Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 986: Chapter 79: The Trade Conference Begins (Part 2)

Before the trade fair, these foreign guests had already seen salt and white sugar, as well as chili and other items. However, the salt and white sugar displayed this time were more "premium."

As soon as these foreign royal family members heard the word "premium," their expressions became excited. They held esteemed statuses and believed that only premium items were worthy of them. Items like the salt and white sugar, and chili found in the Swamp Prefecture’s restaurants were not suitable for them, as these were things commoners consumed.

Not only the foreign royal family members liked to put on airs and were unwilling to eat the same food or wear the same fabrics as the common people, but even the officials and wealthy people of Great Zhou were like this. They believed that their status was noble and what they ate, used, wore, and lived in should be more luxurious than those of the common people.

The salt and white sugar displayed in the exhibition hall weren’t actually premium, but they were made with more refined processing.

As Zhao Yao expected, the foreign royal guests were very fond of the salt and white sugar displayed in the exhibition hall. Since arriving at the Swamp Prefecture and tasting fine salt, they realized that the salt they used before was like pebbles. As for white sugar, they had never tasted it before. After having white sugar at the Swamp Prefecture, they deeply fell in love with its sweetness.

Ever since Zhao Yao made white sugar and promoted various foods made with it, the people of Swamp Prefecture, merchants from inland, and foreign guests have all become fond of these foods.

Seeing how much the guests loved white sugar, the cooks at the restaurants in Swamp Prefecture started adding a lot of white sugar to every dish they prepared.

During this period, because they were eating various things made with white sugar every day, guests from other regions and foreign countries had all gained weight.

Zhao Yao thought that if they stayed in Swamp Prefecture for a month, they might each gain at least two sizes. Eating too much sugar isn’t good for the body, so he deliberately posted notices to warn them, but it had little effect. Perhaps their previous days were too bitter, leading them to crave the sweetness that sugar brings to their lives now.

In addition to white sugar, they also showcased crystal sugar, brown sugar, and candies. These weren’t available before and were specially made by Nanshan Farm at Zhao Yao’s request.

Upon learning that brown sugar is beneficial for women’s health and can enhance beauty, foreign princesses immediately ordered brown sugar from Zhao Yao without a moment’s hesitation. For the princesses, any hesitation would be disrespectful to themselves.

There are two types of crystal sugar: one is the translucent white crystal sugar, and the other is yellow rock sugar. Both types are extraordinarily sweet and are highly favored by foreign guests.

There were also two types of candies: one is fruit candy, and the other is milk candy. Fruit candy comes in many flavors, such as lychee, apple, banana, and longan. Milk candy also has many flavors: one is purely milk flavor, another is caramelized milk candy, and yet another is milk fruit flavor.

After tasting the candies, the foreign guests immediately wanted to place large orders without saying a word.

Next was the tour of fabrics and embroidery.

The unique embroidery of Lingnan differed from that of the inland and other countries. It was very distinctive. The foreign guests had never seen it before and found it fascinating, ordering quite a bit as well.

Currently, the fabrics in Great Zhou include cloth, gauze, damask, silk, satin, and brocade. Last year, Zhao Yao instructed the embroiderers to create brocade, but it hadn’t been successful until two months ago. Zhao Yao had initially named it "Lingnan Brocade," but felt it was too cumbersome, so he simply called it "Cloud Brocade," borrowing the concept from the world of Zhao Yao’s dreams.

Zhao Yao originally wanted the embroiderers to create cut silk, but this was difficult to weave and has not succeeded to date.

Cloud Brocade is incredibly precious, worth its weight in gold, truly fitting for the status of the foreign royal guests. Upon learning that Cloud Brocade was rare and that even the Great Zhou Imperial Family hadn’t received it, the foreign royal guests wasted no time and rushed to place orders with Zhao Yao.

Next, Zhao Yao led the foreign guests to tour the agricultural tools display.

The agricultural tools in these foreign countries were very outdated, lacking the curved plow and the Water Wheel. After hearing the introduction, they realized how effective Great Zhou’s agricultural tools were and also ordered batches from Zhao Yao.

Although the agricultural tools didn’t match the status of foreign royal family members, they also wanted their country’s grain production to increase.

Zhao Yao had originally thought about showcasing fertilizers, but then decided against it. If these foreign countries increased their grain production with fertilizers, they might develop unwarranted ambitions. Moreover, whether the people of other countries can eat their fill is not his concern.

Next were the weapons, which, of course, were all old weapons, not the new ones Zhao Yao had developed. Products like Black Fire, firearms, and pistols were out of the question for display. The items showcased were bows, knives, swords, and spears that Great Zhou had phased out years ago.

The weapons discarded by Great Zhou were considered very advanced by these foreign countries. Their iron smelting and forging technologies lagged far behind Great Zhou’s.

Seeing Prince Han selling weapons shocked the foreign royal VIPs. They thought Zhao Yao was very bold for daring to sell them weapons. Upon trying out the displayed weapons, they found them extremely sharp and easy to use. They were so worried that Zhao Yao might change his mind that they hurried to order these weapons from Prince Han.

Zhao Yao was delighted to see that even these old weapons could bring in a substantial profit. In the future, he could continue to make use of what was considered waste, selling what Great Zhou no longer needed to these foreign nations.

After touring the weapon racks, Zhao Yao led the foreign VIPs to the last row of shelves. The shelves held several boxes containing porcelains, but not ordinary ones; they were blue and white porcelains.

At the beginning of this year, Zhao Yao had tasked the porcelain factory craftsmen with creating blue and white porcelain. Only a month ago did they finally succeed in making it.

When Zhao Yao unveiled the box, revealing the exquisite and elegant blue and white porcelain inside, everyone present gasped in astonishment.

Without any introduction, by merely looking at the glaze of the blue and white porcelain, the foreign royal guests could tell of its preciousness. Before Zhao Yao could say a word about selling, they already wanted to buy and were offering high prices.

Zhao Yao informed them that these blue and white porcelains couldn’t be sold to them yet because they were intended for tribute to the Imperial Court in the capital. Only after obtaining the capital court’s permission could he sell blue and white porcelains to them.

While the Cloud Brocade wasn’t immediately offered as a tribute to the Imperial Court, the blue and white porcelain absolutely had to be, or he’d face rebuke from his stubborn royal father.

The foreign royal guests understood that blue and white porcelain wasn’t something ordinary people could use; it was reserved for the Royal Family. Although eager to obtain it, they knew that the tribute items to the Great Zhou Royal Family couldn’t be lightly sold to them. Only with the Emperor of Great Zhou’s consent could they purchase the blue and white porcelain.

Zhao Yao reassured the foreign guests, saying they were friends of Great Zhou and that the court would certainly agree to him selling blue and white porcelain to them, so they should wait patiently.

Upon hearing Prince Han express this sentiment, the foreign VIPs unanimously affirmed that they would always be Great Zhou’s friends and were willing to wait, no matter how long it took.

With everything in the Lingnan Exhibition Hall displayed, the foreign guests were full of praise, expressing that their eyes had been opened. They even wanted to have another look at the things in the Lingnan Exhibition Hall, and for the moment, didn’t wish to proceed to other exhibition halls.