61

"The tree is about to fall, get out of the way, don't just stand there!"

As Carpenter Lin's apprentice shouted, a big tree fell to the ground with a loud bang, and its branches flew everywhere, shaking the ground.

Seeing that the task was accomplished, a group of people rushed forward, chopped branches, tied ropes, and it didn't take much effort for them to pull the logs towards the village.

There were no cattle or horses on the island now, so moving wood had to rely on manpower, which was not an easy job. However, everyone in the group was in high spirits and had no intention of resisting at all.

They all heard that this was used to build barracks. Once the barracks were built, they would no longer have to squeeze in tents with others, and everyone could sleep in beds.

Looking at the group of people, Sun Erlang sighed, "What Ah Niu sent this time are all good seedlings. It's really unexpected."

The ship that was sent back to the camp came back again, bringing back fifty young and strong men.

I heard they were forced into the villages, with no money or food required, just food, and they could be returned after three months. This was even worse than recruiting coolies, yet those people were truly obedient, willing to give their all, fearing the Red Flag Gang would abandon them.

Now even Sun Erlang had nothing to say. They were indeed short of manpower, and the more free labor the better.

Cheng Xi smiled and said, "Aniu is very smart. It's right to entrust this matter to him. The people sent here should practice in addition to their work. There should be no delay."

If it were her or Yan Yuan, they would never recruit soldiers in this way, but Li Niu was able to come up with a tricky way.

Even though it's a tough job, people still scramble to do it. That's the skill.

Moreover, people recruited in this way will naturally have a higher sense of identity and obedience, making them an excellent source of soldiers.

Li Niu even picked some up specially in the camp and could use them right away. It was really convenient.

Sun Erlang nodded and looked at the men who were cutting trees and moving wood. "With more people, the village will be built soon. Are you planning to build it here?"

"The plan is to build it near here. There are rivers, flat land, and mountains to block the way. Even if there is a storm, it can still withstand it." Cheng Xi looked around again, "But we can't cut down all the trees. We have to leave some. If we want to store fresh water on the island, we still have to rely on these trees."

This was something Sun Erlang had never heard of before, and he couldn't help but be alert: "Can the dock we prepared earlier be repaired? If we build a ship on the island, I'm afraid we'll need a lot of trees."

"It's definitely impossible to build a large ship on the island, but it's not impossible to repair and build a small boat. Don't worry too much. The island is covered with dense jungles, and it's not easy to cut off the water supply. Even if the nearby trees are gone, it may affect the river channel, and digging a well is still too troublesome." Cheng Xi explained.

Hearing this, Sun Erlang finally felt relieved and glanced at the distant mountains and forests. He said, "We'll need to get some carts and livestock. It's too much work just moving it by humans."

This is the right thing to do. Cheng Xi said, "Let's wait for the new carpenter to come. The three of you are too busy now, so we will probably have to wait a while. But we have to start reclaiming the land first, and the toilets have to be repaired quickly so that we can make compost in the future."

Sun Erlang coughed dryly and agreed.

He didn't expect that Cheng Xi attached so much importance to building toilets that he wanted to build several of them in the village. Then the soldiers would not be able to defecate or urinate anywhere and would have to do it in the toilets.

At that time, Sun Erlang thought that the gang leader thought it was dirty and wanted to persuade him not to waste time on this matter.

Unexpectedly, the other party said that the island was too small and if we were not careful, an epidemic might occur. Moreover, these were fertilizers and could be used for farming in the future.

Now Sun Erlang had nothing to say and could only obey.

But after taking another look at the open space in front of him, Sun Erlang said, "Whether rice can be grown on the island is still a question. Let's try growing beans first. But beans are only good for filling our stomachs, not for eating."

Cheng Xi smiled slightly: "I'm not looking forward to planting rice, I have to wait for the boat to return from Hepu."

Sun Erlang frowned. "The boss may have never farmed before. How much difference can the food from overseas make? We still can't count on it too much."

This is a mature statement, but Cheng Xi can't give up easily.

Not to mention the importance of these food crops for garrisoning troops, just from these non-native crops, one can judge the approximate era in which she lived, and even the extent to which the era of navigation had begun.

This is no small matter and must be taken seriously.

Fortunately, she didn't have to wait too long, and the ship that was supposed to take Lu Jian home finally returned.

The ship also brought back "thank you gifts": 100 dan of rice, three oxen, 20 sheep, and a large number of farm tools for logging and farming, which were exactly what the island needed.

