I Became A Black Merchant In Another World-Chapter 229: Auditing and Absolute Power (3)

After Fabio returned home, the Duke had finished his external duties and came back to the Visconti estate.

"Welcome back, Alfred."

"Yes, father. It was quite a long day. Did you finish discussing matters with Count Farnese?"

Alfred shrugged his shoulders and replied.

"Count Farnese’s son and Count Pisa’s daughter accidentally fell in love at a social event, so their arranged marriage fell apart... but they truly love each other, and since both families have similar standings, I suggested they marry anyway to resolve the issue, and they agreed."

No matter the era, the nobility always faces the constraint of arranged marriages. They might pay a fortune to indulge in a private affair, but in the end, it’s the contractual, often politically motivated marriage that matters.

This is because their unions can have enormous economic effects, equivalent to deals involving billions or even trillions of gold coins. When thousands or tens of thousands of lives are at stake, a romance outside the arrangement could lead to catastrophic economic losses.

The situation with Count Farnese's son and Count Pisa’s daughter could have caused a similar upheaval, so it wasn't surprising that Alfred, the heir to the Visconti Duke faction, took charge.

"You did well. But both Count Farnese and Count Pisa were adamant about opposing their children's marriage for love. How did you convince them?"

"Well, with the rumors that Count Farnese’s son and Count Pisa’s daughter were already in love, the arranged marriage fell apart. Even if they tried to arrange another match, they'd only find a match of lower status."

In the world of arranged marriages, prior romantic involvement is often seen as a significant flaw.

It’s like buying a second-hand item: even if it’s fully functional and only has minor wear and tear, the value drops drastically.

Who would want a person with a major flaw, even at a discounted price?

"So, I made them accept it by comparing the situation to buying a damaged product."

"Sounds like something Fabio would say."

"He's my son-in-law, but he’s younger than me..."

Alfred sighed deeply, a mixture of admiration and slight frustration in his breath.

"While other nobles are busy trying to carve out their names in politics, here I am, competing with men much older than me and making a name for myself in the political arena, all while furthering the interests of the Tuscany Empire and solidifying our Visconti faction’s power."

Alfred was no fool.

Initially, he resented his father's orders to follow Fabio to new places, but after seeing Fabio hand over firearms and gunpowder to the governor of Nador and orchestrate a war against the Kingdom of Granada without a change in expression, he had to admit it.

That was a genius.

Not just a genius of the century—he was a genius born once every thousand years.

To his enemies, he was like a deadly force of nature, bringing famine and disaster akin to a devil.

"Once you admit it, you have to learn from it. Stagnant waters always end up rotting."

The Duke smiled warmly, proud of his son.

"I’ve raised at least one good child. You don’t have to be the best, Alfred. What’s important is gathering the best talent and knowing how to position them, to make the most of their abilities. Do that, and you’ll earn everyone’s praise."

In any organization, it's rare for one person to do everything. If such an organization exists, its limitations are immediately clear.

As organizations grow and expand, the critical factor becomes how well they deploy specialized talent.

In large companies, experts in each field focus on what they do best, maximizing their potential.

Likewise, in noble families, they strive to build a structure where each member can perform at their highest capacity.

Those families that do this well thrive; those that don’t fall apart.

"Today, Fabio dropped by."

The Duke tapped the desk with his fingers.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Each tap made Alfred aware of his father’s complicated feelings.

"In just three or four years, that boy went from being a mere baron’s son to a baron. He’s not even from a prestigious family, but I would never regret giving Erica to him."

Fabio's marriage to Erica was an unusual one.

Would a Duke’s granddaughter ever marry a mere baron’s son?

Even if it were a royal family, it wouldn’t seem strange, but Fabio was a baron, and Erica was the granddaughter of a Duke—someone who could potentially become a queen of another kingdom.

At first, rumors circulated, asking if the Duke had been swayed by alcohol, leading to questionable judgments.

However, as Fabio proved his capabilities, both the Duke’s faction and the opposing faction no longer doubted the marriage choice.

"He came to me and whispered about a way for me to seize tremendous power."

Had any other baron said such things, they would have been seen as arrogant and disrespectful. But Fabio’s words were something even the Duke could not ignore.

Setting aside the fact that he was his son-in-law, Fabio had never spoken a word that wasn’t proven to be true.

He was the one who led conflicts in foreign lands to increase his wealth, expanded his territories without spilling a drop of blood, and manipulated the stock market while predicting real estate crashes, turning other people’s misfortune into his own fortune.

"I heard there was a tulip-related financial crisis in the Holy Empire that has shaken their economy. There’s no evidence to support it, but I can't shake the feeling that Fabio played a part in it."

Despite the absurdity of such thoughts, they would persist in the Duke's mind.

"If Fabio’s capable of shaking up an entire empire, I’d be impressed. Of course, that would defy all logic, but sometimes, I can’t help but wonder."

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"To think that Fabio would come up with such a cunning plan to trap people using an audit—he's certainly wicked."

Still, the results of these actions would inevitably benefit the Visconti family.

To lighten the mood, the Duke joked.

"He'll probably end up forging indulgences and selling them next."

"As wicked as Fabio can be, he would never stoop so low as to do something like that," Alfred responded.

Forging indulgences was a crime so vile that even heretics would be looked down upon.

But what they didn’t know was that Fabio was relying on far more sophisticated methods learned from the British Empire and the East India Company, rather than outdated practices.

The Duke grasped Alfred’s hand tightly and made a request.

"Before I die, and even after, don’t oppose Fabio. He may seem reliable now, but if he turns on us..."

The Duke couldn’t even imagine what would happen if Fabio turned against him.

"If Fabio ever becomes our enemy, it will bring disaster to our family."

A few days later, Fabio hurriedly gathered his accountants and headed to the Visconti Duchy to begin the first-ever audit. He thought it would be best to personally go to the scene to set an example.