The worse you are, the stronger you become: My summoned beast is a photographer.

Leonardo da Vinci had no doubts—only those who had tasted Ming Luochen's wine knew how good it was. The way the amber liquid swirled in the glass, the instant the sweet and mellow flavor melted on the tongue—these were qualities that ordinary processes could not achieve.

Based on the actual situation of his own winery, he calculated that if the material cost alone was sixty silver coins, plus six months of labor and storage costs, the cost of the wine would increase by at least ten times, which is six gold coins per pound.

A pound of freshly brewed apple cider only costs sixty-five copper coins, which is almost a thousand times more expensive. The key point is that six gold coins is just the cost price. Da Vinci quickly calculated in his mind, his vertical pupils slightly contracting, his fingers lightly tapping on his knees. It took him almost half an hour to arrive at this conclusion.

Ming Luochen stared at the old lizard man with a frustrated expression—why was he so silent? He hadn't said a word for so long; could it be that his price was too high? But weren't nobles all very wealthy? Those gems given at the wedding, each one alone must be worth hundreds of gold coins, right? If he proactively lowered the price, wouldn't it expose that he was deliberately raising costs and overcharging? So, what would be a reasonable price for the fruit wine?

Both were calculating in their own minds; one was assessing the prices of goods in the world, the other was struggling to make an estimate. The room was so quiet that the crackling of the firewood in the fireplace and the occasional gulping sound of Valerius swallowing his tea could be heard.

[What are they doing? Why aren't they saying anything? I really want to learn Bajiquan… How much longer?] Valerius stared blankly, his fingers unconsciously tracing circles on the rim of his teacup. [But since my son-in-law is brewing wine, I can drink some too. Speaking of which, he seems to have lost weight; it seems Aura's training has been effective.] He secretly glanced at Ming Luochen and noticed that his round belly did indeed seem to have shrunk a bit.

"Then I'll offer ten gold coins per pound for your plum wine, is that alright?" Da Vinci's forehead was beaded with sweat, his vertical pupils reflecting Ming Luochen's face. He had spent most of the day calculating before finally settling on a price of ten gold coins. This price was already nearly 70% higher than the cost price, which was quite a show of sincerity.

[Ten gold coins a pound—a huge profit! A commoner only earns thirty silver coins a month; ten gold coins are enough for a year and a half's salary.] Ming Luochen suppressed his elation, his heart pounding in his chest, but his face remained impassive. He nodded with a troubled expression, his brows slightly furrowed, his tone strained as if making an extremely painful decision: "Since Lord Leonardo da Vinci has personally come to purchase, our Raven Crest family will certainly give you this honor. However, it will take several months to brew, so we'll have to trouble you to wait six months."

"No problem. I'd like to buy a hundred catties, is that alright?" Da Vinci's face crinkled with joy, the scales on his cheeks trembling slightly with his smile. It seemed Ming Luochen wasn't as bad as the rumors suggested; he was quite polite and respectful. He had initially worried that this person from another world wouldn't know the rules, but now it seemed his worries were unfounded.

"No problem." Ming Luochen gritted his teeth and resolutely agreed, his expression as if he were cutting off his own flesh. One hundred jin, that's a thousand gold coins—one hundred purple gold coins, one imperial crystal coin. He was already calculating in his mind what he could do with that money.

Valerius listened with trepidation, nearly dropping his teacup and spilling a few drops onto his hand. Was that fruit wine really that expensive? And six months? Was Ming Luochen lying? He and his subordinate had actually drunk something so expensive! Thinking this, he felt as if he had swallowed gold coins instead of wine.

"Mr. Ming Luochen, if I may ask, do you sell your chef's recipes? Those dishes are absolutely delicious." Da Vinci arrived right on time today, hoping to mooch another delicious meal at noon. His vertical pupils gleamed with anticipation, and his tail swayed gently behind his chair.

"This is a family secret, passed down through generations. The elders have said it's generally not allowed to be shared outside the family." Ming Luochen quickly weighed the pros and cons. He had already discussed it with his mother-in-law before, mainly focusing on supplying goods. That way, the territory could grow large quantities of ingredients and seasonings for sale, and then sell brand franchise fees, which was the safest cooperation. His tone was firm, but a hint of wavering flashed in his eyes.

"I was presumptuous," Da Vinci said, his tone clearly disappointed. Now that the Raven Crest family was favored by the royal family and the city lord was also interested, he couldn't force the issue and had to give up. His tail drooped, no longer wagging.

"No way, you're giving up already? If you offer more money, maybe I'll agree—don't be so honest." Ming Luochen was anxious. He thought he was an honest person, but he didn't expect the world to be even more honest than him, giving up at the drop of a hat. He immediately changed his tone, his voice tinged with hesitation, "However, although the flavor is top secret, I can sell you a semi-finished product, which wouldn't violate the family rules."

Da Vinci's eyes lit up; his vertical pupils widened suddenly, and his tail curled up again: "A semi-finished product? How much?"

"Take cold chicken noodles, for example—I sell noodles and shredded chicken, frozen using ice magic stones. When you want some, you just have someone cook the noodles, heat them up, and add the shredded chicken and seasonings. Does that sound good?"

"Great! That's a great idea! Can we sell other vegetables too?" Leonardo da Vinci exclaimed excitedly, his voice rising several decibels, almost standing up from his chair—then he could eat delicious food when he returned to his territory and wouldn't have to worry about the simple meals at home anymore.

