A strange world

Chapter 1402 36. Contract

The next day, the empire showed their decisive side - they couldn't wait to start negotiations on the second day of the visit.

The Ministry of Etiquette tried to stop this corrupt behavior, but failed. Ambassador Franz Koch stood firmly on the side of the Ministry of Finance, so they could only secretly write reports to accuse the Ministry of Finance.

The main reason is that the Ministry of Finance believes that if the empire's savings bank is established one day earlier, there will be tens of millions of gold nars in the treasury, and efficiency is paramount.

Annan deeply agreed with this. He was fed up with the red tape of the nobles and the one banquet after another. Those ladies always stuck to him like slime, and in order to make money, he had to endure many hands touching him like Lily begging for dried fish.

However, considering that the Ministry of Etiquette was on his side, he did not show any inclination to support it.

The negotiations were held in the meeting room of the City Lord's Mansion. All the imperial envoys were present, and besides Annan and the two deputy city lords, Finance Minister Ingrid was also there.

The Imperial delegation drafted a contract: Liberty City would share the relevant technologies of the bank with the Empire, and the Empire would allow Liberty City to continue to open commercial streets within its territory while providing protection.

This is an apparent exchange of interests and cooperation, which seems fair - but given the size of the empire, fairness itself is a kind of unfairness.

Not to mention the invisible benefits. For example, after the Empire and Liberty City cooperated, other forces would have to consider whether they were qualified if they wanted to get involved in the savings bank.

Annan glanced at it casually and handed it to his eldest sister. Idyllia, Olmedo and Ingrid read it carefully one after another and thought that the contract was fair and there was no need to add anything.

Unfortunately, because this is an imperial contract, they won't allow the devil to interfere.

Annan signed his name at the end: Annan Reeves.

Ambassador Franz Koch also signed his name alongside it, but added brackets at the end: On behalf of Walger Montreal, the 98th Emperor of the Taturn Empire.

After signing, Ambassador Franz Koch looked up and said, "The officials from the Ministry of Finance I brought with me will stay in Liberty City. You need to arrange for them to study in the savings bank."

"Don't worry, I will teach you everything I know."

Ambassador Franz Koch has experienced this.

Even when they wanted the savings bank, they first showed goodwill and then sent an envoy to negotiate, and they simply disdained to rob it. However, the southern nobles actually let the evil dragon into the city in order to seize the savings bank - who are the barbarians?

Olmedo, who was much more relaxed, watched Annan put away the contract and asked casually, "Is the empire short of money?"

"Even if there is no shortage of money, the savings bank empire will not give up this piece of cake." Ambassador Franz Koch did not reveal anything.

This was enough to fool Annan, but it didn't convince Olmedo. She pretended to be in deep thought, and Annan leaned towards her and whispered, "What's wrong?"

"In what situations do you think the empire would need a large amount of money?"

"Because the emperor is short of money?"

Olmedo said nothing, just stared at Annan.

"You mean... the empire wants to start a war and needs to mobilize for war, but war mobilization will consume a lot of resources, so it has to gather wealth in various ways?!"

Annan suddenly spoke a lot as if he had suddenly come to his senses - but his voice was accidentally a little louder.

The conference room was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. The envoys stared at Annan without blinking.

Ambassador Franz Koch tilted his head and said, "Locke's document, add a clause to the end of the contract. If the Free City leaks this matter before the Empire takes action..."

He paused.

"Liberty City suffers the consequences."

"Don't worry, I'm very tight-lipped." Annan made a zipper gesture on his mouth, and then asked curiously: "Who is the enemy, the McCann Ratman?"

Ambassador Franz Koch was helpless. He understood why Minister Oley looked at him with sympathy before he came.

"Annan Reeves, don't ask questions you shouldn't ask." An etiquette official sternly accused.

"Okay, just pretend I didn't ask." Annan wasn't angry, but continued, "I have an idea that will make it easier to gather wealth than in a savings bank."

"oh?"

“You can issue government bonds.”

National debt is equivalent to the empire borrowing money from the people and promising a repayment period and interest. As long as the country has enough credit, it can easily raise a large sum of money.

Annan originally planned to issue the first batch of government bonds if the savings bank was not enough.

"Don't bother," said Ambassador Franz Koch.

Annan didn’t care, since he had already told him the method...but what did it mean that there was no need to go through so much trouble?

…

Except for the Treasury officials who would remain in the Free City to explore the operation of the bank, Ambassador Franz Koch and the officials of the Ministry of Ceremonies prepared to return to Montreal.

The total time they spent in Liberty City was not as long as the time they spent on the road. It seemed like just a formality - but it was indeed a formality.

Such a trivial matter is not worth sending an embassy here purely to support Annan.

They didn't know that Annan, who was highly praised in the briefing to Emperor Taturn, would send the delegation on the magic train.

The passengers going back and forth popped their heads out of the windows and waved excitedly. Annan waved back at them and watched the magic train leave the platform.

"It's a pity that I can't take a ride on the magic train." Annan sighed deliberately.

Olmedo snorted coldly: "If I don't let you go out, can you really not go out?"

"When spring comes, that will be the most beautiful moment of the trip." Annan smiled, "Then we can ride the train together, eat hot pot and sing songs."

They returned to the City Lord's Mansion. As soon as they returned to the second floor, Annan couldn't wait to say to Abby: "Do you know? The Empire wants to--"

"Didn't you say you'd keep your mouth shut?" Olmedo sat opposite Annan.

"Abby is not an outsider."

"Abby is indeed not an outsider, but she told her brother, and her brother told her best friend, and her best friend told his family..."

"And then half of Liberty City knew."

"I...I'll go clean up." Abby ran out like a frightened deer.

"Do you have any reports on the battle at the Empire's border?"

"I'll get it."

Olmedo stood up, leaving Annan sitting there to continue thinking.

It seems that the Empire is not going to sit idly by and watch the McKeon ratmen provoke in the north. This is a good thing, and the Kingdom of Dimon can also breathe a sigh of relief.

By the way, I wonder how Joan is doing.