When the Young Clan Falls, the Emperor Feasts

For Vincent Su, the richest man in Eastlyn, holidays were always the busiest time of year. Not only did he have to close out the year’s accounts, but he also had to send gifts up and down the bureaucracy to smooth the way for next year’s business.

Even with Ninth Royal Uncle backing him, Vincent still had to cultivate other officials. Otherwise, they might show him respect in public, but stab him in the back when it counted.

Besides, even Ninth Royal Uncle, for all his lofty status, needed to win over the officials. Why would they risk their lives for him if there was nothing in it for them? If he wanted his people to work hard, he couldn’t afford to chill their hearts—he had to let them take their share of the benefits.

For Vincent Su to squeeze out time to visit Feng Manor in the middle of all this, it was definitely not just to deliver New Year’s gifts. Serena had thought that, since she’d already reported the Young Clan pharmacy deal to Ninth Royal Uncle, the matter was settled. She didn’t realize she was fooling herself—Ninth Royal Uncle hadn’t told Vincent a thing.

Serena had just stepped through the doorway when Vincent Su spotted her. He shot up from his chair and pointed at her, scolding, “Serena, you’re being awfully unfair. And here I thought we were friends.”

“How am I unfair?” Serena jumped in surprise. She’d been dizzy for days from checking gift lists and nearly stumbled forward, but Mira Tang reacted quickly and caught her.

“Unfair, you say?” Vincent Su smirked, arms folded as he enjoyed Serena’s flustered state. Only when she came up to him did he say, “You tell me—how are you being fair? You land a money-making deal and don’t even think of me. If it weren’t for all the rumors outside, I wouldn’t have known you were working with the Young Clan. Serena, you’re something else. Got a new favorite and tossed the old one aside, huh? Whatever the Youngs can give you, I can too. Or do you think I’d stab you in the back? Am I that petty?”

Selling Serena’s Prenatal Formula was obviously a lucrative business, and it could boost one’s reputation at the same time. Whoever got in on it was guaranteed both fame and fortune.

Of the two, Vincent Su valued reputation most. With a hot-selling prenatal medicine, even an unknown pharmacy could become famous overnight—and drive up sales of all their other remedies.

He also ran a pharmacy business. Though he made a profit, compared to the Young Family Pharmacies—renowned across the empire—he was still far behind. That was exactly why Vincent was angry: if Serena had let him sell her Prenatal Formula, he was confident he could compete with the Young Clan and make his own shops just as famous. But now...

It wasn’t just that Serena didn’t help Vincent Su—she actually helped Victor Yun instead. Boo hoo... As a rookie in the pharmaceutical industry, he needed Serena’s help even more!

Vincent Su stared at Serena with obvious resentment. This was classic: not helping him, but helping his rival.

Serena felt a little guilty and quickly changed the subject. “I was wondering what you were upset about. It’s just a small matter, so why get so worked up? Come on, don’t be mad. Sit down—I’ll check your pulse and see how your recovery’s going.”

That only made Vincent Su grit his teeth even harder. “I’m fine, I’m fine! No need to check—I promise I’m perfectly healthy.”

Even so, Vincent obediently held out his hand for Serena to examine.

Men suffering from kidney deficiency can’t afford to take chances. He was much better now, but if any lingering issues remained, it’d be trouble. Letting Serena check him again was a good idea.

“Your pulse is steady and strong—no problems at all. Just to be safe, take one more dose to consolidate your recovery.” Serena saw the fatigue in Vincent Su’s eyes and knew he hadn’t had a break all New Year, so she offered this advice with genuine concern.

Vincent Su had no objections—when it came to health, of course he listened to the doctor. But if Serena thought this would make him drop the whole Prenatal Formula sales issue, she was dead wrong.

“Now that your check-up’s done, let’s talk business.” As a merchant, Vincent Su was never the type to walk away just because he’d gotten a favor. Medicine was medicine, business was business. He gave Serena a half-smile. “Shouldn’t we discuss the Prenatal Formula? Tell me, why did you pick the Young Clan? I admit their sales channels are top-notch, but you should know—I’d have rebuilt my whole network for your medicine.”

At the very least, Serena should’ve negotiated with more than one family. How could she just settle on the Young Clan and leave Vincent without a chance to compete?

Serena answered honestly: “I did consider working with you, but I thought the Young Clan was a better fit. They already have established channels and contacts, so it’s less hassle. Plus, the Youngs need a chance to rise again—working with them is like giving charcoal in the snow. You’re different. You’re already Eastlyn’s richest man; partnering with you would just be adding brocade to brocade. The split is ninety-one in my favor. Would you really agree to that? Could you even profit from it?”

Serena deliberately clarified: the ninety-one split was on sales revenue, not profit. She wanted Vincent Su to understand that the Young Clan wasn’t getting a bargain—they weren’t taking advantage of her at all.

She didn’t know much about business, but she understood how to maximize her own interests. The Youngs had ready-made pharmacies and staff; even a ninety-one split wouldn’t hurt them. But Vincent Su was different—he’d have to build everything from scratch, and with a ninety-one split on sales, he wouldn’t make a dime at first.

“A ninety-one split? You actually proposed such harsh terms?” Vincent Su’s face twisted in disbelief. “And the Young Clan accepted? Are you sure you’re giving them a lifeline and not just taking advantage?”

Serena’s arrangement was basically consignment. Normally, merchants and suppliers split seventy-thirty, with the merchant taking seventy percent. If they’re generous, maybe sixty-forty. To Vincent Su, Serena’s ninety-one split was practically daylight robbery.

Serena shot Vincent Su a look and explained, not too kindly, “Now do you see why I didn’t partner with you? You’d never agree to a ninety-one split.”

Besides, no one can monopolize all the profits in this world. You’re already Eastlyn’s top merchant—even if you don’t mind having more, you have to consider what those above you might think.

The Emperor knows Ninth Royal Uncle backs you, and all that silver you earn helps him. If you add another lucrative business, who’s to say the Emperor won’t start seeing you as a threat? One day, he might use some excuse to wipe you out—and you’ll be finished.

Serena wasn’t exaggerating or trying to scare him. Just think of all the famous merchants in history—what happened to them in the end? Shen Wansan, Hu Xueyan... Every one of them was fattened up by the Emperor, then slaughtered when the time came.

If Vincent Su keeps growing unchecked, when the Emperor needs funds for war, he’ll be the first target. At that point, Eastlyn might even celebrate it as a ‘When the Su Clan Falls, the Emperor Feasts’ kind of story.

After one snow disaster, the four emperors took the chance to carve up the Young Clan’s assets. If another disaster strikes and the treasury runs dry, the Emperor won’t wait for war—he’ll seize your silver first.

No matter how high or low a merchant’s status, you can’t win against the machinery of the state. The Young Clan is living proof...