The arrival of the investment assessment team from the Kazimierz General Chamber of Commerce caused quite a stir in Trullinczentyr.
This team, consisting of over thirty people, arrived in the capital aboard the most luxurious land-vehicle exclusive carriage Kazimierz had to offer.
They wore expensive, well-tailored suits, their leather shoes polished to a shine, and every face wore a professional smile.
Leading them was a Senior Director of the General Chamber of Commerce, a middle-aged man named Mishko Zski.
Mishko had short, meticulously combed brown hair and sharp eyes.
Rumor had it he could smell profit through a balance sheet.
He came with only one purpose: to represent the capital of Kazimierz and tear off the juiciest piece of meat from this land that had just undergone a revolution.
Responsible for receiving them was Meklen Neum.
The newly appointed Minister of Economy had specially changed into a hand-tailored formal suit from Victoria today, with a neatly folded silk handkerchief in his breast pocket and pomade in his hair, looking radiant and energetic.
"Mr. Mishko! Welcome to the newborn Trullinczentyr!"
Meklen spread his arms and gave Mishko a warm hug, as if seeing a long-lost brother.
"Minister Meklen, I have heard much of you." Mishko's smile was impeccable.
"Your business miracles in Caplania are widely circulated even in Kazimierz."
The two began exchanging business pleasantries the moment they met.
For the next few days, Meklen accompanied them throughout.
He took the assessment team to visit the bustling infrastructure construction sites and showed them the jaw-dropping technological models in the Imperial Academy of Sciences.
He even arranged a small-scale military exercise, letting them see with their own eyes the new armored vehicles equipped with "Drummond Alloy No. 1" armor plating.
Meklen's strategy was clear: to fully display Leithanien's potential and strength, drive up the price, and attract these sharks to bid.
Mishko and his team behaved politely; they exclaimed in admiration and took notes constantly, but deep in Mishko's eyes, a scrutinizing look remained.
Finally, after the week-long inspection ended, the formal negotiations began.
The negotiation took place in a small conference room.
On the Leithanien side, Meklen led the discussion, with Leinia attending as a financial advisor.
On the Kazimierz side, there was only Mishko and his two assistants.
"Minister Meklen, after our prudent assessment, we have great interest in your country's 'People's Infrastructure Plan'."
Mishko went straight to the point. He took a document from an assistant and slid it to the center of the table.
"The General Chamber of Commerce is willing to provide an interest-free loan totaling five hundred million Imperial Marks as the first phase of investment."
Meklen's eyes lit up instantly.
Five hundred million!
And interest-free!
This was no small gesture.
"Of course." Mishko changed his tone, a shrewd smile appearing on his face. "We also have some small conditions."
"Please, speak." Meklen tried hard to maintain his composure.
"First, to ensure the safety of the funds and the smooth progress of the projects, we hope to obtain priority development rights for land in the Ruperkan Grand Region and the Schtong Grand Region for the next thirty years."
Meklen's heart sank heavily.
"Second, we hope Leithanien will fully open its mineral extraction market and grant Kazimierz enterprises a fifteen percent tax incentive."
Mishko ignored the change in Meklen's expression and continued.
"Finally, regarding technical cooperation, we are willing to fund a joint laboratory with the Imperial Academy of Sciences, but the intellectual property rights of all research results must be shared by both parties."
The conference room fell into dead silence.
The smile on Meklen's face had completely vanished.
He felt humiliated.
He had thought this was a negotiation between equals, but he hadn't expected the other party to treat him like a defeated nation and dictate terms.
"Mr. Mishko." Meklen's voice was somewhat hoarse. "Are you joking?"
"No, Minister Meklen, I am very serious." Mishko leaned back in his chair, fingers interlaced.
"The essence of business is the exchange of interests."
"We provide the funds you need most urgently, so naturally, we need to receive a corresponding return. This is a fair deal."
"Fair?" Leinia, who had been silent, suddenly sneered.
"Mr. Mishko, according to your proposal, in thirty years, Kazimierz will not only recoup all the principal but also earn at least five billion Marks in profit from Leithanien through land and mineral development."
