Chapter 855: You Guessed Right

Tuan Tuan shouted loudly, "Hey! Are your hair born red?"

Hair?

Mei Er was stunned; why are these Central Plains People doing business while bringing a little girl?

Everyone: "…"

Xiao Ningyuan smiled, "Tuan Tuan, be good, let big brother talk to him."

"Alright," Tuan Tuan said, a bit displeased, "big brother, why isn't he paying attention to me?"

"Their Zhongyuan speech is poor; they probably didn't understand at all," Xiao Ningyuan took the megaphone from Luo Zhenjiang's hand, "Watch big brother."

He shouted into the megaphone, "Who comes?"

"This young master does not trade with nameless people!"

Mei Er was overjoyed; I indeed guessed right, the people who bought all my goods in Jiangzhou are here to negotiate trade.

He shouted with full vigor, "I am Business Officer, Fan De Mei Er!"

The group exchanged glances.

Xiao Ningxun said, "He actually came himself."

Xiao Ze nodded, "Seems they are truly impatient."

"The more urgent, the better." Xiao Er recalled Cai Tong's words that night, feeling uneasy about these Red-haired Barbarians.

"Exactly, it's good to make a few die of urgency." Lu Qi agreed deeply.

Xiao Ningyuan set down the megaphone, "Weigh anchor, come to shore!"

"Alright!"

The cargo ship slowly entered the gap.

Iron chains clanged along both sides of the hull for a moment, then were pushed aside by the boatman with a long pole.

The bow gently touched the pier, and the boatman threw the rope out.

A few bare‑chested laborers on the pier hurriedly caught it, looped it around the stone piles several times, and tightened it.

The soldiers brandishing firearms stared at the people on the ship, their muzzles still not lowered.

Xiao Ningyuan stared at the firearms in their hands, feigning fear, "Ouch! So many weapons, I dare not go down."

Mei Er felt secretly pleased; their fear made the deal easier.

He concealed it on his face, hurriedly ordered, "Put them down! Stow them!"

The soldiers, hearing the command, set the firearms down, standing neatly beside them.

Xiao Ningyuan kept his eyes on them, his brows tightly knit, still refusing to disembark.

Mei Er glared at the soldiers, "Step back! All of you step back! You've scared the honored guests."

The soldiers retreated a few steps in order.

Xiao Ningchen looked at them, nodded silently, these soldiers are well‑trained, capable of war.

Luo Zhenjiang instructed, "Watch closely, no one may touch the cargo on the ship."

"Yes!"

The group walked onto the shore,

Mei Er looked at them, eyes shining, "May I ask, which one is Boss Xiao?"

Xiao Ningyuan flicked his folding fan, "It is I."

Mei Er looked up and down at Xiao Ningyuan for a long time.

Tuan Tuan, displeased, "Hey! Why are you staring at my big brother?"

Mei Er recovered, his face sincere, "I've long admired Boss Xiao's name; I could say it's…"

He thought, how is it said in Zhongyuan? Right: "Having a special affection."

Everyone: "…"

Xiao Ze closed his eyes, Xiao Ningxun lowered his head and silently twitched his mouth corner.

Xiao Ningchen rolled his eyes, Feng Zhou rubbed his nose, covering the smile at his lips.

Xiao Er and Lu Qi exchanged glances, both wearing a helpless expression.

Luo Zhenjiang was about to laugh loudly; although Tuan Tuan didn't understand, seeing everyone holding back laughter, he quickly stretched out his little hand to cover Luo's mouth.

Xiao Ningyuan coughed "cack‑cack‑cack", "Can you stop speaking Zhongyuan and shut up!"

"You have a special affection for me? I think you just don't want to live."

Mei Er, sincere, "To be honest, Boss Xiao, I've been waiting for you, waiting so…"

He racked his brain, finally dredged up a phrase from his gut: "Thinking of you day and night."

Xiao Ningyuan almost crushed the fan.

Luo Zhenjiang couldn't hold back, burst into laughter, "Alright! It seems Mr. Mei Er truly wants to do business with Boss Xiao, so let's not stay here, let's move elsewhere."

