Chapter 1459: Pledging Loyalty

America, French Colonial Zone.

Richard looked at the map drawn of the gold mine area; there had been no follow-up actions since the British captured the position.

This made Richard very worried.

After all, the British now possessed five powerful cannons.

Although they had also seized two very special Longyan Cannons from the British, there was no way to fire conventional cannonballs.

Damn the Longyan people, they just had to develop a weapon where even the cannonballs had to be special!

Richard racked his brains and summoned his good son, wanting him to go and contact those two Longyan people.

To see if he could learn any important information from the mouths of these two Longyan people.

Ausilige hurriedly obeyed his father's summons and called over the two Longyan people.

Wan Shang and Fang Dalong heard that the summoner of Ausilige, Richard, was summoning them.

The two looked at each other and smiled; it was time to pledge 【fake】 loyalty again.

Wan Shang and Fang Dalong rushed to the French Colonial Zone headquarters.

The buildings here had gradually become scaled, though they could not compare to the magnificent architectural complex of the Longyan Imperial Palace, consisting of structures with pointed spires on top.

Although they looked grand and magnificent individually, they were far from as grand as the Imperial Palace, which covered an area of one hundred mu.

Wan Shang and Fang Dalong walked through what the French called a castle.

Led by a designated person, they soon arrived at Richard's office.

In the huge castle, there was an office of only twenty-some square meters.

Wan Shang and Fang Dalong walked in with their heads lowered, looking at Richard, who was sitting in a chair without speaking, wearing a slightly worried expression.

They also did not speak, keeping their heads lowered, waiting quietly for Richard to speak first.

The three people stayed in the room; Richard did not speak, and Wan Shang and Fang Dalong never raised their heads.

It was a show of force right from the start!

But for the great cause of Longyan, they had to endure it.

Richard glanced at the two, the worry on his face vanishing, and he said with a faint smile, "You two have come, please sit."

Only then did the two take their seats, and Fang Dalong said, "We are willing to serve you, sir, with the loyalty of a dog or horse."

Wan Shang echoed the sentiment.

Richard had said nothing, yet the two had already revealed their attitude.

Richard nodded with great satisfaction; he had not expected these two Longyan people to be so sensible.

It seemed his show of force had been very effective.

"Since you have said so, I will not hide it from you."

Richard slammed the document in his hand onto the wooden table in front of him and said with slight anger, "These damned British have attacked us and even seized one of our highlands."

Wan Shang and Fang Dalong glanced at the military report slammed onto the table and quickly withdrew their gaze.

A military report was not something just anyone could look at.

But this news had long since been communicated to them by Longyan City through various means.

The British had used Longyan cannons to crush the French positions; it was said the battle did not take long, and the British side had not even lost a single soldier or horse to capture the French positions.

They already had a guess in their hearts that Richard had brought them here this time to ask them about the Longyan Cannons.

A smile of a conspiracy succeeded rose in their hearts.

Longyan Cannons required special Longyan cannonballs to exert their greatest advantage.

Although Longyan Cannons could also be loaded with conventional cannonballs, their power would be greatly reduced.

This Richard must have already realized this point, otherwise he would not have taken the initiative to find the two of them.

The fish had already taken the bait.

Wan Shang and Fang Dalong looked at Richard, who was in a fit of anger, put on the appearance of loyal subjects, and said in a deep voice, "Sir, is there anything we can help you with? Please tell us directly."

Richard sighed and looked at the two with great difficulty.

Wan Shang and Fang Dalong requested repeatedly, "Sir, please speak freely. We two have said that for your great kindness and virtue, we two can only repay you with our lives!"

Richard stared seriously into the eyes of the two, as if he could read all their emotions.

"This matter is a bit difficult, and I am afraid you two might be unwilling."

Wan Shang was a person with a quick temper; upon hearing this, Wan Shang became anxious immediately.

"How could we be unwilling? As long as you say it, sir, we will definitely do what we can, and we will find a way to do what we cannot."

Hearing this, Richard stared into their eyes and said, "I need you two to help me get some special cannonballs from Longyan City. Can you do it?"

Once these words were spoken, the room was quiet for a few seconds.

The bold words and lofty aspirations of Wan Shang and Fang Dalong vanished instantly, and the expressions on their faces stiffened bit by bit.

Richard watched the changes in their faces quietly.

Wan Shang squeezed a smile onto his stiff cheeks: "Sir, it is not that we do not want to do this, but it is somewhat difficult for us."

"It is just, just..."

Richard stared calmly at Wan Shang's face and said faintly, "Just what?"

Wan Shang swallowed a mouthful of saliva, looked nervously at Fang Dalong, and opened his mouth, hesitating to speak.

Seeing this, Richard sneered and patted Wan Shang on the shoulder: "If you do not want to say it, I cannot force you, and the kindness between us will be written off."

Wan Shang looked at Richard and sighed, about to spill everything.

Fang Dalong coughed, signaling Wan Shang not to say it, and took over the conversation himself: "Sir, it is not that we do not want to get them, nor do we intend to hide it from you."

"It is just that you also know how strict the control over military supplies is in Longyan City; we two ordinary merchants absolutely cannot resell military supplies."

Richard sneered: "I have heard that you have resold them before in the French Colonial Zone."

Fang Dalong did not deny it either, and admitted generously: "That is correct."

"However, the reason we were able to resell them was because we spent a huge price at the time. If you don't believe me, you can ask Ausilige; he knows exactly how high the price was when we traded for those things."

"Although the two of us want to repay your kindness, we are currently short on funds. Even though we have the connections, this deal absolutely cannot be negotiated without money."

Upon hearing this, Richard was very clear: these two Longyan people had the connections, but these connections required money to serve as a stepping stone.

"So please forgive us, General. It is not that we do not want to do this, but we are currently short on funds and truly cannot manage it," Fang Dalong informed him.

Richard laughed: "That is simple; you should have just said so earlier."

"As long as you have the connections, that is all that matters. Isn't it just money?" Richard said dismissively.

France occupied vast colonies in America, and after so many years of development, the French colonial government in America had long since forgotten what poverty was.

In Richard's view, there was no such thing as a difficult problem if it could be settled with money.

Hearing these words, the eyes of the two men lit up.

It now appeared that the fish had not only taken the bait, but had bitten down particularly firmly.

Fang Dalong offered a compliment: "As long as there is money, this matter is already half-done."