activa-t Chapter 40 The Governor's Office's Test
Chapter 40 The Governor's Office's Test
A day later, a two-masted sailing ship and twenty crew members appeared at the North Wharf.
Li Wei watched as the recruited sailors slowly raised the sails, and personally nailed a wooden plaque engraved with "Hailong" to the bow of the ship.
This funding from "Freedom" quickly became the cornerstone of Livy's future naval power.
His intelligence network was officially formed, like an invisible spider web radiating outwards from the warehouse.
Finn was his ears, responsible for listening to the sounds from the lowest levels of the docks.
Seamus is his shield, responsible for internal security and eliminating any rats that try to infiltrate.
Fiona was his accountant, responsible for handling the flow of money and the filing of information.
Li Wei himself is like the spider king sitting in the center of the web, calmly sensing every tremor.
……
The new invitation from the Governor's Office arrived sooner than expected.
This time, it wasn't a message delivered by a servant, but a letter written on thick, cream-colored paper, personally delivered to the warehouse by Gage's adjutant's personal male servant.
The envelope was sealed with deep red sealing wax and embossed with the Gage family crest, a hunting dog poised to pounce.
Fiona carefully used a small knife to pry open the sealing wax and presented the letter to Levi.
The handwriting on the letter was in cobalt ink, fluent and elegant, each letter revealing the owner's refinement and arrogance.
The letter was simple: Lieutenant Gage invited him to a salon on Thursday evening and informed him that his uncle, the real big shot, Mr. Thomas Gage, the Royal Army Quartermaster, would also be attending.
Li Wei handed the letter to the whale oil lamp, watching it curl, turn black, and finally turn into a handful of ashes.
"Fiona, prepare the new dark blue gown that was made for me, without any extra embroidery."
Li Wei's identity is no longer that of a dock nouveau riche who needs to knock on doors with "Eastern Morning Dew".
He is now a legitimate businessman of "Liwei Oriental Trading Company" and a partner in assisting the Governor's Office to "maintain order".
This salon was held in a manor overlooking the entire Boston Harbor, and its level of luxury far exceeded that of the last one.
Flemish tapestries hung on the walls, carpets from the East were laid out underfoot, and the air was filled with the aroma of cigars and brandy.
Li Wei, dressed in a dark silk gown, stood out from the crowd of people in Western-style suits, yet possessed a unique style. But this time, no one looked at him with curiosity.
Wherever he went, people would raise a glass to him in greeting.
Andrew Gage quickly greeted him with a beaming smile.
"My dear Li! You've finally arrived! Come quickly, let me introduce you to some friends."
He enthusiastically pulled Li Wei along, introducing him to a group of pot-bellied merchants, pale-faced landowners, and arrogant officers.
"This is Mr. John Hancock, and his most important trading partner, Mr. Smith."
"This is Captain Connor of the Royal Navy's HMS Romney."
Li Wei calmly dealt with them, responding to everyone's curiosity and probing with just the right smile and concise, powerful answers.
He noticed that the way these people looked at him had changed from the initial contempt at the dock to a complex mix of fear and interest.
They were interested in the "Dawn of the East" he possessed, and even more interested in the methods he used to consolidate the docks overnight.
Finally, Andrew led him to the fireplace.
There sat a man, who did not gather around like the others, but simply watched quietly as the flames danced in the fireplace.
He was in his early forties, and maintained a very good physique, without gaining weight.
He wore a well-tailored, scarlet officer's uniform, his epaulets gleaming in the firelight, and his face was expressionless.
"Mr. Li," Andrew's voice held a hint of respect, "this is my uncle, Mr. Thomas Gage, the quartermaster of the Governor's Palace."
Li Wei nodded slightly.
He knew this was the real game of the night.
Thomas turned his head, his gray eyes devoid of any emotion, calmly scrutinizing Levi like a craftsman examining a tool.
The servant immediately brought over a chair and a glass of fine port wine.
After the three of them sat down, they did not immediately get to the point.
Thomas inquired about Chinese porcelain and tea, while Levi, in his peculiarly accented English, calmly explained the trade rules of the Thirteen Factories of Guangzhou and the porcelain-making techniques of Jingdezhen.
"Therefore, a fine piece of blue and white porcelain requires seventy-two processes from shaping the clay to firing. If any one of these processes goes wrong, the entire kiln of porcelain will be ruined."
Li Wei picked up his wine glass, took a small sip, and said, "Inferior quality wine is not fit for display."
This seemingly casual remark prompted Andrew, who was standing nearby, to ponder it.
Thomas, the quartermaster, finally showed a change in expression and leaned forward slightly.
"So, Mr. Li, in your opinion, given your profound understanding of 'processes,' what do you believe enables an organization, whether it's a porcelain workshop or an army, to operate efficiently?"
The problem has finally arisen.
The noise of the entire salon seemed to have faded away, and the crackling sound of burning firewood in the fireplace could be clearly heard.
Li Wei put down his wine glass and tapped the armrest lightly twice with his knuckles.
"Mr. Thomas, I don't understand the military, I only understand business."
"To make a business efficient, there are only three things. First, the accounts must be clear. Every transaction, every change in the flow of goods, must be clearly recorded. If the accounts are messy, rats will be digging holes in the granary."
"Secondly, the distribution channels must be unobstructed. Goods must travel smoothly from the place of origin to the market. If any link is blocked, or if someone sets up checkpoints on the way, costs will increase infinitely and eventually drag down the entire business."
"As for the third point, which is also the most important one, it is that rewards and punishments must be clear. Good employees should receive the rewards they deserve. Those who break the rules should pay the price. Only in this way will everyone be willing to follow the boss's rules."
Li Wei did not use any fancy words, but simply used the most basic business logic to accurately point out all the predicaments currently facing the Governor's Office.
Internal corruption, external unrest, and poor execution due to unclear rewards and punishments.
After a long while, Quartermaster Thomas finally spoke, his voice carrying a hint of warmth for the first time.
"Well said, Mr. Li. You are a true 'businessman'."
"I heard you restored order to the chaotic docks in a very short time. That's no easy feat."
"I just did what every law-abiding businessman should do."
Li Wei's hand holding the wine glass remained motionless, his expression unchanged.
He didn't look at Thomas Gage's face, but he could feel that the other man's gaze was fixed on his profile, clearly scrutinizing and evaluating him.
A new test has begun.
This time, what the other side wanted to see was no longer how many people he could kill or how much money he could make.
What they wanted to see was what was actually in his head.
Or, to put it another way, whether one is loyal to the king.