Volume 2 Chapter 46 - Power of industry (1/2)

“Why not?” Xu Yi looked at Seveni in surprise and asked with a frown, “Your highness, our Frestech Chamber of Commerce is a proper company, isn’t it normal to go to the capital to open a factory? Why isn’t it good?”

Seveni shook her head slightly, “It isn’t that it isn’t good, it’s more that it isn’t the right time yet.”

“Not the right time yet?” Xu Yi knit his brows even more, “Your highness, I don’t understand what you mean. From my angle, the development of our Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s household magic machines is very limited in Banta City, so we should be focusing on developing, so why is it not the right time?”

“I’m not saying in terms of business, rather it’s another wrong time.” Seveni took a deep look at Xu Yi and honestly said, “Xu Yi, believe me. After personally seeing the changes brought by your agricultural magic machines, I believe more than anyone that your Frestech Chamber of Commerce can become bigger. So I ask you to believe me, the advice or the warnings that I’m giving you, they are all beneficial to your Frestech Chamber of Commerce.”

Seeing Seveni’s honest expression, Xu Yi considered it before giving a slight nod.

“Alright, I’ll believe you.”

Hearing Xu Yi suddenly change his address to “you”, Seveni revealed a smile. She took a deep breath and calmed her mind before saying, “Good, then I’ll discuss serious business. Royal father has already looked through the kingdom public road connection plan you mentioned and he supports this very much. Moreover, Count Sean has already reported the details of the road you built before, which royal father has paid attention to before. Now that he has seen your plan, he is very happy. He said that you not only care about your company, you are also thinking about the Lampuri Kingdom. Only…..”

“Only the kingdom finances can’t take out the money?” Xu Yi asked with a smile.

Seveni couldn’t help revealing a smile, “That’s right. You should be clear on the situation of the kingdom’s finances, so we indeed can’t take out the money needed for your public road plan. As for what you proposed……”

When she said this, Seveni’s smile disappeared and her brows knit deeper.

“This…...toll stations, royal father doesn’t agree to it. He said that since we are making public roads, it is consideration for the kingdom’s citizens,, so why should we set up toll stations and make the people who take these roads pay for it? This method is simply exploiting the people of the kingdom.”

“Exploiting?” Xu Yi laughed, “Your highness, for his majesty’s care about his subjects, I deeply respect and appreciate it. But I have to say that his majesty’s understanding of the public road is very shallow. The toll stations isn’t exploiting the citizens, rather, it is an excellent policy that will increase the level of living for the kingdom’s people.”

“I know that you’re not a merchant that is greedy for money, you must have a reason for proposing this.” Seveni’s expression relaxed and she calmly looked at Xu Yi, “Although I’m also very much against opening these toll stations, I’m willing to listen to your thoughts.”

“Your highness really is quite open.” Xu Yi said with a nod, “If we want to talk about this matter, then it will take a long time. So I will simply ask you a few questions. First, your highness, is it very beneficial to the kingdom to connect the kingdom by building these roads?”

“Yes. Although I can’t understand the situation you described in the plan right now, I am certain that these public roads will bring many benefits to public transport in the kingdom.”

“The second question, the kingdom’s finances can’t take out this much money to build the roads, right?”

“Yes.”

“The third question, can you have companies take out money to fix the roads?”

“This……” Seveni hesitated a bit, “We can, but the roads must be strictly supervised by the kingdom as it’s being constructed and it needs to be turned over to kingdom officials after it is finished.”

“Look, the problem right now is very simple. Since the kingdom needs these public roads to improve the traffic situation and the kingdom’s finances doesn’t have the money, then looking for normal companies to help pay for building the roads is a very normal choice. As for establishing the toll stations and charging a set fee, this is also compensation to the companies. To put it simply, it’s the kingdom’s finances temporarily borrowing from the companies and using future income to repay them. Your highness, why do you and his majesty think that this plan isn’t good?”

Seveni fell silent and considered it for a bit before saying with difficulty, “Royal father and I not approving of this method is mainly because…...to charge a fee to the citizens, this……”

“It’s bad for your reputation?” Xu Yi directly pointed out her thoughts.

Seveni nodded with an awkward expression.

“It’s very simple, it’ll be publicly announced when this road is being built that this road is built by a company. It’s not said now, but after the toll stations are added, you just need to tell everyone that they were added by the companies and unrelated to you all. To put it simply, take his majesty and the royal family out of the discussion and let the company that builds the road to take the infamy. I think like this, it won’t affect the fame of his majesty and the royal family.”

Seveni was stunned. She looked at Xu Yi and asked in a serious voice, “Chairman Xu, are you shaming me and royal father? Our Lampuri Royal Family, how could there be anyone who won’t take responsibility!”

Xu Yi waved his hand with a smile, “Your highness, you don’t need to be this serious. To many companies, it’s fine as long as they make money, they don’t care about their fame at all. Like our Frestech Chamber of Commerce.”

Seveni looked at Xu Yi with a complicated expression on her face. It was praise, guild, admiration, and even a bit of fanaticism, before she finally gave a sigh, “Chairman Xu, when you proposed this plan, did you already think of this?”

“Pretty much.” Xu Yi looked at the expression on Seveni’s face and couldn’t help saying with a smile, “Your highness, you mustn’t think that I’ll suffer a loss from this matter. In the long term, me and the Frestech Chamber of Commerce will benefit far more than you can imagine from this.”

“I hope so.” Seveni said with a sigh, “Chairman Xu, I’ve always looked down on merchants who have their heads filled with gold coins, but I have to admit that you have abilities that I don’t have. And now, not only do I admire your abilities, I also seriously hope that your Frestech Chamber of Commerce can become bigger, or rather you can become more rich.”

“Many thanks for your highness’ blessing, we definitely will.”