Chapter 68
Another term for nobility of the robe is extreme royalists.
And since royalists refer to those who move for the Emperor, it would be fair to say that all nobility of the robe are beings who would even give their lives for the Emperor's benefit.
Ah, there's one thing that shouldn't be misunderstood.
It's not that they're eternal loyal subjects like Admiral Yi Sun-sin or Zhuge Liang.
It's because the foundation of all power held by the nobility of the robe lies with the Emperor, so strengthening imperial power directly leads to their own wealth and glory.
"It's almost fair to say that being able to cook and boil the nobility of the robe is almost the same as being able to cook and boil the Emperor."
So the Emperor trusts the nobility of the robe as much as possible, if not other nobles.
'It's not that all nobility of the robe are royalists, some follow Duke Sforza of the noble faction.'
"To kill a mounted knight, didn't they say to kill the horse the knight is riding first?"
It means that in any task, especially difficult ones, you have to take one step at a time.
That's how you increase the probability of achieving your goal.
"And matters with trading companies, especially handling military supplies. The Ministry of Military Affairs, Ministry of Finance, or Ministry of Commercial Law."
Among them, the people who will like me the most would be the Ministry of Commercial Law that handles commerce-related matters.
Even though I'm rising quickly these days, requesting a private audience with the Emperor could be considered presumptuous, and the Minister of Commercial Law is too high-ranking for me to request a meeting.
The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Commercial Law seems appropriate.
'Whether Vice Minister or Minister, they're all held by barons or counts of the nobility of the robe anyway.'
They can naturally request private audiences with the Emperor, so if they really like what I say, they'll convey it well.
"On the premise of giving an appropriate gift, getting a private audience with the Vice Minister is as easy as lying down and chewing gum."
Persuasion is a separate issue though.
Still, I'm confident.
Because I'm planning to propose an 'imperial power strengthening policy' that those who depend on the Emperor for everything will love to death.
"Give this letter to Sebastian."
I delivered a letter to Sebastian through a servant.
Telling him to feed the Vice Minister of Commercial Law about 500 gold coins as a bribe, and get at least one chance to meet.
It may be obvious, but the Vice Minister of Commercial Law said he would bestow the grace of giving me time in exchange for receiving 500 gold coins.
It's funny that he calls it grace.
Respectfully serving a subordinate of a high-ranking person is also respecting the authority of the high-ranking person.
Conversely, ignoring them is like smearing mud on the face of the high-ranking person.
'How can you endure not meeting when I'm taking care of both money and the Emperor's authority?'
Yet wanting to put on airs, I don't understand such a mindset even though I'm a noble too.
**
The Vice Minister of Law immediately offered a friendly handshake upon seeing me.
"As expected of a young man who has already risen to viscount by his own power at such a young age, you're really handsome and dashing. I wouldn't mind giving my granddaughter to you!"
The reason why giving bribes in politics was made illegal is partly because it's immoral.
But the biggest reason is that if bribes were legalized, it's obvious that all policies and public services would be controlled by the amount of gifts.
'You'd probably have to give 100,000 won to the civil servant at the civil service window just to get something like a resident registration card issued.'
In our Tuscan Empire where bribes are legal, serfs pay taxes to civil servants even when they die.
Depending on the civil servant's personality, if you unfortunately meet someone with a broken personality, they might even take a cow.
I used this point to deliver a 'gift' to achieve a conversation with a high-ranking person.
"That's too much praise, Vice Minister."
"I'm not joking. Actually, His Majesty has very high expectations for you. I thought it was too much, but after receiving your very polite letter, I fully understood His Majesty's feelings."
This is the "I spoke vaguely but you should understand perfectly" language that politicians love so much.
This statement has this hidden meaning:
'I'll push you too, so let's continue to be close like this in the future.'
This is why bribes have to be made illegal by law regardless of the era.
"What kind of help did you come to seek from me? I can't grant all requests, but I'll review them as positively as possible."
Just the fact that he's telling me to make a request might seem like quite a positive signal.
But it's an expression we always use in our trading company too, 'positive review' is a ceremonial expression, in reality it's just meaningless rhetoric.
Especially for politicians.
"I, Viscount Fabio de Medici, was able to obtain the vested interest of military supplies for two divisions this time thanks to His Majesty's grace. However, because my trading company is small in scale, we couldn't meet the demand with just our company's capabilities, so we established a system of producing and supplying necessary items by contracting with small city guilds like Farugesi."
