Chapter 2026: Fuldamantha’s Predicament
“Huh? You knew yesterday? Then why didn’t you tell me?!” Fuldamantha exclaimed in surprise. After hearing the big news, he had immediately come to inform Jayad.
“Because yesterday I was still visiting the big merchants you recommended to me. That’s where I found out. Didn’t you notice they’ve been hoarding goods these past few days? I thought you already knew,” Jayad said, feigning innocence. Actually, not a single word he spoke was true.
Fuldamantha’s expression changed. He had indeed noticed that the big merchants’ behavior had been strange these past two days. Some were starting to stock up, some were cashing out, and a few were even loading their ships and leaving the country overnight.
Originally, these were just normal merchant activities, and he wouldn’t have suspected anything. But when combined with the big news he had just heard, and recalling their concentrated actions in the last two days, Fuldamantha’s face drained of color.
He had been excluded, or rather, he was no longer considered someone privy to this level of intelligence by the merchant guild and other big merchants. As a result, he had rushed to tell Jayad without any preparation, only to make a fool of himself.
“It’s alright, calm down. Sit and have some wine. The Crown Prince being assassinated is indeed a major event, but what does it have to do with us? We’re going to sea for business after the New Year. Domestic turmoil won’t affect us,” Jayad said with a smile.
Fuldamantha did not feel relieved by Jayad’s comfort. He said dejectedly, “Mr. Everson, I may not be able to go out to sea with you.”
“En? Why? Didn’t Calo say we would be sailing together on his private merchant ship?” Jayad asked curiously.
“My debt problem is still unresolved, and I don’t have the capital to restock. I’m afraid I won’t be able to board the ship this time. With this major event happening domestically, the future is uncertain and bleak,” Fuldamantha sighed.
We had heard Fuldamantha’s story from other merchants. It was said that the goods he was selling were being held up by the customs of a certain country, requiring a guarantee fee for release. This was essentially a typical case of corrupt officials extorting ransom.
However, Fuldamantha had invested all his liquid funds into those goods and was completely out of money. In such a situation, he could only borrow money to redeem the goods and sell them for cash.
But by the time Fuldamantha sorted things out with the local officials and redeemed his goods, the opportune moment had passed. Someone else had already seized the market, and he couldn’t sell them at a good price, forcing him to sell them cheaply.
Coupled with the money he spent on bribing officials, transportation, hiring people, and renting warehouses, all these expenses were not small sums. He had spent a lot of money, and the proceeds from selling the goods were not enough to cover the debt and interest.
Fuldamantha, who was originally a medium-level merchant, had now become a bankrupt debtor. He had already mortgaged his property and company, but still couldn’t pay off his debts.
Now, Fuldamantha was trapped in a vicious cycle. Without capital to do business, he couldn’t turn things around and repay his debts. But any money he earned had to be used immediately to pay off his debts, otherwise, he would suffer credit ruin and become a true destitute. He could never save up principal if he kept paying off debts, and thus couldn’t do business.
Since Fuldamantha was the earliest merchant to contact us and had provided us with a lot of help, we deliberately investigated his background. We discovered that this fellow was quite pitiable.
He had a beloved wife and five lovely children. Although not extremely wealthy before, they were content with their modest prosperity. He was not harsh or indifferent to his employees or the poor. While not passionate about charity, he would occasionally give alms.
Even now, after going bankrupt, Fuldamantha makes a living by acting as an introducer and guide for new merchants, teaching them industry rules, informing them about various channels and institutions, introducing them to other merchants, and connecting them.
He warns new merchants about potential pitfalls and mistakes that could lead to losses, passing on his experience to newcomers. He himself only charges a meager intermediary fee, simply so that others can avoid some of the detours he took.
Just like this time, when he learned the big news of the Crown Prince’s assassination, his first reaction was to come to Jayad, inform him of the intelligence, and urge him to prepare early. It can only be said that such a person is worth associating with.
“I understand. How about I repay your debts for you?” Jayad asked directly.
“Ah? No, no, no! How can that be? That’s not a small amount, and I still have to repay you later, so isn’t it the same?” Fuldamantha was startled and quickly refused.
“It’s fine, I’ll pay it off for you directly, no need to repay me,” Older Brother Jayad said generously. I quickly tugged his sleeve, reminding him that merchants wouldn’t say such things.
“No! That’s even less acceptable. There’s no reason for you to repay my debts. We have no past favors between us.” Indeed, Fuldamantha refused even more vehemently.
Older Brother Jayad has always been like this. He still retains his past overly generous and helpful nature, which goes beyond the scope of a merchant. There’s a saying, “No honest merchants,” and that’s the reason why.
“Your family is already suffering from a lack of food and clothing because of you. If you don’t seize this last chance, when you’re completely bankrupt, they’ll be sleeping on the streets, cold and starving. Can you bear to watch that happen?” Jayad said, although his words sounded rather threatening.
“This…” Fuldamantha’s face showed embarrass-ment and hesitation. He had already asked many people for help, but no one was willing to assist him. Now, someone was proactively offering a helping hand. If he didn’t grasp it, there might never be another opportunity.
But in the end, he shook his head and said firmly, “No, this is a matter of principle. I am willing to accept the remuneration I deserve, but I must refuse pure charity!”
This guy is so stubborn. It’s precisely because of this stubbornness that he ended up in this situation. He could have borrowed money immediately to bribe officials and redeem his seized goods, but he insisted on following proper procedures and arguing with officials who only wanted money, thus missing the selling opportunity.
Originally, Fuldamantha could have laid off some employees to reduce his expenses, but he felt sorry for the workers and kept them on, which led to his expenses exceeding his budget.
Even after going bankrupt, there are actually many ways to make money. Dealing in arms, smuggling goods, human trafficking, etc., could all help him escape his predicament. Yet, he chose to work as an introducer, earning meager amounts of money.
Such a person is really not suited to be a merchant, and it’s no wonder he went bankrupt.
“Hehehe, alright. Since you are so principled, I will give you two options,” Older Brother Jayad also chuckled.
