The Lord Of Blood Hill-Chapter 131: Never Owe the Arms Dealer
After a long silence, Daniel shrugs, "Alright, you're right. So, how much can you offer us?"
Henwell wags a finger, "No, I won't just give you money. We'll make money together! I have a few caravans that can bring in some sensitive goods from the kingdoms of Ogiro and Ika."
"Smuggling, huh? It does make money, but not enough."
Henwell flashes a sly grin, "Not enough? That's because what you're smuggling isn't sensitive enough! How about weapons, warhorses, and military gear? Interested? Plus, I have some specialties—like my heavy crossbows, siege crossbows, and armor. I can provide those too!"
"How much do you have?"
Henwell takes a sip of wine, "That depends on how much money you have! Every month, I can supply a thousand sets of armor and two thousand standard weapons. As for crossbows, it depends on what models you want!"
Daniel looks at Henwell in shock, "Where do you get all this stuff?"
Henwell replies, "That's my business secret! I assure you, the quality won't be worse than what your army has. Plus, I'm open to negotiating prices. Since this is our first collaboration, I can offer you a very favorable deal. Just 20% above the kingdom's military procurement price—isn't that generous?"
Daniel raises an eyebrow, "Did you get that backward? Shouldn't it be 20% below our local procurement price?"
Henwell sets his glass down, "Do I look like an idiot? Why would you say that? Are you procuring for the kingdom's army? Can you really handle such a large quantity? Are you going to piece it together from small workshops? I'd have to doubt your capability then! Have you ever staged a rebellion? Let me teach you!"
"The key to rebellion is staying under the radar. Sure, scattered procurement is one of the ways. But an army isn't like noble private guards, and war isn't a skirmish between nobles. You need uniformity in weapons and gear for easier logistics and maintenance. Your scattered purchases, with varying quality and craftsmanship, pose a maintenance nightmare."
"Plus, with so many people involved, leaks are inevitable! A tiny slip can ignite a massive incident. I offer you complete sets of standardized equipment, and for an extra 10%, I can provide custom services. I also have secure routes. With a little help within the kingdom, I can deliver large quantities of weapons right to your specified location."
After hearing Henwell's proposal, Daniel is stunned for a while. "Henwell, maybe you should reconsider my proposal. With your help, our chances of success would increase significantly!"
No way! I haven't staged my own rebellion yet; I don't want to work for rebels!
Henwell raises his glass, "So, what do you think? Want to partner up on this business?"
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Daniel responds, "This sounds like we're spending money! You said you'd help us make money?"
"Tsk! How can you be so dense? I told you, I have several caravans! Not all of them carry military gear. Plus, you won't need to buy every month, right? You can establish a few commercial groups. I'll smuggle goods to you, and with your connections and territory, you can build a sales network."
"I'm just the wholesaler; you're the retail end, which means the highest profits! Even if you need arms monthly, the profits you earn will cover the costs. Look at it this way, it's like I'm gifting you over a hundred thousand gold coins worth of military gear every month!"
Daniel eyes Henwell cautiously, "And how do you trust that we won't just take your goods without paying?"
Henwell looks at him like he's missing the obvious, "Are you really that unprofessional? You haven't even succeeded yet, and you're thinking about owing an arms dealer? If I can support you, I can support others too! Debts I can't collect, I can always hire someone else to handle."
Realizing how naive he sounded, Daniel chuckles awkwardly.
Henwell continues, "Since we're in this partnership, I'm taking a big risk by providing you with sensitive goods. So, I think I deserve some perks as an exclusive partner. For example, you could supply me with some high-demand items from your side."
He extends his glass towards Daniel, "What do you think?"
After a moment of thought, Daniel clinks his glass with Henwell's, "Personally, I agree, but I need to this to His Highness. Once she approves, I can give you a definite answer. Do you have samples of the weapons and equipment?"
"Of course! I'll give you the location of a shop. You can send someone to pick them up and get back to me as soon as possible. Gathering that much gear will take time!"
Henwell is in high spirits today, having sealed two business deals. From Bloodhorn, he managed to secure a substantial amount of extraordinary potions at a price below market value. Going forward, Bloodhorn will supply him with five hundred potions every month. For this, Henwell will pay over a hundred thousand gold coins monthly.
However, not all payments are in cash. Henwell's caravans will provide Bloodhorn with some regulated goods as part of the payment, effectively reducing his cash outlay to just fifty thousand gold coins each month.
Although the deal with Daniel isn't finalized yet, Henwell is confident they won't refuse. Soon, five caravans will make their way into the area. Aside from one carrying smuggled military gear, the rest will be dealing in various regulated goods. The profit margins are jaw-dropping!
In fact, Henwell's arms business is even more lucrative, especially with such long-term, large-scale orders. It not only brings him substantial economic benefits but also helps Peace Haven's arms factory get on track.
With these orders, Henwell can split the forge workshops, relocating skilled workers to a secret area dedicated to manufacturing arms. Meanwhile, the workshops can continue producing civilian iron goods, which, while less profitable, have high sales volume and lower quality demands. It's a perfect setup for training competent arms workers.
Beyond that, Henwell's ventures in steel smelting, fur, and carriage industries are poised for new growth. Since an industrial revolution isn't feasible at the moment, he's focusing on building a strong base of skilled craftsmen. With more hands, there are more ideas. Who knows, maybe a genius artisan will invent a steam engine one day!
Breaking into the commercial channels of the Billie Kingdom is equally crucial for Henwell. The longer his reach, the greater his influence. Henwell's strategy is to leverage Peace Haven's industries and, using the caravan model, penetrate neighboring countries.
This will enable him to gather the resources and intelligence he needs to further his ambitions. Moreover, this setup provides valuable training for his subordinates, fostering the emergence of new talents.
Currently, Henwell is short-handed, having to handle many tasks himself, which is far from uncomfortable
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Chapter 131: Never Owe the Arms Dealer
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