Chapter 95: Proving to be a Coward (1)
The Odtaibi family, who had rejoiced at obtaining a large sum of 48,000 ducats from just a single voyage, had to beat the ground and grind their teeth not long after.
The Odtaibi family was a household that boasted its own history and scale, but right next to where they had established their base in the Aden region, there was an even larger merchant family called the Sindwa family. It was one of the five great merchant families that dominated Aden.
Even when they purchased glass artisans as slaves from Alexandria and brought them back, the Odtaibi family had to give considerable gifts to the Sindwa family.
"Our Odtaibi family has no intention of establishing a glass workshop ourselves. We purchased the slaves because Joseon requested it. I swear by Allah, it is absolutely not to hostilely compete with the Sindwa family."
Thanks to the earnest explanation and gifts from the head of the Odtaibi family, the Sindwa family simply let the matter of the Odtaibi family's purchase of glass artisan slaves pass.
They too, through their own intelligence network, knew that there was a country called Goryeo next to China, and that recently Goryeo had fallen and a new country called Joseon had been established.
And when the Odtaibi family moved to sell the goods unloaded from the ship that returned from Joseon, an envoy came from the Sindwa family.
"We will pay a fair price, so hand everything over to our family."
"Pardon?"
"Even if you sell to other merchants, it will eventually end up with our Sindwa family anyway. So I'm telling you to hand it over directly. Do you have confidence that you can safely transport this shipload of goods all the way to Alexandria?"
"...I understand."
And so, the Sindwa family's envoy and the head of the Odtaibi family began negotiations.
"200,000 ducats - isn't that too expensive?"
"Think about the journey going to Joseon and back. The pirates of Malaya and Majapahit, and even the pirates of Zipangu - do you think making a round trip through waters teeming with pirates that make the Barbary pirates look tame would be easy?"
"Still, 200,000 ducats is too much. Let's make it 100,000 ducats."
"Even for the Sindwa family, this is too much! Are you saying you don't want to do business!"
"Isn't it because the price is too high?"
"Then 180,000 ducats!"
"100,000!"
"175,000! I can't go any lower than this!"
"Come now! Do you think we don't know how much those glass artisans you acquired cost? Wasn't it 20,000 ducats? Even if you took extra funds just in case, for your family the maximum would have been 30,000 ducats total. Who are you trying to fool! As fellow Aden merchants, we'll give you up to 100,000!"
"There are promised rewards for the crew!"
"That's why 100,000! If you demand any more, it will be hard for you to do business in Aden!"
At the words of the merchant sent by the Sindwa family, the head of the Odtaibi family realized he had no other options.
"...Fine. We'll hand it over for 100,000."
"It was a good deal."
In the end, the Odtaibi family handed over the goods brought from Joseon to the Sindwa family for 100,000 ducats. After handing over the goods, the head ground his teeth.
"Bastards worse than pirates!"
However, the family's elders were rather pleased, saying they had gained triple the profit.
"Aren't they people who even do piracy? Even at this level, it's triple the profit! It's a successful deal! It would be better to spend this time preparing to go to Joseon!"
"That's right! Without a Joseon license, other merchants can't obtain goods! Rather, we should seize this opportunity to secure even greater profits!"
"Sigh~ Let's do that."
At the elders' words, the head had no choice but to take a step back. Left alone in the room, the head pounded his chest.
"Damn it! Damn those Sindwa bastards!"
Waiting for favorable winds to go to Joseon, the Odtaibi family began to gather what Joseon had requested.
"Joseon has asked us to procure horses. They said they would pay generously for stallions of good bloodlines."
"Horses?"
"Joseon's horses were quite cute, you know."
The horses of contemporary Arabia were famous as fine horses. This was because they had good size, and both explosive power and endurance were excellent.
"Is that so? Then we should procure stallions with good bloodlines."
While the Odtaibi family members were running here and there to procure horses, news of the Sindwa family reached their ears.
It was said that the Sindwa family sold the Joseon goods they purchased from the Odtaibi family for 100,000 ducats in Alexandria for 1.1 million ducats. Particularly, rumor had it that there was bloody competition - literally blood spattering - among European merchants who had crossed the Mediterranean for the paper and spices.
"Damn it!"
"Cursed!"
Everyone in the Odtaibi family, no, even those who had been happy about making triple the profit, all exploded in anger.
They had comforted themselves thinking that considering the time and danger of going to Alexandria, even double the profit would have been great, but in the end, an opportunity to gain nearly 40 times the profit had flown away.
While the Odtaibi family members were grinding their teeth over this, a group of merchants approached them.
"People from the Azlam family have come."
"From the Azlam family?"
"The head of the Azlam family has come as well!"
"Show them in!"
At the news that people had come from the family with the greatest power among Aden's five great families, and even the head himself, the head of the Odtaibi family sprang up from his seat.
After a while, when a group of merchants entered, the head politely paid his respects.
"Welcome. It is an honor to meet the greatest elder of the Azlam family."
"Thank you for welcoming me."
"Please, have a seat."
When the Azlam family merchants sat in the seats offered by the head, tea was soon brought in.
The people of the Odtaibi family and the Azlam family prepared for conversation while drinking tea.
"Oh? The aroma is unique."
"It's tea from Joseon. A relative working in the Joseon royal family obtained it as a gift. It has a different fragrance from Chinese tea."
"As expected of the successor to Goryeo, which was famous for its fragrances, the tea's scent is excellent as well."
Having opened the conversation with talk of Joseon's tea, both sides soon got to the main topic.
"I heard this trade expedition achieved great success."
"It was Allah's protection."
"But it must be a bit regrettable because of the Sindwa family?"
"We still made a profit."
The head of the Odtaibi family answered carefully, choosing his words.
