The Spread of Thought 2

Translator: Cinder Translations

...

"Well then, Earl Grayman, to be honest, before I came to the Northwest Bay, I wasn't very clear about which advanced technologies were available here," Gerd said to Paul.

"After arriving, we inquired a bit and also learned that some technologies are still within your confidentiality, such as porcelain firing and... your firearms."

He pulled out a note from his pocket.

"So, I've made a list for you to review whether these technologies can be made available."

"If you are willing to share these technologies with us, His Majesty the King will protect your patents in his name. Not just in the royal domain, but all the lords in the Aldor Kingdom—cough, all loyal to His Majesty—will follow the king's command to protect your patents."

Gerd handed the note to Paul.

Paul took it and glanced over it. It contained items like papermaking, salt production, canned food production, coke production, honeycomb coal, iron smelting, spring carriages, shipbuilding, printing presses, looms, spinning machines, reapers, threshers, straw choppers, root cutters, grinding machines, and cotton rolling machines...

Good grief, Paul thought, are you here to copy my family? You've gathered quite a bit of information.

"Esteemed Earl Gerd, honored guest," Paul addressed him directly.

"We can currently only open up papermaking, salt production, canned food production, coke production, honeycomb coal, spring carriages, printing presses, and shipbuilding technologies for areas outside of Alden."

"Various other mechanical manufacturing technologies are temporarily not available for external release, but we can sell finished products. Moreover, many machines, such as looms, require water-powered transmission systems, which is an independent technology that needs to be calculated separately."

"The iron smelting technology is also not available for external release. Additionally, coke production is meant to assist with iron smelting. However, you need not worry; the coke produced in the royal domain will still have uses. You can sell it back to the Northwest Bay, where our metal smelting operations will utilize it extensively."

"In recent years, we have researched and developed technologies for exploring and mining iron ore, coal, and several other minerals. You can introduce these and sell any minerals you cannot process yourself to the Northwest Bay."

"As for the spring carriage manufacturing technology, you can introduce that, but we do not open up the technology for making springs; springs can only be purchased from us."

The spring technology, specifically the research on flintlock spring sheets, had a very disappointing firing rate at first. Thanks to Paul's aggressive investment strategy and the craftsmen's slow improvements, the firing rate had finally increased to seventy-five percent.

Carriages equipped with spring-based shock absorption were quite popular and were standard for the upper class in the Northwest Bay.

Gerd asked, "How much do you require us to pay in terms of these so-called 'patent usage fees'?"

Paul held up two fingers.

"Two thousand silver shields?" Gerd asked.

Paul shook his head.

"Twenty thousand silver shields? That's outrageous," Gerd continued.

Paul shook his head again.

With a slightly unpleasant expression, Gerd hesitantly asked a figure he found absurd: "Two hundred thousand silver shields?"

Paul finally nodded.

Gerd could hardly believe it: "Earl Grayman, have you gone mad? Well, forgive my rudeness, perhaps I misunderstood; is this a buyout? Just a one-time payment?"

A buyout wasn't out of the question.

Paul shook his head: "No, it's an annual usage fee."

"Earl Grayman, I have to question your loyalty to the kingdom; are you intentionally making things difficult or mocking me?"

Paul donned a serious expression, saying unequivocally, "The great Lord of Light can attest to my loyalty to the kingdom. If His Majesty were to go to war right now, I would immediately send my best soldiers to help; each one is a strong and able-bodied youth. However, these technologies are the property of the Grayman family, and according to the sacred laws established at the founding of the kingdom, I have the right to dispose of them as I see fit."

"Moreover, compared to the wealth these technologies can generate, this patent usage fee is nothing. A three-masted ship built with our latest shipbuilding technology can fetch up to one hundred thousand silver shields at a good price." — Of course, Paul didn't mention the costs involved.

He then made a dramatic gesture of sorrow, "Ah! I thought that during the recent pacification war, the government had seen my loyalty."

Gerd was aware that during the pacification war, this Earl had made significant contributions to supporting the royal army with various supplies, including swords, armor, and food.

He raised his head slightly, "The government recognized your loyalty, which is why it restored your family's honor."

"Thank you, our king; praise our king."

Haha, Paul actually knew that the kingdom's government hadn't fought in years; who wouldn't pledge verbal loyalty?

Gerd looked troubled and said, "To be honest, Earl Grayman, the budget His Majesty allocated to me for procuring technologies isn't very much; after all, it's only for experimental purposes. Since the price is so high, I'm afraid, Earl Grayman, I must take my leave."

With that, he stood up and prepared to leave the lord's residence.

"Wait, wait, wait!"

Paul raised his hands to stop him.

"Earl Gerd, I wonder if you are aware that 'joint-stock' companies have recently become popular in the Northwest Bay?"

Gerd replied, "Oh, isn't that just partnership business?"

"Precisely," Paul said with a smile. "In fact, I could forgo the patent fees in exchange for something else."

Gerd tilted his head, "Shares?"

Paul confirmed, "Yes, shares. Alden invests in technology, while the royal domain provides money, manpower, and land, then profits will be distributed according to the share ratio."

Gerd pretended to think for a moment, "That's doable. How much of the shares would you like for your technology, my lord?"

"Forty percent!"

"No way!"

"Thirty-five percent!"

"No way!"

"Thirty percent?"

"No way!"

...

Paul continued to lower his offer until Gerd finally grudgingly nodded at twenty percent.

"I personally think twenty percent is acceptable, but it still requires His Majesty's approval."

Paul smiled, saying, "I believe His Majesty, with his wisdom, will certainly agree."

Gerd acquired the technology without spending a dime, while Paul opened up what seemed to be a promising source of income without any costs. Both were quite satisfied.

Of course, there were many details to discuss, but those could be left to their subordinates; the two of them had set the framework.

Paul raised his teacup to toast Gerd.

"To our pleasant cooperation!"

Gerd returned the gesture with a smile.

"May our collaboration proceed smoothly."

(End of the Chapter)

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Translated 4 Series, 1.5K+ Chapters and 1.78M+ Words.