Munitions Empire

Capitalists are referred to as such because they are a group of people who have command over the means of production.

However, from the perspective of profit, controlling the means of production is not the ultimate goal of capitalists; their ultimate goal is to make money!

Whether it's the means of production, the production process, or even the products, all are part of the process of making money.

Tang Mo is currently in the rough stage of capital expansion, so he needs money and a large amount of materials; there is nothing in his possession that he cannot sell.

He can sell K1 Quick Guns, revolvers, the formula for cement, steam engines, and of course... if the price is right, he can even part with the only two Left-Wheel Handguns in his hands.

The premise is, as long as the price is right.

"You want a steam engine? What do you need a steam engine for?" Tang Mo looked at Tagg and asked curiously.

He didn't think that steam engines were unsellable; he just found it interesting that buying a steam engine without knowing its specific applications was quite an amusing matter.

"We have many workshops, and some can make use of it..." Tagg explained carefully.

"Hmm," Tang Mo nodded, "Indeed, a steam engine can power many devices, which would enable the production of numerous products, including pots, pans, ladles, and even firearms and ammunition... all are possible."

"Yes, so we plan to purchase a steam engine," Tagg gestured backward and said to Tang Mo, "Lord Earl has a lot of grain, leftovers from the grain price crash. The Earl plans to use grain and some metal materials as payment for the goods."

"Price... is all negotiable!" Tang Mo put his arm around Tagg's shoulder, speaking as if to an old friend, "We are old friends now. If Northern Ridge needs a steam engine, naturally I can sell it to you."

"Really, really?" Tagg was visibly flattered and looked at Tang Mo, "Then, that's really very kind of you."

"Of course, it's true," Tang Mo nodded and said to Tagg, "Not just the steam engine itself, but if Lord Earl needs it, we could even sell you the blueprints for the steam engine."

He glanced outside at the crowded courtyard, adjusted his mood, and continued, "I can even send consultants, technical advisors, to help Northern Ridge produce steam engines, design environments for their use."

As he spoke, he gave examples, "There are actually many uses for a steam engine, more than you might think. For instance, steam engines can increase mining efficiency, and that's what we need most right now!"

"With more steel, more coal mines, we can produce more machinery, create more industrial jobs, and help the entire Northern Ridge develop faster." He persuasively marketed his equipment, "Believe me, Northern Ridge indeed needs steam engines, and in fact, the whole world needs them."

"My lord, you, you are right," Tagg was totally enchanted by Tang Mo now, because all he could think about was the joy of completing his task once again.

Before coming here, he had been worried that Tang Mo might not sell the technology for steam engines. But now, Tang Mo seemed to have no idea how powerful steam engine technology was and was casually willing to sell it to Northern Ridge.

What he didn't expect was that Tang Mo was willing to sell the relevant technical drawings, and was willing to sell all the supporting technologies for the steam engine to Northern Ridge...

Thus, if Northern Ridge was willing, they could even produce their own K1 Quick Guns, anything that Tang Mo's workshop could manufacture.

"You still don't understand! Only by enlarging the plate can you make the cake bigger," Tang Mo didn't bother to explain all the profound knowledge to Tagg; he only needed to know that Northern Ridge has people of vision who wanted steam engine technology.

"I have already prepared a prototype. If it works well, it can immediately be sold to Lord Earl, to be placed in the minefield to increase mining speed," Tang Mo eagerly promised Tagg, "If needed, we can produce two or even three more of the same steam engines."

He was in urgent need of acquiring a large amount of mineral resources; only by having these resources would he be able to continuously obtain steel and produce a large number of products.

"However, apart from manpower and grain, I also need Gold Coins, as well as corresponding mineral resources," Tang Mo stretched out his hand and said to Tagg, "Write to Lord Earl, I want a ten percent share of the mineral output to replace my income, how about it?"

"Ten percent? You know, the output of the mine is very large; ten percent is really quite a lot," Tagg quickly shook his head and explained to Tang Mo, "Apart from the workers' wages and various other expenses, the net profit of a minefield for a year is only about one-third of the output."

