Holy Roman Empire

Chapter 293: Major Deal

As expected, the newly issued shares of the Suez Canal Company didnt sell well. Everyone was holding on to a pile of underwater stocks, unable to liquidate them in time. Why would they want to jump into another pit?

Even for those with the foresight to see the future potential of the Suez Canal, it didnt mean they had money at their disposal.

Few people were interested in the Suez Canal shares, but every day the newly issued shares sold out. Astute as he was, Jrgen quickly realized that someone was buying in bulk.

However, he wisely chose to keep quiet, then dipped into his savings, quietly bought a batch, and prepared to make a fortune quietly.

Unfortunately, he miscalculated. This time, Franz wasnt manipulating the market; he was investing. The canal shares were to be strictly kept, with no intention of pumping up their prices.

Without any media hype or even basic announcements, everyone only knew this was an official collaborative project between France and Austria, and that was it.

There was nothing more to it. The project hadnt even started, and both sides were still in the fundraising stage. Except for a set of long-published design blueprints, there was nothing more.

Under normal circumstances, a project at this stage would not even qualify for fundraising in the market, how could it gain popularity?

Especially now, with investment in the canal far above that in history, the projects risks have increased significantly. The Paris stock market was equally cold, and if it werent for Franz buying up the shares, its questionable whether they could be sold at all.

In the eyes of many, this project is purely political, with the two governments joining forces to change their strategic disadvantage. Whether it will be profitable is a secondary concern.

This time the shares werent listed on the London Stock Exchange. With Austrias support, the French government abandoned its attempts to woo the London financial sector.

There were a lot of people like Jrgen. Even in this time of economic crisis, while investment firms are busy bottom-fishing, major investors are content to sit on the sidelines, waiting for the crisis to end before re-entering the market. With only a few small investors, theres hardly a ripple in the stock market.

Despite the still raging economic crisis, the Port of Venice remained as prosperous as ever, with thousands of people coming and going daily, departing from here to Austrias overseas territories.

In a small tavern, groups of people gathered, with barrels of beer and some side dishes, the most affordable entertainment.

Most of them are sailors from all over the world, earning a decent income but hardly saving any, making them the favorite customers of tavern owners.

Locals are rarely seen in these small taverns; they cant afford such extravagant spending. Even those with families would avoid this group.

Despite the decent crowd, tavern owner Buck wasnt happy, as he could tell something from the drinks and snacks on the tables.

Clearly, peoples spending had dropped more than just a notch. The drinks were the cheapest available, and the food was the cheapest, with some tables even skipping side dishes altogether.

Theres no way around it; with the economic crisis in full swing, business has plummeted. With fewer voyages, incomes have plummeted accordingly.

With less income comes less consumption. Formerly bustling businesses such as casinos and brothels are now deserted, not to mention small taverns.

Just then a man walked in and said, Owner Buck, business is booming!

Mr. Anthony, what wind blew you here, please come in! Hamm, quickly bring the best drinks and dishes.

Buck nodded and bowed, his whole face beaming with a smile. Obviously, the visitor was someone of importance; otherwise, Buck would not have taken care of them personally.

Having spent a lot of time on the docks, Buck had long practiced the art of adapting to different situations speaking appropriately depending on who he was dealing with. When it came to dealing with the big shots, he spared no effort to curry their favor.

When they entered the private room, Anthony sat down and got right to the point: Im not here for drinks today. Theres a huge business deal I want you to handle, but it depends on whether youre capable enough to take it on.

Bucks heart sank. As a prominent shipowner in Venice, Anthony never visited such humble establishments. Their acquaintance was superficial, so Buck didnt believe there could be any real business for him.

But being an old hand at the game, Buck still asked with a smile, Mr. Anthony, may I ask what this huge business is about?

Anthony said casually, Recruit for me a thousand brave and fearless young men and three hundred sailors. Ill give you a commission of one guilder per person.

Bucks expression changed for a moment but quickly returned to normal. Logically, someone of Anthonys stature wouldnt need him to recruit personnel, and if they did, they wouldnt need him as an intermediary.

Despite his doubts, he could not ignore such a lucrative deal. Acting as an intermediary was part of his business, and the tavern was a gathering place for all sorts of people, and sometimes it would double as a place for business for mercenaries.

Buck assured him, No problem, Mr. Anthony. Leave it to me, Ill gather the manpower for you within a month.

Anthony smiled and replied, Dont be in a hurry to agree. If I had a month, I wouldnt have come to you. Have the people ready in three days.

Bucks expression changed when he realized that recruiting 1,300 people would bring him 1,300 guilders in commission, a sum he couldnt earn in a year under normal circumstances. It was obvious that such a task couldnt be easily accomplished in just three days.

After some thought, Buck forced a smile and said, Mr. Anthony, this is really beyond my capabilities. The time frame is just too short.

Buck was self-aware; he never made promises he couldnt keep. He strongly suspected that Anthony was merely toying with him. How could he possibly gather so many people in three days?

Anthony promised, However many you can gather will do. Im doing a major deal this time, and Im short on manpower, so I have to ask for your help. As long as this succeeds, youll benefit in the future.

It was indeed a major deal; Anthony had his eye on a kingdom in Benin. With his current forces, it was clear that he couldnt carry out such an operation.

For this operation, they naturally found several partners to collaborate with, preparing to divide up this indigenous kingdom in Africa.

Their boldness was not unfounded; there were numerous examples from this era that proved that conquering an indigenous kingdom was not difficult.

To increase his say in the alliance, Anthony sought to increase his military strength. This endeavor required not only secrecy but also swift action.

With so many colonial forces on the African continent, they surely wouldnt be the only ones eyeing the fat piece of meat that was the Kingdom of Benin. If someone else beat them to it, all their efforts would be in vain.

Because of the short time frame, Anthony had to lower his standards and even accept the rabble he would normally disdain. No matter how useless they were, they could still follow him around.

After hesitating for a moment, Buck whispered, Mr. Anthony, a Swiss mercenary group of three hundred men arrived recently. If youre willing to pay a high price, I can arrange for them to join you.

Anthony chuckled and said, If I could recruit mercenaries, why would I need you? With so many adventurous customers coming and going from your tavern, there must be some willing to take the risk. Just get them.

That was the truth; mercenary groups wouldnt honestly turn over the loot they plundered to their employer. Going through all the trouble for a big operation was all about getting rich.

If all the spoils were swallowed up by others, what would they gain? Rely on the sale of black slaves for profit?

Clearly, Anthony had his sights set on the century-old accumulation of the Kingdom of Benin, not just to become a slave trader.

Buck said worriedly, Mr. Anthony, this is not proper. Most of them have employers, and poaching on a large scale is taboo.

In this era, those who made a living at sea were all masters of living on the edge, not ones to swallow their pride.

If it was just the poaching of a few sailors, it could still be done; personnel turnover was normal and would not cause a backlash. But large-scale poaching was basically asking for retaliation!

The older you get in the game, the less courage you have. Buck was an old hand at the game, and he wouldnt dare do something like that.

Anthony remained calm as he said, I understand the rules too. Its because I dont want to break them that I came to you! Youve been around for so many years, that your information network must be fairly extensive, right?

With the current economic downturn, many small boat owners may already be struggling to stay afloat. Negotiate with them, and hire their men for a job; surely thats possible?

This matter can only be negotiated by you. Im only responsible for providing the money, and I must remain anonymous throughout.

Buck breathed a sigh of relief; he understood that Anthony didnt want to show his face, which was why he wanted him to be the middleman.

The details of the deal and the need for secrecy did not matter to Buck. He only cared about whether he could complete the transaction within three days.

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