Reborn As a Pirate

Facing the Earl's assessment, Lorraine handed in a blank paper and got full marks.

He finally officially became Count Galvez's smuggling agent.

The earl told him that Queen Mary's messenger had sent over the newly drafted benefit distribution plan. Once the New Orleans defense battle was won, Queen Mary would be responsible for implementing this plan and ending the interest struggle among the powerful.

In the new distribution plan, the earl will become the general agent of France's smuggling trade in the New World, and get 5% of the business. At the same time, the 30% of the business belonging to the royal family will also be entrusted to him to manage.

The royal family has its own designated agent, so what Lorraine will be responsible for is the 5% that belongs to the earl.

The bill contained fifteen hundred Charleville rifles per month, one thousand dragoon pistols, corresponding ammunition and most of the consumables, all consignees to the United States Continental Army.

According to the Earl, these goods were equivalent to 70% of all aid supplied by France to the Continental Army, and Lorraine would become the largest arms supplier to the US military.

In terms of price, the shipping price of the rifle is 22 pounds, and the purchase price from the United States is 76 pounds; the shipping price of the pistol is 14 pounds, and the purchase price is 42 pounds; all kinds of consumables are mostly produced in Newland , reduced the freight, about 400 pounds per ship, and the purchase price was 770 pounds.

According to the cargo capacity of the Jackdaw, all the goods will need to be shipped in about three trips. The cost of the goods is 48,200 pounds, the settlement amount is 158,310 pounds, and the distributable profit is as high as about 110,000 pounds.

Considering the earl's absolute dominance in this business, Lorraine proposed a 40% to 60% share, and Lorraine assumed all the risks and obtained 40% of the profits.

But the earl must allow him to pay for the goods first, that is, to pay for the goods in the settlement cycle, instead of paying with one hand and delivering with the other like other smugglers.

This is equivalent to Lorraine exchanging 10% of the profit for the privilege of earning nothing.

In name, he bears all the risks, but in the process of sailing to return to port, in fact, he gambled on the boat and the earl gambled on guns.

After thinking for a long time, the Earl finally agreed to Lorraine's only request.

In the earl's study, Carmen drafted the agency contract on the spot, and Lorraine and the earl solemnly signed their names on both parties, in duplicate, each of which was sealed in parchment paper.

The sacred agreement was reached, and the earl poured a second glass of wine for Lorraine.

"A newborn calf is not afraid of a tiger, Kenway. Listening to your reply, you seem to intend to continue this business for a long time."

Lorraine smiled and raised his glass: "Until the United States gains independence, I will be the most loyal partner of justice for the people of the New World."

The earl couldn't help but laugh: "Do you know the return rate of the smuggling line from New Orleans to Baltimore?"

"Such a large profit, I estimate, seventy per cent?"

"Twenty." The earl casually said a sensational figure, "This is the return rate of last month. Only one out of every five merchants returned to this port."

Lorraine was really taken aback: "It's a good triple profit line, how can the return rate be so low? Is there any business in the Caribbean that is more profitable than this?"

"As far as I know, no more." The earl shook his head regretfully, "Since the British replaced the admiral of the Continental Squadron, this route has become more and more tense. I heard that one out of every three smuggling ships was captured by the British." Or sunk, the remaining ships have to deal with pirates, and the loss rate is about 20%.

This is a heart-pounding journey. Most people don’t want to go for a second time after going through it once. After all, no matter how much money you earn, you have to live to spend it. "

"It seems that Admiral Drake is really troublesome..."

On the second day after signing the contract, the earl lived in the front-line military tent under the protection of the guards.

The earl once proposed to let Lorraine and his sailors jump in line and participate in the decisive battle as mercenaries in exchange for the existing smuggled materials, but Lorraine refused without hesitation.

What he wants is a long-term business. Short-term orders like this that are not cost-effective and may be used as cannon fodder are meaningless to him and will not generate any temptation.

