Xu Wei sighed, "Brother Lin, yesterday you unraveled the mystery of the Buddha statue's growth, and today you enlightened me about the secret of washing hands in the oil pot. Although I consider myself well-read and knowledgeable, in terms of insight, I willingly concede to you."
Lin Wanrong shook his head and replied, "Lord Xu, you've misspoken. These insights are the accumulated wisdom of the countless citizens of Dahua over hundreds and thousands of years. I have merely borrowed and applied them. The true admiration should go to the countless wise ancestors. Knowledge resides within the common people."
"What profound wisdom among the common folk," Xu Wei praised, "Brother Lin, with just that statement, you exhibit extraordinary wisdom."
The young lady laughed and said, "Lord Xu, don't praise him too much. The more you praise, the more arrogant he becomes."
Lin Wanrong chuckled, "Miss truly understands me."
The young lady blushed slightly, thinking, "Understand you? It's more like enduring your torment."
The two Westerners, looking dejected, were still trapped on the side. Tavoni, one of them, saw Lin Wanrong and urgently called out, "Misiter Lin, Misiter Lin?"
Lin Wanrong disdainfully thought, "This Frenchman's English is really poor, and his pronunciation is even worse than mine." He then scornfully looked at Tavoni. Although Tavoni traveled between Europe and Asia and was French, he was proficient in English. However, his accent still carried a hint of French tongue-twisting, lacking authenticity.
Curiously, Xu Wei asked, "Brother Lin, are they calling you?"
Lin Wanrong nodded and explained, "Yes, but their Western language is not very authentic, making it difficult to understand."
The young lady added, "Indeed. These Westerners not only don't look as good as us Dahua people, but their speech is also unclear and difficult to comprehend."
Lin Wanrong thought, "You haven't seen real Western beauties. The charm and passion of those Western girls are intense, captivating, and quite different from Dahua women."
Xu Wei, seemingly not averse to the Western language, smiled and said, "In my youth, I encountered a Westerner, but I always found their language hard to understand. Brother Lin, how did you manage to comprehend it?"
Lin Wanrong awkwardly chuckled, "This is a long story. My grandfather, in his time, rescued a Westerner at sea. I learned a few phrases of Western language from him. I'm a humble and eager learner, so I picked up a few more. Unexpectedly, it comes in handy today."
"Oh," Xu Wei responded indifferently, but his expression showed disbelief.
The young lady thought, "You're quite bad at lying, and your reasons are not convincing. Anyone can see through it."
"Brother Lin, what are they saying?" Xu Wei asked, hearing Tavoni speaking incessantly.
Lin Wanrong smiled and replied, "He's asking when we will release them."
After a moment of contemplation, Xu Wei said, "In fact, even in the previous dynasty, there were Westerners stranded here, spreading their doctrines on the land of Dahua. Our celestial empire has no enmity with these Westerners, and we have never troubled them. Let them be taken care of for a few days, and then allow them to return."
"No enmity?" Lin Wanrong thought. "Who knows if there will be Opium Wars and the Eight-Nation Alliance a few hundred years later? This is a completely different world, and no one knows what will happen in the future."
Sighing, he said, "Lord Xu, there's a question I've been unable to comprehend, and I'd like to seek your guidance."
Xu Wei eagerly responded, "Brother Lin, no need for formalities. Feel free to speak your mind. While I am the foremost scholar in the world, I dare not claim to be the first in front of you."
Lin Wanrong said, "Earlier, you mentioned that Westerners had encountered difficulties in Dahua since the previous dynasty. So, Lord Xu, have you ever counted how many Westerners have come to Dahua to date?"
Xu Wei pondered for a moment and replied, "There hasn't been a detailed count. There are occasional rumors among the common folk, but I estimate it to be no less than a hundred people."
Lin Wanrong took a few steps and asked, "No fewer than a hundred Westerners have come in separate batches. What does that indicate, Lord Xu?"
Shaking his head, Xu Wei said, "I am not sure."
Sighing, Lin Wanrong continued, "It indicates that Westerners are continually exploring this world. Drifting at sea, searching tirelessly. Therefore, they encounter mishaps repeatedly."
Xu Wei seemed to understand but didn't fully grasp the concept. Lin Wanrong added, "Let me ask again, Lord Xu, has our celestial empire ever sent warriors to the West?"
Xu Wei shook his head, "I have not heard of that. The farthest we've sent ships is to the Ryukyu Islands and places like Goryeo, but no one has ventured to the West."
