Chapter 636: Look at the world
It was drizzling and a bit cold, and the air conditioner on the wall was blowing warm air.
Frederick was lying on the sofa in the study, frowning.
"Meow~"
Someone lay on his chest and made cute sounds.
Frederick stretched out his hand, gently stroked his long charcoal-black hair, and asked softly: "Where did the little kitten come from?"
Maria stretched out her hand, gently rubbed Frederick's brow away, and asked, "Have you encountered any problems?"
Frederick hugged her waist and sighed and said: "Yes, it is a very troublesome problem. Once something goes wrong, we will have to live eating Elizabeth potatoes."
Maria exclaimed: "So serious?!"
Frederick nodded.
After he came back, he went to Wesson Bank to find out how much cash he had left, and learned that liquidity was very tight, and there was another thing that he didn't expect to happen so soon.
The industry and commerce of the Principality of Wesson has been making great strides and trade is booming. However, recently, with the large amount of loans used for foreign investment, there has been a shortage of precious metal currency.
It stands to reason that paper money should make its debut at this time. There are already money orders and checks on the market fulfilling the functions of paper money, and even meal stamps for large factories and schools such as heavy machinery factories, textile factories, shipyards, Weissenburg University, and Oak City Theological Seminary. It can also be used as banknotes in peripheral areas.
However, there are no large-scale minerals in the Principality of Wesson, especially gold and silver minerals, and it is extremely dependent on imported food and energy. Under such circumstances, issuing banknotes rashly without reliable reserves and resources is very likely to cause financial turmoil.
Frederick explained these principles to Maria carefully so that she could have an idea.
Maria nodded, understood, and then said: "This means that the next thing we have to do is to occupy the place with the gold mine?"
Frederick was silent for a moment, then nodded.
"Wait a minute!" Maria jumped up and ran to the bookcase next to her to rummage for something. While searching, she said, "The latest mineral map was released internally at the end of last year. I remember putting it here."
It took her two minutes to take out a map from the cabinet, went over to sit on Frederick's lap, and opened the map.
The Land Resources Department of the Principality of Wesson is headed by the famous mineralogist Georg Bauer. This department not only conducts exploration within the Principality, but also conducts exploration for allies and neighbors for free.
Frederick held Maria's waist, rested his chin on her shoulder, and they looked at the map together.
Various minerals were marked in different colors on the map. Maria searched for a long time and said depressedly: "The gold mine closest to us and not occupied by major powers or allies is in Bohemia."
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There are many large and small gold mines on the map, but they have basically been developed and occupied. Only in the Bohemian region, the mining areas have been seriously damaged due to years of war and are currently suspended.
The Bohemian region borders the Duchy of Wesen to the east and has been a focus of contention between the Osmaga Empire and the Piast Kingdom in recent decades.
At present, the Osmaga Empire has abandoned this area due to internal chaos and changed its strategic direction to the east, and acquiesced to Frederick's attack.
After the Piast Kingdom was defeated by Frederick on the banks of the Elbe River, on the one hand, it carried out internal reforms, and on the other hand, it pointed its finger at more prosperous places in the east such as the Principality of Yelgarrod to regain blood. It temporarily gave up on being defeated by dozens of people. The Bohemian region was torn by years of war.
Nowadays, there has long been no unified political power there. The nobles in various places are doing their own thing. And because the two forces are coming and going, whoever is more powerful will listen to whoever.
Due to years of war, the local economy has either collapsed or is on the road to collapse. There are now almost 10,000 people working in various places in the Principality of Wesson. Father Ames, the Minister of Education of the Principality of Wesson, is from there.
Maria looked at the map and continued: "The place here is huge, we can't occupy it all now."
The Principality of Wesson covers an area of 34,000 square kilometers, and the entire Bohemian region covers an area of approximately 50,000 square kilometers.
Now that the war in the north is continuing, many people have fled their hometowns, some of them have gone to Lukang, and more people have come to the Principality of Wesson with the help of the church. The population is expected to reach 2 million this year.
The Bohemian region has suffered from years of war and population decline. Its area is almost 1.5 times the size of the Principality of Wesson, and its population is estimated to be less than 700,000. Now the Principality of Wesson is also short of labor, and the interior has not yet been fully developed. There is no need to think about taking over the Bohemian region.
Frederick thought for a while and said: "The situation there is very complicated, not just military and political."
"Their language, culture, art and lifestyle are unique, so the Osmaga Empire and the Piast Kingdom have been unable to form effective rule."
Maria said thoughtfully: "Then we will use various methods to influence them culturally, so that the people there will identify with us, and use this as a starting point to win over the local people, which will be convenient for future rule. ”
Frederick nodded happily.
Maria is now the Minister of Culture of the Principality of Wesson. Being able to consider things within the scope of her responsibilities shows that she is qualified.
Frederick said: "This matter cannot be rushed. It needs to be done slowly. It may take ten or twenty years. We cannot be too deliberate."
Maria nodded, her black eyes looking at the several gold mines on the map, and her gaze became sharp.
Currency shortages still have to be dealt with, and banknotes will eventually be on the agenda.
For such an important matter, it is natural to consult the domestic Dinghai Shenzhen.
Read the error-free version at 69 Book Bar! 6=9+Book_Bar debuts this novel.
"You want to print gold coupons?!" Psyche was shocked when she heard this, "By the way, I promised Xiao Li's daughter before that I would give her a pair of penguins. This matter has been delayed for so many years, and we can't delay it any longer. ”
As she spoke, she began to pack up the valuable things around her, completely ignoring that this was Frederick's living room, and she looked like she was about to run away with the bucket.
Maria was used to the two of them often saying things that others didn't understand, but without delay, she smiled and helped carry the ivory clock over.
Frederick smiled and said: "Do you see any hair on the top of my head?"
After taking the clock, Psyche said seriously: "Who knows if your hair is glued on?"
Maria pulled Frederick's hair and said, "It's real hair."
Frederick smiled, stopped joking, and said: "Now that precious metal currencies are beginning to be in short supply, it is imperative to issue banknotes."
Psyche sat down and asked him: "What are you going to use as an anchor, a tractor?"
Frederick replied: "I am ready to formulate a series of policies to reduce the outflow of gold and increase gold reserves."
Psyche sighed, shook her head and said, "You are still short-sighted."
“Don’t just look at your neighbors, look at the world!”
Frederick could not refute.
But with the current traffic conditions and communication methods, for ordinary people, their neighbors are the entire world they live in, and the farther distance is the same as Mars.
Frederick held his chin and said: "You mean to let me go to the New World?"
Psyche said helplessly: "Have you forgotten that there is a continent to the south?"
"I told you last time that places with bauxite also have a lot of gold."
"Just use your skills and go there to marry Uncle Hei's daughter. I guess you can get hundreds of tons of gold back."
When Maria heard that there were hundreds of tons of gold, her eyes shone. She pushed Frederick's arm and asked, "When are you going?"
(End of chapter)