The decisive battle of the Battle of New Orleans officially began on the west shore of Lake Pontchartrain.

On April 5, 1799, 12,000 mercenaries launched endless attacks on the British positions on the vast plains. The Indian Blackfoot tribe that blocked them suffered heavy losses and retreated steadily.

On the 7th, the British army in the rear joined the battle.

These professional soldiers in bright red uniforms were embedded into the battlefield like ice chisels, and wherever they passed, the mercenaries were powerless to fight back.

On the 8th, the mercenary group sent representatives to request the earl to retreat. The earl did not see them, but directly threw 8 representatives into the military court. After a hasty trial, they were hanged at the gate of the barracks for treason.

The mercenary group was silent.

They began to resist, counterattacking the British with the bravest and most desperate attitude, and then smashed the pebbles into stones, smashing into the front of the British army's position.

This continued until the 10th, and the war turned unfavorable. The British seemed to be red-eyed, and France was defeated across the board.

The Baton Rouge Legion has sprung up!

They appeared in the southwest of the battlefield without warning, cutting off the British line like a red-hot knife, forming a complete encirclement of the two regiments.

The British anti-siege and rescue operations lasted for 4 full days.

On the afternoon of the 14th, after repeated unsuccessful rescues, in order to prevent the British troops in the encirclement from surrendering to the French, the British commander sent an invitation to the earl for negotiations.

The war has thus entered a lull.

On April 17, the British and French armies held a top-level meeting hosted by the Spaniards in the very center of Lake Pontchartrain, and successfully signed a peace agreement called the "Peace on board Pontchartrain".

France announced the withdrawal of the siege and the release of all British prisoners in the war. The British side announced that it would abandon the campaign against New Orleans and release all the prisoners.

The Blackfoot Horde was the only one to be sacrificed.

These Indian tribes close to Britain were required to take full responsibility for their war atrocities, and at the same time pay goods worth 100,000 pounds to France, 20,000 pounds to the Spaniards, and 8,000 pounds to Britain.

Otherwise, their captives would be reduced to slavery, and they would be declared barbarians, deprived of any aid or protection from the civilized world.

The war is over.

...

The people of New Orleans are holding a celebration on the parade ground, and the protagonist of the celebration is the French Count Galvez.

Crowds of people.

Lorraine sat bored on the bow of the Jackdaw holding the invitation letter for the celebration.

It is very close to the parade ground, so even if it is not there, Lorraine can still hear the cheers and singing like a tsunami on the square.

"This city really likes to be lively..." he muttered to himself.

Hannah walked over with her white ears in her arms, and of course pushed Lorraine aside, and sat down.

"The count has invited you, and it would be impolite for you to stay here."

Lorraine laughed lazily: "You have started to pay attention to etiquette. Carmen told you?"

Hannah simply nodded.

"Did Carmen tell you why I asked Yacharin and Karen to go instead of me?"

"She said that the Earl didn't really want to share the joy of victory with you, he just wanted you to stand in the square and be one of the cheering crowd."

Lorraine spread her hands and shrugged: "Look, I don't like to join in the fun. Once there are more people, there will be a smell of dirt and sweat everywhere, just like stepping into a gun bay in the ocean."

"If you say that, it's okay if you don't go."

"Yeah." Lorraine grabbed the white ears and squeezed them hard, "The official smuggling won't start until late June, and I have to go back to Lucy, you, Noah, Pierce, Daniel and Yacharin will accompany me back. Carmen will stay here, she needs to take care of some business details."

"How do we get back? Hyla?"

Lorraine asked rhetorically: "The branch's first ocean-going merchant ship must have been handed over to Chuck by myself, so it seems that the president has no place for a vegetarian meal, right?"

Hana tilted her head and thought for a while: "Yes."

"It's time for the sailors to get ready. Yacharin won't be back until tomorrow morning. We'll leave when he comes back."

"good."