Chapter 1715: Helplessness

"Before we have secured these key places, the docks and ports, into our hands, he cannot just die in such an unclear manner."

"Moreover, this person is highly trusted by Xie Fang."

"If we want to kill him, we must do it openly; we absolutely cannot do it in the shadows."

General Huo En nodded after listening: "You are right, so have you come up with any good Method?"

Huo En revealed a cunning smile: "Please rest assured, General, leave this matter to me, Li He will surely die!"

Li He returned to his residence, and other Longyan Army brothers walked in to ask after seeing Li He fuming with anger.

"What's wrong, Big Brother?"

"Is it that brat Delu causing trouble? Why don't we brothers raid them again right now and let them know how tough we are!"

Li He looked at these brothers who cared about him and scolded coldly: "Is that any way to talk!"

"We are not who we were before; we are now the Longyan Army, and we need to do things according to the rules!"

"Everything must be done with evidence!"

Hearing Li He's reprimand, everyone lowered their heads one after another.

Li He sighed, sat on a chair, and took a sip of tea, but it was cold, and he was suddenly furious: "That scoundrel Delu goes too far!"

Everyone looked at Li He, and someone asked: "Big Brother, what exactly is the situation? Is the intelligence provided by Yang Zi inaccurate?"

The person called Yang Zi said anxiously at that moment: "Big Brother, at the time I really saw many suspicious people entering Delu's wasteland, and they even had Muskets!"

Li He waved his hand, telling Yang Zi not to continue.

"What you saw was real, but when I went today, I only saw those laborers, and I didn't see any Muskets."

"Ah, they must have hidden them. I'll tip you off as soon as I see them; they definitely couldn't have hidden them very deeply!"

Li He shook his head: "I searched everywhere; there were no Muskets at all."

Li He glanced at Yang Zi, who had suddenly become dejected, and added: "Delu is a merchant; being cunning is his nature, so it is normal for such things to happen."

"It is we who were not careful enough."

"Strengthen the surveillance on Delu starting today; we need to catch his evidence!"

"Now, let's summarize the recent intelligence."

"Has Delu had any unusual movements lately?"

Everyone thought for a moment and said: "Delu has been visiting the British Noble Earl Howard frequently lately, and their relationship seems a bit too close."

"Other than that, Delu really hasn't had any other overly unusual movements lately."

Li He nodded, pondered for a moment, and said: "Earl Howard is on the Australia continent; let's first investigate the trade cooperation between him and Delu to see if we can find any breakthrough."

"Yes!"

At this time, Egypt.

Cairo.

Dike really could not handle the forces at these two ports; one port had been damaged and was currently being repaired, but just as it was about to be finished, it was destroyed again by the French.

And at the other port, it was even more of a headache.

The various forces at that port were intertwined, and although there was internal competition,

Dike had no way to exploit the contradictions between their forces to dismantle them one by one.

Because with the open and secret support of Longyan, the competition among these forces was all about how to oppose the British.

So, after so much time had passed, Dike had no way to recover these two ports.

But now, according to news coming from Britain itself,

the Dreadnought-class Battleship manufactured by Britain had already developed a prototype, and the latest battleship would soon be able to be built.

They needed to possess ports belonging to Britain on the Mediterranean Sea to threaten and counter those countries on the European continent.

Regarding this, the British side had issued a death order to Dike.

But Dike was completely unable to handle those two ports.

In a desperate situation, Dike thought of a method that was not really a method.

Negotiate with Jiang Xuan.

Dike rushed to Cairo.

Jiang Xuan only received him after leaving Dike hanging for three days.

Of course, regarding Jiang Xuan's cold attitude, Dike had no way at all and could only swallow his pride and accept it.

"Oh, honorable Mr. Dike, what matter brings you to me?" Jiang Xuan asked, knowing the answer perfectly well.

Facing Jiang Xuan's humiliation, Dike felt a surge of anger, but he could only swallow his pride and say: "Your Excellency Jiang Xuan, I am here representing Britain to discuss some cooperation with you."

Jiang Xuan chuckled, looked at Dike, and said indifferently: "What kind of cooperation requires you to make the trip yourself?"

"For this kind of thing, couldn't you just send anyone to solve it?"

Dike shook his head: "This cooperation is very important; I must discuss it in person."

Jiang Xuan sat down, looked at Dike, and said indifferently: "Let's hear it."

"It concerns our ports in Egypt; I have decided to let Longyan participate in these two."

"Mr. Jiang Xuan, you should know the value of maritime transport now; such two port cities could help your Longyan profit not..."

Before Dike could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by Jiang Xuan raising his hand. After glancing at Dike, he said indifferently: "Are you joking?"

"Your Excellency Dike, these two ports were sold to you French in the first place; how could I, Longyan, take them back?"

"Moreover, as for the value of those two ports, to our Longyan, it makes no difference whether we have them or not; we, Longyan, now control the Suez Canal."

"Your Excellency Dike, you understand what I mean, right?"

Dike laughed and said, "No, no, no, Your Excellency Jiang Xuan, you have misunderstood my meaning."

"It is not to have Longyan take these two ports back."

"Rather, it is to have Longyan obtain the revenue from these two ports."

Jiang Xuan let out an "oh," looked at Dike with a smiling face, and asked, "Then what does our Longyan need to pay?"

Dike hurriedly shook his head and said, "Longyan does not need to pay anything, you only need to sit back and wait for the profits."

After hearing this, Jiang Xuan laughed heartily.

"So you mean our Longyan doesn't have to manage anything, just wait with our eyes closed to collect the money, is that the meaning?"

Dike nodded: "That's right, that is exactly the meaning."

Jiang Xuan let out a laugh, looked at Dike, and said indifferently: "Dike, I don't know if you have ever heard such a saying?"

Dike frowned and asked: "What saying?"

Jiang Xuan looked at Dike very seriously and said indifferently: "There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world, and the free ones are precisely the most expensive."

After saying this, Jiang Xuan had no mood to continue talking with Dike, so he stood up and left.

Back when they were negotiating business with Dike, their Longyan paid so much, yet now they only got back one ore vein in exchange.

Dike wanted Longyan to help him rebuild two ports just like that.

This was simply daydreaming.

Dike watched Jiang Xuan's departing back, and the anger he had suppressed for a long time finally erupted, unable to be held back!

But he was helpless; if he wanted to truly control these two port cities, he needed the support of Longyan.

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