Tang Mu said directly: "What you said, kind-hearted people, how can you do things that trap people?" ”

Li Sizhi and Tang Mu did not have a very good impression of Liu Li, because they had more dealings with Liu Shun, especially Liu Shun left Li Zhaoji's side and began to take charge of the military, and they had a lot of handovers with him, and both of them felt that Liu Shun was down-to-earth and loyal.

And Liu Li is different, this person has a lot of calculations and thoughts, and compared with Liu Shun, he is not so liked.

Liu Li smiled: "It's not that there are bad intentions that can do bad things, and I have seen a lot of bad things with good intentions." ”

Tang Mu wanted to argue with him a few more words, but Li Sizhi stopped him. In Li Sizhi's opinion, the guy in charge of the business of the trading company in Macau has nothing to do with his Uncle He, and he is not responsible for these things, so there will not be much prejudice.

Because he is neutral, his words are worthy of listening.

Liu Li ate melon seeds and said indifferently: "Then Lord He, I have dealt with a lot, 100% good people, when I meet a beggar for food, I have to give people two copper plates, I am still a warm-hearted person, I meet a sow on the road to give birth, I can't wait to take a hand."

But because it's too kind, it's easy to do bad things. If he is willing to go to Tamsui with his family, there must be a lot of people here who are willing to go, but the problem is that if they all have to be resettled by a trading company, the quality of immigration cannot be guaranteed.

But the people who can't afford to eat, most of them are people who don't have the ability, and if these people receive the salary of the trading company, the trading company will have mountains of gold and silver, and they can't withstand consumption. ”

When Li Sizhi heard this, he couldn't help but beat a little drum in his heart, he didn't expect much to persuade He Liangtao to go to Tamsui, but the reality was that He Liangtao had a lot of intentions to go, which made Li Sizhi's blood boil at once, and he lost his mind a little.

Although Liu Li's words were not listened to, they woke up the person in the dream.

Li Sizhi hurriedly got up, thanked him, and then personally poured tea for Liu Li, lowered his posture, and began to ask: "Second Brother Liu, you give me an idea, how can you let Lord He go to fresh water without causing losses." ”

Liu Li said: "I don't have a serious idea, but there is one point, the risk cannot be borne by the trading company, it is better to let He Liangtao take care of his own profits and losses." ”

Li Sizhi nodded slightly, and said in his heart Liu Li is really a person with seven tricks, and he broke this matter with one sentence. No matter how kind-hearted a person is, he must take care of his family, and only a saint can do such a thing as destroying his family and relieving difficulties.

As long as he is responsible for his own profits and losses, He Liangtao's kindness can be controlled.

"Brother Sizhi, it's a good thing to want to do things for the trading company and establish meritorious deeds, but you can't come in a hurry, you are by the side of the big shopkeeper, you must be especially cautious in doing things, and you can't live up to the trust of the big shopkeeper in you." Liu Li patted Li Sizhi on the shoulder, got up and left, and went to do his own business.

"Sizhi, do you have a way?" Although Tang Mu didn't like Liu Li, he also felt that what he said made sense, so he asked.

Li Sizhi thought for a while: "It's better to let the big shopkeeper take the idea." ”

By delivering dinner, Li Sizhi successfully met Li Zhaoji, obviously, he was distressed because he had too many wives, but for this kind of family matter, Li Sizhi didn't dare to say a word, he could only tell the truth, and told his thoughts again, Li Zhaoji was upset, and after thinking about it for a while, he didn't come up with a flaw, so he handled it according to Li Sizhi's meaning.

When Li Sizhi went to He Liangtao's house again in the evening, it was a girl who opened the door, Li Sizhi knew that this was He Liangtao's youngest daughter He Chunhua, and the two also knew each other, Li Sizhi hadn't seen her for a few months, and felt that this girl was becoming more and more smart.

"Fourth brother, why are you stupid looking at me?" He Chunhua asked.

