Chapter 486: Thunderclap City citizens without

Andi Bank's loans solved the urgent needs of a large group of importers and cargo owners. These bosses who were severely embarrassed by the lizardmen almost knelt down and called dad.

Silver coins can be counted slowly, but business opportunities are fleeting.

Missing it is equivalent to handing over that 7 million square kilometer market to others, and no one can bear such a terrifying loss.

Everyone who got the loan soon paid the money to the cousin of the respected Chief of the Wind Howl Tribe—Mr. Ai Sa Ke Ai Sa Ke Jifeng.

This money didn't even leave the door of Andi Bank.

Because the Wind Howl Tribe has an account at Andi Bank, the transaction was completed directly through account transfer, which can be said to be quite convenient.

After such a toss, the porters at the pier started working again, moving boxes of goods from the United Kingdom of Gutav into the port's warehouse.

The daily-paid dock workers went to the foreman to line up to receive today's wages.

The foreman who just received the payment from the settlement merchant hesitated, negotiated with the daily-paid dock workers under his command, and finally most of them chose the latter between 100 copper coins and 1 Silver Pound, and then happily took the "Silver Pound" to Andi Bank to cash it out.

In the past, 100 copper coins and 1 silver coin were equivalent, but recently the exchange rate between the three currencies in Thunderclap City has been distorted.

Copper coins have become vouchers for bread. Except for Edward's bread which is maintained at 4 copper coins, all other commodities have risen in price against copper coins.

In the past, no one was willing to pay workers with silver coins as wages, because there were not many silver coins circulating in the market, and there were even fewer Campbell silver coins. On the contrary, there were many copper coins minted by small nobles. The prosperity of Thunderclap City attracted money from the entire northeast coast of the Vortex Sea, including "bad coins" together.

And paying "Silver Pound" is actually a disguised salary increase.

The foremen who were skeptical about paper currency used this to transfer risks, because their ability to resist risks was too poor, and if they couldn't be cashed out, they would go bankrupt on the spot.

And those daily-paid workers who got the Silver Pound got real benefits, because the daily-paid wages were paid in silver coins!

As for the risk, it was not a problem for them at all.

After all, in their view, even if the Andi family went bankrupt tomorrow, they wouldn't be able to cash out this piece of paper, at worst they would go to His Highness Edward, who loves the people like a son, to reason!

In fact, they were really not wrong, because behind Andi Bank actually stood their respected Duke.

Andi really kept his promise, and the bank tellers gave enough silver coins to every worker who came to exchange, and they were the kind with the Campbell family crest.

Under Edward's order, the mint of Thunderclap City had been working overtime for Andi Bank these days, just to deal with this situation.

However, the worries of the two big figures were still redundant, because with "overseas credit" as an endorsement, many workers who came to exchange money were intercepted by those who came to exchange money at the door.

This group of abominable profiteers used those "Lain iron pieces" to fool the hardworking dock workers, saying that Lain silver coins and Rod silver coins were also silver coins, and there was no difference from Campbell silver coins, and then exchanged the watery banknotes, which later forced the manager of Andi Bank to come out to clarify.

In the short term, there is indeed no difference.

At least in the first week of the issuance of Silver Pound, "Silver Pound" was equivalent to the "voucher" of silver coins, and the scarcity had not yet been converted into exchange rate differences.

Especially since Silver Pound was mainly injected into the "supply side" through Andi Bank's loans, it didn't flow into the vegetable baskets of ordinary citizens at all, and there was no excess banknotes overflowing into the consumer market.

However, everything is temporary.

As time passed, when people found that "Silver Pound" was more stable than those miscellaneous silver coins, the real exchange rate finally reflected in the market.

Especially when those dock workers found that they didn't need to exchange the banknotes in their hands for silver coin spot at all, this trend of widening exchange differences became more and more obvious.

I don't know from when, 1 Imperial silver coin could no longer exchange for 1 Silver Pound.

In the afternoon, Wonag Jewelry Store on Queen Street.

The wind chime on the door rang crisply, and Jarvis, a famous fur merchant in Thunderclap City, walked in with a young female companion.

This jewelry store with a hundred-year history is one of the top luxury brands in Thunderclap City, deeply loved by the rich and young ladies of Thunderclap City.

It is said that the brooch Princess Princess Ailin wore when attending the banquet was designed by them, although Princess Ailin herself might not know it.

