His Excellency the Count of Grandet

Speaking of the goals of Shire's trip to the United States, there are several categories that are certain: cotton, timber, a little tobacco and other cash crops.Most of these are products of plantations in the southern United States, so Shire and the plantation owners almost hit it off——

One import, one export, just right!

Because of this, without any discussion, both sides have tacitly agreed to fight against the northern faction who wants to raise tariffs.The plantation owners are more pressing for tariffs than Shire, because they are completely labor-intensive industries with little profit margin; Shire also has new technologies to reduce industrial costs and increase profit margins.

All in all, the big manor owners will definitely negotiate the tax rate issue more actively than Shire, and Shire can easily benefit.

As for issues such as coal mines and iron mines, Charles has other considerations.

Both coal and iron are important as raw materials necessary for energy and heavy industry.But the problem is that these things are too heavy, and the transportation cost cannot go down.Especially when the United States and France are separated by the Atlantic Ocean, the risk is even greater——

The Atlantic Ocean is not a small river or brook. When it encounters a storm, it is the rhythm of losing everything!

Even with a smooth ride, transportation costs are eye-poppingly high and efficiency is heartbreakingly low.

So, suppose the factory is set up in the United States on the spot?

This is exactly what President Monroe and Secretary of State Adams hope to see, but it is not the best choice for Shire.He has the same capital and technology in his hands, and investing in France will get higher returns, and at the same time, the risk is almost negligible. There is no reason to hand over the opportunities of employment, advanced science and management experience to Americans. ——

How can he deal with His Majesty the King if he doesn't develop the country first?

Therefore, Victor believes that the Americans do not have enough bargaining chips, while Shire prefers to consider the time before and after.No matter what, they have to do a good job in the domestic industry first, and then mention the overseas investment expansion of the industry.

It's like having a construction team in your hand, first repairing your own house beautifully, and then repairing it for others-although it's not very precise, it probably means that.

In a more simplified summary, the fat and water will not flow into the fields of outsiders!

As long as this point is made clear, it will be useless for Webster to quote from classics and references.After all, this is a real transaction of money and goods, not a talk or ideology in the House of Representatives meeting——

No matter how you say those things are illusory, how can there be any convincing gold and silver that can be seen and touched?

So at a meeting later that day, Webster found himself in the expected embarrassment.

The big manor owners in the south were very satisfied with the purchase price offered by Shire, and promised to do more in terms of tariffs.Their original words were: "The total value of the business you brought is more than one-eighth of the Louisiana area! As long as there is this amount, even the president has nothing to say!"

——Hey, wait a minute, our industrial project hasn't been negotiated yet, is it really okay for you to agree so early?

——Also, tariffs are a tool we can use to bargain. Is it really okay for you to take things on yourself so quickly?

Webster was heartbroken.Not afraid of opponents like gods, but teammates like pigs, he has learned this time - he originally prepared one, two or three plans, but he didn't send any of them!

Speaking from the bottom of his heart, Webster doesn't really blame those people who let go easily, because the price that Shire offered exceeded the highest value they had expected before, and it exceeded a lot.However, proceeding from the overall situation of the country, of course we need to re-discuss.But it's useless to discuss, he can't stop people from making money, so I don't know how many people will come to him desperately——

It's too exaggerated to talk about business, isn't it?

Thinking of this, Webster suddenly realized the hidden intention behind it.

When Shire first arrived in the United States, although he had money in his hands, he was unfamiliar with the place. Even if he had made full preparations, he could not be foolproof;

However, Charles didn't intend to solve this big problem by himself, but found a breakthrough precisely - using high rewards to win over the southern faction with the same goal as him, and then let those people do things he is not particularly good at. For example, harmonized tariff rates.

This makes things a lot easier.The southern faction and the northern faction have been at odds for a long time, and both sides know the other side quite well; when it comes to haggling, the southern faction must be easier than this group of French investigation groups!

There is only one thing Shire has to do - to support the southern faction and strengthen the southern faction's right to speak in tariff coordination!

In other words, in fact, from the beginning to the end, Shire never considered to resolve this matter through lengthy negotiations in the true sense.Because he has money in his hand, and this is an advantage that is not easy to take advantage of.At this time, it's time to maximize strengths and avoid weaknesses. It would be even better if someone could come forward instead...

