"Jiangnan Group..." Lin Daoqian's eyes were attracted by the first four words. He didn't pay any attention to the "Strategy and Decision-making Committee" at all. He didn't even know that the deputy director was equivalent to the senior vice president of the group...

Although he was in Lingnan, he had heard about the Jiangnan Group, which had risen rapidly in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. However, compared with the other party's efforts in Jiangnan, he knew more about the aspect that he was concerned about - the development of the Jiangnan Group at sea.

Lin Daoqian heard that Jiangnan Group was born out of the Nine Great Families, and there were even rumors that it was just the Nine Great Families in a different skin. There was also an even more outrageous saying that a 15-year-old boy conquered the Nine Great Families and established the Jiangnan Group.

This last rumor fully illustrates the truth that a rumor can spread like wildfire. Therefore, Lin Daoqian listened to the weird rumors about Jiangnan Group with a skeptical attitude.

However, it is true that the Jiangnan Group grew through the transportation of grain and monopolized the entire East China Sea trade, including Japan and Korea. It is said that in order to compete for the monopoly of trade with Japan, they fought a battle with the Portuguese. As a result, they took advantage of their surprise and military superiority to capture the Portuguese flagship Duke of Goa and another Western sailing ship, the Oriental Beauty, which fully proved their strength.

Fortunately, these two ships were absent from the encirclement and suppression of Zeng Yiben last year, which allowed him to escape. Otherwise, with the two large Western sailing ships' completely crushing firepower, speed, and armor advantages, Zeng Yiben would have no chance of escaping.

Later, in order to get back the two important warships, the Portuguese had to admit Jiangnan Group's exclusive right to trade with Japan. But how could the Westerners, who were always unwilling to suffer losses, swallow this breath? Lin Daoqian heard from the grapevine that Jiangnan Group's trading post in Ryukyu was taken down last month, and the loss was very heavy, all thanks to the Portuguese behind the scenes...

After a long silence, Lin Daoqian slowly said: "No matter how strong the Jiangnan Group is, it is still in the north. As the saying goes, 'a fierce dragon cannot cross the river'. I think it is too far to make trouble in the coastal areas of Fujian and Guangdong, which are like Shura Fields..."

"Wrong." Xu Wei said decisively: "The principle of our Jiangnan Group is to return tenfold. If someone helps us, we will repay them tenfold. If someone hurts us, we will retaliate tenfold!"

He sneered and said, "The Ryukyu incident has successfully angered the group. Our powerful fleet is about to go south and stir up a bloody storm in the Fujian and Guangdong waters, completely changing the chaotic situation in the South China Sea!"

"How do we change it?" Lin Daoquan asked with a gloomy face.

"Just like we did in the East China Sea, end the chaos and establish order. All ships on the sea must obey my orders!" Xu Wei said in a deep voice.

"Your group is so arrogant..." Lin Daoqian couldn't help but sneer.

"Confidence comes from strength." Xu Wei smiled as a matter of course, "There is no need to argue about this matter, because it won't be long before you see the Jiangnan Group's sun and moon flag flying on all the routes along the coast of Fujian and Guangdong."

"Then I'll wait and see." Lin Daoqian nodded very politely, then changed the subject and asked, "But what does this have to do with me?"

"General, have you ever thought about taking this opportunity to completely get rid of the huge hidden dangers in your identity, stand upright forever between heaven and earth, and accomplish a great cause that will go down in history?" Xu Wei instigated in a voice full of bewitching power.

"Can Jiangnan Group help me do this?" Lin Daoqian's pupils shrank slightly, obviously his itch was tickled.

"For a group that can snatch meat from the profiteers of the canal transport gangs and break through restrictions to engage in maritime trade, what's your problem? Is it a problem?" Xu Wei said confidently: "As long as the group endorses you, no one in the Ming officialdom will dare to touch you!"

"Even if I want to help Jiangnan Group do something, what does it have to do with rescuing Chaozhou City?" Lin Daoquan asked without comment.

"Of course it is related." Xu Wei looked at Lin Daoqian with a look of 'how can you be so ignorant' and said, "You don't know who Zhao Sima's son is, do you?"

"Who is it?" Lin Daoqian couldn't help but widen his eyes, and suddenly stuttered: "No, no, the rumors can't be true, Jiangnan Group was founded by a 15-year-old kid, right?"

"That boy was indeed fifteen years old when he founded the Jiangnan Company." Xu Wei used the incense in the incense burner to light the hookah, took a puff and said, "Considering that he founded the Xishan Company at the age of fourteen, isn't this a very natural thing?"

"Natural... bullshit..." Lin Daoqian's mouth was dry, and he couldn't help but complain: "How can it be natural at all! If this rumor is true, then all of us are living in dog's stomachs, right?"

"You should reflect on your lack of information. You are clearly in a life-or-death situation, facing imminent danger, but you only focus on your small piece of land along the coast of Fujian and Guangdong. You don't look further and don't look for anyone who can help you. I am worried about you!" Xu Wei knocked on the table, with a look of disappointment, and said:

"Zhao and I originally thought that you would take the initiative to send someone north to contact Jiangnan Group. Who knew that after such a long time, you didn't make any movement at all, and we had to come south to find you!"

