50 The highly lucrative trade
Here is what was promised, I think the next chapter is the last of the johann expedition for the moment.
See you on Saturday
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Johann von Rügen POV
Arriving at the port, Baldric insisted that we go immediately to the market, since we had to take advantage of the day.
''Where are we going'' I asked smiling.
''We are going to see the gemstone seller, he sells sapphires and ruby in rough, he is trustworthy, maybe you can't triple the profit selling it in the seven kingdoms, but if you give it to the jewelers of the king in Prussia you can multiply its value several times'' said Baldric while he was walking
''Aah I understand we have on the ship a gemologist that the king sent to look at the precious stones, and we won't be scammed''I said looking at Baldric
''Your king sent everything to this expedition'' said Baldric, looking at me with raised eyebrows.
''The king always surrounded himself with people of knowledge, his own entourage of craftsmen is full of master craftsmen who know every step of their work, that gemologist is also a jeweler and a good one at that, so let me call him'' I said as I turned to a sailor
''Hey you, go to the ship and ask for the ship's gemologist we are going to buy rough gems, and we will need his expert opinion'' I said to a sailor who was following me as a guard.
''Yes, admiral'' said the sailor as he returned to the ship.
''The merchant is trustworthy, no need for an expert to come, but on second thought, he could tell you whether it is convenient to buy or not'' Baldric said
''See, it's always good to have an expert at hand in something, hey a query, do you know where to buy this, one of the king's advisors asked me for this stuff'' I said passing a list to Baldric
Baldric opened his eyes and stared at me.
''These are items to make poisons, why does one of your king's advisors require these things'' said Baldric scared.
''Ah it's for Aleksanteri the white demon is obsessed with poisons and the king gave the go ahead for this request'' I said scratching my head.
''White demon?, why did they give him that nickname'' asked Baldric.
''It's a nickname we nobles gave to Aleksanteri because he had a reputation of eliminating Russian generals in our continuous campaigns to the east in a fast and brutal way, in many occasions it is said that he stayed days waiting hidden in the snow waiting for the perfect moment just to shoot an arrow with poison to his targets'' I said laughing
''But... that doesn't make him dangerous... for your king...?'', said Baldric, looking at me strangely.
''Aleksanteri is loyal, I would say much more than most, and he is only dangerous to those who have bad intentions for the king'' I said laughing
''Wow... I hope I don't run into him, and he thinks I'm doing something against his king'' said Baldric.
''He is a very nice person, he has a weird sense of humor, but you get used to it, here comes back the sailor with the gemologist'' I said pointing to them
''Very nice, ha, ha, ha'' said Baldric laughing nervously.
When the gemologist arrived, we finally walked back to the gem dealer's store.
The architecture was similar to all the buildings, only this building was very big, and I could see the product, as the vendor had huge stones that he was selling, and he had many workers who were cutting them into smaller pieces for the jewelers.
Baldric began to talk to a merchant from the summer islands, even at one point he introduced me to the merchant
''I have introduced you to him, his name is Quhoro'' said Baldric pointing to the fat merchant.
''Good afternoon Quhoro I am lord Johann von Rügen sent by the king in Prussia, I heard that you sell uncut precious stones, I would like to see them please'' I said showing my smile.
Baldric translated my words to the merchant and began to speak to me.
''He says he would be happy to sell merchandise and asks that you accompany him to the back of the store where he has the uncut stones'' Baldric said in a friendly tone.
''Sure, come on, bring the gemologist'' I said as I walked to the back of the store.
Arriving at the back of the store, I could see how hundreds of huge stones were piled up in piles
The gem merchant started talking to me again.
''He says how much do you want to buy'' said Baldric
''What do you say we should buy?'' I asked the gemologist.
''They have potential, but I would like you to open them to check them in the middle to be sure of the quality''.
''Tell him if he could open some gemstones to check them'' I said looking at Baldric.
Baldric spoke to the merchant, and the merchant gave the order to his workers to open the stones.
The workers opened the stone that was almost 1 meter high with a chisel and hammer, showing the typical deep blue color of the sapphire.
''Amazing it is of very good quality, I could make very good jewelry with this sapphire, it still needs to be cut, but I can make maybe many gold necklaces encrusted with this sapphire or perhaps silver rings with a good piece of this to highlight'' said the gemologist in German.
The merchant began to speak again
''He asks now that you have seen the goods how much do you want to buy'' said Baldric with a serene tone.
