Sima Rulan said: "Mr. Gonggola guessed correctly, we did have other things to do, and we need Mr.'s help."

Gongora said, "Oh, I don't know what's going on?"

Sima Rulan took out a piece of paper from his sleeve, handed it to Gongora, and said, "In order to fight the pirates of the 'Black Dragon Palace', we, the 'Wanjintang', have recently decided to build a large warship, called the Dragon Slaying Ship. On this piece of paper, we wrote a few things that we urgently needed help for. Today, Mr. Lan'er and Mr. Hua came to ask Mr. Gongora to help him. ”

Gonggora took the note, put it in front of his eyes and looked at it, but the smile on his face disappeared immediately, he handed the paper back to Sima Rulan, and said, "I'm sorry, I can't help these things." ”

As an experienced businessman, if you encounter conditions that you can't agree to, it is the best way to refuse without leaving any room for it. Gongora obviously knows this well, so the word "no" can be said faster than anyone else.

Sima Rulan was not a businessman, of course she didn't know the trick, and she was quite stunned that Gongora's attitude had changed so quickly, but Hua Bushi smiled slightly, reached out and took back the note, and said, "Mr. Gongora can't agree, but do you think we can't pay enough?"

In order to build a dragon slaying ship, it is not enough to have silver taels, there are still many problems that cannot be solved with silver taels, and on this piece of paper, it is written that the most troublesome problems are the hiring of top shipbuilders and the purchase of the most advanced Western artillery.

Gongora said: "These things are not only a matter of price, I am just a merchant, I have always only bought and sold goods, and will not participate in wars, if I help you build such warships, it will violate the usual principle of contemptible business, so I cannot agree." ”

Sima Rulan said: "If we can't build a dragon slaying ship, we won't be able to fight the pirates' giant shark warship, and Okura Castle will not be safe, doesn't Mr. Gongora think that the pirates of the 'Black Dragon Palace' should be eliminated?"

"That group of pirates should indeed be eliminated, but it is not my responsibility. The shipbuilders and the guns are all related to the maritime interests of our Kingdom of Spain, and I hope you can understand that you will not be forced to make it difficult for me. ”

When Gongora said this, it was obvious that there was no possibility of agreeing, and Sima Rulan's face couldn't help but show disappointment. However, Hua Bushi, who was standing beside her, was just the opposite, his expression was full of interest, and he did not have the slightest hint of discouragement.

Hua Bushi's biggest concern was not that Gongora would not agree, but that the Spanish shipowner was not able to accomplish these things. It is important to know that the best shipbuilders and the most advanced firearms, even in Western kingdoms such as Spain, are only in the hands of a very small number of people, and even if Gongora is a nobleman and is related to the current King Ficion III of Spain, it may not be guaranteed.

However, from Gongora's words just now, Hua Bushi had already heard that the other party was not impossible, but he was unwilling to agree, which made the eldest young master feel a lot more at ease.

Hua Bushi smiled slightly, and said: "Of course Mr. Gongora's meaning is understood, and we don't have the intention of making it difficult for a strong man, since we have to pay attention to your love and my wishes when doing business, Okura City is a place of free trade, and Mr. Gonggora doesn't need to worry about this festival." ”

He changed his words and said: "It's just that we have made up our minds to fight a decisive battle with the 'Black Dragon Palace', the dragon slaying ship must be built, and we are determined to achieve the shipbuilding technician and firearm manufacturing skills, and I hope Mr. Gongora can understand!"

Gonggola was relieved when he heard Hua Bushi say that he would not be strong, but he didn't expect that in a blink of an eye, the eldest young master spoke very toughly, which made him nervous. After all, Okura Castle is under the control of the "Wanjintang", and no matter how hard Gongora's backstage is, he has to have some scruples in other people's territory.

He cautiously asked, "What does Mr. Hua mean by that?"

Hua Bushi said: "The meaning of the next words is that to solve this matter, we have to find a way that is acceptable to both you and me, I think we might as well come to a gamble?"

Gongora shook his head again and again: "I'm sorry, I'm a devout Catholic, and I can't gamble with others according to the rules." ”

Hua Bushi said: "Could it be that Mr. Gongora has no confidence in Xia Luo Raccoon like this, and he doesn't dare to gamble with Young Master Ben on the victory or defeat of the battle of the Dog King?"

Gongora's expression moved, and he said, "Mr. Hua wants to use the battle between the dog king of the princess and the princess to bet on winning or losing?"

Hua Bushi said: "Exactly." If Mr. Gongora refuses to give us the slightest opportunity, we will not get what we want, not only will Miss Zaihe Lan'er not be reconciled, but even the thousands of disciples of the 'Wanjin Hall' in the city will not be able to agree! But if we lose the gamble, we will have nothing to say, and we will never mention this matter to Mr. Gongora again in the future!"

