readsfreenovel Chapter 302 Preparing for a Trading Trip. Wait, how much did you say?!
Chapter 302 Preparing for a Trading Trip. Wait, how much did you say?!
Head southeast towards Dordore, which is still within the borders of Juda. I heard that Yuri, the leader of the White Dragon Knights of Midland, has been ransomed by Midland at a high price.
Midland's treasury is currently somewhat empty, but news of Juda's loss of more than 2 men in the Duchy of Grant has spread like wildfire, and various countries are waiting for an opportunity to act. Clearly, the truth can no longer be hidden.
The infighting between the two Grand Dukes of Juda naturally had no impact on other parts of Juda. The lords directly under the King continued to recuperate, and the people of the neighboring Midland and Baldin regions did not participate in the battle of Grant. The truce made the surrounding villages appear vibrant.
Green and his men sold a considerable amount of spoils in the small towns along the way. No minor lord dared to doubt their noble status with their eleven knights and ten silver-armored rangers, which temporarily intimidated them.
However, the unfamiliar coat of arms inevitably aroused suspicion. Within Juda, Green claimed to be a nobleman from the coastal war zone near Grant, who had gone bankrupt during the Battle of Grant and had thus ventured out with his retainers.
He deliberately downplayed his family lineage, emphasizing only that he was "summoned directly by the king to patrol the border with his private army to prevent Midland bandits from taking advantage of the situation," and referred to the silver-armored rangers as "hired mountain scouts." He explained his sale of armor and weapons along the way as "using spoils of war to pay the army because his family business had gone bankrupt."
This argument was readily accepted by the people who were recuperating: lords directly under the king had the right to mobilize their private armies, and Midland had just experienced the huge expenditure of ransoming Yuri, so there were indeed rumors of bandits plundering the border.
Of course, Green would only wander around those baronies and viscounties at most, as long as he sold the spoils of war.
I sold nearly 2 gold coins in total. Nobody's as rich as me!
As a substantial sum of start-up capital derived from the war, its use naturally needs to be planned rationally. After all, money can generate more money, and relying on mercenaries who constantly live on the edge of a knife is not a sustainable path.
One problem is unstable income, and the other is too many risk factors; if things go wrong, the losses may outweigh the gains.
Moreover, the foundation for supporting a legion is the economy and food supplies; a stable income is necessary, and he had no intention of selling hooks to support his troops.
Green sent the Silver Mist Ranger to the market to inquire about prices from merchants and make an estimate.
Products that could be transported from here to various places and generate a considerable profit included: dyes, wool, timber, leather, and some rare metals used to make aristocratic utensils and religious instruments.
Relying on his existing identity to run a business is highly questionable, so Green plans to find a qualified agent locally.
As Green was pondering a suitable proxy, a Silver Mist Ranger rushed in to report: "Sir, there's a merchant in the market who seems very interested in our actions and has been watching us closely."
Green frowned, thinking that this could cause unnecessary trouble. He had the ranger bring the merchant over, a tall, thin middle-aged man with shrewd eyes.
Green discreetly observed him and inquired about his purpose. The businessman was quite direct, stating that he had extensive business experience and, having heard that Green wanted to profit from the trade of local goods in Juda, he volunteered to be his agent.
A thought struck Green, and he began to inquire carefully about the merchant's knowledge of various goods and their sales channels. The merchant answered fluently and offered many unique insights.
“Indeed, I do need an experienced businessman to do things for me.”
Green stroked the hilt of his sword, a faint smile playing on his lips: "But words alone aren't enough. I need you to prove your abilities. Tomorrow at noon, bring a plan of the shortest trade route from the Dordore region to the Kingdom of Balden, marking the toll stations, water sources, and bandit activity along the way."
The merchant bowed slightly, and half a yellowed parchment scroll slid out from his sleeve: "Sir, this is an express route that I organized many years ago. I have a long-standing relationship with the three tax officials along the way, and they can keep the tax rate to the lowest possible level."
Green took the parchment scroll and examined it carefully. Although the map was yellowed, it was drawn very meticulously, and all the markings were clear and distinct.
He had a certain degree of approval for the businessman's abilities, but he still did not express his opinion immediately.
The merchant who came to apply for the job was dressed in somewhat worn clothes. Although he was a merchant, he looked no different from an ordinary poor person, and his accent did not sound like that of a local from Juda.
“Your map is good, but I don’t know if the situation has changed.” Green looked at the businessman with sharp eyes. “I will send someone to verify it. If the situation is true, the agency will be handed over to you.”
The merchant smiled confidently, cupped his hands and said, "Don't worry, sir. I'm always reliable in my work. I updated this map this year, and I know the conditions along the way very well."
Green nodded, telling the merchant to go back and wait for news. After the merchant left, he immediately arranged for the Silver Mist Rangers to explore the area according to the route on the map.
Meanwhile, he wasn't idle either. Through inquiries with other wandering knights, he continued to learn about the market conditions of various goods in the market, making more detailed preparations for future business plans.
This is a baron's territory, and Green plans to stay here for a few more days before setting off.
However, Green discovered a strange phenomenon in the recent exchange rate between denars and copper coins: a small amount of denars could be exchanged for a large amount of swordwind currency.
Within ten days, the Silver Mist Rangers who had gone out to scout the surrounding area returned one after another, confirming the accuracy of the merchant's map.
It seemed this businessman was indeed quite capable; he immediately had someone invite him to his hotel room and decided to formally hire him.
However, this man's clothes were truly shabby. Given his familiarity with the terrain and the tax collectors along the way, he should have frequently traveled the trade routes between Juda and Baldian. How could he have fallen into such a state of destitution?
Upon hearing the news, the merchant rushed over, a flicker of excitement in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.
"My lord, I will certainly live up to your trust and ensure that your goods sell well in Baldian and the countries further east."
Green nodded in satisfaction and discussed the details of the work with the businessman, including profit sharing and transportation arrangements.
A 10% commission is awarded on the profits from the sale of goods, with the risks shared by Green and the merchants. This requires a contract, and in order to protect their own interests, they need to join the local merchants' guild.
While striving for legitimacy, it was also necessary to prepare wagons, oxen, or pack horses for the caravan to carry goods.
The guards' commissions and the initial capital for purchasing local economic goods also amount to a considerable sum.
The huge expenses of running a business are far more expensive than opening a factory, and the danger of the journey is also an unstable factor, but the huge profit margin is often worth the risk for merchants.
The merchant suggested starting with Juda wool and dyes used in the textile industry, both of which had a good market in Baldian and were relatively easy to transport.
The sea salt transported from Baldian to the inland areas of Juda was also a considerable source of profit. However, the trade routes in the coastal areas of Juda are now embroiled in a chaotic civil war, with countless bandits robbing and plundering, leading to a shortage of salt in the inland areas of Juda. This is a good time for salt prices to rise.
Green thought it was feasible, "So how many gold coins would we need to start building a medium-sized caravan from scratch?"
“If we start from scratch, even a caravan with ten guards would need at least 50 gold coins as starting capital, my lord.”
"You mean Duo Shao?!"