Chapter 48: There's still another big deal seeking support

  New book uploaded, seeking recommendation and support

  Upon hearing Zhu Jishi's words, Ricardo Don Rodriguez's smile on his face instantly froze.

  His Rodrigues firm was involved in a wide range of businesses, including arms, textiles, opium, slaves... and also ordinary medicines and chemicals. He was very familiar with the pharmaceutical trade, which included not only "raw materials" such as morphine hydrochloride, diethylmorphine and scopolamine hydrobromide, but also another type of "patent medicine", namely the finished products prepared by each pharmacy using "raw materials". The formula for these products often differed from one pharmacy to another, and even a slight change in the formula could result in a new "patent medicine".

  So few pharmacies will buy the production patent of this type of medicine. Rodriguez's company did not buy the "finished drug patent" owned by Zhu Jishi's Hero Pharmaceutical Company, but only intended to obtain the exclusive agency rights of hydrochloride and diethyl morphine in Spain, Mexico, and Colombia. As for the idea of jointly developing coca-based drugs, it was just Ricardo Rodriguez's occasional flash of inspiration.

  "Jazz, I think you don't quite understand the current business model of the pharmaceutical industry..." Rodriguez chose his words carefully.

  "In fact, I understand," Zhu Jishi smiled and glanced at Rodriguez, suddenly emphasizing his tone, "but I think this pattern is extremely irresponsible to the patient's health! So I decided to develop a brand new model of pharmaceutical business, the drug market should be standardized, drugs cannot be abused, especially opioid drugs......I think you understand what I mean?"

  Rodriguez frowned, speechless. Frank Hahn smiled and explained: "Mr. Rodriguez, according to our human trials, we found that opioid painkillers have a strong addictive nature. Once overused, it's highly likely to cause patient addiction, just like those opium smokers! Moreover, since the efficacy of morphine hydrochloride and diethylmorphine is several times or even dozens of times stronger than opium, it requires stricter dosage control. Therefore, Hero Pharmaceutical will require all agents to purchase all opioid product patents simultaneously and suggest they also buy morphine hydrochloride product patents."

  Rodriguez shook his head in disbelief, Zhu Jishi smiled and said, "Don't believe it? Okay... Frank, go get Mr. Rodriguez an ounce of high-purity diethyl ether." He smiled at Rodriguez again: "Go find someone to try it out and you'll know how powerful diethyl ether is... just add a small amount to the tobacco and smoke it, that's a feeling of becoming immortal! A few times and people will get hooked. But I advise you not to try it yourself, or you'll be addicted for life, even if it means spending all your family's wealth!"

  "Would you spare no expense?" Rodriguez's face lit up with a greedy expression as he took from Frank Hahn a small glass vial filled with white powder, examining it repeatedly. "Sir, if this stuff is really that potent, how much would I have to pay to get the exclusive agency for Spain, Mexico and Colombia?"

  Look at this guy's expression, and you can tell what he's thinking! However, Zhu Jishi thought that the other party believed in God, so they would not do anything harmful to heaven and reason that would make them go to hell after death. So he smiled and said: "The exclusive agency right is free of charge, but there are 50 patent licenses that need to be purchased, each with the same price, ￡100 for large countries and ￡50 for small countries... Spain (including colonies) is considered a large country, Mexico and Colombia do not have patent laws, so they do not need to purchase patent licenses. Therefore, the total cost of 50 patents is ￡5,000! Additionally, a commitment letter needs to be signed, guaranteeing that morphine and diethylmorphine will not be sold to countries or regions other than Spain (including colonies), Mexico, and Colombia, nor will these two drugs be sold to customers outside pharmacies and hospitals.

  "What if it's broken?" Rodriguez smiled faintly and asked back.

  Zhu Jisheng blinked and thought for a moment: "I think this isn't a question that a gentleman should ask, is it, Mr. Rodrigues?"

  ……

  "Jason, you're asking for 5,000 pounds for agency rights in three countries? You're too greedy!"

  Rodriguez had just left and Kospel William came over, saying in a half-joking tone.

  "Black?" Zhu Jishi looked at him and smiled, "I think Mr. Rodriguez will accept this offer because he can definitely make a lot of 5000 pounds from morphine hydrochloride and diethyl morphine." He paused for a moment and continued, "From now on, we will operate morphine hydrochloride and diethyl morphine in this way, except that the domestic sales in Britain and France will be directly handled by Hero Pharmaceutical, while other regions will be handed over to agents for operation."

  "I don't believe he'll keep his promise." Frank Hahn frowned, "This man is a notorious arms smuggler and slave trader."

  "Isn't he a noble? There's a Tang in his name." Zhu Jishi smiled at Frank Hahn, "I think I can trust the promise of a noble."

  Frank Hahn cocked his head to one side and grinned, "What the hell? Five thousand pounds is a lot of money! Jason, I think there's a little bit in it for me too?"

  "I'll give you 1% of Ji Shi Holdings' shares." Zhu Ji Shi smiled, but his tone turned serious. "Frank, how long will it take for you to separate the cocaine?"

  "Cocaine? Jason, didn't you say..."

  "I've fooled him!" Zhu Jishi laughed: "Cocaine is definitely a big deal, we must monopolize it!"

  "Alright, give me a budget of 500 pounds and I'll hire some top-notch chemists to help out. We'll definitely be able to get it done within half a year."

  "I'm giving you ￡1,000, and I expect results within three months!" Zhū Jìshì paused for a moment, "Also, hire several more chemists and microbiologists. The Jason Laboratory must be established as soon as possible."

  "Alright, I'll go and do it."

  After Frank Hahn left the conference room, Zhu Zhiyu said to Kesper Wilhelm again: "Send someone to the patent committee office in London to see if there is a patent called bitter acid ammonium. If so, try to help me buy it out. If not, come back and tell me immediately."

  "What's bitter ammonium?" Karl Blumstein took over the question: "What is it? Dye?"

  "The chemical name should be trinitrophenol ammonium." Zhu Jishi did not answer directly, but said to Karl Blonskytein, "Karl, this task is handed over to you." Then he ordered Kosper Wilhelm, "Go buy some ammonium nitrate, don't need too much, 10 pounds will do, send it to my office, a few pounds of high-quality kerosene (petroleum). Oh, and also need some mercuric fulminate, just a few ounces will do."

  "Nitrate of ammonia? Fulminate of mercury?" Karl Bronstein looked at Juzi with some puzzlement, "Jeson, what do you want to use them for?"

  Zhu Jisheng didn't say anything explicitly, but just smiled and said: "Of course this is a big deal."