As soon as I returned to the country, I immediately requested an audience with the Emperor.
In principle, any noble above the rank of Baron can request an audience with the Emperor, but that’s just written in the ‘Law’.
If you take that at face value and act on it, you’ll undergo the education of being administered a clear and pure sound accompanied by a joint crack under the Count’s harsh teaching.
It’s like how, even if you rise to the position of a corporate director, it’s almost impossible to meet the chairman in person.
Let alone requesting a one-on-one meeting—it’s more like trying to eat a braised crab with soy sauce and rice without spilling anything.
“Baron Medici, His Majesty has granted you an audience.”
However, I had gained a special favor from the Emperor, so I was simply granted permission.
“Thank you.”
After expressing my gratitude, I followed the attendant’s guidance directly to where the Emperor awaited.
The Emperor welcomed me in his office while sipping tea.
“It’s been a few months since you became a Baron. You must have gotten quite tanned from coming here to the Ifrikya continent.”
“Still, Your Majesty, I was able to achieve some achievements worth boasting about.”
Just successfully opening trade routes alone is already a significant contribution.
Once you break through, whether another merchant enters or I sharpen my sword to go there myself, I can expect immense profits next time.
Trade expanding means the empire’s national power will greatly flourish, so the Emperor wouldn’t dislike it.
“However, you opened trade routes with a gold coin investment of ten thousand?”
That’s almost an understatement; it could be called a miracle of divine proportion.
“Let me hear about it.”
I conveyed to the Emperor every bit of information based solely on the facts, without omitting anything.
With each continuation of my tale, the Emperor’s mouth widened further.
“I can’t understand how you came up with such a wicked, I mean, brilliant idea. I understand selling gunpowder to the governor and selling firearms and gunpowder to the indigenous tribes of Ifrikya to escalate the scale of war, though.”
I had already spoken the same with Duke Visconti about selling weapons to both sides engaged in the war, so the Emperor was already in the know and didn’t need further explanation.
“There are two things I don’t understand. Why did you encourage them to band together? If they end up founding a country, wouldn’t that put us at a disadvantage if we later try to conquer them…?”
The Ifrikya continent isn’t particularly bad land for farming, so “wheat farming” should be doable with enough hard work.
However, if that hard work is as difficult as dying, it might be better to introduce the crop rotation method of our world rather than use the three-field system here.
Why? Because the agricultural production efficiency didn’t seem great in that place.
“If the amount of wheat harvested per unit area in Tuscany is 100, then there it would be around 30 to 40.”
If it were a ‘vacant lot’ like when Pisa or Cortez rampaged across South America, it would be a different story, but taking on the resistance of indigenous tribes and pioneering doesn’t seem worthwhile…
“If we use that as a base, moving farther towards the sea in the long run will be beneficial. Right now, we’ve only stretched to the west of Ifrikya, and we’ve gained such a great profit. What will it be like in the future?”
Currently, they’re so constrained that I could only sell firearms, gunpowder, and bullets.
However, once they have leeway, I could sell various crafts, luxury goods, and liquors to rake in gold.
Is it reasonable to miss out on an opportunity to amass gold?
Targeting a once-in-a-lifetime huge profit opportunity and looking to invest more significantly is necessary.
“Well, we don’t really need to go to war to occupy their land, do we? And right now, we’re busy dealing with the Grand Duchy of Milania. While acquiring distant lands is good, it might be better to focus on gaining the nearby lands. Once you successfully develop, other merchants will enter too, and they’ll have to pay huge taxes.”
Ah, the Emperor seems to be under a significant misunderstanding.
The reason I’m not considering forcibly claiming the western Ifrikya is…
Because those friends are already set to become our colony.
They aren’t directly governed; they’re merely shackled with the only means to fight against Governor Na of Dor with firearms and gunpowder…
“Can those guys really gain independence from us?”
From what I see, it seems impossible even a hundred years in the future.
“Your Majesty, conquest is not the only way to expand the empire’s power.”
Why did nations like the United States give up their ‘colonies’ back in the mid-20th century?
It was natural for the defeated to spit out their colonies, and the victors could hold on to theirs as long as they wanted.