As an old customer of this store, Jarvis greeted the shopkeeper who walked toward him casually, and said with a casual smile on his face.

"Wonag, my old friend, I have a banquet tonight, and the guests at the banquet are all not small, so I have to pay attention to it. Please pick a suitable piece of jewelry for this beautiful lady, I believe your taste will not disappoint me."

"You came just in time, Mr. Jarvis! I have a batch of new goods here, guaranteed to make you and your female companion the most eye-catching stars at the banquet."

Knowing that this boss is a person who doesn't care about the price, the shopkeeper Wonag immediately took out a diamond necklace that had just arrived from the silk velvet tray, and diligently and decently offered it to the two.

Women in Thunderclap City all like shiny things.

Seeing the diamond, the beautiful girl's eyes couldn't move away, shining just like the "Eye of Princess Ailin" on the crown of Edward's head.

Seeing his female companion liked it, Jarvis also felt hot in his heart, nodded with satisfaction and said.

"Not bad, just this one."

Saying that, he didn't ask the price, took out a stack of brand-new "Silver Pound" from his arms and made a gesture of counting money to show his strength.

It must be said that this group of nouveau riche really has no foundation.

If it were Prince Prince Kelin, he would never count banknotes in front of a woman, but would hang the necklace on that fair neck first and praise it for being really white—

Oh no, it's that the shining light is really like your eyes.

However, the nouveau riche in Thunderclap City have no foundation, and the apprentices of the century-old store are obviously not much better. They have inheritance, but it is feudal inheritance, the so-called master does not teach real things, and the so-called following the example, guarding the house and protecting the courtyard.

Fitz, who was serving on the side, was obedient to the shopkeeper, but obviously had no vision, and did not realize that the era had changed like his "master."

Seeing this big customer take out waste paper, the young man's eyes widened into copper bells, and he instinctively wanted to open his mouth to refuse.

"Sir, we don't—"

"We never let customers down!"

That shopkeeper was like a squirrel stepped on its tail, a high-pitched voice interrupted Fitz's "righteousness," and glared at him fiercely.

"Fitz! What are you doing here! Go and prepare the best black tea and snacks for Mr. Jarvis and his wife! No rules!"

"Yes, yes!" Fitz looked blank, looked at his master aggrievedly, not knowing what madness the latter was having.

Didn't you teach me not to accept this thing?

As an apprentice, he didn't dare to argue, so he could only run to the tea room behind the counter in a hurry to prepare black tea and snacks for the guests.

The shopkeeper turned around and apologized to the distinguished guest.

"Sorry... Mr. Jarvis, I didn't tell him."

"It's okay, I don't care."

Jarvis looked at the stunned young man who ran to the tea room with interest, and joked with his female companion, just as after-dinner talk.

After sending the apprentice away, the shopkeeper came to the counter to settle the account himself.

Because the Empire's currency system could not keep up with the booming economy of Thunderclap City, the prices on Queen Street actually appeared on three different tracks—

Gold coins, silver coins, and the "Silver Pound" that appeared recently.

As for copper coins, they were not on the table at all.

After calculating the account for nearly five minutes, until the black tea and snacks were served on the table, the flustered shopkeeper came to Mr. Jarvis with the bill.

He handed the bill to Jarvis with a smile, and said with a smile.

"Mr. Jarvis, the diamonds used in this 'Brave Sun' are Kimberlite rocks from the Sun Staircase Mountains of the Gana Continent. It is said that they were discovered by an explorer when crossing the dense streams. As for the silver ornaments on it, they also come from the Wind Howl Tribe of the Gana Continent—"

"You just tell me how much money, our banquet is about to start." Jarvis took out his pocket watch and glanced at it, reminding his old friend.

The shopkeeper stopped talking and went straight to the point.

"If you pay with 'Silver Pound', it will be 2000 Silver Pounds! If you pay with Imperial silver coins, it will take about 2500. Of course, it would be even better if you have gold coins, 19 will be enough."

Due to the soaring price of gold, he hadn't seen anyone take gold coins to buy things here for a while, so he just mentioned it.

As for why paying with Silver Pound would be cheaper than using other miscellaneous silver coins, of course, it is because the silver and diamonds of this necklace were bought with "Silver Pound."

