industrial lord

Chapter 611 Long-term Cooperation
There are always various smugglers in border areas.

Many seemingly covert smuggling gangs are actually the black gloves of some local nobles, just like the robbers who rob people on the road outside.

When the other side heard that Wesson’s army had arrived, soon some brave people came over to negotiate.

In a tavern in the fortress, which was reserved tonight, two men were sitting at the only table, each with a ragged girl in their arms.

Jose, who claimed to be the smuggling boss, asked the young man in front of him: "What can you get?"

Frederick, who called himself Quartermaster Charles, replied, "It is impossible to get the weapons or anything with a serial number. It will be traced to whoever has them in the end, unless you can bribe Grand Duke Wesson not to pursue the matter."

"I can sell you some consumables."

Jose wondered why he would come to such a place if he could meet Grand Duke Wesson, and asked again, "What if we pretend to fight a battle during border patrol and drop supplies?"

"No." Charles shook his head immediately. "In the army, rewards and punishments are clearly defined. If you always lose, you will be sent to raise horses. If you always win, others will scramble to get out."

"There are too many people involved and word will get out."

"There are only two ways. Either we deliver it to the locals, or you come and get it yourself."

Jose frowned and said, "Can you be braver?"

He came directly to find Wei Senjun just because he didn't want to be ripped off by the locals. If he sent people himself, the locals would be unhappy to see that they didn't make any money, and those people would not have to go back.

Charles smiled, took a sip of his not-so-good beer, shook his head and said, "Why should I be so bold?"

"Grand Duke Wesson and I grew up wearing the same trousers. Now I am the only son in my family. I am working step by step. When I go back, I will open a factory and earn this much a year."

As he spoke, he took his right hand off the girl's body, stretched out his five fingers and walked around, and continued: "It doesn't matter if I sell you some consumables, but if it gets too big and Grand Duke Wesson finds out, what do you think he will say?"

Jose didn't know what to say. He thought that since he had been able to get second-hand clothes from Grand Duke Wesson since he was a child, it meant that his family was a close confidant of Grand Duke Wesson. And because he was the only son, he was arranged to work in a safe and gilded position such as managing logistics.

Such people only need to serve in the army for a few years to gain experience, and then they can return to continue their life of debauchery. Naturally, they are unwilling to do business that will get them hanged.

He earns 500 gold coins a year. Just think about his boss, Count Sampaio, who works hard to grow onions and only makes 300 to 400 gold coins a year.

Now that he is willing to sell some things, he probably wants to make some money so that he can live a life of luxury and debauchery in the local area.

Jose could only ask: "Is there no other way?"

Charles shrugged and said, "Small business is just like that, unless you can get a big business."

Jose frowned, became alert, and asked, "What do you mean by big business?"

He was thinking, could it be that he was being made a spy?
Charles said: "Your lord must have some enemies, right?"

"Now those people want to make military achievements, but they don't know who to fight."

"If your lord can provide some information, I can talk to the higher-ups and pay for the information."

Jose narrowed his eyes. This was not about him being the spy, but his lord being the spy. This was a big enough business.

He was just about to ask what ability you have to convince the people above, but immediately remembered that this person has a close relationship with Grand Duke Wessen, and might be able to act as a go-between.

"I'll convey your message." Jose raised his glass. "I hope we can do big business."

Three days later, in a manor on the eastern border of the Kingdom of Madeira filled with the scent of onions, Charles saw onions as big as basketballs and Jose wearing a tin can.

Seeing the guests were amazed at the onions, Jose couldn't help but say proudly, "Aren't our onions big?"

"You haven't seen onions this big anywhere else, have you?"

Charles nodded, thinking that if Eugene saw these onions, he might go crazy with joy.

The manor was simple, or rather poor.

Fortunately, the host did not serve onion soup to the guests, so the tea was still drinkable.

Count Sampaio looked to be in his forties or fifties, but his hair was gray, his eyesight was not very good, and he looked very listless.

The language of the Kingdom of Madeira is somewhat similar to that of the Kingdom of Tarragona, so there is basically no communication barrier. Sampaio asked, "I heard that you are interested in doing a big business with me?"

Charles said, "I heard that your original territory had more than thirty villages, but now there are only twelve left. Is that correct?"

Sampaio was deflated when he heard this. The opponent's data was wrong and another one was lost last night.

He said: "Yesterday a group of people pretending to be your army occupied one of my villages."

Charles sat there quietly drinking tea without saying a word, waiting for the other party to mention the reward.

Sampaio said slowly: "I can hire your army as mercenaries to retake that village."

Charles smiled and said, "Our commission is very expensive."

Sampaio sighed, shook his head and said, "Alas, everything is expensive now, food is expensive, mercenaries are expensive, steel is expensive, but onions are not expensive."

"Tell me, how much do you want?"

Charles noticed the important information, thought for a moment and said, "To show our sincerity, we can not charge money for the first transaction, just the spoils."

"But we need a map. Otherwise, if we take the wrong path and occupy your village, it won't be my business. It doesn't matter to us who we fight."

Sampaio was stunned for a moment, feeling a hint of threat from the other party.

Charles continued, “To us, you are all military merits.”

"But you were the first to approach me, which showed me your sincerity, so I am inclined to cooperate with you."

"At worst, I'll go find Count Ortiz. I think she must be interested in your land."

Sampaio almost jumped out of his chair. Ortiz was another neighbor of his and the one who was the most serious in looting his territory.

He could guarantee that as long as the Wesson Army asked, Ortiz would allow the Wesson Army to plunder his territory and cities. Ortiz only wanted land.

Sampaio was silent for a moment, then asked, "What do you want?"

Charles picked up the cup and took a sip of tea slowly. After putting the cup down, he looked directly at Sampaio and said seriously, "I want to establish a long-term cooperation."

"I can sell you some goods such as medicines, waterproof films, hardware tools, etc., provided that you provide a detailed and reliable map of the surrounding area."

"The army needs military merit, and I can't control that."

“I have roped in some people who can help.”

"When the time comes, others will go and attack the territories of other nobles. We will arrange a time and place, and my recruited people will come with goods to attack your village."

"You can evacuate the people in the village in advance and leave the money behind."

"Our people pretend to fight, keep the goods and take the money away."

Sampaio looked at the teacup in front of him for a long time without saying anything.

After a few minutes, he looked up and said, "I want the yellow basin."

Charles blinked, nodded and said, "No problem."

Sampaio said to José, "Bring the map here and talk to him."

Three days later, Metzger received a strange order. If it had not been given by Frederick himself, he would have thought that the person who gave the order was mentally ill - take more than a hundred yellow basins and some medicines to attack a village, and then leave the things behind and leave.

Another company commander was even more confused. He wanted to attack another village and bring back the spoils, but he found that there was only a pile of huge onions in the empty village.

A few days later, when old Louis, Prince Moritz and other nobles of the Kingdom of Gallicia saw the huge onion sent by Eugene, they exclaimed in amazement and immediately held a banquet with it.

At the same time, Charles pinched Count Ortiz's chin and said, "Madam, you don't want Count Sampaio to cooperate with us to attack your territory, do you?"

(End of this chapter)