Volume 6 Chapter 77 - Making A Choice
“Over ten thousand each day?” Prado couldn’t help taking a gasp.
He ran a clothing store, so he understood more than normal people.
According to what he knew, there were twenty three tailor shops in Laru City and these shops had over three hundred tailors gathered together. If they sewed day and night without stopping, they might not make more than five hundred pieces of clothing in a single day.
And this Armani Chamber of Commerce could produce over ten thousand pieces a day with this kind of craftsmanship, it was simply unbelievable.
“This Armani Chamber of Commerce…..what magic are they using?” Prado couldn’t help asking.
“Ha, they do have some magic, but it’s the magic machines that the Frestech Chamber of Commerce sells them. So this is mainly because of the Frestech Chamber of Commerce.”
“It’s the Frestech Chamber of Commerce again?” Prado slightly knitted his brows.
He had heard of this company over a hundred times from Hafra. Whenever they talked about the Lampuri Kingdom, he would hear Hafra mention this, as if all the things in the Lampuri Kingdom were related to this company.
“Of course, the Frestech Chamber of Commerce is……”
Hafra opened his mouth before stopping.
Because he suddenly realized that to explain the Frestech Chamber of Commerce to Prado, it wasn’t something he could od in a short period of time.
“This…….you won’t understand the magic machines if I just explain them without showing them to you. How about this……” Hafra looked around before coming to the counter at the shop, picking up an iron cup used for drinking water. He tapped on it which let out a sound, “Big brother, how much did you buy this cup for? Isn’t it already close to rusting?”
Prado looked at him in surprise before looking at the cup in his hand and revealing an awkward smile, “I already bought this cup five to six years ago. I’ve never been willing to throw it away, so the paint on it is gone. I was thinking about getting it painted again before using it.”
“You want to paint it again?” Hafra gave a laugh, “Big brother, this isn’t me saying this about you, but you’re using a cup that’s about to rust, that’s too backwards. Our Lampuri Kingdom all use glass or porcelain drinking cups. Even for iron cups, they would be made from stainless steel so they wouldn’t rust. Or we might just use an alloy cup or a plastic cup, so there’s no need to worry about painting it.”
“Wait, what are all those things you mentioned?” Prado was confused, “I can understand glass and porcelain, but what are these stainless steel, alloy, and plastic cups you mentioned?”
“Hey, big brother, if I told you that these things you can’t understand were all made by the Frestech Chamber of Commerce, what would you think?”
“Ha?” Prado’s eyes opened wide, “It can’t be, right? How could the Frestech Chamber of Commerce make all these strange things?”
“These are the facts.” Hafra said, “It’s not an exaggeration to say that the giant changes in the Lampuri Kingdom were all caused by the Frestech Chamber of commerce. So for a normal person like me from the Lampuri Kingdom, I feel grateful to the Frestech Chamber of Commerce. If it wasn’t for them, not to mention how good our lives are, we might not even be able to eat our fill, not to mention eating meat each day.”
Seeing that Hafra didn’t seem like he was joking at all, Prado couldn’t help saying in an emotional voice, “If the Frestech Chamber of Commerce is really as good as you say, that really is something that people can praise.”
Hafra looked out the shop and reached out his hand to grab Prado’s shoulder as he said with a smile, “Alright, big brother, the Frestech Chamber of Commerce isn’t something I can talk about in a short period of time. It’s about noon, so how about we tidy up and get some lunch first, then we can talk at the table?” Hafra suggested.
Prado looked outside the shop and found that it was indeed noon, so he gave a nod, “Alright, let’s go and call Nasus along.”
When the two were walking out of the shop, before they came out, several fully armed soldiers charged in.
The two were stunned. Prado looked over and found that these guards were wearing the armour of the City Lord Manor, so he asked in a confused voice, “These sirs, do you need something?”
The leader of these two looked over the two of them before his eyes fell onto Prado.
“You are the owner of this store, Prado?”
Prado was even more confused, “That’s me. These sirs, are you…..looking for me for something?”
“It isn’t me who’s looking for you, but the Lord City Lord. Quickly come with us, the Lord City Lord wants to see you.”