The Vice Minister of Law stroked his beard hearing my words.
A slight smile hung on his face, as if showing interest.
"Honestly, His Majesty was a bit hasty. Unlike other great merchants, you don't even have large-scale workshops yet, but he gave you military supplies for 2 divisions that need to handle various items. And only gave you 2 months' time."
The reason the Emperor made me hurry like that was probably to test my capabilities.
And this task was close to 'impossible' by common sense standards, so even if I had failed, there wouldn't have been any penalties.
However, I struggled to succeed at this by any means necessary and ended up creating a regular transaction that benefits everyone.
"I was also impressed by how you met the demand for military supplies. A division of labor where production is entrusted to small city guilds, and you only handle delivery."
"Yes, that's right."
"Do you plan to continue like that? Or will you buy the guilds themselves like other guilds, to maximize production profits?"
Rather than making a 60% profit rate with 2 trading companies, taking on 12 trading companies and making a 15% profit rate increases the scale of profit I can earn.
Of course, I want to continue maximizing the advantages of this production consignment, no, integrated trading company in the future.
"I want to continue maintaining the current method. Although entrusting production to small city guilds certainly reduces the immediate profit I can make, it allows more people to benefit."
"I don't understand well. All the other trading companies I know try to do everything themselves."
There's no need to explain the merits of an integrated trading company to the Vice Minister of Law in front of me.
No, I shouldn't leak confidential information.
Although it's confidential, now that this business has started, someone will surely try to imitate it...
But it's better to delay the emergence of latecomers even by one day.
'If I reveal the principles of integrated trading companies here, this gentleman will leak it to someone.'
So now it's time to release the bait I've prepared.
"More people sharing profits may not benefit me, but it benefits His Majesty."
"To think of His Majesty first in doing business, your loyalty is truly admirable."
Although he said that, the Vice Minister of Finance's eyes were already coldly fixed.
If I hadn't given 500 gold coins as a gift, he would have told me to leave right now.
"But thinking differently, what nonsense is that? What correlation is there between the growth of small city guilds and the benefits to His Majesty and you?"
The story I'm about to tell now is a half-concealed fitting of my real intentions.
"Frankly speaking, it would be difficult for me to rise to the position of a great merchant now. Because above me, numerous big city guilds and great merchants are guarding their positions."
Organizations that monopolize vested interests including guilds and try not to allow any competition hinder social development.
It's better than communism, but if guilds openly collude and match all 'prices' in every city, and prevent goods from other cities from entering...
Since there's no chance for competition, all guilds can have their own monopolized markets.
And in a market monopoly state, the seller becomes the superior party, not the buyer...
'There's no need for research or price cuts.'
Anyway, the city's citizens will buy my goods, and since there's no competition with goods from other cities in price competitiveness or quality, I can cheat half-heartedly.
Instead, a huge wall is created for new merchants like me.
'It's more profitable to trade cheaper goods from other cities on a larger scale.'
"I also think the Vice Minister of Commercial Law is having headaches because of merchants colluding with guilds. Although our Medici Trading Company thoroughly inspects each item even when doing military supplies and only provides good ones. Don't other trading companies supply weapons with tricks and food in slightly poor condition?"
"That's true."
"By giving up small profits, I'm directly showing His Majesty and the Vice Minister. It's evidence that the Medici Trading Company won't collude with guilds and cause trouble for His Majesty. That's the profit I'll gain."
Hearing those words, the Vice Minister of Commercial Law nodded in agreement.
"Are you saying you'll buy His Majesty's trust with money?"
Although he said that, there was a smile on the Vice Minister's face.
Yes, I'm only showing actions that benefit the Emperor and you royalists.
I declared that I'm bowing my head this deeply to give trust to the Emperor.
There's no way you wouldn't like it.
"I'm trying to buy trust by giving up money."
"Hmm, the Medici Trading Company is indeed different. Trust over money, I can believe that. But with just this... it seems a bit difficult?"
Of course, that's why I prepared.
A weapon that the Emperor and you royalists can't resist going crazy over.
"How much help would it be to His Majesty and you, Vice Minister, if we raise small city guilds and make them compete with big city guilds?"
Absolute monarchy.
What becomes its beginning is the sticky combination of power held by cities and the Emperor.
Since it aligns with my interests too, I'll give the Emperor absolute monarchy now.
In exchange, give me military supplies.