Imperial Crown.

Chapter 403 Fashion Items
Many thanks to Qidian Dad [Book Friend 20250215002001513] for the 500 reward!

……

The killing of the young flayer and the taking over of his territory by Earl Raven was a huge event for the nobility and was also of great significance to the Griffith family.

But when it comes to every citizen in the territory, this matter is not so worthy of concern.

Although I heard some time ago that Little Flay's death might have been caused by Count Raven, and some people also said that this might lead to punishment at the imperial level, it really made the people worried for a while.

But as 1202 passed and 1203 arrived, there was no sign of any disturbance, and this matter naturally faded from the lives of the people.

After all, life still has to go on.

The most typical example is Peter.

That's the guy who once met Crouch, who has a dog, works on a pig farm, and has been carrying a mortgage for decades.

Last month, he was arguing with someone in a pub about who was responsible for Little Flay's death.

Now, I just want to go to the pub and relax.

"Damn it, I don't know who this kid learned this from!"

Peter's face turned red with embarrassment when he thought of what happened this afternoon.

He got married in early 1197 and his son was born at the end of the year.

To this day, his son is less than 6 years old.

Peter works at a pig farm and usually gets off work at 5 p.m., but if he works the night shift, he won't get home until midnight. His wife works at an embroidery factory and neither of them has much time to take care of the children.

So the child was entrusted to a "kindergarten" at the price of 2 silver coins per month.

It is said that this kind of industry has existed in Mon'en City for a long time, but it has only appeared in Eagle Town in recent years.

Counting the time, it has been 2 years.

Everything was fine for 2 years, but he didn't expect that today, his son, who was not even 6 years old, would cause him so much trouble!
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Peter went to the pub he often visited, opened the door, sat down at the bar, and threw down five copper coins.

Without saying a word, the bartender, who knew the regulars, poured Peter a large glass of beer and took out a plate of snacks and pushed it in front of Peter.

When Peter saw this, his expression became even worse and he reached out to push the plate away.

"What's wrong? Are you in a bad mood today?" The bartender pointed at the plate and said, "This would cost money in other bars, but our boss is willing to provide it for free. If you are in a bad mood, don't mess with this good thing!"

The plate contained fresh potato chips that had been produced in a factory in the Rust Belt about a month ago.

Peter couldn't understand why this fried potato slices suddenly became popular in the entire Eagle Town. It was sold in competitions, roadside shops, and used as a gimmick in pubs.

However, it must be said that the gimmick is really effective. This old pub, which has been open for almost 10 years, has attracted a group of new customers thanks to it.

Peter sighed: "Don't mention it, if it weren't for this thing, I wouldn't be so angry!"

The bartender smelled gossip and leaned over to wink: "What's going on? Tell me, and you'll feel better if you tell me."

"Ah..." Peter sighed and took a sip of beer:
"You know my son, don't you?"

The bartender smiled and said, "How could I not know? Every time you come here you always tell me that he could read at the age of three and recite poems at the age of five. Last time, the church choir wanted to recruit him!"

"If only it would always be this good." Peter smiled bitterly and pointed at the potato chips on the plate. "Ever since this stuff became popular, he's seen kids in the orphanage eating them, so he's been pestering me for more when he gets home. If I didn't buy them for him, he'd be mad at me for days!"

"It's not that I don't want to part with it, but you know how expensive this thing is!"

Since the potato chips were introduced, they have been available in bulk in bars, stadiums, parades, etc., as well as in packages sold in stores.

It is packed with oak leaves and comes in medium, large and extra large portions.

A medium portion costs 2 copper coins!
Peter frowned and said, "You know, when we were kids, two copper coins were enough for a family of six to eat for a day."

"Of course, the situation is different now. I don't have to hold on to these two copper coins, but the amount is too small. There are dozens of pieces. If I really want to eat them, I can finish them in a few bites."

"If you replace it with maltose, it will last for two days!"

The bartender chuckled: "You are still so angry because of this?"

"Of course not. I didn't buy it for that kid, and he didn't want it after that. I thought he finally understood how difficult it was for his father, but I didn't expect..." Bit sighed again:

"This kid actually teamed up with a few friends in the orphanage to isolate a child—

He said that unless I could get some potato chips, all the kids in the orphanage would stop playing with me!"

The bartender showed a hint of surprise on his face: "Your child is so amazing?"

Peter's face became uglier. "Yes, it has been going on for 6 or 7 days. It was only when the parents found money missing from their home and went to ask what happened that this happened."

"Because of this, I was called over by the nursery nanny today and given a lecture!"

"That nanny looked at me as if I were a barbarian from another county, and I had to put on a smile and apologize to the child's parents and pay compensation. I'm over 30 years old, and this is the first time I've been treated like this!"

Seeing this, the bartender poured him another glass of wine: "It's not easy for you, this one's on me."

Peter did not refuse. He took the cup, raised his head and took a big gulp, then burped longly: "I have to teach that kid a lesson when I go back tonight!"

"Don't be so angry." The bartender wiped the glass and persuaded: "Children have their own circles. Potato chips are so popular now. Others have eaten them but he hasn't. There is nothing to talk about. It's not his fault that he has evil thoughts."

