Lord of Winter: Beginning with Daily Intelligence - Chapter 639 - 373: Calvin Commerce Association (2)

Chapter 639: Chapter 373: Calvin Commerce Association (2)

It’s time to plan the next step, allowing Red Tide to gradually emerge from the family’s shadow towards true independence while maintaining dignity.

The moment he saw the third piece of information, he was stunned for a moment.

[3: Sif is pregnant and will give birth to a daughter for Louis Calvin in ten months.]

He was dazed for a few seconds, then slowly, a smile appeared on his face, spreading bit by bit until even his eyes became gentle.

“…Really?” he murmured softly, his heart suddenly racing.

He turned back to look at the bed.

Sif’s silver hair was scattered, still clutching a pillow in deep sleep, her eyelashes slightly fluttering.

At this moment, Louis only felt a warmth swelling in his heart.

He couldn’t help but walk back, bending down to get closer, wrapping one arm around Emily and the other around Sif, holding both in his embrace.

Emily shifted slightly in her sleep, half-opening her eyes to look at him, teasingly saying, “Lord Louis, are you trying to take advantage so early again?”

Sif rubbed against his chest, sleepily opening her eyes.

“Louis?” Her voice was soft, tinged with drowsiness.

“It’s nothing,” Louis said with a gentle smile, his tone so tender it almost carried a laugh, “I’m just…happy.”

He lifted Sif’s chin with one hand, gently dropping a kiss on her lips, then turned to plant a deeper kiss on Emily’s forehead.

Both women were momentarily stunned, their faces turning red.

“Louis, why are you so…unusual today?” Emily said half-mockingly, half-complainingly, but leaned in closer.

Sif lifted her head as if to ask, but was gently pulled back into his embrace, her forehead pressing against the side of his neck.

“Nothing,” Louis said softly, “I just feel…especially good today.”

He lowered his head and kissed again, this time deeper, lingering longer.

The three tangled tenderly for a while, until the wood in the fireplace had burned halfway through, and the firelight gradually softened.

Louis got up, put on his robe, and as usual, cultivated for more than an hour before washing and dressing. With the help of both women, he tidied his cloak and collar.

As he walked out of the bedroom, the aroma of bread and meat soup wafted through the hallway.

At the breakfast table, Emily smiled as she served him soup, and Sif occasionally glanced sideways at him but quietly cut his bread.

After breakfast, the guards were already lined up at the door.

Louis donned his cloak and turned to instruct, “Weir, call Bradley and Guildmaster Desland for a meeting.”

…

In the office, Louis stood by the window, his back to the firelight, watching the bustling crowd outside as he pondered.

Before long, Bradley and Desland were escorted into the study by the guards.

The two appeared cautious, knowing that anything requiring Louis to hold a sudden meeting was certainly not simple.

“Information has come from the family side,” Louis began, his tone carrying a bit of coldness, “Duke Calvin is preparing to renegotiate the trade agreement and revise the Red Tide trade terms, framing it as a partnership, not under direct family control.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping between the two, as if observing their reactions.

“This means that Red Tide must either return to the family system and accept their orders or be completely excluded, unable to utilize family resources anymore.”

Bradley lowered his head. As the old steward of the Calvin Clan, he naturally understood what this meant. He was now leaning towards Red Tide.

He spoke in a deep voice, “So what is your intention, sir?”

“My intention,” Louis replied slowly, “is that Red Tide will not look back.”

Desland’s palms sweated, his breathing slightly erratic.

He too came from a steward background in the Calvin Commerce Association and now, as the Trade Bureau Chief of Red Tide, was very grateful to Louis for his promotion, thus having no reason to side with the Calvin Clan.

Louis sensed their tension and softened his tone.

“There’s no need to be anxious,” he said lightly, “I foresaw this conflict long ago.

Since the day the Red Tide Trade Directorate was established a year ago, I said one thing, Red Tide must be able to survive without the family.”

Bradley looked up, seemingly recalling that indeed there was such an arrangement: “You indeed had plans early on.”

Back then, everyone thought he was pushing for financial reforms; no one realized that it was actually the first step towards defamilialization.

“I knew that as long as Red Tide kept growing, the family would eventually intervene,” Louis continued, “They came a bit earlier than I expected.

So I proactively engaged members of the Commerce Association, with 80% of the Northern Territory division’s core quietly integrated into the Red Tide system.

I had their families live in Red Tide City, their children attend schools, their workshops employ and subsidy are all issued by the Directorate, so they naturally understand to whom they should listen.”

Desland took a breath and whispered, “Also, almost all Northern Territory goods have been redirected through the Red Tide Account Book; grain, coal, Demon Marrow, hides, and ore all circulate within the Directorate system.”

“Exactly,” Louis nodded, “More than half of the Northern Territory’s taxes and settlements are on our books, and even external nobility bypass the family commerce association to trade directly with Red Tide.”

He turned to look at the two: “I’ve been gradually stripping the Calvin Commerce Association’s system for years, and I anticipated completing it in two years, but I didn’t expect them to cut ties now, maybe they sensed something.

Ultimately, it’s also my responsibility for being too cautious and not laying out alternative routes early enough.

So we need to discuss how to respond next.”

Bradley pondered for a moment before speaking first: “I suggest we privately draw clear boundaries between the Red Tide Commerce System and the Calvin Commerce Association.

We need to first identify who sincerely serves Red Tide and who still belongs to the Calvin Clan faction.”

He paused and continued, “We can also contact the external Nobility of the Northern Territory closely collaborating with us as they depend on our resources.

If we can sign agreements directly with them, bypassing the Calvin Clan, we can still maintain the trade line.”

Desland shook his head and cautiously added, “But we still depend on the Calvin Commerce Association’s shipping lines in the short term, especially the maritime transport at Dawn Port, and we still need their port to transship goods.

But as you said, we cannot be fully dependent. We must quickly find alternative main trade routes to ensure future autonomy.”

Louis nodded, “Hmm.”

Bradley suddenly thought of something and said with slight excitement, “I do have a candidate: Count Harvey. He’s one of the representatives of the Empire’s New Nobility Alliance and is in competition with the Calvin Clan in trade routes.

If we can cooperate with him secretly, we can spread the risk while opening a new route to the sea. Not to mention your close relationship with his second son, Yorn.”

Louis paused, recalling that chubby boy, and then laughed, “How could I have overlooked that?”

Bradley also laughed, “That’s because you were too focused on the affairs of Red Tide and didn’t consider this angle.”

Then Desland quietly added, “Perhaps… we could also reach out to foreign trade associations. Although risky, establishing a secret trade line could be another path.”

All three fell silent for a moment, with only the occasional soft crackle from the fireplace.

Louis slowly smiled, “That path is technically illegal. The Empire’s laws deem such actions a severe crime, but like the ban on slave trading, everyone knows it’s a rule written for the commoners. In reality, no one truly follows it.”

He picked up his cup, taking a sip of cool water, “Especially the great Nobility, they have countless trade associations and estates abroad, even the Calvin Clan has established several branches outside long ago.”

He looked up at the two, his tone relaxing a bit, “In other words, this danger is just a seemingly intimidating façade.”

Bradley nodded, while Desland chuckled softly.

Finally, Louis set down his cup, glancing between the two, “As for other arrangements, you two proceed with the plans. I will handle the external negotiations.

I’ll talk to Yorn and may leverage Count Harvey’s connections to explore the situation with those foreign trade associations.”

Bradley and Desland exchanged a look, then replied in unison, “Yes, sir.”