SWDnovel Chapter 17 No money, just food
Chapter 17 No money, just food
The bone dominoes, stained with congealed blood, felt as heavy as a thousand pounds in Rory's trembling hands.
One-Eyed Finn and Kieran both stared intently at the domino.
They were all seasoned veterans who had struggled in the docks and at the bottom of society; they had seen blood and shed blood.
But they had never seen blood like this before.
The warehouse was so quiet you could hear everyone's heavy breathing. The air was filled with the chill of the morning, the smell of blood, and an increasingly intense sense of awe.
What this Asian man just did went beyond all their understanding of street fighting.
There was no shouting, no confrontation, only a clean and swift disappearance, and a return carrying a token.
The phrase, "Next time, the Irish will pay for their blood debts with their own blood," left a deep mark on the hearts of everyone in the warehouse.
Li Wei stopped looking at them and turned back to the table.
He picked up the flintlock pistol that originally belonged to Adjutant Gage and slowly wiped it with a soft cloth, as if it were just an ordinary tool.
Finn, while supporting Rory, gave Kieran a wink. Kieran understood, helped his injured companion, and the three of them awkwardly bowed in Levi's direction before quietly leaving the warehouse.
They, and the entire Irish Brotherhood, need time to process what happened tonight.
Only Levi and Fiona remained in the warehouse.
Levi put the pistol away, then looked at Fiona and pointed to a money pouch on the table.
"I had Boyle exchange the Royal Oak chips for shillings through the back door. Count them, then take them and use them."
Fiona stepped forward, untied the bag, and poured out a pile of heavy silver coins.
This was won from Andrew Gage, and it was the one he ultimately didn't accept.
She didn't count them, but simply grabbed a handful and felt their cold weight. This was the first time in her life she had ever touched so many shillings.
She raised her head, and for the first time, genuine confusion appeared in her emerald green eyes.
"Mr. Li... you seem to have planned everything perfectly. From making Boyle submit, to befriending Lieutenant Gage, and then tonight's swift and decisive action... you're practically a medieval wizard!"
Li Wei picked up a cup of tea that had gone cold and took a sip.
"My dear Fiona, I know nothing of witchcraft."
He put down his teacup, looked into the girl's captivating eyes, and said, "I just had three more years to prepare than you."
"Three years?"
"One day, you will understand."
Li Wei didn't explain further. Some things can only be truly understood through personal experience.
"Now, it's your decision how to use this money. How much to keep and how much to spend is entirely up to you."
Fiona's heart skipped a beat. This wasn't just a bag of money; it was a complete trust.
She took a deep breath, carefully counted out two hundred shillings from the pile of money, and wrapped them in a piece of cloth.
"Finn O'Connor is a smart man and a respected leader. We need him, and we need to give him enough respect and benefits so that he feels that following us is much better than working alone."
"Moreover, his men were injured and needed money for medical treatment and also needed to be comforted."
A hint of approval appeared on Li Wei's face. Fiona's growth rate was even faster than he had expected.
She has begun to learn to think from a manager's perspective.
"Great, let's do it that way."
Li Wei stood up, walked to the open space in the center of the warehouse, placed the dominoes in his arms on the ground one by one, and then knocked them over one by one.
"But money can only buy people's hearts temporarily, not forever. The threat of the 'Bloody Hand Gang' is still there, and we must have our own knife."
He turned around and looked out the window at the increasingly gloomy sky.
"Our strength is too weak. You're telling Finn that..."
……
The following afternoon, Finn O'Connor returned to the warehouse.
He came alone, and the expression on his face was more complicated than yesterday.
He saw the food piled up in the corner of the warehouse: large quantities of dark bread and barrels of salted dried fish.
"Mr. Li, I've received your money. Rory's injuries have been treated. What exactly do you want?" Finn's voice was hoarse, clearly indicating he hadn't slept all night.
"I need you to recruit people for me," Li Wei said bluntly.
Finn frowned. "Recruiting? Like the 'Bloody Hands' gang, hiring thugs? No problem, as long as you pay, I can find you dozens of the best fighters in the North District."
"No," Li Wei shook his head.
"I don't want those thugs who resort to violence. They might risk their lives for me for money today, but they could stab me in the back for even more money tomorrow. I don't need thugs, I need soldiers."
"Soldiers? This amount of money isn't enough to compete with the Governor's Mansion for lobster soldiers." Finn was even more puzzled.
"I want you to find those strong men who are desperate because they are unemployed or in debt, but who have wives and children to support."
"Especially those who have seen blood in their ancestral homeland of Ireland, from rent resistance or family feuds, and who know how to band together and fight. They need a job, a job that can feed their families. They have attachments, they have vulnerabilities, and it is these people who understand the value of loyalty."
Finn fell silent. He had been working at the docks for years and had never heard of such hiring standards.
Don't choose the most ruthless one, but rather the one you care about the most.
"Why should I make them believe me?" Finn asked the most crucial question.
"Just for this." Li Wei pointed to the food in the corner.
"My recruitment criteria are simple, but also very demanding. I don't pay them."
A flicker of surprise crossed Finn's single eye.
"I won't give you money," Li Wei repeated, "but I'll provide three things."
"First, it's all-you-can-eat. Not only him, but also his wife and children can come here every day to get enough bread and dried salted fish to eat their fill."
"Secondly, a safe place to live. There are a few abandoned houses near the warehouse, which I will rent so that they and their families can move in and no longer have to live in fear in the slums near the docks."
"Third, a promise. In the future, all those who follow me will have farmland that truly belongs to them on this land, and a respect that will not be bullied by anyone."
The warehouse was quiet, with only Finn's barely audible breathing.
Bread and dried salted fish can keep a person alive. A safe place to live can bring peace of mind.
But that final promise, "land and respect," was like a godsend to these Irish people who had left their homeland and suffered discrimination and oppression in Boston.
That's more tempting than money, more tempting than any empty promise.
It turns out that Li Wei didn't want mercenaries; he wanted a group of followers who were willing to risk their lives for him.
"I understand. Leave it to me. I know who to contact."