NOVEL NEXT Chapter 69
The high-ranking Deputy Minister of Justice wouldn’t be clueless about the advantages of competition.
However, the concept of having merchants compete against each other for the benefit of consumers and politicians does not exist in our empire.
In Korea, competition within the same industry is taken for granted, but in this world, it’s considered absurd for people in the same field to fight over profits.
Ding!
It’s like Columbus’s egg. Once someone brings it up, it seems so easy, but before that, no one even dares to think about it.
The Deputy Minister pretended to think, making hmm sounds as expected.
Hmm…
“It would be hard to understand if I explained an entirely new concept without breaking it down easily,” he thought.
“Think about it when appointing the head of the Commercial Law Department under you, Deputy Minister. When other divisions are competing for that position, you, the Minister of Commerce, and other superiors will do your best to show a good image to ensure they look good.”
These days it’s reduced a bit, but during personnel announcements, some people participate eagerly in meetings or volunteer for overtime or remote business trips.
In the Toscan Empire, where bribery is practically legal, all kinds of gifts inevitably go back and forth.
Clink, clink!
“Fine wines, money, land, exquisite swords, and splendid armor.”
Even though I didn’t explicitly mention that gifts were exchanged, the Deputy Minister cleared his throat.
Uhm, uhm!
“Ahem, I don’t do that, but there are shameless fellows who work extra hard two months before personnel announcements. If you’re a legal noble like me, you should be devoted to work even in normal times.”
Our Deputy Minister is quite the regular sender of gifts.
Besides this request, I should probably support him to do the nation’s work whenever I think of it.
“On the other hand, think about it when there’s already a preset person for the head of the Commercial Law Department, and no competition occurs.”
“The shameless ones wouldn’t be dedicated to their work. And the wealthy merchants only care about immediate benefits, treating the larger cause like waste paper. With no competition, the reasons for the merchants to pledge loyalty to His Majesty, who guarantees their profits, would dwindle.”
To understand a concept that doesn’t exist in the empire in such a short explanation is impressive.
After all, he’s a person who has risen to one of the vital departments of the administration, the Deputy Minister of the Commerce Department, so his intellect is clearly exceptional.
So, instead of me leading the next words, how about waiting for him to reach the conclusion himself, thinking he’s had an epiphany?
Ding!
“Until now, I’ve never thought of this as a problem. Upon careful reflection, it seems that the guilds, as organizations, lacking competition over the marketplace has only benefited the merchants.”
The Deputy Minister’s eyes widened as he listened to me.
His face slightly flushed, revealing that he was profoundly impressed.
He chewed on his lips a few times and cautiously asked.
“Sorry for bringing this up, but Baron, aren’t you closer to a merchant than a noble? So why do you challenge the vested interests set up by the merchants?”
To look at it coldly, there are limits to breaking through the glass ceiling created by the guilds and wealthy merchants of the big city with just my strength.
So, it’s obvious that selling at a lower price for military procurement would be more profitable, but this is how it has been operating through “conglomerates.”
I don’t directly challenge the industries dominated by merchants.
If I were to try breaking that glass ceiling, or rather a diamond ceiling, only by my power, I might end up in danger.
Creak!
“Courage and recklessness appear to be a thin line, but the results are like heaven and earth apart.”
“Even though I’ve had some disagreements with the current Medici Baron, Albert de Medici, I’ve learned since childhood that a noble’s foremost duty is to pledge loyalty to His Majesty. Therefore, I’ve never done anything that would conflict with my honor.”
To be precise, I’ve never been caught doing anything dishonorable.
Selling seaweed, textiles, and wool in Guillaume City to evade taxes would be dishonorable, but even the Emperor and the Duke don’t know.
And if I don’t get caught, it can’t be a crime.
“It is a noble’s duty to help solidify His Majesty’s power.”
In any country, politicians would drop their own party’s president if necessary.
In the Toscan Empire, where democracy doesn’t exist, such things cannot physically manifest, but weakening imperial power to protect noble interests happens frequently.
Even in the UK, their Magna Carta and Bill of Rights were created by nobles claiming the ‘absolute loyalty to the crown’ while seeking to protect their rights.
Ding ding!
“Of course, what they did was, fundamentally and in consequence, right.”
“For that, I, Baron Fabio de Medici, will pull out every thorn of the thorns lined with deadly poison, even if it’s with bare hands. In this military procurement, I thought of entrusting all production to them as a foundation for guilds in small towns to become independent. Someday, as these small town guilds grow in size…”
I deliberately halted my words to stir curiosity.
