The Rise of Iceland

　　　　 Amsterdam, the economic and political center of the United Republic of the Seven Provinces of the Netherlands.

　　Because the Dutch province is the richest and largest area in the Netherlands, which is the real core, it is also called the Dutch Republic.

After decades of struggle, the Dutch people have been ravaged and slaughtered by the Spanish colonists. Now the Netherlands has risen rapidly thanks to the developed maritime trade. Now it is in the fishing, shipbuilding, grain processing trade, linen, wool, and fur industries. They are all leaders in European countries, especially the fishery and shipbuilding industries, and they have already led the United Kingdom, France, and Spain, and have the foundation to dominate all of Europe.

　　 In the 14th and 15th centuries, the Champagne Bazaar on the north coast of France was the most active, and it was the peak of European trade. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Amsterdam was the international metropolis that replaced the Champagne Bazaar and even won.

　　 At the port of Amsterdam, more than 2,000 large and small ships are handled every day. If the economy is calculated according to the port's call volume and throughput, Amsterdam can be the top of the total of all ports in Britain and France.

　　 There are Nordic woolen cloth and leather goods, British wool, Mediterranean wine and sugar, Arabian spices, African ivory rhino horn, Far East porcelain and silk.

　　 Free merchants from various countries and agents of major capitalist firms shuttle through the exchanges and terminals in Amsterdam every day, go in and out on ships of various countries, buy and sell various commodities, and then ship them to various places through their own or commercial ships.

　　 Thor's Hammer and Hope were close to the port, and there were flag bearers to solicit the ships to enter the port, and then when the ship broke down and stopped, the flag bearers on the shore shouted something.

　　 Olaf and the others walked onto the deck, listening to them for a long time but didn't quite understand.

　　 "Do you speak English? Or German? I don't understand!" Hagrid frowned and shook his head.

　　 "Dutch dialect," Ulav said uncertainly.

　　 "Which of us understand?" Olaf looked at the people and the white slave sailor around him, and everyone shook their heads.

　　 At this time, Hudick spoke in a tone similar to that of the standard bearer on the Hope.

　　 Hager laughed and said, "Hudik is Swiss, he can speak German, and he might be able to communicate with Dutch people!"

Hudik talked to the flag bearer for a long time, and then shouted at Hagrid and them: "We have to go to the exchange to buy and sell goods in Amsterdam. After registering and obtaining the tax license, we can list and trade. If we exchange currency, we will go to the Bank of Amsterdam in the southeast of the terminal. There you can store currencies of various countries and exchange them for bills, and then trade with the bills. When you leave, you can exchange bills for coins at the bank."

"Bank?" Olaf pondered, and suddenly remembered that the world's first bank seemed to be born in the Netherlands in the early seventeenth century. Along with it was the stock exchange, which seemed to be buying and selling Dutch East India. The company’s stocks were used to raise funds to develop ocean-going business. Later, as the East India Company's business got better and better, the stocks became more and more valuable, and then the West India Company was established. However, after colonizing Brazil, it went bankrupt due to a long war. .

"Hudik and I went to the stock exchange to register for listing, and then Ulav, you took Olaf and Valitu to exchange bills. We have to buy some flour, seeds, containers, weapons, and exchange tickets for 1,000 gold marks to avoid any money. It's too fascinating." Hagrid thought for a while, took Ulav and ordered a few words, and then disembarked with Hudick and went to the exchange with the purse.

　　Ulavliuhirt, Valitu and others looked after the house. He, Olaf and Pikku took two Icelanders and six white slaves and got off the boat.

　　 Eleven people walked on the pier with five chests full of gold coins with their swords on their waists.

　　 Olaf wore two throwing axes around his waist, and Pikku followed behind him with a short spear on his back. When they left the dock, everyone frowned.

　　Because there were guards guarding the dock outside, eleven of them were carrying weapons, and four guards stepped forward to stop them.

　　 After speaking a few words in Dutch, Ulav and others could not understand it. The soldiers in the lead spoke English and Danish again.

　　 "Who are you?"

Ulav hurriedly said in Danish with a smile on his face that they were going to the bank. The soldier suddenly realized, and then said mockingly: "Amsterdam has very good law and order. There are guards patrolling the streets to prevent robbery. You have to go to the bank. You can call a carriage, don’t be so grand, it will make people mistaken for a mob.”

Olaf turned his head and looked around, and found that there were also a few businessmen with heavy money bags, but only one or two servants followed. He wondered if Amsterdam did not maintain law and order, how could he ensure that businessmen can operate safely here, and he could not help but secretly praise the Netherlands in power. The wisdom of the person.

　　Ulav smiled and then called two carriages. Everyone got in the carriages and left the pier and walked towards the city center.

The Netherlands is a lowland country. Amsterdam is just above the sea level. There are canals and rivers everywhere. Horse-drawn carriages are constantly shuttled in the bends of the bridge. Although the bustling scene and dense crowds of people can be seen on both sides, it didn't take long for Olaf to tell. Clear direction.

For those who grew up from Iceland, such as Ulav, there are hundreds of people on the streets, but Amsterdam is full of people, and some streets are almost crowded with people. This kind of prosperous scene is unheard of. , I have never seen it before, are stunned, and feel nervous at the same time.

　　 "Oh my God! There are so many people here! I...I'm almost out of breath!" Varitu swallowed and spitted.

　　Ulav also squeezed his hands and dared not look outside, but Olaf laughed, turned his head to observe the embarrassment of the people, and then found Pikkusser trembling, and smiled: "Pikku, are you afraid of crowds?"

　　 "Master! It's terrible!" Pikku replied with a trembled head in his arms.

　　 Olaf thought you would be crazy if you saw the attractions of the Golden Week on May 11th?

　　 "Don't be afraid, it's okay with too many people." Olaf chuckled slightly~www.readwn.com~ Don't be afraid, just check it out and get used to it. "

　　 "Are you okay?" Ulav looked at Olaf and said in surprise.

"Of course it's okay." Olaf smiled and pointed out. "You have to look carefully at this scene. Talent is the foundation of a country's prosperity and prosperity. This kind of hustle and bustle, how prosperous and fascinating is this kind of people coming and going? "

Ulav looked out along Olaf’s fingers, and then thought along his words. For a while, he seemed to have become an outsider, watching people on the roadside buying and selling fruits and vegetables, dried fish, and watching the guards on the roadside catch them. The thieves watched the children pestering their parents to buy scones on the street.

　　 After a long time, Ulav came back to his senses, and then sighed: "Yes! This is what a person should be! The prosperity here is ten times better than Iceland and a thousand times better than Wenlan."

　　 "But in the future, Wenlan will be as prosperous, rich and populous as Amsterdam!"

　　Ulav's eyes gradually became firm, and then he looked outside with relish.

Olaf’s heart jumped and he couldn’t help but think: both father Hadar and eldest brother Ulav now have a heroic spirit beyond ordinary people, much better than ordinary people, but they have no achievements and reputation in history, and they have rebelled against Iceland. The front is also wrapped in an ordinary boring life. Does this mean that heroes also need to use their skills? There is a saying that the times make heroes. Does it mean that even a hero, if you don't have the right opportunity and platform, you will still be confused?

　　 Did my appearance help my father and elder brother, or did my elder brother’s father help me?

　　 After thinking about it for a long time, Olaf's mind finally only reverberated with a poem, which made him become more energetic.

　　 "Is the golden carp a thing in the pond, it will turn into a dragon when it encounters a storm..."