"But he can't have such evil thoughts!" Peter raised his voice:

"Besides, what's so delicious about these crappy potato chips?"

The bartender pushed the plate toward him and said, "You'll know if you try it yourself."

Peter picked up a piece and looked at it carefully. He had no idea what it was cut from, but it was so thin that light could pass through it. It was greasy and golden, and it looked really good.

Peter put it to his nose and smelled it, and his throat couldn't help but swallow a mouthful of saliva.

Click.

With a light bite, the potato chips break into pieces in your mouth, and the salty taste spreads along with the unique aroma of fried food.

The taste...seems pretty good!
Once I start talking, I can't stop.

Peter took a few bites of potato chips and a sip of beer, and ate more and more happily. He recalled the scene when he was a child, he went to the fields to find insect pupae, roasted them on the stove, and ate them happily with his friends.

Maybe... I was really wrong this time?

Click.

The wicker plate was spinning on the table, and it turned out that the potato chips had been eaten up.

Peter was stunned for a moment, drank the last bit of beer, stood up and was about to walk out.

"You can't just beat a child." The bartender whispered, "The most important thing is to make him remember the lesson."

Peter nodded, not knowing whether he had heard it or not, and walked out of the tavern.

By the time he got home, it was about 7 o'clock in the evening.

An oil lamp burned on the table.

There was the sound of clattering footsteps, and Peter's beloved dog Bobby rushed to him, wagging his tail happily.

The son who ran out with Bobby hid by the wall, looking at his father hesitantly, as if a little scared.

Peter's wife stepped out from behind the child and gently nudged his shoulder.

The little fellow plucked up his courage, walked up to Peter, lowered his head, and clasped his hands together in a tangled way:
"I'm sorry, Dad. I was wrong. I won't ask for potato chips anymore..."

He bit his lips tightly, as if he had mustered up great courage, raised his right hand and spread it out: "If you are still angry, hit me..."

After saying that, he closed his eyes tightly.

However, what came was not the expected slap, but instead a slight heaviness in his hand.

When I opened my eyes, it turned out to be a bag of potato chips!
"Dad! This..." The little guy was puzzled.

Peter half-knelt down and put his hand on his shoulder: "It's Dad's problem. Since you want to eat, let's buy it. But you have to promise Dad that no matter what you want in the future, you have to tell us instead of asking for it in that way, okay?"

"Okay!" The little guy nodded vigorously, and then whispered: "Here, can I take it to school tomorrow? I want to compensate Little Curly."

The little curly-head is the child who was isolated by him.

"Eat it with peace of mind." Peter smiled, feeling lucky that his decision was not wrong. At least the child knew he was wrong and wanted to make amends:
"I'll buy you another large pack tomorrow morning so you can share it with your friends."

"Great!" The little guy jumped up excitedly.

When Peter's wife saw this scene, the worry in her eyes melted away.

The family of three had dinner together. The couple put the child to sleep early and talked for a long time until they fell into a deep sleep in the second half of the night.

The next morning, Peter took his son to the store to buy potato chips, but the result was a surprise.

"What does it mean to be gone?" "It means to be gone."

"But weren't the shelves still full last night?"

"Then you have to ask him."

The shelf owner pointed to a place not far away, where there was a guy who obviously looked like a businessman and several workers who were loading goods onto a carriage.

"Everything I have in stock has been sold at a 2% markup!"

"But why don't they buy it from the Chamber of Commerce?"

"If the Chamber of Commerce could buy it, would they come here?"

Peter looked confused and stared at his son.

Are potato chips really that delicious?

If businessmen were asked to answer, it would be -

I don’t know whether it tastes good or not, but it really sells well.

As early as last year, there were rumors that Xuefengling's factory in the Rust Belt was developing a new product, which aroused great expectations from the outside world.

Many businessmen sent their subordinates or came to Xiongying Town themselves and stayed there for two or three months, just to wait for the release opportunity and grab the first wave of opportunities.

But one month ago, in early January 1, merchants who saw the official announcement of the new product were greatly disappointed.

The product launched was just potato chips fried from potatoes.

For retail, a medium portion costs 2 copper coins, a large portion costs 5 copper coins, and an extra-large portion costs 12 copper coins.

If you buy in bulk, the price per pound is only 1 copper coins.

To be honest, if it were just potatoes, they wouldn't be worth so much money. However, considering its production process, especially the use of oil and salt, selling it at this price is not particularly unusual, and it can even be said to be cost-effective.

But the problem is that businessmen really can't see where the profit point of this thing is.

Compared with the Angel series products developed by the Rust Belt factories, these potato chips are really too low-class.

Therefore, except for some small businesses that purchased in small quantities, most merchants chose to wait and see.

Griffith was not in a hurry about this. In addition to selling it publicly in the Chamber of Commerce, he also began to distribute it in the five northwestern counties and the city of Mon'en through his own channels.

No one expected that the potato chips would be so popular soon after they were launched!
From common people to nobles, everyone loves this thing.

The taste is crispy, oily and salty.

In some places where salt is expensive, potato chips have even become a salt substitute.