"What if... we add metallurgy technology to the mix?" Tang Mo revealed his ace, "I can improve the design of the furnaces, supply the ironworks with newer equipment, better technology, and increase production…"

"As long as Lord Earl leaves the corresponding output to me, allowing me to continue expanding production, I will design a steel plant for Lord Earl—a new, high-production steel plant." While he spoke, he clapped Tagg on the shoulder, "Believe me, this is a bargain not to miss."

"I... I can't decide on that." Tagg hesitated, feeling the deal was beyond his ability to handle.

"Don't be hasty in your decision," Tang Mo continued to dangle tempting bait, a lure that stirred Tagg's desire even more, "What do you think—are the cannons you are currently using a match for the K1 Quick Gun?"

"Of course... they are not. The K1 Quick Gun is the best rifle, it will definitely replace all Shireck Flintlock Guns and become the standard issue for every soldier in this era," Tagg replied confidently.

"With the new, better-performing steel, Northern Ridge will soon have cannons far surpassing Shireck Automatic Cannons!" Tang Mo promised further, "Only better quality steel can produce more powerful cannons... Isn't that obvious?"

"I, I understand…" Tagg nodded subconsciously, his mind already racing on how to get Count Fisheo to accept Tang Mo's offer.

Being a military man, naturally, he could not reject newer weapons—he truly believed in Tang Mo's weapon development level, he was convinced of one truth: If Tang Mo said there were newer cannons, then there definitely would be newer cannons!

As a result, he unconsciously started believing that establishing a steel plant in Northern Ridge, then mass-producing weapons using steam engine technology to make more muskets and cannons, seemed like a brighter future.

But before he could continue discussing this topic with Tang Mo, Tang Mo had already shifted his attention to those robust, leather-clad Northern Ridge commoners.

These Northern Ridge commoners were generally very strong and were all between twenty and thirty years old. More interestingly, they were commonly armed, some with longswords, some with bows and arrows, looking like a big group of bandits.

The troop was far from orderly. In Tang Mo's eyes, these people gathered together were less like a military force and more like a scattered mess.

Compared to the children who had been training for a month at Tang Mo's school, these people almost had no discipline, probably not even a few literate among them. They crowded together chaotically, like a swarm of flies.

"They are the 'students' Lord Earl has sent to me?" Tang Mo narrowed his eyes, frowning, feeling like he had just inherited a pile of work.

"Yes, Lord Earl believes that relying solely on the 1,500 regular soldiers of Northern Ridge is still too few in number, so he had no choice but to conscript some volunteers, forming a new troop," Tagg explained seriously to Tang Mo.

"These beggars?" Tang Mo curled his lip, feeling that the noisy crowd nearby had no combat strength whatsoever.

"Although they haven't received formal military training, most are hunters, rangers, and commoners who have served as soldiers," Tagg explained gravely to Tang Mo, "They may not look like much, but just give them weapons and these people are no worse than Suthers' soldiers."

"What a joke… What's the use of being richer than beggars," Tang Mo scoffed disdainfully, "What they need is strict training and advanced weapons!"

"So, Lord Earl has sent them to you," said Tagg to Tang Mo, "This troop... they're all for you!"

"For me?" Tang Mo was taken aback, not quite understanding the meaning behind Tagg's words.

Tagg smiled, finally having a day when he could surprise Tang Mo. After his smile, he began to explain, "You arm them, you train them, as long as you take them to battle on future battlefields, after the war, these men, they will all be your troops!"

"You mean… they will be under my command and loyal to me?" Tang Mo clarified.

"Yes," Tagg nodded, "Officers appointed by you, training handled by you, and their sustenance obviously also managed by you, but they are your soldiers now, Sir Knight Tang Mo."

"Sir Knight?" Tang Mo furrowed his brows again, looking towards Tagg.

"Private armies aren't exactly legal, but Lord Earl has the authority to appoint knights under his command." Tagg pointed first at himself, then at Tang Mo, "Now, at least within the laws of the Kingdom, you can legally possess your own retinue... As for the number, who's going to check that? As long as the sheriff doesn't raid you and catch 500 armed prisoners, you'll be fine."

Tang Mo laughed heartily, "The sheriff of Brunas... has the guts to catch 500 prisoners?"