“The Lord City Lord?” Prado called out in surprise. He turned to look at Hafra and the two were confused.
The aloof Lord City Lord, why did he suddenly care about a normal merchant like Prado?
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In the Laru City’s City Lord Manor, Duchess Windsor and Count Nasaps were sitting across from each other.
The atmosphere in the room was a bit heavy.
Duchess Windsor sipped her tea and her expression was calm. Count Nasaps had his head lowered with a bit of hesitation, and even a bit of struggle.
After a while, Count Nasaps looked up at Duchess Windsor and narrowed his eyes as he gave a bitter laugh in his heart.
Duchess Windsor coming personally wasn’t just to relax as she said.
But Count Nasaps never would have thought that her arrival this time would be a big problem for him and he wasn’t able to resist at all.
Duchess Windsor had just had a private talk with him which wasn’t long, but through her vague methods, it clearly demonstrated her…...or rather Duke Windsor’s intentions that she was representing.
Duke Windsor was very against the empire signing a trade agreement with the Lampuri Kingdom and he had opposed this in front of everyone at the empire’s parliament.
However, this decision had passed in the end and was carried out.
Since the parliament had made this decision, everyone in the empire had to follow this.
But the Candra Empire was too big and it was impossible for everyone to follow this.
This time, Duke Windsor had a different idea.
His objections had been overruled by the parliament, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have any method of opposing this.
It was clear that his method this time was very strong.
Duke Windsor actually decided to prohibit any of the Lampuri Kingdom’s cargo to pass through the southern province!
This meant that even if the empire’s parliament had reached a trade agreement with the Lampuri Kingdom, the southern province was refusing to accept this.
Of course, this was no different from going against the parliament and Duke Windsor wouldn’t do something that stupid.
So he could only go to the various southern province cities and make the City Lords work with him.
Laru City was Duchess Windsor’s second stop, so she could only tell him this.
As for the decision that would be made, it would be up to Count Nasaps.
However, this decision was very hard for Count Nasaps.
If he followed the decision of the Lord Duke, it might mean being punished for going against the decision of the parliament.
If he didn’t follow it…...
Duke Windsor took the seat of the southern province’s governor seventeen years ago and the Windsor Family had deep rooted influence in these lands. Even the royal family had scruples against them, so it could be seen how powerful they were.
Comparing it, Count Nasaps was just a normal City Lord, if he dared to go against Duke Windsor’s decision, he might lose his position as the City Lord the next day.
“Count Nasaps, the duke has wanted me to talk to you in secret because he views you highly. He states that you are one of the few in the southern province with foresight. The duke sees you like this, don’t disappoint him.” Duchess Windsor suddenly said in a low voice.
Seeing the sharp look Duchess Windsor had, Count Nasaps gave a sigh in his heart. He revealed a sincere smile and nodded at Duchess Windsor, “Many thanks for the Lord Duke’s praise for me. I ask the duchess to tell the Lord Duke that I will forever support the Lord Duke.”
Hearing this, Duchess Windsor finally revealed a happy smile and gave a nod, “Good, I think that duke will be very happy when he hears your response.”
Count Nasaps had a smile the whole time as he nodded in agreement, but there was bitter laughter in his heart.
He actually already missed this chance.
If he was going to follow Duke Windsor’s decision, he shouldn’t have hesitated before.
Because of this hesitation, he would leave a bad impression on Duke Windsor which would impact his future prospects in the southern province.
Since he decided to follow Duke Windsor’s decision, it would mean that he would be affected by the parliament.
Instead of offending both like he did now, it would have been better to make a decision in the beginning.
When he was looking over his mistakes in his heart, he suddenly heard footsteps from outside the room.
Count Nasaps looked at Duchess Windsor with a questioning gaze.
“Let them come in.” Duchess Windsor gave a slow nod.
Count Nasaps clapped his hand.
After a while, manager Thorpe of the City Lord Manor gave a slight bow to the two of them, “Duchess, the boss of the clothing store is here, do you wish to see him?”
Duchess Windsor stood up and revealed a happy smile.
“Come, I was curious about him.”