The unexpected success of the essential oils far exceeded everyone's expectations. Sardinson County, once a little-known place, suddenly became a hot topic in the capital. Many people began to consider the possibility of collaborating with the young earl.
How could such a good product only be sold in the capital? Surely, shops could be opened in other major cities and the territories of nobles.
If Earl Williams was too busy, they could handle it themselves. The price was negotiable.
So, before the second batch of essential oils arrived, many approached Zachary. However, as just a shop manager, Zachary couldn't answer these questions and politely suggested they go to Sardinson County to inquire with the earl themselves.
Realizing this made sense, some nobles began writing to Felix, while lower-status merchants organized their caravans to Sardinson County.
These seasoned merchants naturally didn't come empty-handed. They brought goods to sell in Sardinson County. Although they heard Sardinson was a poor place, they hoped to sell at least some of their goods. Of course, if they could trade their goods for essential oils, that would be even better.
However, since Sardinson County was quite far from the capital, and merchants couldn't just leave on a whim, it wasn't until mid-September that the first group of merchants finally set foot in Sardinson County.
Before their arrival, the first group of knights delivering the essential oils had already returned with gold coins and news. Letters from the nobles also reached Felix one after another.
Although confident about the sales of the essential oils, both Felix and Wei Wei were still surprised when they heard the knights describe the frenzy of the sales.
The subsequent letters from the capital's nobles requesting collaboration gave Felix a headache.
Collaboration in the essential oil business was out of the question. Due to the limited raw materials, their own business in the capital would have to pause during the winter. There was no surplus to supply other regions, so collaboration was impossible.
To tactfully decline these requests, Felix spent a considerable amount of time writing letters, using all his literary skills honed over twenty years to respond to the flood of invitations.
As for the nobles who received his letters and learned that the essential oils would soon be out of stock, leading to another round of frantic purchases, that was no longer his concern.
Sardinson County was Felix's territory. Although it wasn't a major city, the arrival of outsiders, especially merchant caravans, was immediately reported to him.
These were the merchant caravans Felix had long awaited. Now that they had finally arrived, Felix almost sent someone to invite them to Sardinson Castle immediately.
But in the end, he restrained himself, reminding himself that these people had come to see him anyway, so there was no need to rush.
Upon arriving in Sardinson County, the merchants found it even poorer than they had imagined. Fortunately, they had already sold a significant portion of their goods on the way, so the remaining stock should be manageable in Sardinson.
The leader of this caravan, Claude Gaulte, dealt in a variety of goods, primarily spices. However, they didn't bring too many expensive spices to Sardinson County. Instead, after inquiring about the local situation, they prepared a batch of salt and a small amount of sugar.
Salt and sugar were highly sought-after commodities. Salt was something everyone needed regularly, while sugar, in this era, was even used as medicine and was quite expensive.
The caravan had already sold a significant portion of their salt on the way. Although the price of salt had decreased somewhat due to the discovery and mining of salt mines in Eastern Europe, it was still difficult for the lower classes to afford. Especially since everyone needed salt to preserve meat for the winter, the demand for salt remained high, making it a very popular commodity.
When the caravan arrived in Dingle, the news that they were selling salt spread quickly. People came with their salt jars to buy, and the amount purchased far exceeded the caravan's expectations.
There was no helping it. Foreign merchants were rare in these parts. Although there were salt sellers in town, their prices were much higher, and the quality was inferior.
Moreover, with everyone having just received their first month's wages, they had a bit of money to spare. Seeing cheap salt for sale, they couldn't help but buy more.
Thus, the salt brought by the caravan was quickly sold out, and even the sugar was largely depleted.
The biggest buyer, naturally, was the lord of Sardinson County, Earl Felix Williams.
Through this transaction, the caravan leader successfully submitted a request for an audience at Sardinson Castle.
This was exactly the outcome Felix had hoped for, so he agreed to the meeting.
Claude Gaulte, the caravan leader, was born into a noble family. As the fourth son without an inheritable title, he only held the title of a knight, which wasn't a true noble rank. However, due to his family's influence, he was well-connected in noble circles. Thus, when facing Felix, he was neither overbearing nor subservient, easily earning others' favor.