"No, nothing." Li Sizhi smiled awkwardly and scratched his head. He Chunhua said again: "When I went to look for Sister Qi Ling in the afternoon, I didn't see you, and I was so happy to hear that you were back." ”

Li Sizhi's face turned red all of a sudden, but he felt more and more embarrassed, after all, He Chunhua mentioned Qi Ling.

Speaking of which, Qi Hai didn't have the intention of letting himself get into trouble in the early years, but now that he has come to the big shopkeeper, he is getting more and more promising, and Master Qi Hai mentioned this matter before he came.

Compared with the young Qi Ling, He Chunhua is more beautiful, and Li Sizhi is more tempting.

Goodbye at this time, Li Sizhi was a little remorseful, he shouldn't have promised the master when he was in Tamsui, but he turned his head and remembered what the big shopkeeper Li Zhaoji said - if you are poor, you will be alone, and if you are good, you will have a group of wives and concubines. Li Sizhi was high-spirited for a while, as long as he showed his ability, both of them could marry and go home.

"Si'er, you're here, the meal is done, I have your share, hurry up and wash your hands and serve the table." He Shi Zhangluo, this time, she took He Chunhua to the side to eat, so that He Liangtao and Li Sizhi could talk better.

Li Sizhi poured wine for He Liangtao, and the two of them ate for a while before he said: "The big shopkeeper is thirsty for talent, I heard that you are willing to go, I am very happy, if it is not for the Governor Lord, I will come to see you in person at this time." ”

He Liangtao waved his hand: "In the end, there is no charter, it's not good to meet, Si'er, let's get closer, it's convenient to talk about things, you talk about it first, at least give me a thorough understanding." ”

Li Sizhi nodded: "Don't hide it from the uncle, the big shopkeeper also sent me a task, I have to ask first how many people you can mobilize, after all, with the number of people, know how many skills these people have, in order to calculate how much the business company needs to spend."

But I'm embarrassed here, the trading company doesn't have a charter, and everyone doesn't have a bottom in their hearts, so they don't dare to go, but they can't decide who will go, and there is no statutory charter, which is really troublesome. ”

He Liangtao smiled: "Oh, Si'er has really grown up and knows that he has taken good care of him, and you really have a bright future." ”

"Uncle, don't praise me, if I get this done, it's never too late to praise." Li Sizhi said.

The two chatted while eating, and after a while, He came with He Chunhua and brought the last two dishes, He said: "Si'er, you and your uncle have a good chat, and I went out with Chunhua to help people make dry food." ”

"This ..... What dry food is you doing so late? Li Sizhi was a little puzzled.

He Liangtao smiled and said, "Si'er, I'm afraid you didn't go home today." ”

Li Sizhi nodded: "I was busy today, my feet didn't touch the ground, I went back in the morning, and I didn't go back." ”

"That's because of your morning." After his wife and daughter left, He Liangtao said, "Have you stringed a few doors and invited some people to go to Tamsui for your master?" ”

Li Sizhi did not hide it, nodded directly, from yesterday to today, he visited the fourteen or fifteen houses, and invited these people to go to Tamsui on behalf of the trading company, these are the people who worked together with his master before, and unlike He Liangtao's side, the immigration treatment of those people has long been discussed.

From the geometry of the monthly salary, to the number of people at home, to the material arrangements, the settling-in allowance and the like, it has long been agreed.

It was in Tamsui, the shipyard needed people now, Qi Hai knew which craftsmen in Macao were good at workmanship, which craftsmen were experienced, and he knew how much they were worth, so it was set early in the morning, and even before the Egret came, Li Zhaoji had already built dormitories on the ship, ready to accommodate these people.

"Your sister-in-law's family is going, and those people are moved and say they are going. The Egret sailed for a few days, but didn't you want to make some dry food for backup on the road? He Liangtao said.

