Achilles’ Replacement
While maintaining a smile, Sisi placed her teacup down and verbalised, “Madam Melissa, it appears that everything is proceeding smoothly.”
As Melissa proceeded with her tasks in the imperial capital, she ended up surprising herself. She was hesitant when she suggested the idea to Lin Dongqing. She never thought about collecting money using the method he brought up. She withdrew money from Queen Sisi and the bank. What shocked her was the extent to which the bank lauded a single man. Lin Dongqing’s name was enough to convince the bank to support the flimsy sounding business concept. She was of the belief that Lin Dongqing was just an ordinary noble. She never imagined the minister of business had the ability to rule the entire empire’s business world.
At that point, Melissa admired him. However, when she began to doubtfully offer the bonds to ordinary folk, she was blown away. She thought it would be a futile effort since money isn’t what limits leads. They could make a purchase even with just a few copper coins. Melissa, therefore, reasoned that nobody would believe in bonds, and it wouldn’t make much even if there were people who believed in it. Whether fortunate or unfortunate for her, they exploded into the market with demand that exceeded her wildest imagination. The bonds were literally tantamount vouchers that could be exchanged for gold. Everyone with money to spare tried to buy them. Every day was a shopping spree. Even noble families rushed in to buy them.
They were supposed to be bonds for garbage that were flimsy and used the future as collateral. In other words, buying them was the equivalent of buying your ticket into the red. They were garbage among garbage. Some people do buy garbage bonds when their analysis suggested that an enterprise would rise, but that was gold panning. In comparison, the bonds she offered that painted an impossible future were genuine garbage bonds. It was ridiculous enough to be considered a scam, yet countless people bought them gleefully.
The nature of the bonds was identical to the nature of taking a loan with collateral. You buy it when you believe you will make a positive return on investment. Nevertheless, when Lin Dongqing’s name was attached to them, people fought for them.
Sisi was trusted as she was the empire’s ruler and administrator, the woman who led humanity to their peak. By a similar token, Lin Dongqong erased any doubt of him with the trail of destruction behind him. The fear he struck into their hearts evolved into trust for him. They came to believe that siding with him would make them immune to failure.
“What does this kingdom consider him? Why does the entire imperial capital rust him?” wondered Melissa.
In reality, it was fear for him that led to trust for him. The imperial capital belonged to Queen Sisi on the surface. In reality, though, it belonged to Lin Dongqing.
Grateful, Melissa replied, “It is proceeding smoothly, Your Majesty. I must acknowledge that Lord Lin’s strategy is highly effective. I never thought it would work. I will definitely acquire the rights to the shipyard for you. I also hope that my factory can start up smoothly, I guess.”
The entire plot was a chance for Madam Melissa to get out of the mire she was in. She was one step away from bankruptcy, but the method of taking loans with collateral and offering the garbage bonds proved to be even more profitable than her years of business. There was no doubt that the imperial capital was the heart of humanity. Nobody in the South could hold a candle to the imperial capital even if they hoarded all the riches in the land. As long as she could take the money back to the South, she would be able to exceed her previous level of success even if the share prices were higher.
“Yeah? That’s fantastic, then. I heard that adventurers came back with gifts when they came back from there.”
While they conversed, Veirya was outside with the noble ladies at a tea party. To avoid crowded places, Sisi spoke to Melissa in her small room. Another benefit of being in her room was that it gave her the confidentiality she needed to share her plan.
“No matter what the land produces, it’s mine. I hope my valiant warriors can bring me more gifts from the Earth. As there was one bag, there has to be a field of them. That’s the real reason I need the shipyard. While I’m on the topic, do you want to do business together in the colony? The colony is bound to be more populated with time. I can help cover some of the things you need for the colony. We can split the earnings thirty to seventy. What do say?”
There was a simple reason as to why Sisi had settled on Madam Melissa: the other businessmen were hard to control. She could’ve entrusted Achilles with it if he was still around, not to mention the fact that he would certainly accept the share ratio. He would even accept eighty to twenty as a matter of fact. The other businessmen, however, would prioritise their own profits. That was why the overbearing term bothered Sisi. Since Madam Melissa offered herself up, accepted the favour from Lin Dongqing and established a relationship with Sisi, Melissa would inevitably be Sisi’s lapdog forever just as Achilles was.
If Sisi didn’t want a cut, then it’d be a reward. If one was a businessman, they wouldn’t be able to accept giving Sisi a cut. A ratio of seventy to thirty was too little. All Melissa would’ve had was enough to spend, while Queen Sisi benefitted from it. Having said all that, Melissa knew that she didn’t have the power to object.
In the past, Melissa was a businesswoman despite being belittled. Now, however, she was merely a vassal who’d help Sisi solve problems. Actually, to be correct, she was just a dog. If Sisi patted her head, she’d have to bite someone. Melissa knew the consequences, but since she had entered Sisi’s den, demise was the only alternative to objection.
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Melissa knew that she would be the next Achilles. Everything is first come, first serv. At the same time, it also meant becoming a tool henceforward.
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