Chapter 753 — For the Fragment Map!

Such was the prestige of the Yu Family, and such was the pride that set the Yu Family above all others. In their eyes, Yu Kun's attitude was perfectly proper. When the Yu Family entered into negotiations with anyone, it was an act of charity, a grace bestowed from on high!

But this time, they had picked the wrong man. In Fatty Lai's heart, Wei Zhao was the supreme authority. The Yu Family meant nothing before Wei Zhao - they were less than dust. The Yu Family was impressive? Then why were you buying our Life-Extending and Detox Elixir?

"The question is simple. Mr. Lai, you once acquired a damaged fragment map at one of our Yu Family's auctions. I wonder what exactly you intended to do with it?" Yu Kun asked, getting straight to the point.

He did not believe that Fatty Lai would dare to keep anything hidden in the face of the Yu Family's power. Anyone who could attend a Yu Family auction surely knew the family's background. Who would dare to oppose the Yu Family?

"A fragment map? What fragment map?" Fatty Lai was momentarily taken aback. When had he ever bid on a fragment map?

Yu Kun was equally surprised by Fatty Lai's reaction. He was a martial artist, skilled at reading people's expressions, and from that flicker of genuine astonishment on Fatty Lai's face, it seemed the man truly did not know much about this fragment map.

However, after the initial shock wore off, it suddenly came back to Fatty Lai. He had indeed helped Wei Zhao acquire a fragment map at that auction. Could it be that the Yu Family's visit this time was all about that map, and that talk of cooperation and mutual benefit was nothing but a pretext?

The thought made Fatty Lai increasingly certain. Clearly, Yu Kun had come with a purpose, and that purpose was the fragment map. What secret, exactly, lay hidden within it?

"Mr. Lai, surely the great have many things to forget?" Yu Kun regarded Fatty Lai with undisguised mockery. "You won a fragment map at the auction, and you claim not to remember?"

"I remember now." Fatty Lai knew this could not be concealed, so he simply owned up to it. "At the time I bought it out of mere curiosity, that is why your sudden question caught me off guard. Yes, there was indeed such a parchment map."

"Since Mr. Lai remembers, very well. What did you intend to use it for? And perhaps you would tell me - do you have any other fragment maps in your possession?" Yu Kun was now eighty percent certain that Fatty Lai did not know the fragment map's true purpose. Otherwise, Fatty Lai would not have worn that expression of stunned confusion when Yu Kun first asked him.

"It was just curiosity, nothing more. As for other fragment maps, I have never seen any." Fatty Lai shook his head.

"Really?" Yu Kun clearly did not quite believe him. Even if Fatty Lai did not know the map's secret, why would he buy a useless object if he had never seen anything similar?

"Naturally, it is true." Fatty Lai smiled.

"Very well, then. Hand the fragment map over to me, and I will still offer you a generous reward." Yu Kun decided to change tactics. He would have Fatty Lai hand over the map. If the map truly held value for him, Fatty Lai would certainly refuse to give it up. If the map was worthless, he would hand it over without hesitation.

"Oh, you are willing to reward me? In that case, Mr. Yu, perhaps you could tell me first what this so-called reward is?" Fatty Lai did not answer directly, but instead posed a question of his own.

"There is no harm in telling you. Simply hand over the fragment map, and from now on, the exclusive national distribution rights for all Doctor Guan Pharmaceuticals products will be granted to our Yu's Trading Company." Yu Kun said coolly. "From now on, all you need to do is sit back and count your money."

"What?" Fatty Lai stared at Yu Kun in disbelief. "You call that a reward? You have quite the appetite - you open your mouth and demand the national distribution rights for our entire product line? Are you the fool here, or do you take me for one?"

The commercial success of Doctor Guan Pharmaceuticals' products was a foregone conclusion. Fatty Lai knew Wei Zhao's formidable capabilities intimately, and he knew exactly how effective the products were. Whoever served as distributor stood to make a fortune. And Fatty Lai had no intention of licensing the rights out. He already had an established trading company, which had been merged into Doctor Guan Pharmaceuticals as the Marketing and Sales Department. He could handle his own distribution channels perfectly well himself - why hand the profits to someone else?

Admittedly, if it had been some obscure little company or minor enterprise, securing a tie-up with Yu's Trading Company and having them serve as the exclusive distributor would mean never having to worry about sales. The Yu Family's connections were vast; wealthy and powerful figures across every region would show them face.

Under normal circumstances, if the Yu Family agreed to distribute a new product, that company would save itself an enormous amount of effort - not only saving on distribution and advertising costs, but also never having to worry about where to sell the goods, since everything would be handled by the Yu Family's people.

But for Fatty Lai, this was nothing short of highway robbery. This was not a reward - this was an attempt to take advantage of him!

"Well? Are these not excellent terms?" Seeing Fatty Lai's stunned expression, Yu Kun assumed the man was simply dazed by the sheer generosity of the offer. He could not help feeling quite pleased with himself.

"Heh heh. If this is about a distribution partnership, then I am afraid I cannot make that decision on my own, since Doctor Guan Pharmaceuticals already has its own Marketing and Sales Department to manage distribution channels." Fatty Lai smiled with a hint of apology. "However, if Yu's Trading Company wishes to place a bulk order of our Trauma Medicine, we would certainly offer you a very favorable price."

"What exactly do you mean?" Yu Kun's face darkened instantly. He had never expected Fatty Lai to refuse.

The Yu family had offered of their own accord to act as agents for Doctor Guan Pharmaceuticals' products, and they had actually been refused? Yu Kun felt he had lost face badly. Not only had he been humiliated, but the Yu family had been humiliated as well. Here was something others would have begged for, and yet Fatty Lai had been so utterly obtuse about it?

Did he have any idea how vast the Yu family's sales channels and connections were? A new product not yet even on the market, and he still fancied he could build his own distribution network? The market right now belonged to Kang the Divine Doctor's Golden Wound Medicine. A new brand like his, and he still dreamed of making it on his own?

True, you have already built up a certain reputation among high society, but if you expect the common people to accept you, then without the Yu family's channels you can dream on.

"Heh heh, Mr. Yu, the company is not mine alone. I am merely a manager. Within my authority I can discuss only the supply and sale of products. As for the agency rights, I have no such power, because the company's founding principle from the very beginning has been to handle its own distribution." Fatty Lai shrugged.

"Fine. Very fine. I hope Mr. Lai will not live to regret your decision!" Yu Kun shot Fatty Lai a venomous look, thinking to himself, how can this fellow be so utterly obtuse? RO