The reason can be summed up very simply.
“It’s not worth it if it doesn’t make money.”
“Excluding the fact that there’s a lot of gold in the western Ifrikya region, it’s practically worthless land to our Toscana Empire.”
Of course, there’s the merit of potentially gaining an immense amount of gold.
Excluding that, all that comes out are lion skins or ivory, and we have a vast land that we can cultivate— that’s about it.
Instead, we would have to antagonize Na Dor, and furthermore, we might end up antagonizing the entire Sultanate.
“If we give the impression of infringing on their territory, they can’t help but become uneasy.”
The losses gained would be greater than directly governing the Ifrikya area.
Even if such losses were absent, the planted costs wouldn’t just surface by digging up the ground…
“Gaining the western Ifrikya means the empire’s territory would expand rapidly. However, since they don’t farm, basically all land is wasteland. To make that territory fully part of the empire, we would need to provide a tremendous amount of food and money. Can the empire bear that?
While it’s not the same as colonization, it reminds me of East and West Germany’s unification.
At the time of unification, East Germany’s economic prowess was only to the level of 10% of West Germany.
Thus, to equalize, the West German government, after stripping away expenses, experienced such a ‘financial deficit’ that they would sit on the street, all to equalize things.
Even now, decades after unification, Germany still suffers from those lingering effects.
“Our empire cannot end up like that.”
“I think this will be tough.”
The official decision on the division of colonial territories in Africa came in the late 19th century.
In earlier times, Western powers didn’t even consider making them ‘colonies’.
They were merely trying to control ports and some surrounding areas.
“Therefore, we should chain them with gunpowder and firearms, and make them naturally bound under the influence of Toscana Empire.”
“I think it’s better for them to willingly support us rather than us forcing to spend money. Alright, let me ask one last thing.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
“Why did you say it was under the Kingdom of Granada? I understand the intention to avoid war, but I’m curious if there are any other thoughts behind it.”
Well, that’s the plan to avoid shedding a single drop of the Toscana Empire’s blood.
How should I explain this for the Emperor to easily understand?
“Your Majesty, the Kingdom of Granada is our empire’s potential enemy state. The Sultanate and the Governor of Dor are of the same creed, so they are enemies.”
The reason I am selling stockpiled gunpowder to Na Dor.
It follows the Eastern principle that one should cultivate friendships with distant countries while first striking at the nearby states.
Since Dor is far away, there’s no risk of conflict with us, so it’s okay to sell…
“But when we move beyond Ifrikya and into the ocean, they could pose a hindrance.”
So, it’s crucial to prevent any war or conflict with the Kingdom of Granada beforehand, to make sure they won’t think about getting in our way.
“If those two fight, Toscana Empire will naturally be dismissed from the suspect list. They would think that each other is the villain.”
When people get excited or encounter dramatic situations, their vision significantly narrows.
War and diplomacy are no different.
Furthermore, they think their opponent is a person who would go to great lengths to resort to extreme measures.
Without any substantial evidence, they will undoubtedly distrust and fight each other due to suspicions based on mere hunches.
“We must delay the Kingdom of Granada from reaching the ocean for at least another day.”
More precisely, until the Medici, or rather Rothschild Company, establishes itself in West Ifrikya.
Then I could almost swallow up all the rights of Ifrikya.
“Out of that, I must try my best to cut off a substantial portion for the Emperor, Duke, and other merchants…”
I’ll strive to make sure I can eat at least half.
“That will directly lead to the empire’s benefit.”
The Emperor’s eyes widened as he listened to my words.
“Without occupying the land, to bind them in chains, and to make potential enemies and infidels fight; that’s truly remarkable. Alright, let me ask one last question. What will you use as civilization?”
Every merchant should engage with the resolve to fight, and delve into the business.
In that process, one must make the blood of the enemy flow while also letting their own blood flow.
“Red Shield, Rothschild.”
“Come in, Baron Rothschild.”
And then, after Fabio stepped back, the Emperor felt a chill run down his arm.
“It’s truly fortunate that Baron Medici—or rather Rothschild—was born into our empire…”
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