Chapter 2060: Chapter 2060: Affairs of Wealth in the City of Wealth
"I don’t need to relay this sentence back. This time, His Highness sent me here partly for my own matters and partly to assist you in swiftly resolving the complications with that batch of goods."
He looked at the woman in front of him:
"We can’t delay any longer."
"I understand, Miss Princess instructed us to assist you, and no matter the order, we are to follow your lead."
Such an odd command, yet Lecia’s subordinates were more than willing to comply. Shard could only say her leadership was indeed outstanding.
The "Princess Trading Partners" had many subordinates, but few fully knew Lecia’s identity. Only three were able to directly communicate with Tobesk. Besides the fierce-looking, pirate-like Ms. Annie Bonnie, there were William Kidd and George Robert.
The former, a legitimate businessman in his forties, was the oldest among the three. The latter, in his thirties, was a baron, though of a fallen noble family without estate or wealth.
Ms. Annie Bonnie handled private matters, Mr. William Kidd was in charge of commodity procurement, the alleged operation of small fleets, and making fake accounts. Baron George Robert managed the connections up and down Moon Bay City. The division of labor among the three was clear, and with many hired hands, though the trading company had an obscure reputation, it was considered a force in the Dock Area underworld of Moon Bay City.
That afternoon all three met with Shard. After confirming Shard’s identity, they all expressed their willingness to comply with any of Shard’s orders.
The discussion moved to the study on the top floor of a three-story building. Shard wanted to understand exactly where Lecia’s goods were stuck:
"The information from His Highness was not very detailed. I need to stress that I am not one who enjoys committing murder, but if resolving a couple of key individuals could eliminate this trouble, that would be optimal."
Sitting down, Shard explained his principles and then, with different expressions from the three, embarrassedly apologized:
"I might have some strange smell on me, please forgive me. It’s not poor hygiene, it’s the stench of corpses, so there’s no need to invite me to dinner. I would like to clean myself up first."
Overall, although Shard had not done anything since arriving, he had already left an impression of being ruthless in the eyes of the three at the trading company.
As for the three ships of Lecia’s goods that couldn’t leave the port, they were still under detention. The bottom of the ships used those special alloys disguised as ordinary metals as ballast, officially transporting goods listed as grain.
Currently, there is no grain embargo between the two countries, and seeing the thought-provoking weather this summer, many merchants are eyeing grain speculation. Therefore, the "Princess Trading Partners"’s goods being detained is not due to political reasons.
"There are three reasons why our ships can’t depart.
The Carsonrick Customs Department believes the three ships of grain have quarantine issues; the Harbor Authority, subordinate to the Moon Bay City Council, claims our ships have exceeded their inspection period and need a safety check before leaving port; the Dock Area’s port office claims we owe the ’public dock maintenance fees’ everyone has to pay and won’t release us until we settle this amount."
"Customs, Harbor Authority, and port office? How did you manage to offend so many people?"
Shard curiously asked the three, who glanced at each other, with the fallen noble in charge of connections, Mr. George Robert, explaining:
"The customs department’s quarantine issue is just an excuse. They’re actually suspecting us of being spies, MI6 spies. But it’s just a suspicion, so they’ve temporarily detained our ships, and our fleet can’t leave until the investigation ends. This matter is the most difficult, as I find it hard to directly handle Grey Glove."
This accusation is indeed wrong. Lecia is just doing small business, and she has nothing to do with MI6. Of course, with Shard sitting here, there is indeed a connection.
"The Harbor Authority issue is because we snatched business from the Edington Family last year. You know the Edington Family, right?"
"Yes, one of the Seven Families of Glory in Moon Bay, like Hawthorn and Belindel, currently controlling the city council. So, the Edington Family can influence the Moon Bay City’s Harbor Authority, which is why they say your ships need a safety reinspection?"
Shard inquired, and merchant William George helplessly nodded:
"That’s right. Safety inspections are a small matter; if they want to inspect, we don’t mind. But the Harbor Authority just refuses to send people to do it. We’ve sent people to inquire, and each time they say they’re understaffed or waiting for inspection documents to be signed, asking us to wait a little longer. I’m very familiar with the Harbor Authority’s ways of working; this is clearly deliberate procrastination, and we have no reason to refuse."
"What’s the issue with the port office?"