''What do you say'' I asked the gemologist
''If he opens all the stones for us to check them I would buy everything he has, we will make a fortune for our king when they are processed in Neu Danzig'' said the gemologist in German very happy while he checked the sapphire split in half
''If the merchant is willing to open all the stones for us and the prices are right, we will buy everything'' I said, smiling.
Baldric was surprised and quickly translated my answer.
The merchant started to smile and took me by the hands speaking to me in his language, but I didn't understand a word of it
''What did he say'' I asked Baldric.
He will offer you a very good discount for taking all his goods'' said Baldric smiling.
In the end we spent almost 4 million golden dragons filling almost 4 ships with unprocessed gems, but in Neu Danzig they would have an unparalleled value, Baldric, and the gemologist agreed that the prices offered by the merchant were very good, since getting sapphires of this quality in the seven kingdoms was almost impossible.
We ended the day after this transaction and returned to the ship to sleep even though Baldric said he knew a very good inn, I preferred not to leave the sailors alone on the ships because no one knows what fate may bring.
The next day we woke up to a very pleasant surprise, the captain who had accompanied us had been assigned to be our guide through the city and help us with any problems that might arise with the sale and purchase of goods
It was much appreciated, as this day was intense because many merchants already knew that we were selling scarce objects of exceptional quality.
The first hours of the day we were selling and emptying our holds, there was a huge group of people interested in buying, we were selling like crazy our cargo because we had to make room for what we came to buy.
During the afternoon we went out to buy spices and other products that would sell well in the seven kingdoms and what Baldric had warned about happened to us, a merchant tried to be clever trying to deceive us with the content of a barrel of pepper that turned out to be only 30% pepper and the rest was sand.
I was trying to avoid the problem, but at the same time trying to benefit my king, the merchants who were attempting to trick us, I told him that I would see it as an unintentional mistake if they offered us a considerable discount or if they didn't want to I just had to talk to the guides who were following me all day about what happened
Almost all of them accepted and there was a small group who preferred to spend their days in the prince's dungeons, this thing of having power by just having money and influence is wonderful to solve problems.
Our days did not change, since we had to sell and buy just by selling our products we had already made a fortune greater than the amount of gold we had brought, the king will be very happy with the result.
The following week, the prince came to our ships with a large retinue of wagons because he was coming to deliver us the spices that he was going to sell us and to withdraw his purchase of the steel that was waiting for him.
I have to say the prince Xhobar Qo is a very funny person during the whole day he stayed with us while our men were working exchanging the goods I accompanied him drinking juice of some local fruits while he drank our alcohol.
But finally the prince himself insisted that the goods be checked because that would guarantee my peace of mind.
But there was no problem, the barrels were full of what I assumed they should be full, my men began to fill our holds with barrels and barrels of spices that would be sold in the future in the seven kingdoms and in essos.
Finally, we gave him the payment for the spices and the ivory, but before the prince left I gave him my other steel breastplate, since he was amazed by its resistance in the previous tests and I considered that it would be a good gift for this prince.
The prince gave me one of his armors that looked like it was made of fish scales, on closer inspection it was made of steel or iron scales, very effective to stop arrows.
After the exchanges were over, we shook hands and the prince returned home while I prepared things for the next day.
8 days ago, we had arrived to the summer islands, and finally, I had started to do the accounts for the books I had to deliver to the king, and then I had to pay taxes to the prince, leaving a good image of the Prussians was essential for the trade between our cultures to continue to flourish.
The problem will be to guarantee the security of the ships, the pirates may not attack our convoy, but the moment they see a poorly guarded ship they will attack it without thinking.
Baldric came into my cabin a little bit upset
''What's wrong Baldric troubles?'', I said, showing my smile
''Yes, more merchants tried to scam us with the barrels, I come to ask what we do, since we still don't take more violent actions'' said Baldric
''With the people of the summer islands' violence is not an option Baldric, it will only bring us a bad reputation and right now, we should be seen as honest and friendly merchants'' I said smiling
''But that would make the pirates see you as easy prey'' said Baldric.
''Let them try we will fight to our last breath defending our cargo, since we also carry the king's hopes and dreams we cannot fail, if the pirates want to try to capture our cargo they will test our martial prowess we may be few Prussians in this expedition, but we will bleed to the last drop just to protect the ships'' I said seriously
''I understand lord Johann I will resolve the conflict peacefully, before I leave when do we leave?'' said Baldric.
''Soon, we have almost everything ready, but I wish to give my men a few days of relaxation, so they won't be so stressed by the return journey'' I said smiling.
''I see, I'll leave you Lord Johann'' said Baldric, leaving me alone.
After this conversation, I went back to finish the accounting books.
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