Schneider obviously also noticed Li Jifeng's feelings, and did not delve into this issue further, and changed the conversation and said: "What Boss Li is worried about, I can probably guess a few points." The purpose of my coming here today is to reassure Boss Li that we Haihan will not give up our partners lightly. If Boss Li has safety concerns, we also welcome you to move your family to Qiongzhou Island to settle down, where you can definitely get our all-round protection. ”

Li Jifeng said with a dry smile: "There is nothing to worry about, but there have been a lot of rumors outside recently, and I am a little worried that these market rumors will affect your reputation." ”

Li Jifeng didn't dare to hesitate in front of Schneider, the appearance of the two ends of the first rat, if the Haihan people were suspicious, the cooperative relationship that was established with great difficulty might not be able to protect the Li family. Although the Li family's business has been very big now, but its status is not irreplaceable, in order to pursue more profits, their current main business has gradually shifted from traditional projects to the field of cooperation with Haihan people, and the merchants who want to hug Haihan's thighs have long lined up in Guangdong, I don't know how many people want to squeeze the Li family out, Haihan to find a replacement will not be too difficult.

Schneider said with a smile: "It's normal for there to be any rumors outside, after all, the business we talk about is a big deal of tens of millions of taels of silver, and there will be no shortage of people who covet these wealth." However, Boss Li can rest assured that only our Haihan approved merchants are qualified to participate in the money-making plan, no matter how much others toss, hehe...... Now this Qiongzhou Island is not a place where anyone can get into it!"

Li Jifeng responded: "The actions of the leaders of Haihan are naturally very relieved. I wonder what specific instructions the leaders have at this press conference?"

"I can't talk about any specific instructions, but I just hope that you can be clear about your position, clear your attitude, and be able to stand firmly on Haihan's side when the time comes. Schneider paused before continuing: "After all, when we put forward this plan, there will definitely be a lot of doubts......

Schneider said this and dragged out his tone, and Li Jifeng took over the conversation with great interest: "At that time, several business houses that have a good relationship with Xia will come forward together to support your new plan, as long as there is a lot of money to smash down, those voices that question you will naturally dissipate." ”

"I like to deal with smart people like Boss Li, who are relaxed and effortless, and can speak a little clearly, which is very worry-free. Schneider praised without hesitation: "If the businesses we deal with can have such an awareness as Boss Li, then I will really be much more worry-free!"

Li Jifeng thought that anyone could do it like me, and that "Fu Ruifeng" was still a fart! But then again, there were so many rumors outside this time that Li Jifeng's mind was already a little loose, not to mention those peripheral cooperative businesses. If none of them started to fight other ideas, Li Jifeng would never believe it. The Haihan people should have been aware of this potential risk, so Schneider personally went out to visit the business inn where the Li family and his son stayed.

In such a small place as Zhennan Port, Haihan's big shopkeeper went to visit the most powerful big merchant in Guangdong, naturally he couldn't avoid the eyes of people with a heart, but he was afraid that before Schneider walked out of the door of this business inn, at least half of the people in the port town would know the news. Even if Li Jifeng doesn't say anything, he will probably confirm the position of "Fu Ruifeng" and the Haihan people wearing a pair of pants.

Even if Li Jifeng does not express his attitude at the shareholders' meeting and takes the initiative to clarify some rumors that are unfavorable to Haihan, people will think that this is "Fu Ruifeng" has already taken a reassurance from Schneider's side, and Li Jifeng only maintained an ambiguous attitude in order to monopolize more shares. Li Jifeng himself can think of this possibility, of course he also knows that there will be other people who think in this direction, "Fu Ruifeng" will not be able to come out at the shareholders' meeting, and the entire shape will still be under the control of the Haihan people. What's more, Li Jifeng is not sure that the Haihan people are not only looking for him, but also whether they are secretly contacting other families as candidates, if he retreats from his side, maybe someone else will come out to grab the position of "Fu Ruifeng".