Mei Er beamed, "Good, good! Let's go, please follow me to the trading house for a proper discussion."

"Attendants! Bring the horses over for the honored guests!"

The soldiers fetched several fine horses, handing the reins to the group.

The party mounted their horses, and along the stone‑sloped ramp behind the harbor, followed Mei Er slowly up the hill.

Tuan Tuan sat in front of Luo Zhenjiang, curiously looking around.

After about the length of an incense stick, a massive castle suddenly rose atop the rocky hill.

Xiao Er looked up, softly exclaiming, "Goodness, such a huge castle!"

The castle walls rose from the hill's edge, about three zhang high, forming an irregular pentagon, each corner bearing a bastion jutting outward toward different directions.

Xiao Ningchen's brows furrowed tighter.

On the fort's slope, gun emplacements were stacked layer upon layer, crossing obliquely, sealing the harbor entrance tightly.

On top of the city walls, a cannon was placed every few steps, their muzzles black and hollow, pointing toward the sea.

Feng Zhou stared, eyes unblinking, 'This fort is wonderfully built!'

How could I not have thought of that?

This diamond-shaped structure can fully unleash the power of the artillery.

He clicked his tongue in amazement, so excited he could barely stay seated on his horse.

Xiao Ningchen rode up beside him and asked, 'What's up?'

Feng Zhou whispered, 'Second Young Master, this fort is exquisitely built; we can build like this in the future.'

Xiao Ningchen looked at the soldiers on the fort: 'Their troops are also well trained.'

'No matter, even if it's better, it's left for us.' Xiao Ningxun interjected from the side.

Xiao Ze smiled and nodded.

'This is Relanzhecheng,' Mei Er said proudly, 'The governor's office and my trading house are in the city, governing all of Taiwan Island.'

He shouted at the soldiers at the gate: 'Open the door!'

The fort's main gate was slowly pushed open by a few soldiers, and everyone followed him inside.

A huge Training Ground came into view, surrounded by several red-brick walls and black-tiled European-style small buildings.

Among them, the three-story building at the north center was the tallest, bearing the same three-color striped flag as on the shore.

To the east stood a relatively low but wide-fronted two-story stone building.

Mei Er dismounted in front of the small building: 'This is the trading house; please come in, everyone.'

Everyone dismounted in turn and followed him inside.

The first floor was a hall, with a long oak table in the center, surrounded by several carved-back chairs.

Against the walls stood several large cabinets, and a deer hide was nailed to the wall.

Several people passed through the hall and continued forward along the corridor.

A person came toward them, holding a stack of account books.

He looked up, saw Mei Er, hurriedly stopped, and respectfully greeted: 'Good day, Mr. Mei Er.'

Mei Er nodded and continued forward.

'It's you!' Tuan Tuan, sitting high in Luo Zhenjiang's arms, instantly spotted the person's face: 'How did you follow us here?'

The person was Wu Shuang.

He shuddered all over, that voice so familiar!

He lifted his gaze, his eyes sweeping over everyone's faces, his eyeballs nearly popping out.

'How is it you again?'

The account books in his hands nearly slipped; he stepped back two steps, his back hitting the wall.

In Jiangzhou he had lived in utter frustration, practically a nightmare; returning to Taiwan, he had finally managed to catch his breath.

He never expected these people to suddenly appear alive before him again.

'Xiao... Boss Xiao,' Wu Shuang's voice changed tone, 'You, how did you come?'

'We came by ship,' Tuan Tuan answered crisply.

Wu Shuang opened his mouth, 'Coming by ship—of course that's not nonsense! Taiwan is an island; you can't fly over, can you?'

He swallowed, his gaze finally landing on Xiao Ningyuan's face: 'Boss Xiao, you wouldn't be here again...'

Xiao Ningyuan stepped forward and patted his shoulder: 'Boss Wu, as I said, we are of one mind.'

'Not bad, you guessed right—we're here to do business.'

Wu Shuang's face instantly changed color.

Tuan Tuan curiously looked at him: 'Your face is just like that day again! So many colors!'

Wu Shuang: '......'