The fat Padrick Bohm sat in the drawing room of Lord Cecil's "Castle" a little nervously, adjusting the position of his bow tie for the third time.
He is not a person who has never seen the world, but it is difficult for people in this world who have seen the world to get the opportunity to talk secretly with a founding hero. He knows that the situation this time is different from the previous one in Kant The conversation in the castle was completely different. Last time, he accepted Duke Cecil's appointment in the crowd as a representative of the Kant Territory, but this time, it was Duke Cecil who called him over from the Kant Territory. Have a private face-to-face meeting.
The stress caused by these two conversations is completely different.
At the same time, Padrick was also curiously looking at this place that was so novel in his eyes.
This mansion is the castle of Duke Cecil, but its style is completely different from the aristocratic fortress in the public impression. Rather than being a castle, it is closer to the recent fashion of some nobles in the central region. The "vacation manor" architectural style is probably not as solid as a castle, but the environment inside is surprisingly comfortable: wide floor-to-ceiling windows, a bright living room, warm corridors and rooms, and there is no smell in the air at all. The damp, stale smell that often lingers in castles is truly an amazing thing.
Most of the walls here are painted white, and the bright magic crystal lamps illuminate every corner of the building as if they are free - in fact, not only here. In this castle, since entering Cecil's territory, the number of magic crystal lamps Padric has seen even exceeds the total number of magic crystal lamps he has seen in the first half of his life.
God knows how this newly established pioneer territory did this - in just a few months, neat brick and tile houses were built here. There are wide and straight streets, docks, mills, and sawmills. Among all these things, the most eye-catching thing is the magic crystal lamps that are lit just before dusk. They are arranged in rows. They were placed in rows on both sides of the road and in front of the main entrances of houses, not to light up the lord's mansion, but to light up the places where common people lived!
Originally, Padrick thought that it was an incredible feat for Kant Territory to get half of its citizens to light oil lamps after dark. However, after seeing the brightly lit Cecil Territory after dark, He actually felt that the town he was familiar with suddenly became dim.
How rich is Cecil Ling? Could it be that they hired dozens or hundreds of formal mages to recharge the street lights at the doorsteps of ordinary people?
And what’s going on with their incredible construction speed? What about the engineering projects that are still going on during the winter? And what about the civilians who walk around the territory, talk and laugh loudly, and are not afraid to tremble when they see patrol soldiers? What are those large buildings called factories that make strange noises?
This territory seems to be shrouded in countless mysteriesHowever, Padric did not dare to delve deeper. He knew the owner of this land and the origin of Grand Duke Gawain Cecil - a legend who had experienced the Gondor period and the second expansion. It was said that He has also reached a secret agreement with the lords of the four elements, and has close contacts with the royal families of elves and dwarves. Such a character is almost "inhuman" in Padric's view, even if he borrows the power of the lords of the elements to Padrick also feels that there is no problem in building this territory - but if he, as a small person, talks too much in this regard, it will be a big problem.
While Padrick was adjusting his tie for the fourth time, the dull-looking little maid came up again and filled the teacup on the round table for an unknown number of times: "Sir, have some tea. . ”
“Oh, oh, thank you.” Padrick burped with a watery sound, but this time he learned the lesson and just took a small sip from the tea cup—— He has realized that the little maid in front of him is not deliberately making things difficult for him, nor is she receiving instructions from the Duke to test him, but I am afraid that she has really never learned how to receive guests from the senior maid or the head maid. She only knows how to receive guests. She would just fill up the guest's tea cup time and time again, and then stare at the guest drinking tea. However, if the guest was too honest or thought too much - like myself half an hour ago - then she would most likely end up giving him tea. Filled to death.
"Excuse me...does the Duke know that I am coming?" After putting down the tea cup, Padric looked at Betty carefully and asked.
The other party is just a little maid. It is impossible to compare with myself as the lord’s advisor (former) in terms of status, but only a fool would use such a simple method to compare—— This little girl is just a maid, but she is the Duke's maid!
Then the "Duke's maid" put her finger on her chin and fell into a daze for a few seconds. After thinking hard, Betty shook her head: "I don't know!"
Padrick sighed and gave up trying to get anything out of Betty.
At this moment, the door of the living room was finally pushed open, and a tall figure stood there, causing Padric, who had just finished sighing, to stand up reflexively.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Gawain said with a smile as he walked into the room, "I am inspecting the alchemy factory, and it took me a while to sort out the samples - Betty, pour tea for the guests Are you ready?"
Betty raised the big teapot in her hand: "Pour the tea!"
Padrick reacted conditionedly when he heard the sound of water in the big teapot. He burped...
Gawain was stunned: How come this fat gentleman still has echoes when he burps?
