What did you do with the dice?

You know, when Rusalka first came here, the annual tax revenue of the Pearl Tear Lord's Mansion was only about 80 gold coins, which means that it would take 25 years of not eating, drinking, or spending to get 2000 gold coins.

Did the Pearl Tear Territory have so much money? Klauen was a little skeptical. He believed that the Ropa Territory could scrape together 1000 gold coins, after all, they had occupied the large mine for several years.

That big mine is very valuable, especially with the frequent wars recently. The price of equipment is still stable now, but it will definitely skyrocket in the near future, and the price of the ore as raw material will definitely increase as well.

He thought that the previous 400 gold coins and the money he earned from buying bulk goods on the market were the limit that the Pearl Tears Territory could come up with, and this was after considering the treasury of the neighboring Luopa Territory.

He felt that it was a son selling his father's land without regret. No matter how much money the Luopaling family offered, Rusalka would not feel sorry about spending it. That was why he could make such a large purchase at one time.

Not to mention that Clown didn't quite believe it, even Rusalka didn't believe that she had that much money. If she really had 2000 gold coins, she could easily hire a large elite mercenary force of 100 people on the market. It was not realistic to counterattack the Viscountry, but it would definitely be more than enough to sweep across all the surrounding baronies.

"Yes, Pearl Tear Territory needs a large amount of daily necessities, equipment, and materials. It would be best if we could have military instructors or something like that." Sani Tieta spread his hands. "After all, as you know, we annexed Luopa Territory and accepted so many refugees. Expansion is a foregone conclusion. I've already written a list. Do you have the decision-making power?"

Crown took the long list that was so long that it stretched under the table and the more he looked at it, the colder he felt. He made a rough estimate and realized that if he really purchased according to the standards provided by Sani Tower, leaving aside the time, the cost alone would be close to 2000 gold coins, and the transaction price would definitely be more than that.

"Well... I do need to ask the Chamber of Commerce if they can mobilize resources from other branches. But you've purchased so many things, including hiring fees. How are you going to pay for them? Using gold coins directly isn't practical, is it?"

Sani Iron Tower: "It's very simple. The priority of the items above is from top to bottom. The upper ones will be provided first. If there is not enough, the lower ones will not be used. The supply is based on the quota of 2000 gold coins. I will provide a 1/5 advance payment, which is 400 gold coins."

Clown hesitated. "Although I have great faith in Lord Pearl Tear's credibility, giving him only one-fifth isn't a bit... even if I report this to the higher-ups, they might not agree."

"Don't worry, cash is only part of the solution. We certainly won't let you do business at a loss," Sanita said. "We'll use the Test Mine as collateral."

"Ah? Really? Lord Pearl Tear, are you really willing to use the mine as collateral?" Clown felt that his heart was under too much pressure today. This was the third time he was so surprised. Sanita's remarks were so outrageous that he couldn't help but look at Rusalka beside him, wanting to see whether this had really been agreed by him, the lord.

Rusalka nodded and said, "Continue as Sanita said."

After hearing Rusalka's speech, if Crown was worried that the Pearl Tear Territory could not repay its debts in the last second, Crown is now more worried about whether the Pearl Tear Territory can really repay its debts.

Although this mine cannot be turned into 1600 gold coins, if it is handed over to the Chamber of Commerce for full development, it will probably pay off within a few years. Everyone knows the principle that it is better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish. Between ready-made weapons and equipment and owning a mine, as long as the war has not already spread to their own eyebrows, almost everyone will choose the latter, the cash cow.

Sanitieta smiled and said, "Mr. Crown, don't get excited. This is certainly not the ownership of the mine. Come, have some tea to calm your nerves."

After hearing this, Crown drank a sip of tea politely, breathed a sigh of relief, and actually felt a lot more relaxed. After all, just for a moment, the motto he almost forgot, "The greater the reward, the greater the risk," suddenly flashed through his mind. The risks hidden behind a huge gold mountain were not something that a small solid businessman who had just joined the association could handle.

"So, we're going to have the same development rights as the Kate Chamber of Commerce? But our two chambers of commerce are rivals, so dividing the mine at the same time wouldn't be a good idea, right?"

Sanita shook his head and said with a smile, "Not really."

Crown frowned. "What is that?"

Sanita said: "The output has priority access."

This was a new term, and it made Rusalka and Crowne break down each word and try to understand it.

