BDSMST -Chapter 150 Leo’s Proposal for a World-Spanning “Golden Trade Route”

Ever since witnessing the power of the “Eastern Divine Water,” Leo’s admiration for Jiang Suisui had reached an entirely new level. In his eyes, every action she took radiated a divine aura. Every word she spoke was treated as sacred, carefully recorded in the already well-worn illustrated manual he kept by his side.

Time flew, and another autumn harvest had arrived.

Under Jiang Suisui’s guidance and through his own efforts, the students from the Frankish Kingdom whom he had brought along had completely mastered the cultivation techniques for corn, potatoes, tomatoes, chili peppers, and cotton. They had witnessed firsthand how a single tiny seed could produce bountiful crops far beyond their imagination on this miraculous land.

Looking at the warehouse piled high with grain and cotton, Leo felt a strong yearning for home. He couldn’t wait to bring these seeds of hope back to his own barren homeland.

That evening, after bathing and changing into clean clothes, he formally requested an audience with Jiang Suisui, Gu Yan, and Bai Yutang.

In the study, Leo did not begin with his usual report on learning progress. Instead, he carefully took a scroll of parchment from a specially made leather tube and unfurled it on the wide desk.

It was a massive, hand-drawn world map.

This map was far more expansive than any Daxia map Bai Yutang had ever collected. It clearly depicted the contours of the eastern continent, the ocean-separated Frankish Kingdom to the west, and the even vaster, unknown lands to the north and south.

“Respected lady, General, and Mr. Bai,” Leo began solemnly, pointing at the map. “Before I return home, I wish to propose a new, and perhaps the greatest, cooperation of our era.”

Bai Yutang’s interest was immediately piqued.

Leo’s finger landed on the location of the Frankish Kingdom, then slowly traced across the deep blue expanse of ocean, finally stopping at Jinling Port in Daxia.

“This is the sea route we took,” he said. “We skirted the dangerous southern capes, crossed a region we call the ‘Sea of Storms,’ and it took nearly a year to reach here. This route is long and fraught with unknown dangers.”

He lifted his finger and traced a new, shorter, and more direct curve across the map.

“However, in our country, the bravest explorers, after generations of effort, have charted a completely new route. It crosses the middle of the ocean—while still encountering storms, it avoids many reefs and pirate-infested areas. If our ships are sturdy enough and our technology sufficient, the journey time could theoretically be cut by half or even more.”

Gu Yan’s gaze followed the new route. As a general, he immediately recognized its strategic value—it dramatically shortened the distance between the two continents.

“Mr. Leo, is this cooperation you’re proposing regarding this new route?” Jiang Suisui asked.

“Yes, and not entirely,” Leo replied, his blue eyes sparkling with excitement. In this moment, he was no longer just a student—he had reverted to his aristocratic, adventurous self, a sharp and keen businessman.

“Lady, during my year in your country, I have seen far more than miraculous crops,” he began, speaking with the fervor of someone sharing treasures. “I have tasted your ‘tea.’ Such a wondrous drink is unheard of in my country. If brought home, the nobility would go mad over it.”

“I have worn garments made from your ‘silk.’ They are light, soft, and more luxurious than our finest velvet. Our noblewomen would gladly trade gold of equal weight for them.”

“And your porcelain—so exquisite, almost like art. We still use rough pottery and silver plates. Imagine the sensation if your porcelain appeared at a royal banquet!”

He grew increasingly animated, gesturing across the map.

“Then there are the chili peppers from your estate! Their spicy flavor is a gift to those of us accustomed to meat and bread all year round! And cotton—if our people could wear warm cotton clothes instead of rough hemp in the cold winter…”

He paused, drew a deep breath, and looked at the three of them with resolute eyes.

“This is a golden trade route to the world!” he emphasized. “If we can open it, transporting your estate’s products—tea, silk, porcelain, chili peppers, cotton—to my country, the profits we can obtain will be unimaginable. Tenfold… even a hundredfold!”

A quiet settled over the study.

Jiang Suisui and Gu Yan were both stirred by the grandeur of Leo’s vision.

Bai Yutang’s breathing had grown heavier. His eyes were fixed on the parchment map. He no longer saw a simple map—he saw the blueprint of a vast commercial empire spanning the eastern and western worlds.

His keen merchant’s instincts told him that an unprecedented opportunity capable of reshaping global commerce lay right before him.