While the Azlam family's prestige was considerable, the Sindwa family's prestige was not to be underestimated either. Furthermore, the Sindwa family was located right next to the Odtaibi family. If they made one wrong move, their merchant ships at the dock could turn to ash in a fire of unknown origin, or their warehouses could burn down.
"However, compared to the profit the Sindwa family obtained in Alexandria, it's nothing."
"Isn't it a difference in capability?"
An elder of the Odtaibi family intervened in the conversation on behalf of the head. At the elder's words, a merchant from the Azlam family nodded.
"I acknowledge that. But unfair is unfair, isn't it. Let me get straight to the point. How about joining with our Azlam family?"
"Are you saying our family should join the Azlam family?"
As the Odtaibi family members' reactions sharpened, the head of the Azlam family hurried to smooth things over.
"Not at all. The Odtaibi family is also a family with deep history - how could we suggest such a thing?"
"Are you promising this in Allah's name?"
"I promise in Allah's name."
At the Azlam family head's confirmation, the Odtaibi family members' agitation subsided.
"By joining together... do you mean a partnership?"
"Exactly. Right now, the Odtaibi family is preparing to go to Joseon again, correct?"
"That's right."
"It appears you're planning to mobilize all three of your family's merchant ships. We'll add our family's merchant ships as well. Similarly, three ships would be acceptable, right? We'll also help in Alexandria. The profit distribution will be 6:4. We take 6, the Odtaibi family takes 4."
At the proposal put forward by the head of the Azlam family, the face of the Odtaibi family head became serious.
After pondering silently for a while, the head of the Odtaibi family asked a question to the head of the Azlam family.
"It is the best proposal. In some ways, it's overly generous. What is the reason for making such a generous offer?"
"To not miss an opportunity. The Odtaibi family was able to go to Joseon because of that relative's request, right? That means the Odtaibi family has a connection to the Joseon royal family, and this is an opportunity that as merchants, we absolutely cannot miss."
The head of the Azlam family, having explained the reason, looked directly at the head of the Odtaibi family.
He had a smile on his lips, but the eyes of the Azlam family head were not smiling.
"Now! I swear by Allah, I have deceived nothing! So I hope you will make a decision! Ah, let me tell you in advance, if you're thinking of making a deal between the Sindwa family and us, I would advise you that it's absolutely not a good idea."
"Can you protect our family from the Sindwa family?"
"In the name of the family and in Allah's name, I will definitely protect you!"
At the Azlam family head's promise, the Odtaibi family head let out a long sigh.
"There's no choice. Fine. We will accept the Azlam family's proposal."
"You've made a good decision."
Whether satisfied with the negotiation, the head of the Azlam family stood up with a smile on his face.
"It was truly an enjoyable meeting. Just in case, we'll send our family's people to the dock and warehouses starting today."
"Thank you."
The head of the Odtaibi family expressed his gratitude to the head of the Azlam family.
After seeing off the Azlam family members, one of the Odtaibi family's elders spoke up.
"I wonder if we've entered a snake pit while trying to avoid the lion."
"What can we do when the family's power is still weak?"
The Odtaibi family had its own military force, but compared to the five great families, it was a situation where it paled in comparison.
* * *
As soon as the rumor that 'the Odtaibi family and Azlam family have joined hands' began to circulate, people immediately swarmed from the Sindwa family.
"Why! Why did you join hands with the Azlam family! Have you forgotten us, the Sindwa family, who are your immediate neighbors!"
The Sindwa family's envoy was angry, but the head of the Odtaibi family answered with a calm expression.
"Didn't you have quite a good time in Alexandria?"
"Well..."
"Merchants move toward greater profit, don't they?"
"Profit is important, but trust is also important!"
"Did that trust, did the Sindwa family keep it?"
Confirming that the Odtaibi family had completely made up its mind, the Sindwa family's envoy ground his teeth while warning them.
"Don't expect our family's goodwill in the future!"
"We are prepared for that."
After the Sindwa family's envoy left in anger, the head of the Odtaibi family ordered the elders.
"Even though the Azlam family says they'll help, just in case, increase security at the dock and warehouses."
"Yes."
"Pay attention to the stables as well. The most important goods are there."
"We will do so."
Having given orders to the elders, the head of the Odtaibi family looked up at the sky.
If this trade expedition succeeded properly, no, if trade expeditions succeeded about three times on a similar scale, the Odtaibi family would be able to establish itself as Aden's sixth great family.
However, the Sindwa family had turned into an enemy, and the Azlam family always had the risk of swallowing up the Odtaibi family.
The head of the Odtaibi family, who had been silently looking at the sky for a while, murmured quietly and turned around.
"Inshallah (إن شاء الله. God willing)...."
* * *
When the selected stallions and mares, procured at Joseon's request, were ready, the Odtaibi family prepared to set sail.
"We want to go together too!"
Nearby small merchants requested to accompany them, but the head of the Odtaibi family flatly refused.
"The journey is long and there are many pirates, so safety cannot be guaranteed."
"That doesn't matter! Anyone knows the sea routes are dangerous! But if there's an opportunity, staking one's life is what merchants do!"
As the merchants kept pressing, the head of the Odtaibi family played his trump card.
"Joseon only permits trade with those who have this license! Without this, you can't even disembark from the ship."
"Ah..."
Of course, Joseon did sell licenses, but there was no need for the head of the Odtaibi family to tell them that fact.
Having thus shaken off the small merchants, the merchant ships of the Odtaibi family and Azlam family left Aden harbor.
The head of the Odtaibi family was aboard the largest merchant ship among the Odtaibi family's merchant ships. Watching the Aden harbor grow increasingly distant, the head clenched his fist.
"Definitely! There will be no second failure!"