AHumanMadeMOFO
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Chapter 70: Negotiation
🕑 Added 2024-12-07 14:56:59 +0000 UTC"Are you the ones who want to do business with me?" About half an hour later, a middle-aged man in a suit, with a scar on his face and a somewhat weathered appearance, entered the tavern, followed by several subordinates. He walked briskly over to Lynden Schneider and said to him.
Yes, it was Lynden, not Josh.
At that moment, Josh, acting as an assistant, was standing behind Lynden.
Dealing with the Mafia was better left to someone like Lynden who had experience, and since smuggling was ultimately a gray area, it was best for Josh to stay out of the spotlight.
"Are you Thomas Shelby?" Lynden asked as he assessed the man.
"That's right. My friends call me Tommy. Aren't you going to introduce yourself?" The man smiled and confirmed his identity before asking Lynden.
"I have some goods, a large quantity, and I need a reliable partner for distribution!" Lynden said, taking on an air of arrogance.
"Well, you've come to the right place. If you're looking for someone in all of Britain who can distribute goods nationwide, you won't find anyone but our Shelby family... But let's get one thing straight: we don't deal in 'powder'!" Tommy smiled slightly. "Peaky Blinders" is what the outsiders call them, but like most gangs, they call themselves by the boss's last name.
Tommy didn't mind Lynden's arrogance; he was a smart man who knew that the world's political situation was becoming clearer. America's rise was unstoppable, and after the heavy blows of "MustacheMan", Britain had long since lost the grandeur of the empire on which the sun never set.
Now the presence of boastful American soldiers in every British town confirmed it.
"Naturally. We don't deal in dangerous goods. In fact, the goods we have to distribute are exactly what all of Britain and even Europe desperately needs right now," Lynden nodded and then looked at Josh.
Understanding the hint, Josh placed the box at his feet on the table and opened it.
Inside were a few simple items: several packs of various brands of cigarettes, some loose tobacco, and some canned meat.
In fact, Josh had brought a much larger variety of goods, but these items weren't quite suitable for legitimate trade.
Normally, only the cigarettes would be considered unsuitable for legal sale, while the canned meat was fine - at least in theory. But with the current state of things, those cans of "dinosaur meat" were...
When Tommy saw the contents of the box, he was quite surprised. He had expected to see sensitive materials, but cigarettes and canned meat? That was totally unexpected.
In peacetime, tobacco might have been considered slightly sensitive, but in the current wartime situation, where Britain was selling everything from household goods to weapons, it was far from a problem.
Now, in Britain's current situation, anything useful that could be brought in was considered legal, and there were no tariffs - no smuggling at all.
"I don't quite understand... These goods, sir, could easily be sold through trading companies. There's no need to come to us!" Though tempted by the offer, Tommy hesitated. As someone who had been in the criminal underworld for decades, he didn't believe in free lunches. Could there be something wrong with these goods?
"Mr. Shelby, you're thinking too much. You and your men can taste these goods. I guarantee they are all top quality, just like these samples!" Lynden noticed Tommy's concern, smiled slightly, and didn't immediately make an offer, but instead took out a box of cigarettes and a can of meat and offered Tommy a taste.
Seeing this, Tommy looked at one of his subordinates. The man didn't hesitate, opened the can and immediately grabbed the meat and shoved it into his mouth.
After just one bite, his eyes lit up and he began to devour it hungrily.
Lynden and Josh couldn't help but smile at the sight.
In truth, the canned meat, like the military rations for American soldiers, was very ordinary - some would even say unpleasant. It was too salty and greasy, and without heating, it was hard for the average person to swallow.
But the fact that the man ate it so eagerly showed only one thing: he hadn't eaten anything so greasy in a long time.
Seeing his subordinate's embarrassing behavior, Tommy's face twitched and he discreetly kicked him.
The last few years in Britain had been tough, and even those involved in the underworld had it bad, often going hungry. Still, this kind of behavior was rather embarrassing.
Even though the man had been kicked, he didn't stop eating. He ate the entire one-pound can and then licked the remains clean.
The rest of Tommy's men watched, their mouths watering.
"Ha ha, country boy... Please excuse that behavior in front of our honored guests!" Tommy could only smile awkwardly at Lynden.
"Mr. Shelby, you're being too modest. Britain is simply going through a difficult time. As the war situation becomes clearer, I'm sure things will improve soon," Lynden said, raising his hand to ease the awkwardness. "As for your earlier concern, it's simple. My boss is not looking for a one-time deal. He hopes to establish a stable partnership that will continue after the war."
As soon as Lynden said this, Tommy understood immediately.
Yes, at the moment Britain was a buyer's market, where anything could be sold. But once the war was over, the situation would change completely.
Canned meat would quickly lose its value, while tobacco, though still valuable, would soon be targeted by the government as soon as they regained control.
So if they wanted to continue selling contraband like tobacco or other illegal items, working with a strong gang like the Shelby's was definitely the way to go.
"I was too hasty! We, the Shelby family, are more than willing to accept this deal. When can we get the goods... and the payment..." When it came to payment, a hint of embarrassment appeared on Tommy's face.
These days even the landlords had no reserves. British prices had skyrocketed, and if Josh and his people brought in too much merchandise, even the biggest gang in Britain, the Shelby's, might have trouble paying for it all at once.
"This is easy. We can deliver the goods first, and as for payment, we'll accept physical goods - gold, jewels, land - anything, as long as it's clean!" Lynden smiled.
