The War Court and Lap Pillow, Austria's Mandate of Heaven

Chapter 1640 Anlu Trading Company
The past "bleeding" remains fresh in the minds of the British people. The outflow of silver, inflation, and economic crisis are things that frighten the British government just thinking about.

The rise of the Austrian Empire at this time made it even more unacceptable for them to accept a return to this situation.

In fact, the main reason was that Britain and France were unwilling to "collude" with the Austrian Empire in developing paper currency. Their economic scale was severely limited by the amount of precious metal currency, so they had to keep gold and silver firmly in their own hands.

However, the Austrian Empire had fewer taboos. In fact, Austria also had its own circulation system and strong domestic demand, and did not rely on external markets.

For the Austrian Empire, doing business with the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and doing business with the Qing Dynasty made little difference. The Austrian Empire couldn't absorb the entire market, and its war supplies were readily available for sale.

Equivalent tariffs might be difficult for Britain and France to accept, but it was no big deal for the Austrian Empire. After all, since the price of raw silk and tea was high, the prices of steel, gunpowder, and alum sold by them would be slightly higher.

(Alum was used to stop bleeding, and at this time it was also considered a military supply, as mentioned earlier.)
It was easy to make a fortune from the war, but what Franz didn't expect was that Austria wasn't the only German country that sold goods to the Qing Dynasty and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

The Prussians actually acted even earlier than him. If it weren't for the fact that the Dehe & Co. and Lihe & Co. had been operating for many years, Franz would have doubted whether there were any time travelers at all.

In fact, it is possible that some insightful people in Prussia had predicted this war. More importantly, the Prussians did not have the ability to sell opium like the British and French from the beginning, so they chose other highly profitable commodities.

For example, some strange and unusual gadgets, or weapons.

Prussian merchants, like those of the Austrian Empire, traveled between the two countries. Since they didn't sell much contraband, there were few restrictions.

Before this, Franz could never have imagined that his biggest rival in the Far East would be Prussia.

But that wasn't all that surprised him; the most lucrative business in the Austrian Empire was actually banking.

In just a few short years, Franz's trading company amassed tens of millions of taels of silver, which turned many of the Austrian Empire's businesses in the Far East into ventures with no initial investment.

If these precious metals were transported back to the Austrian Empire, it would be tantamount to discovering a huge gold and silver mine, making his monetary reforms seem somewhat superfluous.

In fact, Franz knew from the beginning that Qing Dynasty officials would definitely transfer assets, so he made a point of emphasizing security and secrecy when he first established his trading company.

The trading companies of the Austrian Empire were even called Anlu Trading Company. Foreigners might not understand this, but it was not difficult for Qing Dynasty officials and merchants with some literary knowledge to comprehend.

Franz originally intended to name it "Peach Blossom Spring," but he failed because the hook was too straight.

Not only Franz's Anlu Trading Company, but almost all the major powers' banks were making a fortune at this time. Foreign firms were now a complete rip-off for money shops and traditional banks.

Foreign firms enjoyed extraterritoriality and were not subject to the jurisdiction of the Qing government, nor did they have the right to interfere with their internal operations.

In contrast, money shops and banks held little sway in the eyes of the imperial court. They could be bankrupted at will, and their assets could be confiscated at will. The confidentiality of depositors' information was a joke.

Most foreign firms had the backing of the state, making them particularly reliable in these chaotic times. Meanwhile, the reputation and connections built up over generations by so-called century-old establishments proved far too fragile in the face of violence and tyranny.

In addition, there were indeed many corrupt officials in the Qing Dynasty, and this money could not be openly displayed, so foreign firms perfectly met their needs.

The political system of the Qing Dynasty also meant that even those with legitimate incomes could not fully trust the government. They were uncertain when they might offend someone and end up in prison or have their families destroyed.

Therefore, during the Qing Dynasty, both law-abiding and lawless wealthy people preferred to choose a safer option.

Franz's strategy of inscribing the rules of secrecy directly on the gate was exceptionally successful. Coupled with some specially crafted inspirational quotes, it precisely touched the hearts of those people. The "no naming, no recording, no questioning" principle made Franz's Anlu Trading Company a paradise and safe haven in the eyes of corrupt officials and wealthy merchants.

"Mr. Hans, I've heard that your firm is incredibly powerful and has a great ability to protect the wealth of your clients?"

The trading company manager, Hans Liu, replied with a smile.

"Prince Gong, with your vast knowledge, surely you know about our Austrian Empire?"

Prince Gong Yixin's eyelids twitched. He naturally knew about the Austrian Empire. The Qing Dynasty's upper class was not out of touch with news from overseas. He knew that this country had won many battles in Europe in recent years, and had even defeated the unimaginably powerful Great Britain.

"I am aware of that, but your country's reputation doesn't seem to be very good. They are considered too fierce and domineering."

Prince Gong Yixin did not elaborate, but Hans Liu, the manager of the trading company, had received personal training from Franz during his years in the East and naturally knew what the other party was thinking.

"Prince Gong, those are just the British's side of the story. The British are pirates by origin; you can tell from their behavior that their words are not to be believed."

Although our Austrian Empire did not last as long as the Zhou Dynasty, which lasted for eight hundred years, it still has a history of nearly six hundred years. You can trust us completely.

As for the so-called fierce and domineering attitude, you don't need to worry. As the saying goes, a gentleman can be deceived by reason, and it is precisely because we are strong that no one dares to mess with us.

"You agree, don't you?"

Prince Gong Yixin swallowed hard. He had met many foreigners and fake foreigners, but this was the first time he had encountered such a formidable fellow.

Seeing this, Hans Liu began to introduce the bank's business.

"With our firm, your wealth will be kept in the highest esteem. We will never reveal a single word about your name, your accounts, or anything else about you."

We have a special code and coding system. To the outside world, your information and your wealth are just a string of numbers, a mysterious code.

No one can know your secret.

As for the staff handling these matters, you don't need to worry; we will rotate them regularly.

As for whether your wealth is accumulated from your salary, earned through business, or from some other 'gift,' we do not inquire, nor does anyone have the right to inquire, including your government.

As long as it can be legally deposited, it is property protected by us. In fact, our Emperor has always liked to call it the Peach Blossom Spring.

Prince Gong Yixin was clearly somewhat tempted, but as for the so-called Peach Blossom Spring, he didn't believe that a Western emperor would have read Tao Yuanming's works.

"Prince Gong, the strength of your country's money shops and banks is really not worth a second glance. You are just wavering between us and a few other foreign firms like Jardine Matheson."

But I must tell you, those are just businesses run by merchants, while our Anlu Trading Company has a royal background.

If something really happens, which side is more determined?