Chapter 226: 226. Chapter 225: Bluffing, Then Bluffing Some More

226. Chapter 225: Bluffing, Then Bluffing Some More

In the center of Malacca stood a four-story-high restaurant called the Sifang Building, located just three streets away from Song Ming's mansion.

Because of its superior location and high-class reputation, it was highly touted by the various dignitaries in Malacca.

If anyone had business to conduct, discussing it here was considered the greatest sign of respect.

Just past the hour of Chen this day, a guard unit was seen escorting a carriage as it slowly drove onto the long street, finally coming to a stop in front of the Sifang Building.

Once the carriage was steady, the curtain was gently lifted, and Zhang Yunxiu bent his waist to poke his head out from inside.

He stepped off the carriage and looked inside.

At the entrance of the restaurant sat two blue-and-white porcelain vases half a person's height, and a high-quality red silk carpet stretched from the doorway all the way to the interior.

On the carpet, Song Ming, dressed in a red robe, led three golden-haired, blue-eyed Frangistan men forward with a beaming smile to welcome him.

"Hahaha, Imperial Censor Zhang is truly punctual." Song Ming stepped forward to grasp Zhang Yunxiu's hand, then personally led Zhang Yunxiu to a private room upstairs.

The remaining soldiers stood in formation, surrounding the restaurant tightly.

Once they reached the third floor and were seated, Song Ming had Zhang Yunxiu sit in the main seat, while he sat beside him. The remaining Frangistan men followed the order and surrounded the square table, forming a circle.

Once both sides were seated, Song Ming, acting as the intermediary, was the first to point at Zhang Yunxiu and introduce him: "Gentlemen, let me introduce you; this is the confidant of the Great Ming Emperor, Assistant Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, Zhang Yunxiu."

The group's eyes revealed wariness, and they offered repeated, smiling compliments.

Since a figure like Song Ming touted him so highly, they figured this person's status must be extraordinary.

Next, Song Ming looked at Zhang Yunxiu and pointed at the Frangistan men opposite to introduce them: "The first person on that side is Mr. Feili, and he is a crown prince of Frangistan."

As soon as the words fell, the middle-aged man on the far left with a high nose bridge and a heroic air gave a slight nod, bowing his head and smiling at Zhang Yunxiu.

Zhang Yunxiu smiled and returned the greeting; Song Ming had already told him the information about these people yesterday, so he was not frightened by this so-called crown prince status.

He only secretly focused his mind, listening to Song Ming's introductions and memorizing their faces.

Beside Feili was a fat man named Ka'er, and further to the right was a man in his early forties, thin and tall, with graying hair at his temples, named Chali.

After the introductions were finished, Feili first spoke in broken Chinese: "Respected noble sir, I know that the Japanese are currently attacking your Great Ming's army, so you want us to help, right?"

Zhang Yunxiu nodded.

Seeing Zhang Yunxiu admit it directly, the three exchanged a smile. Ka'er, in the middle, waved his hands and exclaimed exaggeratedly: "Oh, you know, we have always loved peace. Fighting wars means many people die, and our people cannot sacrifice themselves in vain."

Song Ming squinted his eyes and smiled, interrupting: "Mr. Ka'er, how is it that I remember your fleet has always been the most overbearing on the high seas? As long as there is a conflict of interest and the other party is weaker than you, you always use force to resolve it, don't you?"

"Slander! Naked slander!" Ka'er's cheeks trembled with anger, and he defended himself with a red face, "If they hadn't offended us first, how could we have gone to war with them?"

"Hahaha, is that so?" Song Ming laughed heartily, looking at Ka'er with a beaming smile.

His gaze carried a playfulness like a cat playing with a mouse.

Feeling uncomfortable under this gaze, Ka'er grabbed a cup of fine wine from the table and gulped it down, taking the opportunity to turn away and pretend to admire the beautiful seascape outside the window.

At this moment, Chali, one of the three, suddenly spoke: "Sir, you also know that we traveled across the ocean, which was a last resort. In your Chinese words, this is called leaving one's home."

"Mr. Chali has some understanding of Chinese culture, I see," Zhang Yunxiu responded with a smile.

"So, I would like to ask what benefits you can give us?" Chali did not take the bait and asked directly.

Once these words were out, Feili and Ka'er also followed with burning gazes, looking at Zhang Yunxiu.

Zhang Yunxiu was unhurried, meeting Chali's gaze and asking in return: "May I ask Mr. Chali, what is it you want? Tea, Silk, or Porcelain? Or perhaps Silver?"

Chali smiled, a glimmer of shrewdness flashing in his blue pupils: "No, no, no. Although these things are precious, they cannot make us risk our lives for you."

"Then what do you want?" Song Ming became vigilant, fearing these fellows would open their mouths too wide.

