Chapter 121: Made in Joseon. (4)
As Mansur had expected, the negotiation was not easy.
"Let us start with pepper, which is familiar to us in Joseon as well."
"Yes, Your Highness."
With the first item for negotiation decided, the serious bargaining began.
"Very well. What price would you like to ask? Please explain based on Ming units, not your traditional units."
At Hyang's command, Mansur calculated an approximate price and conveyed it to Hyang.
"Is it cheap?"
At Hyang's question, Kim Jeom answered immediately.
"It is about half the price of what comes in from Ming."
"Half... Chief Mansur. At what price do you sell to Ming merchants?"
"I understand that Ming purchases directly from India."
"Hmm..."
Listening to Kim Jeom's answer, Hyang began vigorously working his abacus.
'As far as I know, pepper was said to be more expensive than gold of the same weight. Well, Teacher Sampo expressed doubt asking "Was that really true?", but in Joseon where pepper could only be obtained through smuggling, it was certainly possible. Even after opening a trade office in Shandong, pepper is still a high-priced item, isn't it?'
Until Joseon opened its trade office in Shandong, pepper, which Koreans called "hocho," had an enormous price.
The price was so high that not only wealthy nobles but even the royal family had to make a firm resolution to obtain pepper.
This high price of pepper did not drop significantly even after the trade office was established in Shandong. This was because Ming merchants and Joseon merchants were taking excessive profits.
'When the economic scale grows and people have more money in their pockets, they immediately try to change their food, clothing, and shelter.'
Hyang was convinced that Koreans would increasingly seek more pepper.
'Even now, thanks to the water conservation projects over the years, droughts and floods have decreased, and harvests have improved. And with more disposable income, fancy treats are selling like hotcakes.'
Recalling the economic situation of the Korean people through information coming from the monopoly offices of the Ministry of Revenue spread across the country, Hyang made a firm resolution.
'I don't know about other spices, but pepper must be included as a monopoly item. Otherwise, speculation will occur and prices will go haywire. Then... let's strike!'
Having reached a conclusion, Hyang launched his attack.
"30 percent of that price."
"30 percent is absurd! Are you saying we shouldn't trade?"
Mansur assumed a posture as if he would storm out immediately and protested, but Hyang did not back down.
No, not only did he not back down, he actually pressed the attack.
"How much profit did you make from our Joseon products you took last time?"
"...We made 2 times the profit."
"My goodness..."
Hyang made an expression of disbelief and turned to look at Hassan.
"Didn't you say your family was a merchant family with deep roots?"
"That is correct."
"Yet you only made a mere 2 times profit? Do you think I should continue trading with your family?"
At Hyang's words, Hassan immediately knelt on the floor and cried out.
"I am eternally grateful! Please do not cast aside my family! Please have mercy!"
"Hassan, what is the meaning of this?"
When Hassan suddenly knelt and shouted, a flustered Mansur asked him.
In response to Mansur's question, Hassan answered urgently.
"His Highness is considering ending trade with our family! He says we only made a mere 2 times profit from the goods we brought from Joseon last time!"
"Why would that matter!"
"Even Joseon's novice merchants would make more profit than that from those goods! Even novice merchants, I say!"
"Ah!"
At Hassan's words, Mansur sighed. The fact that he had sold cheap under pressure from the Sind family had become shackles in this way.
"Hassan, take your seat."
"Yes, Your Highness."
After seating Hassan back in his chair, Hyang began pressuring Mansur.
Hyang took out a gold seal from his sleeve, pointed to the pear blossom pattern, and continued speaking.
"You may have heard from Hassan, but our Joseon products, especially items stamped with this pear blossom pattern like this one, are goods whose quality is guaranteed by the state."
Having explained the value of the pear blossom pattern stamped on the gold seal, Hyang pressed Mansur.
"Even novice merchants make at least 4 times or more profit from these products when they go to Ming and Japan, and return. Yet you only made 2 times profit? How should I interpret this?"
Hassan conveyed Hyang's words exactly to Mansur.
