"All right, you are one of my people now, so these are just a few extra words from me! Have you considered what I told you last time?"
Han Mo smiled, but didn't say much more, instead changing the subject directly to the main point.
"My lord, rest assured, I'm almost ready. I've hired over a dozen talented individuals from outside the region who are skilled at prospecting for mineral veins at great expense!"
"Oh?"
Hearing this, Han Mo's face immediately showed a look of satisfaction after a brief silence. This was the shrewdness of a businessman.
Compared to scholars and gentlemen, Feng Yuanbao was indeed very suitable for this position.
Han Mo didn't even have to explain many details; he already knew what he needed to prepare next.
"Is something wrong?"
Seeing Han Mo hesitate, Feng Yuanbao quickly asked in a low voice.
"Not at all, I'm just a little surprised!"
"That place called Wa Country, I've heard of it before. Those Wa Country sea merchants always bring quite a bit of placer gold when they come. To be honest, my lord, I had plans to take people to Wa Country to pan for gold before, but then I thought better of it, lacking the courage..."
Feng Yuanbao scratched his head awkwardly as he spoke.
But this was the truth. After all, at that time, he was worth millions and could be said to be making a fortune every day. From any perspective, there seemed to be no reason to risk his life to go overseas and compete for business with those Wa people.
"Don't worry, this time is different from before. Not only will you be going, but thousands of navy soldiers will accompany you!"
"Navy soldiers?"
Hearing Han Mo say this, Feng Yuanbao's eyes lit up.
After all, although he was an outsider to maritime trade, he knew some of the intricacies involved.
In this era, engaging in maritime trade was indeed extremely risky, but the greatest risk did not come from hurricanes or the sea itself.
Rather, it came from companions with ulterior motives and an endless stream of pirates.
However, if navy soldiers accompanied them, the situation would be completely different. As long as they themselves were not extremely unlucky enough to encounter a hurricane,
They could basically guarantee a safe journey.
After all, the Song Dynasty's shipbuilding industry was so advanced that it was difficult for those barbarians to imagine.
Even if they truly encountered storms at sea, these large ships, often thousands of tons, still possessed some ability to resist.
"That's right, and they won't just be escorting, they will also be stationed at Wa Country's ports! Since you're ready, you can take a look at this."
As Han Mo spoke, he took out the agreement that Ping Zheng Sheng had signed with him from his sleeve.
After squinting and reading the contents of the agreement three times carefully, Feng Yuanbao couldn't help but gasp.
Although he didn't know how influential this person named Ping was in Wa Country, judging by the agreement he had signed, if this old fellow became the emperor of Wa Country, wouldn't he be selling the entire Wa Country to Han Mo?
"My lord, how influential is this person named Ping in Wa Country?"
After taking a few deep breaths, Feng Yuanbao quickly asked tentatively.
"His influence there isn't considered too great, but he should still be considered a regional lord."
"A regional lord!"
Hearing Han Mo say this, Feng Yuanbao's mouth twitched.
"You don't need to think of this fellow as too formidable. After all, Wa Country is isolated overseas, merely a small island nation. If you really were to calculate carefully, its population is not even as large as that of Liang Zhe Circuit. To call him a regional lord, compared to the Song Dynasty, he might only be equivalent to a county magistrate."
Han Mo said casually while sipping tea.
"I heard that things are not very peaceful there at the moment. If we let him become emperor, then wouldn't that..."
As Feng Yuanbao spoke, his eyes began to gleam.
Those Wa people, every time they came to trade, brought large amounts of placer gold and silver ware. Even if the country was small, if they could monopolize this business, it would still be a considerable fortune!
"This is what we will be doing next. However, specific situations must be handled specifically. In short, I only have a few words of requirement for you."
"Please speak, my lord!"
"Point one, fighting to the death is their business. As long as their people do not come to invade our several ports and do not interfere with our own business, it has nothing to do with us!"
"That is only natural! Let them fight amongst themselves. We are just going there to do business. If they need some other things, we can sell them, but let them handle the deaths themselves."
Feng Yuanbao said this with a look of schadenfreude.
"Exactly, that's it. Point two, we want a puppet who absolutely surrenders to us, not an emperor who endures humiliation for revenge. Do you understand this?"
Although this was indeed asking a bit much of Feng Yuanbao, Han Mo believed that this fellow should be able to handle it. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to make his family's business so large.
Ultimately, whether it was doing business or navigating officialdom, the process was essentially the same.
It was nothing more than the art of employing people and the art of handling affairs.
"My lord, rest assured, I understand this. Dogs cannot be raised too fat, and they must be disciplined from time to time. Otherwise, as you raise them, the dog might turn into a wolf and bite you back!"
Although these words were unpleasant, Han Mo nodded repeatedly. This fellow truly grasped the essence of it.
"Then, point three, the journey is too long, so the candidates for mining will only be prisoners of war from their internal conflicts, and criminals bought from neighboring countries like Goryeo. Song people and Liao people are not allowed in the mines. This is my bottom line!"
Mining in this era was essentially gambling with one's life.
Han Mo had no good impression of either the Wa people or the Goryeo people.
He had no psychological burden in sending them to their deaths, but when it came to Song people and Liao people, Han Mo felt a bit uneasy.
After all, the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan Yun had belonged to the Liao Kingdom for too long. Although according to the current universal moral standards, a national border directly divided everyone into two countries, Han Mo still found it difficult to harm them.
"My lord, rest assured, I understand this. After all, the wars in the north are almost over. I will not cause any trouble for my lord!"