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Chapter 285
Chapter 252: A Win-Win Proposal? I Refuse.
Author: Amnesty L
Unexpected!
This thought flashed through Renner's mind.
She had originally intended to casually drop the information that she already knew Leinas was one of his people during the upcoming conversation, thus seizing a degree of initiative and ascertaining this Lord Tang's objective.
But now... that was no longer possible.
Why?
Unless... this Lord Tang already knew that she had figured Leinas out.
How did he reach that conclusion?
Several thoughts flashed through Renner's mind, but her face still wore a happy, innocent smile. Her pale fingers released the sides of her skirt, letting them fall.
Facing the bewildered gazes in the room, Tang Zheng explained casually, "I happened to meet Miss Leinas once before when I was in the Imperial Capital."
A flash of understanding crossed the faces of the Blue Rose members.
Currently, Free Will was still wanted by the Empire.
Compared to the seemingly minor detail of him knowing Leinas, they were actually more curious about how Tang Zheng had gotten himself on the wanted list.
It wasn't appropriate to ask that question in this environment.
Just now, Tina had deliberately brought up the "who is prettier" question, but after Tang Zheng's blunt change of topic, it was difficult to pursue it further.
"Let's sit and talk, Lakyus, Lord Tang."
As the host, Renner's voice was clear and pleasant.
Throughout the entire process, she didn't mention the issue of formal attire at all, which made Enri, who was standing at the very back, let out a sigh of relief.
She noticed that across from her, none of the Blue Rose members, aside from their captain, Lakyus, were wearing formal attire either.
As everyone took their seats one after another, Renner sat on the central sofa, with the members of Blue Rose on one side and the members of Free Will on the other.
Tang Zheng and Lakyus sat facing each other.
Since Tang Zheng's seat was near Renner, he had the Ghoul Dog lie down at the other end of the sofa, near Enri.
There was only one round tea table in the center, which could only accommodate Renner, Tang Zheng, and Lakyus, who were seated near it.
The others couldn't be reached, so a group of well-prepared maids, seeing everyone seated, brought over smaller, more exquisite tea tables.
Fragrant court pastries and steaming cups of black tea were quickly placed before everyone.
"A scene like this reminds me of the tales of heroes I used to read," Renner said, her voice carrying a hint of playful amusement.
"Spare us, Your Highness."
Gagaran's helpless, gruff voice sounded out as her square face quickly glanced over at the Green Leaf Witch and Tang Zheng.
"I really can't stand this kind of fussy, cramped environment."
Tia and Tina sat quietly on the sofa, but one was staring at Enri, and the other was staring at the Green Leaf Witch.
Only Evileye had not spoken a word from the very beginning. Since she wore a mask and was wrapped in a red robe, no one could tell what she was thinking or where she was looking.
The simple words and casual attitude revealed that the relationship between Blue Rose and Renner was anything but ordinary.
Such confidential information.
If any other adventurer team knew of this, they would surely be astonished.
However, the members of Free Will revealed no useful information.
Enri was just an ordinary person, completely unable to hide her emotions in front of everyone. She likely understood nothing, so there was really nothing worth observing about her.
The Green Leaf Witch was a demi-human and had maintained a cold expression from start to finish.
Only Tang Zheng was the most intriguing, but his gentle demeanor suggested he was not the type to easily show his emotions.
Standing behind Renner, Leinas was tense.
She didn't know why Renner had summoned Free Will through Blue Rose. When she first heard the news, she couldn't help but be shocked.
"I wasn't present when the incident happened a while ago, so I couldn't express my apologies. I had originally planned to invite you, Lord Tang, personally after the festival."
Lakyus looked at Tang Zheng across from her, her emerald-green eyes and fair cheeks showing a hint of embarrassment.
"Her Highness also heard about this matter... which is why she sent an invitation to you all. It is our utmost honor that the members of Free Will were able to accept."
"Lakyus, you fool," Lana suddenly said.
"There are guests present, Your Highness."
Lakyus froze for a moment, then shook her head helplessly, her wavy golden hair swaying.
This kind of banter, like that between close friends, though it confused the others somewhat, dispelled the faint, serious atmosphere in the room and made it more lighthearted.
"It was just a small matter."
Tang Zheng didn't mind. "Both Blue Rose and Her Highness Renner have a very high reputation in the Royal Capital."
"To receive an invitation from you both is our honor."
After speaking, Tang Zheng's heart tensed slightly. He was truly unsuited for this kind of complimentary exchange. Besides, he still couldn't determine Renner's objective.
Letting these two women continue to take the initiative and guide the conversation felt like it would make things troublesome.
"Please forgive my rudeness."