"Does it really yield that much profit?"
Mansur asked Hassan with an expression of disbelief. At Mansur's question, Hassan answered immediately.
"It is true. Especially the products from the royal workshops have tremendous value. Rumor has it that in Japan, people don't even refuse to fight with swords for a chance to buy royal workshop items."
"My goodness..."
After a long sigh, Mansur rose from his chair and knelt before Hyang.
"I ask forgiveness from the Prince. Please forgive my incompetence."
Hearing Mansur's words through Hassan, Hyang spoke.
"Mansur of the Otaybi family, rise and take your seat."
"Yes."
'I've seized the initiative for now! The biggest hurdle is overcome!'
Having seized the initiative from Mansur, Hyang moved to seal the deal.
"Although it is only 30 percent, it will still be much more than the original cost. If you take this in our Joseon products and sell them properly, you can reap several times that profit. What do you think?"
"But 30 percent is too little!"
"Do you really think so? If the price becomes that cheap, what do you think will happen?"
At Hyang's question, Mansur began to break into a cold sweat. The young prince was already several steps ahead, having anticipated the brilliant idea Mansur had praised himself for.
'How frightening! Is this what they mean by "don't underestimate someone just because they're young"?'
However, Mansur could not immediately accept.
If he started being dragged along like in the matter with the Sind family, it would inevitably end in loss.
Trade was ultimately a battle for dominance.
"Please give us 50 percent. Considering the risks, it must be at least 50 percent."
"Risks? For experienced merchants like yourselves, can't you prepare for things like natural disasters to some extent in advance?"
"Natural disasters can be prepared for if you're not in the middle of the open ocean. But the problem is pirates."
"Pirates..."
When Mansur mentioned pirates, Hyang's voice trailed off.
'Were the pirates of the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean even older in history than those of the Caribbean?'
"I can concede to 40 percent."
"Tch!"
At Hyang's proposal, Mansur clenched his teeth.
'40 percent isn't bad, but pirates are the problem! We won't always have good luck like this time! What to do... ah!'
Suddenly, an idea struck Mansur's mind like lightning.
Mansur urgently put forward a new proposal to Hyang.
"Give us the cannons used by the Joseon navy! Then I will agree to 40 percent."
"Chief!"
At Mansur's words, Hassan was shocked and called out to Mansur.
"Interpreter Ha Hun, what did he say that makes you so surprised?"
"Ah, well..."
When Hassan hesitated, Kim Jeom stepped forward and pressed him.
"Do not hide it, tell us immediately!"
At Hyang's question, Hassan, who had been evading, answered with his eyes tightly shut as even Kim Jeom pressed him.
"He said if you give us the cannons used by the navy, he will agree to 40 percent!"
"Cannons?"
"Cannons! How outrageous!"
As soon as the word 'cannon' came out, Kim Jeom shouted in anger. But Hyang carefully worked his abacus with a thoughtful expression.
'Cannons... newer and better cannons have already been developed anyway. The problem is the butterfly effect... but with history already in chaos, should I even worry about that? No, isn't that too irresponsible?'
Thinking through various thoughts, Hyang asked Mansur.
"Why do you need cannons?"
"The sea route between Joseon and Aden is swarming with pirates. Coming here this time, I saw pirates avoiding the Joseon navy. My thinking is that the Joseon navy's cannons are the reason. So if you give us cannons, I will accept 40 percent."
"Hmm..."
At Mansur's answer, Hyang fell into deep thought, tapping his fingers on the desk.
'They already know about cannons anyway. It's a situation where those who would use them are already using them...'
However, Kim Jeom was becoming increasingly anxious.
"Y-Your Highness."
"Wait a moment."
Restraining Kim Jeom, Hyang continued his thoughts.
'While the deployment of new cannons to replace the Janggunhwapo is scheduled, giving away Janggunhwapo is too dangerous.'
Searching through his memories, Hyang found a suitable cannon.
'Hmm... the Ilchongtong should be appropriate.'
