(Thanks to Bei Ming Luo Yu for the tip; bonus chapter 7/10)
The olive oil merchant still did not want to buy Li Qinwu's grand promises. The man really was a little short-sighted.
After all, he was a space Jew, the sort of fellow who dared haggle with Inquisitors. How could he possibly take the initiative to hand over his own money?
Seeing that he apparently had not talked him into it, Li Qinwu hurriedly kept pitching.
"You need to remember: this money isn't for the government, and it isn't for the military. It's for Lord Titus personally!
Do you know what this is called? This is collusion between officials and businessmen. This is corruption!"
The olive oil merchant's eyes widened.
"My lord, can you really put it that way?"
Li Qinwu gave a dismissive snort.
"If you want nicer wording, that works too. Collusion between officials and businessmen can be called establishing rapid information and transportation channels, a direct line for conveying policies.
Bribery can be called corporate resource restructuring and redistribution, hiring official talent to directly guide a company toward the proper path of development.
Once this whole model of power-for-money transactions is in place, when Lord Titus rises to prominence, wherever he retakes in the Five Hundred Worlds, your trade caravan will follow.
One official and one merchant, one government and one civilian. Everyone makes money together. What could be better?"
The olive oil merchant was somewhat tempted by that.
The main issue was that merchants like them had too many resources in their hands, and people in official circles were always coming around to shake them down.
Today they needed money to build roads. Tomorrow they needed money to put up utility poles. The day after that, the hospital wanted to add an ambulance, so they