Chapter 300: Plunder
The appearance of the British was quickly reported to Lemons, which raised concerns for Constantino. According to the British character of never acting without a profit, they must have some kind of scheme, at the very least, it showed that the British still had some interest in Zanzibar Island. Whether this assumption was correct or not, Constantino decided to increase vigilance along the coastal areas.
...
Venice Harbor.
After capturing Venice, Albrecht did not stay for long. Now, he was determined to press on and defeat the Kingdom of Italy once and for all. So, he quickly turned his forces westward, while a brigade from the secondary forces took over Venice.
Admontsto, the general in charge of Venice, began to implement the Empire's orders by identifying and expelling local forces, especially those who had betrayed Austria.
Before Venice was taken, many had already fled, and Austria could only target the industries and connected people they could not take with them.
On the docks of Venice, the scene was as lively as usual. Large and small boxes were being transported by Austro-Hungarian soldiers using various methods. The boxes ranged in size—large ones were hauled by carts, while smaller ones could be carried by an individual.
These boxes came from various factories and businesses in Venice under military control. Hechingen Group's mechanical inspectors had confirmed the function and value of the machines inside the factories, packed them into wooden boxes, and then hired Austrian soldiers as laborers to transport them.
"Be careful with this one. If it gets damaged, it could be ruined, and that would be a huge loss. We won't be paying for it!" Adlero, a Hechingen Group staff member, warned the Austrian soldiers.
"Don't worry, sir! You've told us a hundred times, we'll be careful. No one wants to lose money," replied Will, a soldier.
"That's what they said yesterday, but a few idiots messed it up," Adlero grumbled.
"Don't worry, I'm not like them. I'm always careful with this kind of thing. Before we came in, I made sure to bring a flatbed cart to move it smoothly," Will reassured.
"Good. See that red circle painted on the top left corner of the box? Be extra careful with these. Our workers will check them afterward. These are precision parts, and if they get damaged, we'll reject them. Now, take it to warehouse number one."
The two Austrian soldiers carefully unloaded the box from the flatbed and moved it onto the ship.
At the entrance of warehouse number one, they were stopped. A staff member with a key opened the box and carefully examined its contents. Inside, there was a set of gear components, which he noted down.
"Alright, you can put it on top of the stack of red boxes on the right side of the warehouse. Here's the receipt. You can exchange it for cash with this."
Will and his comrade were happy, as they could now spend the money at a tavern and enjoy themselves.
...
Inside the Venice City Hall.
Antoni, the manager of Hechingen Bank's Venice branch, was meeting with General Admontsto. On the desk, there were documents left by the Venice city government. There was not a single Italian left in the government, and now that the Austrians had returned, it felt like home.
Antoni sat across from Admontsto and politely said, "General Admontsto, I'm Antoni, manager of Hechingen Bank's Venice branch. I am here on behalf of my superiors."
Then, with a smile, he added, "I've come to thank you for your support. This is a small token of our appreciation."
Antoni pulled a Hechingen Bank check from his black briefcase and handed it to Admontsto. After inspecting the amount on the check, Admontsto laughed and said, "Hahaha, we're all on the same side! No need to be so polite; it's just a small favor, really!"
Antoni replied, "General Admontsto, there's no need to be modest. This is rightfully yours."
Admontsto nodded and said, "Well then, if you're interested in any of the equipment from the factories, just let us know. I'll make sure we can get it for you, and we can negotiate the price."
Since all industries in Venice were under Admontsto's supervision, he had some leverage in this area. As long as his soldiers were given the signal, it would be easy to sell the equipment.
Antoni said, "Actually, there's no need for that. The equipment from these seized factories is enough for our needs. Some of the equipment in other factories is too old, and some has been damaged due to the war. Plus, we have to consider leaving some work for the locals. Otherwise, we might end up with another situation like the Italians. The anger of the Venetians is terrifying."
Admontsto said, "That's really a shame. I thought you would take everything! But Mr. Antoni, don't you want to buy a little more? It's practically a bargain right now."
Of course, this wasn't going to happen. Hechingen Group had already targeted the good equipment before the war. The list had been made, and now it was being moved.
Admontsto was a bit greedy, and in reality, Hechingen Group could easily obtain the equipment they wanted by paying his subordinates much less. After all, soldiers would sell stolen goods to Hechingen Bank, which was mutually beneficial for both sides.
To develop the textile industry in Nairobi, East Africa emptied three large textile factories in Venice. Originally, Nairobi's population was much smaller than Venice's, or you could say the two cities were on entirely different levels. So, a portion of Venice's industry was enough for Nairobi's development.
Some of the textile workers from Venice were already in Nairobi, and with the addition of textile workers from the Far East, they could set up a complete textile system in East Africa.
After the plunder by East Africa, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Italy, Venice suffered heavy losses to its people and industries. However, Venice's wealth was mainly concentrated among the rich, so it didn't affect the ordinary people much. Before the Austro-Hungarian Empire took over, most Venetians were already living in poverty. Meanwhile, East Africa's plundered population reduced the employment pressure on the remaining locals, so it's hard to say which side benefited more.
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