Chapter 1407: Winning Over

"Dad, I'm here." Ausilige walked in with a joyful gait, rushing inside.

Richard watched his son's chubby cheeks jiggle with every step, just like a frisky puppy.

Richard couldn't bear to keep watching; he covered his face with his hand, pretending he hadn't seen anything.

Seeing Richard covering his face, Ausilige hurriedly pounced over and said as if asking for a reward: "Dad, are you going to reward me with something?"

Ausilige saw his father looking thoughtful; he must be considering how to reward the merit he had achieved last time.

Could it be that his good fortune was about to arrive?

At the thought of this, Ausilige's chubby cheeks squeezed into a sheepish grin; seeing his "great" son make this expression, Richard felt even less like looking.

Richard recalled his own sturdy, handsome physique, a full 1.8 meters tall, with a face full of heroic spirit and incomparable handsomeness.

How could he have given birth to such a son, who didn't resemble him in the slightest?

"It is time to reward you..." Richard said helplessly, seeing he couldn't avoid it.

Actually, the reason he called him here today was to talk about this very thing, but after seeing his son in this state, he felt a bit like abandoning the idea.

"Many thanks, Dad. I wonder what you are going to reward me with?"

"Beauties, money, or perhaps petitioning our great Majesty to grant me a Viscount title." Ausilige's eyes lit up with stars.

Richard opened his mouth; his foolish son, why did he only have such unrealistic ambitions!

If it weren't for the news he brought about those two Longyan, could he have obtained this important information?

As an officer with brains who knows how to win over subordinates.

Shouldn't you first apply for credit for your subordinates, let me give the reward to your subordinates, and win them over?

Let the two Longyan work for us wholeheartedly.

So that these two Longyan might reveal more information.

Sigh, forget it.

Richard thought about how his eldest son was just like this; he knew nothing about treating subordinates with courtesy.

"I shall reward you with..." Richard was just about to say it when he suddenly thought of something.

Ausilige looked expectantly at his father's mouth, waiting for the second half of the sentence; this was very important!

What kind of reward would it be? Beauties?

Money? Or petitioning the great Majesty for a Viscount title.

With such a great merit, a Viscount title should be more than enough, right?

Thinking of this, Richard wore a happy smile; thanks to his extensive connections, and thanks to befriending Wanshang and Fang Dalong, the two Longyan, he was able to achieve this great merit.

It was fortunate that he was resourceful and won them over with a small, run-down tavern.

His old man didn't know yet; if he did, he would surely praise him for being clever, winning over two wealthy Longyan merchants with a small, run-down tavern!

Richard was full of anticipation, but Richard felt a lump in his throat and did not continue speaking.

Richard suddenly thought of the key to the problem: this news came from those two Longyan; since they could know the trading location between Britain and Longyan.

Then could the two of them find out from Longyan whether Longyan had compensated Britain with anything?

Why was the power so great?

At this thought, Richard revealed a kind and amiable smile and said: "Son, let me ask you, do you want a one-time reward, or a long-term reward?"

Ausilige was stunned, not quite understanding his father's meaning, and asked honestly: "Dad, what does this mean? What is the difference?"

Richard coaxed him: "One-time means I reward you this once, and there will be nothing afterward."

Ausilige was taken aback, widened his eyes, and hurriedly said: "Then I definitely won't choose that. What about the other kind?"

"The other kind is that I can reward you several times, but you have to do some things for it."

Ausilige didn't understand, but was greatly

shocked, yet he felt it would be better than the first kind.

Who does a one-time deal?

There's no way to rake in money!

"I choose the second one," Ausilige said immediately, fearing Richard would go back on his word.

Richard wore an expression of "the child is teachable," feeling quite good about swindling his son out of his reward.

"Not bad, you chose correctly!"

Ausilige blinked his expectant little eyes: "Dad, what are you going to reward me with?"

Richard continued to hoodwink him: "That is not important; what is important is that you must perform meritorious service."

Ausilige was stunned; hadn't he already performed meritorious service, and a great one at that? He heard his news directly caused Longyan and Britain to suffer heavy losses.

With such great merit, what other merit did he need to perform?

"Haven't I already performed meritorious service?"

"Didn't you trade it for a reward? To let me reward you several times?" Richard said, hoodwinking him directly.

Ausilige widened his eyes; this was possible? Looking at his heroic father, why did he feel like he was seeing a cunning fox?

He had been tricked out of the merit he had worked so hard to achieve.

Ausilige felt his dreams vanish in an instant; he didn't want to move at all.

Richard comforted his foolish son, saying: "From today on, you will come back, but you must stay by my side!"

Richard intended to properly cultivate his son.

Jade cannot be made into an object without carving.

Upon hearing this news, Ausilige was both sad and happy.

He really wanted to come back, but he absolutely did not want to return to his father's side.

Hearing this request, he was initially resistant.

Richard said again, "After you return, the money I cut off from you before will be given back to you."

Upon hearing this, Ausilige still revealed a happy smile; the pocket money that had been confiscated from him before was a huge sum.

With money, he could do whatever he wanted.

"But now, there is a task to entrust to you," Richard said indifferently.

Ausilige was stunned; he couldn't carry anything on his shoulders or lift anything with his hands, yet he was being given a task?

"What task?"

Richard narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "I want you to win over those two Longyan, and pry more intelligence out of their mouths, especially the aftermath of the failed trade between Longyan and Britain."

Ausilige was puzzled; hadn't this matter already ended?

Hadn't they already intercepted two cannons from Longyan; what other aftermath could there be?

"Dad, hasn't this matter already ended? Why bother with those two Longyan? I rewarded them with a Small Tavern and a few death row prisoners, the kind that doesn't even make money."

Ausilige said with a look of smug satisfaction.

Hearing this, Richard immediately became anxious; looking at his good-for-nothing son, he scolded loudly, "Those two Longyan are honored guests of our France, how could you treat them like that!"

Ausilige was instantly bewildered; you usually hate the Longyan the most, so why are you calling them honored guests now?

"They are just two merchants who fled to Longyan, what value is there in winning them over?"

"I think giving them this Small Tavern is already elevating them enough; I was even planning to take it back and continue running the underground fighting arena."

Richard was suddenly furious, feeling that the anger he had been suppressing could no longer be held back, rushing straight to his crown!