54

The fleet brought in both manpower and supplies, and large-scale construction began in the village, and the women's camp also became busy.

With so many new people in the Red Flag Gang, it was necessary to sew new clothes. He Ling immediately called everyone together and asked how many of them knew how to sew.

Unexpectedly, this time not only did the people from the camp respond, but the women on the island also raised their hands silently.

This obvious change cheered He Ling up. Just like what the young master said, as long as you are willing to take the first step, there will definitely be changes.

However, she cannot let her guard down and must always remind everyone that being beaten, scolded, and humiliated is not because they are wrong, but because those cowards and bastards can only bully those who are weaker than themselves.

If we stand on their side and humiliate those injured and suffering women, it will only make the evildoers feel complacent and cause more innocent people to suffer.

You cannot do evil, nor should you become an "accomplice"!

Of course, these words cannot be said too harshly, nor can they create a rift between the two sides.

Working together is a good idea. If you stay together all day, you will become familiar with each other sooner or later.

The young master said that when she knows more words and can write and count, she can also teach the people in the female camp. Reading can make people understand things. Even if there are some things that you don’t understand at first, you will understand them in the future.

Everyone was divided into groups, tables were set up in the open space, clotheslines were erected, and the group of people became busy as usual.

He Ling also gave guidance to the newcomers, teaching them how to cut according to paper patterns and what details they need to pay attention to when sewing.

"Miss He, we don't have enough needles and thread here. We need to get some more!"

Hearing the shout, He Ling simply responded and turned to get something.

The small warehouse in the women's camp was set up where she used to live. This was the young master's request. She and Lin Mo had to move out and the house had to be used for other purposes.

He Ling was stubborn at first and didn't want to move, but later she realized that the young master was really thinking about them, so she obeyed the order.

However, the small warehouse was filled with valuables, and since she had the key, she naturally had to go and get it.

He Ling walked back quickly, but before reaching the door, he suddenly stopped and saw a person standing quietly in front of him. Who else could it be but Ah Hong?

Ah Hong was lost in thought as she stared at the house when she heard footsteps. She shuddered and turned around hastily. Seeing who was coming, she smiled coldly as usual: "It's Miss He. What's up? Are you here to get something again? Tsk tsk, such a nice house is being used as a warehouse. It's better to give it to someone else to live in."

He Ling frowned: "Do you want to live?"

Ah Hong laughed and said, "As long as Miss He agrees, I dare to live here!"

Someone died in this house, so no one wanted to live there. Even the original dilapidated house was demolished early in preparation for rebuilding other houses.

Was this a provocation? Or was he trying to make her angry as usual? However, He Ling hesitated for a moment and suddenly asked, "Have you... have you helped her before?"

She didn't say who that person was, but Ah Hong's face suddenly changed and she turned and left.

He Ling was stunned for a moment and took a step forward.

She didn't expect that she guessed right, and she didn't expect that Ah Hong really extended a helping hand to the girl.

In fact, she should have thought of it earlier. Before they came to the island, the women's camp was closed for several days. If no one was taking care of her, how could that silly girl survive?

Even the shabby house she lived in was a little strange. How could she, with her looks, be locked up in such a smelly shabby house?

If someone deliberately hid her there, no matter who wins, I'm afraid they won't be able to find her for a while, right?

Among all the people, only Ah Hong knew the girl's origin, and she was the only one who would be furious about her death.

But why would such a mean-spirited person save a madman? Was it just because the little girl looked pitiful?

However, at this moment, He Ling did not guess the reason. She just shouted: "Stop talking about selling your body! The master said that it is easy for people to become bad. Don't give them a reason!"

Ah Hong paused but didn't look back. She just hummed softly, and it was unclear whether it was an agreement or a usual mockery.

Looking at the figure walking away quickly, He Ling felt relieved, as if a huge stone had been removed.

After standing there for a while, she took out the key and opened the door. The room was still so dim. He Ling turned her head involuntarily and looked at the corner.

But today, it was empty and there was no longer any figure hanging in the air.

She blinked and smiled.

…

Yan Yuan did not stay in the camp for long. After explaining everything to Li Niu, he returned directly.

When I returned to the island, I went to see Cheng Xi immediately.

"Boss, the matter of Erwang Village has been handled." Yan Yuan told the whole process of dealing with that group of people, including how many people were killed and how much money was divided, without hiding anything.

After listening to him, Cheng Xi nodded slightly: "Well done, what did you gain from this trip?"

It is much harder to reason with people than to kill them. Yan Yuan hesitated and said, "Seeking justice will actually arouse public anger. As long as we kill those tyrannical guys, the public anger will subside and the people will be in favor.

But Erwang Village is just a small fishing village, so killing a few village elders can solve the problem. If it were a larger place, I'm afraid it wouldn't be so simple."

"What about you? Do you think those who abuse their power should be killed?" Cheng Xi asked back.

Yan Yuan hesitated for a while longer, and finally said, "They can't all be killed."

The fact that he could say such words proves that he had really thought about it. The so-called "abusing power and oppressing others" is actually a manifestation of "class" and a by-product of power.

