I Became A Black Merchant In Another World-Chapter 369: Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Corn, New World (5)

“And if someone nitpicks about etiquette, we simply show them the bottom?”

Baron Conte grinned instead of responding.

This trick reminded me of something.

When the Chinese emperor built the Forbidden City, he had to ensure the palace didn’t have 10,000 rooms—otherwise, it would be seen as rivalling the Jade Emperor. So, he built it with 9,999 rooms instead.

“Take a closer look at the other details as well.”

Baron Conte then began meticulously showcasing the various furnishings and decorations, emphasizing just how much effort he had put into the preparations.

“And this banquet will be conducted in a buffet style.”

“A buffet, huh? That’s not exactly in line with current trends. Imperial etiquette must have changed to serving courses since nouvelle cuisine became popular. Even if we’ve planned this as a buffet from two weeks ago, I can’t help but feel a little concerned.”

The baron, who had seemed intimidated until just moments ago, suddenly spoke with great confidence.

“Trends are just that—trends. And who dictates trends? That would be you, Viscount. In the past, nobles held banquets by imitating imperial cuisine and etiquette... but now, even the imperial family is copying the dishes, etiquette, and furniture arrangements of Restaurant Rothschild.”

“I admit, I was surprised when I heard a few months ago that the imperial sous-chef had secretly trained at my restaurant for two months.”

“As someone who once served as the chief chamberlain, it feels odd for me to say this, but the current imperial etiquette, noble balls, and cultural standards are all shaped by the direction you choose to take. And since buffet-style dining has been used for outdoor balls in the past, no one will be able to find fault with it.”

Baron Conte was an exceedingly greedy man.

Despite only serving as a consultant for Restaurant Rothschild, he collected an annual salary of 700 gold coins—and with bonuses, that sum exceeded 2,000 gold coins.

Using that reputation, he also provided banquet consulting services to other noble families, raking in enormous profits.

A master of political maneuvering who had climbed to the position of chief chamberlain, he occasionally got on my nerves, but he always managed to keep himself just beyond the reach of reprimand.

When it comes to etiquette and culture, there’s no one better.

In any case, the man was worth every bit of his 2,000-gold salary.

“Besides, it’s practically impossible to incorporate sweet potatoes, potatoes, peanuts, and corn into a strict course meal. This banquet is meant to showcase the various dishes that can be made using these crops, so a buffet is the only viable option.”

“That makes sense. There won’t be any issues with the food, then?”

“I may not be a chef, but I dare say I am the empire’s top-tier food critic. Every dish has been personally tasted, evaluated, and refined according to meticulously recorded recipes. There is no way the food will be anything less than exquisite.”

“I’ll trust you on this, Baron.”

Baron Conte grinned at me.

“You can put your full confidence in me.”

Under normal circumstances, the host of a banquet is expected to personally greet every guest.

The distribution of greetings must also be carefully balanced based on status, personal closeness, and political alignment.

Praising a lower-status individual too much in front of others could make them the subject of gossip.

But today, I left all guest reception duties to Sebastian.

There was only one reason for that—I had to personally escort the emperor.

“Your Majesty, I am honored by your presence at my humble estate’s banquet.”

“Humble? Now that’s quite the joke.”

The emperor glanced around the venue before smirking.

“This is just as splendid as one of my banquets.”

“I paid particular attention to every detail in honor of Your Majesty.”

“But why are there only men at this banquet? A gathering of just men... is not the most pleasant sight.”

“Your Majesty, this banquet is centered around smoking tobacco.”

“An interesting concept. From morning till night, guests converse in the central garden, and when they grow hungry, they simply help themselves to food. It feels somewhat similar to an old-fashioned ball, yet distinct. But what does that have to do with there being no women?”

Tobacco is outright poison to women—especially those considering pregnancy.

Beyond harming the mother’s health, the risks of miscarriage and congenital disabilities skyrocket.

And if noblewomen—whose duty is to carry on their family’s lineage—start seeing an increase in birth defects, and they realize I am at the center of the tobacco trade?

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

Not even I would be able to avoid the guillotine.

So, I needed to be the one leading the charge against that danger.

“When I purchased tobacco from the Maasai Confederation, I heard that among the Cherokee tribe, only men are allowed to smoke. They believe that if a woman smokes, she will bear a child with disabilities.”

“Fascinating.”

“Pregnant women are careful even with medicine, are they not? Tobacco has strong medicinal effects as well.”

“There is logic to what you say. And since you hold the credentials of a medical professor, your words carry even greater weight.”

When a waterborne epidemic swept through Pisa, I predicted it in advance and personally worked on the ground to contain it.

After that, the medical professors of the University of Toscana awarded me a doctorate and professor credentials.

Of course, if I actually started teaching full-fledged university courses, I’d be laughed at...

But they did say I could personally lecture on hygiene and disease prevention.

I’d been wondering how to make use of that qualification—turns out, this was the perfect opportunity.

“Women must never be allowed to smoke. If I issue this warning and they still choose to smoke, I will take absolutely no responsibility for any consequences their children face.”

“...... I will take this to heart.”

“I would also recommend not smoking in front of women whenever possible.”

If tobacco becomes widely perceived as beneficial for women...

Erika, Chris, Chloe—all of them would start smoking just because it’s trendy.

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And when the time comes for them to give birth, who knows what kind of disaster might unfold?

I have no desire to take that kind of risk just to sell more tobacco.

“By the way, I came to this banquet because I heard you would be serving dishes made from newly cultivated crops from Ifriqiya. Which ones are the new creations?”

“The dishes in that separate section over there.”

“These are entirely unfamiliar dishes. But I must ask—why go to the trouble of gathering nobles just to serve them these new crops? Are you trying to market these ingredients to them? If so, I would be greatly disappointed.”

If I were the emperor, I’d be furious too if I were being used as a marketing tool.

“This is a secret... something I am telling only Your Majesty. Even my father-in-law is unaware, so please keep it to yourself.”

No one dislikes hearing a secret.

“If properly cultivated, potatoes, corn, peanuts, and sweet potatoes thrive even in barren land. If we plant them in areas unsuitable for traditional crop rotation, the empire’s food security will greatly improve. However, the issue is... these are unfamiliar foods.”

“People hesitate to try foreign foods.”

“Which is why I believed that if Your Majesty, the imperial family, nobles, and wealthy merchants were seen enjoying these ingredients, the commoners would follow suit.”

“You are truly the empire’s greatest patriot.”

“It is my honor.”

At my gesture, a servant brought forth a plate of crispy fried potatoes.

“Dip this in the white sauce before eating.”

The emperor took a bite—then exclaimed in delight.

“This is exceptionally delicious! Absolutely marvelous!”