"Haha, I should be the one who's envious. If I had as much prestige as Minister Badenough, I wouldn't be getting yelled at now." Peter self-deprecatingly chuckled with an air of magnanimity.
Seeing Peter's flexibility, Alan could only cooperate with a slight smile and replied, "Minister Peter truly possesses extraordinary bearing. I'm sure the German Ministry of Magic will flourish under your leadership."
"Mr. Wilson, please don't flatter me." Peter knew that this young man was not someone easy to deal with, so he didn't waste any more pleasantries. "I learned from Clement that you will be entering into a long-term trade cooperation with him. This is excellent news for Germany's development." Peter knew Clement placed great importance on the cooperation with Silver Lightning Trading Company, so he particularly hoped to finalize this matter during this meeting, which would also help his long-time collaborator.
"Haha, is that what Clement said? Actually, this matter is still up in the air," Alan said noncommittally, taking advantage of the situation.
*Hmm? Is this kid still hesitating?* Peter thought to himself. *This kid is indeed cunning, taking money from others but not getting things done.*
"I believe cooperating with Clement is a win-win for you, for him, and even for the entire German business community. What more is there for you to hesitate about?" Peter gave Alan a firm look, as if trying to help him make up his mind.
"It's not that I'm unwilling to confirm the cooperation, it's just…" Alan put on a conflicted expression, "I just heard news that there have been some changes in Germany's trade policy. To be honest, I'm a bit worried that my business in Germany might run into trouble because of this."
"Haha, Mr. Wilson, you're overthinking it." Peter waved his hand with a smile. "The newly enacted law is merely to determine the affiliation of various large businesses; in fact, there's no change from before."
"Is that so?" Alan was still a bit hesitant. "But Germany's business environment changes too quickly. New policies appear every so often. According to Clement, Germany might split into East Germany and West Germany in the near future. If that happens, I'll have to find agents in two separate regions. But from what I've seen in Germany, the calls against the split seem very strong. What if Germany remains unified in the end? You know, I'm preparing to sign a long-term contract. If there are two cooperating agents within Germany at that time, wouldn't I be asking for trouble?"
"Moreover, even if the split is ultimately completed, the newly enacted law requires businesses within the country to choose whether they belong to East Germany or West Germany and reapply for business licenses. But the law doesn't seem to stipulate that this choice cannot be changed again, does it? What if Clement takes my contract and then, after less than two years, goes back to operating in East Germany, or finds ways to open branches in East Germany? I can't stop people from expanding their business, can I? At that time, agents belonging to East Germany and West Germany will bring us endless trouble."
"You are not a businessman, so you might not understand our difficulties. I just hope my business can develop in a stable environment and don't want to see any unexpected problems arise."
Alan meticulously listed his concerns to Peter, and each of these reasons had its own logic. Even Peter, upon hearing them, couldn't help but nod inwardly. Alan's considerations were indeed very comprehensive. If he were in the other party's shoes, he probably wouldn't be able to make a decision immediately either.
However, in order to secure Alan's industry as soon as possible, Peter could only advise, "I think you really don't need to be so conflicted. First, the division of the German wizarding world into two countries is an inevitable trend. Those protesters you see are merely fighting for their own interests. I can tell you confidentially that over 80% of businesses within Germany currently have no objection to the new decree. The only ones with significant opinions right now are a few enterprises led by Gringotts and Obscurus Books. I assure you, their disputes can be resolved within a week."
"As for your concern about whether agents like Clement will cause you problems, that's even simpler. I can take the lead in signing a supplementary agreement with you to ensure that during their cooperation with you, they cannot change their registered region, and when expanding to a neighboring country, they cannot bring your alchemy business with them to avoid disrupting the local market. Furthermore, I can promise that as long as you genuinely cooperate with local businesses, the German Ministry of Magic will be your backing and protect your interests from infringement."
Peter's promise showed considerable boldness, especially considering it was their first meeting.
