Steel Dynasty - Chapter 321

[Chapter 321 Exchange of Interests]

PS: Three updates tonight, six updates tomorrow to make up for yesterday’s and today’s.

The atmosphere in the office is a bit stagnant.

After being silent for a long time, Cao Zhengyang said: “Your Highness, our Cao family fully supports Your Highness, but this matter is too big. Cao must go back and discuss it with his father.”

“Uh…” It was Xiao Ming’s turn to be surprised. Yes, he didn’t expect Cao Zhengyang to answer so happily.

Today is the first time he has proposed this idea. This is just the prototype of the East India Company, a prototype of a company that uses capital as its driving force to plunder resources around the world.

What he just said was just an idea to turn the attack on the barbarians into a gluttonous feast for merchants.

Speaking of this, Cao Zhengyang became more and more excited, and then he said bluntly: “My father was right to send Cao to come and check it out this time. It is said that His Highness said in court that the things he made came from a Western missionary. It seems that His Highness did not lie. , To be honest, our Cao family is doing business with the Dutch.”

The tea cup in Xiao Ming’s hand shook, and his expression became solemn, “You mean the Dutch?”

“Yes, it’s the Dutch, Your Highness. Isn’t the purpose of sending Yue Yun on a long voyage to establish a trade route with the Westerners?”

Xiao Ming rolled his eyes and said, “Yes, that’s what I thought, but did you say that the King of Chu also knew about the Dutch?”

Cao Zhengyang seemed surprised, and he said: “Yes, the King of Chu has been in secret contact with the Dutch. At first, the Dutch thought that the King of Chu was the current Holy Emperor, but later they realized that the King of Chu gave them the most favored nation treatment and promised to only The Dutch gave up on doing business with the Dutch.”

Xiao Ming nodded. Since Cao Zhengyang knew about the West, there was no need to hide it after learning that he had a Western priest teacher.

Because in his opinion he must have understood today’s Western world.

When the topic came to this point, the simple exchange of interests had changed. Xiao Ming said: “The King of Chu is so audacious. He hid it from the court for so many years. Damn it!”

“Your Highness, every vassal king has his own secret. Doesn’t His Highness also have one?” Cao Zhengyang’s eyes were bright, “Of course, what we businessmen pursue is always profit. It is precisely because of this that our Cao family will support His Highness in going north to expel the barbarians, because our Cao family has seen the Western Chamber of Commerce, and they are following The pace of the country’s war is getting rich.”

“You know so much, I won’t say more. Since your Cao family wants to do business in my fiefdom, there is one more thing I hope you can agree to.”

Xiao Ming did not expect that today .

A simple meeting with the Cao family would develop to this extent.

From this point of view, the Western powers outside of Dayu have divided their spheres of influence all over the world, but they have not yet settled the barbarians in the north.

“Your Highness, please speak?”

“The Cao family’s granaries are all over the Great Yu Kingdom. There is a huge shortage of food in my fiefdom, so I want to buy some food from the Cao family.” Xiao Ming said.

“How much food does your Highness need? Please give me an amount.”

“Six million stones of food,” Xiao Ming said.

Last year, he extorted millions of stones of grain from the King of Wei, and in exchange for barter for business, the grain was enough to feed the troops, but if it were used on average, it would only be enough for the common people for one year.

Based on this calculation, he was still two years short of reserves. He calculated that his fiefdom required six million stones of food consumption per year, and what he purchased was exactly the year’s amount.

He’ll figure out the rest.

Cao Zhengyang’s expression changed slightly, these six million stones are not a small amount, “Your Highness, you are joking, our Cao family is not the king of Wei. Although the Cao family is said to be the richest man in the world, its financial resources are far inferior to that of any vassal king. In my opinion, our Cao family can provide at most 500,000 shi of food. However, now there is a gap between the Dutch and the King of Chu. The King of Chu needs a large number of artillery to build his own fleet. Your Highness can exchange the artillery with the King of Chu. , Our Cao family is willing to promote this matter for His Highness in front of the King of Chu.”

Xiao Ming stared at Cao Zhengyang’s eyes. He was not expecting this Cao family to suddenly come and place such a big bet on him, and now he wants to do it again. Help yourself like this.

He very much suspected that the Cao family might have encountered some kind of dilemma now, and this dilemma was a life and death dilemma.

Otherwise, the Cao family would not have taken such a big risk to contact them.

Is it true that as he thought, King Chu was going to kill this fat pig to feed himself? And the Cao family had a premonition in advance?

But if this is the case, the Cao family will definitely suffer a lot. Even if they survive, they will not live up to their reputation as the richest man. However, a skinny camel is bigger than a horse, and it is still a big piece of meat in their own land.

Moreover, using this matter, he could also read the King of Chu’s book and scold him for concealing the affairs of the Dutch and deceiving the king.

Thinking of this, he said: “This will help you.”

“Your Highness, you are so polite. It is our Cao family’s honor to serve for Your Highness.”

Cao Zhengyang smiled with a smile on his face, and a stone fell in his heart. This time, it was really Cao Cao who met King Qi. A risky move for the family.

It’s just that taking a step forward is death, and taking a step back is also death. They have no choice but to survive.

After saying this, Xiao Ming said to Li Kaiyuan: “Kaiyuan, you are responsible for entertaining Cao Zhengyang these two days, so as not to lose etiquette.”

Li Kaiyuan nodded. Xiao Ming has a distinguished status. Naturally, he, Li Kaiyuan, is responsible for entertaining Cao Zhengyang.

The two left, and Xiao Ming fell into deep thought.

This visit from the Cao family really exceeded his expectations, although he was confident that the Cao family would inevitably come to him for business sooner or later.

It’s just that he didn’t expect to be in this situation. Remembering Cao Zhengyang’s feigned surprise when he revealed that the King of Chu had contact with the Dutch, he became more and more certain that there was a problem between the Cao family and the King of Chu.

As for why the Cao family chose this opportunity, it was naturally Yue Yun’s fleet that gave him the capital to exchange benefits.

With a sneer, Xiao Ming stood up. He needed capital, but he also didn’t believe in capital.

Capital will help him expand his territory, but a careless move can kill him.

Therefore, Xiao Ming has always been cautious about business, making use of its beneficial side and guarding against its sinister and bloody side.

However, if the Cao family really provided logistics for their conquest of the barbarians, it would mean that the Cao family really had a long-term vision and that they should really be careful.

Thinking about it all the way, Xiao Ming headed towards the palace.

On the way, he suddenly met Pang Yukun.

“Your Highness, I am preparing to go to the palace to find you.” Pang Yukun was a little anxious.

“What’s wrong?”

Pang Yukun said: “Xiaguan’s friends in Jizhou sent two letters in succession. One of the letters mentioned that civil unrest had occurred in King Yong’s fiefdom. King Yong was sending troops to suppress it and strictly ordered to block the news. This Not a good sign.”

Hearing this, Xiao Ming frowned, his worries becoming reality step by step.

(End of chapter)