CHAPTER 277: CHAPTER 275: NETHERLANDS BANK GROUP

"The Leiden River Valley" is known for its excellent livable environment and has many cities of various sizes along its route,

but aside from Water City Nisk, which guards the estuary, and Brandenburg, the capital of Salt Lake County, the city with the most special status is the City of Wealth, "Golden Lion City," located in the midstream of the valley!

Though it’s also known as the City of Wealth, and indeed many commerce associations and trading companies reside here, its main business has little to do with the thriving maritime commerce of this era.

In fact, it is a financial city led by great bankers!

Even the governor of Golden Lion City is the chairman of the board of a group called the "Netherlands Banking Group," and the garrison in the city has little connection with the Kingdom, as they are all elite private armies employed by the Bank Group.

It can be said that this "Netherlands Banking Group" has become the de facto ruler of the city and has been tacitly approved by the ruler of this country, the Tyrone Royal Family!

And what is the background of the "Netherlands Banking Group"? How did they manage to establish a state within a state inside Tyrone Kingdom?

In reality.

This is an international financial organization with a long history across various countries, and although its headquarters is set in the Tyrone Kingdom, which ranks in the top three in terms of comprehensive national strength within the Tulip Alliance, its financial business has already spread throughout the entire Old Continent.

Although its functions are somewhat primitive, primarily focusing on currency exchange, deposit, lending, credit mediation, and valuable goods custody among various countries, its volume is undoubtedly that of a super-giant!

Not only the ordinary citizen class, merchants, and dignitaries, but even the ruler of a country may also be their debtor.

This is not a joke.

The rulers of the Old Continent’s dozens of countries have varying degrees of power. Some have almost reached the family dynasty level of power concentration, akin to the Eastern Ancient Countries.

Some, however, have had their political and economic powers squeezed by various forces within the country, leaving them with a mere nominal Common Lord status.

But the similarity lies in that, under the feudal system that has lasted for thousands of years, the monarch never possesses the supreme power of an Eastern Emperor to impose taxes at will!

Therefore, even a relatively "supreme" His Majesty the King cannot always be free from financial shortages.

The enormous national expenditures, especially for war expenses, military funding, and the highly risky ocean expeditions, naturally cannot do without the presence of big Bank Groups.

As time goes by, the Bank Group primarily composed of big merchants unexpectedly became the creditor of strong kingdoms, and the seemingly financially and militarily powerful country also became the debtor of private forces!

Among the many debtors of the Netherlands Banking Group, two cannot be overlooked. The first is the ruler of this land, the Tyrone Kingdom Royal Family, which is also the fundamental reason why the Bank Group can obtain autonomy.

The second one is something many people simply cannot imagine or dare not imagine, and that is the maritime overlord of this era, with its extremely powerful force subduing various countries—the "Hilus Kingdom"!

Possessing the strongest Invincible Fleet of the Age of Navigation, they firmly control the most lucrative colonies of the Southern and New Continents with their sea-spanning fortresses and Navy bases.

The most convenient trade routes, the most fertile lands, and deposits of precious metals—all are available to Hilus.

In comparison, even a strong country like Phaletis Kingdom, which vaguely ranks as the nation with the greatest comprehensive national strength within the "Tulip Alliance," can only follow behind Hilus picking the scraps.

Is it possible that such a behemoth is short of funds?!

The answer is a resounding yes!

While the New Continent’s gold, silver, and overseas trade profits pour continuously into Hilus, or more accurately, into the pockets of Hilus’s upper-class elites, like a river,

This Age of Navigation overlord status does not come easily.

The situation of Hilus Kingdom can be aptly described as "surrounded by enemies"!

The Navigation dividend disputes, religious conflicts, colonies’ disputes, Old Continent homeland expansion struggles, along with successive kings’ "Emperor Dreams," have strained Hilus’s relations with surrounding countries nearly to a breaking point.

On land, Hilus, which believes in the "Eternal Flame," fights against the traditional land military power Sak Empire, which believes in the "Dawn Light," and the Desert Kingdom Heimar, which believes in the "Brilliant Starry Night."

At sea, they fight against Atlant, which covers a third of its territories with snow and believers of "Frost Breath," against the gradually strengthening Sak Empire Navy, and against Phaletis, the newly rising maritime powerhouse which believes in the "Queen and Goddess of Navigation."

One-on-one, Hilus can make any opponent kneel and sing "Conquest," but the result of one person fighting a group is...

Hilus must constantly maintain a ridiculously large army to deal with various wars, reaching increasingly insane levels of one in twenty conscripts recently.

Note that this includes the total national population of the elderly, children, and women, not just the number of eligible young adults.

It can be said that Hilus has already become entrenched in militarism, perpetually engaged in warfare.

Despite being the top maritime power, it doesn’t even have a large-scale handicraft industry, let alone the currently thriving steam industry developing across the continent.

