Chapter 44: New Collaborator

Chapter 44: Chapter 44: New Collaborator

"Next, I’d like to discuss a partnership with you," Feng Si said.

???

A brief silence fell over the dining room, then the City Lord and the Lady of the City burst out laughing as if they’d heard a joke.

As the pair laughed, Feng Si remained seated, her expression calm and unmoving.

Mao Yang looked awkward. ’What nonsense is she spouting? Wasn’t she supposed to be asking the City Lord to save her and her friends?’

Once the two at the dining table had laughed their fill, Mao Xianing patted the back of Mao Yang’s hand with an amused smile. She looked at Feng Si as if she were an object, her posture reeking of superiority. "Yangyang, where on earth did you find this Little Sub-female?"

Niu Ding chuckled and touched the corner of his mouth.

He clearly wasn’t taking Feng Si’s words seriously.

’A partnership? How dare a mere sub-female speak so arrogantly.’

’The entire Nantong City belongs to him. A sub-female who thinks she can negotiate a partnership with him? One will probably never be born.’

Ever since the Beast King had appointed him City Lord of Nantong City, he had been the supreme ruler of all beasts within its walls. This sub-female was, without a doubt, the best joke he’d heard in years.

But he was a benevolent City Lord who disliked fighting and killing, so he said magnanimously:

"Considering your youth, and the fact that the food you made is to my liking, I won’t punish you for your rudeness. Now, bring another table’s worth of that roasted meat you served earlier."

"Of course. But first, let me finish what I have to say." Feng Si was still smiling.

"City Lord, while you may own all the land in this city, your wealth surely doesn’t compare to that of other City Lords from more prosperous lands. That small plate of roasted meat you just ate? It sells for 399 coins a plate."

Niu Ding’s gaze faltered. ’I can’t admit that I’m the poorest of all the City Lords in the Southern Wilderness!’

Feng Si first drew a comparison with the wealth of other City Lords. Then, before Niu Ding could get angry, she flattered him. "I must say, City Lord, you have excellent taste. You picked the most popular dish at my stall."

Once the City Lord’s expression softened, she pivoted to highlight her own value. "It’s also proof enough that the food I make is truly delicious."

Niu Ding nodded unconsciously. Mao Xianing, however, turned her head away haughtily. "It’s not bad. That’s the only reason you’re still sitting here talking instead of being dragged out and beaten to death."

Feng Si’s gaze drifted to Mao Xianing, who was digging into the pickled cabbage. "The pickled cabbage sells for 600 coins a jar, and there’s always more demand than supply. These are just two of the dishes from my stall. Selling a hundred servings of each every day, I can earn close to one hundred thousand coins."

"Add in my other two dishes, Green Potato and pickled cabbage stew, and my personal daily income is two hundred thousand coins," Feng Si said, laying out the details.

"What!" Mao Xianing’s heart leaped.

The monthly tax collected from every building in Nantong City was just over twenty million coins. Half of that had to be turned over to the Empire, which meant the City Lord Mansion’s monthly income was only ten million coins.

’This sub-female before me can earn that much all by herself?’

Suddenly, it all clicked for Niu Ding.

When he looked at Feng Si again, all traces of contempt were gone from his gaze. He sat up straight, his powerful body erect, and placed his hands on the table. He asked seriously, "This partnership you mentioned earlier. Tell me about it."

Feng Si breathed an inward sigh of relief, though her expression remained unchanged. She began her analysis. "There’s a limit to how much food I can make by myself, which also limits the amount of coins I can earn. Therefore, I want to give you, City Lord, the recipes for the four dishes I currently sell at my stall."

’This Little Sub-female is very clever,’ Niu Ding thought, nodding in satisfaction.

Feng Si continued, "You’ll provide the servants and the location, and I’ll provide the knowledge, teaching them how to make these delicacies. Once production is scaled up, we won’t just be able to sell to Nantong City, we can take our products to other cities as well. Just think: if I can earn two hundred thousand coins a day by myself, what could ten people earn? A hundred?"

Niu Ding looked up, his eyes practically spinning as he did the math. The final number was astronomical.

MOO!

’I’m really going to go from being the poorest City Lord to the richest in the entire South Desolate Empire!’

"So this is your ’partnership’? Unacceptable. You will work for me directly. I’ll give you ten thousand coins a month." Greed awoke in that moment. Niu Ding looked at the sub-female before him as if bestowing charity.

Niu Ding unleashed his full aura. The oppressive pressure of an Advanced Male Beast washed over the room. Mao Yang felt the hair on her arms stand on end, and she nervously swallowed, her throat suddenly dry.

Staring at the man who now seemed to have the massive phantom of an azure ox looming behind him, Feng Si steadied her nerves.

"No. I demand a fifty-fifty split of the profits." Feng Si’s gaze hardened, her eyes as dark as ink, completely unafraid of his power.

She raised a hand to her lips, silencing the City Lord and the Lady of the City before they could speak. "Hear me out. The most valuable asset here isn’t the four recipes. It’s me, the person who can create these delicacies. Those four recipes are merely what I’m willing to offer at this moment, not the extent of what I can make."

Now, it was Niu Ding’s turn to be stunned.

Faced with a Little Sub-female who wasn’t afraid to die, he truly had no idea how to threaten or force the knowledge out of her head.

"..." Niu Ding fell silent. He could still taste the roasted meat, a flavor more exquisite than anything he’d ever known melting on his tongue. ’It was so, so good!’

’Kill her? I couldn’t bear to.’

Niu Ding’s expression was an open book. Feng Si continued, her face impassive. "My offer is the bare minimum. Think about it—a fifty-fifty split still means a huge amount of money every day. All you have to do is provide some land and a facility, and then coins will start flowing into the City Lord Mansion like water."

Niu Ding was tempted.

’That’s right. It’s basically getting half the money for free. What more could I ask for?’

Feng Si said, "Of course, you can refuse my terms. But I’ve never liked being controlled. I swear to the Beast God, even if I’m tortured to death, I will never reveal a single word about how to make these delicacies."

"Besides, I’m all alone. Life and death mean nothing to me." Feng Si leaned back, shrugging nonchalantly. "Just a reminder: the only way to achieve the wealth you were just dreaming of is by working with me."

"I agree to your proposed partnership," Niu Ding decided instantly.

His face fell, overcome with the panicked feeling that he’d almost let a fortune slip through his fingers.

Once the two had finished their discussion, Mao Xianing patted her chest, looking at Feng Si with growing satisfaction. ’This Little Sub-female is a walking money-bag for our family. A true wealth-bringing sub-female!’

She gave Feng Si a gentle smile. "From now on, we’re all one big family. If you run into any trouble, don’t hesitate to find me."

Feng Si’s spirits lifted.

’Perfect. She brought it up herself.’

"You’re right. A sub-female like me, with no backing but with valuable cooking skills, is like a child holding a golden egg. It’s easy to attract unwanted attention."

She rose from the table, resting one hand lightly on its surface, and gave an embarrassed smile. "In fact, there’s someone trying to steal my recipes right now. It would be wonderful if the Lady of the City could help me deal with them."