Chapter 538: How did the Rhine League become like this
Hanma City in late April and early May this year was still cold and drizzling from time to time, not a good weather for going out.
Count Pisto fulfilled his responsibility as Minister of Military Affairs and personally went to the Kingdom of Danma for negotiations, and also went to the front line to watch two battles.
He is greedy for money, but his business ability is still very strong.
During this time, Frederick was sitting in Hanma City to deal with some logistical problems.
In today's wars, a large part of the logistics is done by merchants accompanying the army. They cooperate with a certain lord to sell grain, beer and women, and then sell the spoils.
Frederick could not do much, except to regulate the quality of food in the form of decrees, at least so as not to cause serious non-combat attrition due to dietary problems.
What worries him now is the strength of Wesson's army.
Now two of the three main mobile divisions have to be transferred, and there is only one division of mobile strength. If something happens, no one will be available.
Even if Frederick knew nothing about military matters, he still knew that all of President Chiang Kai-shek's mobile forces in his hometown were lost in the three major battles. As a result, after the Battle of Crossing the River, the remaining troops in various places had no paper numbers, but No more large battles can be organized.
The problem is that the proportion of young adults joining the army in the Principality of Wesson is already very high. Many factories are beginning to have labor shortages and it is no longer possible to form new armies.
While Frederick was having a headache, Rainer Wittelsbach, the heir to Archduke Byrne, came to Hanma City.
Archduke Byrne was not in good health after catching a cold last winter. He is also in his eighties or nineties. This year, he started to hand over all affairs to Reiner.
Leiner is in his fifties this year. When he was young, he traveled to places such as the Ghazi Empire and the Dashi Empire. He was quite calm in his work. Frederick had dealt with him several times.
This time he was responsible for commanding the army of the Principality of Bain, but he got there first and wanted to find Frederick for questioning.
In the living room, Frederick asked in surprise: "What? Your daughter-in-law instigated your son to invest money, why did you come to me?"
Leiner put down the teacup and said seriously: "They Didn't you get fooled by Miss Eltal and throw a large sum of money that was intended to be used to buy your bond into the swamp in the south? "
"Miss Eltal's business is not yours. If not you, who can I turn to?"
Frederick had a black line on his face and understood what was going on.
Reiner’s daughter-in-law is the granddaughter of the Grand Duke of Mainz, so she naturally has a good relationship with Maria, so the United Fruit Company sponsored her there.
Frederick just shrugged and said: "Maria is already an adult and is not my appendage. You go to her."
Leiner said helplessly: "Maria is already I ran to the south with the money, so I can only come to you.”
Frederick was stunned, but he didn’t expect Maria to go south herself.
He said: "That's good, people should walk around while they are young."
Frederick himself liked to run around, so naturally he also hoped that Maria could Go out for a walk more often, broaden your horizons, and don't stay in one place all the time.
Seeing him like this, Reiner said: "Then give me more bond shares this year, and I can give you useful news."
Frederick was speechless, this was his purpose.
The bonds issued by the Principality of Wesson the year before last were repaid on time last year, and the Principality of Wesson does not look like it will go into financial bankruptcy. This year, many people plan to buy more bonds.
Frederick was prepared for this and made relevant plans last year to issue bonds of 300,000 to 600,000 florins, depending on the sale.
"Okay." Frederick said nonchalantly, "I will give you a share of 50,000 florins. You can eat it yourself or find someone to eat it with you. It's up to you."
In the past two years, the Principality of Byrne has taken over some light industrial products industries. These are businesses that can make money quickly, and emerging capitalists are not short of money.
Reiner thought for a moment about his bottom line, which was very far off, so he said: "How about you specifically issue 200,000 florins of railway construction bonds."
Frederick headed For the Black Line, railway bonds are sold additionally. The specific amount is determined according to the construction plan. 200,000 florins is not a small amount.
Today’s labor is not valuable. The average internal price of one kilometer of railway (including stations) is between 200 and 400 florins depending on the terrain. 200,000 florins can build nearly a thousand kilometers of railway.
Frederick saw that Reiner came to him mainly for this matter.
