The exploration team that was the first to enter the Tamsui River was ambushed by the Oriental Trading Company, because the ambush was sudden, and only one unlucky person on the Dutch side accidentally broke his buttocks.

Although there were injuries on board the Shiratori, it was caused by itself when it ran aground.

Paul earnestly recalled, and found that when the two sides came into contact three days ago, only his own side opened fire, and the Oriental Trading Company had always exercised restraint.

"But our plans were stopped." Karl was the most angry, and he couldn't get rid of his anger for three days, so much so that he waved his fist and roared at the negotiating table, while He Bin, who was in charge of translation, obviously played a trick and omitted some inappropriate language from Carl.

Li Zhaoji stretched out his hand, lit a self-rolled cigarette, and said with a flat expression: "You have six ships and thousands of people, do you interrupt your plan just because one of the small boats ran aground and a few people were injured?" I don't see anything in your plans that must be terminated.

Do you think that the sudden appearance of our Oriental Trading Company has forced your plans to be suspended? ”

This is exactly what Paul and Carl were thinking, if there was no Eastern Trading Company, the expeditionary army could use Tamsui City as a logistics base to rest here, and it could also let the Kaida Gran people send troops, and even let the Kaida Gran people provide food and grass, but with the emergence of the Eastern Trading Company, all this would not exist.

Karl was very dissatisfied with Li Zhaoji's attitude, in fact, this young man who had recently come to the East from the Netherlands was impetuous, and there were many characteristics inherent in Europeans, that is, arrogance, that is, serious racial discrimination, and in his opinion, Li Zhaoji was not qualified to negotiate with him on an equal footing.

But Paul remained calm, and he gave Karl a few words in Dutch, and Karl did not speak again, although he was still angry.

Paul has discovered that although Li Zhaoji has been prepared for his arrival, he is not a completely hostile force, and some things can still be discussed.

Moreover, this expedition had a different meaning for Paul and Carl, and the failure of the expedition was nothing to Carl, after all, he was only a tax commissioner and did not need to be held responsible for military operations. If the expedition is successful, it is possible to write a lot of money on its resume and make a lot of money.

But for Paul, only a successful expedition could preserve his position as governor, and any defeat would threaten his evaluation of the governor in Batavia.

"Our expedition originally required the cooperation of the people of Kaidagran, so the incident happened in a hurry, so we did not give advance notice. Therefore, the emergence of the Oriental Trading Company has indeed caused us some difficulties, and I believe that Shopkeeper Li, like me, does not want to turn these difficulties and misunderstandings into conflicts between the two sides, right? He Bin translated Paul's words.

Li Zhaoji nodded: "You are right, in fact, the Spaniards are not only the opponents of your company, but also the enemies of our Oriental Trading Company and the Kaidagran people. So we have a lot of room to work together on some matters, such as cooperating with you on this expedition. ”

When Paul heard this, he laughed, and said in his heart that Li Zhaoji was still interested.

"So, can your trading company join the Kaidagran people and send an army to cooperate with us?" Paul asked, as if to avoid dissatisfaction with Lee Siu-kee, Paul added: "The company will pay all the friendly partners, and you will definitely be satisfied." ”

But Li Zhaoji still shook his head firmly, and he said: "Actually, when it was determined that the army that appeared at the mouth of the Tamsui River was the Dutch East India Company, my heart was excited, and I felt that I was finally going to get the support of a strong ally to deal with the Spaniards together.

But it is clear that you are late, the trading company has made an alliance with the Caddagrans, and our blood alliance has already made a decision to go to the Spaniards by this time next year. ”

"Why not now, the three parties join forces, the strength is stronger, and there are fewer casualties." Paul said earnestly that he is still trying to get the cooperation done.

Li Zhaoji spread his hands: "Because our allies the Kaida Gran are being invaded by the Atayal people, who are raw barbarians from the inland, my soldiers will be a mobile team, ready to support the Kaida Gran people at any time."

The Kaidagran have failed, and my property is exposed to the attack of the Shengfan, do you think that the Kaidagran will leave their wives and children here and go to war with you? ”

Paul's face darkened, he didn't know if what Lee Siu Ki said was true or false, but it was a very reasonable reason.

"Okay, let's suspend the negotiations, and both sides will take a break first." Paul said that he thought of a possibility, perhaps the Kedagrans would not participate, but perhaps the Eastern Trading Company could send troops, and if they wanted to convince him, they would have to avoid Atta, the representative of the Kedagrans.

Therefore, Paul chose to rest, just thinking about getting in touch with Lee Siu Kee alone.

After the two sides rested, Li Zhaoji temporarily left the White Bird and rested in a tent under the shade of a nearby tree, and after nightfall, Li Zhaoji was still reading by the campfire, when he saw Liu Shun walking with He Bin.