Claude didn't immediately bring up the essential oils. Instead, he mentioned the pasta he had seen in Dingle.
Dingle was a small town, and the only inn couldn't accommodate the entire caravan, so some members had to stay in local homes. This made them quite well-informed. Even without actively seeking information, Claude had learned about Felix recruiting people in town to make pasta.
The pasta needed to be dried, and the drying area was near the mill, visible from a distance. Claude's keen business sense made him notice this unfamiliar food. However, since the pasta wasn't yet for sale, and even the women making it didn't know how it tasted, Claude could only guess that it was suitable for long-distance transport.
Now that he had the chance to meet Felix in person, he naturally wanted to inquire further.
Felix, who had been hoping someone would show interest in the pasta, was delighted by Claude's questions and invited him to join for lunch.
"This is a new type of food I plan to sell. As for how it tastes, you'll know after trying it."
For this lunch, Felix didn't invite others to join. Instead, he hosted Claude alone. The meal was simple: pasta, bread, fried pork chops, fruit salad, vegetable soup, and pea cake for dessert.
The pasta was the tomato meat sauce pasta that Wei Wei loved. After the tomatoes ripened, she had cooked them into tomato sauce. The sauce, with enough salt, could be preserved for a long time. The meat sauce was also made by her. Now, the cooks only needed to boil the pasta and mix it with the two sauces and sautéed onions to create a simple yet delicious meal.
These two sauces were very popular. Chef Bob was actively exploring their uses, adding them to bread and various dishes. Everyone in the castle loved the taste of the tomato and meat sauces and hadn't grown tired of them.
Felix, who often worked late, frequently used these sauces with bread as a midnight snack. If he hadn't been exercising daily, he would have gained fat instead of muscle.
Although simple, this meal was undoubtedly the most comfortable one Claude had ever had. Despite each dish being straightforward and not heavily spiced, the flavors were so good that he felt like he could eat his tongue.
He swore that even when his father was alive, and he was the beloved third son of an earl, taken by his mother to banquets at the palace, he had never tasted such delicious food!
He couldn't stop eating, forgetting to converse with Felix until he had finished every bit of his portion, not leaving a single drop of sauce. His stomach was so full it felt like he was about to give birth, and he leaned back in his chair, satisfied.
Only when Felix's gaze turned to him did he remember where he was. He quickly sat up with difficulty, offering an apologetic smile. "My apologies for such an undignified display. I'm truly sorry."
Having once overeaten due to Wei Wei's cooking, Felix could empathize. However, he simply nodded, indicating he didn't mind.
Claude breathed a sigh of relief. Finishing a meal before the host was highly impolite, but fortunately, Felix didn't seem upset.
After lunch, Claude's interest in the pasta grew even stronger. However, he hadn't forgotten his primary reason for coming to Sardinson and finally steered the conversation toward the essential oils that had taken the capital's noble circles by storm.
Naturally, he proposed a collaboration.
"I understand your intent. Many have written to me recently seeking collaboration," Felix raised his hand to stop Claude. "But the production of essential oils cannot be increased."
Claude listened attentively, waiting for him to continue.
"I believe many have already studied the components of the essential oils, trying to uncover their secrets."
This was true. Many had done so before seeking collaboration. They preferred to crack the secret of the essential oils and profit alone.
The shrewd merchant Claude was no exception.
However, all they discovered was that the oil in the essential oils was likely the finest olive oil, and the fragrance came from flowers. Beyond that, they were completely stumped.
Everyone had overcomplicated the essential oils. No one thought that this beauty and skincare product, with potential medicinal uses, could be made solely from flowers and oil. They believed they hadn't discovered the full secret because their research wasn't thorough enough.
"Producing essential oils requires a large amount of flowers as one of the raw materials. Sardinson County isn't a place abundant in flowers, so the production of essential oils can't be increased. Once winter arrives, the production of essential oils will halt. There's nothing that can be done about it."
Felix laid out the facts to dissuade Claude from pursuing collaboration.
Unexpectedly, Claude asked, "Do they have to be fresh flowers? Can dried flowers be used?"