The Li family, father and son, sent Schneider away with low eyebrows, and as soon as they returned to the study and closed the door, Li Jifeng immediately ordered: "Second brother, you will take a boat back to Guangzhou tomorrow and take stock of the family property." ”

Li Lu's eyes widened and he replied puzzledly, "Father, what do you mean by this?"

Li Jifeng said: "If the Haihan people take the land of Qiongbei out to openly attract investment, this matter will definitely reach the ears of the government, and then the conditions on both sides can be negotiated, but if they can't be negotiated, then they will have to go to war." Think about it, if Da Ming starts a war with Haihan, who will be the first to be unlucky?"

There is no good solution to take a group of pirates who invaded Qiongzhou Island, and the Ming Dynasty naturally does not have the ability to start a full-scale war with the Haihan people now, at most it is just a declaration of war. However, even if war is declared, in order to show the majesty of the Ming court, it will definitely have to cut off some heads - for example, some comprador classes that have been sticking to the Haihan people to make a fortune, such a well-known business name as "Fu Ruifeng", I am afraid that they will be the first targets of attack.

Previously, Li Jifeng was not very sure about Haihan's attitude towards the Qiongzhou Island incident, so he only instructed his two sons not to talk about this matter outside, but after talking to Schneider face-to-face just now, Li Jifeng had already experienced the obscure message from his words - Haihan would gradually disclose his control of the situation on Qiongzhou Island, and would use various methods to force the Guangdong government to accept the status quo.

If it can succeed, then everyone will continue to follow the Haihan people to make money and make a fortune, and as for who Qiongzhou Island should belong to, the businessmen who are qualified to participate in this matter will probably choose the side that is more beneficial to them, rather than paying attention to the loyalty to the court and the emperor. If this kind of effort fails, then the gang of people who are now the most energetic with the Haihan will all be unlucky, and maybe they will be cleaned up by the government as scapegoats - each of these people is a big fat sheep, and the money obtained from the raid will not be able to be used by the Guangdong government to deal with the influence of the Haihan's invasion of Qiongzhou Island.

Even if Li Jifeng believes that the strength of the Haihan people can withstand the punishment of the Ming Dynasty, he is a businessman who can't bear the anger of the government, so it is necessary to make some preparations as soon as possible. Li Nai's reaction was faster than that of his second brother, and he had already come back to his senses: "Father means that after the family property is counted, some of it will be transferred out first?"

Li Jifeng nodded and said: "First count the cash, leave the share that needs to be turnover, and deposit the rest in Haihan Bank!"

"But if the government finds trouble with the Haihan people, it will definitely close down the Haihan Bank!" Li Lu asked puzzled.

Li Nai explained: "Second brother, you don't have much to do with Haihan Bank, and you don't know anything about it. No matter where the silver we deposited, as long as we hold the silver notes and passbooks issued to us by the Haihan Bank, the Haihan people will admit it. Even if the silver has been confiscated by the government, we can still go to other places to take out the silver, and the government can't go to Sanya to seize the bank of the Haihan people, right?"

"What if Haihan doesn't admit it?" Li Lu was still a little worried about the safety of his money.

Li Jifeng waved his hand and said: "There is no need to worry, the Haihan people regard credibility as more important than silver, and their reputation and reputation are not things that our family can buy with these silvers? Which is more important, the Haihan people will see it more clearly than we do. ”

Li Lu hesitated and said: "Just the silver in the silver cellar of Lijiazhuang, I am afraid that there are as many as four or five hundred thousand taels......

"Don't care how much, all the money that can't be used now will be deposited in Haihan Bank!" Li Jifeng didn't wait for Li Lu to finish speaking, and then interrupted him: "Even if we need to invest money in Qiongzhou Island at the shareholders' meeting, we don't need cash, just transfer money directly from the account to the Haihan people!"

Li Jifeng's determination is quite large, and it is indeed because the current shape no longer allows him to continue to look left and right. He could no longer fall to the side of Ming Ting, so he could only choose to get on the ship of Haihan and prepare for the worst in advance. If Da Ming and Hai Han really turned their faces and declared war, then the only thing the Li family could do was to roll up and run away overnight, otherwise I am afraid that they would not be able to escape the fate of a raider.

