Chapter 1697: Counterfeit Perfume

"What do you mean by that!" Lady Anqiluo shouted coldly.

Marina smiled and said, "It means nothing, I just feel that there is something wrong with the scent of your perfume; it doesn't smell like the Longyan Perfume I know."

Hearing this, Lady Anqiluo's anger flared even higher, and she heard the sound of whispering voices all around her.

"Now that Marina mentions it, I have that feeling too. The scent of the perfume on Lady Anqiluo is indeed a bit too strong, even somewhat pungent."

"Yes, indeed. If it were truly Longyan Perfume, it shouldn't smell like this."

"I've heard that some people, seeing the astonishing sales of Longyan Perfume, have begun to counterfeit and imitate it."

"Although it looks similar on the outside, the scent is far too different. As soon as you start to smell it, it's stunning, but it becomes increasingly pungent afterward."

"Could this scent really be as Marina says?"

The crowd looked at Lady Anqiluo again, their faces showing deep suspicion.

Seeing the change in the crowd's attitude, Lady Anqiluo was even more ashamed and furious. She roared, "My perfume was purchased by my husband from the French; how could it possibly be fake?"

Once these words were spoken, the crowd looked at Lady Anqiluo without saying another word.

Marina looked at Lady Anqiluo with amusement, wondering if she truly didn't know.

Ailina said with extreme sarcasm, "Lady Anqiluo, surely you aren't unaware that the French are the ones who counterfeit the most Longyan Perfume?"

"Buying perfume from their hands, do you really think these perfumes could be genuine?"

The crowd let out snickers, and Lady Anqiluo's expression stiffened.

She left the place, overcome with shame and anger.

At this time, in Australia.

Through Delu's maneuvering, Xie Fang tacitly allowed those three warships to dock.

But what Xie Fang did not know was that these three French warships, disguised as Merchant Ships, were actually there to occupy his territory.

After returning, Delu immediately took the Imperial Edict given to him by Xie Fang and found Li He.

Seeing the Imperial Edict, Li He knelt down.

Delu read aloud: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: specially order Delu's three Merchant Ships to enter the port; they shall not be obstructed. Respect this."

Hearing the content of the Imperial Edict read out by Delu, his heart sank, and his face turned icy cold.

Inspecting the cargo carried by Merchant Ships upon entering port was originally the most normal customs policy, which Xie Fang had only issued a few days ago.

Now, this policy was as good as cancelled, effectively opening a back door for Delu.

Li He was completely unable to accept this.

Seeing that he did not receive the edict, Delu asked with a smile, "General Li, will you not receive the edict? This is an Imperial Edict personally issued by His Majesty."

"Could it be that you wish to defy the imperial order? This is His Majesty's will."

Li He looked up at Delu, snorted coldly, snatched the Imperial Edict from Delu's hand, opened it, and read it several times.

It was indeed exactly the same as what Delu had read.

Li He took a deep breath, closed his eyes tightly, unable to vent the frustration stifled in his heart, and sighed, "Let them pass!"

Hearing this, the other Longyan Navy soldiers thought their ears had deceived them.

When they had detained Delu's Merchant Ships, Li He had given his word.

These overseas ships entering the port, no matter who they were, had to undergo inspection before being allowed in.

They had to get rid of their previous bad habits!

Delu's Merchant Ships had been detained precisely because they lacked key information.

Yet, not even two days had passed, and the promise he had made was like bullshit—he let them go just like that.

Now he was letting Delu's Merchant Ships pass.

They were the Longyan Navy, having experienced the governance of Lord Liu Zheng; by the time they left, Longyan had long since changed its appearance.

But ever since coming to Australia with this Xie Fang, Xie Fang had started engaging in the restoration of an Absolute Monarchy.

He even engaged in military leasing just to make money.

Now, to collect taxes, he had turned an extremely important customs policy into a sham, losing all sense of shame.

Seeing that these Longyan Navy soldiers were not moving, Delu scolded coldly, "What, did you not hear General Li's words? He said let them pass!"

"Why don't you hurry up and open the customs and let my ships in?"

The crowd held their breath, unable to keep it in. They stared at General Li and asked, "General, our policy has only been in effect for a few days; isn't it a bit unreasonable to just let them pass like this?"

"Besides, customs is supposed to inspect these incoming Merchant Ships; who knows what they might be carrying!"

Faced with the questioning of these Longyan Navy soldiers, Li He was also very helpless and sighed, "Brothers, the situation is what it is now."

"Let them pass, this is His Majesty's order."

"His Majesty, His Majesty! Where is there any real Majesty? We are soldiers of Longyan; the current Emperor of Longyan is just a mascot. If Lord Liu Zheng were here, he would never let these foreign Merchant Ships be so arrogant!" some Longyan Navy soldiers said, filled with righteous indignation.

This was immediately met with a stern rebuke from Li He: "Do you know what you are saying? This is Australia, do not forget that."

"I am the general here, and I order you to let them pass!"

The crowd remained unmoved.

Li He said pointedly, "Let them pass!"

"If you won't let them pass, I will do it myself!"

Li He rushed toward the Longyan warship. The Longyan Navy soldiers then hurriedly chased after him, stopped General Li, and without a word, boarded the warship, opened the customs, and let these French warships enter Tasmania Port.

Delu stood at the port, watching the advance troops that had traveled across the ocean from France to occupy Australia.

Delu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Soon, Delu's Merchant Ship docked, the cabin door opened, and Huo En was the first to disembark. Delu affectionately embraced this old general whom he had not seen before.

"Captain, you have truly worked hard. Go and rest now; I will handle the rest."

Huo En nodded, and he rode away in Delu's Horse Carriage, kicking up dust.

Meanwhile, Delu was at the pier directing the French Soldiers who were disembarking from the ship.

Back when they were still on the ship, they had already disguised themselves as sailors and stevedores.

Delu arranged for them to move wooden crates filled with Weaponry and Equipment onto the Horse Carriage and transport them to his Factory here.

Li He stood guard beside Delu's Merchant Ship, watching them move the wooden crates onto the Horse Carriage to be hauled away.

With Li He watching, Delu's expression did not relax for a single minute; he was terrified of revealing any flaws that Li He might catch.

Fortunately, it was a close call without any real danger; the Weaponry and Equipment on the ship had already been concealed while still on board, and not a single one of these sealed wooden crates was opened.

Naturally, nothing was exposed.

This made Delu heave a sigh of relief.

After all the wooden crates had been moved away, Delu gathered all the crew members to board the Horse Carriage and leave with him.

Yet at this very moment, Li He suddenly called out to stop Delu and said, "You have quite a lot of people; there are nearly three thousand of them coming off those three ships."

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