Spy game? Stop guessing, I really am an undercover agent!

Chapter 172 Sky-high Price
Elsa didn't give a long speech; as the host of the banquet, she simply bowed politely to everyone and exchanged pleasantries.

The music continued, and the men and women on the dance floor swayed their bodies to their hearts' content, releasing their excess hormones.

After Elsa came down, she naturally walked to Chen Yang's side.

After all, the purpose of her banquet was to help Chen Yang get to know some people in high society.

Help him achieve upward social mobility.

This is exactly what Chen Yang needs right now: to get to know the upper echelons of these countries. This will not only help his career in China, but more importantly, it will directly influence his plans for the future.

“Your Highness,” Sir Carl Abbott, the British Consul General in Shanghai, was the first to approach with a wine glass in hand.

He was nearly sixty years old, with meticulously styled gray hair, an imperial medal pinned to the front of his elegant tailcoat, and an aura of fine Scotch whisky and cologne.

"Oh, Mr. Carl, hello." Elsa politely raised her glass and clinked it with his.

“Your Highness,” he said, deliberately drawing closer to make the conversation more intimate, “please allow me to once again express the British Empire’s respect for the Dutch Royal Family.”

“I received a telegram that you seem to be very interested in penicillin from the University of Sheffield laboratory.”

"To be frank, this drug has been under research for ten years, but we have been unable to break through the bottleneck of large-scale production."

"Sir Fleming's so-called inflammation killer has not been proven. This drug has not even entered clinical trials. I think your investment is too risky."

“Her Majesty the Queen would not approve of such a hasty decision by you.” Karl gently swirled the amber liquid in his glass, the ice cubes striking the glass with a crisp sound.

“Karl, are you questioning Princess Elsa’s judgment?” Not far away, Maddilon, the Scottish Managing Director of Shell Oil Asia, slowly moved toward the group like a mountain of flesh wrapped in an expensive fine wool suit.

He held a wine glass in one hand and a large Havana cigar between his fingers, the thick smoke swirling around him and blurring his slightly rugged face.

Seemingly intentionally making sure those around him could hear his voice: "Your Highness is not your Royal Institution of Science."

“Professor Flory wanted to work with you three years ago, but you made excuses about needing to go through the procedures and kept delaying it for three years.”

"Now that they've found the right partner, you're planning to get involved again."

“Mr. Karl, you seem to be lacking in aristocratic manners.”

Carl shrugged and said, "Mr. Maddilron, you seem to be overthinking things. We don't care about penicillin."

"If the Royal Academy of Sciences were really interested in this drug, we would have made our move long ago."

“In fact, we have studied reports about this drug more than once, but most people still feel that its value is not enough for large-scale investment.”

"Because a drug that cannot be mass-produced, no matter how valuable, cannot bring substantial profits."

“Mr. Maddil, you should know that a country’s research funding is limited. We cannot cover everything and can only select valuable projects to invest in.”

"You British people are really stupid; you don't understand the true value of penicillin at all."

Just then, a mocking voice slowly rang out. Upon hearing this voice, Princess Elsa's hand holding the champagne glass tightened imperceptibly.

The group looked in the direction from which the sound came.

The voice belonged to Dr. Otto von Felmann, the German Consul General in Shanghai.

He was tall and thin, dressed in a black diplomat uniform with an almost rigid cut, and his gaze toward the group was as cold as a scalpel.

Fellman took a sip of champagne, casually picked up a silver spoon from the table, and slowly tapped the inside of the crystal champagne glass he held aloft. "Clang, clang, clang," the crisp sound seemed to possess a strange magic; in an instant, all the conversations and music in the Peacock Hall were paused as the silver spoon struck.

Even the band conductor put down his baton and stared in astonishment at the German diplomat.

Felman was very pleased with the deliberately created silence.

Without looking at anyone, he strode straight through the crowd with precise steps, heading directly towards Princess Elsa in the center.

He stopped three steps away from the princess.

Without any pleasantries or unnecessary movements, he simply pulled a neatly folded document from the inside pocket of his uniform, his face expressionless.

At the very top of the document, a bold black swastika symbol, under the dazzling crystal chandelier, exuded a chilling aura of authority.

Below the symbol is the same cold, clear printed text: "Penicillin Patent Immediate Procurement Offer".

“Your Highness,” Fellmann said slowly, “the German Imperial Government, based on its high regard for scientific progress and humanitarian causes, formally presents to you this legally binding immediate procurement offer.”

"The price is double your purchase price, which is two hundred thousand pounds."

"Cash payment, instant cash, either from the Imperial Bank's vault or your designated Swiss bank account, is always at your disposal."

He leaned forward slightly, exuding an overwhelming sense of pressure. "Berlin hopes that with the wisdom of the Dutch royal family, they can make the right choice that best aligns with the trends of the times."

It must be said that Fellman's tone was arrogant from beginning to end.

He wasn't negotiating with the other party; he was simply informing them what to do!
Elsa was intimidated by his imposing manner, and her hand holding the wine glass turned slightly white from the force she exerted.

Just then, Chen Yang stepped forward and grasped Elsa's left hand with his right.

For some reason, Elsa's initial nervousness vanished instantly upon feeling the warmth emanating from Chen Yang's hand.

Standing before her was the German Consul General, who, in a sense, represented Germany.

But Elsa showed no fear and looked directly at the other person.

"Mr. Fairman, thank you very much for attending this party tonight."

"I didn't originally want to discuss business in this kind of setting."

"However, since you are interested in the penicillin patent, I will reluctantly discuss it with you."

"You are absolutely right. Research on penicillin is indeed a step forward for humanitarian causes, as well as for social sciences and pharmaceutical research."

"This honor should belong to all mankind. If you insist on measuring it in monetary terms, then the value of this patent is definitely not as cheap as two hundred thousand pounds."

Fellman seemed to have anticipated that Elsa wouldn't give in easily: "It's alright, Your Highness Elsa."

"We can discuss the price. Why don't you name a price?"

Elsa glanced at Chen Yang, and seeing the certainty in his eyes, she turned firmly to Fellman and said, word by word, "One hundred million pounds."

"What? Are you crazy?"

(End of this chapter)