Tony Ma was secretly amused. How could the Ashvane Family be so spineless? The technology transfer agreement brought by the Norwington Family was clearly full of oppressive terms.
Once the Ashvane Family signed the agreement, they would have to prepare factories and extensive supporting facilities. Once the industrial chain for manufacturing Steam Power Engines got underway, its reach would be enormous.
Workers, capital, and mineral resources would all require investment. Of course, the Ashvane Family's willingness to sign meant they had already made preparations.
Still, Tony Ma wondered whether Lord Ashvane understood the true nature of the technology transfer agreement.
As one of the Family Council's decision-makers, Lord Ashvane had spent decades navigating the maelstrom of trade in Kul Tiras. There was no way he could fail to understand the stakes behind the agreement.
On the surface, the technology transfer agreement would help the Ashvane Family build new Steam Warships. With the two families on good terms, fitting the Third Fleet with Steam Power Engines would only be a matter of time. But their relationship was precisely where the problem lay.
The Norwington Family held the core technology for the Steam Power Engine, which meant they held the initiative. If relations broke down before factories were established and further investments made, the losses would be minor; the Ashvane Family would merely have wasted some time. But if problems arose after the industry had expanded and the core technology was withdrawn, the entire enormous industrial chain would become worthless. The Ashvane Family would suffer a devastating loss.
Of course, if the Ashvane Family wanted to keep that industrial chain running, they would have to give ground at every turn in their trade dealings with the Norwington Family and become a dog living on scraps.
Tony Ma thought deeply about it. As