Published: March 12, 2025
Chapter 142: Long-term Vision
Laura and the others turned to see a middle-aged man standing outside the door. He was wearing a magic robe, his face pale, with golden hair and a refined, handsome appearance. It was Laura's father, Klein.
Klein usually didn't involve himself in matters, focusing solely on his magical research. Today, he had just finished an experiment and stepped out for some fresh air, only to overhear Laura and the others, prompting him to intervene.
When Laura and the others saw Klein come out, they realized their hopes were dashed. Klein might not usually take charge, but he had one notable characteristic: he was too kind-hearted, a soft touch. If it weren't for his nature, he wouldn't have been pushed to a place like the Aksu Empire.
It was precisely because of this nature that he wouldn't allow Laura to engage in such business, as it would mean profiting from the misfortunes of others, akin to drinking the blood of the commoners.
Though Klein had never liked commerce, he had picked up some basic business principles along the way and understood what Laura was implying, which was why he spoke up to stop her.
Laura rushed over when she saw Klein had come out, asking, “Dad, have you finished your experiment? How did it go?”
Klein shook his head in regret, “It was almost successful. There might have been a couple of magic circles that were incorrect. I’ll need to make adjustments next time. Ah, no, that’s not what I meant. I was talking about what you just mentioned regarding stockpiling grain. That absolutely cannot be done, even if it means making money.”
Seeing she couldn't persuade him otherwise, Laura could only smile wryly, “Alright, we won’t do it. Now can you relax? But if we don’t, others will. If that happens, the entire Versailles Principality might not have a place for us.”
Klein's expression turned serious, “It doesn’t matter what others do; we cannot engage in this.”
Laura pouted in silence, clearly still wanting to conduct this business. At that moment, Kun Zheng’s voice came in, “Laura, your father is right. This business cannot be done.”
Laura was taken aback. She hadn’t expected Kun Zheng to oppose it too. He had always educated her that businesses should maximize profits, and this opportunity was clearly one for that. Why was he against it now?
Seeing Laura’s confused expression, Kun Zheng smiled, “Klein, Laura, take a seat.” The two complied and sat across from Kun Zheng, looking at him like schoolchildren.
Kun Zheng looked at them with a slight smile, “I’ve always told Laura that a merchant must maximize profits. She was thinking along those lines, which is why she wanted to pursue this business, right?”
Laura nodded. Kun Zheng continued, “Laura, you must remember that while merchants aim to maximize profits, they must also possess long-term vision and not be blinded by immediate gains. This time, a plague has struck the Ika Plain, which may lead to a significant reduction in grain supply. The Versailles Principality could face a food crisis. Stockpiling grain and selling it at high prices would indeed yield substantial profits, maximizing gains, but that approach lacks long-term foresight.”
Klein had lost interest in the discussion, already drifting off, while Laura listened intently, albeit somewhat confused.
Kun Zheng had already given up on Klein, directing his focus to Laura, “Laura, you need to understand that the Versailles Family is one of the prominent families in the Aksu Empire. Such families cannot be defeated by a single food crisis. If we hoard grain during this time, it would be akin to kicking someone when they are down, and we would offend the Versailles Family. Even if we made money, our relationship with them would sour, making future cooperation nearly impossible.”
Laura nodded, being smart and not greedy like typical merchants. She immediately understood the stakes involved after Kun Zheng’s explanation.
Business families are powerful, but the truly powerful in this world are the old aristocrats, and the Versailles Family is one of those long-standing noble families. If they indeed offended them, doing business in the Versailles Principality would become difficult. Even though the Versailles Family, due to the Magedel Family's influence, wouldn't expel them from the principality, they would still face pressure. At that point, their business would struggle. After all, the Versailles Principality is the domain of the Versailles Family.