When the Saint comes, she does not collect food

Chapter 736 The Foundation of Clockwork Industrialization
Surrounded by the knights of the Carabinieri, three carriages slowly set out from outside the stock exchange and headed towards the Uffizi Palace.

As it was approaching noon, the two sides of the canal were filled with sunlight, and people wearing hooded short capes and robe shirts were coming and going.

A few black swallows are perched on the eaves in spring.

Next to the love nest they built, you can see a brick with black burnt marks.

To commemorate the Battle of Rapid City and the people who died in that battle, newly built houses in the city often use a black smoke mark.

"Catherine?" Horn, who was sitting in the carriage, suddenly spoke.

"Ok?"

"Are you interested in getting off the bus and walking with me?" Horn glanced at the street view outside. "Get off at the intersection ahead. We can walk along the canal for ten minutes and we will reach the Uffizi Palace."

"What?" Catherine coughed, not knowing what she was thinking of. "Why did you suddenly get off the car?"

"I just want the two of us to go out for a walk alone."

Catherine looked down at her knee-high riding boots. "What about the senior partners?"

Horn didn't care: "Then let them wait a while, it won't take long."

"Since you said so, then fine."

Soon the carriage stopped at the street corner, and under the protection of countless guards and Cheka security, Horn and Catherine walked onto the canal sidewalk lined with willows.

Catherine, wearing a veil that covered her face and white lace gloves, held Horn's arm.

Walking on the stone slabs beside the river, the two of them were like a newlywed couple, strolling along the river.

The two were speechless for a moment, and it was Catherine who spoke first: "Milson, what are you going to do?"

"I remember his name."

In this vote, Horn did not give enough rewards to the main player Milson, but instead gave Duterte's most important asset to Goanzi.

The reason is very simple. Most of Duterte's assets are in the banking and real estate industries. As a shipping tycoon, Milson has no experience and no interest.

Horn has other uses for Milson's talents.

"Milson has a strong character and is often rude and careless when doing trivial things, but he is determined and suitable for a position that does not value ability but attitude." Catherine naturally had to say a few good words about this old friend.

"Yeah, I remember."

The two of them walked two steps forward along the noisy river, and Catherine said quietly, "How many years will my Megdi Chamber of Commerce last?"

After all, the Magdi Chamber of Commerce was Catherine's long-term effort. It was split up by Horn, so it was inevitable that she would feel resentful.

"The Magde Chamber of Commerce may go bankrupt, but I will never allow it to deteriorate." Horn said to Catherine with a hint of apology, "The Magde Chamber of Commerce can exist, but a large part of its business territory must be split off."

This is inevitable. Industries and businesses such as dyes, medicines, furs, and textiles can be left to these people.

But industries such as transportation, banking, and peat must be controlled by the Holy Alliance and monopolized by the Holy Alliance government.

Of all profits in monopoly industries, 30% is turned over, 30% is kept as operating reserves, 20% is given to management (shareholders, shipowners, managers), and 20% is distributed as dividends to employees.

"It's good enough that the name Megdi can be retained." Catherine shrugged, "Many people have already criticized me for being the head of the Megdi Chamber of Commerce and the president of the Saint Bank.

It just so happens that you have dismantled the Megdi Chamber of Commerce, so I don’t have any problems in this regard... Can I ask how you plan to dismantle it?"

“It’s very simple. First, we need to integrate the chambers of commerce in key industries such as transportation and banking, either by merging or closing them down.

The integrated chamber of commerce was transformed into the Holy Monastery, which issued franchises and monopolized key industries by the Holy See.

As for those small workshop owners and scattered small handicraftsmen in towns and villages, they will establish industrial and commercial guilds to work together. "

To be precise, Horn's arrangement was to establish industrial and commercial religious orders in priestly towns to bring together the previously scattered small craftsmen.

Improve profits and economy by improving efficiency and production capacity through similar cooperation and advanced equipment.

This is a preparation for expanding production and promoting consumption in the future. Next year is 1449.

In Horn's plan, the first four years were just to lay the foundation, and it was not until 1449 that the industrial ignition era truly began.

At present, the raw material production area in Black Snake Bay in the south has been found.

The huge market of the Kingdom of France has been created.

The canal network and the construction of infrastructure with an investment of two hundred thousand pounds over four years brought about a transportation revolution.

The technological innovation brought about by the Orichalcum Engine and the Alchemical Revolution has arrived.

The agricultural revolution of the hundred-household district system and the four-field system brought about increased grain production and surplus labor.

There are financing methods provided by stocks, bonds and exchanges.

The rapid increase in the number of commodities and the ideological innovation of the Tao sect have given rise to the budding consumer culture.

There was the great change in publishing brought about by the printing press and paper and ink, and the innovation in the education system and knowledge dissemination brought about by public schools and the apprenticeship system.

Horn had managed to put together a new army to protect these achievements, an industrial chain and most of the basic conditions.

The price is massive bloodshed and sacrifice, countless complicated tasks, a political situation that is as tight as a thread, and the hidden danger of internal division in the Thousand River Valley.

And, of course, much of Horn’s personal life.

The whole year is filled with high-intensity work and a tight schedule, not to mention the time spent on field operations.

Jeanne was training new soldiers and running the army, Catherine was running around in Rapid City, Shilov was doing research in the Holy See, and Meliati was in charge of the overall situation in Xialu City.

Everyone is so busy that they can hardly spare any time.

The people Horn came into contact with most often during the year were Armand, Petit, René, and Sissi.

But no matter what, the previous efforts have finally paid off.

There are only three problems left for Horn: the technical challenges of the lightning furnace (steel), the imperial market's doubts about the Holy Alliance's investment (capital), and the destruction of the results by the invasion of the Kingdom of Leia (politics).

As long as these three problems are solved, the positive feedback chain of clockwork industrialization will emerge——

Technological breakthroughs increase productivity, so profits are reinvested to expand production, and infrastructure is built to reduce transaction costs. Finally, the expansion of the market size further stimulates technological innovation.

Of these three problems, the first one cannot be rushed and can be solved with existing technology, while the last two can be solved by defeating the Kingdom of Leia.

"It's just that Meliati... Alas." Horn got a headache just thinking about this, "I really don't know whether her decision is right or wrong."

Catherine also smiled bitterly: "Meliati is stubborn, and once she makes a decision, no one can change it.

The good thing is that she never wavers and you can absolutely trust her when she is in the same direction.

But the bad thing is, once she gets stuck in a rut, she won’t give up until she dies.”

Horn remained silent until the Uffizi Palace was in sight, then he spoke again: "At the end of this month, I will set off for North Mound County to talk to her face to face again."

"You can't persuade her."

"At least tell her not to be so extreme and mobilize too many troops."

Time marched forward at a rapid pace, and soon it was May.

Horn toured Jeanne d'Arc, Longleaf City and the Holy See according to the prescribed schedule.

Just as he was about to go north along the newly built Taibo River to South Mound County to meet Meliati in North Mound County, he heard new news from North Mound County.

"Her Highness Meliati, in the name of revenge and fighting for the dukedom for her vassal Baron Moragan, assembled an army in Ladenburg and threatened the Duke of Wing Nest City to hand over the Salt Flats!"

(End of this chapter)