Tang Zheng pondered for a moment, then chose to get straight to the point, "If it was only about that incident, there shouldn't have been a need for Her Highness and Captain Lakyus to send a special invitation, correct?"
Renner blinked, a hint of seriousness entering her deep blue eyes. She turned her head to look at Lakyus beside her.
"That's right."
Lakyus also became more serious. She reached into the magic leather pouch placed beside her and took out a blue potion.
It was a Potion of Regeneration—the low-grade version that sold for five copper coins.
A glint flashed in Tang Zheng's eyes; he naturally recognized the Potion of Regeneration he had made himself.
"That's right," Lakyus began. "The low-grade Potion of Regeneration you make, Lord Tang, is far cheaper than the least expensive recovery potion on the market."
"And its healing effect is also slightly stronger than a recovery potion."
"Cheaper and more effective."
"What I mean to ask is, can the cost be reduced even further?"
Having said this, Lakyus already looked a little embarrassed. After all, this touched upon his business secrets, and a price of five copper coins was already extremely low.
Hearing these words, Tang Zheng already had some suspicions, but his expression didn't change at all. He first considered it, then nodded. "If produced in large quantities, the cost can indeed be lowered even further."
Lakyus's eyes lit up. Seeing that Tang Zheng wasn't angry, she slowly exhaled through her healthy, pale pink lips.
Renner placed her hands on the tea table and leaned forward. Strands of golden hair fell beside her delicate earlobes, and a faint, elegant fragrance wafted from her.
"Lord Tang, the Empire and the Kingdom go to war every year. It's unknown how many soldiers die on the battlefield or are left with lifelong disabilities."
Renner's gaze fell, then she looked at Tang Zheng with sparkling eyes. She removed her hands from the table and clasped them to her chest, full of expectation and hope.
"While we cannot influence the situation on the border, if we could provide a large quantity of these inexpensive and more effective low-tier regeneration potions to the soldiers in the border wars, we should be able to save many lives."
"If you don't mind, I intend to present this proposal to my father, the King. He should not refuse something that benefits the country, the border, and the soldiers."
"The country can fund the purchase, and we can also negotiate the price. The soldiers will surely be grateful to you, Lord Tang."
Her clear voice, like a gentle breeze rippling across a lake, slowly echoed in the hall.
For a moment, the air fell silent.
Except for the Green Leaf Witch, who had remained cold-faced throughout, everyone else showed a more-or-less thoughtful expression.
Even Enri, who understood nothing, had a look of dawning comprehension and admiration on her face.
The members of Blue Rose were not surprised by the princess's words. After all, the "Golden" in her title, Golden Princess, was also a descriptor for wisdom.
Before this, Renner had often proposed measures to the King that benefited the country and its commoners.
Climb, standing at the edge, suddenly stood up even straighter, his chin slightly raised, a fire burning in his heart.
As expected of the goddess-like princess.
Such a spirit is worthy of admiration. Only a princess who considers the commoners in all matters could have rescued him from his personal hell.
Faced with Renner's innocent, hopeful eyes and her "gem-like radiance," most men would probably not have the heart to refuse.
What's more, on the surface, this was a win-win situation.
No!
This was indeed a win-win situation.
Tang Zheng's expression remained gentle, but his face was lost in thought, and he did not reply immediately.
Lakyus and Renner had clearly discussed this beforehand, but judging from their words, Lakyus obviously understood people's hearts less than Renner did.
Lakyus's intention was to buy a large quantity of regeneration potions and push the price down.
Whereas Renner's words just now, though not explicitly stated, the phrase "negotiate the price" actually implied that the price could be raised.
In addition, "the soldiers' gratitude" represented prestige, not just on an adventurer's level, but on a national level.
There was no need for deduction.
With the backing of Lakyus's high noble status, the King, the Royalist Faction, and even the Noble Faction would not refuse something with only benefits and no drawbacks.
Even so, Renner's plan was also highly compatible with Tang Zheng's own plan to convert reputation into influence.
Truly remarkable.
Tang Zheng sighed internally. It wasn't that he was praising how amazing Renner's proposal was, because many intelligent people could have thought of the contents of this "proposal."
In fact, the big stir Tang Zheng had created with the regeneration potions back in the Imperial Capital of the Baharuth Empire was quite similar to the content of this proposal. It was all about attracting the Blood Emperor's attention, then engaging in a series of collaborations in order to meet Fluder.
But aside from some initial probing, the Blood Emperor never took any further steps.
On this point, the Blood Emperor was indeed not as bold as Renner, who dared to make a direct move!
Tang Zheng returned from his thoughts and looked at the beautiful face of Renner. "I'm sorry, I refuse."