The merchant fleets of the United Kingdom of Gutav and the Prince Kelin Principality now announce that they only accept "Silver Pound" or silver coins issued by the Campbell Principality, and he cannot take those miscellaneous "Kingdom iron pieces" to pay the suppliers of the Gana Continent.

Another thing, the Campbell silver coins circulating in the market are too few, and the rise in scarcity and actual purchasing power has made them form an "exchange difference" with other silver coins.

It has in fact become the Campbell Principality's own sovereign currency, but it has not claimed to be independent of the Empire's sovereign currency system.

Jarvis had no surprise at this offer, took out the stack of banknotes again, neatly counted 20 Silver Pounds with a face value of 100 and placed them on the tray handed by the shopkeeper, and then left the jewelry store with his female companion who was like glue.

Wonag and the apprentice Fitz sent Mr. Jarvis and his female companion to the carriage outside the door respectfully.

Watching the carriage disappear at the corner of the street, Wonag felt that his boss seemed to have calmed down, and finally couldn't help but ask the confusion in his heart.

"Boss, I'm completely confused." He scratched his head, "I remember you said yesterday, whoever accepts this thing is a fool, why did you change your mind today? And... gave a discount?"

Wonag didn't answer immediately.

He squinted his eyes, looking in the direction of Andi Bank on Queen Street, with a meaningful smile on his face.

"I went to the bank yesterday, guess what I saw?"

Fitz looked at his boss in a daze.

"... What?"

"I saw carriages lined up in long queues blocking the road, and they were loaded with boxes piled up like mountains, and they were filled with the Empire's silver coins."

The newspapers in Thunderclap City are all correct and useless nonsense, but the choices people make with their feet will not be fake.

Wonag doesn't trust Andi Bank, and doesn't completely trust Edward, but he trusts the choices made by those bosses who are richer than him.

He doubted the character of those people, but never doubted their IQ.

"... Since all the rich people in the city are in a hurry to exchange their inventory for the paper in Mr. Jarvis's hands, why should we refuse?"

He said with a smile, then turned to look at his dumbfounded apprentice, and patted the young man on the shoulder.

"Be proud, kid, you were born in an era of rapid change, this street is full of opportunities, and if you miss Prince Prince Kelin, there is also Mr. Ai Sa Ke Ai Sa Ke Jifeng, even a nouveau riche like Jarvis has endless banquets to attend... I wish I were as young as you."

If it were before, that idle rich man would definitely be furious, and even waste an hour to embarrass a weak apprentice, to make up for the dignity he lost in front of the nobles.

But now, that guy is mixed up like a human, and actually started to care about eating like Mr. Yan Andi. It is not impossible that he is still fantasizing in his heart, managing his fur shop that has been established for less than two years into a century-old store, and living as long as the Campbell Principality.

Once upon a time, this group of wandering merchants was no different from refugees, all of them ran to other places after doing one ticket.

From this point of view, Wonag felt that he still had an advantage compared to Jarvis, at least he was not a nouveau riche.

His family has been making jewelry for the royal family a long time ago, and the craftsmanship and reputation have been passed down to today, which is a hundred years longer than Jarvis's fur shop, but it was only recently brought to fire by the stories of Princess Princess Ailin and Prince Prince Kelin.

While feeling superior, a sense of urgency also arose in Wonag's heart.

The pace of these nouveau riche chasing is too fast, Queen Street in Thunderclap City has never been as crowded as it is today, and it is more crowded year by year.

Looking at the prosperous street, he muttered to himself, leaving the last sentence to himself.

"... Our Wonag Jewelry Store must also keep pace with the times."

Thunderclap City New Industrial Zone, Horace Textile Factory.

The air is filled with cotton dust and the roar of machines, making people breathless. Some textile workers are coughing, wishing they could cough out their lungs.

No one can enjoy this air that seems to be mixed with sand, except for a middle-aged man who is as thin as a dried orange peel.

His name is Horace.

At this moment, he is rubbing his hands, his face full of flattering smiles, facing the descendants of the Dragon God who came from afar, just like seeing Saint Saint Xisi himself.

"Mr. Ai Sa Ke! The financial resources of the Wind Howl Tribe are really eye-opening. It is my honor to serve you and the Dragon God behind you! May our friendship be as sincere and constant as the ancient alliance a thousand years ago!"

This guy obviously read the second-creation history, and the story Ai Sa Ke Ai Sa Ke Jifeng heard from the tribe's priest was not this version.

