PFC Chapter 61 The Governor's Tea Burns His Mouth
Chapter 61 The Governor's Tea Burns His Mouth
After this brief interlude, the atmosphere in the study grew increasingly tense as Finn and Seamus, two of his trusted confidants, arrived.
Finn stared intently at the invitation on the table with his single eye, as if it were not a piece of paper, but a bomb with a lit fuse.
"Damn it!" His large fingers instinctively reached for his leather eye mask. "Sir, this is a trap! What kind of bullshit afternoon tea is this? He just wants to lure you in and see what kind of person you are! What if... what if they don't play by the rules? We won't even be prepared!"
Seamus stood aside, not as agitated as Finn, but his silence itself was a stronger form of opposition.
"Sir, it's dangerous." He only said a few words, but his attitude was clear.
In his view, the manor's sturdy walls and his reliable brothers were the safest guarantee.
Entering the Governor's Mansion is tantamount to handing your life over to someone else.
Li Wei simply looked calmly at the invitation.
His knuckles began to tap slowly and deliberately on the smooth mahogany table surface again.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
He was calculating.
Risks, benefits, and potential losses.
"Finn," Levi's voice broke the silence, "hiding in the alleys, we can only do small-time business on the docks at best. To become a real casino owner, you have to go to the casino, sit under the lights next to the biggest casino."
"Besides, even if we don't go, can't the governor summon me? That's a completely different matter from an invitation."
He picked up the invitation and weighed it between his fingers, as if measuring its weight.
"We absolutely must drink this tea."
"However, Finn, Seamus, there's something I need you to do."
"I will obey your orders, sir!"
"These past few days, you've had people keeping a close eye on Captain Marcus's family. I have a feeling they'll be very useful soon! Remember, you mustn't harm his family!"
……
The afternoon tea on the second day was not held in any of the serious offices in the Governor's Palace, but in the garden at the back.
This is itself a carefully designed gesture.
The garden was meticulously manicured, with roses and Chinese roses vying for attention, and the air filled with the fragrance of flowers and the earthy aroma.
Governor Thomas Hutchinson was not wearing his imposing general's uniform, but rather a loose linen suit, and was intently pruning a clump of rose bushes with a large pair of shears.
He looked just like any English country gentleman whiling away a leisurely afternoon in his own estate, completely unlike the iron-fisted and ruthless figure he was rumored to be.
But when he put down the scissors and turned around, his gray-blue eyes revealed a sense of scrutiny from someone in a superior position.
"Welcome, Mr. Lee." Governor Thomas extended his hand. "On behalf of the King, I thank you, my 'loyal citizen,' for your help to the Empire at this crucial moment."
Li Wei bowed slightly and shook hands with him.
"It is my honor to contribute my humble efforts to the King's order, Your Excellency."
The servants brought over exquisite silver teaware and bone china teacups, as well as desserts displayed on a three-tiered pastry stand.
The governor personally poured Levi a cup of Earl Grey tea with the aroma of bergamot, and they chatted about everything from the London weather to the latest shipping from Boston.
Everything seemed so relaxed and comfortable.
"Andrew said you brought a magical potion and some top-quality tea from the far East?" The governor asked casually, taking a sip of tea.
"My hometown was shipwrecked, and I survived by sheer luck, with only a few goods left." Li Wei's answer was impeccable, as he slowly recounted the story he had prepared in advance.
"A merchant wandering in a foreign land, who only wanted to live a quiet life under the king's protection, doing small business to support himself and his men. It just so happened that these teas were very popular in Boston."
But you always seem to hear 'market whispers' that others don't.
Li Wei picked up the teacup and gently blew on the steam.
"Your Excellency, the most important asset for a businessman is information. When a ship of tea arrives at port, the price will drop; when a ship of silk departs, the price will rise. I'm just more willing than others to spend money on this information, nothing more."
Livy glosses over all probing about intelligence sources by referring to them as "business rumors" and "gossip in the market."
He spoke slowly and deliberately, using precise words, neither humble nor arrogant, like a smooth, rounded stone polished by the sea, leaving no sharp edges to be found.
The governor's smile remained unchanged, but his next question caused the gentle air in the garden to tighten abruptly.
"Mr. Li, in your opinion," the governor gently placed the teacup back on its saucer with a crisp sound, "that thugs like 'Strongman' Jenny, who speak with fists and knives on the docks, pose a greater threat to the Empire?"
"Or are those traitors hiding in the shadows of printing presses, stirring up trouble with ink and lies, far more dangerous to the empire?"
The garden fell silent instantly, with only the buzzing of bees in the distance.
As for Andrew behind the governor, although he was standing, he seemed to be dozing off.
This is a trap.
Answering the former makes it seem like you only see the scabies on the skin and not the underlying disease, making you a short-sighted businessman.
Answering the latter indicates that you have a deep understanding of organizations like "Sons of Liberty," which may even be interpreted as a political statement.
Li Wei picked up the teacup and gently blew on the steam floating on the surface of the tea once again.
He did not answer immediately.
Under the governor's scrutinizing gaze, he took a small sip of tea before slowly setting down the cup.
"Your Excellency, please forgive my shortsightedness as a businessman," Li Wei said, his tone as calm as ever.
"To me, they are not fundamentally different; they are all 'destabilizing factors' in the market."
The governor's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly, and Andrew behind him opened his eyes, watching with great interest how Levi would eloquently argue.
"The rioters used violence to disrupt the port's logistics, preventing my goods from being loaded and unloaded on time and increasing warehousing costs."
"And those so-called traitors, they destroy the credibility of the business world with lies. When people no longer believe in contracts, no longer believe in the law, then all business will become a dangerous gamble, gold coins will depreciate, and investments will wither."
He raised his head and looked directly into the governor's eyes.
"A healthy business environment needs two things most: order, and rules that everyone is willing to follow."
"And you, Your Excellency the Governor," Levi leaned forward slightly, "are the one who created this rule and the one who maintains this order."
He cleverly circumvented the issue of political alignment, packaging two completely different threats into the "business costs" category, and then conveniently bestowed the highest praise upon the governor.
He perfectly positioned himself as a pure "beneficiary of order" who only cared about his own interests.
Governor Thomas looked at the Easterner before him, and an inscrutable expression slowly appeared on his face.
He didn't continue the topic. Instead, he stood up and walked to the clump of white roses he had just trimmed.
He reached out and plucked the most beautifully blooming rose, then, with utmost patience and care, used his small knife to carefully remove each and every thorn from the stem.
After doing all this, he walked back to the table and placed the perfectly smooth white rose next to Li Wei's teacup.
"A beautiful flower, Mr. Li."
The governor's voice was as soft as a whisper in one's ear.
"Once you remove the parts that hurt, all that's left is beauty. The same principle applies to order."