British hegemon

Chapter 138 Start making money

Three days after the head of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce was murdered, a Kirk ship laden with textiles and salt sailed into the city's harbor. The Glasgow Chamber of Commerce's Undersecretary, who was temporarily assuming the responsibilities of the Chamber, personally received the Knights of Aran Island who disembarked from the ship.

"Unload the cargo immediately and move it all to the Merchant Guild's warehouse." The triumphant Lilmont ordered his men to move the goods, then turned to the young knight in front of him with a smile, "Sir Roger, the Merchant Guild has reached an agreement; we will buy all of your cargo."

Lilmont leaned close to Roger's ear and whispered, "The English have lost power. There will be virtually no more English textiles appearing in Glasgow. The price of your shipment is 10% higher than it was a few days ago."

"Sir Roger, you're going to make a fortune!" Lilmont said, patting Roger on the shoulder and laughing.

Roger looked around at the bustling port and couldn't help but smile. "Cooperation and win-win, Mr. Leader."

"Win-win, definitely a win-win situation."

"Sir Roger, I am hosting a banquet at the City Hall tonight. Please be sure to attend."

After unloading the cargo and seeing off Lilmont, Roger returned to the Seawolf.

With a satisfied look on his face, Kader walked up to Roger. "Sir, the money and goods are settled. Two hundred and eighty pounds, all in pure gold and silver coins."

"We really have to thank Wallace's remnants of the rebels. If they hadn't taken down that guy with the mustache, we wouldn't have been able to get rid of this ship's cargo so easily."

Roger smiled but didn't answer. Watching the carriages disappear into the distance, he turned to Kader without turning back and said, "The old fisherman's Nafi ship will be transferred to the British trading company and placed under your command. It will be responsible for the trade of goods and the collection of raw materials between Aran Island and Glasgow."

"We will also sell the liquor from that brewery in Lokzalan village from now on."

"I've already opened up the market for you in Glasgow. Now it's up to you and Mann to put on a good show."

Kader repeatedly declared his determination to make the British trading company monopolize half of the Glasgow market.

Kader disembarked to attend to his own business. Once only the crew, sailors, and the soldiers from the Milk House Manor remained on board, Roger called Earl, the ponytail-wearing man who was chatting and laughing with Bald Neil and the others on the bow deck, into the stern cabin.

Upon entering the cabin, Earl's thuggish demeanor vanished instantly, replaced by a mature-beyond-his-years air.

"Ponytail, your operation that night was outstanding," Roger said solemnly.

Over the past six months, Earl with the ponytail has undergone many trials and tribulations, and his temperament has become more and more stable. "It was all planned by you, sir. We are just your hands, feet, and swords."

"I hope no one is spreading rumors about it?"

Earl with the ponytail nodded. "Blackie, Donald, and Connor all have families on the island, and the underlings aren't gossipy people."

"Yeah, keep this to yourself. You can't even tell Baldy or your sister."

"My lord, this is a matter of life and death, I know how dangerous it is."

"Take six pounds from the thirty pounds of valuables brought back from the leader's house and distribute them among those who participated in the operation according to their contributions."

"Tell everyone not to flaunt this money; it's best to spend it later."

"The remaining twenty-four pounds are also yours. You have an even more important intelligence mission to carry out next."

"I'll prepare immediately."

"No rush. Come back to the Milk House Manor with me and rest for a few days. I still have many things to take care of."

The Glasgow delegation originally only hoped to alleviate the sales difficulties of Campbell's two factories in Scotland, but unexpectedly, a sudden killing completely opened up the market.

Thanks to the influence the Campbell family had built up in Glasgow over generations and the strong support of the new head of the Chamber of Commerce, the orders for goods at the two factories on Aalen Island were increasing day by day. Almost every few days, Cader would send a small boat back to the island to submit new orders and pick up the previous batch of goods.

