A tender smile graced Lin Yide's lips as he thought of Furina.
"Father, if you have the time, you should return to Fontaine for a visit. With Dvalin, a round trip would only take two or three days at most," Lynette softly suggested.
Lin Yide was tempted but gently shook his head, declining the proposal.
Though the journey itself wouldn't take long, he knew that once he and Furina were reunited, their passion would be as uncontrollable as a wildfire meeting dry tinder. The ache of longing could not be soothed by just a few nights of passionate embrace.
As he was lost in thought, the shop door was pushed open. Xingyun, the president of the Feiyun Commerce Guild, strode quickly to Lin Yide's side.
"Director Yide, the price of grain has risen! It's gone from 100 Mora to 120 Mora per catty. We're making a fortune," he exclaimed, his face beaming with joy.
Lin Yide's expression remained calm. "And how do you suggest we respond to this situation?" he asked placidly.
Xingyun didn't hesitate. "We should press our advantage, increase our grain procurement, and drive the price up even further. Once the price peaks, we can slowly begin to sell."
Lin Yide smiled faintly and offered a different opinion. "There's no need to be so aggressive. We can maintain our current purchasing pace."
Xingyun frowned, a hint of unwillingness in his voice. "But this is a golden opportunity. Liyue's grain supply is already showing signs of a shortage. With just a little more pressure, we could soon control the pricing for the entire grain market."
"My words just now were not a negotiation," Lin Yide stated, his face devoid of emotion.
The expression on Xingyun's face shifted several times before he forced a smile and replied stiffly, "Director Yide, I understand your meaning." With that, he turned and left, his heart filled with reluctance and frustration.
Watching Xingyun's departing figure, Lynette asked, puzzled, "Father, why didn't you take his suggestion? We could not only make a huge profit but also use this opportunity to force Ningguang to yield to us."
Lin Yide explained with a serene expression, "The Liyue Qixing are greedy, but they are no fools. On the contrary, they are exceptionally cunning. They've already seen through our intention to buy up large quantities of grain. This rapid increase in price isn't the result of natural market regulation, but of their manipulation from behind the scenes."
A flicker of surprise crossed Lynette's eyes. "But shouldn't the Qixing be trying to stabilize grain prices? Why would they push them higher?"
A look of disdain appeared on Lin Yide's face. "Because they are merchants at heart. They relish defeating their rivals in commercial warfare and earning more Mora. They are luring us into continuously buying grain at high prices. Then, when we can no longer afford to buy, they will suddenly sell off their stock in massive quantities, causing the price to plummet. At that point, we will have lost everything."
Comprehension dawned on Lynette. "Then how should we respond? It's clear that fellow Xingyun is ready to walk right into the trap they've set."
"Naturally, we must distance ourselves from Xingyun's approach," Lin Yide said calmly. "Soon, the price of grain will skyrocket again. We need to sell off all our current holdings before the price reaches its absolute peak. Then, as the price crashes, we will begin to slowly buy in. When the price hits rock bottom, we are to buy up everything, no matter the cost."
Still slightly confused, Lynette asked, "Father, why not buy everything at once when the price is at its lowest?"
Lin Yide patiently explained, "Because buying in increments will create the illusion that we are still putting up a desperate resistance. This will encourage them to continue selling off their stock, driving the price down even further."
"Father, I understand now," Lynette said, her eyes alight with clarity.
"Do you really?" Lin Yide said with a smile. "In that case, I'm putting you in charge of this matter."
Lynette froze, her cheerful expression replaced by a crestfallen kitten face.
…
In a quiet tea pavilion on a bustling street in Liyue.
Zhongli frowned, a hint of displeasure in his tone. "Yide, the price of grain has soared too high recently. It's already reached 150 Mora per catty."
Lin Yide took a delicate sip of the freshly brewed Chenyu Vale tea before setting down his cup. With a helpless shrug, he replied, "The Qixing insisted on playing this game. There was nothing I could do."
At the mention of the Qixing, a deep sense of disappointment showed in Zhongli's eyes. The Qixing had given no thought to the severe negative impact that the sharp rise in grain prices would have on the common people. While on the surface it seemed like a mere 50 Mora increase per catty, in reality, this change would trigger a chain reaction, causing a general rise in the price of all commodities. However, the wages of the populace would not see a corresponding increase in the short term.
He looked at Lin Yide with a steady gaze and said firmly, "The price of grain cannot continue to rise like this. Otherwise, a great number of people living in poverty will face starvation."
Lin Yide gave his solemn promise, "I will do my best to keep the price of grain within a stable and reasonable range."
Zhongli pondered for a moment before speaking slowly, "Do you remember our previous discussion about my commission? I need to request an advance on a portion of my Mora."
Lin Yide immediately understood Zhongli's intention. He retrieved a golden Fontaine bank card from his system space and handed it to Zhongli. "There are one billion Mora in here. It should be enough for you to subsidize those who are struggling."
Zhongli accepted the bank card and put it away.
Lin Yide continued, "I have a suggestion. You could consider establishing an organization called the 'Morax Foundation' to specifically aid the common people."
Zhongli considered this for a moment. "That is indeed an excellent suggestion. I will give it serious thought."
Then, Lin Yide changed the subject. "Lord Rex Lapis, would you be able to introduce me to the adepti of Liyue?"
Zhongli gave him a long, meaningful look and said earnestly, "Yide, although you have the potential for cultivation, you have unfortunately missed the optimal age for it. It would be difficult to make significant achievements on that path. Furthermore, with your current strength, you already surpass ordinary adepti."
"Lord Rex Lapis, you've misunderstood my intentions," Lin Yide quickly clarified. "I have no desire to pursue the path of an adeptus. Rather, I hope to bring the adepti of Liyue into the mortal realm to govern this land alongside mortals."