As the commercial city closest to Gotland, its mayor Hermann accepted Ella's business order and purchased a large amount of iron and glass from all over the Alemannic Federation for Ella. Now, the acquisition has been completed. In Lübeck
At the port, boxes upon boxes of ironware and colored glaze were loaded onto ten cargo ships for distant sea trade, ready to go.
"Mayor, the last cargo ship has been loaded. The inventory has been completed, the number is correct, and it is ready to go to Gotland for delivery."
A businessman rubbed his hands and reported to Herman with a happy face. Although it took a lot of effort to acquire these goods, the profit for such a large order was still very generous.
"The sailors are also ready. Mayor Herman, when will we set off?"
Hermann is in his forties this year. He is strong and energetic, but his hair is gray due to some unknown disease. As a free city, Lübeck holds mayoral elections at regular intervals. Hermann is
He is a member of the wealthy Wallendorf family and has business foresight. In recent years, he has made several unfavorable investments in succession, but in the end he achieved shocking profits. As a result, he has gained the respect and respect of businessmen.
Reliance was successfully elected as the new mayor of Lübeck in the election in the first half of this year.
"What's the rush?" Herman replied, "We'll wait another seven or eight days before we talk."
"Seven or eight days?" The businessman was a little surprised, "Mayor, in another seven or eight days, the agreed time limit will be exceeded, and we will have to pay compensation for breach of contract!"
"What is a mere compensation compared to 150,000 Nomisma?"
"You mean the 150,000 Nomisma that was forcibly borrowed by the King of Sweden a few years ago? Hasn't she been repaying it in installments and has already paid it off?"
"Yes, it's repaid, but it's just the principal. After so many years, where's the interest?" Herman looked a little angry, "One hundred and fifty thousand Nomisma, even with a low interest rate like the Tianfang Church, is still a huge amount.
What's more, they are pagans at all, we can lend money at usury! It would be fine if she was prepared to pay it back slowly, but when she came to place a business order before, the King of Sweden didn't even show any sign! Do the math, this interest rate
How many years of liquidated damages will it be enough for me to pay?”
"The original 150,000 nomisma were raised together by the merchants in Lübeck, and I also had a share." The businessman advised, "But we all know that the King of Sweden said he was borrowing it, but in fact he was robbing it.
.Our strength is not as good as others. Now that she can pay back the principal, it is already very good. Why are you holding her goods hostage?"
"That's because the former mayor was incompetent! If I were the mayor at that time, I would have to let the King of Sweden scratch his skin!"
The businessman was startled: "Herman, you don't want to turn against the Pirate Kingdom, do you? The trade route with the Pirate Kingdom is very profitable. We are the ones closest to the water, first come first served. If you anger the King of Sweden, other freedoms will be lost."
The merchants in the city are happy! And our ships that go out to sea for trade are still under their blessing."
"Why don't you have a clear mind?" Hermann pointed at the businessman's head and said, "If you think about it carefully, the king of Sweden plans to use the iron that is packed with five cargo ships for himself? Even assuming that she wants to expand her army and prepare for war, then
Where are the colored glazes for the other five cargo ships? Sweden has such rich financial resources, and while it is expanding its army and preparing for war, it is also using colored glazes to decorate the palace?"
"It makes sense, there is no smell of war nearby... so she is planning to sell them as goods?" The businessman thought for a while, then shook his head, "No, she purchased these goods from the Alemanni Federation to use them now.
The price of goods in various countries, no matter where they are sold, is a loss."
"What if it's a place where you don't know the prices?" Herman said in a low voice, "Have you heard the recent rumor - on the other side of the ocean, the Pirate Kingdom discovered an area no smaller than the entire Europa.
New World?"
"You mean Vinland?" the businessman replied, "I have heard some of it. But we know nothing about the situation there, and I also heard that the route there has been blocked by the pirate kingdom.
"
"We don't know anything, but the King of Sweden definitely knows. The goods of these ten cargo ships must be very profitable in Vinland." Herman said, "So we have to wait... If anyone goes to Vinland
As long as new trade routes are opened up, there will be great profits in the future!"
"This kind of thing...isn't it a bit unethical?" The businessman was a little scared, "Let's not talk about whether we can reach Vinland. If the pirate kingdom discovers it, the relationship between the two parties will greatly deteriorate. We will not do it in the future.
I want to do business with them!”
"Brother, think about it, compared to the trade rights of a continent as large as the entire Europe, losing trade relations with the pirate kingdom, what does it mean?"
While he was talking, a servant came over and reported to Herman: "Mayor, there is a guest who wants to see you."
"Who is it?"
"I don't know, but he said: 'The rat escaped from the pirate ship and took a piece of cheese'."
"Great!" Herman happily patted the businessman on the shoulder, "My people brought back useful information about Vinland!"
The person who came to Herman was the black-hatted foreigner who was drinking with Dast in the tavern.
"Mayor, I have inquired clearly. The situation of 'Vinland' is true, but the important transit point on the route has been occupied by the pirate kingdom, and we cannot station in the port for repairs. Fortunately, there is another route, because it is too dangerous, so
Not used by Pirate Kingdom."
"Very good!" Herman smiled and clapped his hands, "It doesn't matter if it's dangerous. The more dangerous it is, the higher the profit. What kind of route is it? Mark it out for me on the chart!"
"Actually, the other side didn't give me a specific route. I only heard about the dangers along the route - spiny rays, sea worms, many-legged monsters, sword-beaked whales, and finally there seemed to be dragons."
"What's the use of that?" The smile on Herman's face suddenly disappeared, "You actually have the nerve to call this kind of news 'cheese'?"
"Actually, it's very useful. Mayor, based on this information, I have already figured out the approximate route."
"Oh?" Herman stared into the man's eyes, "How did you deduce it?"
The man in the black hat said nothing, but stretched out a hand towards Herman, with the palm facing up. It was empty. Herman frowned, but still put a few Nomisma into the man's hand.
On hand.
But the man in the black hat did not take his hand back, but shook his head: "Mayor, you should know the value of this news better than me."
"You better really know something!" Herman muttered dissatisfiedly, and slapped a few Nomisma on the black hat man's hand.
The man in the black hat took his hand back and took out a map.
"Among all the charts I can find, there is only one that shows these monsters at the same time. It is a famous and widely circulated chart."
The man in the black hat pointed for Herman to the monsters depicted by Dust on the chart: spiny rays, sea worms, many-legged monsters, sword-beaked whales, until the red sign that said "There is a dragon here"
Small print. His fingers thus traced a curved route on the chart: starting from the North Sea and pointing straight to the unknown west.
