao slowed her pace, buying a simple meal at a farm to fill her stomach first, and fed the horse in the roadside grass, speeding up to Prefecture by noon.

Just as she reached the city gates, an employee from Fulong Trading Company greeted her, as if they knew she would arrive at this time and came specifically to welcome her.

“Manager Qin, our second shopkeeper and the two caravan managers are waiting in the VIP Building. I was instructed to bring you there,” the employee said politely.

Qin Yao thanked him, checked the travel documents for her horse, entered the city smoothly, and went with the employee to the VIP Building.

The employee didn’t take her directly to a private room but had the inn staff lead her to a guest room to freshen up first, while he went to notify them.

Seeing such service, Qin Yao knew that the order for the second batch of Divine Power Book Boxes was likely coming.

In the guest room, she washed her face, wiped her sweat, changed into a clean light blue dress, redid her hair into a bun, and put on the pair of silver inlaid green jade bracelets given by the Qi Family.

There was no mirror in the guest room, so she used the washbowl to apply a light layer of rouge on her lips to enhance her look. Pressing her lips together, she arranged herself neatly and then exited the room.

As soon as she reached the grand hall, the earlier employee ran down from the second-floor staircase, “Manager Qin, please come upstairs.”

Qin Yao nodded, following him to a private room on the second floor, where Liu Bai opened the door to welcome her as soon as he heard footsteps.

Upon meeting, they exchanged eye contact and nodded in recognition. Seeing Liu Bai’s cheerful smile, Qin Yao was relieved.

Entering the room, Jiang Wen stood up and cupped his fists in greeting, to which Qin Yao courteously returned the gesture before both exchanged pleasantries and seated themselves.

“Where is Liu Fei?” Qin Yao asked curiously, noting that only Liu Bai was in the room despite being told both were here.

Liu Bai explained, “I sent him to the convoy to check the numbers.”

Qin Yao nodded in understanding, smiling, and asked Jiang Wen, “How have the first two batches of book boxes sold?”

Jiang Wen smiled faintly, “Not bad, not bad. We’ve distributed pieces to branches around and sold some.”

The word “somehow” felt a bit forced.

Qin Yao said, “That’s good. I’m hungry; shall we eat first? I see the dishes are about to get cold.”

Jiang Wen gestured for her to help herself, so Qin Yao wasted no time picking up her chopsticks to start eating.

She was genuinely hungry, having eating casually on the road and not satisfied. With the hot dishes in front, she definitely wanted to treat her stomach kindly.

Liu Baichong politely gestured to Jiang Wen, “Manager Jiang, please join us!”

Jiang Wen said he wasn’t hungry, but he still ate a little to keep them company, just a bite or two of side dishes, before putting down his chopsticks and probing:

“Manager Qin, when do you plan to return?”

Qin Yao ate and replied without looking up, “Once the payment is settled and the new order is signed, I’ll leave.”

Jiang Wen couldn’t help but smile wryly, nodding after a pause, “Alright.”

After waiting a bit more, just as Qin Yao was finishing her meal, he said, “Manager Qin, did you bring an accountant? It won’t be a quick task reconciling accounts; it may take a few days.”

Qin Yao thought, Why can’t you just speak directly?

Putting down her chopsticks with a “clack,” she took out a handkerchief to wipe her mouth, drank two sips of tea to refresh herself, and under Jiang Wen’s wary gaze, she spoke:

“Two thousand taels of silver as final payment, there’s no need to count it. Any extra book boxes can be a gift to your trading company.”

“How many new orders would you like to place? Give me a number, and tomorrow I’ll get someone to draft the new contract. A thirty percent down payment is required; the final payment upon delivery. Isn’t that clear and straightforward?” Qin Yao smiled as she asked.

“…Of course, that’s fine,” Jiang Wen had nothing more to add.

The final payment couldn’t be delayed a day longer, and the new deposit couldn’t be short by even a cent.

Liu Bai chuckled, thinking that only his sister-in-law could handle collecting the bill like this.

Though Fulong Trading Company seemed to be facing some trouble this time. When Jiang Wen came to pay the next day, his face remained solemn.

However, the final payment of two thousand taels of silver was handed to Qin Yao.

Jiang Wen then presented the new contract, listing an order for two thousand Divine Power Book Boxes, totaling eight hundred taels of silver, noting the thirty percent down payment of two hundred and forty taels.

The delivery date was set for late October.

Jiang Wen handed over a small box containing the down payment of two hundred and forty taels.

This order was much smaller than Qin Yao had expected, indicating Fulong Trading Company was in trouble.

Without the bulk supply of raw materials for the Divine Power Book Boxes, buying fewer materials increased the cost, as did the cost of stationery gift boxes. As a result, even with low margins, one would struggle to make tens of taels from it.

Nonetheless, Qin Yao took the money, for she was not yet in a position to worry about the challenges of a big business; she had her difficulties to handle, with so many people waiting for wages at the factory and the new production line needing continued setup. Securing the full final payment in one go was already a blessing.

Even if the new order was small, it still meant some profit.

Without further words, Qin Yao signed the new order, treated Jiang Wen to a meal, and, after finalizing the details, they parted ways.

Behind closed doors, Liu Bai and Liu Fei couldn’t help but laugh at the silver note in Qin Yao’s hand.

“Third Sister-in-law, does this mean there will be bonuses for everyone when we get back?” Liu Fei asked expectantly.

Qin Yao nodded with a smile, “Yes, bonuses!”

After sending off the hopeful siblings, Qin Yao’s smile quickly faded.

She wondered how long the Divine Power Book Box line would last.

But there’s no use pondering too much now; it’s better to get present matters sorted first. Tomorrow, she would visit Manager Fang for raw materials, which would again cost her much brain effort.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep