Walter had been in Eldora for seven or eight days, bringing soap with him.

Initially, this novel product did not attract much attention from the noble ladies. However, today, everything changed. Overnight, a long line had formed outside the Goldwynd family’s shop in Eldora.

The people waiting at the entrance were housekeepers, maids, and attendants from various prestigious households, all with one purpose: purchasing soap.

At the same time, word spread throughout Eldora that the imperial concubines in the palace were all using soap. This revelation caused a stir among the noble ladies who seldom left their residences. Anything used by the Empress herself became a must-have, driving them out in droves to buy soap.

After the first batch of soap was brought home and used, demand skyrocketed the next day. Even wealthy young men had joined the frenzy.

"Oh? Isn’t this Gareth?"

"Adel! It’s been a long time. You’re here for?"

"Gareth, you too?"

"Ah, since we are all like-minded, there’s no need to be coy. My sister bought a bar of soap yesterday, and after trying it, she was completely enthralled. She spent an entire night just staring at it! Out of curiosity, I borrowed it this morning to try for myself, and I was amazed. Today, I’m here to buy some as a gift for my lady."

"Gareth, you borrowed it?" Adel asked in surprise. "I haven’t even tried it yet, what a shame!"

"Ahem, as scholars, let’s not use the word ’borrow.’ I merely took it." Gareth corrected indignantly.

Just then, the shop’s doors swung open. With lightning speed, Gareth grabbed Adel and dashed inside.

Standing at the entrance, Walter was dumbfounded. He had not expected soap to become this wildly popular, nor had he anticipated that, aside from noble ladies, courtesans from brothels would also become a major customer base.

Meanwhile, in the South, Percival was reaping substantial profits. While most of the empire’s aristocracy resided in Eldora, the wealthiest merchants were concentrated in the South, particularly in Burrow’s Town.

In fact, Burrow’s Town’s prosperity had long rivalled that of Eldora.

Since Brambleford’s Finest and perfume had already gained widespread popularity, these two products were selling exceptionally well here. Moreover, neither the Goldwynd family nor the Chandlier family had access to perfume; only Percival’s merchants carried it.

Soap didn’t take long to gain traction either. Once news spread that the imperial concubines were using it, the entire stock sold out within days.

Now, discussions about these three miraculous products were happening everywhere in Burrow’s Town. Even while dining at an inn, Percival couldn’t avoid overhearing excited conversations. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

At a nearby table, a young noble stood up, holding a bottle of perfume. He strutted around the room, proudly displaying it.

"Do you know what this is?" He asked.

The other young men at the table, unfamiliar with Burrow’s Town’s latest trends, shook their heads.

The noble smirked. He removed the stopper, waved the bottle in the air, and let the scent waft around the room.

"Ahhh! That smells amazing!" Everyone gasped.

"Exactly! This is called perfume. Do you know about Lady Maud from the Peach house?"

"You mean the stunning beauty... But also the one plagued by body odour?"

"That’s the one! Because of her condition, she lost the title of ’Flower Queen’ at the peach house year after year. But ever since she started using this perfume, her odour disappeared completely! Now, countless rich young men are vying for her attention."

"Is it really that effective? Can it mask any bad smell? I don’t believe it."

"Absolutely."

"Then let me try!" Another noble eagerly said.

The proud perfume owner handed it over. The other young man dabbed some on himself and declared. "I also have body odour. For the sake of my brothers, I shall test it!"

Back in Brambleford, the situation at the prince’s castle was unprecedented. Unlike previous years, when the castle was quiet and unvisited, it was now bustling with endless traffic. The entrance was so crowded that it was nearly impossible to get through.

In just two months, soap, perfume, and wine had gained immense fame across both the northern and southern regions. Merchants, sensing an enormous business opportunity, swarmed Brambleford like cats drawn to the scent of fish.

Naturally, their first order of business was to seek an audience with Simon.

These days, Ysabeau’s hands were sore from receiving endless gifts, and Simon spent each morning meeting with eager merchants. Yet, despite days of discussions, the merchants remained relentless, refusing to leave until they secured a deal.

Unsurprisingly, the Goldwynd and Chandlier families were growing increasingly anxious. So many competitors had suddenly arrived to challenge their monopoly. In response, they tried to ingratiate themselves with Simon through discounts and favours, while also resorting to more underhanded methods, including intimidation, threats, and even covert attacks on rival merchants. But these efforts had little effect.

The lure of profit was simply too strong. The merchants kept coming, fully embodying the saying. "A man will risk his life for wealth, just as a bird will for food."

"My Lord, the castle’s storerooms are overflowing with gifts!"

The entire castle was caught between joy and exhaustion.

The servants indulged in delicacies and treats from all corners of the Eldorian Empire while working tirelessly to accommodate the endless stream of merchants.

Simon chuckled. "If there’s no more space, clear out some other rooms."

Joan, her cheeks stuffed with malt candy, nodded vigorously. These days, she no longer had to worry about getting her favourite sweets; nearly every visiting merchant brought pastries and confections as tribute.

"Delicious! Delicious!" She mumbled through her full mouth.

"This is the royal castle of the prince of Brambleford! Such disorder is unseemly!" Baldwin sighed, shaking his head. Simon had called him in to help deal with the merchants, but upon seeing the chaotic state of the castle, Baldwin couldn’t resist launching into a lecture.

Joan shrank back, grabbed onto Ysabeau’s sleeve, and ran away, fearing Baldwin would scold her.

Simon reassured him. "Sir Baldwin, the household is merely in high spirits; there’s no need to be so strict."

Baldwin remained stern. "My Lord, forgive my bluntness, but after accepting so many gifts, what do you plan to do? If you agree to their requests, not only will the Goldwynd and Chandlier families suffer losses, but even your own commercial ventures will take a hit."

"You worry too much, Baldwin. We must think long-term."

Baldwin, a scholar raised on model teachings, had always looked down on merchants. To him, they contributed nothing to production and merely profited from transactions, no different from parasites.

Over the past few days, Simon had engaged in several heated debates with him, using his vast knowledge of economics and industry to gradually convince him that merchants could be beneficial.

Simon had a clear plan.

At first glance, monopolizing all three industries, soap, liquor, and perfume, seemed like the best way to make profits. However, this was a short-sighted approach.

The combined strength of the Goldwynd, Chandlier and his businesses was limited. They could never distribute soap nationwide in a short time. This would restrict sales to a few regions, capping profits.

Instead, Simon decided to open up soap-making technology to outside merchants, allowing them to set up workshops in Brambleford. This would significantly boost production capacity.

By doing so, he could allocate his own resources to higher-value industries rather than low-tier products like liquor and perfume. After all, his ambitions extended far beyond mere wealth; he aimed to dominate the world.

However, the technology would only be partially open.

The alkali-making process would remain exclusive to him; he would supply alkali, while merchants would only handle soap production. Workshops could only be established in Brambleford and other territories under his control.

These measures ensured that Simon would profit more from selling alkali than from making soap himself. Meanwhile, the concentration of merchants in Brambleford would further accelerate its economic boom.

As for the Goldwynd and Chandlier families’ concerns? Once he explained the win-win nature of his plan, they would understand soon enough.