031 Beacon (2)
Lee Hwan doubted his two ears.
If Britain could find a clue that could put pressure on the United States, wouldn’t it mean that it would grant something like a semi-private camp?
King Willem I laughed and said to Yi Hwan.
“I will hand over to you a shipbuilding company capable of manufacturing large ships.”
“Huh!”
“However, the company’s shipyard cannot be established in the Netherlands. As you may know, the guild collusion is so severe.”
The Netherlands is a country ruled by merchants.
No matter how slowly the guild system was collapsing, it was still impossible to completely ignore the local merchant association.
You could tell just by looking at the Ben Heren fleet.
Even if it was difficult to conduct a shipbuilding business in the Netherlands, if they made and sold ships on the west coast of the United States, they would be able to do business with the United States.
No, it was more important that Lee Hwan entered the western region and had the qualifications to develop the site.
“… … So, can I purchase the real estate there and develop it as I please?”
“Whatever you do there, it is your heart.”
Knowing the exact location of the gold mine has gained the power to purchase it.
But since there was even a means to make it completely Lee Hwan’s, how could he not be happy?
Yi Hwan knelt before King Willem I.
“Shin Yi-Hwan, I swear that I will be loyal as a Dutch subject in the future!”
I didn’t even know maybe it was something I was doing.
Hana Lee Hwan thought that there would be no misunderstanding on the other side if he clearly showed what he wanted.
When Yi Hwan prostrated, King Willem I laughed with satisfaction.
And Lee Hwan laughed too.
‘… … Okay, this is your chance! Besides, we can bring people from England!’
Right now, Lee Hwan could claim the power to draw scholars and engineers from England.
Also, after that, he would be able to claim various things using his royal power.
It meant that Lee Hwan would be able to borrow the power of the Dutch king while he was on his way to becoming a chaebol.
When Yi Hwan accepted the ordination without much thought, King Willem I stood up with a mysterious smile.
“Yeah, you’re a man. I knew right away that he had a manly side, but I didn’t expect that he would enlist in the military so readily.”
“I will do my best to repay the kindness of His Majesty Hahae!”
Willem I stood up from his seat and drew his sword.
Sreung!
“I command you to be the defender of the Netherlands. Also, I will give the name of the Archangel Michael, grant the castle of Easterfield, and later give Ritterkirk to the realm.”
King Willem I put the sword on Yi Hwan’s shoulder.
But Lee Hwan tilted his head.
‘wisdom? What kind of land are you giving away in this age?’
Already through the republican government, the land system was improved, and to the emerging aristocrats, the only real estate was the private land he owned.
It was against the law for even the king to give Literkirk to the realm in its entirety.
If so, does it mean that some of the land owned by the king is granted?
Although Lee Hwan didn’t know what it was, he just kept prostrate in front of him.
“thank you!”
“Be loyal to the Kingdom of the Netherlands from now until the day you die. Do not be afraid in the face of the enemy, seek only the truth.”
“I will keep that in mind!”
“Stand up, Baron Ritterkirk.”
It wasn’t the ordination that mattered, it was important that he rose to the ranks of aristocrats.
In the future, whether distributing guns or cannons, Yi Hwan will be granted the privileges of aristocrats, and the royal halo will follow.
This alone was equivalent to eating half of it.
‘Is this a check that I can throw at the negotiating table?’
After King Willem I conferred the title on Yi Hwan, he laughed and joked around.
“It will be difficult to run for the House of Representatives now.”
“It is better to be a soldier than a legislator.”
“Haha, then that’s good.”
Having stood up from his seat, King Willem I decided to go to the general meeting of shareholders.
He was going to make an announcement about Yi Hwan’s work on this occasion.
“Today will be the first day I take my first steps as Prince Ritterkirk.”
“The castle is doomed!”
“I hope that you will be able to play an important role in our Netherlands in the future. Well then, let’s go.”
Ben-Heren and Yi Hwan followed in the footsteps of Willem I.
King Willem I asked Yi Hwan while going up from the cellar to the ground.
“By the way, you’re sealed to the baron, so I’ll have to give you some presents.”
“You said that you have already given the territory.”
“It did. But that’s the rightful fief to be given as a king, and that there should be a gift from a man named Willem I to a human Easterfield.”
As Yi Hwan read in his contemplation, Willem I was quite generous with his subjects.
Having seen that tendency, I didn’t think Lee Hwan would give up any more.
“Then I have one request for conviction.”
“Oh, is it? Tell me.”
“We have to bring people from England, and we need a royal pardon.”
“You are a person. which?”
“They are engineers and scholars. They are the people who will advance our Dutch technology to the next level.”
“Hmm, you mean people related to military technology?”
“It is closely related not only to military technology, but also to industry. It has to be snatched away when the recent economic downturn in Manchester and academics and technologists have lost their jobs.”
William I nodded.
He would have been willing to give up the right of amnesty if it was for the sake of illness, even if it wasn’t for the national interest.
“They have already been pardoned. Let them know that you can cross the border.”
“Yes, my lord! The castle is crazy!”
“Haha, no words.”
