NOVPUBDias smiled and exclaimed.
"Relying on the gold obtained from the Gold Coast, His Majesty has restarted King Afonso’s coin minting program. A new batch of Crusado ’Crusade’ gold coins is being minted!"
The kingdom’s gold coins prevailed among the Mediterranean countries and were even accepted by Arab merchants. For every 3.55 gram Crusado gold coin minted, the kingdom gained at least an 8% minting tax and attracted even more foreign merchants. In the commercial city-states of the Italian Peninsula, the influence of the kingdom was constantly rising. With a sufficient source of gold, the stability of kingdom coins even surpassed the Venetians’ Ducat. Ah, the cunning Venetian merchants begrudged us to the point of itchy teeth, yet they were still helpless!
Diogo, you also know that on the Southern Continent, among the ignorant nations, there was a different gold, silver, and copper exchange ratio from that of the Catholic World. Besides direct plundering and occupation, our merchant ships could continuously obtain gold from the Southern Continent through different precious metal exchange disparities! The profit from this, the royal financial advisors had already calculated in detail, was enough to make monarchs from various nations green with envy and crazed!"
A smile finally appeared on Diogo’s face. He stretched out his hand and vigorously patted his old friend’s shoulder.
"Excellent! Dias, the kingdom’s hope lies in the vast and fertile Southern Continent, on the route to wealth in the East! May the Almighty bless us! Let us set sail again toward the unknown south, in search of the holy kingdoms, to obtain the wealth promised by the Lord..."
Hearing these familiar prayers, Dias also pressed his friend’s shoulder and recited loudly together.
"Under the guidance of the Almighty, we will forge ahead bravely, spreading His glory and mercy throughout the ignorant nations along the way!...amen"
The two exchanged smiles, looking together towards the south. That gaze was warm and bright, the world of the Lord; that gaze was cold and stern, the light of judgment.
"...Set sail!"
The signal flags waved, and a dozen or so Caravel ships raised their half-sails, forming a neat line, slowly sailing out of the harbor. The northeasterly trade winds never ceased, and the kingdom’s fleet moved forward, quickly raising full sails, disappearing into the horizon.
"Vaffanculo! Che minchione! Damn mathematician, damn court advisor! Braganza Palace is filled with fools with eyes on their asses!"
On the shore of the port, a man in his thirties, tall and sturdy, with a hawk nose and a long face, high cheekbones, a pair of blue eyes, and reddish-brown hair, stared angrily at the direction where the ships had disappeared, incessantly muttering curses. He was dressed in a washed-out black robe of a commoner and wore a tattered but intact sailor’s flat cap; the only valuable thing was his shiny pig-fat-polished calfskin pointed boots.
Although his clothes were worn, the middle-aged man stood upright, his eyes filled with the stubbornness of a wild boar. He furiously roared until the last exploratory sailboat was out of sight, then suddenly crouched down, clutching his head and cursing softly.
"Diamine! Cazzo! The great merchant Marco Polo once said, as did the astrologer Toscanelli! The world is round, China is where India begins, right across from Iberia and Ireland!
...A bunch of fools... Only we city-staters can see the true nature of the world! I will become the Fleet Commander, become nobility, become the Governor beyond the sea! I will lead the fleet from the west side of the ocean to the rich East!..."
The middle-aged man was muttering to himself, but suddenly felt a weight on his shoulder. He looked up angrily and saw two towering Slav men, each with a large axe at their waist, pinning him between them. A skinny Jewish merchant, wearing a small round hat and sporting a long beard, casually walked up to him.
"Columbus, this time the Portuguese exploration voyage doesn’t include you! The Kingdom’s court advisors have already refuted your calculated sailing route, and the last fleet found traces of Elder John’s country... Your plan seems hopeless. And now it’s time to settle the debt you owe me."
With that, the Jewish merchant pulled a paper document from his bosom and began to read it slowly.
"Six years ago, you borrowed 20 Ducat Gold Coins from me to cover the costs of lobbying various countries. At an annual interest rate of 48%, with the interest compounded into the principal, today you should owe me... hmm, 210 Ducat Gold Coins, plus 3 Grosso Silver Coins, and 16.5 Denarius Copper Coins. Hmm, considering our long acquaintance, I’ll waive the 0.5 Denarius Copper Coin..."
Hearing this, Columbus stood up abruptly. He swung his arms vigorously and roared angrily.
"Vaffanculo! Merda! Eliyahu, you heretic from the Hell of Fire, you greedy dwarf snake, don’t let these barbarians touch me! You only gave me 15 Ducats, and you want me to pay back 210?!..."
"It’s 210 Ducat Gold Coins, 3 Grosso Silver Coins, and 16.5 Denarius Copper Coins. As for the 25% advance deduction, it’s an industry standard."
The Jewish merchant remained unfazed and waved his hand with a cold laugh.
"Columbus, my patience is running thin! Are you going to pay up nicely now, or would you prefer to be tied to a stone and sunk to the bottom of the sea?"
Upon seeing the signal, the two Slav men growled together and used their strength simultaneously. They forcibly dragged Columbus a few steps and hoisted him up on the pier, letting his head hang down over the deep sea.
Fear finally appeared in Columbus’s eyes. While struggling violently, he shouted loudly.
"Eliyahu, give me a little more time! I will continue to lobby the monarchs of various countries, I will surely succeed! I’ve long spent all the Gold Coins I had; even if you kill me now, you won’t get anything! But, but! If you have just a little patience to wait, as soon as my voyage succeeds, you’ll get 210 Ducats!..."
Upon hearing this, Eliyahu narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Columbus’s desperate expression. After a long while, he slowly nodded his head.
"All right! Columbus, for the sake of our long acquaintance, I’ll give you a bit more time. But..."
Eliyahu reached into his bosom and pulled out a commercial contract he had prepared earlier.
"You need to sign this!"
