The decision by the Fedi Senate to mint a large quantity of Dir was quickly transmitted to the three city-states of Eliot, Sassinian, and Badan.
Arriving along with the orders were three Minting Supervision Squads. These squads brought the molds for minting Dir, as well as the minting quotas assigned to each city-state. Because this was an "emergency additional issuance," the amount of Dir the Fedi Senate decided to mint this time was not actually very large. Eliot was assigned fourteen million Dir, Sassinian eleven million Dir, and Badan nine million Dir, totaling thirty-four million Dir.
McKinney was a highly respected senior Fedi citizen. He joined the army at sixteen and retired in his sixties, serving for nearly fifty years with distinguished war exploits; even the elders respected him greatly. The year he retired, McKinney was even elected as an elder for a term, though he failed to be re-elected the following year.
Precisely because of his high prestige, McKinney was appointed as the captain of the Minting Supervision Squad sent to Badan. Minting work in Badan had already been underway for a few days, and everything was progressing smoothly. McKinney estimated that the task would definitely be completed successfully within a month.
This morning, McKinney, wearing a nightgown and holding warm milk, walked onto the balcony. The dazzling sunlight made him squint involuntarily.
Getting up later and later...
Looking at the sun hanging high, McKinney couldn't help but think to himself.
Since coming to Badan, McKinney had received preferential treatment he had never enjoyed in his life. The Badan people not only arranged the most luxurious accommodations and delicious food for the distinguished guests from Fedi but also provided each of them with two young and beautiful maidens.
In Fedi, although McKinney was renowned, his actual status was just that of an ordinary citizen. He hadn't lived a life of starvation, but he certainly wasn't wealthy. Where had he ever seen such a display?
These days, McKinney enjoyed spring nights every night. Touching the smooth, tender skin of the maidens, he felt several years younger.
Just as McKinney was reminiscing about the flavor of last night, a servant suddenly came to report: "A guest has arrived."
McKinney didn't find it strange. In Badan, people often came to curry favor with him, a big shot from Fedi, so he told the servant to bring the person in.
Upon seeing the guest enter, McKinney laughed: "So it is Elder Draghi."
The visitor was Giovanni Draghi. Since McKinney arrived in Badan, he had been entertained by Giovanni Draghi many times. Every time, McKinney not only had food and fun but also brought back generous gifts. The two quickly became very good friends.
"Good morning, Mr. McKinney."
Giovanni Draghi had his attendant put down the box he was holding and spoke to McKinney with a smile. "I went to the minting workshop to look for you, but they said you weren't there, so I came here."
"That clever little fellow Alan is watching over the workshop. I'm very at ease, so I didn't plan to go today," McKinney said with a smile.
McKinney didn't realize that if it were back when he first arrived in Badan, he would definitely have felt ashamed and embarrassed by Giovanni's words.
Giovanni opened the wooden box he brought. Inside revealed a sea conch about the size of a head with bright red patterns. He then showed it off triumphantly: "This is the conch I mentioned to you while drinking yesterday."
"Such a large, complete Flame Conch is indeed rare," McKinney took the conch from Giovanni and exclaimed. "Heavens, it is so beautiful."
The Flame Conch is a rare species from the Pottery Sea, the inland sea of the Lesalei Kingdom. Its shell texture is like a gemstone, and the red patterns emit a faint glow in the dark, resembling dancing flames. Because it is beautiful and rare, the shell of the Flame Conch has become a collectible sought after by many dignitaries.
"It is not just beautiful," Giovanni added. "This conch was seized by a friend of mine during a war to clear out a mermaid village. It was also crafted into a miracle by the mermaid race."
"A miracle?" McKinney examined it inside and out but didn't find any miracle there.
"Put it to your ear and listen," Giovanni reminded him, pointing to his own ear.
McKinney brought the conch to his ear. A low, chanting singing voice flowed into his ear. At first, McKinney just thought it sounded nice, but a moment later, he felt his mind gradually become clear, and the fatigue left from last night was swept away.