Felix knew this. He had seen Wei Wei dry flowers in the shade, removing all moisture before soaking them to make essential oils. He had also seen her use dried lavender directly. So, he nodded in agreement.
Claude smiled confidently. "Then, if I can provide you with enough dried flowers, could we discuss the essential oil business?"
Felix was surprised but quickly understood.
Of course, Felix had done his research on Claude.
This merchant was quite famous in the capital. His business was diverse, primarily dealing in spices but also selling gems, fabrics, and cosmetics—items associated with women. He had extensive connections and a good reputation, being a profit-seeking but not unscrupulous merchant.
If Felix hadn't known about him, he wouldn't have been so eager to discuss the pasta business. This unexpected turn was a pleasant surprise.
Given Claude's connections and business scope, he indeed could gather enough dried flowers.
"If you can do that, I can consider it. But I must remind you that not all flowers can be used as raw materials."
"Then, please provide me with a list. I'll collect the flowers according to your requirements."
Felix smiled. "Of course. But before that, I think we should discuss the price."
Claude: "Naturally."
Felix wasn't a seasoned merchant. Before Claude mentioned it, he had considered growing flowers himself but hadn't thought of purchasing raw materials from elsewhere. After all, fresh flowers couldn't be stored for long, and dried flowers had completely slipped his mind (apparently, he wasn't the only one who overlooked this).
Thus, he wasn't familiar with the market price of dried flowers.
However, his lack of knowledge didn't mean he would be fooled. He believed that Claude, seeking collaboration, was smart enough not to deceive him at this stage.
Claude indeed wouldn't. The price he offered was 30% below market value. While not the lowest, it left little profit margin for Claude, merely covering his efforts.
Felix found this price acceptable.
As a shrewd merchant, Claude also offered to supply olive oil.
"Guaranteed to be of the finest quality, and the price is negotiable."
This time, Felix declined, regretfully stating that he already had a supplier for olive oil—his mother's family.
"However, we can discuss the pasta business. I think you'll be interested in that."
Claude was indeed very interested. He not only inquired about the shelf life of the pasta but also specifically asked if the ingredients used in making the pasta were part of the deal.
He was referring to the tomato sauce and meat sauce used in the pasta.
"If these sauces can be preserved for a long time, I think they could be sold together."
Felix himself loved using tomato sauce and meat sauce with bread for breakfast and midnight snacks, so he knew they could indeed be preserved for a long time. However, the number of tomatoes was limited, and they barely had enough for their consumption, making exports impossible.
But the meat sauce had much more potential.
"I'll need to consider this."
He needed to consult Wei Wei before making a decision.
Thus, he invited Claude to stay at the castle. The latter was delighted and looked forward to the evening meal.
After the conversation, without needing to ask, Felix knew where Wei Wei would be at this time.
In Dolores's classroom, ten maids surrounded the two mistresses, sitting together knitting sweaters and chatting.
Their skills had improved, and with increased proficiency, their knitting speed had significantly increased. Although they couldn't knit without looking like Wei Wei, they could multitask.
In a month, they had learned to knit a sweater. Some fast learners had even finished knitting pants.
Wei Wei, with her exceptional speed, had already knitted two sweaters despite not knitting every day—one for Felix and one for herself. She was now working on pants while discussing with Dolores what kind of hat she wanted.
Penny had been experimenting with papermaking with the gardener's children. With Wei Wei's guidance, they had successfully made straw paper and recently produced something resembling rice paper. Although the color was still yellowish and the paper too thin for quill pens, they could use charcoal wrapped in cloth to draw and write on it.
Wei Wei rewarded Penny with two silver coins, and the children each received one. Thus, they were highly motivated to create paper suitable for quill pens with better color.
The successfully made paper was taken by Wei Wei for personal use. She cut it into a sketchbook and used a charcoal pencil to write and draw whenever needed, which was much more convenient than before.
She was now showing Dolores various simple yet stylish knitted hat designs, ranging from plain beanies to those with pom-poms, berets, fisherman hats, and newsboy caps—every design she knew and could roughly create.
The variety was overwhelming.
