Chapter 876

At the same moment, in the first-floor hall, the atmosphere was fervent, and the shouting never ceased.

Lu Qi was competing hand strength with a young officer.

Boerte stood behind that officer, face flushed, body slightly swaying, obviously drunk, yet still shouting loudly, saliva spraying the officer's back of the head.

Soon, Lu Qi didn't exert much effort and pressed that officer's hand onto the table.

Feng Zhou slapped the table: "Lu Qi wins!"

Boerte waved his hand, his elbow swept across the tabletop, and a gilded candlestick was knocked over onto the floor.

He cursed, grabbed the regretful young officer from the chair, plopped down himself, stretched out his palm, and seized Lu Qi's hand.

Lu Qi glanced at him, smiled, picked up the cup on the table with his other hand, took a sip, set it down: "Come!"

Haiden turned and shouted; a soldier hearing it hurried over, picked up the candlestick from the floor, and saw it was already askew.

He turned and walked toward the stairs.

In the second-floor conference hall, Tuan Tuan blinked at the empty little wooden rack, grinned: "This is easy!"

She lowered her head to look at the bread she was gripping, which still bore a small bite she'd taken, and quickly took two more bites: "Bread is really delicious!"

Xiao Er looked utterly bewildered: "Miss, there's more underneath; if you want to eat, I'll get you a few more later."

"Hmm." Tuan Tuan placed the bread on the empty wooden rack, lowered her head, and drew a small piece of dry grass from the embroidered pouch—exactly the one she had picked up that day at the hunting grounds of Madoshe.

She murmured: "Let everyone who comes here regard this as that ugly mask!"

Having said that, she loosened her tiny hand, and the dry grass fell toward the ground.

A faint light flashed, and the dry grass vanished.

That half-bread remained unmoved, still bearing the tiny tooth marks from her bite.

Tuan Tuan nodded satisfied, brushed off the bread crumbs from her little hand, opened her two small arms toward Xiao Er: "All right, Uncle Er, let's go!"

Xiao Er gave her a thumbs-up, bent down, lifted her up, turned, and walked toward the door.

Just as they reached the door, clear footsteps came from outside, growing nearer, step by step, heading straight for this room.

Xiao Er's feet halted, his arms tightened, and he stood motionless.

"Who's coming? I hope it's not someone coming here."

"If they come in, where should we hide?"

He swiftly turned his head and scanned the whole room.

The curtains weren't drawn; the moonlight was too bright, so we could only hide under the table.

He set Tuan Tuan on the ground, just about to pull her and run toward the long table.

With a "hiss," the door handle was already being turned by someone outside.

"It's too late!"

Xiao Er gritted his teeth, grabbed Tuan Tuan, took a big stride, and pressed tightly against the wall.

Tuan Tuan clutched his big hand, her little face drawn tight.

The next moment, the door was pushed open, and a soldier walked in.

He went straight to the end of the long table, picked up a candlestick there, then turned and walked back.

Xiao Er and Tuan Tuan stood behind the door, holding their breath, utterly still.

The soldier left without looking back, pulling the door shut behind him with a backhand.

His footsteps gradually faded, disappearing at the end of the hallway.

Xiao Er let out a long breath, squatted, drew Tuan Tuan into his arms, and asked softly: "Miss, are you frightened?"

Tuan Tuan shook her head: "I'm not scared at all! You're here."

Xiao Er felt warm inside, lightly kissed her forehead, held her as he rose, and pressed his ear to the door to listen.

Outside was completely silent.

After a moment, he opened the door, darted out, holding Tuan Tuan, and raced down the stairs back to the hall.

Haiden was waving his fists, cheering for Boerte; several Dutch officers gathered around the table, none noticing that the two, one big and one small, had returned.

Xiao Er set Tuan Tuan on the ground; Xiao Tuanzi immediately slipped into the crowd, ran to Xiao Ningxun's side, lifted her little face, and gave him a sweet smile.

Xiao Ningxun reached out to ruffle her hair, and the corners of his mouth slowly curled upward.

Third floor.

Xiao Ningyuan's gaze lingered on Mei Er's face for a moment, then slowly shifted to Kui Yi.

Kui Yi involuntarily sat up straight.

Xiao Ningyuan withdrew his gaze, lightly placed his folding fan on the table: "Mr. Mei Er, I don't have to sell these goods to you."

"Although I'm tempted by the European market, I don't have to deal with you; I can find others."

"You know better than I how much these goods will sell for when you take them back."

He paused: "For such a big deal, you won't even put up thirty percent as a deposit?"

He shook his head: "Really, it makes me doubt whether you actually have that much silver, and whether you can handle my goods."

Mei Er's heart jumped, his expression unchanged, he turned and relayed his words to Kui Yi.

Kui Yi's face instantly darkened.

Just as he was about to speak, Mei Er patted his arm: "Don't rush, I'll talk to him."

He looked at Xiao Ningyuan: "Boss Xiao can easily produce several hundred thousand taels of cash silver; we certainly cannot."

Xiao Ningyuan frowned slightly, sighed: "If that's the case, there's no need to talk; I suppose I've found the wrong person and made a wasted trip."

"But," Mei Er shifted his tone, speaking sincerely: "We can still manage twenty percent."

Xiao Ningyuan's brows remained unfurrowed: "Mr. Mei Er, if you can't even put up thirty percent as a deposit, how can I believe that once the goods arrive here you'll be able to come up with the rest of the silver?"

"Don't worry about that, Boss Xiao," Mei Er said with a smug smile: "Your goods, shipped from Jingcheng, will need at least another twenty days to reach here."

These twenty days are enough for us to prepare the remaining silver.

"Oh?" Xiao Ningyuan showed surprise, "How will we raise the funds? Taiwan is merely an isolated island."

We naturally have our own method.

Mei Er glanced at Kui Yi: "As long as Boss Xiao agrees to pay only twenty percent of the deposit, once your cargo ship docks, I will definitely let you see the remaining silver, ensuring not a single copper coin is missing."

Xiao Ningyuan stared intently at him, as if considering the truth of those words.

Kui Yi watched from the side; although he didn't understand, he realized it was the most critical moment.

He drew a small, delicate firearm from his waist, took out a handkerchief and wiped it.

Xiao Ningyuan's face changed abruptly.

"I didn't expect such a small firearm! It seems their weapons are not limited to what we saw before; they are truly formidable."

He pondered for a long time: "All right, Mr. Mei, out of respect for you and Governor Kui Yi, I will make an exception this once and set the deposit at twenty percent."

Mei Er beamed with delight: "Boss Xiao truly lives up to his reputation as a wealthy merchant of the capital!"

Xiao Ningyuan snapped his folding fan shut: "Then it's settled. In three days we'll sign the contract; you pay the deposit, and I will immediately set off back to the capital to prepare the goods."

Mei Er startled, and Kui Yi hastily asked: "What's the matter?"

Mei Er told him.

Kui Yi instantly became anxious: "No way! We absolutely cannot let him leave Taiwan! If he takes the silver and runs, how could we possibly go to the capital to find him?"

Mei Er nodded, looking at Xiao Ningyuan: "Boss Xiao, why must you personally make this trip? Let your cargo ship return to send word, while you all continue to enjoy yourselves on the island."

Xiao Ningyuan's brow twitched slightly, his folding fan turning on his fingertip as he looked at him with a half-smile: "Mr. Mei, are you afraid I'll take the silver and run?"

"Hehe," Mei Er gave a dry laugh, "Nowhere, nowhere! Boss Xiao, you're overthinking it."

"It's just that the journey from here to the capital is arduous; I'm merely worried you'll overexert yourself."