Li Sizhi nodded slightly, and He Liangtao said: "It's just that in this way, all the pressure has come to me, since you left at noon, people have been coming to the door to ask about the news from my side." Look at your aunt and her, she has to be locked outside when she goes out, for fear that someone will disturb the two of us talking. ”

"If you say this, then my nephew won't hide it from you, just say it." Li Sizhi put down his chopsticks and said seriously: "The immigrants of the trading company are for work and to make money, not to open a nursing home, so naturally they don't support idlers."

The meaning of the trading company is that you can bring people who want to go to Tamsui to the dock to sign up, and you will be treated according to your skills and abilities.

But I also know that this will not take care of your old days, and I am afraid that you yourself will not want to go, do you say? ”

He Liangtao nodded, and Li Sizhi said again: "So I gave the big shopkeeper an idea, that is, to take the weapon money for Bu Jialao as resettlement money, and the big shopkeeper said, as long as you are willing to press the handprint, then there is no problem." ”

"I don't understand what kind of weapons money is transferred to resettlement money, and what is fingerprinted." He Liangtao frowned.

Li Sizhi said: "Let's put it this way, this time, the trading company is going to purchase weapons from the Bugarao Cannon Foundry, artillery, ammunition and some spare parts, so it is ready to pay 6,000 taels of silver."

You have been working in the artillery factory for many years, and if you go to Tamsui, most of the people you go with will naturally work in the artillery factory. I will simply hand over this money to you, and you will call the manpower needed to cast the cannons to Tamsui, set up a new factory, and provide artillery to the trading company within the specified time. ”

He Liangtao also understood why Li Sizhi hid and didn't give the truth, if he really purchased artillery, those people around him would have a job to do, who would want to go to Tamsui.

It's just that He Liangtao also knows that if he doesn't agree, I'm afraid that there will be problems with this deal, not to mention anything else, Li Zhaoji sent people to the artillery factory to recruit some people, bring fresh water, and can also cast artillery, after all, in the seventeenth century, casting cannons is no secret.

He Liangtao thought about it and said: "There is no problem with people, now there is no business in the artillery factory, and everyone is very idle." But the problem is that when you go to freshwater, you need to build a workshop, and you need copper and iron materials for casting guns, and you need to make a model, and there is a lot of investment in the early stage.

And when everyone goes, the family will also have to be settled, and it will cost a lot of money, and six thousand taels can't be stopped. ”

said so, but He Liangtao was satisfied with this method, which is equivalent to letting him be in charge of immigration, and the people he wants to take care of will naturally be able to take care of it.

Li Sizhi smiled and said: "According to me, you should go first, anyway, the money is from the association, you took out the six thousand taels of expenses out of the charter, as long as the big shopkeeper passes, others will naturally not be able to say anything." In terms of expenses, priority is given to the guarantor, that is, to get fresh water for the people first, and settle them well.

As for the artillery, if there is a shortage of materials and copper at that time, it will be replenished. ”

He Liangtao is a good person in the end, and when he heard this deceptive words, he retreated a little and said, "This is not very good. ”

Li Sizhi said: "As long as you don't put the silver in your arms, it doesn't matter." When my master asked the big shopkeeper for money to rebuild the Egret, he promised that more than 20 people would be enough, and said that there was no technical problem, but when it came to it, there were not enough people, and it was not to make up for it, otherwise the investment in the early stage would be wasted.

Although the big shopkeeper was also unhappy, the Egret was built, the shipyard was built, and the money was spent on ideas, so it was naturally discouraged. ”

He Liangtao was still a little hesitant, and Li Sizhi smiled: "Uncle, as long as you have a clear conscience, there is nothing to blame in this matter." In this way, I will help you do the charter of expenses, and in the future, the big treasurer will ask for the guilt, and you and I will bear it together, how about it? ”

He Liangtao stood up and walked around the hall, the chopsticks slipped out of his hand, and he didn't know it.

Finally, he still made up his mind and smashed his fist in the palm of his hand: "Okay, that's it, it's just one thing, don't tell your aunt the details, she has a small heart, can't afford it, always wants to take advantage, and doesn't want to suffer." ”

"Provincial, I naturally won't say it."