Extraordinary Sailing

Because of the superior livable environment of the "Leyton Valley", there are many large and small cities along the route.

But apart from Nisk, the water city that guards the estuary, and Brandenburg, the capital of Salt Lake County, the city with the most special status is the "Golden Lion City", a city of wealth located in the middle reaches of the river valley!

Although it is called the City of Wealth by another name, there are indeed many chambers of commerce and trading companies settled here, but the main business has little to do with the most prosperous marine commerce and trade in this era.

It is actually a financial city dominated by big bankers!

Even the governor of Golden Lion City is served by the chairman of the board of directors of a company called the "Nederland Bank Group", including the garrison in the city, which has little to do with the Kingdom, and they are all elite private troops hired by the Bank Group.

It can be said that this "Netherlands Bank Group" has become the de facto ruler of this city, and has obtained the acquiescence of the owner of this country, the Taylor royal family!

And what is the origin of the "Netherlands Bank Group"? And why build a country within a country within the Kingdom of Tailuo?

Actually.

This is an international financial organization with a long history spanning various countries. Although its headquarters is located in the Kingdom of Tairo, which ranks among the top three in the comprehensive national strength of the Tulip Alliance, its financial business has spread throughout the entire Old Continent.

Although the functions are still somewhat primitive, mainly in the currency exchange, collection and storage, lending, credit intermediary, and valuables storage of various countries, but the size is a well-deserved super giant!

Not only ordinary citizens, businessmen, and dignitaries, but even the ruler of a country may be their debtors.

This is not a joke.

The powers of rulers of dozens of countries in the Old Continent vary from big to small, and some of them almost reach the level of a family with all the powers of an ancient oriental country.

Some have been squeezed out of political and economic rights by various domestic forces, leaving only a nominal co-ownership.

But the same thing is that under the enfeoffment system that has lasted for thousands of years, the monarch will never have the supreme right to increase taxes on whomever he wants, like the Eastern Emperor!

Therefore, even the relatively "supreme" king cannot always be short of money.

The country's huge expenditures, especially war expenditures, military expenditures, and extremely risky ocean expeditions, etc., are of course inseparable from the presence of large banking groups.

Over and over again, the bank consortium mainly composed of a group of big businessmen turned out to be the creditor of a powerful kingdom, and the seemingly wealthy and powerful country also became a debtor of private forces!

Among the many debtors of the Netherlands Bank Group, two have to be mentioned. The first one is the royal family of King Taylor, the owner of the land under their feet. This is also the fundamental reason why the Bank Group can obtain autonomy.

And the second one is something that many people can't even imagine, and they don't even dare to think about it, that is, the maritime overlord of this era, who suppresses all countries with extremely tyrannical force-"Kingdom of Cyrus"!

Sitting on the strongest armada in the Age of Discovery, with fortresses and naval bases all over the sea, it firmly controls the colonies with the most oil and water in the southern continent and the new continent.

The most convenient trade route, the most fertile land, and the precious metal mine with the highest reserves are everything for Sirius.

For comparison, even a country as strong as the Phalatis Kingdom, which is faintly the strongest overall national power in the "Tulip Alliance", can only follow Sirius to pick up some soup and water to satisfy his hunger.

How could such a giant be short of money? !

The answer is very positive: yes!

Although the dividends of gold, silver, and ocean trade in the New World flowed to Sirius like a river, or the pockets of the upper class of Sirius.

However, it is not so easy to be the overlord of this age of great voyages.

The situation of the Kingdom of Cyrus is worthy of the phrase "enemies on all sides"!

The disputes over maritime dividends, beliefs, colonies, the old continent's local expansion, and the "emperor's dream" of successive generations of kings, all these factors add up to make the relationship between Cyrus and the surrounding countries almost like fire and water.

Cyrus, who believed in "eternal fire" on land, fought against the traditional army power Sac Empire, which believed in "break of dawn", and fought against Heimar, a desert kingdom that believed in "bright starry night".

On the sea and one-third of the land is covered by ice and snow all the year round, Atlanta, who believes in the "breath of frost", fights with the navy of the Sark Empire, which has gradually developed, and Phaletti, who believes in "the goddess of kingship and navigation". Sri Lanka, a new sea power power, is fighting.

One-on-one, he can beat any opponent who kneels down and sings "Conquer", but what about the consequences of a group of people beating others?

Sirius must maintain a ridiculously large army at any time to deal with all kinds of wars. In recent years, it has reached the level of 1 out of 20.

Note that this is the total number of citizens including the elderly, children, women, etc., not the number of school-age youth.

It can be said that Cyrus is already militaristic and is engaged in wars all the time.

Even as the most powerful country in sea power, it does not even have a large-scale handicraft industry in its country, let alone the steam industry that is now in full swing on the mainland.

From the perspective of industrial development, it has lagged behind others by a whole generation.

His ruler apparently didn't care, though.