“The small town guilds will also grow in stature, and eventually, they will want to compete with the guilds in the big cities. This will lead to competition among the guilds, dependent on His Majesty who has the power to decide the winner.”
Having received the Emperor’s favor, even I, the fastest-growing noble among my generation, find it hard to face him alone.
The guild master of the small town, or rather the puny guild master, would have no chance to meet the Emperor directly.
So, who should I approach first with a bundle of money?
Cha-ching!
“The legal nobility who serves the Emperor well.”
“At that point, His Majesty will be able to shatter the commercial monopoly of the guild that has become nothing more than a vested interest.”
I’m no timeless loyalist; it’s better to reveal my own ambitions at this stage, right?
“I want to claim a part of the space left by the most prominent wealthy merchants.”
A smile spread across the face of the Deputy Minister of Commerce.
He realized that by thinking only about the Emperor, he was too cautious, but suddenly understood that his interests aligned with the Emperor’s as well.
Chuckles!
“Generals like Admiral Yi Sun-sin, who seem entirely devoid of material desires, often become a source of fear for their lord and peers.”
It’s the same reason that the master of hypnosis, Won-kyun, could rise through the ranks.
While they respected the hyperefficient symbol of integrity, Admiral Yi Sun-sin, they must have also felt a similar feeling to gazing into an abyss.
Dun dun!
“Instinctive aversion to the incomprehensible.”
On the other hand, Won-kyun appeared capable and honest in his desires, thus could foster a sense of familiarity even among the shameless royals or worn-out ministers.
“Someone once said: If a commoner tries to follow Admiral Yi Sun-sin, they’ll ruin their life.”
His life trajectory is magnificent, but it’s an area we common folks can’t even dream of reaching.
It’s like a beginner runner trying to emulate Usain Bolt’s training every day until he’s too scared to continue.
“Hmm, hearing you out makes me think that conducting military procurements through reliable commercial networks and the guilds of small towns would be beneficial for the empire’s interests.”
“It’s an honor, Deputy Minister.”
“However, you have already taken over two divisions’ military procurements, haven’t you? It wouldn’t be easy to allocate more to you.”
I didn’t expect to handle military procurement on a scale of 10 divisions right away.
“However, I’ll ask His Majesty to tentatively designate you as the number one priority.”
“It’s an honor, Deputy Minister.”
If I can’t have it, I’ll make sure others won’t get it.
That way it could be mine later.
I then handed a check to the Deputy Minister.
“It’s a 1,000 gold coin check. The source of the funds is very clean. If you come to our merchant house, you can cash it.”
“…This shouldn’t be happening.”
But he didn’t refuse and accepted it as if he had no choice.
Ahem, ahem!
“I’ll make sure to convey your message to His Majesty well.”
With that, I left the meeting.
To catch something big, it starts with impressing your counterpart…
Ding!
“It’s important to look at things from a longer perspective.”
Wherever there is light, shadows must be cast.
True to those words, the guild masters of Florence, though of lower rank than the wealthy, gathered for a meeting about the glass ceiling Fabio mentioned.
Among them, there wasn’t a blacksmith guild master who had become a loyal dog of Duke Visconti, but…
“Fabio de Medici. Isn’t he making too much noise recently?”
Guild masters from various trades like the jeweler guild, butcher guild, chef guild, miller guild, and real estate guild nodded in agreement.
“I don’t intend to criticize him for being honest in his military procurements. If we were to cause trouble over that, the Duke Visconti or His Majesty himself wouldn’t just sit idly by.”
Though spoken indirectly, the underlying meaning was clear.
As long as there’s no direct harm to them, they wanted to avoid shedding blood by provoking him.
“However, that fellow has already tamed the guild masters of two small towns to his side. While other wealthy merchants could still communicate, what does that young punk want to talk to us about?”
When people gather, they will criticize the king as long as he’s not present.
Moreover, although the power of each guild master present may not compare to Fabio’s, if dozens unite, they could exert significant political influence.
The guild masters here hold one-third of the seats on the Florence City Council.
Cha-ching!
With just some proper bribes, they could impose all sorts of regulations.
“Since that Fabio has too much ambition, he might push us out.”
It’s essential to uproot threats or educate them correctly to keep them subservient.
“There’s no need to draw swords immediately since he hasn’t directly challenged us. But we should make him feel the pain. Does anyone have a good idea?”
At those words, the spice guild master, one of the most powerful among the Florence guild masters, stood up.
“…I have a good idea.”