Fortunately, Sanita didn't intend to keep everyone in suspense this time. He explained directly, "In other words, the Doug Chamber of Commerce can take 50% of the ore produced in the mine at a price 30% lower than the market price. This portion of the money will be deducted from the remaining 1600 gold coins."

Clown was stunned. "30% lower? Are you kidding? Then aren't you running a losing business?"

Sani Iron Tower: "It's not that much of a loss. After all, the population of Pearl Tear Territory has exploded recently. Miners don't need to spend money to send out commissions. The labor cost of refugees is not high. 7% is still a bit profitable. Besides, you only have a 50% share. But of course, there is a prerequisite. You must promise not to sell in the Kingdom of Sinidi."

Clown thought this made sense and readily agreed, "That's no problem. Don't worry, we won't steal our partners' business. This batch of ore will never be sold within the Kingdom of Snidi."

But he added in his heart: Ore won't work, but I didn't say the equipment made from ore won't work.

Sanita: (He must be thinking now that if he brings the ore back and turns it into equipment to sell, he can make even more money from the war and it won't be considered a breach of contract.)

Rusalka: (Yes, then you can add another rule: you are not allowed to sell it as equipment.)

Sani Tieta: (Your thinking has been assimilated by this world with a backward industrial system. Let me give you some basic knowledge. Do you know what a "bonded area" is?)

Rusalka: (Huh?)

Sani Tower: (Refers to an area established by a country's customs or registered and approved by the customs, under the supervision and management of the customs, where goods can be stored for a long period of time. It is a place where goods dumped overseas are duty-free. However, the goods in the area must be confirmed by the customs to be shipped overseas before the tax refund can be applied.)

Rusalka: (I'm a bit confused, but how can we be sure it won't be dumped abroad? We don't have customs, and the border control is ridiculous. My family now has a knight order from the neighboring country of Esdi.)

Sunny Tower: (Is this important? You have to look beyond the surface to see the essence. What do you think is the most abundant in the bonded area?)

Rusalka: (Uh, warehouse?)

Sani Iron Tower: (Wrong! It's a raw material processing plant! All the previous negotiations were just waffling. My core goal this time is to establish such a raw material processing area in the Pearl Tear Territory. How much can you make just by selling ore? If it can be hammered into refined iron, its value will increase tenfold. If it can be hammered into armor, a single piece of knight's light armor can sell for over ten gold coins, and heavy chain mail can even sell for 80-100 gold coins! A single set of armor is equivalent to a year's tax revenue in the Pearl Tear Territory in the past. Do you understand the value of high-end industrial products?)

Rusalka: (Then why didn’t we do it ourselves earlier? Are you afraid of fines for environmental pollution?)

Sani Iron Tower: (Uh, do you think we can build an equipment factory with our funds and talent? We are already thankful to be able to build two earthen kilns to refine garbage steel. What's more, in order to make money, you built a processing plant like this next to a large mine that is already coveted by others, but not so coveted. You directly cut out most of the transportation costs and your profits skyrocketed. How can you guarantee that you will not be coveted by others?

We need enough troops to protect this area, but we don't have the money! Yeah, we're back to square one.

Rusalka: (I understand what you're saying. It seems you're worried about oil production in Pearl Tear Territory, which might lead to American soldiers coming here? Okay, then I'll hire pilots in the Middle East and use fireworks to protect my oil fields. Single bet, skr~, please watch the next episode, The Death of the Twin Towers!)

Sanita: (Fuck you...Okay, you're right, that's pretty much what I mean. So, I want the Doug Chamber of Commerce to contribute money, manpower, and troops to build this place.)

Rusalka: (Then what do we offer? Just our mouths?)

Sanita: (If this can be accomplished, we really can just offer our help. But we can’t be impatient now. We have to eat our meal mouthful by mouthful.)

Rusalka: (6, Brother Fei, no, Mr. Dafei, please come to the stage quickly.)

Sanita: "Mr. Crown, do you think this condition is acceptable? Why not discuss it with the Chamber of Commerce first?"

After some calculation, Clown felt that this business seemed to be quite profitable. After all, buying ore at 7% of the market price was a profit in itself, and it was a one-to-one debt repayment. If the 2000 gold coins of debt were all exchanged for an equal amount of ore, then he would be equivalent to recovering ore with a market value of about 2800 gold coins.

