The Money-Making Plan

Oscar and Karl returned to Potsdam when it was already evening. However, Oscar did not spend the night in the palace; instead, he moved out as soon as possible. He knew that the agreement he had reached with Dean Ludwig Birkenhagen would soon come to Wilhelm II's attention—or might already have. To avoid complications, it was best to leave early.

Oscar left the palace with only a few simple belongings, but he did not forget the most important thing: his bankbook. Karl von Jonerait chose to leave with Oscar as well. Though Oscar's plan seemed like nothing more than a wild fantasy, Karl instinctively believed that Oscar would succeed.

Oscar and Karl went straight to Berlin. If they wanted to earn enough money, they had to go to a major city.

The German Imperial Family had its own fiefs and various enterprises. These lands and businesses generated substantial income every year, from which members of the Imperial Family received fixed allowances. As a Prince of the German Empire, Oscar's place in the line of succession was far back, but his annual income was still considerable. Over the years, he had accumulated a sizable deposit. The figure in his bankbook stood at a full five million Marks. This sum would be Oscar's startup capital.

After arriving in Berlin, Oscar and Karl checked into a luxury hotel. Though it was costly, if Oscar's money-making plan succeeded, this expense would amount to nothing.

"Your Highness, what exactly do you plan to do? Earning at least forty million Marks in four years is no small feat!" Karl asked with some concern. Inside the hotel room, he voiced his doubts.

"Karl, have you truly made up your mind to join me? We might fail. If we do, I don't need to spell out the consequences—you must already know." Oscar did not answer immediately. Instead, he looked calmly at Karl, waiting for his reply.

"Of course, Your Highness. You are my best friend, and I believe you will succeed," Karl answered without hesitation.

Indeed, among the many princes in the palace, Oscar was the least arrogant. This made Karl, who was of a similar age, very willing to spend time with him. It was also the reason why, even though Oscar was not outstanding among the princes, Karl still chose to serve him.

"Good, Karl. Since you trust me so much, I will not let you down. I believe that before long, we will shock the entire German business world and high society." Oscar was full of confidence.

Karl seemed to be infected by Oscar's conviction.

"Karl, this is my plan. Take a look." Oscar took a few sheets of paper from his suitcase and handed them to Karl.

The plan's main content was to establish a company called the German Welfare Lottery Company, which would generate profits by selling welfare lottery tickets.

At this time, lotteries were not a new concept. In Germany and across Europe, various countries sold many types of lottery tickets. However, after investigating, Oscar found that the lotteries of this era offered small prizes and had simple, monotonous gameplay. Although many people bought tickets, the market had not truly taken off.

The lottery Oscar decided to sell was a direct copy of the later Double Color Ball format. Thirty-three red balls and sixteen blue balls. Matching six red balls and one blue ball would win the first prize, with a jackpot of five million Marks.

Oscar chose the Double Color Ball because it offered big jackpots and many smaller prizes. As long as a player matched one blue ball, they could win. For lottery buyers, this kind of ticket was undoubtedly worth purchasing and pursuing.

Based on how popular the Double Color Ball had been in China in later times, Oscar had no doubt that once this lottery was launched, it would cause a sensation across Germany and even all of Europe. The wealth earned from it would inevitably be astronomical. Of course, Oscar planned to sell it first within Germany, and only after establishing a foothold would he expand to other countries, striving to accumulate enough funds before the war broke out.

Though the plan was only a few sheets of paper, Karl spent a full half hour reading it. As the son of the Emperor's steward, Karl had received a good education and was very intelligent. While reading the plan, he was also assessing the likelihood of success.

"Your Highness, I have to admit, this Double Color Ball lottery is far superior to any lottery currently on the market. It completely crushes them. Once sales begin, it will definitely be a huge hit." Karl was also excited. He was only two years older than Oscar and, unlike old foxes, was not good at controlling his emotions.

"Karl, do you also think we can succeed?"

"Of course, Your Highness. We will definitely succeed. Germany has over sixty million people, and millions buy lottery tickets. After the Double Color Ball is launched, it can even expand this market further. Although the tax on the lottery industry is heavy, after deducting taxes and costs, we can still earn massive profits." Karl was very certain.

Oscar nodded in satisfaction. If the Double Color Ball really took off in Germany, even conservatively, if each draw earned one million Marks, then with three draws a week and one hundred fifty-six draws a year, they could earn at least two hundred million Marks annually. Building a Battleship cost only tens of millions of Marks. Their yearly profit alone would be enough to build several Battleships.

"However, Your Highness, if sales really take off, it might attract covetous eyes," Karl warned.

Even though Oscar was a Prince of the German Empire, he was ultimately just a prince not favored by Wilhelm II. Once the German Welfare Lottery Company he founded became a huge success and generated massive profits, other capitalists would inevitably grow envious. At that point, they would use every means to plunder Oscar's wealth.

Oscar nodded. The plunder and expansion of capital were always bloody. When enough profit was at stake, those greedy bastards would surely go wild. Therefore, Oscar had to find a way to protect his wealth. He regarded the lottery sales as one of his key cash cows. Many of his future ventures would rely on the massive funds generated by lottery sales. Otherwise, everything would be empty talk.

That the Double Color Ball lottery would succeed was already beyond doubt. Now, the question before Oscar was how to keep this gold mine safe.