Since last year, Cecil’s things have become more and more common in this city.
The wheels rolled over the newly built roads in the Noble District. The high-quality road surface and equally high-quality wheels almost completely offset the bumps when the vehicle was driving. Ferdinand Wendell sat in a black magic car, his Looking out the window, I saw a new shop on the street being renovated. Between the black spire buildings in the Old South style, a striking large glass window occupied an entire wall facing the street. , there are shelves that have not been packed away in the window, and workers are hanging a sign in front of the main entrance of the store, with a few words written on it in beautiful cursive letters:
"The best dessert-stuffed "Ciel flavor"
"...It's like only Cecil people know how to make desserts." Pei Dinan frowned and couldn't help but murmured softly.
The butler sat opposite him. This honest and reliable man who had served the Pei Dinan family for decades shook his head: "In fact, the people who opened the shop are just locals - the magic shadow drama let Those businessmen with a keen sense of smell have taken action."
"Magic drama?" Pei Dinan repeated the word that he heard more and more often, "I heard about it...it happened last winter. Cecil's businessman bought a piece of land in the south of the city and opened a new theater, but it was for the common people - the tickets were low and almost everyone was crowded into one hall."
"Yes, it's a cheap play for the common people, and no one watched it at first," the housekeeper said with a smile. "After all, no one knows what it is for - the upper class people are not interested, and the common people are very cautious about themselves. Small change in my pocket, but those Cecil businessmen spent a lot of money to advertise in newspapers more than a month ago, and let the theater open for free for three days. Now it has become popular all of a sudden, and it has attracted people. We have visited some shops..."
As the housekeeper said, he looked out the window. The shop known as "Cecile Flavored Desserts" had already crossed the car window and was almost out of sight.
"It is said that several kinds of desserts appear repeatedly in the plot of the new drama. There is also a scene at the end where the main characters share desserts after a safe reunion, so those desserts inexplicably aroused people's interest - —The store you just saw is actually the third one opened in the city."
Pei Dinan had an incredible expression on his face as he listened to the butler's words. He frowned and shook his head: "It's really hard to understand... Drama should be elegant and profound. What are those Cecil people doing..."
"It's really hard to understand, but the civilians seem to welcome it - after all Compared to jewelry and manors, desserts are at least something they can afford, and they can also allow middle-class citizens to show their 'respect'."
"You know very well," Pei Dinan couldn't help but look at it. He glanced at the butler and said, "Have you ever seen the so-called 'Shadow Show'?"
"I haven't seen it," the butler replied, "I'm over the age of liking dramas."It's old and trendy, but my son and two daughters went to see it, and young people seemed to like that stuff. ”
Pedinan seemed to be lost in thought for a short time, then he shook his head, picked up the newspaper he had put aside before, and continued the content above - this newspaper is local to Aldernan, in Habib. After the success of the "Empire" founded by James Reston, the emperor gradually opened the door to private newspapers, but the threshold for running a newspaper is still very high. Today, there are only three popular newspapers in Aldernan. Four kinds. As a somewhat old-fashioned old aristocrat, the only newspaper he loves is "Jazz Weekly".
Opening the second page of the newspaper, the huge printed letters appear. What caught his eye -
It was an advertisement for Cecil Steel Investment Company to recruit sales personnel in Alder South.
The layout was large, eye-catching and generous. , it takes a lot of money to place such an advertisement.
"Cecil Merchant's advertisements have begun to appear in Jazz Weekly," Archduke Ferdinand said a little helplessly, "Put it in." In the past, who would have dared to imagine such a thing? "
"This is probably the era of economic openness..." The butler matched the master's topic, "It is said that our merchants have also opened many shops in Cecil City... As long as the magic train is still here As the national borders fly by, there will always be more and more such situations in the future. After all, no one will have trouble with money. "
Duke Ferdinand listened to the butler's words, his expression seemed to be thoughtful, but he said nothing more.
......