However, he had no intention of debating, just finished patrolling the last batch of packed fabrics expressionlessly, faithfully fulfilling the purchasing task handed over by Prince Prince Kelin, seemingly nodding slightly with satisfaction.

"The quality is acceptable. The deposit for the next batch of goods, as well as the final payment for this batch, can be settled."

The Demon King wants the lizardmen of the Gana Continent to have clothes and shoes to wear. This is a reward for their offering of faith and loyalty.

Although he didn't know where the money came from, the Demon King said he had it, so he had it.

Hearing the deposit and final payment, Horace's eyes were instantly hot.

The descendants of the Dragon God are different, speaking and doing things as straightforward as a dragon! Unlike some merchants in the Kingdom of Lain, relying on the fame of their chamber of commerce, and the master behind them is the King, they actually want to owe money in the principality's factory.

Horace had to pinch his nose and admit it when there were no orders before, at worst he would suffer the workers who worked, but now he won't get used to this group of dog-legged people who revolve around the King!

Just wait and see!

Their wise Duke Edward will sooner or later give that muddled old King a kick!

In a sense, the contradiction between the Campbell Principality and the Kingdom is not just Edward's ambition, but the common wish in the hearts of most Campbell people.

If it weren't for the divine will in the dark, letting the Light of Proclamation reach Princess Ailin's hands, perhaps Duke Edward had already wielded the ancestral sword and led them up.

As for who is happy and who is sad, that is another story.

Responding to Horace's "prayer," Ai Sa Ke did not signal the guards to carry heavy money boxes as usual, but pulled out a stack of brand-new "Silver Pound" from the leather bag carried by the human entourage.

Seeing this stack of banknotes, the smile on Horace's face did not stagnate at all, but became more brilliant. I saw him respectfully take it with both hands, and then quickly count it with fingers stained with saliva, just like the textile machine rolling downstairs.

Ai Sa Ke is his biggest and most straightforward customer. The lizardman uncle specifies what money to use, so he has to use what.

Otherwise, the other party would turn around and go next door.

Another thing is that he has cooperated with Andi Bank for many years, and he knows very well who is standing behind the other party, so receiving this money can be said to have no risk.

The only fly in the ointment is that it is still too troublesome to always use cash transactions. After work, he has to go to save money, and there are risks along the way.

"Thank you for your generosity, Mr. Ai Sa Ke!"

Finally finished counting the banknotes, Horace locked the Silver Pound into the safe, looked at Ai Sa Ke and leaned forward diligently again, lowering his voice and saying.

"It's just that I have a small request here. Next time you just hit the money into my Andi Bank account, or give me a check! You know..."

He glanced nervously at the direction of the workshop downstairs, his voice lower, "There are many people in the factory, and putting so much cash, I'm always afraid of being watched by greedy people."

This greedy guy didn't realize at all that the greediest person in the whole house was himself, even the dragon was not as greedy as him.

Ai Sa Ke had no interest in human internal affairs, but he remembered the resentful eyes of those textile workers when he passed by the workshop, so he reminded him casually.

"You'd better be good to your compatriots, I see the way they look at you is like looking at an enemy. The Wind Howl Tribe needs stable partners. I don't want to see a new chief in your tribe next time I come."

"You should be a little nicer to your own kind; I see the way they look at you as if they are looking at an enemy. The Wind Roar Tribe needs stable partners. I don't want to see a new chieftain in your tribe the next time I come."

I heard that the lizardmen of the United Kingdom of Gutav are not only generous, but also kind, and can't see poor people. Because of that overflowing sympathy, they even ran to the Southwest Swamp to build a city to take in those compatriots who couldn't follow the Dragon God back that year.

Undoubtedly—

Someone is speaking ill of him behind his back, giving him small shoes to wear!

"Mr. Ai Sa Ke! I swear to you, I will definitely change my mind and be good to my employees!"

Horace argued in a panic, and didn't forget to lose a few words to the friendly merchants when he said this.

"In, in fact, I am still good to them. The dormitories of other textile factories are eight-person rooms, stuffing their compatriots in like sardine cans, I dare not do this. You know, I am a servant of Saint Saint Xisi, I have faith!"

When saying this, he didn't mention at all that he was forced by the invincible group "blinded by

When saying this, he completely omitted the fact that he had been forced by the "greedy" Invincible Group to build a three-story dormitory and had paid a lot of extra money for it with tears in his eyes.

