Chapter 315: Clearance
Returning to the trading market in Berdelai Town, as Bubu Yaweisi and Odley Kevin had their heated altercation on their way back to the Abyssinian Empire, another scene unfolded in the town.
A group of Negmut caravans gradually made their way into Bedele, where they were warmly greeted by Lawrence, the company commander of the border guards stationed there.
Lawrence greeted them with a friendly tone, saying, "Mr. Ya'an Reid, you're here quite early today!"
Ya'an Reid, the leader of the Negmut caravans, responded with a smile, "Hahaha, Mr. Lawrence, you're too kind. The weather is fine today, and I believe it's a sign that our cooperation is reaching new heights."
In contrast to other caravans rushing to Bedele early to secure their purchases, the Ya'an Reed caravan arrived later, yet they were treated with a different attitude by the East African authorities. Even the border guards warmly greeted them.
Lawrence continued the conversation, saying, "Mr. Ya'an Reid, I heard that a batch of new firearms arrived today. They were already sold to Tigray and Amhara, your capital, in the morning. But don't worry, we've saved the best for you."
Ya'an Reid appreciated this exclusive information provided by Lawrence and expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you for the heads-up, my friend. These northerners are getting too greedy, monopolizing the arms trade in the eastern part of the empire and now trying to expand southwards."
Ya'an Reid disapproved of the unscrupulous behavior of his colleagues. Prior to East Africa opening up trade markets, the Abyssinian Empire's trading activities were mainly concentrated along the Red Sea coast. Cities like Negemet and others in the south had not enjoyed these trade dividends. Even though there were trade routes to the north, relations between Egypt in the north and the Abyssinian Empire were extremely strained, resulting in minimal trade between them.
Lawrence comforted Ya'an Reid, saying, "Mr. Ya'an Reid, don't be disheartened. Business is boundless, and with the support of East Africa, Negmut and its allies will eventually be able to compete with these major players."
Similar to how the British had supported Johannes IV, the Kingdom of East Africa was also seeking a representative within the Abyssinian Empire to further its own interests. The local forces in the south of the Abyssinian Empire, led by Negmet City, were drawn to support Nat Hogg as their spokesperson.
Nat Hogg's rise was quite dramatic. He hailed from a prominent family in the Tigray region and had been sent south by the former Emperor of the Abyssinian Empire, Theodore II, to serve as the general guarding against East African invasion. However, after Theodore II's defeat and suicide, the Abyssinian Empire plunged into chaos, and Nat Hogg emerged as one of the strong contenders for the imperial throne, supported by various southern forces.
Nat Hogg's significance lay in his family's connection to the Solomon family, essentially the Abyssinian Empire's royal family. This affiliation made him more acceptable to the entire country.
The supporters behind the southern forces had East Africa's backing. Thus, Nat Hogg transitioned from a general tasked with guarding against East African incursions to one of the contenders for the pinnacle of power in the Abyssinian Empire, supported by East Africa.
Under Lawrence's guidance, Ya'an Reid and his group arrived at the exclusive arms store in Bedele Town. Their treatment was different from that of Bubu Yaweisi and Odley Kevin earlier. They were led to the backyard of the arms store, where neat boxes of ammunition were neatly arranged.
Lawrence fetched a crowbar and opened a box himself. The green-painted wooden box emitted a strong smell, indicating that this batch of goods was "new." Upon opening the box, shiny M1809 muzzle-loading smoothbore rifles were revealed, neatly stored in straw.
Lawrence handed one of the rifles to Ya'an Reid, explaining, "These are M1809 rifles, commissioned by the Prussian regular army back in the day. They are well-known in Europe for their reliability and high-quality parts."
Lawrence, although a bit embarrassed, assured Ya'an Reid that despite their age, these rifles were still trustworthy. These rifles had been quite rare in Prussia due to limitations imposed by France during Napoleon's reign. Finding such antiques in East Africa indicated their affordability, as they were essentially collected from Prussian munitions warehouses.
Lawrence tried to emphasize the positive, saying, "Though they may be a bit old, their reliability is unquestionable. After all, the Prussian army, as a powerful European force, demanded high-quality, standardized weapons with interchangeable parts. They are much better than the outdated firearms we've sold to the northerners."
It was true that the sources of rifles in the Abyssinian Empire were varied, with most being old antiques purchased from different countries. The quality was inconsistent, and some were even in disrepair. They were rarely refurbished before being sold in East Africa.
Satisfied with the appearance and quality of the rifles, Ya'an Reid requested, "Mr. Lawrence, may I inspect the other boxes?"
Lawrence readily agreed, passing the crowbar to Ya'an Reid. However, Ya'an Reid knew he couldn't be complacent and randomly checked several boxes to ensure consistency in quality. His satisfaction was evident.
After inspecting the rifles, Ya'an Reid remarked, "We're very pleased with this batch. We'd like to make the payment now. We can pay in gold and silver coins or livestock."
Lawrence replied, "That's perfectly fine, my friend. Use whatever method is most convenient for you."
In the end, Ya'an Reid exchanged the remaining batch of Ottoman silver coins at Hexingen Bank. These coins had been obtained during trade with Ottoman merchants along the Red Sea. However, due to the ongoing conflict between Egypt and Abyssinia, trade had been severely disrupted, causing the value of Ottoman silver coins in Abyssinia to depreciate significantly. Ya'an Reid was eager to sell them.
In East Africa, these Ottoman silver coins could still find their way back to the Ottoman Empire when taken to the Sultanate of Zanzibar. After all, Abyssinia was landlocked, whereas East Africa was not.
This also signaled the collapse of the Ottoman Empire's financial influence in the Abyssinian Empire, as the Kingdom of East Africa replaced these Ottoman silver coins with more stable currencies, such as British pounds, francs, and financial bonds issued by the Bank of Hechingen in East Africa.
The Abyssinian Empire, with its population of nearly 10 million, was an attractive market, and the prospects were promising. East Africa was eager to replace its outdated firearms and transition away from front-loading flintlocks with the introduction of Dreiser rifle production lines. This war-torn empire presented an excellent opportunity.
With their business concluded, Ya'an Reid and his group were satisfied with the transaction and prepared to return to Negmet City, their mission accomplished.