"Company..." Roland whispered.
"What?" Victor was slightly startled, "If you have any doubts, I can explain it again."
"No," he waved, "it's an interesting plan, at least it doesn't seem to be a problem. If it's going to happen, how long will it take you to get the money in place?"
Victor's eyes suddenly lit up with joy, "I know you will understand it, please forgive me, Your Majesty, if you are also a businessman, your achievements will never be under any big chamber of commerce!"
This metaphor seems to lower the status of the king, but placing the other party at the top of the industry he is good at is a way of expressing high recognition in noble etiquette, and it can be regarded as an undisguised flattery.
At this moment, Roland had a completely different idea in his heart: Isn't this a large industrial company in the future
Settling down with technology, recruiting people spontaneously, organizing production and marketing, making profits and losses independently... He did not expect to hear such a complete concept in a contemporary population. The biggest difference from the Chamber of Commerce is that the plan combines production and sales, which can be said to be the prototype of a modern private enterprise.
This might be an excellent opportunity.
In the past four years, his territory has developed by leaps and bounds, but it has gradually exposed its shortcomings, that is, the Executive Office has almost done everything. Any project needs to be controlled by the administrative department. From the preparation of the number of people to the allocation of the budget, these complicated work regulations take up most of the officials' time. As the scale of the project continues to expand, it will inevitably make the organization more bloated, and the administrative efficiency will also decrease.
This can be regarded as a common problem of "state-owned enterprises". Once the profits and losses have nothing to do with the participants, stability becomes everything. It has the advantage of not considering returns and being determined by the will of the upper level. It can quickly meet needs in the early stage, and can also be used to conquer those strategic projects with high risks in the later stage, but it does not mean that it is omnipotent.
This was also one of the reasons why Roland devoted all his efforts to developing heavy industry and agriculture in Neverwinter City, but seldom took into account the light industry. Apart from the limited working population, the Executive Office could no longer provide so many officials to deal with the expansion of industries.
After all, it is simple to issue an order, but it is just a matter of one sentence, but if you really want to implement it, even if you build another steam engine assembly plant, you need a whole set of manpower behind it.
And now, he has a new option.
Before the means of attracting investment were used, someone took the initiative to send it to him, and Roland naturally had no reason to refuse it easily.
Although this "company" had the background of an overseas family, it would inevitably cause a certain amount of golden dragons to flow out after making a profit, but as long as its production departments were all within the territory of Graycastle, this shortcoming was nothing.
After reaching the initial intention, Roland personally sent Victor to the gate of the castle, "When you are ready, I think new cotton seeds should be able to be cultivated. But there is one thing I have to explain in advance, if other businessmen plan to do so in the future. Following your example, the Executive Office will also sell seeds to them at the same price. The richer the commodity on the market, the more affordable the price, you should know better than me."
"Of course, Your Majesty," said Victor with a confident look in his eyes, "the Merchant of Dawn is never afraid of competition. My father always said that from the moment we were born, the competition started."
When he was about to retire, Roland suddenly stopped him again, "By the way, I want to ask you another question. My minister found out that you have a record of paying taxes to Changge Fortress six years ago, why? If you want to save this amount at that time, it should be easy for you, right?"
Victor nodded, "But the lord at the time promised that as long as he paid the tax according to the amount, he would provide certain convenience and protection for the caravan traveling between the border and Changge. He did exactly that at that time. , this cost can at least avoid the threat of beasts, and the trouble of peer attacks. I always feel that paying a little price to get a stable and orderly rule is actually a good thing for businessmen. Unfortunately, there are many People would rather invest large sums of money in unworthy goods than see rules as one of the costs."
He was indeed an interesting person. Looking at the back of the businessman leaving, Roland couldn't help thinking to himself. If there are such people as an example, Greycastle's "private enterprise" should also usher in a period of rapid and vigorous development.
Just when he was about to go back to the office, Nightingale's anxious voice suddenly rang in his ear, "Your Majesty, Lightning is back, she seems to be in trouble"
"What's the situation?" Roland asked hurriedly.
"I don't know... I just received a summons from Sylvie. After she was brought back by Maisie, she was sent directly to the medical hospital!"
His heart sank suddenly, "She is injured? Take me there now!"
"Yes," Nightingale reached out and grabbed him, then the two of them disappeared into the mist together.
…
After arriving at the medical hospital in the west of the city, Roland saw the little girl lying on the hospital bed.
The moment he opened the door, his worries were dispelled a lot. The lightning looked intact, there were no obvious scars or bloodstains on his face, and his chest was still heaving, which meant that she would be fine. . Even if the investigation did encounter danger, it is now safe.
But he soon discovered something was wrong.
Nana didn't feel the sense of relief after completing the treatment, but frowned, looking down at her hands, looking puzzled.
Maisie was lying on the head of the bed nervously, wiping Lightning's forehead with her hand, and when she saw Roland, she shrank her neck into her clothes, looking like she had done something wrong. Only then did he notice, Sweat was constantly pouring out of the other party's face, and there was a shallow moan between the slightly open lips and teeth, as if immersed in a nightmare.
"What's the matter?" Roland looked at Nana, "Where is the lightning injury?"
The latter raised his head and slowly pointed to his chest.
"nightingale."
"Yes." Nightingale stepped forward, carefully picked up Lightning, helped her take off that special windproof jacket, and then unbuttoned the inner lining a little bit. Just as she fell to her collarbone, she couldn't help but stop her hand, "Your Majesty, this is"
Roland approached the hospital bed and found a thumb-sized wound two fingers below Lightning's neck. Compared to the surrounding snow-white skin, this scar is particularly eye-catching, but if you look closely, it doesn't even hurt the muscle layer, it just breaks the epidermis.
It stands to reason that healing such a wound is only a small thing that can be done in the blink of an eye for Nana.
But her next sentence left Roland stunned.
"I can't cure her..." Nana murmured, "No matter how you drive the magic, the wound can't go away, as if my ability is invalid."