Chapter 101 – Forming a Caravan
Chapter 101 – Forming a Caravan
Although Powell had heard of the name of Elf Black Tea, he had not drunk it.
Before becoming hereditary nobles, William’s three brothers together could earn a few hundred gold coins per year, which was already very considerable in a family of professionals. Their social status, income level, has been second only to the hereditary baron.
However, if they wanted to become hereditary nobles, they had to save money to develop their territory, and their normal life was very frugal.
In the first few years of becoming a hereditary noble, the territory was still unable to make ends meet, so life was a bit more difficult.
It was only after last summer, when white wine and steel brought in a steady stream of income, that the Harland family became a bit more generous.
Powell also wanted to taste the flavor of elven black tea, he opened his mouth and took a sip, and immediately frowned, his face a little ugly.
“What, not used to drinking it?”
“The flavor is a bit too bitter, indeed I’m not used to drinking it. Maybe I’m just a rustic, I feel that it’s still brown sugar water that tastes the best.”
“Last winter brown sugar production increased by sixty percent, I’ll bring you a few packets later, Wendy and Sophia will continue to raise seedlings, after a year or two, brown sugar can also be taken out for money.”
“I’m looking forward to the brown sugar plantation can be expanded quickly, if I can drink brown sugar water every day, I have no regrets even if I die in this life.”
“Second uncle your request is too low, the production of brown sugar may double this year, by then this request of yours will be realized.”
“This is really good news. Richard you really have a quick turn of mind and can think of all kinds of ways to get rich. It’s all because of your whimsical ideas and business strategies that our Harland Territory can grow and develop.
In recent days, there has been a shortage of salt in the territory. I went to Black River Fort to buy it, and found that the price of salt in Black River Fort has increased by sixty percent, the territory’s population of more than 20,000 people and more than 100,000 livestock all need salt, and the price of salt has increased, not a small amount of money.”
The most lacking supplies in the territory were cloth and salt.
The northern border wasn’t very short of salt.
But the three centralized provinces directly under the direct control of the royal family did not find salt mines.
The salt needed on weekdays was mainly through trade with other provinces.
The three major salt producing regions of the Kingdom of Grant.
The first was the sea salt of the four eastern provinces. The four eastern marquis territories were close to the sea, and they used a lot of manpower to cut down trees and boil seawater to obtain salt.
The second was the mining salt of Duke Jonathan’s territory, Duke Jonathan’s territory had a salt mine that could excavate a large amount of salt.
The third was the well salt of Duke Loran’s territory.
Of these three kinds of salt, well salt was the most expensive, the highest quality, and was the salt used by the nobles.
The salt business in Gerda Province was monopolized by Jerram Holland, using sea salt from the four eastern marquis’ territories.
Listening to Powell’s narration, Richard’s face showed a few worries.
“Our salt usage is so large, can we talk to Consul Jerram? Lower the selling price a little.”
“Jelam’s steward, Saville, clearly said that this is the consul’s request and there is no way to talk about it.”
Richard took a sip of the elven black tea, weighed the pros and cons and said, “Since Jerram is not willing to talk, we have to think of a way on our own as well, salt is a necessity of life, and must not be allowed to pinch one’s balls.
I’m going to organize a merchant caravan and take a trip to Duke Jonathan’s territory, not only can we buy salt, but we can also sell some of our own territory’s specialties.
The Purple Head Peak in Fort Vic is already capable of producing quite a bit of honey and some royal jelly, in addition to that plus two hundred pounds of brown sugar, three hundred urns of white wine, and two tons of steel arrowheads.
It works out to be worth over eight hundred gold coins, enough to organize a caravan.”
“This is equivalent to us finding another channel for salt, and I’m afraid we’ll offend Consul Jeram.” Although Consul Jerram’s position was high, he couldn’t control hereditary barons. Moreover, the consul was an exiled official and wouldn’t be able to work in the northern border for a few years.
Although the province consul could use all sorts of legal and illegal means to suppress the hereditary nobles.
However, the hereditary nobles can also use the method of lifting the table and go to the Royal Capital Noble Council to sue the provincial consul.
If the Provincial Consul is not reasonable and makes people angry, it is possible to be overturned in the Noble Council.
The royal family could hardly violate the decisions made by the Noble Council.
Although the Grant royal family was the most powerful, it was no match for a third of the Noble Alliance.
If the royal family really incurred the wrath of the people, it was possible that the great nobles below would join hands to overthrow them.
That’s how the throne of the Grant royal family came to be; Duke Jonathan, next door, produced a dim-witted king, and the regime was overthrown in the Grand Duchy of Starnic.
The main reason why House Harland was reluctant to offend Jerram was Jerram’s sister, Agnes Holland.
This Mrs. Holland was King Charles’ favorite woman, and although she was over forty years old, her figure was still shapely, and her complexion was as white as snow.
Mrs. Holland gave birth to three children for King Charles.
It was rumored that King Charles was not satisfied with his firstborn son and had already planned to replace him.
As long as he didn’t push too hard, Richard was actually unwilling to offend Jerram Holland.
The Harland family’s relationship with Jerram Consul is very general, last time, in order to obtain a good fiefdom, William found Zachary, the head of the army, and let Zachary step in to communicate, William sent Jerram Consul a sum of money.
Consul Jerram took the money to do the job, coupled with Zachary’s face, things went very smoothly.
The two sides have dealt with each other just once, and William’s relationship at Fort Black River is mainly in the Northern Legion.
The sixty percent increase in the price of salt was a big burden on the Harland family.
Richard could only choose to re-open a channel.
As for whether it would affect Jerram’s interests? It couldn’t care too much right now.
Since Zachary didn’t give face to the Harland family, he shouldn’t blame the Harland family for affecting his business and slapping him in the face.
After sending off his second uncle Powell, Richard personally stepped in and began to draw in goods and form a merchant fleet.
The Harland Territory’s 6th Squadron was the backbone of the mercenaries under Uncle Soros’ command. It was just the right time to take on the protection mission, and they had the experience anyway.
In addition the caravan also needed some merchants who were proficient in trade. This kind of talent is harder to find, large-scale goods trade, must be proficient in math.
And the vast majority of ordinary people in the Morning Sun Continent were illiterate, and those who knew math knowledge were very rare.
Not everyone has the vision to spend a lot of money to train their children to go to church school.
Hereditary nobles control the merchant fleet, such people are chosen from within the noble branches, the slave family’s children.
The Harland family is still very short-lived and lacks suitable talents, so they can only pick from indentured servants.
Fortunately, there are all kinds of characters in the indentured servants, especially the more than 2,000 indentured servants who escaped from the orc empire, the quality is a bit higher.
Richard quickly selected seven or eight indentured servants who were proficient in basic math, allowing them to transform into merchants and act as the backbone of the caravan.
(End of chapter)