Fangzhou Xier, starting with failing the art exam

Back at the manor in Capraria, Mecklen Neham felt as if he had awakened from a bizarre dream.

Everything here exudes an aura of wealth and power.

The famous paintings hanging on the walls are all priceless.

The long-haired carpet on the ground came from the distant Sami.

Even the air is filled with the fragrance of precious spices and aged wines.

This is his kingdom.

However, at this moment, Lacey's image and words kept swirling in his mind, refusing to leave.

"War (Six) Wing Qi yiR Erba 4 Si: is the struggle..."

"Wealth doubled..."

Are you a qualified businessman?

Frustrated, Mecklen loosened the buttons on his collar and paced back and forth in the study.

Outside the study's floor-to-ceiling windows, one can see the bustling night view of Kepranjani, with factory chimneys belching black smoke and boats on the canal brightly lit.

All of this is his masterpiece, his proud business empire.

But Lexi told him that all of this was not enough.

He walked up to the map of Terra, his gaze sweeping over Letania and several surrounding countries.

He mobilized all of the family's intelligence network, laying out the latest reports one by one on the table.

Indeed, as he said, the Ursus Empire was experiencing one infected uprising after another, leaving the new emperor overwhelmed with problems. There were even rumors that several border military groups were already harboring rebellious intentions.

From any perspective, Ursus lacks the capability to launch a large-scale national war.

Victoria and Casimir are the same.

All signs indicate that peace will continue to prevail on the continent of Terra.

Lacey's war theory is utter nonsense, the delusion of a madman.

“Madman…” Mecklen muttered to himself.

He summoned several of his most trusted advisors, a group of seasoned veterans of the Leitanian business world.

He concealed Lacey's name and ambitions, only revealing the hypothetical business plan of "stockpiling war materials and transforming industries towards military production."

The results were no surprise.

"Master, this is absurd!" The gray-haired chief advisor almost jumped up from his chair.

"Hoarding war materials in peacetime? That's practically commercial suicide!"

"Food and medicine have expiration dates, but steel will only rust if piled up in a warehouse!"

"We are businessmen, not gophers trying to survive the apocalypse!"

“That’s right, patriarch.” The other gaunt man in charge of finances adjusted his glasses.

"Converting civilian production lines to military use not only requires huge investments, but also renders these production lines useless once there are no war orders."

“Our cash flow will dry up immediately, and the foundation of the entire family will be shaken!”

"Excuse my bluntness, patriarch, but whoever proposed this plan either knows nothing about geopolitics or wants to see our Nehm family go bankrupt!"

The staff reacted strongly and unanimously, repeatedly admonishing Mecklen.

They are all right; every argument they make is irrefutable.

According to normal business logic, Lacey's plan is a one-way street to hell.

Mecklen irritably waved them away, leaving him alone in the study once again.

He felt a deep weariness and loneliness.

These intelligent people, whom he once relied on as his right-hand men, now seemed so... short-sighted to him.

They can see the rusty steel in the warehouse, but can't they see that after the war breaks out, this steel will be more expensive than gold?

They can calculate the risk of a cash flow crisis, but they can't calculate how terrifying the profits can be generated by monopolizing a country's war machine.

Their eyes were blinded by the appearance of peace.

But Lacey, that madman, tore through this veil, allowing him to see a future full of opportunities beneath.

Mecklen suddenly remembered his grandfather.

Wasn't the old man who bet his entire fortune on the Witch King when no one believed in him also accused of being crazy at the family meeting?

Those uncles and brothers could only watch helplessly as their grandfather ascended to the pinnacle of power, while they were left far behind.

History, how often it repeats itself.

"The biggest risk is missing out on an entire era..."

Mecklen sighed deeply.

He walked up to the liquor cabinet, but instead of touching the valuable collectibles, he pulled out a bottle of cheap liquor from his hometown from the bottom shelf.

This was his favorite drink when he was young; it was spicy and burned his throat, but it could keep him clear-headed.

He didn't use a cup; he took a big gulp directly from the bottle opening.

The spicy liquid burned down his throat and into his stomach, and a long-lost sense of pride rose from the bottom of his heart.

If Lacey can go, why can't I?

He remembered the look in Lacey's eyes in the throne room.

He was certain that it was not the look of a madman.

He thought of the energetic workers in Vaser territory, the factories that sprang up from the ground, and the kind of cohesion he had never seen before.

Lacey wasn't predicting wars, he was creating them!

He wanted to unify Letania, to unite this internally divided country into a cohesive force, and then unleash his iron fist outwards!

And he, Mechlan Neham, has the opportunity to become the chief engineer of this war machine!

Greed ultimately triumphed over fear.

Mecklen slammed the bottle down on the table with a loud thud.