The timeframe might be a bit longer, but this is 800 gold coins! Back then, I didn't know which leg to take for 20 gold coins. Back when I was a merchant, I would have gladly split the profits of these 800 gold coins over 100 years. Now, seeing 800 gold coins and even considering the payback period, it really made Clown feel very emotional.

Not to mention that this batch of ore can be processed into equipment to make a second profit. If it were him, he would definitely sign the contract on the spot. However, he himself could not provide so many materials, so he could only nod and try to find a way to go back and convince the Chamber of Commerce to cooperate and take on this order: "No problem."

Crown did not keep Sanita waiting for long. He returned to the Pearl Tear Territory a week later, bringing with him the contract of the Doug Chamber of Commerce and the person in charge of their branch of the Chamber of Commerce in the southeast of the Kingdom of Sinidi.

The conflict between Zhulei Territory and Kate Chamber of Commerce was no secret. In addition, there was money to be made, and the vice president of the Doug Chamber of Commerce named "Allot" was even more delighted. The cooperation between the two sides was very pleasant. Although there were some minor disputes when signing the contract, Sanita, as a contract expert, was naturally not at a disadvantage.

Finally, a contract was signed with the above conditions. In addition to using this part of the ore to pay off the debt, Sani Tower also proposed the concept of "processing cost fees", which means that the Pearl Tear Territory can be hired to refine and process ore products. These products are allowed to be sold within the kingdom, but the Pearl Tear Territory needs to charge a certain processing fee and commodity trade taxes. Of course, all of these can be offset with the debt amount.

The vice president of the Doug Chamber of Commerce branch had no objection to this clause. They just negotiated the price and added it if they felt it was appropriate. This kind of clause is not mandatory anyway, so it can be added without being used. It can also be used in case the plan changes. After all, they had planned from the beginning to bring the ore back, process it into finished products, and then sell them to the rich people in the central government. They had never considered letting Zhu Lei Ling do it for them.

The final signatures were Rusalka, Lord of Pearl Tears, and the Southeastern Branch of the Doug Chamber of Commerce, Snidi Kingdom. Sanitita specifically mentioned, "Why not Clown?"

This was certainly not an attempt to sow discord. On the contrary, Crown was deeply moved when he heard this. His decision not to raise the price at that time was indeed rewarded. Sanita's words undoubtedly represented the high status he held in the hearts of the Pearl Tear Territory.

In this way, will I still worry about my status in the Chamber of Commerce in the future?

Arlot replied to Sanita: "This order is substantial, and our Chamber of Commerce mobilized its resources to complete it. Therefore, the contract must be signed by our Chamber of Commerce, not an individual. However, I understand Lord Pearl Tear's concerns. As your new partner, Crown is also a member of our Chamber of Commerce. Rest assured, I will have him fully responsible for the Chamber of Commerce's follow-up on this matter, including the procurement of ore and the calculation of the value of the materials. This is essentially a direct transaction between you and him, and there will be no chance of the Chamber of Commerce profiting from the price difference."

After hearing what Sanita said, Rusalka nodded, secretly happy in her heart, pretending to be satisfied, and said, "Oh, then I feel relieved."

Sani Tieta: (Xiao Ge, do you know what the most disgusting business practice for consumers is in modern times?)

Rusalka: (You’re using the interrogative format. Just say it directly.)

Sani Tower: (It’s free. Free to enter the city, 5 yuan to leave the city.)

Rusalka: (Laughs.)

Chapter 41: Crown: You won’t risk your life this time?

For half a month, Crown worked diligently, checking the list of goods every day and expediting the delivery. He had hardly any good sleep. After pulling out the first batch of ore, he received the second teaching lesson in his business life.

"What? Why is there a fee for shipping out the ore?"

"Uh, Mr. Clown, this is a business tax. Take a look. Anyone trading in Pearl Tear Territory, entering or leaving town, will be taxed based on the estimated value of the goods they carry. If you're dissatisfied, you can report it to the Lord of Pearl Tear for a ruling. Let me see the value list for your twenty-something carts of ore. The market value is roughly 50 gold coins. Since it's you, Clown, I'll just give you 50 gold coins. Ore is a special trade commodity in Pearl Tear Territory. Do you have a special permit?"

"Oh, you mean the business tax? Old man, why didn't you tell me earlier? You gave me a fright." Clown took out his tax exemption certificate. "You know me, don't you? Well, thank goodness I have this with me. Now, can I pass?"

"Mr. Crown, no."

