Chapter 75 Policy Making and Covert Operations

Building an army and building buildings requires money. Although Peter has a small amount of capital, it is still not enough. (Not enough refers to the annual income of at least 300,000 Venetian ducats)

So, increasing income becomes another important thing. The Chamber of Commerce and the newly established Ross Company are his cornucopia.

The Ross Company took over the trading post in Crimea and expanded its territory again from the Principality of Theodore. (Because in the same year, the warlord looted the Principality of Theodore and had no money)

The Ross Company began to set up trading posts in Kaffa and Kiev to trade locally. Importing slaves, fish, and timber, and exporting handicrafts such as linen and silk.

The company adopted the Genoa Venice model, with trading posts and churches responsible for consolidating trade routes and expanding the ruling base. In order to seek absolute control over the local area.

Venice is a teacher of colonization, and the Ross Company used their governance model in Crete and Cyprus here. But it is more friendly to the local people, and at the same time, religious culture is spread.

Wallachia's behavior of robbing money in the Black Sea and the Rus region caused extreme dissatisfaction in Genoa. Although the other party repeatedly assured that this was normal business competition, Genoa still decided to teach him a lesson.

"Sir, this is the document submitted to us by the Republic of Genoa."

Peter took it and looked at it. The content inside made him laugh. It mentioned that the transportation of some of Wallachia's goods would be suspended for five years, and high tariffs would be imposed on the remaining goods.

This is not worth playing with. He is just a small country. Why is Genoa so petty?

"Didn't the people of the Chamber of Commerce explain to them?"

"I explained, but they didn't listen."

This can't be blamed on him. If they don't listen to the explanation, then they can only do it face to face.

"Sir, the Chamber of Commerce's route in the Black Sea has just been established. If there is no help from Genoa, I'm afraid..."

Peter certainly knows Genoa's power in the Black Sea, but now he can't convince the other party to lift the sanctions, so Wallachia can only go it alone.

Fortunately, in the past two years, Wallachia has established trading houses and routes in various parts of the Black Sea. With the support of the Grand Duke, it can continue to trade even without Genoa. Genoa is the springboard for the Chamber of Commerce, but there is too little time. Just give it five or six years.

Then Peter began to ask other questions.

"Has the one in Crimea not agreed yet?"

"Yes, 100,000 ducats, not a single ducat less."

Peter stopped writing and fell into deep thought.

"100,000, if it had not been burned by others, it would be worth this price, but now, at most 50,000. No, 50,000 is probably too much."

Peter made it clear that the Principality of Theodore was not worth 100,000. At most 50,000 gold coins.

As the last Orthodox country in Crimea, Peter planned to completely annex this small principality. And turn it into a frontier position for the march to Ukraine, while competing with Caffa controlled by Genoa, striving to get the other party to transfer it.

"What's the situation in Niš?"

"There are so many refugees coming from there in the past few months. Some of them settled down in Niš, and some went to Vidin and other places."

"Tell local governments that if they settle down, whether they farm or do something else, they will be exempt from tax for two years."

Don't the refugees generated by the war in Serbia have to wait for the New Year? They are all ready-made labor.

And Peter got the news that Brankovic has received the support of the Ottoman Empire. He will probably repay his master with more tribute and population.

"Poor Serbia, they were the overlord of the Balkans decades ago, but now they are the vanguard of the pagans. It's really unpredictable."

Nicholas heard Peter's words and thought he was sorry for the empire, so he spoke out.

"Dozens of countries will go through ups and downs, so don't be too sorry."

Peter looked at him, and his eyes made Nicholas a little scared.

"Yes, there's nothing to regret."

Peter stopped talking about this and turned to talk about the governance of Bulgaria.

Dobruja's bureaucracy should be the most complete. Peter established three major supervisors for finance, civil affairs, and military affairs, and later added supervisors for commerce and agriculture. These departments were appointed and dismissed by Peter himself, and a supervisory department was established at the same time to do his best to keep the system running smoothly.

Although this is different from playing games, the main body is still the same. Change hereditary bureaucrats into appointed bureaucrats, improve administrative efficiency, and strengthen centralization.

Select and appoint from universities and nobles to break the aristocratic monopoly. Only in this way can the country develop healthily.

There are too many lessons from the Eastern Roman Empire. The emergence of warlords, aristocratic privileges, and economic decline are all caused by the system that has never changed. Michael VIII, the founder of the Palaiologos dynasty, restored the old management system of the Byzantine Empire, but did not dare to correct its defects. He accelerated the decline of commerce by issuing cheap silver coins. In order to restore the vitality of Constantinople and defend the empire's provinces in Europe, Michael VIII weakened the troops on the Anatolian front and had to cut their salaries and cancel their tax exemptions. This policy led to the gradual collapse of this front.

Therefore, it is a hard truth to strengthen the centralization of power while the nobles have not yet threatened the government.

After recruiting Petkov, Peter created a new position: spymaster.

Peter gave him a task, not only in China, but also in the Ottoman Empire, Constantinople, Hungary, Serbia, and even Bohemia, Italy, Britain, and France. Of course, these are not achieved overnight, so first practice in Hungary and the Ottoman Empire. And gave him some funds.

Petkov's ability is indeed good. He selected a group of loyal people from prisoners and orphans as spies and trained them day and night. Those who are qualified are sent to other places to get information, and they must do everything they can to enter the center.

And among this group of trainees, there are also some prostitutes. They are responsible for getting useful information in the market, and it is best if they are noticed by a noble, so that they can take further action.