Yu Ren shook his head. "That's right. At this time, there were more than 20,000 officers and soldiers, and with the few people we had on hand, plus the more than 1,000 people in charge of Xu's family, the total was only one-tenth of the officers and soldiers. If there is a real fight, Nansha Island will not be able to hold it sooner or later. And our brothers will suffer great casualties.

Therefore, this battle cannot be fought unless it is absolutely necessary. ”

"However, the officers and soldiers have already surrounded us, even if we don't want to fight, the officers and soldiers will not give up!" Liu Qiang said.

At this time, Qu Jing on the side spoke, "Liu Qiang, don't worry!" If the big boss says so, he must have his own way. ”

Yu Ren glanced at Qu Jing, "It's still Mr. Qu who understands me." That's why I'm back. The day before yesterday, I went to Suzhou Mansion, and there, I asked someone to ask Xiong Wencan to inquire about it. Listening to Xiong Wencan's tone, he seemed to have the intention of recruiting An. So I hurried back and took counsel with my brothers.

It just so happened that the third uncle was also there, and I hadn't come to the second uncle to tell him yet. I'll talk to you here, and then I'll go and discuss with my second uncle later. ”

So, Yu Ren told Zhao Rui about his ideas and his own affairs in Sun Sheng.

Everyone didn't speak, and after a while, Qu Jingcai said, "It's not a problem to accept the imperial court's recruitment. The key is, what will happen to us after the imperial court recruits peace. I think this should be the main concern of the brothers. We are accustomed to being unfettered at sea, but we are afraid that the days of bondage will not come. ”

"What my brothers were worried about, I thought about too. Please rest assured about this. If the court's recruitment conditions are too restrictive to us, I will definitely not accept it. ”

When everyone heard this, a relaxed look appeared on their faces.

Liu Qiang stood up at this time, "Yu Xianggong, since the brothers regard you as the big boss, naturally everything will listen to you, you let us go east, we will never go west, you let us kill dogs, we will never slaughter chickens." If you have something to do, you can just make up your mind, and you don't have to discuss it with us. ”

When Yu Ren saw Liu Qiang say this, he stood up with confidence. "Okay, then I'll go and discuss with the second uncle now. In this matter, we must advance and retreat with the Xu family. If the second uncle agrees to recruit An, then let's talk to Xiong Wencan again. If the second uncle does not accept Zhao'an, we still have to follow the second uncle to defend Nansha Island. ”

After speaking, Yu Ren and Xu Hai hurriedly went to find Xu Xinsu.

When he arrived at Xu Xinsu's compound, Xu Xinsu was not at home because he went out to inspect his brother who was guarding the island. Xu Hai hurriedly asked people to call.

After a while, Xu Xinsu rushed back with Liu Long and Xu Keming. Xu Xinsu must be old-fashioned, knowing that Yu Ren suddenly came back at this time, there must be something big. Therefore, he brought several important people of the Xu family with him.

Seeing that everyone was dusty, and there was tiredness on their faces that could not be concealed, Yu Ren knew that it was very hard for adults to guard the island during this period of time. So, he didn't say much politeness, so he told his intentions and what he discussed with Sun Sheng in Sun Sheng's mansion.

As soon as Liu Long heard Yu Ren's words, he was the first to jump up, "What? Do you want us to pay 20,000 taels of silver to the eunuch every year? Why? Our family's silver did not fall from the sky, it was all earned by the brothers who braved the wind and sun to depreciate the goods. Why give it to him for nothing? ”

Yu Ren did not speak. In the Xu family, he has the most difficult relationship with this Liu Long. He was afraid that as soon as he spoke, the two would quarrel. Yu Ren glanced at Xu Hai.

Xu Hai understood, that was to let him come forward to explain. So Xu Hai stood up and said, "It's not entirely understandable like this. You need to know that we are trapped on the island at this time, if we can't break the siege, don't say that we can't do business, even the life and death in front of us are not certain.

If this Sun Sheng can really help us get out of the siege, even if we take out 20,000 taels of silver every year as a reward, we won't lose anything. At least, our business can still be done, and the imperial court will not send troops to disturb us again. If we are reluctant to give up these 20,000 taels of silver, we will lose even more.

