Greece’s Roman Road

The two sat opposite each other across the reception table, "Mr. Stanley, can you tell me something interesting about Africa," Constantine said.

Hearing these words, Stanley looked at the young duke in front of him, thinking to himself, he seems to be a child who likes strange things in a foreign country.

"Okay," Stanley said, glancing at Nina by the window.

"He's my maid, Nina, it doesn't matter." Constantine saw Stanley's actions.

"Okay, let's talk about what I saw in Africa. Our expedition team bought some unsalable cotton cloth from London that had been backlogged for many years, as well as some clothes that were pressed in the warehouse, or simply some clothes that were thrown away. I only It can be said that in any country in Europe, those things cannot be sold, and the cotton cloth is not so much a cotton cloth as it is white clay and paste,” Stanley said.

"But what can cotton have to do with white clay and paste?" Obviously, African stories are more attractive than the coastal scenery outside the window, Nina asked curiously.

"A beautiful and lovely lady like you really doesn't know the way inside. Those profiteers will rack their brains to cut costs and increase profits. How to use very little cotton thread to weave cotton cloth that feels particularly thick? The secret is to hang the paste. The woven cotton cloth is passed through the paste. Some profiteers directly hang the paste with white clay mud. The cotton cloth treated in this way is thick and bright to the touch. , seeing that young and beautiful girls also like to listen to stories, Stanley is more interested in telling them.

"This kind of cotton can't deceive people, can it? Isn't it exposed after one wash?" Nina was even more curious.

"Yeah, whoever buys this kind of inferior cloth, as long as he takes it home and washes it once, it will shrink, and it will no longer be as thick and bright as before."

"Do Africans also buy those ragged clothes?" Nina looked in disbelief.

"Haha, how come no one buys it? Do you know which natives are and what do they usually wear?" Stanley said that he was even happier here.

"What to wear, it should be animal skins. Since they are called natives, they are ignorant and will definitely not be able to make clothes," Nina replied.

"No, no, the temperature in the Ganguo River Basin stays at 25 to 40 degrees all year round. Where can you wear animal skins, it will be hot to death. They wear some clothes made of hay and leaves." Guess what, Stanley seemed to be getting happier.

"Leaves are woven into clothes?" Nina's eyes widened in disbelief.

Constantine nodded thoughtfully, it seems that Africans also have purchasing power.

"But Mr. Stanley, there's one thing I don't quite understand. The goods you brought, um, let's try to calculate the goods. What do the Africans use to buy them. I mean, they don't have pounds or francs. Come and pay the bill." , Constantine asked.

It seems that he did not expect Constantine to ask such a direct question, and Stanley was a little surprised.

"Of course they don't have sterling francs, but they still have their own simple currency, a copper rod, which the locals use for trading currency. Of course, we occasionally trade some food, such as cassava, bananas, and I also get some ivory at times," Stanley explained.

"So it seems that the copper mines of Ganguo are indeed rich?" Constantine asked.

"I'm afraid it's not just the copper mines that are rich in reserves. There are elephants everywhere. If the ivory merchants saw it, they would definitely go crazy. When the local people saw us accepting ivory, they turned around and took out a lot of ivory to trade. According to my guess, I'm afraid they took it from a dead elephant," Stanley replied.

"In the Congo River Basin, the most popular thing is that we bring knives from Europe. In order to get a sharp European steel knife, they don't hesitate to exchange their entire net worth," Stanley said proudly.

It can be seen that this guy has made a lot of extra money. In the past two or three years, I am afraid that the money he earned from those Africans may not be as good as what Constantine paid him.

"And, in Kinsasha, our home base, where the Congolese, have a quirk that, in order to get a European fashion, they would rather go hungry, lay hands on us, work, just to wear clothes from civilized Europe , especially the clothes in Paris, they do everything they can for a bright and beautiful dress. What's even weirder is that those people are wearing European fashion that they have tried their best to show off in public, and the Africans around them will use envy. Looking at them jealously. Honestly, I can't understand their show-off mentality," Stanley said.

"Really? Spending all of your fortune just for a luxury item? Where can someone be so stupid?" Nina's eyes widened in disbelief.

"It's a pity that you can't go to Africa. The world is huge and full of wonders, not only luxury goods. Those tribal chiefs, after seeing us hunting with rifles, were all stunned and often asked our expedition members if they could sell them some Rifle, if you want something to trade, we will sell it," Stanley said with pride.

It seems that African adventures are indeed profitable. It is strange that so many people rush to Europe. It turns out that the adventure itself can make a fortune.

"It seems that Mr. Stanley must have made a lot of money from Africans, right?" Even Constantine had a taste for it. With Lao Tzu's huge sponsorship, he made a lot of money from his own extra money. This is not a waste of money. What?

Stanley seemed to see what Constantine was thinking, and quickly said: "It's not all pleasant memories, after all, in the uncivilized southern African continent, there are also many tribes, not so easy to talk, not all Africans have There is the concept of trading, and there are malicious intent, robbery,” Stanley explained.

"Not only that, people on the expedition often get sick and die. You also know the **** climate of the Congo River Basin, hot, high temperature and rainy, malaria, dysentery, and annoying mosquitoes. In Africa, where there is little medical treatment, almost everyone Talk about a discoloration," Stanley said here, feeling a little down.

"Your Excellency, most Africans are very optimistic and always have a smile on their faces. I think this is probably their natural character. In the Congo River Basin, plants are evergreen throughout the year, and there is no shortage of food throughout the year. , for them, it is a feeling that they have never experienced, and I think they probably will not have this word in their vocabulary. Although compared to Europe, they are uncivilized and do not have the advanced science and technology as us, but they They live very happy, self-sufficient, and laugh a lot. Sometimes I even think, what's wrong with living as mediocre and ignorant as they are? On the contrary, we, Europeans who claim to be civilized and wise, rack our brains. Satisfy your own desires, be busy, and run around all day." Said here, Stanley's mood was even lower.

​​