Provided is a base material for dry direct tableting, the material being excellent in a binding property and disintegrability. More specifically, provided is a method of preparing a composite granule comprising at least a step of granulating a second sugar or sugar alcohol while adding thereto an aqueous dispersion comprising at least low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having a degree of hydroxypropoxy substitution of 5 to 16% by weight, polyvinyl alcohol, a first sugar or sugar alcohol, and water.