In addition, according to gossip, because the stalls are too large, the gold and silver transported back to the mainland from the New World every year may not be enough for one-fifth of the military expenditure.

The gold and silver may have just warmed up in the treasury of Cyrus, and then became the interest in the pockets of the "Netherlands Bank Group"

at this time.

Located in the magnificent palace-like City Hall, it is also the mainland headquarters of the "Netherlands Bank Group".

In the largest meeting room.

A huge long conference table made of a whole red hemlock was placed in the middle of the conference room.

If the best core material of such a red hemlock is taken, it is enough to be processed into the "canoe" of a first-class battleship, but here it is only made into an ordinary table.

Just looking at this table, a smell of money is coming.

At this time, around this long table, sixteen bank syndicate directors or their agents had all arrived.

Among them are handsome middle-aged aristocrats, potbellied wealthy businessmen, graceful ladies, wise old men, and fledgling young people. However, no matter their age or appearance, the expressions on their faces are the same.

Be proud of all beings! who but me!

Of course they have reason to be proud.

Because of the gemstone buttons on their sleeves that are worth a house; because of the signatures of the mainland dignitaries on the IOUs in their hands; because they hold the economic lifeline of more than one country in their hands; because their words determine countless people. s future

Their identities are not necessarily nobles, but they are better than nobles. Not necessarily a king, but really better than some kings!

Click——

The gilded mahogany carved wooden door was gently closed by the guard.

Snapped! Snapped!

Sitting on the high-backed chair in the chief seat, a gray-haired but hale and hearty old man patted his palms lightly, attracting all the attention.

"Misters and ladies, I think you have all heard about the current situation of the 'Leyton Valley' from various sources.

The topic of the plenary meeting of the board of directors this time is very simple, which is how our "Netherlands Bank Group" should respond to the next turmoil.

Does anyone want to share their opinion? "

At the first place on the right side of the long table, a potbellied director wearing a white silk shirt and black formal coat spoke first:

"Mr. Chairman! With all due respect, we have the tightest underground vault and the most robust security in the alliance.

There is even a third-tier grand knight, Mr. Grace, and two powerful official wizards sitting here all year round!

There is absolutely no need for us to get involved in the disputes between the Kingdom of Taro or Tulip and that Pirate King.

After all, they are all clients of the syndicate, aren't they? "

Money touches people's hearts, and a large number of golden lions are thrown at them. Even the steel-framed knights and mysterious and dangerous wizards who are unattainable in the eyes of others have to bow to them.

In fact, there are far more than one Tier 3 combat power in the "Netherlands Bank Group".

Beside him, another young man with a pale face who could clearly see the blue veins also echoed:

"That's right, Mr. Huggins is a very generous client, and a 'Secret Treasure of the Ocean' he entrusted us to keep a year ago is still on the second floor of the underground vault.

Up to now, I still remember that after paying three times the storage fee, this powerful Tier-3 Transcendent only wanted to take a look outside the gate of the underground vault.

After listening to the brief introduction of the treasury, he was also full of praise for our security measures, bluntly saying that even a Tier 4 title may not be able to break through in a short time. "

As a young man representing his elderly father's first business after joining the banking syndicate, he was indeed very impressed with Pirate King.

The old man presiding over the meeting nodded slightly, and looked around at everyone in the meeting:

"Is anyone else going to speak besides Mr. Swift and Mr. Durand?"

The third director from the left, that is, the graceful lady in a long wine red dress, lightly shook her peacock feather fan:

"Mr. Chairman, in fact, many of the honorable gentlemen here have business dealings with the Pirate King. Even our "Alberta" Chamber of Commerce, which only conducts serious business, has also traded slaves with him in the Windward Strait.

I don't think this Mr. Pirate King would be so unwise as to let down so many people's friendship with him! "

Seeing that most of the other people present nodded slightly in agreement, the old man himself didn't think there would be any problem, so he concluded:

"Then I will now announce the final resolution of the board of directors. The dispute between the Pirate King and Tulip will not be interfered by our 'Netherlands Bank Group'.

But Wang Guofang still has to give face, allowing Tulip's mobile troops to enter the Golden Lion City.

By the way, please inform Bishop Jasper of the Golden Roof Cathedral to help us defend during this time.

Before this matter is over, our private soldiers are strictly forbidden to leave the city and intervene in other people's conflicts.

So be it. "

The day-to-day management of the "Netherlands Bank Group" is the responsibility of a four-member committee elected by the board of directors. The chairman of the four-member committee is also the consul of the "Golden Lion City".

The words of Mr. Joel Theodore, an old man with military, political and financial powers, are the final word!

It also determines the general tone of the defense policy of Golden Lion City for some time to come.

Thank you book friend Niaofeiyu for your reward! Thank you book friends for your monthly tickets and recommendation tickets!

I recommend a new book "Goat Simulator" by the same group of authors. It has a unique perspective and two million-word copies have been completed.