"Did you be sent by His Excellency Paul?" Lee asked.

He Bin smiled, sat down on the bed by the bonfire very unceremoniously, and said, "Indeed, Lord Paul asked me to ask you to come over to discuss some things, but I personally have some things to tell you." ”

"You, He Bin?" Li Zhaoji was very disdainful, but he also closed the book.

Li Zhaoji is familiar with this name, and in his impression, He Bin is one of the Eighteen Zhi, but he is a bombastic person.

The most earth-shattering thing he did in his life was to persuade Zheng Chenggong to recover Taiwan twenty years later, but he told Zheng Chenggong that Taiwan was very rich and rich in food, and there was no need to worry about supplies after the past, but the result was that Zheng Chenggong recovered Taiwan, but he encountered supply difficulties, and had to separate the food, the army was reclaimed, and even clashed with the local natives.

He Bin took the initiative to pick up Li Zhaoji's tin cigarette case, unceremoniously took out the cigarette roll and lit it for himself, he enjoyed the tobacco, and said to Li Zhaoji: "I know your details, Li Zhaoji, you are not Shen Youlong's person, on the contrary, he set up a Hongmen banquet in Guangzhou to kill you, but you escaped." ”

Li Zhaoji smiled, became even more interested, and said: "You got this news from the Zheng family, I wonder why that Guo Huaiyi didn't come with you." ”

He Bin snorted coldly: "Lao Guo thinks that with you, Tamsui can make the Dutch more fearful, so he wants you to occupy and develop here." ”

"What about you?" Li Zhaoji asked directly.

He Bin held a cigarette and said with a smile: "It's the same with you or not, for me, nothing is as important as money." ”

Lee said, "So, you want me to give you money?" ”

He Bin threw away the cigarette butt and threatened: "You can also not give it, I will tell Paul your details, you see if he is still so polite to you." It's not the Ming here, it's the continent, it's the world of the Dutch, don't think you have three good ships, what's going on, for the Dutch, those are just toys. ”

Li Zhaoji hooked his hand at He Bin, He Bin stepped forward, Li Zhaoji hooked his hand again, He Bin moved forward a little, just when He Bin didn't know what Li Zhaoji was going to do, Li Zhaoji slapped him in the face, making a crisp sound, and five fingerprints appeared on his face.

"You..... How dare you hit me! He Bin said angrily, he yelled: "You are dead, the Dutch will not let you go." ”

But before he finished speaking, Li Zhaoji smashed his nose with a punch, smashed him directly on the sand, and stepped on He Bin's face with his boots, Li Zhaoji said: "I hate others threatening me the most, and you not only threaten me, but also threaten me with foreign devils, I should be beaten." ”

As he spoke, Li Zhaoji picked up a burning firewood and hit him the back, burning and beating, and He Bin let out a miserable cry.

Tired of beating himself, Li Zhaoji said to He Bin: "He Bin, you have made a mistake, Paul respects me, ostensibly because he believes that I am Shen Youlong's person, but in fact, it is because of the three toy-like ships in my hand, with these three ships hostile to him, his expedition will not be successful."

I gained his respect by virtue of my strength, not my so-called background. ”

Even if He Bin wanted to refute at this time, he didn't dare to speak, Li Zhaoji smiled, and said to Liu Shun beside him: "Ah Shun, see if there is anything on him that proves his identity, get it down, and I will take the letter to visit His Excellency the Governor." ”

Liu Shun groped up and down, grinned and said: "Big shopkeeper, this guy has a gold ring on his hand, but it seems that he was smashed by you and can't take it off." ”

Li Zhaoji leaned forward to take a look, and sure enough, he couldn't take it off, and slapped Liu Shun on the head: "Fool, you won't cut off your fingers together." ”

"No, Lee Zhao-gi! No, no, shopkeeper Li, Grandpa Li, don't cut off my fingers. He Bin begged for mercy and said.

Liu Shun smiled and said: "Don't talk about a translation of your bullshit, in Guangzhou, my shopkeeper even dares to cut off the fingers of the Guangdong general soldiers, don't howl, Lao Tzu's knife is fast, and it can be cut off with one knife." ”

Yes!

He Bin screamed, and his finger and ring were cut off.

"Big shopkeeper, what to do with this guy?"

Li Zhaoji said: "Take it to the city and hand it over to your uncle, your uncle is short of people, and this guy can't look like he can't resist and can't lift his hands, so it's okay to dig up dung." ”

"Li Zhaoji, if I don't go back, Paul will ask, how can you explain, let me go quickly."

Li Zhaoji laughed: "I will tell Mr. Paul, you are unstable, and you came to negotiate secretly, but Atta overheard you, and you were taken away by that barbarian, so he asked him to go to Atta." Oh, I just don't know if Paul gave up his cooperation with the trading company and the people of Kaida Gran for your sake. ”