What's more, now Li Ying's niece's fleet has dispersed. If we accept Zhao'an, the imperial court can let us continue to do business at sea. Then we can also take over the business of Zhejiang and Fujian. And we still have ready-made people, Liu Qiang and these people are the Li family doing business in Zhejiang and Fujian. I know the situation there very well, and it is only an overnight thing to regain the original business of the Li family. What the future holds, you can imagine.

If you are willing to give up, you will not be willing to get it. Yu Xian's nephew's move can be described as far-sighted. ”

When Liu Long heard Xu Hai's words, he had nothing to refute, but Xu Hai's last sentence praising Yu Ren's foresight sounded in his ears, and it was clearly a mockery of his short-sightedness. Liu Long's face flushed, but he couldn't speak, he could only glare at Xu Hai hatefully.

The leaders of the Xu family were originally reluctant, but when they heard Xu Hai's words, they all loudly supported Yu Ren. Because they all know very well how big the Li family's business was in Zhejiang and Fujian. That's several times bigger than their Xu family's business.

The huge profits are so tempting.

Xu Xinsu, who had not spoken, suddenly spoke. "Just according to Yu Xian's nephew's idea! The matter of silver is not a problem, even if it is 100,000 taels a year, it is okay. It's just that the other conditions of this Zhao'an must be according to our requirements. We can accept Zhao'an, but we don't go ashore, we still live on the island, and the imperial court can't send troops to take care of us.

Otherwise, we will not recruit but surrender. At that time, they will kill us if they want to, and this will never work. ”

Yu Ren lowered his head in contemplation and did not speak. Xu Hai spoke again. "If you want the court not to send a single soldier, I'm afraid it's unlikely. As long as there are no more than 500 troops stationed on our island, that is acceptable. ”

"What? Five hundred? Then we still have a good life! Liu Long stood up again. When these officers and soldiers come, they will call us as slaves. Instead of living such an angry bird life, it is better to fight with them to the end. ”

"However, we must have been recruited, how can it be possible to let the court completely reassure us! It is not easy for Yu Xian's nephew to win this situation. Xu Haidao.

"No! This, absolutely not. Big boss, if that's the case. Our Xu family is afraid that we will soon follow in the footsteps of the Li family and disappear in this sea area. Liu Long shouted excitedly.

Xu Xinsu waved his hand to Liu Long. "Liu Long, you sit down first." Then, he turned to Yu Ren and said, "I don't think what Liu Long said is necessarily unreasonable. Five hundred is too many. Let's limit it to 10 people! If there are more than ten people, don't talk about it. What do you think? ”

Xu Hai was taken aback. "What? Ten people? How is this possible? Second brother, you're not ...... difficult."

Xu Xinsu waved his hand at Xu Hai and stopped him from speaking again. "Good. And so it was decided. Now, it's all up to Yu Xian's nephew. ”

Yu Ren listened to Xu Xinsu's firm tone, and knew that there was no discussion about the condition he mentioned, so he had to stand up, "I'll do my best!" To be honest, Yu Ren was really not very sure about the almost harsh conditions proposed by Xu Xinsu, but he didn't want to give up so easily.

Seeing that the matter had been properly discussed, Xu Xinsu explained to everyone that although he had proposed to recruit peace, the guards must not be lax to prevent officers and soldiers from taking advantage of the situation.

Yu Ren walked out of Xu Xinsu's residence with a heavy heart. He didn't know if he would be able to complete the mission. For him, the last thing he wants to see is these brothers in front of him, fighting to the death with the officers and soldiers in order to survive.

But the officials of the imperial court were not fools. Xu Xinsu had such harsh conditions, how could he be accepted by them?

Yu Renzheng was distressed. Xu Keming chased after him from behind.

"Brother Yu."

Yu Ren turned his head. Seeing that it was Xu Keming, a playboy, he didn't care. For a long time, although Xu Keming will participate in every major event in the Xu family, he has never been interested in these things, and he almost never speaks. Everyone also habitually regarded him as an ornament, and no one cared about him.

"My father asked me to take Brother Yu to check the items I wanted to bring back to the city this time. See if there's anything else you need to add! ”

Yu Ren didn't think much about it, so he followed Xu Keming to inspect the goods.

Xu Keming took Yu Ren to a warehouse not far from Xu Keming's residence, ordered the guards to open the warehouse, and arranged for another guard to find a few cars. Then he took a list out of his sleeve and sat down and read it.

"Three thousand taels of gold, ten thousand taels of silver."