However, he did not delve into this matter. Instead, he was very pleased with the growth of his little maid. After showing an approving smile to the little girl, he looked at the slightly nervous and burping girl. Mr. Padrick responded: "Chevalier Philip spoke highly of you. When he came back to report the situation last time, he mentioned that you led KantHis finances were in good order, which not only ensured the supply of materials in the winter, but also stabilized the merchants who had business dealings with Kant Land even after the death of the lord, allowing them to still do business with Kant Land in the coming year? "
"I just did my duty," Padrick nodded reservedly. "I have always been responsible for dealing with the chamber of commerce in the territory and made suggestions to the lord in this regard. I am ashamed to say that. , although I am proficient in heraldry, grammar, and etiquette knowledge, I have invested more energy in money, which... is probably not very decent. "
"It's really shameful when you are good at dealing with money but don't dare to admit it," Gao Wen smiled, "I came to you today just to talk to you about money. As for the matter, I think you should already know this, right? ”
“Ah, yes, I saw your letter. Your territory has entered a productive stage, so you want me to contact you for trade routes?” Padrick nodded, "It's an alchemy potion, right?" ”
“Yes, alchemical potions, but I want to state in advance that the way Cecil Territory produces and sells alchemical potions is probably very different from what you imagine. I have a brand new trade model, and I need you to help me build it and make it happen. ”
“A new trade model? " Padrick frowned. He didn't know what Gawain meant. "Are you talking about your commission as a lord? "
"It's too troublesome to talk about. It's better if you look at the information directly," Gawain said, while motioning to Hetty who was following him to hand over a not-too-thick booklet. Looking at Padrick in front of him, "This will tell you what the 'new trade model' is. ”
Padrick took the book, but although he was quite in awe of Gawain, he was still a bit arrogant when talking about his areas of expertise. He asked himself that he had been dealing with businessmen for half his life. The set of things involved in laying trade routes, buying and selling, and stockpiling were very familiar to him. No matter how novel the trade model was, it would not be too complicated in his eyes. It would be a bit fussy to explain it in a single booklet - but he did not dare to He couldn't say it clearly, but he could only nod respectfully: "Okay, I'll take a look. Lord Duke, you can rest assured that I am quite confident in doing business. "
As he spoke, he saw some key words on the brochure: chain distribution, regional agents, distribution network, sharing model and market expansion...
Gao Wen Without saying a word, he just watched quietly as Padrick quickly read through the not very thick book.
It took Padrick a few minutes to skim through the first page, and then three more. Time to watch it a second time
When he was about to watch it a third time, Gawain interrupted him: "Mr. Padrick, what do you think? ”
Padric rubbed his eyes and looked at Gawain in a daze. He seemed to have forgotten that he was in the drawing room of the Duke’s Mansion for a moment. His mind was filled with those incredible terms and words. Specific operation plan, wait until you realize that Gao Wen is hereWhen he called himself, he suddenly broke into a cold sweat: "Yes... yes, Your Majesty the Duke! I have finished reading, I have finished reading!"
"I know you have finished reading, and I want to know your Ideas."
"This...this" Padrick glanced down at the booklet in his hand, but suddenly found that he had no words to use, "These are indeed ideas that I have never thought of. , They look weird...but they seem feasible?"
The fat gentleman finally took a deep breath: "Okay, I admit that there is no problem with its logic. Yes, if it really comes to fruition, it will quickly grow into a business monster in the southern region - no single merchant, merchant or even regional chamber of commerce can stand up to such a well-organized, efficient circulation, unified action, and there is a big group behind it. A business group backed by nobles, but I have to tell you the truth, it is almost impossible to realize these ideas. You require everyone in this sales system to be under unified dispatch. The underlying shops are under the command of regional agents, and the regional agents are appointed by you. The general manager directs, but no businessman has ever accepted this kind of restraint before - of course, we can reluctantly achieve this by relying on financial interests and contracts, but you also require the lowest-level shops to do business to the common people. ..."
Padrick spread his hands: "Alchemical potions are not stinky ointments made by rural herbalists. Even poorer mercenaries may not be able to use them. How can civilians use them? Can you afford it? Even if we sell it to civilians, no one will buy it!"
"You don't have to worry about this. Since I said that the new alchemical potions can be sold to civilians, then I will naturally consider it. After passing the price, I can guarantee that they are so cheap that ordinary civilians can afford them, and nobles from all over the world can also use this potion for their armies."
Gawain did not say too much directly. Big, there is no promise that "even serfs can afford alchemical potions" - because this is unrealistic. Not every territory is like Cecil Territory. In most places in the world, the private property of serfs is almost zero. No matter how cheap Gawain makes the alchemy potion, those serfs still don’t even have a bottle cap. Can't afford it. In this regard, Gawain is currently unable to do anything.
Making alchemy potions affordable to civilians (or citizens) with moderate conditions in other territories is already his biggest goal at the moment.
Padrake's first reaction to Gawain's statement was to doubt that it was impossible, but seeing the unshakable expression on the other party's face, he wisely did not say it out loud, but simply said: Evaluation of the trade model in the manual: "Okay, then I have to say that what is written on this is full of wisdom-if what you want to sell is not alchemical potions, but food and cloth, I would still evaluate it. But I have one last question... Do you have so many alchemy potions?"
The "business scholar" spread his hands: "You want to 'feed' such a sale. The system requires a lot of alchemical potions.Eyes. "
Gawain smiled slightly and waved to the two attendants who were following him: "Go and bring in those boxes of samples. "
"How many...how many boxes? ”