Chapter 153: Xu Mo's Plan

"Ammunition?" Ning Yahin did not understand the term.

Xu Mo explained, "It means something to rely on and depend upon. With this stock, we can quickly capture the mid-to-low-end market."

Ning Yahin pondered quietly for a moment and quickly grasped Xu Mo's meaning.

Ning Yahin asked, "Master Xu, do you intend to sell all these goods at a low price so that everyone can use our Peony soap? Is that it?"

Xu Mo gave a thumbs-up and nodded, "Miss Ning is truly clever!"

Ning Yahin immediately shook her head and said, "Master Xu, please don't make fun of me. Tell me what we should do next."

Xu Mo then asked, "Miss Ning, how are the branch stores in Heyang County and Kai County coming along? Also, have we found a candidate for the regional distributor in Fuchun County?"

Ning Yahin told Xu Mo that she had abandoned the idea of opening branch stores for now. From now on, she would only recruit regional agents in other counties because she felt that would be much easier and save more effort.

The last time Xu Mo went to town and missed Ning Yahin, she had actually gone to Heyang and Kai counties to personally negotiate with regional agents.

By now, the regional agents in those two places were basically settled; they just needed to sign the contracts and receive the goods before opening.

As for the regional distributor in Fuchun County, although Ning Yahin had a candidate in mind, she had not yet found the time to go negotiate.

Hearing this, Xu Mo nodded and said earnestly, "Miss Ning, we must settle the regional distributor in Fuchun County as soon as possible. Only then can my plan to capture the market be put into motion."

Ning Yahin immediately asked, "Master Xu, could you elaborate on your plan?"

Xu Mo nodded and said, "Of course. But before explaining my plan, I want to introduce a term to you... the primacy effect!"

"The primacy effect?" Ning Yahin looked puzzled.

Xu Mo explained earnestly, "The so-called primacy effect means that when a person first comes into contact with a certain object or person, they leave a very deep impression. We call this a first impression."

"Usually, the effect of a first impression is the strongest and lasts the longest. It is stronger than the impressions and effects produced by subsequent encounters with similar things or similar groups of people."

After saying this, Xu Mo added, "For example, a person's impression of the very first person they ever loved is the deepest—so deep that they will never forget it for the rest of their life..."

Hearing this, Ning Yahin felt her heart skip a beat. She could not help glancing at Xu Mo, then hurriedly looked away, her cheeks blushing slightly.

Xu Mo noticed Ning Yahin's reaction and immediately realized he had said the wrong thing.

So Xu Mo hastily changed the subject and said, "Well... Miss Ning, I plan to have the agents in Heyang County, Kai County, and Fuchun County all open on the same day, and simultaneously release the three-hundred-wen soap into the market..."

Xu Mo also told Ning Yahin that on that same day, the price of soap in Xinzhou County would also drop to three hundred wen, keeping it consistent with theirs.

Xu Mo's purpose in doing this was to seize the mid-to-low-end market with lightning speed before the Pearl brand could react.

Even if the Pearl brand reacted quickly and lowered its soap price to three hundred wen, they could not possibly have a massive inventory on hand.

Without inventory to release into the market, it meant they would be unable to seize market share.

Even if the Pearl brand subsequently stepped up production and flooded the market with a large quantity of goods, it would already be too late.

Because the market would have long since been swallowed up by his Peony brand.

After listening to Xu Mo's plan, Ning Yahin suddenly felt enlightened and in high spirits.

With an excited expression, Ning Yahin said, "Master Xu, your plan is brilliant!"

"Three hundred wen is the limit for the price of soap. If the Pearl brand still wants to wage a price war with us, they will have to lower their prices further. But if they do that, not only will they not make a profit, but they will also suffer continuous losses. I believe they aren't that foolish."

Xu Mo nodded in agreement and then said, "Miss Ning, I'll put my cards on the table! As long as our prices are the same as theirs, the Pearl brand will never be my match!"

Ning Yahin nodded heavily, believing it implicitly.

If anyone else had said such words, Ning Yahin would have taken them with a grain of salt, but coming from Xu Mo's mouth, Ning Yahin didn't have a shred of doubt.

"Master Xu, then I'll go back now and prepare. Tomorrow morning I will set off for Fuchun County and get the matter of the distributor settled as soon as possible!" Ning Yahin's gaze was firm and full of confidence.

Xu Mo cupped his fists and said, "Then I wish Miss Ning success from the start in advance!"

Ning Yahin smiled and then walked out of the workshop.

As Xu Mo walked Ning Yahin out, he thought for a moment and said, "By the way, Miss Ning, I thought about it carefully just now. Before our plan starts, it's probably better to adjust the price of our soap to be just a little higher than the Pearl brand's..."

Xu Mo continued, "Let's make regular soap one guan and one hundred wen, and scented soap two guan and one hundred wen... As for the special value gift package, let's temporarily cancel it and see if there's an opportunity to launch it later."

Ning Yahin was puzzled and asked, "Master Xu, why not keep our price the same as theirs? Why must it be higher by these one hundred wen?"

Xu Mo smiled and said, "I want to make the Pearl brand think that our Peony brand doesn't want to fight a price war with them anymore, that we've backed down! Miss Ning, can you understand what I mean by this?"

Of course Ning Yahin understood, and she immediately nodded, saying, "Master Xu, you want to deliberately lull the opponent into a false sense of security so they don't notice anything unusual, thereby ensuring the perfect execution of our plan!"

"Exactly, exactly! That's what I mean, haha..."

Xu Mo laughed happily.

A moment later, Xu Mo escorted Ning Yahin to the carriage.

Just as Ning Yahin was about to board the carriage, Xu Mo suddenly thought of something and asked, "Miss Ning, could I ask you a small favor? Oh, it's a private matter of mine..."

"Please go ahead, Master Xu..." Ning Yahin said generously.

Xu Mo said, "I heard that Fuchun County is much larger than our county, so I would like to ask Miss Ning to help ask around when you get there and see if there is any saltpeter for sale."

"Saltpeter? What is that?"

Ning Yahin did not know what saltpeter was, nor did she know what it looked like.

Xu Mo immediately explained what saltpeter was, but after a long description, Ning Yahin still didn't quite understand, looking at Xu Mo with a blank expression.

Feeling quite helpless, Xu Mo simply waved his hand and smiled, "Never mind, never mind, Miss Ning. It's getting late, you should head back. I'll figure something out about the saltpeter myself."

Feeling a bit apologetic, Ning Yahin hurriedly said, "Master Xu, although I don't understand these things, please rest assured that once I reach Fuchun County, I will definitely help you inquire about saltpeter."

"Then thank you, Miss Ning," Xu Mo said, cupping his fists.

Shortly after, accompanied by Ling'er, Ning Yahin boarded the carriage, and the group quickly left Gushan Village.