Chapter 649: Chapter 558: The rchant’s Trick
Seeing Duke of Leeds nod, Kleistier instinctively shrank back.
He was acutely aware of what a planned default targeting the French market, amounting to thirteen million florins within a short ti fra, ant.
His voice trembled as he said, “This, this could even spark a war!”
“So what? It’s just a war between the Emperor of Sanctum and the King of France,” Duke of Leeds said with a light laugh, leaning on the sofa armrest. “You’re not even Austrian nobility; why should you care about what happens between monarchs?”
“No, no, I wouldn’t dare…”
“My old friend, I’ve heard your business has run into so trouble, and without help, you might not last till July, right?”
...
Kleistier bowed his head in confirmation.
“You see, there’s actually no risk in this at all,” Duke of Leeds’s voice was filled with seduction. “By the ti the French people discover the problem, you will have already left Vienna with all your assets, and the million florins I’ll give you.
“Then you can start a new and prosperous life sowhere nobody knows you—whether it’s England, Russia, or the United States, all are good options.
“And should any mishap occur, I would provide you with diplomatic protection.
“Of course, if you handle it correctly, no one could even link this matter back to you.”
When Kleistier heard about the million florins, his heart began to race uncontrollably.
He was currently indebted for over four hundred thousand florins, and without surprises, he would be bankrupt in as little as five months.
Yet, the proposal of the Englishman offered him hope!
After a while, he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief and swallowed hard, saying, “You assure of diplomatic protection?”
“I swear it in the na of Jesus.”
Kleistier finally clenched his teeth and nodded, “But you must pay half of my fee in advance.”
“That’s reasonable.”
Half an hour later, the Duke of Leeds left the brick-red villa with an indifferent expression and got into his carriage.
In fact, he had little appreciation for these lowly tricks of the rchants but estimated that it would take at least a year, and maybe even two, for Prussia and Austria to reach a truce and for a joint interest to form and an armant to complete.
Before that, setting these money-grubbing rchants upon France to cause so trouble could make his plans easier to implent.
Indeed, after he had been forced to resign as Foreign Minister, he didn’t admit defeat but rather ticulously studied the French, who had brought him disgrace, finally submitting a strategic plan against France to William Pitt Junior, which was adopted.
After that, the British political elites refined it together, and now the implentation was in full swing.
Duke of Leeds looked up at his attendant, “What ti is Baron Walter’s salon?”
“7 p.m., my lord. You have two and a half hours left.”
Duke of Leeds thought for a mont then ordered, “Let’s go to Baron Tugut’s place first.”
Compared with the petty sches of those crooked rchants, what he was about to do was a significant move capable of levering the European political situation.
In Austria, anti-Prussian forces were very strong, insisting on not ceasing hostilities without reclaiming Silesia, while Pro-France forces also held significant sway in the market.
His role was to assist Lord Grenville in reversing this situation, a task not to be underestimated.
However, as a seasoned diplomat, he had already devised so strategies. The breakthrough was Queen Ludovica and the anti-French forces in Vienna gathered by her cousin, Baron Walter.
Duke of Leeds suddenly thought of sothing and said to his attendant, “Have Bres keep a close watch on that Kleistier, to ensure we can make a move at any ti.”
“Yes, my lord.”
…
In the central province of Pest, Austria.
Inside a luxurious polo club, Baron Graz was talking a mile a minute to the general manager of MokeBruno Caravan opposite him, “There’s absolutely no risk. The company has received a significant investnt and will never be late with paynt, you can be assured.”
When he saw hesitation on the other party’s face, he took out a bank deposit receipt and proudly placed it on the table, “Look, this is the deposit for the first batch of equipnt, amounting to thirty thousand florins. The company’s business is vast, and profit is guaranteed.
“All you need to do is refer French partners on behalf of your caravan, and you’ll receive a handso commission.”
Seeing the thirty thousand florins listed on the docunt, the caravan manager imdiately dispelled all doubts — this newly established company was clearly powerful, and since they were using real silver and gold for purchases, there was no possibility of them deceiving him.
So, he quickly affixed his signature on the contract brought by Baron Graz.
Before long, Baron Graz left the club with a smile on his face, thinking to himself that the business entrusted to him by Mr. Elwin Lenna was incredibly profitable.
Lenna had given him a substantial sum of money along with a list, instructing him to order large quantities of goods from France.
This wasn’t sothing just anyone could achieve — with such an enormous amount, the French weren’t fools; they wouldn’t sign supply contracts with just anyone. This usually involved on-site inspections and a precedent of small transactions to build trust.
But Graz, familiar with the rules of business, set up so shell companies, hired so staff to keep up appearances, and then approached prominent rchants or firms to connect with France.
With endorsents from these people or firms, plus the earnest money he promptly provided, the French side soon believed in his credibility and financial power.
His shell companies had already signed two contracts involving over four hundred thousand florins. With today’s deal, he had easily earned nearly three thousand florins in fees.
As for Mr. Elwin Lenna, he was actually a close confidant of Kleistier, the second chairman of the Vienna Chamber of Comrce.
In the evening, at a dance, Baron Graz began bragging about his recent achievents to Georg, who had received a commission from Elwin Lenna as well.
However, the latter only smiled sowhat disdainfully, “You’re too cautious. I posed as a wealthy businessman investing in a rchant’s caravan in Venice, oh, just a small share of stocks.
“Then they’ll help place orders in France. Let tell you a secret, pay the deposit in multiple installnts to show you have an ongoing flow of money into their accounts…”
In the past month, similar scenarios unfolded across Austria and the Italian regions under Austrian control.
A vast number of caravans and companies got involved, signing purchasing contracts worth over four million florins, equivalent to ten million francs, with French firms in a short period.
The entire French industrial market was stimulated by this, experiencing an unprecedented boom. Every factory aggressively recruited workers, stockpiled raw materials, and worked overti to fulfill orders.
And if soone took the trouble to tally the French factories involved, they would discover they were all invested by the France Industrial Developnt Fund.
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