Chapter 118 Beer Hall Party
Just as Prince Constantine thought, from Christmas to New Year, Prussian officers went home for the holidays.
And Garrett sent a telegram to Ernst, asking him to come to Berlin to play.
……
Berlin, the beer hall that Ernst and Garrett often visited when they were in school.
"Ernst, you miss me so much!" Garrett howled at Ernst.
"Stay away from me, you look like a madman." Ernst said disgustedly.
“Alas, you don’t understand. Life in the military camp is not life for humans. I almost suffocate to death every day there. Now that I have a rare opportunity, I just want to relax.”
"I brought a friend here today. Come on, Ernst, I'll take you to get to know each other."
Arrived at the wine table.
"This is Prince Ernst of the Hohenzollern family." Galit solemnly introduced Ernst's identity to his colleagues.
"Hello, Your Highness" several people greeted Ernst one after another.
“Hello!” Ernst responded.
“These are all my friends in the military camp. They all participated in the Austro-Prussian War. We were both on the staff at that time. Of course, our fathers also fought in the same trenches. colleagues," Garrett added.
A group of people sat down around the wine table.
Jialit ordered a few glasses of beer, and each person got a glass. The bartender stood aside to add drinks at any time.
After a few glasses of beer, I couldn’t stop talking.
"Ernst, don't you know that our new commander seems to be named Hermann, are you brothers?" Galit asked several people.
"It's Herman, yes. I heard that he was originally a staff officer of the Ninth Brigade. I heard that he was a prostitute when he was young. Later, he was captured by his father and sent to a military school for education. Later, he graduated with honors, first served as a battalion commander, and later rose through the ranks. It is said that he fought against Austria. At that time, the troops he was in charge of were bombarded by Austrian heavy artillery and fought their way through the Austrian position. This man and his former brigade commander were very ruthless."
"I heard. He is very strict with his subordinates, and we are in dire straits this time!”
"Don't be discouraged. The situation in the army is much better now than before. All of you have soldiers in your family. I think everyone knows the virtues of the Prussian army in the past."
"That's right, the previous ones In the year, those real second-generation ancestors were severely suppressed, and now the kingdom has higher requirements for professionalism, otherwise there would be no chance for us.”
This is true, but Jialit and others. In fact, the family background is considered to be in the middle and upper reaches of Prussia, and it is an old Junker family.
Aristocrats like Ernst who transitioned into business do not fit in well with the mainstream. However, before they defected to Prussia, the Hechingen royal family was an authentic South German aristocrat.
In his previous life, Juncker was more like a proper noun for Prussia. In fact, Juncker means "son of the landlord" in German. However, the deep impression left by the Prussian nobles made Juncker a Its unique mark.
So after World War II, the Allied forces completely eradicated the Junker nobles in Prussia and wiped them out. After the war, several victorious countries jointly divided the Prussian territory, drove away the people on these lands, demolished the houses, and even changed the place names. The ancestral graves of some Junker nobles were dug up. From then on, the Junkers The nobility disappeared completely. "Hey, don't talk about this troublesome matter, Ernst, what have you been busy with recently? It's been a long time since I heard you make big news?" Galit asked.
As an emerging big capitalist with a lot of money at a young age, Ernst is somewhat famous throughout Germany.
Especially during the time when Alaska was purchased, many North Germans got to know this wrongdoer, and many media ridiculed Ernst for buying a piece of bad land.
In this regard, Ernst wanted to say that if you have money, you are willing to buy it and leave it there. Even if Ernst cannot get Alaska in the future, it will hinder the development of other countries. No matter who develops Alaska in advance, the United States and Russia Ernst felt so embarrassed.
This kind of behavior that harms others but does not benefit oneself is actually a bit satisfying. Of course, it would be better if Alaska can be saved in the future.
"I don't have any big news. They look up to me too much. I've been very low-key recently." Ernst said.
In the past few months, the East African colonies have really been busy digesting and have not expanded outwards. The Hechingen Consortium is also sorting out its business and has not made any big moves.
"I heard from the old man that the purchase of war supplies by the munitions department has only increased, and the largest source of orders for daily necessities is your company's products." Jialit said.
Ernst responded: "Actually, we don't make much money. Many supplies for the Invalids are provided at cost prices. Now Hechingen Company mainly targets the private market."
Invalids Materials did not lie, and it was true that it did not make money, but this was part of Ernst's plan to cultivate users and at the same time leave a good impression on the Prussian royal family and government.
Prussia implemented a compulsory military system, and the soldiers came from all over the country. After they adapted to the convenience of Hechingen's products, they would become walking advertisements in the future.
At the same time, it is very important to maintain the relationship with the government. In the future, the government will not be able to burn bridges. Some benefits must be repaid to the Hessingen Foundation first. For example, the military's tobacco business is very profitable and all the money is spent. I don’t know how many soldiers’ wallets there are.
There is still great potential for the development of the civilian market. In the current market, the main providers of daily necessities are still those small workshops. Their productivity level is not on the same level as that of Hechingen Company. In the future, there will be more and more cheap products. Durable Hechingen goods appear on the market.
“Real or fake? You’re still cooperating with the military if you don’t make money!” Jialit couldn’t believe it.
"Why are you lying to me? I still have to tell lies. Ask your father. Wouldn't you know the purchase cost of the military?" Ernst said.
“You are awesome!” Garrett nodded and said to Ernst.
It is very worthwhile for Ernst to give up part of the benefits in exchange for greater benefits. Unlike some people who really insist on relying on connections to get orders from the troops, the quality of the goods is good. If he is not good, in a militaristic country like Prussia, he will suffer disaster if he is discovered.
The most profitable industries in Ernst's hands now are banks, second is tobacco, third is electric power companies, fourth is the production of daily necessities, and fifth is engines...
Tobacco is a purely critical industry, and with the expansion of tobacco planting area in East Africa, the cost will be lower in the future.
Electric power companies are currently making a lot of money from lighting systems, and there are more and more derivative products.
As for Berlin Energy Power Company, which has the most potential, although Ernst has suppressed the launch time of its products, with its in-depth understanding of more advanced engines, the company has become even more proficient in improving low-performance engines. .
Currently on the market, the quality of the two-stroke engines produced by Berlin Energy Power Company is far superior to that of its peers. In fact, this product is already two generations behind within the company.
But making a fortune in silence is too sweet. When competitors are about to catch up, Berlin Energy Power will come up with leading new products and create an illusion in the market, that is Berlin Energy Power The company's products are cost-effective and have the best reliability. They are a bit expensive, so you should buy them if you recognize the brand.
(End of this chapter)