BXBX NOVEL Chapter 39 - Excited Caravan
His second-in-command took out a simple map, glanced at it, and said, “It’s called Long Eagle Territory.”
“Ah yes, Long Eagle!” The leader nodded, stroking his beard. “How’s the preparation of our gifts?”
According to protocol, any merchant caravan arriving at a new territory must visit the local lord and present gifts.
Of course, in larger territories, not every caravan would be granted an audience. Whether the lord receives them or not is one matter, but the merchants presenting gifts is another entirely. These rules were well-known in larger lands
Since this was the first time the caravan had come to the Long Eagle Territory, they weren’t sure about the customs here yet.
“We’re ready! But we’re not sure how greedy the local lord might be. If he’s too greedy, it could be troublesome.” The second-in-command said in a serious tone.
“Let’s hope he’s not too demanding! It wasn’t easy getting here. If it’s not too much, we’ll just have to comply.” The leader sighed.
“And if he demands too much?” the second-in-command asked.
“Then next time, we won’t come this way!”
The leader shook his head in resignation and fell silent.
He began to observe the surroundings. Even from a distance, they could see a small town perched on a high ground, like a tiny sparrow. To their right was a forest, and they had been traveling along a path on its edge.
A large river flowed out of the forest, with reeds and aquatic plants along its banks.
“This place is really remote!” the second-in-command commented as he looked around.
“That’s a good thing! Remote places mean underdevelopment and cheap goods. If we can get some merchandise here, we might make a fortune selling it in the capital!” The leader smiled knowingly.
After a pause, he added, “But the backwardness of such places also means the people here are lazy. Look at that river full of fish. If the people here were more industrious and fished them, salted them, and dried them…” He trailed off, indicating his point was clear.
“Anyway, this is our first time on this trade route. Establishing the route isn’t just about making money; it’s about laying the groundwork!”
“You mean, even if they didn’t know the value of the fish before, if we set the price and promise to come back for more, they’ll start doing it?” asked the second-in-command, who was new to the business of pioneering trade routes.
This caravan’s goal was to open a new trade route, knowing that being the first to establish a trade route always brought enormous advantages.
The pioneering merchants would often negotiate deals with local traders, gaining a firm foothold that later arrivals couldn’t easily dislodge.
“You’ve got it! This journey is to set up future purchases and gauge the appetite of the local lords. If we can gain the favor of the local lord, we’ll have smooth sailing here!” the leader said, pointing out the potential.
“See that mountain range to our left?” The leader pointed toward the mountains shrouded in mist.
“Are you suggesting there’s more opportunity there as well?” the second-in-command asked, catching on.
“Indeed! That mountain range and the forest to the right both hold potential wealth. Even if we can’t venture too deep, the outskirts alone could yield plenty of resources like meat, furs, and possibly even rare minerals.”
The second-in-command gasped, realizing just how vast the opportunities were. The leader grinned at his reaction, feeling a sense of pride in his own insight.
“This is why I invested so heavily in hiring mercenary knights as guards for our caravan,” the leader said, satisfied to see his second-in-command’s sheepish grin of acknowledgment.
“Now, let’s see if we can turn these opportunities into profits.” He said, signaling the caravan to continue toward the town.
Meanwhile, Richard was also informed of the approaching merchant caravan.
“A merchant caravan, here?” Richard was slightly surprised. This remote territory rarely saw such visitors. The arrival of a caravan looking to establish a trade route intrigued him.
“Rhodes, go meet them. If there are no issues, bring them to me.” Richard ordered.
“Yes, my lord!” Rhodes replied respectfully, then left to carry out his orders.
Richard watched him go, a smile forming on his lips. The arrival of the merchant caravan was good news for him—an opportunity he was more than willing to seize.