If a fishing village could have different classes, how many would there be in the entire dynasty? And classes could not be easily eliminated; even the mere mention of them would cause earth-shaking chaos.

Without the support of productivity, simply disrupting production relations is like thinking that you are not dying fast enough.

Cheng Xi does not come from a political background and has no experience worth mentioning in this area. Some history cannot be simply copied.

Fortunately, her current goal is not to start a revolution, so she has room to maneuver by understanding the priorities.

Yan Yuan had passed the test, having been able to discern class contradictions and understand which side she stood on. She wasn't afraid of soldiers having their own thoughts. If she wanted to use a knife without him retaliating, the best way was to ensure they shared the same goals.

The obedience based on this cognition is the most stable.

Lin Meng and the others couldn't do these things, but Yan Yuan could.

Cheng Xi smiled and said, "I don't want to kill them all, but you have to understand that we don't rely on the court, but on those who are crying out. If the court doesn't take care of it, then someone else will have to."

This was a bit arrogant, but Yan Yuan felt relieved. He was also worried that the young lady would be too resentful and have some inappropriate thoughts.

This boat gang is still too weak now, and it can be completely wiped out by just sending in a navy.

If you advance rashly, you might not even be able to leave a bone behind.

Seeing his expression, Cheng Xi smiled and said, "Don't worry, how are things going in the camp?"

"The Jingguan has been built, and it seems to have deterred the scoundrels, but..." Yan Yuan hesitated for a moment, then said, "But Chief Li doesn't seem to take the matter of Erwang Village seriously. I'm afraid he will neglect it and waste this good opportunity."

Hearing this, Cheng Xi laughed out loud: "Don't worry, Li Niu is not as reckless as he looks. He can still use this little trick."

Because a Red Flag Gang emerged under his jurisdiction and led the coastal villages to defy the government and refuse to pay salt taxes, County Magistrate Cao has been extremely anxious and unable to sleep or eat in the past few months.

Originally he wanted to kill some wealthy families to offset the taxes, but he failed to do so, which caused an uproar among the people below. Some tried to use their connections, some tried to put pressure on others, and some pretended to obey but secretly disobeyed. Those wealthy families who had been as obedient as dogs in front of General Qiu started to make trouble again, and he was almost worried to death.

But at this point, she can't stop. The path to promotion is about to open up. Can she really give up this hard-earned opportunity?

Who would have thought that just when I was worried that the situation was out of control, the situation suddenly took a turn for the better.

Somehow, several wealthy families came to us for help. They spoke more pleasantly and looked more promising. They were even willing to pay the money that they had previously refused to pay.

This shocked County Magistrate Cao, and he quickly called in Lawyer Yang and asked him to investigate. But what had happened?

Not disappointing County Magistrate Cao, Master Yang quickly returned with news: "Dong Weng, the bandits on Luoling Island are fighting with the Red Flag Gang!"

Magistrate Cao was shocked when he heard this: "What that woman said was actually true! Do you know who will win and who will lose?"

When the Red Flag Gang leader's concubine came to the county government office, she mentioned that the Red Flag Gang thought the bandits were a nuisance and wanted to attack Luoling Island.

He thought it was just a scare tactic, but who would have thought that after such a short time, a real fight would break out!

"I heard that the Red Flag Gang won! They also dealt with a fishing village that was involved with bandits, and killed all the village chiefs and clan elders in one breath!" Master Yang replied quickly.

Hearing these words, County Magistrate Cao felt a chill run down his spine. "No wonder those wealthy families suddenly came to visit. They're hoping to rely on me for support! They don't even consider how I can control those bandits. Can I rely on just a few county yamen runners? They've already started slaughtering people. What's going to happen in the future?"

Realizing that his master had strayed from his thoughts, Master Yang quickly interrupted: "Dong Weng, there was no massacre of the village."

"Ah?" County Magistrate Cao was stunned. "Didn't they say to kill the village chief and the elders?"

"They did kill people, but they didn't massacre the entire village. I heard they didn't even steal anything. They distributed it directly to the villagers and even elected a new village chief. That's why no one came to the government office to file a complaint," explained Master Yang patiently.

"This, is this killing the rich to help the poor?" County Magistrate Cao was confused. He didn't think killing was strange, and looting was normal, but killing only a few people and not robbing anything was a bit strange. Just thinking about it made him feel that the intention was very big.

If he had used slogans like "doing justice for the people" or "eliminating violence and upholding the good", the first ones to suffer would have been the wealthy people in the county. No wonder that group of people were so scared that they came running to him at night to submit to him.

But if this happens, the county town will not be safe anymore. Should he report this matter?

Knowing County Magistrate Cao's temperament, Master Yang patiently advised, "Don't panic, Mr. Dong. Although some people were killed, it was obviously a personal grudge. The Red Flag Gang didn't attack other villages either. They should still be sensible.

That lady also said at the beginning that she wanted to make friends with Dong Weng. Maybe with the Red Flag Gang around, our affairs would be easier to handle.”

When County Magistrate Cao heard what his advisor said, he was stunned for a moment before reacting, "You mean, they won't attack the city?"