Webster, who wanted to understand, was suddenly a little resentful.

——He also wished he had enough money to throw gold every day!

——And don't look at how much Shire smashed!Those factories in France that used above-average production levels were probably profitable enough that it's likely that Shire would end up earning more!

—so what was he going to tell the others when he got back to Washington?To say that he was nipped in the bud by the French's first move before he had time to show off his eloquence?

Webster now has only one voice: tired or not!

Compared with the half-happy and half-sorrowful situation of the Americans, the mood of the French is generally happy.Because Shire took the lead in finalizing the intention of the largest business, others took advantage of the east wind and negotiated relatively smoothly—at the shipyard in Boston, the winery in Spartanburg, the fur processing factory in Detroit, and Several scattered tobacco processing factories and the like.Of course, these are only preliminary letters of intent; because at least one has to see the scene before making a final decision.

Although these are not supported by Shire's technology, there are still some industrial achievements that can be said.In this way, Webster will not be completely unable to communicate.

Victor was rather unimpressed by this. "If you want me to say, let them learn a lesson, so that they won't entertain us like that next time!"

He said that, of course, not at the meeting, but after nightfall.After a whole day of discussions, everyone was drawing books in their rooms to settle accounts.Although he doesn't need to count it for the time being, it doesn't stop him from finding various excuses to stay with Charles.

"Are you really trying to embarrass Webster?" Charles sat behind his desk and looked through the various documents he had received, even more disapprovingly, "Don't let me remind you, Webster can't convince us, but he It’s still possible to convince other MPs. If you give those MPs a bad impression of us, it’s going to be bad. We’re not a one-off business; I don’t want to ask for it, if I ask you.”

"Of course not, I just have deep doubts about Washington's hospitality." Victor shrugged slightly. "But to be honest, I almost thought you were really going to compete with Webster in eloquence!"

"There is a shorter road, why do you want to take a longer one?" Charles asked back, still not looking up.

Victor opened his mouth to say something, but closed it after thinking about it.

Because he wanted to give an example that Shire has always been reliable and troublesome in managing his assets, but from time to time, Shire is no longer the Shire who was struggling with money, and he is not the one who only liked Shire before. Victor's face and figure.

That being the case, why did he remind Ciel to divert his attention to other people?This is really asking for trouble, right?

"That's good," Victor said finally, and looked towards the window half covered by the curtains. "But then again, it's getting late."

Charles looked up from the pile of documents, glanced at Victor with a half-smile, and then stood up.Just when Victor was wondering whether the next development would be the same as that of the water pool, Charles stuffed all the paperwork on the table that was enough to be half a person tall into Victor's arms: "I feel that you are quite free, why don't you help me do these first ?”

While Victor is okay with Charles blatantly reducing his workload, that doesn't mean he's happy to accept extra overtime. "The work is never done!" he protested.

But after Charles moved out a thicker stack of documents from under the table, Victor obediently shut up.Well, he should have expected it!

In the next few days, the businessmen who reached a cooperation intention held preliminary discussions on the project and other related aspects.Because the projects are different and the time is limited, the soldiers have to be divided into several groups, and each of them will go to the field to make a determination.

In this way, the personnel are dispersed.

The Shire's goal was to continue south to Georgia and then circle west to the Arkansas region.The Arkansas area is part of the Louisiana area that Napoleon sold to the US government before. The Americans have not had time to form a state, and there may be unknown opportunities.And the best lumber mills in the Hamptons were near the border of the Arkansas area and Georgia (which then included four states today).Further west is the Spanish colony and the disputed Oregon region in the northwest. As a well-known good businessman, Charles is determined not to interfere——

It is true that war wealth can make a lot of money, but at the same time it is also very risky.Although he can think of ways to avoid risks, it's not like he doesn't have other ideas for making money. Why does he have to do business that makes his hands bloody?

The author has something to say: Shire: Long nights, no desire to sleep, why not...

Victor: Why don't we do physical and mental exercise?

Charles: That's right, let's approve the documents!

Victor: ...