Chapter 314: Trade and Conflict
Bedele Town, located in the Turkana Province of the East African Kingdom, stands as one of the northernmost towns in the province. It serves as a bustling trading market established by the East African Kingdom.
On a bright morning, the market in Bedele came to life.
Caravans from Abyssinia, having traveled a long way from the southern regions of Abyssinia, arrived in Bedele to engage in trade. They brought horses, cattle, sheep, camels, and various agricultural specialties from Abyssinia to exchange for goods in the town.
A specialized arms store announced, "Today, we have received a total of 150 muskets of excellent quality. You are free to bid for them, and the highest bidder will secure the purchase."
Immediately, eager buyers started competing for the muskets.
Bubu Yaweisi, a businessman hailing from the Tigray region in northern Abyssinia, boldly declared, "I am offering thirty Abyssinian horses."
Abyssinian horses were known for their quality and were a specialty of the region, also found in the Turkana Province of East Africa. Bubu Yaweisi's bid scared off many smaller caravans interested in acquiring Abyssinian horses. The northern part of Abyssinia, particularly the Tigray region, was the heartland of the Abyssinian Empire. Bubu Yaweisi himself belonged to the powerful Zagwi family of the Tigray region.
Just as Bubu Yaweisi believed he had secured the deal, a provocative voice chimed in, "Hehehe, do the Yankees also want to get ahead of us? The Amway family is offering thirty horses and a Sennya horse, as well as a camel."
This came from Oudley Kevin, a businessman from the southern region of Amhara in the Abyssinian Empire. Oudley Kevin's intentions were clear; he was determined to acquire the muskets.
Bubu Yaweisi took a closer look and realized that the provocateur was an "old rival." He taunted without reservation, "So it's a small Amhara family. How does it compare to our Zagwi family? Our Zagwi family is among the top three families in the empire. I could add ten Amhara donkeys, and these muskets would still be mine."
The East African businessman seemed puzzled and asked, "Mr. Bubuyaweis, you mean ten donkeys?"
Bubu Yaweisi replied confidently, "Yes, ten donkeys, but they're ten donkeys from Amhara, or, in other words, ten donkeys with brains as small as those of the Amway family."
Oudley Kevin was not pleased and retorted, "You... Odley Kevin, provoked by the insult, confronted Bubu Yaweisi.
The quick-thinking East African staff rushed to separate the two sides, but neither side was willing to back down, and soon a brawl erupted.
Seeing that persuading them was futile, the shop owner had no choice but to blow a warning whistle, followed by a sharp, trailing "wow."
The East African Mounted Police stationed nearby in Berdelai Town heard the signal and quickly arrived on horseback. They brandished sticks to disperse the quarreling Abyssinian businessmen.
Soon, the situation calmed down.
Cruise, the chief of the Berdelay Police Department, sternly addressed the crowd, "Quiet down! This is a public place, not a battleground. Count on money, not brute force. You should consider yourselves fortunate that it's me handling this, not the border guards, or you'd face a different outcome. Return to your trading, and don't let this happen again. Or else you'll learn firsthand how powerful the East African police can be. The rest of you, leave the area and continue with your business."
Once order was restored to the market, Cruise left, leaving only Bubu Yaweisi and Odley Kevin glaring at each other. However, neither dared to act recklessly anymore.
In the end, Odley Kevin successfully purchased the muskets, offering thirty horses and eleven "Zagwi lame" camels.
As he departed, Bubu Yaweisi couldn't resist a parting shot, "You scoundrel! Pray that you stay safe once you're back in Abyssinia!"
Odley Kevin responded proudly, "You thought this was Tigray! I'll be waiting for your retaliation."
Odley Kevin's confidence stemmed from the muskets he had just acquired. Armed with these weapons and supported by skilled caravan members, he felt no fear.
North of Bedele Town lay Negmet, the southernmost city of the Abyssinian Empire. The relationship between East Africa and the Abyssinian Empire remained harmonious, with minimal conflict of interest. This amicable relationship was reflected in the bustling trading market.
East Africa had always been cautious when expanding into the Ethiopian plateau, as it faced constant scrutiny from the forces within the Abyssinian Empire. The two sides, however, never engaged in actual conflict. East Africa had never invaded Abyssinia. While the southern neighbors of Abyssinia