Back to Ming Dynasty with Industrial Revolution System

Chapter 1229 Heading to the Mediterranean Sea

"Sir Henry, I wonder if you have cleaned up the batch of vaccines we sold to you last time?" Li Jinde met Sir Henry, the governor of the British Levant Company, in a teahouse in London.

"Mr. Li, you sent the doctor who injected the vaccine. I think he has reported the sales of the vaccine to you." The short Sir Henry said proudly, crossing his legs.

Although Scotland is currently on the trend of breaking away from the rule of King Charles, it has not affected the fortunes of the big businessmen in the slightest.

"According to our doctor's report, all 1000 smallpox vaccines have been used, which means that you have successfully emptied the vaccine. First, you asked your majesty the king to come down to inject the prince as a demonstration, and then went to the village where smallpox broke out to sell the products. I have to say, Sir Henry, you really have a business mind, and you can sell all the vaccines quickly." Li Jinde said.

"Valuable commodities are never unsalable, as long as the right method is found. Those villagers who were suffering from smallpox saw us appear in their villages with confidence, and brought people who could make smallpox-free people How can they care about the negligible fatality rate if they never get smallpox again?" Sir Henry raised his teacup and said.

The degree of profiteering of the smallpox vaccine exceeded their imagination.In villages where smallpox outbreaks are frequent, people are willing to give everything to escape this terrible disease.

"Soon the reputation of the vaccine will spread from the village where smallpox broke out, so I want to ask you for another batch of vaccine, and your doctor will serve us. I opened up the market for you and want to sell it at the original price It shouldn't be a problem to buy another batch of vaccines, right?" Sir Henry asked.

"If you can eat more vaccines, I can sell them to you at a lower price." Li Jinde said.

"A lower price?" Sir Henry wondered.

"Yes, lower price." Li Jinde said.

He knew that the smallpox vaccine he brought had a shelf life. Except for Sir Henry who had a huge network in Britain and took special measures to open up the market, no one could easily sell the smallpox vaccine.

Now Li Jinde still has 9000 smallpox vaccines on hand, and he has hardly sold them.

Even disposing of this remaining batch of vaccines at a reduced price is still enough to make a profit.

"If the more vaccines the better, I can take as many vaccines as possible," Sir Henry said.

"We can talk about this matter later. I invite you to come to the teahouse to negotiate this time. In fact, I have one thing to ask for. I want to go to the Mediterranean Sea to see the local trade." Li Jinde said.

"If you want to go to the Mediterranean... Our Levant Company happens to organize a fleet to transport woolen goods through the east coast of the Atlantic Ocean and into the Mediterranean Sea. It would be very easy for our fleet to pick you up. But go to Ottoman The empire's trade is not as simple as you might imagine. Our Levant Company signed an agreement with them, and at the same time, the fleet of ships with our British and Levant Company flags can avoid being attacked by Barbary when entering the Mediterranean Sea. Attack of the pirates."

"You China and the Ottoman Empire have no agreement. I don't know how the Ottomans will deal with you when they find you on our merchant ship." Sir Henry said.

"I can pretend to be an employee of your company. Your Levant company should employ people from many places. It shouldn't matter even if I have an oriental face." Li Jinde made up his mind to see what the Mediterranean looks like.

Sir Greenville told him that Europe has several important trade areas such as the Mediterranean Sea and the North Sea.

As a pioneer of Chinese merchants in the West, he was eager to see these places in person in order to provide accurate information for latecomers.

Sir Henry frowned: "If you insist on following the ship, I can arrange a place for you in advance. We will set off in half a month. We will send a lot of armed merchant ships for this voyage. In addition, we have signed a contract with the Ottoman Empire. Treaty, even if you encounter Barbary pirates, they will not rob us. The real trouble is that after you reach the Ottoman Empire, you have to be careful."

"I understand. Thank you, Sir Henry, for your generosity." Li Jinde expressed his gratitude to Sir Henry when he saw that Sir Henry agreed and saw that he had the opportunity to go to the Mediterranean Sea to see the Barbary pirates and the Ottoman Empire.

"We'll be at the pier in London in half a month. Just bring your luggage. It's best to buy a few sets of our costumes. Your oriental costumes are too conspicuous. People from the Ottoman Empire will pay attention to them. I can't guarantee that. What will they do to you?" Sir Henry reminded again.

The Levant Company monopolized the trade between Britain and the Ottoman Empire. Every year, British specialty woolen goods worth more than 20 pounds were transported to the territory of the Ottoman Empire in exchange for gold and silver and other valuable Ottoman specialties.

In this year, Levant organized more than a dozen armed merchant ships equipped with artillery to go to the Ottoman Empire for normal woolen trade.

As a Chinese businessman, Li Jinde tried for the first time to go to the Ottoman Empire, a behemoth that has been singled out against the whole of Europe for 200 years.Although this behemoth once made the whole of Europe tremble, it is now inevitably declining.

Li Jinde didn't know that the Nanyang Province had formed a relationship with the merchants of the Ottoman Empire in order to monopolize the spice trade. If he went to the Ottoman Empire this time and was discovered, he would be in danger.

"Treasurer Li, I think we only need to consolidate the market in Britain at this stage. There are millions of people here. We can earn more than hundreds of thousands of pounds here every year, and we can also export goods to other kingdoms in the West. .So I don’t think you need to risk your life to go to the unknown east coast of the Mediterranean Sea.” After Li Jinde’s companions knew that he was planning to go to the Ottoman Empire to investigate alone, they dissuaded him.

In their view, the city of London with a population of only 40 is a piece of fat, and it will take a long time to digest this piece of fat.

"There is always a need for pioneers to go to the place to explore. I, Li Jinde, want to see a wider world in my lifetime." Li Jinde packed his luggage in a wooden box, and specially put on British clothes, disguised as Employees of Levant Corporation.

"How do you say that you seem to be a hero. I think we should stop trying to persuade shopkeeper Li, and wish him a triumphant return as soon as possible." Some merchants laughed.

"Our factories, tea shops, and tea houses are all in normal operation. I finally had this opportunity to go out. You just wait for my smooth return from the Mediterranean." Li Jinde said.

(End of this chapter)