"Rest assured, sir. I will begin preparations immediately upon returning."
Having understood the importance of the matter, Shao Bowen naturally elevated his attention to the highest level.
"Alright, it's getting late. Let's head back and see if my cousin is even awake. I hope he wasn't completely drained last night..."
Han Mo couldn't help but chuckle as he said this.
"Sir, I feel like you're taking pleasure in someone else's misfortune," Shao Bowen remarked, rolling his eyes at Han Mo's lecherous smile.
"How can that be misfortune? I summoned all the renowned courtesans in the city for him. That's what friends are for!"
After a couple of dry coughs, Han Mo burst into laughter and walked out.
When they returned to the post station, they saw Zong Ying standing alone in the courtyard, constantly pounding his lower back from a distance.
"Cousin, what's wrong? At your age, this condition is a bit peculiar. Are you feeling a bit weak?" Han Mo said with a lewd grin, seeing his furrowed brow.
"Don't even start. You know exactly what's going on. Where did you get this medicine? This stuff is too..."
"Too what?" Hearing this, Han Mo immediately perked up. Shao Bowen had given him the medicine, and he hadn't tried it himself. He was eager to hear the firsthand account.
"This stuff is too effective! Get me a few more bottles later!" Zong Ying said, a sly smile appearing on his face.
"Go on, get out of here. It's just this one bottle, take it or leave it!" Han Mo said, rolling his eyes.
"Hey, hey, hey, don't forget why I'm here. If you want me to run errands for you, you should at least pay for my hard work."
"Don't try that. Didn't you get your hard work payment in Suzhou City?"
As they spoke, they bickered and walked into the house. Their demeanor reminded Han Mo of his past scuffles and banter with Zhong Yanchong and others in Bianliang City.
"I did look at the booklet you gave me, but isn't your appetite a bit too large this time?" After they had bantered for a while, a servant brought tea. After finishing their tea, they turned back to the main topic.
"You know my current situation. If I don't stockpile some resources for myself, the day of my success might be the day of my demise!" Han Mo said directly with a smile.
"Are you being a bit too pessimistic?" Zong Ying hadn't expected Han Mo to be so despondent.
"Didn't you witness what happened last time? That was just the beginning. If he truly takes that seat, do you think I'll have any chance of survival?"
After hearing Han Mo's words, Zong Ying fell silent again. Indeed, Zhao Zhen had acted incredibly dishonorably last time. Furthermore, Zhao Zhen's performance had been quite disappointing.
"When the birds are gone, the good bows are put away; when the cunning rabbits are dead, the running dogs are cooked. I'm not alone anymore, and I have to consider the people around me. What do you think?" Han Mo said, and the entire living room fell into a long silence.
"You're right. If that day ever comes, Zong Ying will stand with brother Han!" Zong Ying suddenly spoke up after a long pause.
"I heard that your clan has some young talents. Are there any willing to serve in official positions? The Maritime Trade Office will need quite a few people, from top to bottom!" Han Mo said with a smile.
"Of course, there are. It's just that I fear they are rather indolent..." Zong Ying understood that Han Mo was inviting him to join forces. Although their relationship was good, it was personal. Adding clan members would change the situation entirely.
"That's not a problem. You can ask them about their willingness. If they agree, just have them come find me. There are many positions to fill, and we need capable individuals." Han Mo had no intention of entrusting the Maritime Trade Office to outsiders. Although, under the Song Dynasty's official system, it was nearly impossible for one person to wield absolute power in a department, there were always exceptions, especially for departments like the Maritime Trade Office. The court didn't attach much importance to it, and Han Mo was restructuring the entire department from top to bottom. Moreover, with the ongoing wars, everyone's attention was focused on the battlefield and court disputes. If it weren't for the substantial revenue generated by the Maritime Trade Office annually, no influential figure would bother with such a tiny bureau. All these factors combined presented Han Mo with numerous possibilities. Once Han Mo implemented his plan and the Maritime Trade Office completed its transformation, ordinary officials would struggle to manage it even if they took over. At that point, the entire Maritime Trade Office would truly be Han Mo's domain. After all, with an annual revenue of tens of millions of guan, even Zhao Ji wouldn't dare to easily move against Han Mo.
"Alright, I'll ask them about it when I get back. Since the preparations here are nearly complete, I'll set off early tomorrow morning!" Zong Ying said after taking another sip of tea, finally making up his mind.
"Why the long face? We're not parting ways forever. You'll probably have to visit me again before long!" Han Mo said with a smile.
"I wish I could come here more often. Only here can I find some peace and quiet!" Zong Ying smiled back at Han Mo's expression.
"Oh, right. I've prepared some things for the elder. Please take them back with you, as a small token of my appreciation."
"Of course!" Zong Ying didn't refuse. This was Han Mo's way of showing goodwill, and given their relationship, there was no need for pretense.
"Alright, we've finished the important matters. I'm going back to lie down. Just thinking about traveling again tomorrow makes my head ache." Zong Ying said, stretching his body with a long yawn.
"How about I call those young ladies over tonight to send you off?"
"Bah! Are you trying to keep me here forever? I've already lost half my life!" Hearing Han Mo's suggestion, Zong Ying's mouth twitched. The events of last night had indeed been rather excessive...