Without the slightest hesitation, Chali immediately looked at Song Ming and said: "We want to go to your Great Ming to do business. We hope you can grant us legal status so our ships can enter your territory."

"Impossible! You must be crazy," Song Ming cried out in shock.

Listening to these fellows, they wanted to sail their ships into the heartland of Great Ming.

Beside the sleeping mat, how could one allow others to snore? If this condition were agreed to, even Zhang Yunxiu would be in deep trouble.

Seeing Song Ming's direct refusal, the three did not show any surprise. After exchanging a smile, they looked straight at the head-bowed Zhang Yunxiu.

They thought: Very well, it is not that we are not giving you face, but that your side cannot agree to our conditions.

Zhang Yunxiu grinned and suddenly looked up at the three, saying: "Fine, I can agree to your request. I can even promise you that after we take down the Japan island, I can let you have a slice of the cake there."

Song Ming was stunned, and the three opposite also widened their eyes, suddenly standing up from the table.

The three thought they had misheard and looked at Zhang Yunxiu in disbelief. After a moment of silence, Chali confirmed again: "Sir, what we meant by entering Great Ming to do business is not just Zhejiang or Fujian, but any place in Great Ming."

"That is what I meant, too," Zhang Yunxiu put on a sincere expression. "Rest assured, as long as you are willing to send troops, the Great Ming Emperor will certainly satisfy your requirements. I can even propose to the Great Ming Emperor to confer upon you the title of Viscount."

The three looked at Zhang Yunxiu's confident expression, muttering in their hearts: This man has a big mouth; he can actually make decisions on such matters.

Zhang Yunxiu continued: "For your peace of mind, let us write up the contract now, and then seal it. What do you think?"

Among them, Feili was the first to react. As long as a contract was established, he wouldn't fear this man reneging, so he immediately slapped the table and agreed: "Oh, that is truly wonderful. You are truly a man of great resolve, sir."

Zhang Yunxiu nodded with a light smile, ordered someone to bring paper and pen, wrote out the contract, signed his name generously, and handed it to the three.

The three grabbed the contract, huddled together to read it for two quarter-hours, wishing they could carve the contract into their brains.

After a long time, the three exchanged nods and turned together to look at Zhang Yunxiu.

"Noble sir, we will return immediately to organize our troops and settle our subordinates. In five days, we will follow you to march on the Japan island," the three said in unison, fearing Zhang Yunxiu would go back on his word, and stomped down the pavilion.

Only then did the previously confused Song Ming begin to smile craftily.

At first, when he heard Zhang Yunxiu was going to agree to these people's conditions, his heart trembled with shock. This was treason, the act of a traitor; it was absolutely not to be done.

As it turned out, these people actually treated Zhang Yunxiu's contract as a treasure.

Without the Emperor's Imperial Seal stamped on it, it would be a miracle if this thing were valid.

He seemed to have already foreseen the scene where these people fought to the death on the Japan island, only to discover in the end that they had received nothing but a piece of waste paper.

Zhang Yunxiu looked at his crafty smile, nodded with a smile, and followed him down the pavilion. Upon exiting the main gate, Han San, who had been squatting in wait, hurried over. Zhang Yunxiu smiled at him: "Let's go, walk with me. This place, sooner or later, both the island and the people will all have to bear the surname 'Zhang'."

Han San smiled lightly, waved his hand to dismiss his men, and followed Zhang Yunxiu to stroll through the city.

Perhaps because the two were in the market, the surroundings were exceptionally prosperous. Shops lined the streets, crowds flowed like water, carriages and horses were like dragons, and shouts of hawking mingled with the sounds of clearing the way echoed through the streets.

It was exceptionally lively.

Walking forward along West Street, from time to time, white women wearing short sleeves and exposing their navels cast flirtatious glances at the two of them.

Unlike the traditional, conservative, and reserved nature of China, these white women were hot-blooded and bold.

Regarding matters between men and women, they were not so particular either.

However, although Zhang Yunxiu was no gentleman, he was not so desperate as to reach that point. He glanced at Han San, urged him to walk faster, and did not stop until they had walked out of West Street in one breath.

"Young Master, those 'ocean mares' are truly spicy as hell," Han San grinned and praised, "That hip, that millstone, and that pair of big peaches like winter melons—surely they must taste like something else entirely."

"Do you know what 'a toothpick poking a nostril' means?" Zhang Yunxiu paused and asked.

Han San had no idea what this meant and looked blank. Zhang Yunxiu turned to the side and whispered two sentences into Han San's ear; a strange look appeared on Han San's sturdy face.

He had not expected that the Young Master could also come out with such off-color jokes.

And then there was that thing of the Franks—was it really as big as a donkey's? Just as he was thinking this, a commotion suddenly erupted in the small alley to the front left; judging by the sound, it seemed to be children.