From that evening onwards, the business inn where the Li family father and son settled suddenly became a social hotspot in Zhennan Port, and the bosses of various commercial houses lined up to visit. Needless to say, these people all came to Li Jifeng, a "well-informed person", to find out the inside story after receiving the news, after all, Schneider's side was closed to customers, and the only official source of information was the Li family's side.

Li Jifeng couldn't cry or laugh at such a situation, knowing that he was being used by the Haihan people again, but he couldn't show any dissatisfaction. He couldn't reveal too much about the Haihan people's next plans, so he had to persuade everyone who came to visit him to let them go back and wait for news with peace of mind. Of course, just saying something inconsequential will definitely not play a sufficient role in appeasing, Li Jifeng had to pat his chest again and again to assure everyone that as long as Haihan people continue to launch investment projects, "Fu Ruifeng" will still be the first to keep up with the support, and the investment will not be less than any previous shareholder investment promotion.

After swearing such a gamble, Li Jifeng finally appeased a group of uneasy businessmen, and this situation lasted for two days in a row, almost exhausting Li Jifeng in the business inn.

On November 15, the shareholders' meeting was finally officially convened after a few days of delay. The reason why the holding was postponed for a few days on the original date was that the Executive Committee was worried that Schneider's presence alone would not be able to suppress these businessmen who did not have a firm position, so they specially temporarily dispatched the "Wei Signal" warship north to the mouth of the Pearl River and stationed there in Zhennan Port for some time, so that these people could have a close look at the strength of the Haihan Navy and help them build up sufficient confidence -- of course, it was a threat in disguise.

This measure obviously had a good effect, and when the merchants heard the news of the visit of the new Haihan warship to Zhennan Port, they rushed to the dock to watch. Most of the merchants had heard of the huge warships owned by the Haihans, but only a handful had seen this strange warship with the occasional black smoke passing by the sea near Victory Harbor, and as for the opportunity to see it up close like now, it was absolutely not available before.

The "Wei Signal" opened all the side gun windows very "intimately", leaving the black hole hole cannon mouth bare in the public eye. And this kind of naked show of force calmed the crowd of onlookers on the port without any suspense. This visible level of armament is obviously more than one level higher than that of the Daming Naval Division stationed in the north of Hong Kong Island. Those who have a little insight know that there are no naval guns in the real sense on those old-fashioned warships in Shuizhai, just a few small-caliber Franc machine guns.

In order to take care of the curious audience, Schneider warmly invited ten representatives of the public to visit the ship. Of course, only people who are very close to Haihan have such qualifications to be selected as representatives, such as Li Jifeng of "Fu Ruifeng", Zhan Gui of Zhan Family Shipping Company, and so on.

Naturally, this kind of visit does not allow the viewer to enter the heart of the lower deck, that is, to walk around the top deck. However, several guns were also arranged on both sides of the ship's side on the top deck, and the sail rope system on the mast and the rudder wheel control system in the rear half of the deck were still extremely new to the Ming maritime merchants. As for the two waist-thick chimneys at the back of the ship, which protrude from the deck, the crew did not explain their true purpose, but claimed that the galleys were the ship's galleys and that the chimneys were only used to facilitate the discharge of soot.

This lie, while a little incredible, seems impossible for visitors who have not seen the secrets below deck. Only Li Nai, who has been to Shengli Port many times and knows a lot about Haihan Technology, will vaguely feel that this strange chimney has some connection with the chimney of the steam locomotive roaring forward on the land of Sanya.

The crew in charge of the tour guide very reservedly explained to the visitors some of the general numbers of the ship, such as displacement, theoretical speed, firepower configuration, etc., any of which was enough to make the hearts of these maritime merchants beat faster. All in all, this battleship is not only big, but also fast, and the most important thing is that the firepower is still very strong, and there is absolutely no warship of the same level that can be compared to it in the current Ming Dynasty. In the end, the tour guide proudly declared that the Haihan militia already owns more than one such warship, and will continue to build it to safeguard the maritime rights and interests of Haihan in the South China Sea.