Valkyrie Europa

Chapter 460 Spice Trade
Until the ship stopped on the pier, Captain Dinesh couldn't believe that he had escaped from the Viking pirates!
How can this be?How is this possible?

Why didn't the Vikings catch up?Is it because we only have three ships and don't like it?When is this pirate still picky eater?Is there still time to show kindness?
This is impossible!There must be something wrong here!
After thinking for a while, Captain Dinesh couldn't think of a reason, so he stopped thinking and turned his head.

Looking at the terrified crew members, Captain Dinesh waved his hand: "Okay, Valkyrie bless us, let us escape the Vikings' looting and come to the Spice Islands alive! Everyone has worked hard, everyone Go to the first mate to get ten gold coins, get off the boat and relax."

Then there was another burst of busyness, contacting the other two ships, counting the losses, and appeasing the crew until Captain Dinesh returned to the captain's cabin after a while and called out his son who was hiding.

"Okay, my little Dias, we've arrived at the Spice Islands!" With a smile on his face, Captain Dinesh looked at his worried son, "Don't worry, the pirates didn't catch up to us, everyone is fine!"

After talking for a while and eating something, Captain Dinesh took his son and took the other two captains off the boat, left the port pier, and headed for the town not far from the pier.

There are many islands in the Spice Islands, but not many of them are suitable for human habitation, only a dozen or so.

More than 100 years ago, representatives of several maritime powers and the Holy See held a meeting here. After protracted disputes and compromises, these twenty or so islands were divided up, and each country controlled several habitable islands. , and other uninhabited spice islands around them, and by the way, control the original natives on these islands.

Captain Dinesh and the others stopped at one of the several islands belonging to Portugal.

Walking into the small town all the way, there are taverns and restaurants of all sizes along the way, all of which are crowded with people and chaotic.There were also a lot of people on the street, but most of them were sailors. Some of them were drunk and dangled wine bottles, some were joking with the workers with scantily clad legs, and some were shouting obscenities , and some scuffled together, and a group of people next to them were coaxing.
Captain Dinesh and his party did not enter these taverns or restaurants to taste good food and wine, but walked straight to a big house in the center of the town.

There is the Governor's Mansion, where the masters of the island live. It is in charge of all the trading of all spices on the surrounding dozens of islands. Any Portuguese businessman who comes to the Spice Islands to buy spices can only buy them from here. Enough variety of spices.

Of course they're here to do business.

Asking the other two captains to wait outside with their sons, Captain Dinesh walked directly into the Governor's Mansion.

Once you enter the Governor's Mansion, there is a large hall, which is very spacious. At the front of the hall, there is a reception desk. Behind the reception desk is a beautiful woman with heavy makeup.And several people are queuing up in front of the reception desk.

The line wasn't long, and it wasn't long before it was Captain Dinesh's turn.

"What are you here for?" The receptionist's voice was nice, but his tone was condescending and impatient.

"I'm a businessman from my own country, and I'm here to buy spices." While speaking, Captain Dinesh secretly slipped a few gold coins over.

The woman took the gold coin calmly, and the woman's tone became more friendly: "Buy spices, right? Turn left and go upstairs. The first room is the Spice Trade Management Office."

Following the woman's guidance, Captain Dinesh went straight upstairs and walked into the room of the spice trade management office.

There were not many people in the room, except for two clerks who were busy arranging documents, and a middle-aged man with a big belly and wearing an aristocratic dress.His face was greasy and sweaty, and two dark-skinned female slaves were serving him, one was fanning him, and the other was feeding him the peeled grapes.

After saluting, Captain Dinesh sat down respectfully on a chair in front of the middle-aged man.

"My name is Dinesh, and I'm the patriarch of the Bartolomeu family. I'm here to buy some spices. Here are my spice coupons and trade certificates." As he spoke, Captain Dinesh took out some spices from his pocket. A piece of paper was handed over.

Spice coupons, as the name suggests, are a kind of exchange coupons used to exchange spices.Spices cannot be bought directly with money, they must be exchanged with spice coupons.It is also very simple to obtain spice coupons. When you are in Portugal, first hand over the money to the trade hall run by the Portuguese royal family, and the trade hall will issue you the corresponding spice coupons, and then you can bring the spice coupons to the Spice Islands to exchange for spices. up.

The trade certificate is also very simple. It is also issued by the trade hall, and it proves your identity and the amount of spices traded this time.

The purpose of these two measures is also very simple. It is to prevent pirates, so that even if those pirates rob you, they can’t take spice coupons to the Spice Islands to exchange for spices, and even if you are robbed, the money you buy spice coupons The Portuguese royal family will not retreat either. No matter how they calculate, the Portuguese royal family can make a steady profit.

This is also the most common practice among countries in the spice trade.

Of course, in actual use, spices cannot be exchanged for just relying on two things.

For example, now, the fat middle-aged man briefly glanced at the spice coupons and trade certificates handed over, but did not speak.

Captain Dinesh quickly took out a bag of gold coins and handed it over, and said with an apologetic smile, "A little heart, a little heart."

After receiving the heavy bag, the middle-aged man looked better, and handed back the spice coupon and trade certificate: "It's not a matter of innocence, the governor has already issued an order, and every transaction needs to be paid. A handling fee! After all, we need people to do the picking, drying, and processing, and they all cost money."

"I don't know what the handling fee is." Captain Dinesh saw sweat on his forehead, but he didn't dare to wipe it off.

"Twenty percent! No matter how much spices are exchanged, we will charge 20% as a handling fee! Of course, if you have no money, you can also use spices to pay off the debt. According to the amount on the spice coupons, we will only give you [-]%!" The middle-aged The trade officer had a smile on his face, and he didn't mean to urge: "For example, you have an amount worth [-] gold. I decide to erase the odds. You only need to pay [-] gold coins."

After hearing his words, Captain Dinesh's voice was a little trembling, and it took a long time before he said with difficulty: "Can... can I go back to discuss and raise money?"

"Yes." The trade officer's smile remained unchanged, but he picked up a glass of juice and drank it, obviously not intending to speak any more.

In a hurry, Captain Dinesh took the spice coupons and trade certificates, and walked out of the room in a daze.

Captain Dinesh's heart was full of sorrow. If it was a few thousand gold, he would still be able to get it out, but the [-] gold was too much beyond his expectations. I can't think of raising the money.

Is it possible to sell a boat?No!Where do you put the spices after you sell the boat?I don’t know if there is anyone I know here, can I borrow some from them and pay them back when the spices are sold off?
While thinking about countermeasures, Captain Dinesh walked out of the Governor's Mansion.

Outside the Governor's Mansion, next to the two burly captains, Little Dias looked over with concern.

Seeing his son who had been waiting outside the door, Captain Dinesh barely suppressed the worry on his face, and squeezed out a smile: "Oh, my little Dias, well, everything is over, let's go , Dad will take you to eat something delicious."

(End of this chapter)