The railroad was not built all at once, but gradually, and Lenner could use the annual interest on the bonds to pay part of the money.
Assume that this 200,000 florin railway takes 5 years to build, and Reiner purchases a 150,000 florin 5-year bond with an annual interest rate of 6%. During this period, the bond can even be used to pay for the project. In the end, 150,000 yuan was used to build a 200,000 yuan railway.
Frederick was speechless. There are smart people everywhere.
"Tell me." He leaned on the sofa and picked up the tea cup, "What's the situation with this railway?"
Getting to the point, Reiner said seriously: "I plan to build a Congzhe railway. The pilgrimage road from the Cathedral of Manchester to the Holy City of Light relies on the existing railway network and runs directly from Mingxing City through the White Mountains to the Holy City of the Kingdom of Sardinia.”
Frederick drank tea calmly, feeling a little surprised and moved.
Put aside the Holy City and so on, if this railway is repaired, it means that the Rhine League has a second railway to the inland sea.
Reiner continued: "This railway first needs to pass through the center of the White Mountains of the Osmaga Empire. I have reached an agreement with Queen Anna. At that time, the Osmaga Empire can use the Principality of Bain. , the railway from Wien City goes to the mountains.”
Frederick nodded. He had previously flown over the White Mountains on a griffin. The mountain road was not easy to walk, so he climbed over the mountains from east to west. It is better to go from the Bain Principality on the north side of the mountain range.
Leiner continued: "I communicated with His Majesty King Francesco of the Kingdom of Sardinia about the railway. He is very interested in this railway. The only requirement is that it is as far away from Venice as possible."< br>
Frederick curled his lips. The Venetian businessmen seemed to be dancing quite hard.
Leiner concluded in the end: "I have been operating this railway for a year. Relying on the original trade route, there is no need to choose a new route, and there is no problem in diplomacy."
Frederick Shaking his head, Reiner's heart skipped a beat.
“200,000 is not enough.” Frederick put down his tea cup and said, “The part that passes through the White Mountains is too difficult. I estimate that the total cost will be 250,000, and we need to prepare 300,000.”
The capacity of the bond market is limited. If one side takes too much, the other side will get less.
Reiner also understood this, so he jokingly said to Frederick: "I have news that there are many sheepdogs of God in the Holy City who are interested in investing in your bonds."
Frederick He raised his eyebrows. Those bishops were all extremely rich, so it seemed like they had to go there.
He pinched his chin and said: "Oh, it seems I have to go to the Holy City to pay homage to the Holy Spirit." Reiner said: "I suggest you go to Venice, many people want to see you."
Frederick nodded.
At this time Count Pisto arrived. He looked like he had just entered the city and his shoes were still wet.
His relationship with Lena seemed to be good, so he said to him directly: "Leiner, I have something to discuss with Frederick about the Kingdom of Sverriers."
As soon as Reiner was about to stand up, Frederick immediately said: "Since it's business, let's listen together."
The maid came over with tea, and Count Pisto waved his hand and asked for a bottle of happy water. Drink it all in one gulp.
“I met a group of envoys sent by Kosdorf outside the city.” Count Pisto said, “They are looking for Frederick, just outside the gate.”
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Frederick raised his eyebrows, and Count Pisto called him by his first name, indicating that this matter was related to him personally and had nothing to do with state affairs.
Even so, he still has to receive visitors with others. The situation is delicate now, so be careful.
He turned to a maid and said: "Call those messengers in."
Frederick was not afraid of Kosdorf assassinating him, mainly because he had just reached cooperation with the Natural Church. If he If you kill yourself, nature will kill him first.
The messenger brought a letter and a large gift to Frederick.
The messenger didn't know what was written in the letter, so he handed the things into Frederick's hands and left.
With a black line, Frederick asked the butler to settle the dozen women sent by Kosdorf while Reiner and Count Pisto snickered. Then he opened the golden mailbox and put the letter in the mailbox. Watch it together on the coffee table.
"It's boring." Reiner was disappointed after reading the letter, "I thought Kosdorf invited you to carve up the Kingdom of Danma."