Alan couldn't help but give Peter a surprised look upon hearing this. "Your support truly honors me. If only the Ministries of Magic in all countries had your magnanimity, that would be wonderful. However…" He paused, organizing his thoughts. "However, are you so confident that Germany will definitely complete the division? I seem to have heard different voices even within the Ministry of Magic…"
Peter knew Alan was referring to Kuhler from before, so he looked at him with a gentle yet firm gaze. "If you are willing to walk among the civilian wizards and in the Duden Building, or look at the news in various German newspapers, you will know that the division between East Germany and West Germany has long been the will of the people. All I am doing is following public opinion. People like Director Kuhler are just some old-fashioned individuals whose thinking is more conservative and unwilling to accept change. I don't blame them for this, but the final decision will still follow the principle of the minority submitting to the majority. So, the division process may be fast or slow, but it will definitely come."
When Peter said this, his eyes were incredibly firm.
*I have to say, this Minister Peter is really good at conning people. If he were in a large corporation in the Muggle world, he'd definitely be a master of manipulation,* Alan thought to himself.
Then he suppressed the urge to complain and asked pointedly, "Since that's the case, will the German Ministry of Magic also split into two parts? What will the structure of the Ministry of Magic be like after the split, and what if policies and laws change again after the split?"
Peter merely chuckled upon hearing this. "Alan, I hope you don't mind me calling you that. I find that you truly see things very clearly. I can give you a heads-up: the Ministry of Magic will naturally split in the near future. The fact that various departments are gradually splitting into two offices is a preliminary step. However, the Ministry of Magic will still be built on the existing foundation, and policies and laws will not undergo major changes, at least not in the part I oversee."
"The part you oversee?" Alan couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "So, after the Ministry of Magic splits, you will still serve as Minister in one of the Ministries of Magic? Wouldn't that be actively reducing your own power? And who will be the Minister on the other side after the split?"
"Indeed, after the split, I will at least serve as Minister of Magic for a few more years to resolve all subsequent issues. And for the happiness of all wizarding people, what is a mere bit of power worth?" Peter looked at Alan with a righteous expression. "As for the Minister of Magic on the other side after the split, that has not been decided yet. Of course, the split will not proceed that quickly, so you don't need to be too nervous."
"I see, it seems you have already considered everything." Alan nodded admiringly. "However, I wonder what your solution was for Gringotts and other businesses that you mentioned earlier. They don't seem to be able to accept dividing their assets into two parts."
Hearing Alan suddenly shift the topic back to those businesses, Peter's heart sank. This young man probably already realized something.
"These enterprises are large and extensive, even occupying a vast area in the Duden Building. It is indeed difficult for them to be abruptly split, so we are planning to establish a neutral zone to accommodate these businesses." These matters were already being discussed with some merchants, so it was not a big secret. Peter could not hide much and had to reveal everything to the other party.
"Oh? A neutral zone." Alan smiled faintly with interest. "Since there's such a good policy, why didn't you say so earlier? Our Silver Lightning Trading Company seems more suitable for operating in such a location. Perhaps I could even open a branch directly there, what do you think?"
Peter immediately felt troubled. What he feared was precisely that the other party would again consider opening a direct branch. If they sold goods themselves, the club would not be able to operate secretly, and a large portion of profits would be lost.
"The neutral zone is intended for large enterprises that have been operating locally for a long time. Although your Silver Lightning Trading Company is also large, it hasn't fully entered the local market before, so…" Peter advised tactfully.
"But if there's a simple direct path, why choose a roundabout one? As long as you are willing to let our Silver Lightning Trading Company open a branch in the neutral zone, I can donate 5,000 Galleons to you as a political contribution, plus another 5,000 Galleons for the cost of purchasing the shop!" Alan ignored Peter's words and directly offered money to pave the way.
5,000 plus 5,000? Can the initial investment really be 10,000 Galleons? Is this guy's business that profitable? Peter was shocked when he heard Alan's extravagant words. He then realized that Alan's business scale and popularity might be even greater than he imagined, otherwise the other party wouldn't be so confident.
But the more that was the case, the less he could allow Alan to open a branch.