"No one will have trouble with money. ," Viscount Hemel sat on the soft red sofa in a comfortable posture, gently shaking the high-quality White Mountain wine in his hand, with a cheerful and sunny smile on his face, which seemed to be contagious and could make everyone Anyone who faced it also became happy, "Of course, what we used to say was that no one would have trouble with gold coins - it's just that times have changed, Earl Hallmark. ”
A middle-aged gentleman with a thin body, a high nose, and short blond hair sticking tightly to his scalp sat opposite Viscount Hemel. He also held a wine glass in his hand, but his posture was obviously better than that of the younger Hemel. Mill is more upright and conservative.
He is Hallmark, a member of Aldernan's upper class, and one of the economic ministers appointed by Rosetta Augustus after she reorganized the empire. Unlike Duke Severn, who is also the Minister of Economy and is responsible for organizing the Imperial Bank, this serious and cautious earl is responsible for the empire's external economic activities - since last year, he has been responsible for the business with the Kingdom of Gaoling and the Silver Empire. Negotiations, with great results.
“Paper money has a unique advantage – and when used correctly, it can bring us closer to our business partners. "Earl Hallmark did not show any displeasure at Viscount Hemel's relatively frivolous behavior. As a seasoned socialite, he always faced it with the most appropriate attitude.any visitor.
"Yes, our business partner," Viscount Hemel nodded, expressing his appreciation somewhat exaggeratedly, "I heard about your business negotiations with the Silver Empire. It was really a wonderful negotiation. Template, even if I only read some transcripts, I have to admire your quick thinking. I have dealt with some elves and know how difficult it is to change their minds - they can be more elegant and friendly than any noble. , polite, but that doesn’t mean they will buy your stuff.”
“The Silver Empire is a difficult fortress to conquer, because their society has almost no need for Typhon’s industrial products—— Advanced technology allows them to live a worry-free life, and they have a kind of arrogance in their bones, but in the end, our progress in the High Mountain Kingdom opened up the situation for the entire negotiation process," Earl Hallmark said unhurriedly, "The elves still need to come from The products of the Human Empire are mainly enchanted paper and alchemy matrix... Although the scale is much smaller than I imagined."
"But at least it gives us one more trade route to the southern part of the continent. ," Viscount Hemel said with a smile, "It is said that the merchants of the Cecil people have already done business with the Augure Tribe Nation and even the dwarves in the far west of the continent. In terms of business, they are one step ahead of us."< /p>
"More than that," Hallmark shook his head, "They are even connected with the Silver Empire."
Viscount Hemel suddenly opened his eyes in surprise.
"Silver Empire? Cecil?" The young Viscount couldn't help but exclaimed, "How did they do it? I mean... there was such a vast wasteland in the middle, even No bird can fly..."
"Of course it is not a commercial activity like ours, but the relationship between the Silver Empire and the Cecil people is indeed very close," Earl Hallmark said seriously , "The news I heard from the High Mountain Kingdom is that the elves and the Cecil people came together as early as when the countries worked together to repair the Great Wall. Of course, that wasteland hindered their direct commerce. During the event, only a few products will travel through the long land trade route starting from the Mosswood Forest, passing through the territories of the gray elves, orcs, and elves, passing through the rift area in the southwest of the continent and the edge of the highland kingdom, and finally entering the territory of the elves... ..."
At this point, the middle-aged nobleman frowned and gently turned the wine glass in his hand: "This kind of circulation is not large-scale. From a commercial perspective, it does not pose a threat to us, but who Do you know what will happen in the future? The Cecil people are very good at creating unexpected things, and they must have a plan for the future by making great efforts to maintain contact with the elves."
Viscount Hemel. The slightly frivolous smile slowly faded away. He stood up from the sofa and walked slowly while thinking. After walking around twice, he returned to his seat. After taking a sip of the wine, he Finally, he said as if he had made up his mind: "It seems...that market in the south of the mainland will become a 'battlefield' sooner or later in the future..."
"Even if the Cecil peopleWithout intervention, the market in the southern part of the mainland will also turn into a battlefield. Hemil, you should know how many things our factories can produce in a day - short-sighted people only want to sell those things to their neighbors and country people, but People with a long-term perspective will realize that the farther a product is sold, the more long-term and substantial benefits it will bring. "
Earl Hallmark said, showing a smile to Hemir.