Count Pistol agreed: "Yes. Ah, I thought he wanted our help to deceive the Dama Kingdom or something."
"I didn't expect that, he just asked you not to stop his business."
Reiner smiled and said: "That's understandable. If Frederick said he wouldn't do business with me, I would be anxious." Give whatever you like, and there are actually two princesses.”
Frederick curled his lips. Kosdorf was worried that he would stop his iron sand and daily necessities trade because of the war. He heard that he was in Hanma. The queen of the city sent over a dozen armed slave girls and two princesses who had been sold to him.
These armed female slaves are carefully selected and trained. They are naturally excellent in appearance and very powerful in strength, making them very suitable for use as personal guards.
Frederick frowned and asked the two people next to him: "Have you ever heard of the twin princesses of the Piast Kingdom?"
Kosdorf's letter stated that the twin princesses he sent were the biological sisters of Casimir, the current king of the Piast Kingdom, and they were also powerful magicians. They were sold to the Sverrier Kingdom after failing in the palace struggle.
Frederick had done some research on the royal family of the Piast Kingdom, but had never heard of these two people.
After recalling it, Count Pisto said: "I heard about them ten years ago. It is said that they both contracted an illness and died when they were six years old."
Reiner also said: " There is such a thing, I heard from people in the Osmaga Empire that the Piast Kingdom also accused them of murdering the two princesses."
Frederick thought to himself. I'm afraid the premature death is fake and there is a hidden story behind it.
Ten years ago, he was busy dealing with the siege from his neighbors, so naturally he had never heard of it.
"It doesn't matter." He shrugged, "Let them go south. The United Fruit Company should be short of people, so it's just right."
Liner has been to the south before and knows the swamps. After observing the situation, he asked Frederick after a moment of silence for the two princesses: "What about the others? If you keep them around at this time, someone will gossip."
Frederick had already thought about giving those people to Catherine, He made an excuse: "Recently I heard that my father was taken care of by a noble when he went fishing. I plan to send these people there."
Count Pisto nodded and said: "This is also true. Well, when the time comes, other people’s troubles will be their business.”
"By the way, there is something I want to mention to you right now."
"Don't we wear animal skins in the north? You also know that my family has opened a sewing needle factory, which recently produces strong and large needles for piercing. Animal skins are not a problem. Can you help open up sales in the Kingdom of Sverriers?"
Liner said to Count Pisto: "Didn't your in-laws open a button factory there? By the way, we came together? "
Count Pistol said: "They sell the buttons to Green Island, and they are not worried about selling them now."
Leiner said: "We can open the way first, say. Maybe it will come in handy later.”
Count Pisto thought it made sense.
Of course Frederick agreed and asked the people from Dawn Chamber of Commerce to visit him another day.
The conversation between the three people today did not avoid a maid in the living room. The maid gave today's record to Frederick for review and sent it back to Cologne.
With the troops coming soon, Rudolph has a lot of work on his hands, including the movements of his vassals.
He had just met with several young people who wanted to join his knights, and when he returned to the office, the latest information had arrived.
Rudolf thought with great anticipation at first, how are these people preparing for the coming war?
The ideal is very full and the reality is very skinny. Today’s information gave him a headache.
The granddaughter of the Earl of Rank was persuaded by Belle Burke. The first one invested her dowry money in the United Fruit Company, and the second was the daughter of the Earl of Delden;
The first two The Earl of Tinderden is calculating how many Wesson bonds his family’s money can buy;
The Duke of Hegel has decided to buy ten thousand florins of Wesson bonds;
The Grand Duke of Nassau was very annoyed by his family, because his great-granddaughter wanted to invest in the United Fruit Company, and he himself wanted to buy Wesson bonds...
The more Rudolph looked at the blood vessels on his forehead, the more they bulged out, and when he saw it The three people in Hanma City punched the desk angrily when they received the information.
Frederick, who had high hopes for the upcoming war, actually left Hanma City, saying that he was going to the Kingdom of Sardinia to discuss the sale of bonds.
"There is going to be a war soon. They only think about how to make money. How did the Rhine League become like this!"
(End of this chapter)