Chapter 195: Missionaries, Merchants, Age of Exploration (6)
“Tell me the specifics.”
“This is the content of the treaty we are about to sign.”
I pulled out two documents—one written in the script used by the Botswana tribe and others, and the other in Toscanian Empire’s language—and showed them to Malik.
“The Maasai Confederation and the Toscanian Empire will strengthen mutual goodwill and deepen their camaraderie.”
Even Malik, who didn’t know what modern treaties were, wouldn’t take this statement seriously.
In treaties and contracts between nations or businesses, you can hear the phrase "let’s be friends from now on" surprisingly often.
After all, swindlers who are only thinking of cheating on others will start by calling you a friend or family member to approach you more familiarly.
Taking such flattering words seriously would be seen as a sign of intelligence failure.
Although Malik lacks modern knowledge, he’s a smart man...
‘He must have understood the implied meaning of not stabbing each other in the back.’
“The Maasai Confederation can impose customs duties on goods exported from the Toscanian Empire. However, for specific items agreed upon by both the Toscanian Empire and the Maasai Confederation, customs duties can be exempted.”
In treaties like the Treaty of Ganghwa or other unequal treaties, powerful imperialist nations unilaterally set and imposed customs duties.