Fan Kai left the old lady's yard, returned to his room, changed his clothes, and walked out of Fan's Mansion towards the Admiral's Mansion. He came to the gate of the Admiral's Mansion and asked the soldiers standing guard at the door to tell Fan Kai to come and see him. He said directly: "The Admiral has given orders. Mr. Fan has arrived. Just wait in the lobby."
After finishing speaking, the soldier turned around and went to invite Li Zhen.
Fan Kai entered the door and went straight to the hall. After standing for a while, Li Zhen hurried in.
Li Zhen waved his hand and said: "Mr. Fan, please sit down."
Fan Kai sat down and said straight to the point: "Admiral Li once said that the door to the Admiral's Mansion is open to you at any time. I don't know if it is still open."
Li Zhen said without hesitation: "We are always open for you, sir."
Fan Kai nodded slightly and said in a neither humble nor condescending manner: "After the Lord left, I thought about it carefully. After careful consideration, I decided to help the Lord take care of the finances. However, I don't know if Lord Li still needs Fan."
"Yes, of course."
Li Zhen smiled and nodded, his heart blossoming.
However, Li Zhen knew that it was not Fan Kai who figured it out, but Liu Taiping's plan that worked. Li Zhen had no intention of exposing Fan Kai's lies to save face, because he achieved his goal when Fan Kai took the initiative to come to the Admiral's Mansion.
Fan Kai looked serious and said in a deep voice: "I can help you, but I have two requirements."
Li Zhen waved his hand and said: "Mr. Fan, please speak."
Fan Kai said: "First, I help you do things, and you have no right to interfere with the way I do things."
The smile on Li Zhen's face froze and he said in a deep voice: "You have no right to interfere in anything." Li Zhen didn't like such a wide-ranging matter. Li Zhen was the boss and Fan Kai was a subordinate. Li Zhen ordered Fan Kai Doing things, but Fan Kai has the right to refuse, it is easy for problems to arise, especially when Li Zhen wants Fan Kai to handle something in a certain way, but Fan Kai does not agree, the two parties will have a dispute. This is A condition that limits Li Zhen.
Fan Kai was not in a hurry and explained with a smile: "The things that I have no right to interfere with are very simple and are limited to official business. If your Excellency and I can't agree on how to deal with the matter, Your Excellency cannot force me to change. It is something that Your Excellency has no right to interfere with." There are only official matters, and the rest of the private matters have no right for you to interfere."
"no."
Li Zhen waved his sleeves and said: "I can't order you on government affairs, so what's the use of you?"
Fan Kai chuckled and shook his head: "Skills have specializations. Your Excellency is the admiral and also the governor of Guangdong. He holds a high position and is only responsible for the general direction of a warship. If you still want to control the details of the operation, I think it is Wrong, everyone has everyone's fault, and it is most appropriate for each person to perform his or her duties. It is normal for disagreements to arise in the handling of official affairs. If it is a discussion between experts, there is nothing wrong with it. However, it is absolutely unacceptable for a layman to command an expert. "
At this point, Fan Kai's expression suddenly became serious, and he said slowly: "Your Excellency can give reference opinions, but cannot make decisions, because it is easy to make mistakes. Please rest assured, the decision I make will definitely be beneficial to you. If it is not good for Li If my interests are harmed, Lord Li can depose me at any time."
After listening to this, Li Zhen's eyes flashed with admiration.
Li Zhen was deeply touched by Fan Kai's words. It was commonplace in later generations for laymen to command experts and existed in various places. Fan Kai took the initiative and just vaccinated him in advance to prevent Li Zhen from interfering indiscriminately.
Li Zhen would not refuse such a decision.
Li Zhen said loudly, "Sir, what you said is so profound that I agree and move on to the second condition."
Fan Kai calmed down and said loudly: "The second condition is that there is no slave-master relationship between me and you. Just because I work for Master Li does not mean that I sold myself to Master Li and am still an independent and free person." Sir, please respect me, Mr. Li. You have no right to drink and drink at me. If Mr. Li regards himself as a master, I can only say sorry, it is impossible for us to cooperate."
Li Zhen laughed and said without hesitation: "Don't worry, Mr. Fan, this won't happen."
Although Fan Kai had a request, Li Zhen appreciated it even more.
The first request made by Fan Kai is about government affairs, to ensure that government affairs can be run well. The second request is about personal rights, thus ensuring personal independence. For such 'picky' people, Li Zhen thought he was a rare talent. After Fan Kai got Li Zhen's promise, he stood up and walked to the hall. He clasped his hands and bowed to Li Zhen, and said word by word: "Fan Kai has met your Excellency."
Li Zhen stood up and walked forward, stretched out his hand to help Fan Kai up, and said with a smile: "I have to help you, sir, so I don't have to worry about anything."
After Fan Kai sat down, he said in a neither humble nor arrogant tone: "May I ask, sir, how much money you have in your house?"
Li Zhen made a rough estimate and said: "Not counting Guangzhou's own taxes, etc., the money in my name is no less than five million taels of silver."
"Hiss, hiss."
When Fan Kai heard this, he took a deep breath.
He runs a bank, deals with money all day long, and is extremely sensitive to financial matters. Li Zhen has done so many things in Guangzhou, and he still has five million taels of silver not counting the taxes in Guangzhou. He is indeed a wealthy man. , but the more money Li Zhen has, the easier it will be for him to operate. The more start-up capital given to a talented person like Fan Kai, the greater his ability to make money, so that he can continue to make money.
"Sir, I have an idea."
"Mr. Fan, I have an idea."
The two spoke at the same time, both looking at each other in surprise. Li Zhen was the first to say: "Mr. Fan, you speak first."
Fan Kai shook his head and said: "Your Excellency, please speak first. I will serve as your reference."
Li Zhen did not refuse and said directly: "I plan to set up a commercial bank in Guangzhou according to the foreign model. My husband is a banker. He has a unique understanding of financing and capital operation, and also has a unique view on the operation of a bank. , use the millions of taels of money in the house to attract businessmen from Guangzhou, I believe this is feasible, please give me your advice."
Fan Kai looked in disbelief and exclaimed: "Sir, you also know about banks."
Li Zhen nodded with a smile on his face.
He thought to himself that I know a lot of things, including computers, television, etc., which Fan Kai doesn’t understand.
In fact, when Liu Taiping came to Li Zhen to talk about money, Li Zhen had a plan in mind. He wanted to use bank financing to solve the problem. Once the bank is operational, the benefits will be huge and will continue to generate benefits. Not only that, Li Zhen Zhen also planned to bind Guangzhou businessmen and civil and military officials under his command to form an interest group. Only in this way could Li Zhen's position be secure.
Fan Kai swallowed, knowing that he had underestimated the admiral in front of him.
What he wanted to say was also about banks. I thought Li Zhen was just a different person from ordinary officials, but now it seems that he is very unusual. Fan Kai looked humble and said harmoniously: "My lord and I have come up with an idea. , I also plan to set up a bank."
"Oh, that's great."
Li Zhen laughed loudly and understood the reason for Fan Kai's surprise.
Fan Kai continued: "Since your Excellency has the idea of establishing a bank, what do you think?"