Shard asked again, and Baron George Robert continued explaining:
"The port office is responsible for managing and coordinating port operations-related matters, such as cargo storage management, coordination of ships entering and leaving the port, port usage charges, etc. We originally got along well with the port office, but this spring, our people got into a skirmish with another group at the docks. Those people are called the ’Black Hand Gang,’ a legitimate port gang, and a glove of the Hawthorn Family, yes, that Hawthorn Family."
"You’ve been running the docks for years, and didn’t know this?"
Shard frowned slightly, and Baron Robert quickly explained:
"We actually knew, but such small-scale conflicts are very common, and have happened before. Big figures above don’t usually interfere with the Dock Area’s affairs over such trivial matters. I just don’t know what happened this time, after which the Hawthorn Family started targeting us through the dock office. Such targeting might just be an offhand comment from a big figure, but combined with two other things, it also became a troublesome matter."
"The Grey Glove influenced customs, the business-snatching Edington Family orchestrated the Harbor Authority, and the Hawthorn Family which also controls the gang can influence the dock office..."
Shard summarized, feeling that the new city was indeed different from other places. Most things in the City of Wealth are related to wealth, even just dabbling slightly in these troublesome matters, one can get a glimpse of the city’s character:
"The customs matter is actually the simplest."
He said to the three, then briefly explained:
"I have acquaintances in MI6, it shouldn’t be a problem to have them help out a bit."
The three immediately expressed understanding, probably thinking that MI6 could do something within the Grey Glove. But Shard actually wanted to go to MI6, then find out how to contact local Grey Glove agents, and then use the identity of the "grey-headed eagle" to find a way to free the trading company from suspicion.
Margaret had given him a complete set of identification documents, the only problem was that Shard couldn’t directly say to them not to cause trouble for the "Princess Trading Partners."
"I have no clue about the Edington Family matters for now, Baron Robert, you still need to smooth out the relationships a bit more."
He added, Mr. George Robert nodded:
"I understand, this is my job after all."
"As for the Hawthorn Family and the dock office... just like you said, if it was just an ordinary conflict, those big figures wouldn’t just target our small force randomly. What exactly happened then? Why did you have a conflict?"
Ms. Annie Bonnie recalled:
"It was a very ordinary thing. Their men and our men had an unpleasant time over cards while drinking at the tavern, then they came to us to collect protection money, which of course, we didn’t give. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to survive at Moon Bay Dock.
That night, we brought over twenty people, and they had over twenty people too, we were negotiating in the warehouse, and when the negotiation failed, a fight broke out. But it wasn’t with guns, just a cold weapon brawl. Someone on their side got a head injury, and someone on our side got a crippled right leg... This was actually a small matter, everyone tacitly agreed not to open fire, and no one died, and even the police were not alerted afterward."
It seems the local martial virtue is quite abundant.
"So was there anything different from the usual at that time?"
Shard asked again, Ms. Bonnie thought for a moment:
"We won that evening, by the rules, we captured a few people and made them pay a ransom, then everyone sat together for a drink, and that was the end of it. But rumors later emerged that among those we captured, someone was working for a big figure, seemingly looking for something. But because we caught them, it delayed some matters, which made the local big figures unhappy... Is this related? It’s just a rumor."
"I’ll go investigate it first then."
Shard made up his mind:
"I’ll resolve the customs and Grey Glove issues, I need to go check on the Hawthorn Family and the dock office. The rest is up to you, Miss Princess is waiting for our good news."
"Yes, sir."
"Additionally, I have some personal matters I need your help with."
He briefly mentioned needing to find someone centered around Herring Street in the Lower District, emphasizing that it mustn’t be too conspicuous. Ms. Bonnie also promised Shard that she would arrange for her people to handle it, saying her people were up to the task.
"Also, have you encountered any strange corpses locally recently?"
Shard asked again, not forgetting about the matters with Mr. Benhart and the coroner:
"Corpses with missing heads, or corpses wholly drained of blood."
"The headless murder cases are a very famous topic in the city recently, but we haven’t encountered them, I heard the bodies were all found in the urban areas, none have appeared at the dock. As for bodies wholly drained of blood... haven’t heard of that, is it an urban legend?"
Shard nodded, and after informing the three that some letters addressed to him would be sent here, he bid them farewell. As the sun set, another day’s time had come to an end. He didn’t stay to continue experiencing the prosperity of the City of Wealth, but instead threw Crystal Shoes in the alley, returning to his warm home.
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