He said this with both hard and soft words, although he did not say it explicitly, but implied that if Gongora refused to gamble, the "Wanjintang" would not give up.

The expression on Gongora's face was cloudy, and it took a long time before he said, "I'm sorry, I still can't say yes." Although I am 100% confident that the charoon dog will win the title of dog king, the shipbuilding skills and firearms manufacturing jishu you want are not things that can be used as a bet. If you want to use coercion, our Spanish Navy's Invincible Armada will not be able to agree to it!"

Hua Bushi's face showed a smile again, and he said: "This is a serious word! Gambling is also a matter of wishful thinking, how can it be forced in the future? What Mr. Gongora said is good, what we want is indeed worth a lot of money, and it is difficult to measure it in silver taels, so the bet we made is, of course, extraordinary. ”

He glanced at Sima Rulan beside him and said, "I have already discussed with Miss Lan'er in the next place, the bet to be bet is the exclusive right to trade in Okura Port, if we lose the bet, from now on the Chinese merchants in Okura Port can only trade with Spanish merchant ships, and they will no longer be allowed to do business with the fleets of other countries." ”

Hearing this, Gongora's eyes finally began to glow.

Today's Okura City, bringing together most of the giant merchants in the Ming Dynasty, the value of various goods in Hong Kong every year is more than tens of millions of silver taels, and the competition between merchants from Western countries is becoming more and more fierce. In fact, Gongora and the Dutch East India Company, as well as the merchants of Great Britain, France and other countries are all rivals, if they can get the exclusive right to trade in the port of Okura, it means that all the Chinese trading houses in the city can only buy goods from Gongora, the value of which is simply incalculable!

At this time, I only heard Hua Bushi say: "But since Mr. Gongora insists on not gambling, this matter has to be abandoned." Miss Lan'er, I think we should take our leave, and pay a visit to the Governor of the Dutch East India Company, Governor Koan, and perhaps he will be a little more polite!"

"Wait a minute!" Gongora's voice was a little hoarse, obviously because he was too nervous and excited, "Mr. Hua just said that the matter of exclusive trade rights is serious?"

Hua Bushi said: "I'm serious, do I seem to be joking?"

Gongora said, "Then if the Yakuza win the princess in the dog ring and the dog king, won't you not only lose shipbuilding skills and artillery, but also lose the exclusive right to trade in the port of Okura?"

Hua Bushi smiled slightly and said: "The so-called admitting gambling and losing, if the princess really loses, she should be like this." ”

Gonggora said: "'Okura Castle' is under the control of 'Wanjintang', if you lose, who can guarantee that you will not regret it?"

If there was not enough price, of course, the Spanish nobleman would not go to make a useless bet, but now that Hua Bushi's offer was full of temptation, Gongora began to worry that the other party would not keep the gambling contract and regret it. After all, the strength of the civet is indeed several points stronger than the main one, and the battle between the dog king can basically be won safely, and Gongora, as a great expert in dog training, is clear about this.

Hua Bushi said: "The 'Wanjintang' has always attached great importance to faith and righteousness in Okura Castle for so many years, how can he ever do anything to breach the contract and regret it? If Mr. Gonggora can't believe it, we can make a contract voucher, sign it on both sides, and make the matter public, so that all the merchants in Okura Castle know, what do you think?"

Reputation is very important to merchants engaged in the cargo trade, and if the gambling agreement between the two parties is made public, and the "Mankindo" loses and breaks the contract, it will immediately be discredited in Okura Castle. And "Wanjintang" is not only the lord of this city, but also the Baidao sect on the rivers and lakes, such a blatant breach of trust should not be done lightly.

At this time, Gonggora had already been moved, and then turned to Sima Rulan and asked, "What Mr. Hua said, Miss Sima agrees, won't she regret it?"

Sima Rulan said: "Mr. Gongora, you can rest assured, Mr. Hua's decision is Lan'er's decision, and he will definitely not regret it!"

When she said this, a pair of beautiful eyes looked at Hua Bushi, but they were full of tenderness.

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※ half an hour later, Hua Bushi and Sima Rulan came out of Gongora's mansion, and there was already a gambling contract in their pockets that both parties had signed.

It was written in the gambling contract that the two sides would win or lose the battle between the dog kings of the "Zixiao Conference", and the bet placed by the "Wanjintang" side was the exclusive right to trade in the port of Okura, while the bet placed by Gongora was to help the other side hire 20 top shipbuilding technicians from Spain, as well as 300 of the latest shipboard guns and 300 smoothbore flintlock muskets.

The conditions for the flintlock musket were not originally on that piece of paper, but Hua Bushi added them later.