Thanks to the hot Willem I, Lee Hwan’s worries melted away like snow.
And after a while.
King Willem I appeared in the reception room with Lee Hwan and Richard Ben-Heren.
“The Dutch ruler Willem I is here!”
Beep Baba Bam!
Although it is a constitutional monarchy, the king is always known as the ruler, so fanfare always resounded when he appeared.
Taken from noblemtl.com
More than 200 people, including the nobles who gathered in the reception room, and the candidates for general shareholders, focused their attention on Willem I.
“majesty!”
“Everyone has gathered. Stand up.”
William I beckoned those who were prostrate before him to stand up immediately.
“Today should be a place to pursue the truth rather than the pretentiousness.”
“Yes, my lord!”
“Then, Prince Ben-Heren, let’s begin.”
Ben-Herren announced the establishment of a private fleet following the dismissal of William I.
He read down the contents of the proclamation of the private fleet, which was stamped with the seals of King Willem I and the British royal family.
“On May 20, 1822 AD, the royal families of the Netherlands and England formed the Royal Sailing Corps to eradicate the slave trade and piracy that ravaged the people and disturbed the international order. The Royal Sailing Corps will cover the remainder of the donations contributed by the Royal Family to finance the founding through the issuance of shares. Shares entitle them to whether they can be later converted into clarifications and received in gold. In addition, the course of the future sailing group is decided through the regular general meeting of shareholders, and the agenda is decided through the general meeting when the manager is replaced later. The Royal Voyage Corps is headed by Count Richard Frederick von Holland Benheren, and its crew is financed by the Dutch Navy and Army. Subsequent replenishment troops will be made up of personnel obtained from the emancipation of slaves, and those who join as replenishment troops are entitled to Dutch nationals.”
The aristocrats welcomed the influx of population to the Netherlands, and they were quite satisfied with the introduction of a kind of gold standard that turned it into gold rather than simply returning the stake.
This was fiercely welcomed because it gave merchants the right to influence the royal family as a kind of bond.
“Also, in the event of a war in our allies, including Britain, we can loot the merchant ships and fleets of the hostile countries. Profits from that will also be counted as dividends to shareholders.”
In an instant, murmurs began to be heard around them.
It’s the same with Lee Hwan.
‘No, what? Does this mean you’re just going to pirate outright?’
The merchants in the South or the North, regardless of whether they were in the East, showed a bit of embarrassment.
However, Ben-Heren’s words immediately followed, and the color of anger turned.
“The proceeds are divided 7 to 3 with the British royal family, and the distribution of 70% of the profits of the Dutch royal family is divided according to the stake. Profits can be replaced with stocks and returned in gold.”
“Oh oh!”
“Okay, this concludes the announcement of the establishment of the Royal Sailing Corps.”
“Long live the Netherlands!”
The atmosphere in the hall was quite good.
The merchants in the south were also quite satisfied.
Now, King Willem I will seal Yi Hwan as a baron and officially announce the introduction of cartridge rifles into the military.
Ben-Heren took a step back, and Willem I stood side by side, holding Yi Hwan’s hand.
“As everyone knows, he is the creator of the cartridge rifle, and he is still actively inventing it. Since it is our expedition’s pioneering achievement, he was directly conferred the title in the name of the king, and he will inherit the estate of Prince Rietterkirk.”
“… … Baron Ritterkirk?”
The aristocrats reacted a little puzzled.
Do they oppose Lee Hwan’s ordained nobleman?
The baron of the nobles is the king’s exclusive authority, so even if he objected to it, it would be of no use, but there was no reason for the nobles to rebel against the king with only one baron title.
However, they were not puzzled by their ordination.
“Isn’t the Baron Ritterkirk a family that was destroyed 300 years ago and disappeared from the list of nobility around Rotterdam? But I have to… … .”
“you’re right. With the disappearance of the Baron Ritterkirk family, the name has now faded. It’s been a while since the name hasn’t been connected, but now I have to come… … .”
King Willem I explained the reason for letting Yi Hwan take on the name of Baron Lieterkirk as follows.
“It is simply to succeed the baron’s ordination. The baron’s family was not destroyed because of a major mistake, but simply disappeared because of a break in the family. There is no other reason, except that I, the king, will carry on that generation directly.”
“Uh… … . If your Highness thinks so.”
“Are you dissatisfied?”
“It’s not like that… … If your Majesty grants it, we simply accept it.”
The Senate, or the nobility, is a group directly connected to the royal family, so there is no need to rebel against the king more than necessary.
Still, it was surprising to see him confronting the royal family with only one faded estate.
‘what? Isn’t there a behind-the-scenes story?’
Anyway, the conferment of the title of Yi Hwan ended very smoothly.
***
Vienna, the capital of Austria.
As an empire that had recently grown into a powerful power in Eastern Europe along with Tsarist Russia, this place was overflowing with vitality.
A silver-gray wagon rushed towards the streets of Vienna.
Again, again.
A wagon that was running on a bumpy road in a slightly dimly lit street stopped for a moment.
And after a while, a priest got on the carriage.
