Game With Gewish

The next day, Edward, dressed in fine attire, boarded his luxurious carriage and made his way to the Jewish quarter.

Upon seeing Edward enter, Uncle Joseph greeted him with a broad smile. After all, Edward was now seen as a financial benefactor.

"Edward, what brings you to see me? Please, take a seat."

"Uncle Joseph, the trading volume at the exchange has sharply decreased. I was thinking of lowering the service fees to benefit the speculators, in order to attract more of them into the market."

"Oh, is that what this is about? How much are you planning to lower the fees?"

"I'm considering reducing the service fee at the exchange from 1% to 0.5%. What can you offer on your end?"

"The 1% transaction fee is our tradition."

"You don't plan on lowering it? Actually, I'm planning to establish a bank to serve my exchange. A bank, similar to your goldsmith's shop, but with a transfer fee of only 0.1%..."

"You plan on cutting me out? I've helped you before, and now you're leaving me behind?"

"I hope you can reduce the service fees to 0.1%."

"No, I will not lower the service fee. It's a Jewish custom to charge 1% on transfers."

"You see, your customs are hindering the development of the financial sector. You charge 1% for transfers, 10% interest for loans, and 1% annual storage fee for deposits."

"What's wrong with that? Jews have always operated this way. It's our tradition."

"The reason I want to open a bank is to lower the transfer fee to 0.1%, charge only 5% interest on loans, and instead of charging a 1% storage fee, I'll offer a 2% annual interest on deposits."

"You Christians aren't allowed to lend at high interest!"

"Is 5% interest considered usury? If I open a bank like this, how will you compete with me? Look, the financial industry needs to evolve. If you don't change, I will."

"I thought we were friends! You're being completely unreasonable. I regret helping you."

Uncle Joseph's mood turned sour.

Edward, reading the situation, knew it was time to shift his approach.

"The financial industry does need change. But you've helped me, and I've always remembered that. We are friends, allies even. In my bank, you can hold 50% of the shares."

"Shares? What are shares?"

"It's an industry where profits are divided among the owners. For example, if I own 50% and you own 50%, then the profits earned by the industry will be split evenly between us."

"Is that what it means to be allies?"

"The exchange will collaborate with my bank. Your goldsmith shop will be sidelined, but if you hold 50% of the bank's shares, you'll still be able to continue serving the exchange and earn profits."

"Let me think... Let me think..."

"For the financial industry to develop, a modern bank is an unstoppable trend. But I've remembered your kindness, and I've reserved a seat for you on the chariot that's heading towards the future. Would you be willing to join me, bind yourself to my cause, and fight for dominance together?"

"Let me have some time to think carefully... I'll make a decision soon."

"Then I'll leave for now."

...

Edward knew the service fees at the exchange had to be reduced. His bank had to be established. It was necessary for his goals, even if it meant forging a closer alliance with Uncle Joseph through marriage to form a stronger profit-driven alliance.

But some things had to come first.

Back at the headquarters, Edward entered an empty office on the fifth floor, where the accountant and lawyer were idly sitting. Edward decided this would be the future bank's office.

He instructed the accountant and lawyer to assist in organizing the bank's office, drafting its articles of incorporation and other necessary documents.

Though at this point the bank was just a small office with a filing cabinet containing only four loan contracts from beer factories, Edward sat with the accountant and lawyer, quietly pondering the issues at hand.

Edward had been asserting his dominance, and to most people, he appeared to be a young genius merchant on the rise.

Uncle Joseph, however, likely did not know about Edward's surplus artillery crisis, which was primarily reflected in Fat Baron's account.

Edward knew that no young person in Lübeck had amassed wealth faster than he had. He was at his strongest now, positioning himself to distance himself from Uncle Joseph and pressuring him to make a decision.

Uncle Joseph, therefore, had two options. One was to try and compete with Edward's modern bank using his outdated goldsmith shop. The other was to ally with Edward.

...

Two days later, a young woman arrived at the exchange, claiming to be Uncle Joseph's daughter and requesting to meet Edward.

Edward left his office and saw a young woman with pale golden hair and green eyes, an image that was unmistakably German. She was quite attractive.

Jewish people had intermarried so extensively that they no longer resembled their Middle Eastern roots but instead appeared more European.

Edward had initially felt hesitant about marrying a Jewish woman, but upon meeting what seemed like his potential fiancée, the hesitation faded. She was clearly a German woman, not unlike any other.

"I'm Lina Rothschild. You're Edward von Stein, correct?" the young woman examined Edward.

"Yes. What can I do for you?" Edward, now with a gentler demeanor, addressed her warmly.

"Why are you treating my father this way? He helped you when you were at your lowest. Now that you've risen, you want to kick him to the curb?" Lina demanded.

"Men's affairs are complicated. Has your father made a decision?" Edward asked, amused by her feisty demeanor.

"My father left the decision to me. If we're meant to be, we'll form an alliance. If not, we'll compete as rivals." Lina raised her chin, asserting her stance.

"Really? I don't believe you," Edward teased, amused by her boldness.

"What? You don't believe me? My father has only one daughter, and although you're a brilliant young businessman, if you marry me, you'll inherit my father's wealth."

"So, your father has chosen to ally with me?" Edward asked, intrigued.

"Hmph, I haven't agreed yet... though you are a genius businessman, I must assess your character, your ambition, and whether you can truly love me. Otherwise, I'd rather marry an ordinary man who loves me."

"I do feel a bond with your father, and you are quite beautiful. I'm inclined to form an alliance with your family and marry you, but I, too, need to assess if you would make a worthy wife."

"Then, I hope we can have an honest conversation about our future, get to know each other better."

"Of course, let's go to my office," Edward replied, his mind racing with thoughts about Uncle Joseph's true intentions.

Perhaps, during their last encounter, Edward had angered Uncle Joseph. Now, Joseph was using his precious daughter as leverage to lure Edward in, offering her and his future assets as a bargaining chip to maintain the benefits of the goldsmith shop and delay Edward's plans for a modern bank.

For Uncle Joseph, who had only one daughter, marrying her off to Edward, a capable young man, would ease his worries. As for the future, Joseph's wealth would be inherited by his daughter.

But the real question was whether Edward should accept Joseph's offer.

If he agreed, he would not be able to break off the goldsmith shop entirely, but the alliance would provide some immediate benefits.

If he refused, although Edward was confident his modern banking model could eventually outcompete Joseph's business, that would take time—something he didn't have much of.

Edward, gazing at the young woman before him, smiled. He would need to secure this alliance with the Rothschilds, even if it meant respecting the times and tolerating the practices that came with it.

The alternative, of course, was to abandon it all and let the surplus artillery crisis bring everything crashing down.