At this time, women couldn't go out with their hair exposed, so headscarves were mandatory. While this wasn't required at banquets, some still wore round, disk-like headdresses, which were a type of hat.
Compared to Wei Wei's designs, those round hats were utterly unimpressive.
Dolores took a long time to choose a design with a pom-pom on top and two braids with pom-poms on the sides, even撒娇ing to ask if it could be made in pink.
"I like pink."
"Of course."
This hat wasn't difficult to make and was much simpler than knitting a sweater. Most of the yarn could be much thicker than regular yarn, and to keep the hat loose, different knitting needles were used. Wei Wei planned to use yarn as thick as her finger to knit the hat quickly, as fewer stitches were needed. A fast knitter could finish it in an hour or two.
Of course, this thick yarn was specially processed, and the tools were also unique—two small wooden sticks about ten centimeters long, thick in the middle, and pointed at both ends, resembling spindles. One end had a hole with a copper wire loop fixed in the middle.
When Felix arrived, Wei Wei had already knitted most of the pink hat in less than half an hour, with only a bit left to finish.
Seeing Felix, she put down the hat and walked out of the room.
"What's up?" she asked, knowing he was supposed to be discussing business with the merchant from the capital.
Once outside, Felix told Wei Wei about Claude's interest in the sauce business.
Wei Wei was pleased: "That could also become a specialty product."
The meat sauce she had made previously lacked the color of soy sauce and used beer instead of cooking wine, so the flavor and color were somewhat lacking. However, it had a long shelf life and would pair well with pasta.
Moreover, Sardinson County raised many livestock—sheep, cows, pigs, and even horses—all of which could be used to make meat sauce, which would be more profitable than selling the animals alone.
However, if they needed to produce in large quantities, they would have to recruit more workers and build suitable workshops.
These things couldn't be done overnight.
Felix was well aware of this. Having recently recruited people to make pasta and built the necessary facilities, he had a rough idea of the construction timeline: "At the earliest, it would take half a month to prepare, assuming we have enough workers."
But he was concerned about the risk of the sauce recipe being leaked.
This was different from the pasta. The pasta recipe was intentionally shared with the people of Sardinson County as a benefit, aiming to make it a primary product of the region. With such a large market, even if others copied it, they wouldn't have to worry about their products not selling.
However, the meat sauce was different. Its shelf life was shorter, and since it required many seasonings during preparation, ordinary people couldn't afford it. Only nobles and wealthy merchants could buy it, making the market smaller. If the recipe was leaked and someone developed a better meat sauce, the business might not survive.
"Then, break down the production process into an assembly line. Some people cut the meat, others season it, and others cook it. Divide the tasks as finely as possible. The seasoning mix is the key. Pre-mix the seasonings and have trusted people handle that part. The exact amounts and timing of adding the seasonings are crucial. Even a slight difference can alter the flavor. As long as the seasoning recipe isn't cracked, it's unlikely others will replicate the same meat sauce."
After saying this, she thought about possibly making soy sauce and cooking wine. If successful, selling these seasonings alone could be quite profitable.
—Why does it feel like there's more and more to do?
Felix nodded and then brought up the dried flowers.
Wei Wei patted her forehead: "Why didn't I think of that? Wait, I'll go make a list for you now."
"No rush. I've invited Claude to stay at the castle. You can finish your other tasks first."
"I don't have much else to do right now." Besides teaching people to knit, she didn't have any other major tasks.
"Really? Think again." Felix hinted.
What else? Wei Wei couldn't think of anything.
Seeing her genuinely couldn't remember, Felix looked somewhat aggrieved: "Didn't you say you'd knit me a sweater?"
Now you're knitting a hat for Dolores, but where's my sweater?
Wei Wei was stunned for a moment before laughing: "It's already done. I was planning to give it to you along with the pants once they're finished. It's not cold yet, so there's no hurry."
Hearing there were both a sweater and pants, Felix's dissatisfaction vanished, but he still had some reservations: "You won't knit for Dolores, will you?"
"Of course not. She can knit her own. I'm just making her a hat."
Felix immediately pushed his luck: "Then I want a hat too."
Wei Wei teased: "A ladies' hat?"
Felix: ...