I Became A Black Merchant In Another World Chapter 221

I made a huge amount of money from the tulip scam, but I can't just sit here and enjoy the comforts of life.

My own ambitions drive to grow even more; I have a strong desire to advance further rather than remain in my current position. But I also have to rise higher to avoid falling into the clutches of those wicked people who seek to devour the Rothschild baronial family and seize its fortune.

To survive, for my family, I cannot stop my actions in the Great Empire. How cruel the gods are.

"So, where should I put my hands this ti? Should I lay the foundation for the industrial revolution?"

When I first arrived here, honestly, I thought all I could do was lay the groundwork for the second industrial revolution. But after witnessing the pace at which the guild system was abolished and comrce progressed, I now believe that with just a little push...

I could definitely aim for an industrial revolution.

Of course, to cause an industrial revolution, there are many institutional changes that need to be made. The most important one being the creation of steam engines.

But objectively speaking, it seems entirely possible.

"Sebastian, is it alright to co in?"

"Co in."

As soon as Sebastian saw , he imdiately handed over the docunts.

"There's no significant issue with the Rothschild trading house or the estate, but there are frequent problems related to stocks here and there. And they're quite large in scale."

There's no such thing as a world without problems, especially when it cos to money.

Fraud, embezzlent, murder, robbery, and so on—cris, of course, but the number one culprit in ruining relationships between people is money.

Moreover, when it cos to stocks, where vast amounts of money are flowing, it's only natural that problems will arise.

"The problem is the scale of these failures."

"All sorts of stock-related frauds are rampant right now."

"Have you figured out the specific forms of fraud?"

There are all sorts of stock-related scams happening, but it’s not directly related to .

Because I've never once dealt with a stock scam myself.

Soone might accuse of lying if I say this, but all I've done is take advantage of the ignorance of the dieval land folks and their obsession with tulip speculation to make a profit.

I've never once issued stocks and then refused to pay, or harassed shareholders with things like asset divestitures.

"Using neighborly ties or connections from the sa guild, issuing stocks as an excuse to raise money for their workshops and then running off with the money. Or using high dividends as bait to gather people and then fleeing. These things happen frequently."

The people of the Middle Ages aren't any dumber than modern folks; they’re just less inford. They're as smart and wise as anyone else.

I only introduced the stock system a little less than a year ago, and already there are scams with people fleeing using dividends as bait?

It just proves that the conscience of the Great Empire is always lurking in their hearts.

"This is a very basic thod, and now even rchants are getting involved in such scams."

I can’t really criticize, but rchants from the Albanian continent are the kind of people who leave their conscience and pride at ho when they go to work.

So, when it becos profitable, they sell serfs who can't repay their debts to pagans or, if necessary, whip 10-year-old kids.

Conscience, pride, and other important aspects of living as a human being are detachable, like rabbits' organs left out for display.

And you expect such people not to commit stock fraud?

They think it’s not a cri as long as they don’t get caught.

"Manipulating business plans to attract people is just the basics. So even receive huge investnts to create workshops or guilds and then deliberately go bankrupt, or they falsify the accounting books to make it look like they're losing money even though they’re making huge profits."

Why is accounting such a well-established profession?

It’s not like lawyers, judges, or prosecutors, who deal with criminals' lives, or doctors who save lives.

The reason is right here.

Catching the bastards who commit fraud with accounting books is just as important as saving lives.

"Manipulating accounting books, huh. That’s a serious loss."

"There are talks in the Ministry of Finance and the Comrcial Law Departnt about abolishing the stock system. Though, it’s just personal opinions from bureaucrats at the departnt level for now..."

The Ministry of Finance and the Comrcial Law Departnt are the agencies that oversee the Empire’s finances.

If the heads of these departnts are speaking out, it’s safe to say that if things are left as they are, the stock system could be abolished.

If the stock system is abolished, I’ll lose a way to quickly gather funds when I needed capital early on.

The Tuscany Empire's industrial and comrcial developnt will slow down.

"It ans there will be fewer opportunities for to profit."

"If this is just coming from so low-level clerks, we can ignore it, but the fact that directors of these departnts are speaking up ans there’s a real risk that the stock system might be brought up in the Imperial Assembly."

If the stock system gets abolished in the Imperial Assembly, there won’t be any similar systems for at least the next decade.

"I need to bribe the Ministry of Finance and the Comrcial Law Departnt."

"I’ll prepare it."

Even if I bribe them, it’ll only be a temporary asure to buy ti until the Ministry of Finance pressures the Emperor to 'abolish the stock system.'

If I leave it as it is, it’s only a matter of ti before the stock system is abolished.

"And I’ll need to train experts who can write and audit accounting books. They’ll be in charge of tax-related tasks. Let’s call them accountants."

"You’re thinking of creating a completely new profession?"

The people of the Tuscany Empire may have the sa traits as dieval Europeans, but they’re not stupid.

Even though the profession of accountants doesn’t exist, a skilled or competent rchant can certainly write a ledger and, by looking at soone else’s books, spot where money is being skimd off.

Even Chris could probably spot a lot of corruption just by looking at another family's ledgers.

So, it’s not about creating an accountant profession, but rather about finding soone who specializes in auditing ledgers and detecting corruption.

"The tis and situations have changed."

"Even Chris or Sebastian could look at accounting books and tell how much has been embezzled, right?"

"Yes, that’s right. If you can’t do that, you’re failing as a rchant."

By the way, I can read and write accounting books, but I’m not good enough to catch hidden fraud inside them.

That’s probably why I feel a little guilty hearing that.

"So, there’s no need for a profession that only specializes in writing and auditing books. But now that people are deliberately manipulating books, we need soone who specializes in detecting corruption and fraud."

Professions are created and disappear according to necessity.

Up until the early 1900s, there were people selling water, and in the 1980s, there were telephone operators.

"As you said, Baron, how do you plan to introduce this new profession to the people?"

I’ll use various thods.

I’ll ask the Emperor to use the accountants I recomnd to assist the officials in the Ministry of Finance, or I’ll directly hire accountants to expose and imprison stock manipulators.

Perhaps I could issue certificates guaranteeing their reliability from the Rothschild Trading House, now that we’re at the level of a rchant tycoon.

I’ll have to make sure people think accountants are trustworthy.

That way, they’ll earn their worth in society.

"Only by having accountants do their jobs properly can we protect the stock market."

"I’m thinking of creating a university for that."

"A university, you say?"

Normally, anyone from a lowly baronial family like mine who tries to create a university would be quite unusual.

Universities are money-hungry monsters.

You must have theology, law, and dical faculties, and it takes a vast amount of land, equipnt, and labor costs.

"If you wish, my lord, it would be easy to establish a university... But why are you so set on creating one?"

"I’ll nurture accountants at the university. A four-year program like law or theology, and later even master’s and doctorate courses."

Of course, just having a bachelor’s degree in accounting won't guarantee them a 'pass' in the exams.

But after seeing how we educate them, people will think:

"Ah, accountants trained at the Rothschild University are the ones who hold power."

That perception alone is enough.

And if we study accounting more ticulously and skillfully manipulate the Rothschild family's books...

"We could drastically reduce taxes."

"Truly, my lord, your thoughts are truly different."

"Thanks. Also, arrange an audience with His Majesty. I’ll personally convince him that abolishing the stock system is absolutely not an option."