The Ilchongtong, with a length of about 2 cheok 4 chon (74.2cm) and a bore of 2 chon 1 bun 5 ri (6.7cm), was 2/3 the size of the Janggunhwapo loaded on Panokseon ships. However, the Chadaejeon used in the Ilchongtong had a range several times greater than arrows, and if it hit properly, it could reliably put holes in most ships.
Just then, seeing Hyang's prolonged thinking, Kim Jeom tried to persuade him with a pale face.
"Crown Prince! Cannons must not be given! Cannons!"
"Minister of Revenue, cannons are not something only we in Joseon possess. Ming has them too. Pirates might even have them for that matter."
"That is true, but..."
At Hyang's point, Kim Jeom's words trailed off. As Hyang said, cannons were not unique to Joseon. Ming had them, and even the Northern Yuan had a small number of them.
Among Joseon's neighboring countries, only Japan did not have cannons.
No, recalling the behavior of the Wako who had plagued Ming, perhaps Japan might have them too.
Hyang continued organizing his thoughts.
'For our Joseon's future external activities to proceed smoothly, more countries need to know about us. For that to happen, our products need to spread widely from now on. Ming and Japan alone are not enough. They must spread at least to the Arabian Peninsula and the Mediterranean region.'
"Hmm..."
Thinking deeply, Hyang looked at Mansur and spoke.
"First, there is something I need to confirm. You said the Otaybi family lives in Aden?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Would the ruler of the Aden region not be angry if the Otaybi family possessed cannons at their discretion?"
At Hyang's question, Mansur answered immediately.
"Aden currently has no ruler. The Abbasid Dynasty ruled it in the past, but that was over 200 years ago, and now it is a free city of merchants."
"Oh..."
At Mansur's answer, Hyang's eyes sparkled.
After the Abbasid Dynasty was destroyed by the Mongols in 1258, the Aden region had been a free city with no master.
Of course, there was the Mamluk Sultanate in the Egyptian region, but its power did not extend to where Aden was located. And the famous Ottoman Turkish Empire had not yet expanded beyond the Anatolian Peninsula.
Having reorganized his thoughts at Mansur's answer, Hyang proposed again.
"30 percent. And I'll guarantee 5 years of exclusive trading. Then I will speak to His Majesty favorably about the cannons."
"Please grant us 10 years of exclusivity."
At Mansur's words, Hyang firmly refused.
"10 years is not possible. 5 years is guaranteed as a base, and after that, we'll negotiate annually. This is my final proposal. Will you accept or refuse?"
At Hyang's words, Mansur calculated the profit and loss in his head. After pondering for a while, Mansur reached a conclusion.
"I will accept Your Highness's proposal."
When Mansur accepted the proposal, Hyang rose from his seat.
"Then I will speak to His Majesty. I pray it goes well. If His Majesty does not accept, we'll have to have another tedious war of words."
"Yes."
"Then."
Hyang left the room with Hassan and Kim Jeom. Mansur, the elders, and Rajab remained in the room and discussed the results of the negotiation.
"Isn't 30 percent too harsh? 30 percent of the price we initially called means only 3 times profit."
"As I said earlier, the individual profit margin will decrease significantly, but think about the volume. It's actually a gain."
"Wasn't the conclusion from that calculation 6 times?"
When Rajab kept pressing, Mansur pointed out something he had forgotten.
"Have you forgotten? If we take Joseon products, we can reap tens of times the profit?"
"That's true, but the greater the profit from spices, the more we can buy from Joseon!"
At Rajab's words, Mansur smiled.
"Then Joseon products would become cheap goods. Let's look at the long term. At least 5 years of exclusivity. Exclusivity means we can adjust prices and extract maximum profit."
"Still..."
Rajab still couldn't hide his regret, but Mansur's expression brightened.
"With Allah's blessing, if we even obtain cannons, we won't have to worry about pirates. If that happens, as long as we're careful of storms, even 3 times profit will be sufficient."
Furthermore, if they could navigate freely, trade would become even more active than now, and the credibility of the trading company would rise, making this an opportunity too good to miss.