In terms of industrial development, it is already a whole generation behind others.

However, its rulers clearly do not care.

Moreover, according to hearsay, due to overexpansion, the gold and silver transported back to the homeland from the New Continent each year may not even cover a fifth of the military expenses.

Those gold and silver might only feel warm for a moment in Hilus’s national treasury before becoming interest in the pockets of the "Netherlands Banking Group"...

At this time.

Located in the grand and palace-like city hall, which is also the continental headquarters of the "Netherlands Banking Group."

In the largest conference room.

A massive conference table made from an entire red fir tree was placed in the center of the meeting room.

If this red fir’s finest core material were used, it would be enough to craft a "single-mast" of a Level 1 Battleship, but here it was just made into an ordinary table.

Merely from this table, the scent of money wafted over.

At this moment, surrounding this long table, sixteen bank group board members or their representatives had all arrived.

Among them were elegant middle-aged nobles, portly wealthy merchants, graceful noblewomen, wise elders, and fresh-faced young people... However, regardless of age or appearance, their expressions were consistent.

Looking down at the world! Who else but me!

They certainly had reasons to be arrogant.

Because of the gemstone buttons on their sleeves, each worth as much as a house; because of the signatures of various continental dignitaries on the promissory notes in their hands; because they held the economic lifeline of more than one country; because their words decided countless futures...

Their status might not be noble, yet surpasses nobility. They might not be kings, yet truly transcend some kings!

Clack—

The engraved heart-wood door with gold trimming was gently closed by the guards.

Clap! Clap!

Sitting in the high-backed chair at the head, an elderly man with gray hair but still energetic lightly clapped his hands, attracting everyone’s attention.

"Gentlemen and ladies, you have probably heard from various channels about the current situation in the ’Leiden River Valley’.

The topic of this full board meeting is simple, it’s about how our ’Netherlands Bank Group’ should respond in the upcoming turmoil.

Does anyone want to express their views?"

At the first seat to the right of the long table, a portly board member wearing a snow-white silk shirt and a black dress coat spoke first:

"Mr. Chairman! Forgive me for speaking plainly, we have the most secure underground vault and comprehensive security within the alliance.

Even for years, there’s been a Tier 3 Great Knight, Mr. Graces, and two powerful Official Wizards stationed here!

There’s no need for us to get involved in the disputes between the Tyrone Kingdom or Tulip and that Pirate King.

After all, they are all clients of the bank group, aren’t they?"

Money moves people, a massive wealth of Golden Lions thrown in would make even the high and mighty Steel Nerved Great Knight and the mysterious and dangerous Wizard bow to them.

In reality, the ’Netherlands Bank Group’ possesses far more than one Tier 3 combat force.

Beside him, a pale young man with visible blue veins readily agreed:

"Indeed, Mr. Hawkins is a very generous client, one year ago he entrusted us with an ’Ocean Treasure’ which is still in the second basement of the vault.

I remember, after paying triple the storage fee, this powerful Tier 3 Transcendent only asked to take a look outside the vault’s gate.

After hearing a simple introduction of the vault, he was full of praise for our security measures, stating that even a Tier 4 Title may not break through in a short time."

This being the first business for the young man after joining the bank group, representing his elderly father, he indeed had a deep impression of the Pirate King.

The presiding elderly man nodded slightly and scanned everyone in the meeting:

"Apart from Mr. Swift and Mr. Little Durand, does anyone else wish to speak?"

The third board member on the left, the graceful noblewoman in a burgundy long dress gently shaking a peacock feather fan:

"Mr. Chairman, actually, many of the gentlemen present have business dealings with the Pirate King. Even our ’Alberta’ Trading company which only does legitimate business conducted slave transactions with him in Duifeng Strait.

I believe the Pirate King would not be so unwise to break the friendship with so many!"

Seeing that most of the others present were nodding lightly, showing a look of agreement, the elderly man himself did not believe there would be any issues, so he concluded:

"Then I now announce the final decision of the board meeting, we ’Netherlands Bank Group’ will not interfere in the Pirate King and Tulip’s dispute.

However, the kingdom’s face must still be given, allowing Tulip’s mobile forces to garrison Golden Lion City.

Also, inform Bishop Jasper of the Golden Summit Cathedral, to coordinate on joint defense during this period.

Until this matter is resolved, our private soldiers are strictly prohibited from leaving the city to intervene in others’ conflicts.

That’s it."

The daily management of ’Netherlands Bank Group’ is handled by a four-person committee elected by the board, with the committee chairman also serving as the Governor of ’Golden Lion City’.

The elderly man Mr. Joel Theodore, who embodies military, political, and financial power, his words are the final decisive voice!

He also determined the key tone of Golden Lion City’s defense policy for the foreseeable future.