The Odaibei family, who had rejoiced at earning 48,000 ducats from a single voyage, soon found themselves gnashing their teeth in frustration.
The Odaibei family was a clan with a history and considerable scale, but right next to the Aden region where they had settled was the Sindwa family, an even more massive merchant clan. The Sindwa family was one of the five major merchant clans that dominated Aden.
Even when the Odaibei family brought glass artisans from Alexandria as slaves, they had to give the Sindwa family a significant gift.
- "It's not that our Odaibei family wants to set up a glass workshop, but because Joseon requested it, we bought the slaves. I swear to Allah, it's not to antagonize the Sindwa family."
The Odaibei family's leader's earnest explanation and gifts made the Sindwa family overlook the Odaibei family's purchase of glass artisans.
They, too, had learned through their own intelligence that there was a country called Goryeo next to China, and that recently, Goryeo had fallen and a new country called Joseon had risen.
When the Odaibei family moved to sell the goods brought back from the ship returning from Joseon, a messenger from the Sindwa family arrived.
"We'll give you a good price, so hand everything over to our family."
"Excuse me?"
"Even if you sell to other merchants, it will eventually end up with our Sindwa family. So, hand it over directly. Do you have the confidence to safely transport this ship's worth of goods to Alexandria?"
"...I understand."
Thus, the Odaibei family's leader and the Sindwa family's messenger began to negotiate.
"200,000 ducats is too expensive, isn't it?"
"Consider the journey to and from Joseon. Not only the pirates of Malacca and Majapahit, but also the pirates of Jipangu, a place where pirates are rampant. Is it easy to make a round trip?"
"Still, 200,000 ducats is too expensive. Let's make it 100,000 ducats."
"No matter how powerful the Sindwa family is, this is too much! We won't do business if you insist!"
"Isn't it too expensive?"
"Then, 180,000 ducats!"
"100,000!"
"175,000! No more!"
"Listen! Do you think we don't know how much you paid for the glass artisans? 20,000 ducats, right? Even if you took some funds, your family couldn't have paid more than 30,000 ducats in total. Who are you trying to fool? As fellow Aden merchants, we'll give you 100,000 ducats!"
"There are rewards promised to the crew!"
"Then, 100,000! If you ask for more, you'll have a hard time doing business in Aden!"
Realizing he had no other choice, the Odaibei family's leader said, "...Alright. I'll hand it over for 100,000."
"Good deal."
In the end, the Odaibei family handed over the goods from Joseon to the Sindwa family for 100,000 ducats. After the transaction, the leader gnashed his teeth.
"Even worse than pirates!"
However, the elders of the family were delighted, thinking they had made three times the profit.
"They're pirates too, right? Making three times the profit is great! It's a successful deal! We should prepare to go to Joseon again!"
"That's right! Without a license from Joseon, other merchants can't get goods! We should seize this opportunity to make even more profit!"
"Hmm~. Let's do that."
The leader had no choice but to step back in response to the elders' words. Alone in the room, the leader pounded his chest.
"Damn it! Damn Sindwa bastards!"
While waiting for favorable winds to go to Joseon, the Odaibei family began to gather what Joseon had requested.
"Joseon asked us to bring horses. They said they would pay well for good stallions."
"Horses?"
"The horses in Joseon are really cute."
At that time, Arabian horses were famous for their quality. They were well-built, with excellent speed and endurance.
"Is that so? We should try to get the best stallions."
While the Odaibei family was busy looking for horses, news of the Sindwa family reached their ears.
The Sindwa family had sold the goods bought from the Odaibei family for 100,000 ducats in Alexandria for 1.1 million ducats. Especially, the spices and incense had sparked a bloody competition—literally—among European merchants who had crossed the Mediterranean.
"Damn it!"
"Damn it!"
Everyone in the Odaibei family, even those who had been happy about the threefold profit, exploded in anger.
While they had consoled themselves that a double profit was still significant considering the time and risks of traveling to Alexandria, they had lost an opportunity to make nearly a 40-fold profit.
While the Odaibei family was gnashing their teeth, a group of merchants approached them.
"People from the Azram family have arrived."
"From the Azram family?"
"The leader of the Azram family is here too!"
"Please, come in!"
Hearing that people from the largest of the five major families in Aden, including the leader, had come, the Odaibei family's leader jumped up from his seat.
A short while later, as a group of merchants entered, the leader greeted them formally.
"Welcome. It's an honor to meet the most respected elder of the Azram family."
"Thank you for your welcome."
"Please, have a seat."
As the Azram family merchants took the seats offered by the leader, tea was brought in.
The Odaibei family and the Azram family merchants drank tea and prepared to start their conversation.
"Hmm? The aroma is unique?"
"It's tea from Joseon. A relative working in the Joseon royal court gave it to me as a gift. It has a different aroma from Chinese tea."
"Indeed, the successor of Goryeo, known for its tea, has a good aroma."
After starting the conversation with talk about the tea from Joseon, they soon moved to the main topic.
"I heard your recent voyage was a great success."
"It was due to Allah's blessing."
"But, I imagine you're a bit disappointed because of the Sindwa family?"
"Still, we made a profit."
The Odaibei family's leader carefully chose his words in response.
While the Azram family was powerful, the Sindwa family was also formidable. Moreover, the Sindwa family was right next to the Odaibei family. A slight mistake could result in their merchant ships catching fire for no apparent reason or their warehouses burning down.
"But, compared to the profit the Sindwa family made in Alexandria, it's nothing."
"It's a matter of capability, isn't it?"
An elder of the Odaibei family joined the conversation in place of the leader. The Azram family merchant nodded at the elder's words.
"I agree. However, unfair is unfair. Let me be frank. How about working with our Azram family?"
"Are you suggesting our family join the Azram family?"
The Odaibei family's reaction became sharp, and the Azram family leader quickly tried to calm the situation.
"Not at all. The Odaibei family is a distinguished clan. How could we suggest such a thing?"
"Do you swear by Allah?"
"I swear by Allah."
The Odaibei family's mood calmed down with the Azram family leader's firm promise.
"By 'working together,' do you mean a partnership?"
"Exactly. Your family is preparing to go to Joseon again, right?"
"Yes."
"It seems you're mobilizing all three of your family's merchant ships. We'll add three of our ships. That should be fine, right? We'll also help in Alexandria. The profit split will be 60-40. We'll take 60, and your family will take 40."
The Odaibei family leader's face turned serious at the Azram family leader's proposal.
After a long silence, the Odaibei family leader asked the Azram family leader.
"It's a generous offer. Almost too generous. What's the reason for such a generous proposal?"
"To not miss the opportunity. Your family's connection to Joseon is due to the request of that relative, right? That means your family has a connection to the Joseon royal court, which is an opportunity we can't miss as merchants."
The Azram family leader explained the reason and looked directly at the Odaibei family leader.
He had a smile on his face, but his eyes were not smiling.
"Come on, I swear by Allah that I'm not hiding anything! I hope you'll make a decision! Oh, and let me warn you, if you think about doing business with the Sindwa family, it's not a good idea."
"Can you protect our family from the Sindwa family?"
"I swear by the name of our family and Allah to protect you!"
The Odaibei family leader sighed deeply at the Azram family leader's promise.
"There's no other choice. Alright, we accept the Azram family's proposal."