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"Brother Tang, why did the bank ask us to come here? Isn't it time to pay the interest yet?"

"Hey, this isn't about interest. Haven't you seen that banks in Panyu have opened trading floors? I heard it's very easy to make money there, and now merchants from all over the country are flocking there. They're all banks, so why can we only deposit money here while they can trade there?"

"Yes, Brother Tang, you have to talk to Mr. Tian about this. We don't expect to have a trading market, as long as we can invest in the workshop! I heard that the cement factory is going to expand again. I don't ask for a lot, a few hundred taels will be fine..."

A group of people gathered around Tang Yansheng, muttering incessantly, their complaints audible to the point of being callused. Ever since word of his investment in the cement mill spread, they'd been arriving in waves, eager to get in on the action. But Tang Yansheng ignored them all. After all, he was the only one with over a thousand taels saved in the first place. If he didn't jump at the chance to help someone in need, how could he expect to be left with nothing?

By the time the government troops arrived in force, the group had finally quieted down. But once the Red Flag Gang secured victory, opened a new bank in Panyu, and established a "trading market," envy went beyond mere envy; everyone was practically seething with jealousy. Why were the Panyu people getting such a huge advantage? They'd clearly joined the Red Flag Gang earlier, and yet Minsheng Bank was constantly lending money to those peasants, cutting off countless sources of income. Was this a deliberate act to drive them to death?

Of course, they didn't dare vent their grievances on the Red Flag Gang, so they dumped them in front of Tang Yansheng. He was also very annoyed, and now he could finally stand up for once. Coughing lightly, he said to everyone, "Since the bank invited everyone here, there must be something important to discuss. Look, even I haven't found out the inside story, how can it be a small matter? I'm also a veteran, and I can only advise everyone that the sooner you get on this boat, the better. If you always look ahead and behind, you will miss it forever. Also, Mr. Tian is a serious person, so everyone should be careful with what you say and don't offend him."

These words effectively calmed everyone's nerves. Hearing that Tang Yansheng didn't even know what he was doing today, they began to feel a little hopeful. Yes, the Red Flag Gang was rampant and tyrannical, having practically wiped out every wealthy family in Dongning County, but to say they were starving people was a lie. Didn't you see how much advantage the Tangs were taking? You had to follow their lead to reap the rewards.

Seeing them behave themselves, Tang Yansheng couldn't help but feel pleased. Getting these people to follow the Red Flag Gang wholeheartedly wasn't easy, but after this battle, they'd probably listen to him even more. But what exactly Mr. Tian was planning to do was truly intriguing.

Just as he was thinking, he suddenly heard a familiar sound of wooden wheels rolling outside the door. Tang Yansheng immediately stood up and reminded him, "Mr. Tian should be here."

Everyone stood up quickly, ready to greet the elusive Dongning chief steward. Unexpectedly, when the door opened, a young woman walked in. She was dressed in a red dress, no makeup on, and a long golden hairpin stuck upside down in her hair. While she was pretty, there was something strange about her. Perhaps it was her eyes, which were too sharp, that made people feel uneasy and a little overwhelmed.

Who is this? Just as the thought came to his mind, Tang Yansheng saw the wheelchair following behind the woman. The two of them were not one in front and one behind. Mr. Tian was clearly following behind her, like an attendant.

Tang Yansheng shuddered, thinking of a possibility, and quickly lowered his head. His reaction was quick, but the others were not so quick-witted. Some ignored the woman and looked directly at the man in the wheelchair behind her, while others couldn't help their curiosity and looked the woman up and down.

Facing the gazes of everyone in the room, the woman ignored everyone, walked forward calmly, and sat down directly in the main seat.

Everyone was shocked at this. Tian Yu, however, could no longer contain his excitement and shouted, "This is the leader of the Red Flag Gang. Why don't you come forward and greet him?"

What?! Half the room was shocked, and those who had been watching without restraint almost popped their eyes out in fear. Everyone in Nanhai knew that the Red Flag Gang was led by a woman, and she was also the orphan of General Qiu. But who could have imagined that they would actually encounter this?

Tang Yansheng was the quickest to react, and immediately bowed and said, "I'm honored to meet the gang leader, Mr. Tian."

At this moment, everyone else came back to their senses, and a chaotic sound of greetings began to be heard.

Cheng Xi waved his hand casually: "Everyone, sit down."

Upon hearing this, everyone sparsely sat down again, but many dared not look directly at the person in power. If their gaze was wrong and made him feel uncomfortable, who knows what might happen. Others might not know, so how could they not know? This was a ruthless person who could easily destroy a family. Didn't they see what had become of the Wan family? I heard that there were even family annihilations in Panyu City. How could such a powerful person be offended so casually?

Cheng Xi didn't care about their reactions and said directly, "You are all the first batch of depositors of Minsheng Bank. Although most of you don't save much, you still save money. Now that the bank has some new services, it's natural to tell you first."

That's pretty straightforward! Is this really a new business? Are they planning to open a trading floor here?