"This is the singing of a mermaid priest. This kind of singing is very magical; not only can it soothe one's spirit, but it can also lead you into a magnificent dream world," Giovanni said with a smile.
"This is truly a wonderful collectible." McKinney stroked the conch, unable to put it down.
Seeing McKinney's reaction, Giovanni smiled and said, "Sir, if you like it, then it is a gift for you."
"How could I accept this..." McKinney said he was embarrassed, but his hands did not put the conch down.
"There is nothing to be embarrassed about, Sir," Giovanni laughed. "Although I also like this conch, it is truly, truly too rare. It shouldn't stay in a small place like Badan. Fedi is where it belongs; only there can it be seen by more noble people. You should take it."
"Then..." McKinney was easily swayed. "I will accept it."
After admiring and playing with the Flame Conch for a while, McKinney carefully put it back into the box.
After putting it away, McKinney asked again: "Does Elder Giovanni have some matter to see me about today?"
McKinney wasn't a fool. Giovanni running back and forth early in the morning and actively giving him such a rare gift—how could he not know Giovanni had a favor to ask?
Giovanni was also frank. He rubbed his hands and laughed: "Indeed, there is a small matter I want to ask for your help with."
"What matter? Just say it," McKinney patted his chest and guaranteed. "Given our friendship, as long as it is a favor I can help with, I will absolutely not decline."
"This matter is absolutely a lifting of a hand for you..." Giovanni leaned into McKinney's ear and whispered a couple of sentences.
McKinney's eyes widened instantly after listening. He also lowered his voice and said, "What? You actually want to get ideas about the new coins!"
"Mmh." Giovanni nodded.
"Do you know what my duty is?" McKinney pointed at his own nose and asked back. "I am here to supervise the minting of new coins. Do you want me to steal what I am guarding? Elder Giovanni, for the sake of our friendship, I will not pursue your crime, but I advise you to put away those thoughts of yours early."
"Mr. McKinney, do not be angry, sigh..." Giovanni slapped his thigh, sighed, and said, "I have no choice either. The Draghi family sells wine, but you have seen the situation in Badan now. Business is truly hard to do; my family can almost no longer afford flour..."
McKinney had indeed seen the depression in the Badan market. He hadn't felt it tangibly when living in Fedi, but after being ordered on this business trip, he truly realized how serious the money shortage in these northern city-states was. Except for grain, almost everything was dropping in price, yet still couldn't be sold.
However, McKinney still sneered: "So you come to scheme about the new coins? Let me tell you, after the new coins are minted, they must all be handed over to Elder Agostino for final acceptance. Not a single coin can be missing."
"Of course I know not a single coin can be missing," Giovanni chuckled lightly. "But you can slightly mint a few more coins. Just like that small furnace you opened..."
"You..." McKinney stood up abruptly, pointing at Giovanni, his fingertips trembling slightly.
While supervising the new coins requested by the Senate, McKinney had quietly opened a small furnace with other companions in the squad to mint some Dir. These Dirs were naturally one of the perks of this business trip. This wasn't McKinney's idea; it was proposed by the other four in the squad. Considering they hadn't received as many expensive gifts as he had, McKinney tacitly approved the matter. Of course, the other four didn't forget to leave a share for McKinney.
Giovanni crossed his legs, smiled, and took a sip of tea. He was simply imitating Robin Mancini's posture in his family's reception room. Sure enough, putting on such a posture while scaring others into a panic really brought an indescribable sense of pleasure.
It took a long while for McKinney to calm down. That Giovanni could actively reveal this matter to his face instead of publicly exposing his act of using power for personal gain meant there was inevitably room for negotiation.
"How did you know?" McKinney sat back in his seat, drank some milk, and asked.
"Mr. Alan told me when we were drinking," Giovanni said with a smile.
In reality, opening a small furnace to privately mint coins was a "good idea" Giovanni had "inadvertently" given them during casual chat when he treated Alan and the others to drinks. However, Giovanni certainly wouldn't admit this.
"Alan, that sow-raised idiot. His brain is filled with pig manure. I knew he was insufficient to achieve anything but more than enough to spoil things!" McKinney clenched his fists and cursed in a low voice.