"If we want to fight, we should have started it last year. Why would we be so polite and give gifts to negotiate? I think the Red Flag Gang is very different from ordinary bandits, but we know that, but those gentry don't. If they are afraid and listen to Dong Weng's words, they will be easier to control. With the Red Flag Gang suppressing the rebellion outside and the gentry paying money inside, isn't this a great political achievement?" Master Yang became excited as he spoke, and kept rubbing his hands.

Is this even possible?! County Magistrate Cao was a little shocked, but then he thought, that's not the case! In the past few months, the county has not reported any bandit attacks, maybe they were defeated by the Red Flag Gang.

As long as they don't go against me, with this kind of boat support by my side, it seems that it's not impossible...

After a long pause, Magistrate Cao coughed and said, "If that's the case, I'm relieved. The three provinces are in turmoil right now, and the imperial court is sending troops to quell the rebellion. They don't have time to worry about us. Maintaining peace in this area is also a relief for the imperial court."

This was so high-sounding that Master Yang's teeth almost clenched. He quickly coughed and said, "It's fine for Dong Weng to keep this matter to himself. We should make those gentry a little nervous. Otherwise, how can we show Dong Weng's majesty?"

County Magistrate Cao was delighted upon hearing this, stroking his beard repeatedly. "I understand this, of course. Without my mediation, how could they have such a good life? Just be careful about what the Li family does in the future, don't offend them again, and try to appease them."

Who doesn't know this? Master Yang secretly complained in his heart, not to mention the Li family, even the current Wangji Grain Store can walk around the county with impunity.

However, he didn't care about other people's life or death. The key was how to help the owner get through the difficulties safely. The previous method of collecting salt tax failed and he was scolded badly. Now that there was a turning point, how could he let it go.

It's just that the Red Flag Gang is a bit too arrogant. It would be better if they could do some more work and have some dealings with the county magistrate.

Master Yang complained secretly, but Wang Cai, the owner of Wangji Grain Shop, was unaware of this. He was not in the county town at the moment, but had gone to the camp of the Red Flag Gang and became Li Niu's guest.

"This time, thanks to Shopkeeper Wang, the news spread so quickly. If the gang leader knew about it, he would definitely be happy." Li Niu said to Wang Cai with a smile.

The gang leader ordered the message to be passed on, and Li Niu simply chose the grain shop owner, Wang.

This man also frequently went to collect grain, and he also had a shop on the street, so it wouldn't be easy for him to spread some rumors. As expected, he completed the task easily.

The chair was only touching the edge. Upon hearing this, Wang Cai hurriedly bowed and said, "Since this is a matter for the gang, I will naturally do my best. There is no need to be polite, boss!"

It was his first time at the Red Flag Gang's camp, and he was terrified to see a pile of heads before even entering. He finally believed the rumors that had been spread before.

This might be the bandit's head, right?

It seems the Red Flag Gang has truly taken over Luoling Island! If that's the case, no one will dare rob his grain shipments in the future, and his shop will surely be more secure.

Li Niu chuckled, "These are all minor matters. I came to see Shopkeeper Wang because I have something important to discuss. The gang leader said that from now on, the shop will also take on the responsibility of collecting grain. We can't just let the wealthy oppress the good people. We must also do our best to help the people in the county."

This made Wang Cai's heart tremble. Just selling grain was not enough, but also collecting grain? His mind raced, and Wang Cai said slowly: "I don't know what the boss means..."

"That's not my idea. It's all the boss's order. We can't just sell grain. We have to collect more grain. It doesn't matter if the profit is a little low, but we can't let the people be bullied by the rich. After all, Dongning is where the main camp is located, and the people have to benefit as well." Li Niu said it righteously, but he felt happy in his heart.

This was a method he had obtained from the gang leader. If he wanted to deal with that bastard Wan Quan, he had to make him suffer losses in business all the time.

If they could squeeze him out of the grain and make it impossible for him to collect grain and sell it at a high price, wouldn't that be enough to vent their anger? Besides, the gang leader really did say that they had to use both kindness and severity. Those who were disobedient should be severely punished, and those who were obedient should also be properly appeased. Only then could they gain a stable foothold in the future.

Wang Cai's heart was already in turmoil.

This means competing with the big grain traders! Those big grain traders rely on buying low and selling high.

Now that they have raised the price of grain, the other party will also have to raise the price if they want to buy grain. However, the grain of the Red Flag Gang is shipped by sea, and the cost must be much lower than the local grain. Wouldn't this price be invincible? Being able to control both the purchase price and the selling price of grain is the key.

He truly has control over the grain supply. The leader of the Red Flag Gang is really thoughtful and has good plans!

However, the benefits brought by this move were something Wang Cai could not resist.

After calming himself down, he said seriously, "I'm just a shopkeeper. I'll do whatever the gang leader tells me to do. You can leave the leadership to me without worry!"

Li Niu was just asking for this, and said with a smile, "It's good that Shopkeeper Wang has this intention. The gang leader values ​​this grain route very much, and we can't mess it up."

Wang Cai nodded repeatedly and laughed along.