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Cheng Xi went out for a day and just got home when she was blocked by Tian Yu with a sullen face.

"Even if we're in the county, you shouldn't be leaving with just a few guards!" Upon hearing Cheng Xi was leaving lightly, Tian Yu almost chased after her. She had shown her face in front of a group of wealthy Dongning people. If someone with ulterior motives tried to plot against her, wouldn't her life be in danger?

Cheng Xi smiled and said, "Don't worry, those few are just the ones in the open. There are many more following us secretly. Besides, even Dongning County is not stable, how can we gain a foothold on the shore?"

This wasn't her being overconfident; security required skill. Only a small number of people were visible, while the main force consisted of those in plain clothes, hiding and observing. Sun Erlang had previously worked hard in Dongning County, and now with wealthy families pouring money into the effort, this wasn't the right place to choose if he really wanted to assassinate someone.

Besides, Cheng Xi felt it was hard to say whether Ning Fu would choose assassination. She had personally fought in the battle and nearly killed the man, but simple revenge was clearly unsatisfying. There were always more cruel and vicious methods for dealing with women.

Hearing her say this, Tian Yu finally breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn't blame him for being nervous; this woman was simply too bold. She'd personally broken into the prison, dared to board the enemy's treasure ship alone, and had taken all sorts of risky actions, all of which made people think she was fearless and reckless. The previous assassination in Panyu had worried Tian Yu for a long time, and now they had arranged various measures against the Changjing Gang. They might retaliate.

Therefore, Tian Yu said, "I know you are prepared, but you still need to be careful when you go out, even if it means changing your appearance. Now that we have sold so many ships, I think Dongning will not have any more waves. It is safer to stay in the camp."

Cheng Xi shook his head. "I still have to stay in Dongning for a while recently. In fact, the security here is more important than Panyu. There must be no problems. And the East Gate may also need to be cleaned up. If a fight really breaks out, this will be regarded as the food route, and it cannot be lost."

Tian Yu's heart tightened. "Do you think Ning Fu will start from here?"

"Who knows what he'll come up with? But that guy's tactics are all about 'taking advantage of power to pressure others'. He has a pretty good grasp of the situation. If he can't cause trouble on the beach, he'll probably start a riot on land. We have to be on guard."

If unrest breaks out on the shore, Panyu's city walls and soldiers won't sit idly by. However, the situation in Dongning and Dongmen is more complex. The soldiers are unreliable, and the territory can't be left to others to cause trouble. Joint guarantees may be the only solution. Therefore, the wealthy families here must be bribed, and all potential risks that may harm them must be eliminated one by one.

Understanding what she meant, Tian Yu nodded and asked, "Are you still going to Panyu?"

The weaving mill would be completed in two months at most, so going there for the ribbon-cutting ceremony would be quite risky. He didn't want any trouble to break out before the Long Whale Gang launched their massive attack.

"Not for now. If I go, it might make some people anxious." Cheng Xi smiled slightly and answered calmly.

Tian Yu immediately breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly said, "You should also check out the new bank in Yangcheng. It would be even better if we could bring it under our jurisdiction."

Yangcheng, just north of Dongning, is considered another small county within the Red Flag Gang's reach. If they can successfully take it over in the next few months, Dongning will have an extra layer of defense, which cannot be lost.

Cheng Xi also knew the seriousness of the matter and immediately nodded in agreement.

Days passed, autumn ended, and winter arrived. The South China Sea wasn't experiencing a severe cold snap; the temperature had only dropped a few degrees. With no fighting for a long time, the number of fishing boats at sea had actually increased significantly. For months, there had been no navigation from Hepu, and no Long Whale Gang ships had come to harass them. Gradually, everyone felt that this winter would be a peaceful one.

After all, the wind was blowing in that direction. Perhaps the Long Whale Gang was also waiting for the early spring, riding the southwest winds and marching straight in. No one knew how the two gangs would fare, but the more peaceful days the better. Wouldn't it be more reassuring for others if the fighting could be delayed?

In Panyu City, the fear after the war was completely gone. The trading market was booming, and the deposits in the banks were rising like the tide. Even when the weaving mills opened, they were more lively and popular.

"Will Boss Cheng come to cut the ribbon?" Zhu Ming was most concerned about this matter. When China Merchants Bank first opened, it had caused quite a stir. If he came again this time, who knew if there would be any trouble.

Lu Jian smiled and said, "It's just a workshop. I'm afraid she won't come this time. We can just organize it ourselves."

Zhu Ming immediately breathed a sigh of relief: "Exactly, it's just a small matter, why bother the gang leader to come?"