He was covering his head with a hood, but he couldn’t hide the black hair protruding through them.
“You have a bit of a weak spot.”
“It happened because I was a priest.”
“What does the priesthood have to do with frugality?”
“You know when you do it. Would you like to go to the convent?”
Andre’s oriental appearance revealed when he took off the hood, and the blonde beauty sitting opposite him was shaking his head.
The two seemed to be quite friendly, and it was very natural to joke around.
“If I were to become a nun, would all the priests in this world be thirsty? Every night very… … .”
“Stop such blasphemy. First of all, let’s talk about the basics.”
“… … It’s like an idiot.”
“How is the situation these days? Is the money going well?”
She, who had been joking around with each other until just a moment ago, and sometimes humorous, suddenly turned into a serious one.
“These days, it seems that a lot of money goes into the flag battle with Prussia.”
“Are you saying you are ignoring the treaty and trying to build armaments?”
“Isn’t it obvious? The empty regime was just a fancy excuse, and if our family is to maintain its prestige forever, it will be necessary to increase its arms.”
Europe has been a battleground for eating and being eaten since ancient times.
Yesterday’s power could be today’s loser, and today’s colony could be tomorrow’s empire.
That was the way European history was written.
In fact, Andre had doubts whether the Vienna system would be effective in such a Europe.
“okay. How did you manage to be patient?”
“Anyway, that’s the way things are going, so we’re going to hand over the fire, aren’t we?”
“I’m thinking about it a bit.”
“… … The Ben Heren fleet promised to give us guns.”
“I understand that it was not a promise, but a possibility, right?”
“That’s it. What kind of people are so rude?”
“There are a lot of people looking for guns all over the place these days.”
“But some of them were sold in Australia.”
“Well, it’s just that it’s hard for the British to know we carry guns.”
“Okay… … .”
“Anyway, I am getting more and more money now. We also have no choice but to sell guns to customers who pay extra for it.”
She looked at Andre with a puzzled expression.
At the same time, I felt that the day was standing at the word I shed.
“… … Guns are so funny. It’s not that expensive when you buy it openly, but it’s so expensive when you look back. It’s not even a country where we can’t make guns.”
“Why is opium so expensive? A UK embargo is expensive, and if it’s for medical use, it’s cheap. The same goes for guns. They sell cheap when they are full of targets to be killed, and they sell high when they want to maintain their hegemony.”
She looked out the window quietly.
Then he said out of nowhere.
“… … 1.5 times.”
“Too few.”
“1.6 times.”
“That too.”
“shit! Then how expensive are you going to buy it?!”
“Twice.”
“… … Do you have any side jobs?”
“Instead, there are conditions. We will sell cartridge rifles, which have recently been adopted as standard rifles in the Netherlands, as our top priority.”
“cartridge?”
“Wait a few months. There will be a lot of chaos in Europe.”
“No, what the hell am I supposed to believe in waiting for that rifle?”
“The name Benheren.”
As she was about to say something more, she kept her mouth shut.
Then Andre laughed and pounded his hand against the wall of the carriage.
bang bang.
Then the carriage stopped.
she was still trembling.
“What would you like to do? Would you like to trade?”
“… … damn it.”
“There is no time. Choose quickly. I will just get off.”
She shook her head.
“Give me a little time to think.”
“I am more expensive than I thought.”
“… … Give me time!”
“Then promise me one thing.”
“A promise?”
“As much as I have given you, you must also give me time. Can you please?”
“Hey, are you buying and selling by time now?”
“Isn’t that the right thing to do? When there is something to give, something comes, and when something is gained, something is lost.”
“No, then what do you lose by selling that gun?”
“Reform.”
“… … What does that mean?”
The word “reform,” which he answered without hesitation, really made Andrew’s face very determined.
She could fully feel that the story was sincere.
“I don’t know what it means, but it seems to be very important.”
“Isn’t that why I risked my life to go to Qing and was ordained a priest in the eyes of the French missionaries? If it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t have been able to smuggle opium in a priest’s uniform.”
“Well, thanks to that, now you are living like this, right?”
“… … It’s not about eating, it’s about survival.”
Andre took the watch out of his pocket and checked the time.
And the word spit was a bit strange.
“It’s been five minutes, so please buy me lunch.”
“… … No, what kind of calculation is that?”
“Originally, exchange rates are relative. Five minutes to me could be 50 minutes to you.”
“Hey, is this a pure scammer?”
“Anyway, decide now. If we stick together too long, we’ll get suspicious. Do you know?”
“like. I will make a decision.”
“Are you going to buy it?”
She shook her head.
“No, it’s too expensive.”
“You still took your time.”
“Because I needed time to think rationally.”
Then Andre finally got out of the carriage.
Andre asked her.
“By the way, when are you going to eat?”
Andre replied with a smile.
“If you sell all your weapons.”
“It’s spicy. Then we will see you again soon.”
“Yes, I will.”
“Then let’s not die and see each other alive.”
“Take a look.”
Andre looked around as if swiping around, then disappeared into the corner of the alley.
She watched Andre through the window.
“Did you just live?”