"Why? This is a tax exemption order personally issued by Lord Pearl Tear. I'm the only one in the entire territory who has it. How could I possibly forge it?"

The armored old swordsman said confidently, "Of course not. Lord Sanitieta specifically explained this before. He has confirmed the mineral contract with you again and again. What's that called?"

He looked at the young man beside him. The young man hurried forward and whispered, "Contract subject."

"Ah, yes, that's the party to this contract. Your Chamber of Commerce is, of course, tax-free, Mr. Crown, as you're the Lord's trading partner. But this Chamber of Commerce isn't, so it's not tax-free." The old swordsman knocked on the carriage. "However, Lord Sanita has also specifically instructed that, for the sake of our friendship, we must keep this secret from the Lord. This tax-free grant for four carriages is free of charge. However, the remaining 36 will be taxed. Since you don't have a special permit, we'll charge you 4% of the market price, or 15 gold coins, as per regulations."

The young man reminded him, "Captain, after deducting the four carriages, there are 13 and a half gold coins. According to the gold coin price in the nearest town, that is 13 gold coins and 66 silver coins."

The old swordsman said, "Oh, sorry, it's indeed 13 and a half gold coins. I don't want to take more money. Don't get me wrong, I'm just old and a little confused. So, I'll take 13 gold coins and 65 silver coins from you. You can keep the extra one for yourself and don't tell the adults."

Clown was stunned. "No, this... it, how can it be calculated like this? Well, you know me, I'm very familiar with your lord, we're old business partners. How about you let us pass first, and I'll pay the tax later?"

The old swordsman also looked embarrassed. "Look, I'm just a tax collector. I can't make the decision. I can't pay the tax for you out of my own pocket, right? There are so many people waiting in line for tax inspection.

How about this? I know you're very close to our Lord. How about you leave the goods with me first? I'll find someone to look after them for you, and you can go to the Lord to get a tax exemption order or something? A round trip by express horse will only take a day at most, and the ore won't go bad anyway, so you can go with peace of mind."

After saying that, the old swordsman added, "We have dry food and the like in our town, but you have to buy it. I have it specially supplied to the Chamber of Commerce by the Lord, so the price is a bit cheaper. Why don't you let your men know first?"

This time, Crown was completely dumbfounded.

----

Rusalka sneezed, then said to Sanitieta, who was playing cards across from her, "You know, the Holy Light surges within the body of a Paladin, making me immune to all diseases."

Sanitieta was startled by his sudden words: "Why, you suddenly said that out of nowhere, are you sick?"

Rusalka: "What I mean is, someone must be scolding me for sneezing. Klauen, who brought such a large convoy to the mine to pick up the goods a few days ago, must be mentally pointing fingers at me and calling me cunning. The classic toilet is free, but toilet paper is a dollar a piece."

Sanitta: "Of course, he will. The time is almost up. I bet he'll arrive on a fast horse, breathless, to demand an explanation within a day. Of course, he won't be so direct. He'll politely remind you that you forgot to give him the special permit or tax exemption slip."

Rusalka: "I should be stunned at first, then invite Teacher Dafei to enthusiastically explain to him our Pearl Tear Territory's 'Tax-Free and Safe Shipping of Specialty Minerals' service. The specific price is stated in Article 6 of the Additional Clauses of the Contract, which covers the transportation cost compensation."

Sanita: "That's right, brother. You got it."

Rusalka: "That's too bad, man. I've learned bad things."

After they finished speaking, they pointed at each other and burst into laughter.

----

"Mr. Crown, what brings you back on this windy day?"

"You..." Clown was about to scold Sanita for being unruly, but when he looked at the greatsword behind Rusalka, his attitude softened. "My Lord and the Envoy should know why I'm here. We had a good discussion before, didn't we? I've never heard of taxes being levied on ore used as collateral for debt."

Sanitieta thought for a moment and said, "I did ask you specifically. First, I asked if you could make the decision, and you said no. Then, when signing the contract, I asked your president why the business wasn't discussed with you. He said you didn't have the authority, and you didn't say a word. You see, I've given you several chances, and you've refused them all. I thought your president was deliberately taxing us to make friends with money."

Crown: "But you didn't say that during the negotiations?"

Sanitieta made a strange expression. "You didn't even ask? Your branch president was so kind as to give us money, so are we supposed to refuse? It's like you wrote in the contract 'promise not to ship ore to Sinidi for sale,' but you actually wanted to turn it into equipment and then sell it. Why didn't you tell me that?"

