After the banquet, Zhang Yun was left behind.
Li Dan sat on the thick cushions, holding a cup of steaming hot tea in his hand, and said warmly, "How do you know the details of the Tiger Character Flag and their people?"
The aroma of tea in the tea slowly spreads from the tea cup along with the heat of the tea and fills the room.
Zhang Yun couldn't help but take a few more breaths.
This kind of tea aroma cannot be brewed from the tea cakes at home. Just by smelling it, you can tell that it is a rare and good tea.
Li Dan noticed his little move and said with a smile, "If you like it, I'll have someone prepare some for you when you leave. However, this tea was brought over by a merchant ship from Nanjing, and I don't have much here."
"Thank you, Mr. Li." Zhang Yun saluted hurriedly and said, "The small one is a dog that can't carry the sedan on the table. With such good tea, the small one will be forgotten. It would be nice if Mr. Li could reward me with some inferior tea leaves."
Li Dan glanced at him and said with a smile, "If you don't want it, I still can't bear it, Guozhu."
"Here." Li Guozhu on the side took a step forward.
Li Dan said, "When he leaves, find some better tea and bring it back to him."
"Don't worry, father, I'll be ready when we get back." Li Guoshu said respectfully.
"Yeah." Li Dan nodded.
"Thank you, Mr. Li, and thank you, eldest son." Zhang Yun hurriedly saluted the two of them.
Li Dan picked up the teacup and put it to his mouth, took a small sip, and then placed it on the low table in front of him.
Zhang Yun said, "I didn't find out much about the tiger-character flag. I only knew that their proprietor was not very old. It took more than a year to build the tiger-character flag business from scratch." Go to several surrounding prefectures, especially the refined iron produced in their iron fields, which is called Lingqiu Jin Iron. It is very different from ordinary Jin Iron, and is better in quality than Fujian Iron."
"From scratch, he made his business big in just one year. He seems to be a heroic figure." Li Dan pinched the rim of the teacup with his fingers.
He had a clear mind and was doing business with integrity, and there was no way the tiger-character flag could become so big.
However, he was not disgusted.
When he was in Manila, he was still fighting with others. If he had just been doing business honestly, he would have eaten people to the point where there would be no bones left.
"No matter how powerful I am, I can't compare to you, Mr. Li. Now in Nanyang and Japan, even the red-haired barbarians have to do business under you, Mr. Li." Zhang Yun gave a small flattery.
Li Dan smiled and asked, "What is the relationship between shopkeeper Zheng and Zheng Chao?"
Zhang Yun said, "Shopkeeper Zheng is the leader of the guards around their proprietor. He is a person that their proprietor trusts very much. Otherwise, he would not be allowed to bring iron goods worth hundreds of thousands taels of silver to Hirado. As for Zheng Chao, he He used to be a seafarer in Nanyang, but later he killed a red-haired barbarian sailor and fled to Tianjin Wei with his people, and was later recruited by the owner of the Tiger Flag."
"He is a man," Li Dan said. "Those red-haired barbarians don't pay attention to anyone except their own people. Many Han people in Manila died at the hands of those red-haired barbarians."
When he said this, there was a hint of hatred in his voice.
When he was in Manila, the red-haired barbarians locked him up because they saw his wealth. If he hadn't been lucky enough to escape, he would have been a withered skeleton now.
The tea in the teacup was almost cold. Li Dan picked up the teacup and drank it in one gulp, then refilled the cup.
Li Guozhu said worriedly, "A Datong businessman who openly builds cannons will easily arouse the wrath of the Ming Dynasty court. Once the Tiger Character Banner and their owner are finished, there will be no more iron goods sent to Hirado. We and the Tiger Character Banner will Cooperation between the flags can no longer continue.”
Li Dan said calmly, "If the Tiger Flag ship can reach Hirado, then we will cooperate. If we can't reach Hirado, we will naturally stop cooperating. Even without the Tiger Flag's iron goods, our Li family will just be the same as before." .”
"My child just feels it's a pity." Li Guozhu said, "Just a Japanese country can consume millions of taels of iron goods, and iron items are consumables. If we can continue to cooperate with the Tiger Flag for a long time, it will be very beneficial to our Li family. .”
Li Dan glanced at Li Guoshu and shook his head, slightly disappointed.
However, Li Guozhu didn't notice, still silent among the huge profits of millions of taels of iron goods.
At this time, Zhang Yun did not dare to answer the conversation. He lowered his hands and stood aside honestly.
"After you arrive in Macau, don't come back yet. Go to Datong with that shopkeeper Zheng to meet their boss." Li Dan suddenly said.
Li Guozhu was stunned for a moment and asked, "What are you going to do to see their boss?"
"Aren't you worried? It just so happens that I am also very curious about their proprietor. What kind of person is he who can build such a large industry in one year?" Li Dan picked up the tea cup and took a sip of tea, and then said, "Zhang Yun , you also go with me.”
"Yes, I will obey Mr. Li's instructions." Zhang Yun heard the mention of himself and hurriedly responded.
"Yes" Li Guozhu hesitated.
Li Dan decided, "This matter is settled. After you and that shopkeeper Zheng go to Macau, you don't have to come back. You can just take their boat."
"yes."
Seeing that his father had already decided, Li Guozhu knew that it would be difficult to change, so he had no choice but to agree.
Li Dan turned to look at Zhang Yun and said, "Shopkeeper Zheng and the others live in your house, so you should go back early."
"Yes, please excuse me." Zhang Yun glanced at Li Guozhu before leaving, and then withdrew.
After Zhang Yun left, Li Dan said, "This Zhang Yun can be used. Please stay with you and use it from now on. He may even become your right-hand man in the future."
As a figure who has dominated the sea for many years, he cannot withstand the invasion of time. He knows that he is getting older and his health is getting worse every year. He doesn't know how long he can last. Everything in the Li family will eventually be handed over to Li Guo's assistant.
Li Guozhu said, "My son has told him before that he will keep him by his side."
Li Dan nodded.
"Father, I still don't quite understand why we need to go to Datong specifically to cooperate with the Tiger Flag." Li Guoshu couldn't help but ask the doubts in his heart.
"Sit down." Li Dan pointed to the mat in front of him.
Li Guoshu took two steps forward, sat cross-legged on the mat, and looked at his father.
Li Dan poured a cup of tea for Li Guozhu with his own hands and said, "Dayuan Island originally belonged to my Li family. Yan Siqi just stayed there to look after Dayuan Island for my Li family. Now the red-haired Yi have gone to Dayuan to build the city. Even Yan Siqi has also begun to feel uneasy, and on the contrary, the power of my Li family among the senior officials is getting weaker and weaker."
"What does this have to do with me going to Datong?" Li Guozhu looked confused.
Li Dan said, "It didn't matter at first, but then I heard the shopkeeper Zheng say that their company could do business with the Tatars on the grassland, so I thought about letting them build a port in Dayuan."
"Father means"
"Now that the Li family has no final say on Taiyuan Island, let's put the tiger-character flag in to contain several forces on Taiyuan Island. Moreover, we brought the tiger-character flag to Taiyuan Island. From now on, the only one they can rely on is our Li family, understand?" Li Dan looked at Li Guozhu.
Li Guozhu frowned and said, "But the proprietor of the Tiger Flag may not be willing to go to Taiyuan Island to build a port."
"That's why I asked you to go to Datong to find out what the other party means. It would be best if things can work out, but it doesn't matter if things don't work out." Li Dan said.
"My child understands."