(end of chapter)
Author: Amnesty L
Unexpected!
This thought flashed through Renner's mind.
She had originally intended to casually drop the information that she already knew Leinas was one of his people during the upcoming conversation, thus seizing a degree of initiative and ascertaining this Lord Tang's objective.
But now... that was no longer possible.
Why?
Unless... this Lord Tang already knew that she had figured Leinas out.
How did he reach that conclusion?
Several thoughts flashed through Renner's mind, but her face still wore a happy, innocent smile. Her pale fingers released the sides of her skirt, letting them fall.
Facing the bewildered gazes in the room, Tang Zheng explained casually, "I happened to meet Miss Leinas once before when I was in the Imperial Capital."
A flash of understanding crossed the faces of the Blue Rose members.
Currently, Free Will was still wanted by the Empire.
Compared to the seemingly minor detail of him knowing Leinas, they were actually more curious about how Tang Zheng had gotten himself on the wanted list.
It wasn't appropriate to ask that question in this environment.
Just now, Tina had deliberately brought up the "who is prettier" question, but after Tang Zheng's blunt change of topic, it was difficult to pursue it further.
"Let's sit and talk, Lakyus, Lord Tang."
As the host, Renner's voice was clear and pleasant.
Throughout the entire process, she didn't mention the issue of formal attire at all, which made Enri, who was standing at the very back, let out a sigh of relief.
She noticed that across from her, none of the Blue Rose members, aside from their captain, Lakyus, were wearing formal attire either.
As everyone took their seats one after another, Renner sat on the central sofa, with the members of Blue Rose on one side and the members of Free Will on the other.
Tang Zheng and Lakyus sat facing each other.
Since Tang Zheng's seat was near Renner, he had the Ghoul Dog lie down at the other end of the sofa, near Enri.
There was only one round tea table in the center, which could only accommodate Renner, Tang Zheng, and Lakyus, who were seated near it.
The others couldn't be reached, so a group of well-prepared maids, seeing everyone seated, brought over smaller, more exquisite tea tables.
Fragrant court pastries and steaming cups of black tea were quickly placed before everyone.
"A scene like this reminds me of the tales of heroes I used to read," Renner said, her voice carrying a hint of playful amusement.
"Spare us, Your Highness."
Gagaran's helpless, gruff voice sounded out as her square face quickly glanced over at the Green Leaf Witch and Tang Zheng.
"I really can't stand this kind of fussy, cramped environment."
Tia and Tina sat quietly on the sofa, but one was staring at Enri, and the other was staring at the Green Leaf Witch.
Only Evileye had not spoken a word from the very beginning. Since she wore a mask and was wrapped in a red robe, no one could tell what she was thinking or where she was looking.
The simple words and casual attitude revealed that the relationship between Blue Rose and Renner was anything but ordinary.
Such confidential information.
If any other adventurer team knew of this, they would surely be astonished.
However, the members of Free Will revealed no useful information.
Enri was just an ordinary person, completely unable to hide her emotions in front of everyone. She likely understood nothing, so there was really nothing worth observing about her.
The Green Leaf Witch was a demi-human and had maintained a cold expression from start to finish.
Only Tang Zheng was the most intriguing, but his gentle demeanor suggested he was not the type to easily show his emotions.
Standing behind Renner, Leinas was tense.
She didn't know why Renner had summoned Free Will through Blue Rose. When she first heard the news, she couldn't help but be shocked.
"I wasn't present when the incident happened a while ago, so I couldn't express my apologies. I had originally planned to invite you, Lord Tang, personally after the festival."
Lakyus looked at Tang Zheng across from her, her emerald-green eyes and fair cheeks showing a hint of embarrassment.
"Her Highness also heard about this matter... which is why she sent an invitation to you all. It is our utmost honor that the members of Free Will were able to accept."
"Lakyus, you fool," Lana suddenly said.
"There are guests present, Your Highness."
Lakyus froze for a moment, then shook her head helplessly, her wavy golden hair swaying.
This kind of banter, like that between close friends, though it confused the others somewhat, dispelled the faint, serious atmosphere in the room and made it more lighthearted.
"It was just a small matter."
Tang Zheng didn't mind. "Both Blue Rose and Her Highness Renner have a very high reputation in the Royal Capital."
"To receive an invitation from you both is our honor."
After speaking, Tang Zheng's heart tensed slightly. He was truly unsuited for this kind of complimentary exchange. Besides, he still couldn't determine Renner's objective.
Letting these two women continue to take the initiative and guide the conversation felt like it would make things troublesome.
"Please forgive my rudeness."