For the nobles, this thing is very suitable to be presented at cocktail parties. It is delicious and does not take up too much space in the stomach. You can eat a few bites at your leisure to fill your stomach, avoiding the embarrassment of having a growling stomach while trying to look cool or mixing with the beautiful women.

In addition, when selling at retail, a set of packaging is specially designed for the nobility. The price is 10 times more expensive than ordinary potato chips, and there are more flavor choices.

In addition to the most basic salt flavor, there are also tomato flavor, barbecue flavor, cheese flavor, etc. There are many varieties for you to choose from. Once it was launched, it became a fashion item.

After all, the principle of most aristocrats is to only buy expensive things, not the right ones.

As a result, merchants who realized that they had missed something flocked to Eagle Town to purchase goods.

If you can’t buy it at the Chamber of Commerce, then go to various shops to purchase retail products, just to make your first pot of gold while the popularity is at its peak.

Faced with this situation, Griffith responded quickly.

The raw materials for potato chips have already been shipped to Xiongying Town one after another, and the factory has not yet fully opened up its production capacity. Now that the sales results are so good, it immediately invested in production.

After only about ten days, the potato chips provided by the Chamber of Commerce were basically able to meet the needs of major merchants.

The potato chips also spread throughout the Nordic province as merchants circulated them.

By April 1203, potato chips were being sold wherever people lived in Nord.

It also makes people realize that the Griffith family, or more precisely, Raven, is creative in more than just luxury goods.

And the spread of potato chips did not stop there.

Part of it passed through the Northern Wall of Sighs and opened up the market of the Duchy of Eivor; part of it went east and began to capture cities in the North Sea Province; and part of it went south and flowed into the Province of Molinir.

After being transported to these places, the price of potato chips is inevitably rising due to transportation costs.

Its popularity among the common people is much lower than that in the Nordic provinces, but its popularity among the nobles remains the same.

It can be said that in just two months, we successfully opened up the market and firmly occupied it.

Even on Count Jonah's dining table, it appeared.

"How much do you think this thing costs?" Count Jonah grabbed a potato chip and frowned.

"71.6 copper coins per pound, sir." The butler said respectfully.

Click.

Count Jonah put the potato chips in his hand into his mouth and chewed them carefully:
“…It’s not expensive.”

"Yeah, I also said that this thing is really too...ah?" The butler said more than half of it before reacting: "What did you say?"

Count Jonah didn't say anything, but just picked up another potato chip, crushed it in his palm, and spread it out.

The potato chips crumbled into a pile, and the fat shone brightly among the residue.

The butler still looked confused.

Jonah glanced at the new butler, sighed in his heart, and missed the previous butler, Jin Mangs.

That guy got what he deserved and was killed by Raven.

But at least, he had some experience in marching and fighting, and he knew Jonah's temper well. Even if he didn't understand, he should have praised him a few times instead of standing there like a wooden man.

In Jonah's opinion, the greatest value of potato chips is not as snacks, but as military rations.

Sufficiently dry, fried, and generously salted, this ensures that it can be stored for a long time; and even if it breaks, it will only lose some taste.

On the contrary, it would be easier to carry if it was crushed and turned into powder.

Having experienced being chased and blocked for more than a month in the Principality of Eivor, Jonah knew very well that if one simply did not eat, one's physical strength and energy would not deplete so quickly.

What is really fatal is the lack of salt.

If I don't eat salt for 3 days, I will have no strength at all.

This kind of potato chips can not only satisfy hunger but also replenish oil, water and salt. It is really the most suitable emergency military ration.

From this perspective, its price of 71.6 copper coins per pound is not so difficult to accept.

"Take your men to Eagle City and bring my handwritten letter." Jonah said:

"Go buy 100 million, no, 300 million pounds of potato chips!"

The time came to the end of May 1203.

In Eagle City, Denise marveled at the revenue statistics for the first half of the year.

If this report had not been carefully statistically analyzed and Fiona had not calculated it once, Denise would have thought that the data was miscalculated.

With her usual trust in Raven, Denise guessed that potato chips could make money.

But in her expectation, for this kind of non-essential product which was not particularly cheap, a profit of several thousand gold coins throughout the year would be considered good.

The reality is, according to statistics from the first half of the year, more than 6900 million pounds of potato chips were sold.

The total sales amounted to 21.87 gold coins.

And the profit reached a staggering 8.07 gold coins!
You should know that before this, even the flagship product Angel's Tears could only bring in profits of 8 to 10 gold coins a year.

The revenue from potato chips in half a year is equal to the revenue of Angel Tears in a whole year!
According to the current trend, by the end of this year, the Griffith family's annual net revenue will steadily exceed the 50 gold coins mark. Looking at the entire empire, it can be considered medium among the earl families.

Denise smiled, and couldn't wait to share this joy with Raven, but then she frowned and asked Angie beside her:

"Raven went into his meditation room again today?"

"Yes, ma'am." An Qi said, "Besides, the Earl has specifically ordered that no one is allowed to disturb us."

Denise nodded, moving her fingers meaninglessly on the tabletop.

What is Raven doing?
……

(End of this chapter)