Chapter 509

“What is this?”

In the Qingzhou Chamber of Commerce, a group of merchants looked at the pendulum clock standing in the middle of the hall with confused expressions.

After jointly appreciating the pendulum clock with Fei Yuer in the Prince’s Mansion, Xiao Ming had someone send the pendulum clock to the Chamber of Commerce. As soon as the pendulum clock arrived, it immediately attracted the attention of the merchants.

Li Kaiyuan stood in front of the pendulum clock. This was something that had just been sent from the Prince’s Mansion. He didn’t know much about how to use this pendulum clock, but he had heard about the machinery department manufacturing pendulum clocks a while ago, and now he finally saw the real thing.

However, in order to make him understand the function of the pendulum clock, Xiao Ming specifically had the night watchman from the Prince’s Mansion come over. After an explanation, he understood how to use the pendulum clock to tell time.

“It is truly a masterpiece of ingenuity.” Li Kaiyuan praised sincerely.

Many merchants who came to the Chamber of Commerce to apply for business permits gathered around Li Kaiyuan. They also learned about the use of the pendulum clock and understood that this pendulum clock was another commodity from Qingzhou.

Moreover, judging from the complex style of this pendulum clock, its price would surely be very expensive, and the more expensive it was, the more terrifying the profit would be.

“Indeed, if this pendulum clock is launched, it will surely be astounding. Vice President Li, did His Highness say how this pendulum clock will be sold and for how much silver?”

A merchant from Chang’an almost pressed his entire body against the pendulum clock. Not only was the function of this pendulum clock magical, but its appearance was also very exquisite. Not to mention the exquisite carving of the wood, even the single piece of glass was quite valuable.

Li Kaiyuan’s mouth stretched to his ears. He had to admit that in the past three years, the pendulum clock was the most magical industrial product from Qingzhou he had ever seen. What in the Great Yu Empire could accurately record time down to the second?

“Move back, move back.”

Li Kaiyuan shooed away the Chang’an merchant like he was shooing away flies.

Recently, there had been more and more new faces in the Chamber of Commerce. For the Chamber of Commerce, this was a sign of flourishing business, but at the same time, with more merchants, the Chamber of Commerce also became difficult to manage.

Merchants of varying character often caused headaches in the Chamber of Commerce, and some merchants from other places were simply bandits who blocked roads.

They learned about the huge profits of Qingzhou goods and were naturally tempted to come and purchase them. However, these bandits’ nature was hard to change, and some even openly robbed goods purchased by other merchants in the Chamber of Commerce, wanting to engage in some no-cost business.

This month, the soldiers guarding the Chamber of Commerce had killed a few audacious individuals.

So, to be cautious, he didn’t want any accident to happen to this pendulum clock. After all, this pendulum clock was the only one in Qingzhou.

Originally, Prince Qi wanted to keep it for himself, but for promotional purposes, it was sent to the Chamber of Commerce.

The nearby merchants were driven away, and Li Kaiyuan then said, “To be frank with you all, this thing is called a pendulum clock. It is a product meticulously crafted by the machinery department under His Highness’s orders. Its function is very simple: to record the time of day.”

When Qingzhou Chamber of Commerce was established, it was divided into two parts: one part was the public service area, which was similar to a bank’s front desk, and the other part was a product display area, commonly known as a showroom.

At first, Li Kaiyuan felt awkward with these unfamiliar terms, but over time he got used to them. Now, if he were to use different terms, he would feel it was inappropriate.

The function of this display stand, as the name suggests, is to display the goods currently sold in the Chamber of Commerce, such as soap, fine wine, perfume, glass products, mirrors, and salt. If it can be found on the display stand, the Chamber of Commerce can sell it.

The merchants stared wide-eyed at the pendulum clock. Some merchants had already learned how to tell time from the pendulum clock from the night watchman, while others who were not yet familiar with the pendulum clock eagerly inquired among other merchants.

After learning how to view the pendulum from others, they looked up at the direction of the pendulum clock, and from the pendulum clock, they easily learned the time.

“Three fifteen,” a merchant excitedly shouted, “Oh, this pendulum clock is truly magical. If one were to buy one and place it at home, wouldn’t it be enviable?”

“That’s right, this pendulum clock can not only tell time, but its appearance is also very exquisite, making it very suitable for display at home. Unfortunately, I wonder what the price is?” a merchant said.

“Looking at its appearance, it’s probably very expensive. I estimate a pendulum clock would cost at least fifty thousand taels.”

“That expensive? How many people can afford that?” someone exclaimed.

“Heh, with the pendulum’s exquisite craftsmanship, it will be bought even at fifty thousand taels. If even a thousand people in the entire Great Yu Empire buy it, that’s fifty million taels of silver.”

Upon hearing this, the merchants gasped. At this moment, their eyes, looking at the pendulum clock, were filled with a hint of fanaticism. If they could manufacture pendulum clocks, wouldn’t they become rich overnight?

“Alas, in my opinion, all the wealth in the world will fall into Prince Qi’s hands,” the merchants finally sighed, a sigh that could be either envy or sorrow.

Li Kaiyuan beamed with delight. The merchants’ discussions did not escape his ears. He quietly admired the pendulum clock before him. For him, he believed that there would only be more and more goods in the future.

These merchants had not seen steam engines. If they had seen them with their own eyes, they would not know how shocked they would be.

In his opinion, now that they could manufacture such steel monsters as steam engines, what strange and wonderful things could they not manufacture?

Smiling secretly with pride, he looked at the group of merchants and said, “Everyone, His Highness said that there is currently only one pendulum clock, but there will soon be a second one. This pendulum clock is only for showing you its appearance. After you go back, you can consider whether to purchase pendulum clocks for sale. As for the price, His Highness has not yet decided, but given the magical nature of this pendulum clock, it will certainly not be cheap. If you want one, please prepare.”

The merchants nodded upon hearing this, and some wealthy merchants began to calculate.

This pendulum clock was created for the powerful and wealthy. There were many powerful families outside Prince Qi’s enfeoffed state, and there would always be a few who liked to show off. This pendulum clock was perfect for them.

Thinking of this, some merchants turned and left. They wanted to inform their affiliated powerful families about the pendulum clock. Some other merchants directly discussed cooperation.

Just as everyone was shaken by the pendulum clock, a servant from the Prince’s Mansion arrived outside the Chamber of Commerce. These servants carried a basket of white sugar to the center of the display stand and said to Vice President Li Kaiyuan, “Vice President Li, His Highness said to also talk about this white sugar.”

Because the excitement from the pendulum clock had not yet subsided, the appearance of white sugar once again raised the merchants’ spirits. They felt a bit overwhelmed. What was happening in Qingzhou these two days? One product after another was appearing.

Li Kaiyuan understood white sugar. After all, he was the first to know about any new product. He then said, “Everyone, this white sugar is truly a good thing!”