With a deep sigh, Lin Wanrong slowly said, "Westerners are exploring the world at a slow and clumsy pace. However, this should not be ridiculed. On the contrary, it should be respected. Their courage to forge ahead and the spirit of exploration are what Dahua should learn from. Westerners have come to Dahua dozens of times, but we, Dahua, remain ignorant about the West. Lord Xu, don't you find this dangerous? Perhaps one morning, we wake up, and a Western fleet is already at our doorstep. What will happen then?"
Deep in thought, Xu Wei considered Lin Wanrong's words. Lin Wanrong felt a bit frustrated, thinking, "These are matters for you officials to worry about. Why do I, a commoner, have to carry this burden? I only listened to Xu Wei's few words, and now I have this urge to express myself. Well, I'm not here to save the world. Even if the Martians invade, it has nothing to do with me. Eating well, drinking well, sleeping well, and having fun well – that's all I care about in this lifetime."
After calming his mood, Lin Wanrong said, "Lord Xu, since you've agreed to release these two Westerners, I would like to engage in some trade with them. When they return to the West, I want them to take Dahua's silk, tea, and other agricultural and sideline products, as well as the luxurious products from the Xiao family, such as perfumes and soaps."
Thinking about it, Lin Wanrong added, "Damn, I'll sell these perfumes and soaps to France, England, and all of Europe. Flood the market; it must be a massive flood. And those undergarments and bras, Western women will look even more attractive in them, especially the French girls, who are world-renowned. Next time, I must ask Tavoni to bring a few French beauties. I still have several blueprints for adult toys kept in my mind. If I don't make a few, I'll be unwilling. Lin Wanrong's heart was filled with ambitious plans.
"Bro
ther Lin, what do you intend to exchange with them?" Xu Wei inquired.
"It depends on what Lord Xu desires," Lin Wanrong replied with a mysterious smile. Xu Wei's eyes sparkled as if he had caught onto something.
"Brother Lin, please act as an interpreter and inform these, um, whatever their names are. To demonstrate the goodwill of our celestial empire, we will dispatch skilled craftsmen to Haian to help repair their ironclad ship. Ask them to cooperate well and explain the principles to us in detail. It would be best if they could draw diagrams. If we understand, we will undoubtedly assist in the repairs. If we don't, they will have to stay in Dahua forever."
Shameless, utterly shameless, but I like it!
Lin Wanrong burst into laughter, reformulating his words: "I, Misi Tuolin, in the presence of the Grand Minister of Finance in Dahua, have spoken in favor of both individuals, exchanging kind words to earn the esteemed minister's understanding and tolerance for these two individuals who trespassed into our country. The agate diamond you had concealed in your boot, which was not discovered by Tao Dongcheng during the search, is indeed a worthwhile gift. I also conveyed our celestial empire's goodwill to Tavoni, expressing our commitment to wholeheartedly assist in repairing their ironclad ship. I urged them to cooperate diligently, holding nothing back, so that they may return soon and so forth."
Tavoni expressed his gratitude, saying, "Misi Tuolin, you are truly the kindest person in the world. To show my appreciation, I will suggest to King Louis that in the future, all trade between France and Dahua be managed solely by you."
"Excellent, excellent," Lin Wanrong thought. Inadvertently, he had become a bourgeois comprador. The phrase "the kindest person in the world" made Lin Wanrong suppress a laugh. He restrained himself and said, "However, Misi Tuotavoni, you need to practice your English more if you want to keep up with me, haha."
Lin Wanrong pulled the young lady aside and asked, "Miss, how many pieces of underwear have been made now?"
Xiao Yuruo blushed and replied, "Why do you ask such a thing?"
Lin Wanrong chuckled, "There are still many diamonds hidden on that foreigner's ship. I've made a deal with him – exchange underwear for diamonds. This business is quite profitable."
Xiao Yuruo covered her mouth, laughing shyly, "You're a person who can come up with any idea. There are quite a few pieces of underwear made, originally intended for supply in Jingling and Hangzhou. If you need them, just take them."
Sweat, what would I do with that stuff? It's for the beautiful French girls, Lin Wanrong smirked, "Prepare all the silk from our fabric shop, and get some tea, not too high-quality, just average. The Westerners haven't tasted it, so it's considered precious. Exchange all his diamonds, and from now on, we'll sleep on diamond beds whenever we want."
The young lady nodded, but couldn't help spitting out lightly, "A dog's mouth can't spit out ivory. Who wants to sleep on a diamond bed with you?"