All hesitation and struggle had vanished from his eyes, replaced by a resolute determination.

A desperate gamble.

He already figured it out.

Once Lacey takes that position, wealth will be within easy reach of the Nehm family.

That being the case...

He walked to his desk, picked up a pen, and quickly wrote down a series of instructions on a blank sheet of parchment.

"Notify the Third Mining Group to purchase all iron ore and coal on the market, regardless of cost, as much as possible."

"Order the Shipping Association to redirect half of our shipping capacity to the north and begin secretly stockpiling Ursus's grain and furs."

"Summon the chief engineer of the engineering department to see me. I want him to immediately assemble a team to secretly survey a railway route from Vasser to Keprania."

"Also... establish a 'Special Projects Office' in my name, reporting directly to me."

Erwei ⊙ Death (Nine) Qiwei Temple "Transfer all the smartest and boldest young people in the family into it."

After writing the final instruction, he blew on the ink to dry it, rolled up the parchment, sealed it with sealing wax, and stamped it with the seal representing the Nehm family.

He rang the bell on the table.

The gaunt old butler quietly pushed open the door and entered.

"Master, what are your orders?"

Mecklen handed him the wax letter.

"Give this to my representative and have him go to Vaser Territory immediately to find Lady Gertrude."

“Tell him that the Nehm family will accept Lord Lacey’s second proposal.”

The old steward took the letter, and he could sense that this parchment would carry the fate of the entire family.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but seeing the unquestionable look in Mecklen's eyes, he finally sighed, bowed, and left.

In the study, Mecklen slowly sat back down in his chair, gazing at the dazzling night view outside the window.

From that moment on, he was no longer the law-abiding wealthy merchant and elector.

He became a gambler.

A complete gambler who staked the future of his entire family on that madwoman, Lacey.

But he has no regrets at all.

Because he knew that if his grandfather and his father were still alive, they would have made the same choice.

Because they are all qualified businessmen.

……

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Holy Leitania Empire: Chapter Sixty-Five: Merchants Must Be Bold in Their Bets!

Three days later, in a private room on the second floor of an unassuming tavern in a small border town on the border between Keprania and Vaser, a secret meeting was taking place.

On one side was Mecklen Neham's most trusted representative, a seemingly ordinary middle-aged businessman.

On the other side was Gertrude, the intelligence and propaganda minister of the Wasser Workers' Party.

Two documents were laid out on the table between the two parties.

One document is the "Memorandum of Understanding on Trade and Infrastructure Development Cooperation between the Vasser Territory and the Keprania Region," and the other is a secret agreement for the procurement of military supplies.

Gertrude carefully reviewed every clause in the agreement, from the specifications of the steel and the purity of the coal to the payment method and delivery schedule, all of which were clearly marked.

Mecklen's efficiency exceeded her expectations; once this old fox made up his mind, his business machine could unleash astonishing energy.

“We have received Your Excellency Mecklen’s sincerity.” Gertrude put down the documents and looked up at the merchant opposite her.

"I hope our cooperation can be as efficient as this agreement."

"Please rest assured, Madam Gertrude," the merchant said with a slight bow.

"The patriarch has instructed that we will give the highest priority to the needs of the Vase Territory."

"The first team of exploration engineers has set off and is expected to produce the most detailed railway route selection plan within half a month."

The two signed the agreement, exchanged documents, and then sealed them with special sealing wax.

The merchant left in a hurry, leaving Gertrude alone in the private room.

She looked at the agreement in her hand, still smelling of ink, and a smile appeared on her lips.

Lacey's plan succeeded in the most crucial step.

They not only provided a powerful source of funding for the Vassehr, but more importantly, they tied the wealthiest Elector of Letania to the Workers' Party's chariot.

……

Meanwhile, the Nehm family of Keprania, this massive business machine, has begun to operate at high speed around that secret agreement.

One after another, transport ships bearing the Nehm family crest changed their usual routes and quietly sailed toward the northern port.

They were loaded with cheap rye and oats from Ursus and transported back to the secret granaries of Keprania.

In the mineral trading market, a mysterious force of capital suddenly surged in, frantically buying up iron ore, coal, and raw mineral blocks regardless of cost...

The prices of all raw materials related to industry and the military were driven up by nearly 20% in just a few days, leaving countless small and medium-sized businessmen stunned.

Countless encrypted letters were sent from the Neham Manor to family agents lurking throughout Letania.

They began secretly acquiring near-bankrupt arsenals and recruiting artisans and engineers laid off from the military, building up their strength for the upcoming military-industrial transformation.

Mecklen's decisive and efficient actions demonstrated the terrifying execution power of a business tycoon.

However, his unusual behavior quickly caused a huge uproar within the family.

Inside the family council chamber of Neham Manor.