Especially textiles. Since the new Scottish king ascended the throne last month, many far-sighted Scottish merchants have begun to stockpile cloth, knowing that if the two countries go to war, English textiles will certainly not be able to be transported to the north smoothly.

Campbell's textile mill began operating beyond capacity, and Jenny and Wolf had to ask Roger for permission to leave the island and recruit a group of temporary textile workers to come to the island and work day and night to rush to produce cloth.

Orders poured in like snowflakes, and silver coins kept falling into Roger's vault.

In April alone, Roger's two factories brought him nearly £200 in income, with more than two-thirds of the profits coming from the Glasgow area.

This boom won't last long; currently, it's mainly Scottish merchants hoarding goods out of fear of war. Later, as the market recovers...

"Given market saturation or the outbreak of war, our factories won't operate at this rate month after month. Therefore, your plans to increase equipment and expand facilities are not advisable."

"Besides, the Scottish domestic market is just a drop in the ocean, it's nothing. When I've truly established myself in the Dublin trading market, that will be our real opportunity to expand."

Near the drainage channel of the pond outside Brodick town, Roger conducted his third on-site inspection of the abandoned workshop built next to the canal.

Roger was followed by Jenny, the manager of the textile mill, and Wolf, the bookkeeper, who were asking Roger for permission to expand the Campbell Textile Mill.

"Right now, you just need to finish producing last month's goods. You'll also receive a lot of orders in May. Once you're done with these busy months, you might have a chance to take a break."

Roger didn't analyze the situation in Scotland for his two assistants, but simply rejected their expansion plans for the time being.

"Tom, have you checked carefully? Are there any major problems with the beams and frame?" Roger shouted to Tom, the builder who was hammering away on the roof of the abandoned workshop. The sound echoed in the vast, empty space.

Tom moved carefully along the roof beams, tapping on the pillars from time to time, and replied, "Sir, these pillars are all fine, only the planks supporting the tiles are a bit damaged, but they can be repaired."

"Then get the men to repair those holes as soon as possible, lest the wind and sun ruin the perfectly good workshop," Roger instructed before leaving the dusty workshop.

"Sir, didn't you say you wouldn't expand the textile mill for the time being? Why are you repairing this dyeing workshop?" Wolf, who was limping behind Roger, asked in confusion.

"Well, I don't plan to rebuild this place as a dyeing plant. I intend to turn it into an ironworks," Roger replied casually.

"Huh? The ironworks?"

"He wants to build an ironworks? I think he's gone crazy for money. If you ask me, you should take back that textile factory and run it yourself. After all, that two-courtyard house is your private property."

On the watchtower atop the Baron's residence in Brodick Castle, John IV, the new Baron of Arran, accompanied by his new inner court knights, gazed at the rising mist from the workshops on the edge of the town—the steam from the dyeing workshops.

"I've heard all about it. Last month, that textile mill alone made at least a hundred pounds. Just think, all the estates and lands under your name only bring you three to five hundred pounds a year."

The fair-skinned knight continued to instigate, "If this continues, his annual income as a mere knight will be several times that of you. At that time, the most powerful nobleman on Aran Island will probably not be you, Baron John."

Listening to his "bedmate's" enticements, a greedy glint flashed in John's eyes, but the thought of his cousin being a ruthless killer overcame his greed, and he comforted himself, "He still pays his taxes in full every month, and besides, that place was originally just a dilapidated workshop overgrown with weeds, so we're not at a disadvantage."

"My lord, have you forgotten how that fellow has repeatedly humiliated you? If he were to become the richest knight on Arren Island, your position would be in jeopardy!"

"This is the old lady's wish," the fair-skinned palace knight added.

John, pale-faced, turned his head and asked doubtfully, "Is this my mother's wish?"

"That's what the old lady means."

John, the pale-faced man, remained silent for a moment, then a fierce glint rose in his eyes once more, mirroring the distant white mist. "Do you already have a way to deal with that guy?"

"I have a way to make him admit defeat obediently..."

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