Chapter 1137 — I Won't Let You Take a Loss

"Then what should we do?" Wei Zhao asked. He did not understand business all that well - having him crush a competitor was one thing, but sales were another matter entirely.

"First, expand production capacity as quickly as possible and find a way to take out a loan to build new workshops," Fatty Lai said. "Second, build out our sales channels by opening branch offices in the major cities of every province. But that would not only take a huge sum of money - it would create management problems as well! Set up a dozen branches all at once and the management system can't keep up, and we'll end up in that chaotic state where the mountain is high and the emperor is far away and every branch does precisely as it pleases!"

"Hm? Why not skip the branches altogether and simply ship the goods straight from head office?" Wei Zhao asked.

"That would work, but the consequences could well be worse. With no local branch to coordinate, control and supervise matters, there is a real chance of vicious market practices - arbitrary markups and arbitrary markdowns, hoarding, price speculation, cross-region diversion of goods - all of which would do grave harm to our company's reputation!" Fatty Lai knew these consequences all too well, which was precisely why he was so worried.

"I say, Fatty Lai - you know perfectly well I am no hand at business, and you come asking me? If you have a decent suggestion, just come out with it!" Wei Zhao did not know whether to laugh or cry. Wasn't this simply trying to frighten people?

"My advice is to find a company with a well-established sales network and partner with it - but that company has to be dependable and reputable. Otherwise, with the lifeline of our channels clutched in their hands, they could end up turning from guest into master, and that is not something we want to see." Fatty Lai said.

"Fine. We shall do as you say." Wei Zhao nodded and agreed.

"But... Chief, I still haven't settled on which company to work with. The business world is a battlefield - who has friends for life?" Fatty Lai smiled ruefully. "I can't think of anyone suitable at the moment, which is why I called to discuss it with you, Chief..."

"Hm, let me look into it and get back to you?" Wei Zhao said with a rueful smile of his own. The entrepreneurs Wei Zhao knew were few and far between; apart from Gu Pengzhan, there was no company in Songshan City he was on anything like friendly terms with.

"Alright then, I'll start looking into the question of loans and financing on my end..." Fatty Lai had only been asking, after all. If Wei Zhao truly had no solution, the sole recourse would be to control the sales company by contract. But a partnership built on mutual suspicion was no long-term plan - it could never deliver the greatest possible win-win.

No sooner had Wei Zhao hung up than the phone rang again.

Wei Zhao assumed it was Fatty Lai calling back, or else Kang Xiaobo on the line, and answered without a second thought: "Hello?"

"Divine Doctor Lin? This is Liu Tianyi!" From the far end came Liu Tianyi's deep, resonant voice.

"Oh? Mr. Liu? Hello..." Wei Zhao was somewhat puzzled - why was Liu Tianyi telephoning at this hour? As it happened, Wei Zhao's impression of Liu Tianyi was decent enough; the fact that the man had, without a moment's hesitation, lent him money earlier had only confirmed Wei Zhao's good opinion of him, and so he had come to acknowledge him as a friend.

"Divine Doctor Lin, I hear your company officially unveiled its new product today - congratulations, congratulations!" Liu Tianyi said with a laugh. "I have already sent along a modest gift - a red envelope containing a check, couriered to your esteemed company!"

"Oh? Then I thank you most sincerely!" Wei Zhao had never expected Liu Tianyi to send a congratulatory gift, and was quite taken aback! Still, when a man extends a friendly hand, there was no need to slap away a smiling face, so he accepted the gesture graciously: "How thoughtful of you!"

"I had meant to come in person and offer my congratulations, but considering it was a new product launch rather than an opening ceremony, my turning up for it wouldn't have quite been the done thing, so I stayed away." Liu Tianyi said carefully.

As to whether the Liu family should send anyone to attend the new product launch, Liu Tianyi, Liu Tianli and the old master had deliberated at great length. In the end it was Liu Jinghan who proposed that they not appear in person but send a red envelope instead - and that proposal won the old master's approval!

After all, the Liu family wanted to win Wei Zhao's favor and build a long-term friendship with him, and had resolved to let him use the Liu family's commercial channels free of charge. If they showed their faces at the auction, it would strike people as a shade too eager - as though they had some scheme in the works, and that would not do at all! Wei Zhao, after all, had not yet agreed to take the Liu family's channels!

As it turned out, Wei Zhao was quite pleased by the red envelope the Liu family had sent, and Liu Tianyi breathed a sigh of relief.

"It is the thought that counts," Wei Zhao said with a smile. "By the way, Mr. Liu, I should like to consult you about something."

"Please speak, Divine Doctor Lin - consult, consult nothing! Whatever Divine Doctor Lin wishes to know, I, Liu, will hold nothing back and tell you everything!" Liu Tianyi said hastily.

"Here is the thing: my pharmaceutical company wants to set up branches and sales channels all across the country, but for the time being all our energy is going into expanding the factory and raising production capacity, and we have no mind to go building sales channels as well. I would like to find a dependable partner to take charge of the sales side of things!" Wei Zhao used the occasion to tell Liu Tianyi what Fatty Lai had raised. The circles Liu Tianyi moved in were certainly wider than Wei Zhao's own.

"Oh? You are looking for a partner to take charge of the sales channels?" Liu Tianyi was taken aback, then overjoyed on the spot! The Liu family had wanted precisely this all along and had been at a loss how to broach it with Wei Zhao - and now Wei Zhao had raised the very request himself! How could Liu Tianyi possibly be anything but delighted? Recovering from his astonishment and delight, he said hastily: "Divine Doctor Lin, the Liu family is an old house of merchants. If you do not find us wanting, our commercial channels are yours to use, free of charge! What is more, in matters of management they can fall entirely under your side's control! We will take no part in decision-making, only in operations; as for profits, the Liu family will not take a single cent - though the normal running costs of the personnel would have to be borne by your side, hehe..."

"Mr. Liu, do you mean that in earnest?" Liu Tianyi's words caught Wei Zhao completely off guard! Wei Zhao had never imagined that Liu Tianyi would nominate himself, nor that he would offer terms so advantageous - terms that dispelled Fatty Lai's misgivings in a single stroke, with the Liu family not even wanting a sliver of the profits!

Of course, Wei Zhao had a fair notion of what lay behind it all: the Liu family had most likely seen his potential, and wanted to use this to befriend him.

"Of course I am in earnest!" Liu Tianyi said with a laugh. "Divine Doctor Lin, when have I ever joked? I genuinely want to do something for you! I may be a mere nobody in Divine Doctor Lin's eyes, but I, Liu Tianyi, truly regard Divine Doctor Lin as a friend and a benefactor!"

"Heh... good! In that case I shall not stand on ceremony - nor will I let you take a loss," Wei Zhao said evenly. "You will be giving up the sales profits, but every year I shall give you a supply of elixirs in return, including the Life-Extending Detox Pill and the deluxe edition of the Wound Medicine."

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