"Hemil, we have opened the trade route to the High Mountain Kingdom and the Silver Empire. The Empire's Southern Investment Company has begun to seize gold. Just like every new field, the first to establish a foothold in it will always earn the largest share of profits. "
"Of course," Hemil put down his wine glass, he breathed a sigh of relief, and a bright smile appeared on his face again, "So I am willing to fully support your 'Southern Investment Company'. I am willing to invest one hundred thousand... no, one hundred and fifty thousand pounds in the initial stage. Sir, I trust you will put this money to good use. "
"Hemil, my friend, you can wait for generous returns at home," Hallmark stood up, showed a smile, and stretched out his hand to Hemil, "Shareholder Income Meeting It proves your keen vision today. "
Hemil also stretched out his hand and took Count Hallmark's slender and thin palm: "Actually, I don't have a keen eye. I just discovered a trick and have been following it. ——"
"Oh? Hallmark couldn't help but become curious, "Are you willing to share this secret with your new business partner?" "
"It's very simple - whatever the Cecil people do, I will do it," Viscount Hermel laughed. "They invest everywhere, and I will do it - it's everywhere here. In the era of new things and new fields, I don’t need to do the first one, just the second one is enough. ”
Hallmark looked at the young viscount who was smiling happily and was speechless for a moment.
After a pleasant conversation, the nobleman who has been in the limelight in the past two years was speechless. Xinxing said goodbye and left.
Earl Hallmark, who was thin, with a high nose and short light blond hair, returned to the reception room and looked at the two wine glasses on the small round table and the previous Hemel. On the sofa where the Viscount had been sitting, the expression on his face did not change, but he still couldn't help but mumbled: "Hey, impetuous young man..."
The servant walked into the room and began to clean up the room. After checking the things in the house, the butler also came in, waiting for the master’s further instructions.
“What kind of person do you think Viscount Hermel is? "Hallmark turned his head, looked at the old butler who had served him for many years, and asked casually.
"I shouldn't evaluate a noble. "The butler responded meticulously.
"An impetuous young man, but his talent cannot be ignored," Earl Hallmark did not care about the butler's response, but just said to himself, "He is here. Within a few years, he became the richest among the young generation of nobles. This was not due to luck - althoughMany people think that he was just lucky enough to meet the craftsman named Martin and the Angre loom. "
Speaking of this, Earl Hallmark couldn't help but shook his head: "I admire such young people, but like other young people, he only focuses on what he is interested in. From the standpoint of being a Typhon noble, he treated Cecil... What is this? "
His eyes were suddenly attracted by something that a servant was putting away from the table, and he couldn't help but ask aloud - it looked like a thin book with rich colors. The cover and the binding method looked very cheap. After the servant brought the things over, he could clearly see the letters on the cover - "Magic Life"
"Magazine..." Hallmark was not a closed-minded person. He recognized that this thin book was actually a "magazine" that had become increasingly popular in recent years, but this magazine was not something he subscribed to at home. "It is Viscount Hermel was left behind? "
The housekeeper came over to take a look and nodded: "It seems so." "
"A decent nobleman probably won't care about this kind of thing, but he'd better send someone to deliver it to him later," Hallmark said, taking the magazine and flipping through it casually. The opening pages of, “Hmm…this was run by the Cecils? "
"Yes, sir," the butler replied, "This is a magazine recently published by several Cecil businessmen. The content is to introduce the lifestyle of the Magic Age - of course, mainly to introduce Cecil. The way of life of the Seer people. It has become very popular among respectable citizens in the past two months, because many of the magic devices mentioned in the magazine are popular products on the market. "
"Decent citizens..."
"Yes, decent citizens who can buy a magic freezer a year, such as lawyers and doctors. Of course, many young nobles also like this kind of magazine - they like those novel and interesting machines. "
Earl Hallmark hummed, and then asked seemingly casually: "Does anyone in this house subscribe to it? "
"Yes, as far as I know, Mr. Richard, the chef, is subscribing to it - he has often mentioned to people recently that he has a plan to add a magic player to his home..."
"Tell Mr. Richard - and the others - that if they bring something like this to the house, they can cancel all their shopping plans," the Earl said expressionlessly , “It’s not like we don’t have our own magazine. "
"...Yes, sir. ”