Tang Zheng pondered for a moment, then chose to get straight to the point, "If it was only about that incident, there shouldn't have been a need for Her Highness and Captain Lakyus to send a special invitation, correct?"
Renner blinked, a hint of seriousness entering her deep blue eyes. She turned her head to look at Lakyus beside her.
"That's right."
Lakyus also became more serious. She reached into the magic leather pouch placed beside her and took out a blue potion.
It was a Potion of Regeneration—the low-grade version that sold for five copper coins.
A glint flashed in Tang Zheng's eyes; he naturally recognized the Potion of Regeneration he had made himself.
"That's right," Lakyus began. "The low-grade Potion of Regeneration you make, Lord Tang, is far cheaper than the least expensive recovery potion on the market."
"And its healing effect is also slightly stronger than a recovery potion."
"Cheaper and more effective."
"What I mean to ask is, can the cost be reduced even further?"
Having said this, Lakyus already looked a little embarrassed. After all, this touched upon his business secrets, and a price of five copper coins was already extremely low.
Hearing these words, Tang Zheng already had some suspicions, but his expression didn't change at all. He first considered it, then nodded. "If produced in large quantities, the cost can indeed be lowered even further."
Lakyus's eyes lit up. Seeing that Tang Zheng wasn't angry, she slowly exhaled through her healthy, pale pink lips.
Renner placed her hands on the tea table and leaned forward. Strands of golden hair fell beside her delicate earlobes, and a faint, elegant fragrance wafted from her.
"Lord Tang, the Empire and the Kingdom go to war every year. It's unknown how many soldiers die on the battlefield or are left with lifelong disabilities."
Renner's gaze fell, then she looked at Tang Zheng with sparkling eyes. She removed her hands from the table and clasped them to her chest, full of expectation and hope.
"While we cannot influence the situation on the border, if we could provide a large quantity of these inexpensive and more effective low-tier regeneration potions to the soldiers in the border wars, we should be able to save many lives."
"If you don't mind, I intend to present this proposal to my father, the King. He should not refuse something that benefits the country, the border, and the soldiers."
"The country can fund the purchase, and we can also negotiate the price. The soldiers will surely be grateful to you, Lord Tang."
Her clear voice, like a gentle breeze rippling across a lake, slowly echoed in the hall.
For a moment, the air fell silent.
Except for the Green Leaf Witch, who had remained cold-faced throughout, everyone else showed a more-or-less thoughtful expression.
Even Enri, who understood nothing, had a look of dawning comprehension and admiration on her face.
The members of Blue Rose were not surprised by the princess's words. After all, the "Golden" in her title, Golden Princess, was also a descriptor for wisdom.
Before this, Renner had often proposed measures to the King that benefited the country and its commoners.
Climb, standing at the edge, suddenly stood up even straighter, his chin slightly raised, a fire burning in his heart.
As expected of the goddess-like princess.
Such a spirit is worthy of admiration. Only a princess who considers the commoners in all matters could have rescued him from his personal hell.
Faced with Renner's innocent, hopeful eyes and her "gem-like radiance," most men would probably not have the heart to refuse.
What's more, on the surface, this was a win-win situation.
No!
This was indeed a win-win situation.
Tang Zheng's expression remained gentle, but his face was lost in thought, and he did not reply immediately.
Lakyus and Renner had clearly discussed this beforehand, but judging from their words, Lakyus obviously understood people's hearts less than Renner did.
Lakyus's intention was to buy a large quantity of regeneration potions and push the price down.
Whereas Renner's words just now, though not explicitly stated, the phrase "negotiate the price" actually implied that the price could be raised.
In addition, "the soldiers' gratitude" represented prestige, not just on an adventurer's level, but on a national level.
There was no need for deduction.
With the backing of Lakyus's high noble status, the King, the Royalist Faction, and even the Noble Faction would not refuse something with only benefits and no drawbacks.
Even so, Renner's plan was also highly compatible with Tang Zheng's own plan to convert reputation into influence.
Truly remarkable.
Tang Zheng sighed internally. It wasn't that he was praising how amazing Renner's proposal was, because many intelligent people could have thought of the contents of this "proposal."
In fact, the big stir Tang Zheng had created with the regeneration potions back in the Imperial Capital of the Baharuth Empire was quite similar to the content of this proposal. It was all about attracting the Blood Emperor's attention, then engaging in a series of collaborations in order to meet Fluder.
But aside from some initial probing, the Blood Emperor never took any further steps.
On this point, the Blood Emperor was indeed not as bold as Renner, who dared to make a direct move!
Tang Zheng returned from his thoughts and looked at the beautiful face of Renner. "I'm sorry, I refuse."
(end of chapter)