“This…” Lin Daoqian was a little confused by the scolding, and he was even more speechless: “I…”

"What do you mean by 'I'?" Xu Wei blew out a smoke ring and said, "We really don't know the situation on the sea in Fujian and Guangdong, so we need to get a local snake to join us. I don't know why Zhao kid has taken a fancy to you. This is an opportunity for you and your men, you must cherish it."

"Thank you..." Lin Daoqian was both amused and confused, thinking to himself, what the hell is going on. How come the rhetoric is similar to the one he used to recruit people to join his gang?

In fact, this is the result of the mutual support between Zhao Hao's MLM Group and Lin's MLM Group.

~~

Lin Daoqian also lit up his hookah, smoked a bag to sort out his thoughts that had been distracted by Xu Wei, then cleared his throat and said:

"I have received Mr. Qingteng's kindness, and I am indeed interested in talking to Mr. Zhao."

Then he changed the subject and said, "But he was my dear brother who I beheaded and burned yellow paper for. I really can't stab him in the back just because of your words."

Xu Wei narrowed his eyes and nodded. How could Lin Daoquan's thoughts escape his grasp?

Doesn’t it just cost more money?

"I just said it before. I'm not asking you to fight Zeng Yiben. I just want him to wake up and stop dreaming about attacking Chaozhou City." He said slowly:

"For General Lin, this is just a piece of cake, and it can be done without any weapons, but the benefits are huge - the current Governor of Guangdong, your cousin Lin Zhongcheng, had his life saved by Zhao, and the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, Yin Butang, has a hometown relationship with him. Zhao was an orphan since he was a child, and he depended on his father for life, so it goes without saying that the father and son have a very close relationship."

Xu Wei smiled and looked at Lin Daoqian and said, "You said you did him such a big favor, how can he not keep you safe?"

"This is the first time I've heard of this. I need some time to verify it..." Lin Daoqian was shocked. He didn't expect that the boy surnamed Zhao had such a strong background. But there is a rule in his line of work that is 'don't release the eagle until you see the rabbit'. He gritted his teeth and said, "Or, sir, if you can get Governor Yin and Lin Zhongcheng to publicly guarantee that the government troops will never set foot on the tail, then for the sake of my brothers, I can also be disloyal for once."

"That's easy. As long as you help lift the siege of Chaozhou, I promise to ask the two provincial governors to give you this guarantee!" Xu Wei said with a smile.

"How do I know if the government will change its mind after the siege is lifted?" Lin Daoqian smiled apologetically and said, "Sorry, sir, it's not against you, but in our eyes, the government has no credibility at all."

"This is very simple. I will stay here. We are like-minded, so it's a good opportunity for us to get closer." Xu Wei said in a relaxed manner: "When the court gives you this guarantee, you will let me go. If you wait too long and get impatient, you can just kill me with a knife."

"How could a junior be willing to harm you, sir?" Lin Daoqian hurriedly apologized with a smile, but his smile was obviously a little more excited. "I would love to have the opportunity to get closer to you, sir."

"Is that settled?" Xu Wei nodded, put away his hookah and said, "You better start early. When Zhao brat arrives with his fleet, you won't be needed anymore and this opportunity will be gone..."

"Yeah." Lin Daoqian nodded and responded vaguely.

"I'm a little hungry." Xu Wei knew that he needed to think carefully about such a big thing. Even if he agreed on the spot, he might change his mind later. So he stretched and stood up and said, "Hasn't the banquet been prepared? Let's go eat."

"Sir, please..." Lin Daoquan had to put aside his confused thoughts and went to drink with Xu Wei.

~~

Lin Daoquan was preoccupied, so he didn't drink too much with Xu Wei, and the party ended when the clock struck eight.

After sending the drunk Xu Wenchang back upstairs and instructing the maid to serve the distinguished guest well, he turned around and went back.

He went into the study, made some sobering tea, and Lin Daoquan started drinking cup after cup.

"Boss, you won't really be tempted by that old man, will you?" Quan Shigu, the second in command under Lin Daoqian, reminded him with some concern: "Mr. Zeng has sent Big Gold Tooth to the door with generous gifts and has offered such generous conditions. We can't fail to settle the accounts."

"Mr. Zeng is spending money to buy peace. Does he think he is really sharing the good fortune with you?" Lin Daoqian said unhappily.

"No matter what, the right thing to do is to get the real money." Quan Shigu said nonchalantly.

"If I accept this money, won't I become an accomplice in the attack on Chaozhou City?!" Lin Daoqian said speechlessly, "When Magistrate Li disappeared before, they wanted to blame us. If I become an accomplice of Zeng Laoguan, well, all the new and old debts will be blamed on me! That's really unresolved."

"Oh, really?" Quan Shigu understood what the boss meant and didn't dare to say anything.

"Send Big Gold Tooth away tomorrow and return all the gifts to him. Tell him that we are now government troops and it would be a crime to watch them attack Chaozhou City. Ask him to withdraw his troops quickly to avoid damaging the relationship..." Lin Daoqian finally made up his mind, but felt that the deterrent force was still a little lacking, so he closed his eyes and said:

"One more thing. Our fleet is ready. If they don't withdraw, we will have to fight..."

"Yes." Quan Shigu's expression froze and he quickly responded in a deep voice.