"And we, not only will we shoulder heavy debt, but we will also sell out our country's sovereignty and future."
"If this is what you call fair, then I suggest you go do business with the bandits of Victoria; perhaps they will share more of a common language with you."
Leinia's words were blunt, and Mishko's expression finally changed.
"Minister Leinia, please mind your language."
The negotiation fell into a deadlock.
Meklen sat there with mixed feelings.
He was angry at the other's greed, yet ashamed that he hadn't seen through their intentions.
Just then, the door to the conference room was pushed open.
Lacey walked in slowly, wearing casual clothes, with Serafina following behind him.
"Your Majesty!" Meklen and Leinia immediately stood up to bow.
Mishko also stood up, the professional smile back on his face as he bowed slightly: "Respected Emperor, I did not expect to see you here."
"Mr. Mishko, sit."
Lacey waved his hand casually, then sat down at the head of the table.
"I heard your conversation just now."
He picked up the Kazimierz proposal on the table, flipped through two pages carelessly, and then tossed it aside.
"A very interesting proposal." Lacey's tone revealed neither joy nor anger.
Mishko's pupils constricted sharply.
He sensed that this gentle-looking young emperor seemed somewhat dissatisfied.
"Your Majesty, I think there might be some misunderstanding..."
"No, I have no misunderstanding." Lacey interrupted him.
"I fully understand your thinking."
"In your view, Leithanien has just gone through a revolution; a thousand things wait to be done, the treasury is empty. It is our most vulnerable moment, and also your best opportunity to exploit the situation."
He leaned forward slightly, looking directly into Mishko's eyes: "But you miscalculated one thing. You are not facing the old Leithanien that could be sold out at will by nobles and capitalists."
Cold sweat seeped from Mishko's forehead.
Under Lacey's gaze, he felt as if he were completely seen through.
"Of course, we welcome investment, and we also need friends." Lacey's tone softened.
"So, I will give you a chance to counter-offer."
He held out a finger.
"First, a loan is acceptable, but it must be a low-interest loan. The annual interest rate must not exceed two percent. We can use a portion of future tax revenue as collateral."
"Second, the operation and development rights of land and mines will absolutely not be ceded."
"But we can open up engineering contracting rights. You can come to bid and compete fairly with our own state-owned enterprises."
"Whoever offers a lower price and better technology gets the project."
Saying this, Lacey seemed to see Meklen secretly smile at the corner of his mouth.
"Third, intellectual property—don't even think about it. But we can conduct technology procurement."
"You bring out mature technology, and we will buy it at market price."
"A one-time buyout, fair to all."
Lacey finished speaking and leaned back in his chair, saying no more.
Mishko was stunned.
His brain calculated rapidly.
The three conditions Lacey proposed cut out almost all of Kazimierz's excess profit margins but still retained a certain possibility of profit.
This was no longer the economic colonization they had planned, but a commercial investment with true risks and returns coexisting.
There was definitely still money to be made; it just depended on specific operations.
He looked at the young emperor before him and felt awe for the first time.
How was this a revolutionary who rose to power by inciting the masses? This was clearly a negotiation master who understood the exchange of interests better than the most cunning merchants of Kazimierz.
"Respected Emperor, your conditions... we need time to consider." Mishko spoke with difficulty.
"You may." Lacey stood up. "I give you twenty-four hours."
"I need an answer by this time tomorrow."
"If you agree, we are friends. If not, that doesn't matter either. After all, you are not the only ones who want to invest in Leithanien."
After speaking, he turned and left the conference room.
Mishko slumped in his chair, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
In the corridor, Gertrude walked up and handed Lacey a document.
"Your Majesty, there are three suspicious individuals in the Kazimierz assessment team."
"Our people found them trying to contact remnants of the old noble forces last night."
Lacey took the document, glanced at it, and said calmly: "Please 'invite' them out of Leithanien."
"Tell Mishko this is a parting gift from us."
"Let him go back and tell the General Chamber of Commerce: if they want to do business with us, show some sincerity. Don't play these petty tricks that can't be shown in public."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
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