Now Crown was speechless. It seemed that both parties were even in the matter of digging the pit. If they calculated carefully, even if taxes were collected on this batch of ore, it was just the market price. They could make a profit by shipping it back and making it into finished products and then selling them. Moreover, they were about to enter a period of equipment shortage. By then, the prices of ore and equipment would surely rise sharply. They would only make more and more money as they had the priority to purchase from Zhulei Territory.

Now, Clown felt as if he had made a wasted trip. His little calculations had been seen clearly by others a long time ago, and their response was also very reasonable. It immediately extinguished his desire to even ask how the franchise was obtained - since they had already calculated this far, they would definitely not issue him another franchise.

Only I, a silly guy, felt like I had come back specially to be ridiculed.

Seeing the other person's defeated look, and sighing, about to swallow his loss, Rusalka smiled and said, "Don't look so unhappy. You're already here, why don't you have lunch before you leave?"

A depressed Clown waved his hand and said, "No, thank you for your kindness, Lord. I have to go back and ship the goods back."

Rusalka improvised, "Buying rations in town is both expensive and unpalatable. Not only is it free here, but it's also freshly made. I can even prepare some for you to take along on the road. I know the trade routes are long and tedious, with few entertainment options. And then you have to eat rations with a bitter taste. How tiring is that?"

Crown hesitated.

Rusalka continued, "Besides, you're the head of the caravan now. How can you eat the same food as the servants and mercenaries? Bringing delicious food from me and cooking for yourself won't make you look superior."

Crown found that what Rusalka said seemed to be completely correct. What he said really touched his heart. Although food was just food and was not worth much money, the vanity of "I eat better than others" made him, who had just gained power recently, very excited.

"Thank you for your gracious invitation, Lord. I won't hesitate to invite you."

Rusalka laughed and said, "Vanessa, please go to the kitchen and ask them to make an extra lunch for one person today. Also, prepare some delicious food that can be kept for a long time for the guests to take with them on the road."

"Okay, my lord." The maid with chestnut braids named Vanessa nodded and went to convey Rusalka's order.

I have to say that when it comes to mastering the seven deadly sins of mankind, Rusalka does know more than Sanitta: because he himself is also an ordinary person, so he is very good at thinking from other people's perspectives. Clown was rated as having an intelligence of 5, and he also has an intelligence of 5, so what he wants, Clown must also want, which is very easy to prove.

Can the Sani Tower do it?

Sanita: (As expected of you, you can boast about your shortcomings as strengths.)

Rusalka: (You are just jealous and envious.)

----

After lunch, there are more opportunities to chat. As the saying goes, people are more likely to brag when they are full. When the stomach is full, people's satisfaction increases, blood flows to the stomach, and vigilance and thinking ability will also decrease a little.

Sanita: "Mr. Crown, the shipping service in our contract will be cheaper than your own. Although we still charge the same taxes, you won't have to go to the mine and waste time moving the cargo and then returning to town to file taxes. We can deliver it directly to the Pearl Tear Territory border, saving you a lot of round-trip time. We also thoughtfully provide shipping insurance and food and rest areas for the caravan."

Clown was terrified by the class and no longer dared to trust Teacher Sa. "Is this true? I did look at the terms and conditions, and they do offer a significant discount, but aren't you clearly losing out? Are you really that kind?"

Rusalka: "My relationship with the Doug Chamber of Commerce has just begun, so of course, cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce is very formal. But it's different with you, Crown. We have a friendship that dates back to the battlefield. We make money for you, and you help us. This is cooperation."

Klauen loved hearing this. Why do they say nobles always sound nice? It was probably because of the huge difference in status between him and Rusalka, otherwise he would have run over to shake Rusalka's hand and become sworn brothers.

Sanitta continued, "Mr. Crown, please do the math carefully. If you use this service, you can report the taxes to the Chamber of Commerce and secretly save some tax-free profits."

Crown: "This...isn't good?"

Rusalka: "Who else would know this? Besides, if you don't want to make any money yourself, that's fine. Just report it truthfully. We in the Pearl Tear Territory are only responsible for collecting this amount. As for how much you earn, it has nothing to do with me. Are we going to report you? And I specifically gave you that tax-free portion. Isn't it just for your benefit, so that you can make some extra money? You won't really report it so honestly, right?"