Actually, there was no need to build the dormitory in the first place.

It's all Princess Ailin's 10% "special tax"! Anyone who doesn't solve the employee accommodation problem must pay money to the refugee camp in the new industrial zone.

Horace was speaking enthusiastically, but Ai Sa Ke was confused, wondering why this hairless monkey was telling him this.

If he had known, he wouldn't have said anything.

"... Cough! Besides, Mr. Ai Sa Ke, to avoid misunderstanding, I still have to correct you: I am not the chieftain, but the factory manager. Strictly speaking, those things you mentioned are the obligations of our respected Princess Princess Ailin and His Majesty Edward, not mine."

Seeing that the human had finally finished speaking, Ai Sa Ke seized the opportunity to say "Oh" with a blank face, leaving Horace, who was still feeling uneasy, standing there, and walked away with his human followers.

Tonight is destined to be a sleepless night.

Horace did not sleep all night; his family was very worried, but no one dared to ask more.

It was not until he sat in the office again early the next morning and heard the clatter of the looms that the spirit of this miser recovered a little, and he made a decision—

He would rent an office in the city and then move his office out of the factory!

In the past, he was so stingy to the extreme that he would never have been willing to spend this money; if it weren't for having a house, he would have wanted to move his family into the employee dormitory to squeeze in.

In addition, regarding employee benefits, he also made a small concession, deciding to replace the monthly salary of 3000 copper coins with the full amount of 30 silver coins.

Although his faith was not that pious, and could even be called blasphemous, it was still a little bit more awe-inspiring than those guys who believed in nothing.

He always felt that the appearance of Mr. Ai Sa Ke was a reminder from the gods in the dark.

The first time he was saved, it was by a group of "mountain people" with abnormal brains; the second time he was saved, it was by "Princess Ailin"; and this time, "Ai Sa Ke" might also have come with a mission.

That messenger of the Dragon God might have seen something, so he reminded him that if he didn't do something, disaster would be imminent again.

And this time, no one would save him.

At this moment, there was a knock on the door, which startled Horace, who was feeling sorry for his money, and he almost fell off his chair.

"Come in!"

Hearing that sharp shout, the knocking outside paused, and a moment later, his accountant walked in cautiously.

"Boss, last month's wages should be paid..."

"Last month?" Horace broke out in a cold sweat, finally remembering what Ai Sa Ke's words meant, and hurriedly stepped forward to grab the accountant's collar, scolding with flying spit, "Wait, damn it, why didn't you tell me earlier!"

The accountant also looked aggrieved and said with a wry smile.

"I said it last time... You told me to get lost and said something about waiting a bit longer, that silver coins could be exchanged for more copper coins, and paying wages in copper coins could save a large sum."

"Did I say that?" Horace was stunned.

That shouldn't be.

He usually only says "get lost," where would he explain why, and it's even more impossible for him to say his inner thoughts out loud.

The accountant glanced at him secretly and whispered.

"Seems like you said it, I can't remember clearly either... but everyone says so."

Moreover, he felt that his boss probably thought so; whether he specifically said it or not might indeed be his own memory lapse, and out of resentment, he took the rumor as truth.

Horace was silent for a long time, finally let go of the collar he was holding, coughed, stepped back, and put on a decent appearance.

"This is... slander!"

"I swear I never thought that way. The reason the factory didn't pay wages is because the firm in the Kingdom of Lane hasn't settled last year's final payment. If you want to blame someone, blame that damn King."

"But it's fine now. Yesterday, the Wind Roar Tribe settled their final payment. You came at the right time; I was just about to talk to you about paying wages."

The moment he heard this, the accountant's eyes lit up, as excited as if the Festival of All Spirits was coming.

"Really?! That's great! To tell you the truth, boss, my family is almost running out of food! By the way, I heard that those lizardmen gave silver pounds! Can, can I use that to settle my wages? 1 silver pound can now buy two more bags of salt than 1 silver coin!"

And it comes with a few extra copper coins!

Horace's mouth twitched when he heard this. He wanted to scold the accountant, but he thought of the "meaningful" blank face of Mr. Ai Sa Ke when he left—

"You should be a little nicer to your own kind."

He finally endured the pain in his heart, nodded, and squeezed out a generous but stiff smile in humiliation.

"Of course..."

"To tell you the truth, that is exactly what I intended!"