He had invested in the weaving mill, and if the Long Whale Gang showed up again and burned down the newly built workshop, that would be a disaster. Of course, setting a fire wouldn't be that easy. The weaving mill was built with red bricks and cement, so the most vulnerable parts would probably be the cloth and looms. No one would seek trouble.

"I heard that there are many women working as managers in the weaving mill this time?" someone asked curiously.

"Yes, there is a supervisor and five small managers, but they are all responsible for managing the Weaver Girl to prevent anyone from causing trouble." Lu Jian replied indifferently.

This answer immediately elicited ambiguous laughter from several people. A room full of women, what kind of trouble could there be? Well, these shareholders only wanted silk and cloth, so a little trouble would be good. If a case of adultery or adultery really broke out, handling it would be a headache.

With just a few words, the weaving mill was settled. The next step was to compete and coordinate with the market. This time, they were entering the textile industry, one of Panyu's largest exports. Without understanding the complexities involved and subduing their competitors, it would be difficult to gain a foothold.

After finishing the work at hand, Lu Jian was just about to go back to rest when his personal attendant came to report.

"What, the Straw Clothes Gang has started an internal fight?" Lu Jian frowned slightly. This happened earlier than he thought. Moreover, Sun Yuanrang seemed to have fewer troops than other leaders. If he couldn't defeat the enemy, wouldn't all the money he invested be wasted?

"Has this matter reached the Red Flag Gang?" He asked after a moment's thought.

"It's a big deal. The Red Flag Gang should know about it too." The attendant replied immediately.

Sun Yuanrang and Cheng Xi also had some friendship, so now was not the time to be distracted. Lu Jian immediately said, "I'll write a letter, and you should send it to Dongning as soon as possible."

Cheng Xi had indeed heard about this incident, a letter from Fang Tianxi himself. However, the letter wasn't about a request for help, but rather pointed out the strangeness of the Suoyi Gang. This internal conflict came too suddenly, and there might be outsiders involved, so Cheng Xi should be careful.

"What does Old Fang mean by that? Could this be related to the Ghost Scholar?" Tian Yu was wary of Fang Tianxi's hints, but this seemed odd. The Suoyi Gang was causing trouble in Jinghu, and at most, they had made it to Jiangnan. What connection did they have with the Changjing Gang? Would Ning Fu have to travel thousands of miles to attack them?

Cheng Xi sneered, "His guess is probably correct. Back in Tingzhou, Sun Yuanrang was the commander-in-chief, and he teamed up with me to trick Ning Fu. If I don't take revenge, I won't be him."

Tian Yu frowned immediately. This ghost scholar was indeed like a snake, sinister and ruthless, with a strong desire for revenge. Something was wrong, he suddenly realized, "Could it be that he wants Sun Yuanrang to ask for help and divide our troops?"

Cheng Xi shook his head: "I'm afraid it's just the opposite. He wants to cause internal strife in the Suoyi Gang and make them unable to help us."

Revenge was only one aspect; the greater purpose was to get her reinforcements. If they could mobilize the Suoyi Gang, their power on the shore would suddenly increase, and surprise attacks and threats would be useless. However, if the Suoyi Gang fell into internal strife, they would no longer be able to help them.

However, after thinking this through, Cheng Xi immediately stood up and said, "I'm going back to the island."

Tian Yu was shocked: "Could it be that the Changjing Gang is going to attack us?"

"No, the Qingfeng Gang might be in trouble. I have to send someone over to take a look." Cheng Xi had already walked out.

Tian Yu was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized what was happening. The Qingfeng Gang was now their ally, and both sides had agreed to fight the enemy together. If trouble really arose, that would be a big problem!

Cheng Xi's movements were incredibly quick, but just as she returned to the island, bad news arrived: the Qingfeng Gang was attacked, Shen Feng was injured, and they sent troops for help.

"How many enemies were there? How come even Gang Leader Shen was injured?" Cheng Xi asked, staring at the messenger.

She didn't believe the Long Whale Gang had so many ships sailing against the wind across the ocean. They'd first gone to trouble the Green Phoenix Gang, and they'd probably contacted other helpers. They might have caught the Green Phoenix Gang off guard. She didn't believe it, but how could even the leader of a major gang like Shen Feng be injured?

"There were only seven or eight ships, but they were all new-style ships from the red-haired barbarians. We couldn't resist them, so we suffered heavy losses..."

Before the messenger could finish his words, Cheng Xi suddenly stood up and said, "Red-haired barbarians? Is this a ship from the West?!"