Countless people's hearts were in turmoil, but Cheng Xi seemed to have guessed what they were thinking and smiled slightly: "Minsheng Bank is different from China Merchants Bank. It does not have a trading floor. The so-called 'people's livelihood' naturally puts livelihood first. I know you all have objections to Qingmiaodai, thinking that I am killing the rich to help the poor, but don't you think about it? These days, there are wars everywhere. If you still want to rob those who make a living from the soil of their only remaining food, aren't you afraid that they will rebel? Dongning is relatively stable now. Instead of harming the countryside, it is better to go to the sea."

Everyone who heard this was in a panic. Some people thought it made sense, but some thought it was just an excuse. Didn't you, the Red Flag Gang, also start out by robbing and looting? Now you dominate the South China Sea. Who can snatch food from your mouth?

Cheng Xi continued, "The Red Flag Gang is planning to build a merchant caravan and will be doing business along the Hepu line in the future. First, they need to build ships. We can also build express ships that cost 500 taels each, or black boats that cost 800 taels each. Anyone who has deposited money in the bank can subscribe to a ship and join the fleet."

As soon as she finished speaking, someone whispered, "Isn't Hepu still occupied by the Changjing Gang..."

Cheng Xi chuckled: "Do you think the Red Flag Gang can't beat the Long Whale Gang?"

The man shrank his neck in fear: "The boss is joking..."

"I'm not kidding. If the Long Whale Gang takes over Dongning, many of you will probably lose your families, and you won't even think about getting rich." Cheng Xi glanced around and said calmly, "Now I want to attack the Long Whale Gang, but I'm short of ships. This is the only way to give you the opportunity to join. You won't get such a good deal in the future."

Her words were so frank that they made people feel uneasy. Yes, when two big gangs fight, one of them must fall, and they are all from Dongning. How could those murderous bandits let them go so easily?

Tang Yansheng perked up and asked carefully, "Then may I ask, Boss, what's the meaning of this subscription?"

"Pay the full amount for the ship, and it will be yours. Except when it is requisitioned during war, you can follow the caravan to do business at other times without paying the flag-hanging fee." Cheng Xi replied.

Not having to pay for hanging flags would save a lot of money this year, but it would be a bit worrying to be requisitioned for war.

Someone boldly asked, "What if the ship was destroyed during the war?"

"The Red Flag Gang will be responsible for the repairs. If they can't be repaired, they will compensate you according to the price. However, if we encountered storms at sea, that was a natural disaster, not a man-made disaster. If you want compensation, you need to pay more insurance money every year." Cheng Xi said simply.

Most people don't understand what insurance money is, but calculating the benefits is simple. If a ship could be incorporated into the Red Flag Gang's caravan, the benefits would be endless. Furthermore, if a shipping route to Hepu could be opened, the profits would be far higher than farming alone!

Some were excited, while others hesitated and asked, "What if there's no one in the family who can steer the boat?"

Even if you live by the sea, not everyone can recruit reliable sailors. What if you buy a boat but can't afford to maintain it? What if someone on the boat causes trouble and is punished by the Red Flag Gang?

This question touched upon the crux of the matter. Cheng Xi smiled and said, "If you can't afford to buy a boat, you can also pay two hundred or three hundred taels to subscribe to the naming rights of a boat. For example, if Shopkeeper Tang pays, he can have the boat fly the flag of the Tang Tea House, and he will receive 20% of the profits from future transactions on the boat."

It might sound a bit unprofitable, but if you think about it carefully, the profit is quite good. After all, if you're lucky, you can have a harvest every year. A 20% profit on a boat is much higher than the interest on a bank deposit. Besides, you can also put your name on it. Isn't this just a way to build a reputation for yourself?

Tang Yansheng was surprised and delighted at this moment. He had never expected that the leader of the renowned Red Flag Gang would recognize him. Didn't this mean he had caught his eye? Without hesitation, he said, "I'm willing to buy two white barges!"

That's 1,600 taels! What a big investment! Many people were amazed, but the next moment, someone shouted, "I want to buy a clipper ship too!"

"Let's name it first, it's not bad..."

Some came first, some came later, but no matter who it was, no one wanted to miss this opportunity. It was only a few hundred taels anyway, and I had the money in the bank, so I might as well use it to make money. If I could truly defeat the Long Whale Gang and sail smoothly to sea, that would be the way to make money in the long run!

Tian Yu shook his head slightly as he watched the crowd, who were easily persuaded by a few words, think that these people were truly obsessed with profit, and that this was a good deal for them. Now that the money for the shipbuilding had been allocated and the crew had been brought aboard, Dongning was finally completely settled. Even if Ning Fu wanted to do something bad in secret, it wouldn't be that easy.

Cheng Xi had done what he had said. Once the money was deposited in the bank, it would be easy to withdraw it. Wouldn't this easily become another part of the Red Flag Gang's business? In the future, they could use these ships to take it to China Merchants Bank to raise funds for going overseas. That would be a real scam.

I don't know where she learned this skill of making money.

Although he was complaining in his heart, Tian Yu showed a little smile on his face.