The two hurried forward, and upon looking inside, they saw five or six large-statured children surrounding one child and beating him against the wall.

Although that child's nostrils were bleeding, he still looked unyielding and was still desperately waving his small fists to fight back.

Not far from the circle of battle, there was also a fat child with a bruised eye.

Seeing this scene, the fat child waved his hands and shouted hatefully, "Hit him! Beat this fatherless bastard to death for me!"

"Ah?!" Upon hearing this, the child suddenly charged out from the pile of people, his eyes bloodshot, and with a leap, he pounced beside the fat child, waving his small fists and smashing them heavily onto the fat child's nose bridge.

Only a "wa" sound was heard; the fat child's nostrils bled, and he fell backward onto the ground.

That child pressed his whole body onto the fat child, his small fists waving vigorously: "I'll let you talk! I'll let you talk! I'll let you talk! I'll let you bully me! I'll let you bully me!!"

Seeing this situation, the fat child's few lackeys rushed forward and continued to punch and kick the child.

The child ignored it all and just kept on beating the fat child beneath him.

"What are you doing?!" Zhang Yunxiu liked the child's ferocity, so he stepped forward and shouted.

The children all raised their heads and looked at the two of them.

Seeing that the two were dressed in expensive clothing and seeing the sword hanging at Han San's waist, they were immediately scared and fled in all directions.

In an instant, only the stubborn child remained in the long, narrow alley. Zhang Yunxiu stepped forward to help him up, patted the dirt off his body, and asked softly, "Little one, what is your name?"

"Zhang Zhongwen." The child was not shy; he widened his pitch-black eyes and looked at the two as he answered.

"Young Master, this kid even has the same surname as you," Han San laughed from the side.

Zhang Yunxiu also smiled. He felt a sense of closeness as he looked at this little one, so he wanted to send him home. Zhang Zhongwen rolled his eyes and thought: Mother said I am not allowed to fight or talk to strangers.

Now it's done; I've broken both of those rules.

I absolutely cannot bring these two back.

Shaking his head, Zhang Zhongwen broke free from Zhang Yunxiu and ran forward quickly: "I don't need you to send me; my home is right up ahead."

Zhang Yunxiu laughed heartily. Still fearing that those few children might look for trouble with him, he stepped forward and followed the child's pace.

The three arrived in front of an exquisite small courtyard. Zhang Zhongwen stopped and looked back with a vigilant expression.

"You... what do you want to do?"

"Nothing, just sending you home." Zhang Yunxiu gave a warm smile, gestured to Han San, and turned to leave.

At this moment, the wooden door creaked open slowly, and a female voice came from behind: "You child, didn't Mother tell you to go to the school and study properly? Why have you gotten yourself into this state again?"

Then came the child's indignant voice: "They were the ones who cursed me first, and they even cursed you."

"Then you still cannot use your hands! Only people without brains use their fists to speak in everything."

Zhang Yunxiu recognized that this female voice was somewhat familiar, so he turned around to look.

He saw that the person was about twenty-three or twenty-four years old, with delicate features, moist and fair skin, and a head of beautiful hair coiled into a cloud-like bun at the back of her head.

She wore a bright yellow long dress, with white socks and white shoes underneath.

She looked just like a figure who had stepped out of a painting.

"Why is it her?!" Zhang Yunxiu was shocked.

This person was actually Sun Yahan, with whom he had had some acquaintance in Woguo.

Although four years had passed, this woman's appearance had not changed much from four years ago.

On the other side, Sun Yahan also noticed the presence of Zhang Yunxiu and the other man. At this moment, he had grown a long beard, looked mature and steady, and possessed a certain air, so she did not recognize him for a moment.

She thought Zhang Yunxiu had come to look for trouble; her small face turned pale, and she stepped forward, looking at Zhang Yunxiu pitifully to beg for mercy: "Sir, if my son has offended you in any way, I will apologize to you on his behalf."

Zhang Zhongwen rushed in front of his mother and opened his arms to protect her: "You are not allowed to bully my mother."

Looking at the mother and son, Zhang Yunxiu felt a pang of sorrow. He let down his beard, stared into Sun Yahan's eyes, and asked: "You... do you really not recognize me? Miss Sun."

Sun Yahan shuddered as if stung by a hornet; she had not heard anyone call her that in a long time.

She covered her lips and rolled her eyes to size up the man in front of her, and memories gradually overlapped in her mind.

"You... are you Zhang, Zhang Yunxiu?" Sun Yahan shrieked.

"Indeed, I didn't expect Miss Sun to have come here," Zhang Yunxiu gave a self-deprecating smile, "I was wondering why I couldn't find a trace of you no matter how I looked."

Upon hearing this, Sun Yahan's heart trembled, and her eyes turned red in a way that made one's heart ache. (End of chapter)