"Mr. Benny, do you think this is the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries when a few merchants brought in some mercenaries to go to war with the country?"

This exchange with the other party made Franz feel that he was completely wasting his time, and it was not uncommon for merchants to directly conquer the city-state in the early days of the Age of Discovery.

But with the development of the times, the proliferation of firearms, and the natural obsolescence of history, it is almost impossible for this situation to occur again.

Not to mention the fact that a powerful empire like the Saeyid dynasty of Oman had a navy of 25 battleships (58 guns), 38 frigates, 79 sailboats, and hundreds of auxiliary ships, with a navy of 32,000 men. Such a number of enemies could not be easily defeated by the merchant alone.

Strictly speaking, the Omani Navy's 58-gun battleships are barely at the level of frigates in Europe, while other types of ships are also shrunken versions.

The standard they used was more like the 18th-century maritime classification standard, and the number of sailors alone even surpassed that of their Austrian counterparts.

In addition, the Omani Empire's army has nearly 50,000 soldiers, including more than 15,000 cavalry. Even more frightening was the fact that it was not difficult to support such a strong army in the country's financial capacity, and their supremacy in East Africa was even recognized by the British.

(Of course, it is not recognized by other countries, especially Portugal and France.) ）

"You can laugh at my whimsical, but every European merchant who remains in Bagamoyo wants free trade and access to power; Every inhabitant of Tanzania who has lived for generations wants to drive the Arabs out of their land. ”

In a sense, Benny Earbyn is telling the truth.

Because after Oman acquired the vast territory of East Africa, on the one hand, through monopoly trade and slave hunting wars, etc., it exploited the local indigenous tribes more brutally, and even raised salt and iron to an almost unthinkable price.

On the other hand, the Omani Empire continued to exclude Western traders in a semi-open way, and even strictly forbade those Western traders to participate in the slave trade, leaving them to the Arab monopoly.

In addition, it introduced a commercial competition mechanism to attract Indian businessmen to East Africa and raise the export price of goods, which caused successive setbacks for Western counterparts.

"And what do you want, this dreamer?"

Franz still didn't feel that the businessman in front of him was someone who kept his word and kept his promise.

After all, he was born too late to catch the bus of the glorious Age of Discovery, and he was born too early to catch up with the wave of national liberation; Life in the present is doomed to make him unable to succeed, unless someone with strength and ability personally intervenes.

"I need five thousand rifles and twenty cannons!" Benny Earbin said with a solemn face.

After hearing this, Franz and Friedrich couldn't help but laugh in their hearts, after all, this requirement was too low. 5,000 rifles plus twenty cannons (6 or 8 pounds) would be worth no more than 100,000 florins, even if you add freight.

This is something that is difficult in the eyes of ordinary businessmen, but for the two of them, it is as simple as a gesture.

Because after the Napoleonic Wars, major European countries have introduced measures to restrict the circulation of war weapons in the civilian population, and it is simply difficult to buy in large quantities; Even if you can get your wish, it is after paying a very serious price; For example, the French will often sell to civilians at a level 300%~400% higher than the original price.

"And what do we get?" Franz asked.

"Bagamo has about 30% of the annual tax revenue, as well as the ownership of the city. As long as you have the ability to drive away Said, the whole coast is yours. Benny Irbin replied.

(Said is a reference to the Sultan of Oman at this time, who was a very capable monarch, but also very hated.) ）

A 30% tax may sound like a lot, but in reality, as a port city of only 18,000 people, its most lucrative industry (the slave trade) was banned, and the actual tax revenue must have been greatly reduced.

As for the "tempting" condition that "if you drive the Omanis away, you will get the entire coastline", it is an out-and-out act of drawing a big pie.

Obviously, the risk of this transaction is too high, and the returns are very unsatisfactory, and it may even be a trap waiting for your side to jump in.

And Franz was inspired by the other side, and he had already come up with a better idea to run the land.

"Let's think about it a little more. Sir, it's getting late, please go back. In the end, Franz still pinned his hopes on sending the other party away with a polite and decent gesture, hoping to give him a decent attitude.

"What else do you have to hesitate about? I'm gambling on my life, and you're paying for a small number of weapons. ”

Benny Erbin wanted to step up his efforts to get the deal done, but it didn't work for Franz.

"Mr. Benny, life is precious and should not be taken lightly, it is blasphemy against God."

Franz finally decided to bring God to the merchant in front of him.

It's just that the other party looks like he won't stop until he achieves his goal, and he wants to step forward to continue the theory but is stopped by two soldiers.

"I am the prince of the kingdom of Vegin! In my capacity, I can connect with the indigenous tribes in Tanzania to fight against the Arabs! I only need five thousand rifles and twenty guns!."

"But you don't look like a black man, do you?" Friedrich thought the guy in front of him was interesting, so he was interested.

"I'm an illegitimate child and my mother is Dutch!" Benny Erbin saw hope, and with encouragement, he continued, "There are 6,000 warriors in the kingdom of Vegin! My father is the great King of Vegin, Yah Numbayi! ”

The illegitimate son of a black chieftain was not a glorious thing in this era, but what shocked Franz and Friedrich even more was that there was such a powerful presence in the interior of Tanzania, and the seven tribes mentioned earlier might really be able to fight the Omani Empire.

"Why did this black prince bear the fate of a slave trader?"

Friedrich asked, curious as to why a white man who identified himself as black would sell blacks.

"I knew you were going to ask this question, because we were different from you! If it weren't for the slave trade, my country would have lost a stable source of salt and iron.

You know the importance of salt to people. And if we don't have iron weapons, we can't protect our country and our families!

We are surrounded by tribes in the same situation as us, and if we want to avoid the fate of being reduced to slavery, we have to sell others as slaves, this is to survive!

But now the Omanis are coming! We don't even have a chance to live, and they want to see all of us as objects to be enslaved at will.

My father, the great Jeh Numbay, sent me to Europe with my mother, and I saw kingdoms without slaves.

We didn't want it to be like that, but if you ask for money, we will give you money, and if you want a crop, we will give you a harvest. But please don't enslave us, don't kill us. We just want to live! ”

(End of chapter)