"So, can Mr. McKinney help me or not?" Giovanni asked again.
McKinney said with an unpleasant expression: "I get fifty percent of the Dir minted from that small furnace of Alan's. You can take thirty percent."
"No, no, no," Giovanni shook his head repeatedly. "Mr. McKinney, I will not want the money that belongs to you."
"Then what do you want to do?" McKinney's tone was stiff.
"My friend and I have several workshops outside the city. You have the formula and molds for the Dir in your hands," Giovanni tapped the table lightly with his finger and said. "As long as you are willing to cooperate with me, our workshops can start minting Dir today. Running day and night, it is completely possible to mint ten million Dir within a month. At that time, you and I will also split it fifty-fifty. That is five million Dir..."
Five million Dir!
McKinney's breath instantly hitched. He had never seen so much money in his life.
Giovanni saw McKinney remain silent for a long time and knew this man had been moved. He wasn't in a hurry and waited silently for McKinney to answer.
"Who is your friend?" McKinney suddenly asked.
"Ruben Sloan. You must know him; he is also a Badan Elder." Giovanni relaxed and answered with a sincere smile.
*
Soqya Peninsula, Dorukocha City-State.
"Mmh..."
Charlotte, who had just taken a nap at her desk, stretched.
Renee stepped forward to massage Charlotte's shoulders. Seeing her young mistress's exhausted demeanor, she couldn't help but persuade: "Miss, you haven't rested properly for three consecutive days. You should go to the bedroom and sleep for a while."
"It's fine." Charlotte smiled lightly and kissed Renee's small hand. She casually picked up an unprocessed letter on the table and said, "After getting through this busy spell, your mistress might become rich overnight. How could I sleep? Is this letter just arrived?"
"Yes, received just while you were sleeping," Renee nodded. "It is a secret letter the Gray Cloak Order just sent from Badan."
Charlotte read it at a glance and couldn't help but smile and sigh: "This Giovanni is quite diligent. Not only did he seriously execute the task I gave him, but he also helped me win over some other Badan elders. It seems I really have to give him a City-State Dictator position in the future?"
Renee also smiled but didn't answer Charlotte's question.
At this moment, someone knocked on the door of Charlotte's study.
Charlotte was slightly stunned.
Renee reminded in a low voice: "You asked for Mr. Balotelli to come see you this afternoon."
"Oh..." Charlotte nodded, then said loudly, "Please come in."
The study door was pushed open, and sure enough, it was the former Dorukocha City-State Elder, Balotelli.
Jonathan Hackman had listened to Charlotte's suggestion and adopted a relatively gentle method for the purge of Dorukocha. If it were during the Ambratu period, elders like Balotelli would have long been killed off by Jonathan Hackman under various excuses.
"Greetings, Lord Viscount." Balotelli bowed to Charlotte as soon as he entered.
"Glad to see you again, Elder Balotelli." Charlotte smiled.
Balotelli hurriedly bent his waist even lower: "My Lord, please do not say that. I am long since no elder; I am now just a commoner under your rule."
"Ah, I misspoke." Charlotte hurriedly covered her mouth, as if she really had accidentally spoken wrong. "I asked you to come over today because there is something I want your help with."
Balotelli didn't dare pursue whether it was really a slip of the tongue. He continued to bow and lower his head: "It is my honor to serve you. I wonder what the matter is?"
"I heard you are very familiar with the elders of Badan, Carmela, Lemos, and Sassinian?" Charlotte asked.
"I have dealt with most of them; after all, we are all elders of Ivy Alliance city-states," Balotelli didn't know why Charlotte asked this but answered truthfully. "But to say familiar, I am only relatively familiar with a few of them."
"Having dealt with them is enough," Charlotte said. "I want you to act as my representative and go on a mission to these city-states."
"On a mission?" Balotelli was a bit blank.
"Yes," Charlotte continued. "I want to use grain and the war reparations agreements of Badan and the other four city-states as collateral to borrow a large amount of Dir from them."
________________________________________
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