"It should be possible, but this is just a preliminary idea. We still need to test it out, and I'm not entirely sure right now. How about next time your retainer comes to collect the wine, if it works, I'll have him bring you the semi-finished product to see if this method will be effective?" Ming Luochen was busy with his wedding and hadn't yet figured out how to sell the pre-made meals. He had only talked to his mother-in-law about it and believed that the production process for the pre-made meals could be resolved in six months. He spoke cautiously, leaving himself plenty of room for maneuver.

"It's been so long..." Da Vinci was getting a little anxious, and the light in his vertical pupils dimmed a bit more. Ever since he had eaten at Raven Crest's wedding banquet the day before yesterday, his craving for delicious food had been lingering, and he was constantly craving it. After returning home, nothing tasted good, not even his favorite roast pigeon.

Ming Luochen smiled sheepishly and scratched his head: "Mainly because my wife and I have to participate in the National University Alliance Liberal Arts Competition, and we also have to brew wine. We have a lot of things to do, so we probably won't have much time to do research lately. Please understand."

"Alright then," Leonardo da Vinci said, his voice clearly disappointed. Seeing that lunch was still some time away, he pressed on, a glimmer of hope rekindling in his vertical pupils, "How confident are you that you can make it? What's the expected price?"

Ming Luochen calculated the cost of the shredded chicken cold noodles in a few seconds. The numbers were clicking and clattering in his mind like beads on an abacus: "How about ten copper coins for a set of semi-finished shredded chicken cold noodles? But that doesn't include transportation and refrigeration."

"Great! Great!" Da Vinci hadn't expected it to be so cheap. Compared to ten gold coins, it was practically free. He slapped his thigh so hard that the teacup on the table jumped. "How many can you provide?"

"I really don't know, this is just a preliminary idea." Ming Luochen didn't give a definitive answer, his tone cautious. Only by building the workshop and having his father-in-law's land plant the crops needed for cold noodles could they calculate the yield and final cost.

However, based on the prices of ingredients at the market, the cost of a serving of food is around three copper coins. If labor is included, purchasing a slave would cost at least five gold coins—however, slaves are for life, and their main responsibility is food and lodging. The initial investment is relatively high, but the cost is not much when spread out over time.

Butler Addison entered the reception room, looking nervous, the fur on his antlers standing on end. He said, "Master, the city lord has come to visit."

"Another one?" Valerius looked at Leonardo da Vinci, his brows furrowing slightly. "My lord, I apologize for my rudeness. I must go out to greet the city lord." He stood up and straightened his collar.

"I'll go with you." Leonardo da Vinci stood up as well—that was his superior, how could he dare to sit and wait here? His tail was nervously pressed against his back, and a hint of unease flashed in his vertical pupils.

---

Lord Karen alighted from his carriage, his golden mane gleaming in the sunlight. His imposing figure was clad in a deep blue cloak, exuding an extraordinary air. He saw Leonardo da Vinci, paused slightly, and his lion ears twitched gently: "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to buy wine from Mr. Ming Luochen," Leonardo da Vinci explained respectfully, bowing at just the right angle—why is the city lord's whole family here? His gaze swept over the carriage behind the city lord.

Orion and Aurora followed their father off the carriage, politely trailing behind. Even Lady Hera, the city lord's wife, slowly alighted. Hera wore a pale purple dress, her hair styled in a high bun, and her face was gentle and graceful. Standing next to Karen, they made a perfect couple.

"Perfect timing, that's what I came for too. How much did you buy?" City Lord Karen asked with a smile, as he was also preparing to buy some wine to take back.

"I bought 100 jin (50 kg), at 10 gold coins per jin, and it will take six months to receive it." Leonardo da Vinci told the whole story, not daring to hide anything.

"So expensive." City Lord Karen was somewhat surprised, raising his eyebrows slightly—he knew the wine was special, but he hadn't expected it to be this pricey. He glanced at Valerius, thinking to himself that the young man certainly knew how to do business.

"If you like it, my lord, I'll personally deliver it to your residence once Mingluochen Brew is ready. No need for payment," Valerius said hastily, his face beaming with smiles. He'd been thinking about how to return the valuable gift the city lord had given him, and this was the perfect opportunity.

"Haha, whatever the price, that's it. I'll buy two hundred catties, and I'll have someone bring the money over later." Karen was satisfied with Valerius's attitude and didn't want to owe him a favor, so he brushed it off lightly to avoid diminishing the weight of the generous gift he had given them earlier. Although his tone was relaxed, it conveyed an unyielding firmness.

"How can I do this..." Valerius was reluctant to accept the city lord's money, so he rubbed his hands together, looking troubled.

"There's nothing wrong with it. The wine is quite good; I plan to drink it regularly. If you give it to me this time, how can I possibly buy it again next time? That's all." The city lord interrupted Valerius with a smile, looking up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle, his gaze fixed on the tower of the distant manor.

"It's getting dark; it's time for lunch. Will my sudden arrival disturb you?"

Karen had no choice—he couldn't resist his two children's insistence on eating at the Valerius's house, so he had to swallow his pride and come. Last night, Aurora had been nagging him all night about how delicious the food at the wedding banquet was, making his mouth water.

"No, no. It's our honor that you've come. If it's convenient for you and your wife, you can have a meal here." Even if Valerius was stupid, he could see that the city lord's family was just here to freeload. He couldn't help but smile, feeling quite pleased with himself: to have the city lord come to freeload for a meal, that's a privilege not everyone has.

Da Vinci suddenly realized—so that's how well the city lord timed things! He had just been wondering how he could possibly ask to stay for dinner, but now, with the city lord by his side, he didn't have to be shy anymore. His tail perked up again, and his vertical pupils were filled with smug delight.

Ming Luochen stood aside, looking at the room full of nobles, and sighed silently in his heart.

Well, looks like we'll have to add more dishes to lunch again.