Chapter 1217 - Chapter 1217: Tenure
Chapter 1217: Tenure
Editor: Henyee Translations
He nodded, took a moment to reflect, and then spoke, “I currently possess 70,000 mu of land in Hangzhou, and I can acquire an additional 30,000 mu. This would allow us to secure 5,000 mu of land dedicated to cultivating tea mountains. However, are we truly committed to producing floral tea?”
“Yes,” Qiao Xuan replied with a smile. “We lack the technology for making perfumes at the moment, and we needn’t concern ourselves with future developments. We’re in a unique position to generate income. In due time, we’ll construct workshops near the floral fields, and our workers will utilize contracts to hire servants. The production of floral tea will also be streamlined. Rest assured, the cost of producing floral tea won’t be prohibitive.”
“Very well!”
Zhao Shu felt reassured as he realized that they had thoroughly considered every aspect of their plan.
After the New Year, the bone-chilling cold gradually receded, and the biting cold wind became more gentle. This was the ideal time to make early arrangements, ensuring a harvest within a year.
Their plan revolved around spring throughout the year!
For three consecutive days, Zhao Shu, Uncle Qing, and Aunt Qing visited Qiao Xuan and Shao Yunduan’s home to finalize their agreement.
Qiao Xuan wouldn’t be taking ownership of the land. Instead, she would have a stake in the perfume workshop, with profits split evenly at 50-50. Qiao Xuan contributed her expertise and tools, while the workers shared the remaining half. Zhao Shu would handle day-to-day management.
The costs associated with building the workshop would be divided equally, but Qiao Xuan was contributing the technology, which reduced her financial share.
Zhao Shu initially suggested that she could forego her share of the silver taels, but Qiao Xuan declined the offer.
The 100,000 mu flower field was meticulously planned, featuring roses, jasmine, sweet osmanthus, lilies, cloves, and a variety of other flowers. Additionally, lemon, pine cypress, sandalwood, camphor, calamus, patchouli, bergamot, orange, mint, and orchids were planted for their fragrant qualities.
The Jiangnan region was affluent, boasting numerous gardeners specializing in cultivating flowers and trees for wealthy families. In the past three or four years, floral tea had gained popularity, leading to a surge in flower cultivation among households.
Particularly, jasmines, roses, Chinese roses, and gardenias were in high demand. Hangzhou’s sweet osmanthus was renowned worldwide, and the abundance of sweet osmanthus trees was beyond count.
Hence, acquiring high-quality and abundant flower seedlings posed no challenge whatsoever.
As for lilies, they were readily available. Many families cultivated lilies, making it easy to purchase stems and plant them when the weather was suitable.
The only challenge lay with cloves, as obtaining a substantial quantity might prove more difficult. Nevertheless, Qiao Xuan was willing to invest both time and money to resolve this issue.
Zhao Shu and Uncle Qing would personally oversee the management of the floral field.
Adjacent to the field, a picturesque abbey had been constructed to house the workshop, allowing it to remain discreet and hidden from view.
Ideally, the tea field would be situated in close proximity to the flower field, facilitating future management.
Qiao Xuan made an unexpected request for Zhao Shu to sell her the 100,000 mu mulberry fields in Yangzhou.
Zhao Shu was taken aback.
With a reassuring smile, Qiao Xuan explained, “The mulberry fields yield silk, but the annual income of one tael of silver may not suffice for your needs. Will you continue with this arrangement? You can repurchase the fields from me after a few years. If you have any doubts, we can put it all in writing.”
Suddenly, Zhao Shu grasped Qiao Xuan’s intentions and was overwhelmed with gratitude. He felt an urge to kneel and kowtow to her.
“No, no, Fifth Madame, I trust you completely. There’s no need for you to buy the mulberry fields. I’ll hand over the land contract, and we can split the proceeds evenly. I’ll even provide you with IOUs for the first few years!”
To him, those IOUs were mere worthless pieces of paper, and he had no intention of pursuing debts from his father. His reputation was at stake. However, when it came to Qiao Xuan, it was an entirely different matter.
It was about settling their debts, plain and simple!