These alone are enough to show the thoughtfulness, not to mention that there are people brought back.

"Boss Cheng, these are the military households my young master found from the garrison. There are two families in total. One is an old medicine man from the Nanhai Guard, and the other is a bow maker from the Ordnance Department, and his craftsmanship is also unique. Don't worry about their identities, they have all been reported to the garrison for acute illness, and have been deregistered. Their families have also been sent to you. Ma Laoer, Ding Jiu, why don't you come and see the boss!" The housekeeper from the Lu family turned around and said to the two old men.

The two men knelt hurriedly and saluted. They looked terrified and a little sad about leaving their hometown, but there was no resistance in their expressions. It was obvious that they had no qualms about leaving the garrison and joining the pirates.

Did Lu Jian provide the money, or was life in the garrison really unbearable, so he wanted to escape?

But now was not the time to ask questions, so Cheng Xi said gently, "Please stand up, there is no need for this. The island is in need of talented people, so just stay here and we will arrange work for you. If you do a good job, you will be rewarded."

They were originally worried that the gang members would be rude and arrogant, but they never expected that the gang leader would be such a polite young man. The two old craftsmen breathed a sigh of relief and quickly stood up and stepped aside.

Seeing Cheng Xi's satisfaction, the Lu family steward smiled and said, "In addition to these, the family master also found some rare fruits from the West. I wonder if they will suit the gang leader's taste."

As he spoke, he had his servants bring two baskets. Pointing to the first, he introduced, "This is a cassava-like plant called sweet potato. The leaves are edible, and when it grows up, you eat the rhizome buried in the soil. It's somewhat sweet, but eating too much can cause bloating. It's grown on all the South Sea islands and seems to be quite easy to grow."

Then he introduced another one: "This is the tobiko. Rich people mostly use it for viewing the flowers. The beans grown in the soil can also be eaten. When cooked, they taste like soybeans..."

Before he finished speaking, Cheng Xi couldn't help but stand up, walked over and grabbed a handful.

Isn't this peanut?

She was so caught up in her thoughts of potatoes and corn that she forgot about this.

The fact that peanuts taste good is secondary. They can be used to extract oil, which is definitely a good thing!

As for the other basket, it goes without saying that it is sweet potatoes.

Although Cheng Xi had never farmed before, he knew that Fujian's red sweet potatoes were extremely famous. Since they could be grown in Fujian, he could naturally try it on the island.

Compared to corn or potatoes, which are obviously northern crops, the appearance of these two crops is so timely!

However, the next moment, Cheng Xi's expression darkened slightly. Since sweet potatoes and peanuts were already there, it seemed that the New World had been discovered. Combined with what Lu Jian had said about the situation in Southeast Asia, the historical direction of this world might very well coincide with what he knew.

If she wanted to contain the enemies that were bound to arrive, she would have to move faster.

Seeing Boss Cheng's happy face, Manager Lu knew he had made the right choice. However, the next moment, seeing her face darken again, he was startled and hurriedly asked, "What do you think of these two?"

Cheng Xi came back to his senses and sighed, "It all looks good, but I don't know how to plant it."

Manager Lu immediately laughed out loud: "Don't worry about that. The master has also selected a few servants who know how to grow these fruits. Just let them take care of it."

This was truly thoughtful, and Cheng Xi smiled. "Mr. Lu is truly thoughtful, and I'm deeply grateful. I heard he's moving to Panyu soon, and I'm thinking of sending a fleet to Hepu. If you can help, please don't hesitate!"

This sentence was so unexpected that Manager Lu didn't even react and was stunned on the spot.

The next moment, sweat broke out on his back. How did this news get out?! Fortunately, he reacted very quickly and bowed quickly, saying, "Then I can also return with the boat. Thank you, Boss Cheng, for your care."

This avoids the rumor of moving to Panyu. It seems there is some hidden story behind it.

Cheng Xi didn't ask any more questions, but just said: "Then the manager should go down and have a good rest first. The ship will be back in a few days, and I will take you back with me."

Manager Lu was really submissive this time. He no longer showed any intention of giving gifts and retreated obediently.

Cheng Xi thought for a moment and said to Sun Erlang, "Guests are welcome. Take them around the island for the next two days. Just don't reveal the specific layout of the camp."

Sun Erlang couldn't help but frown and said, "The Lu family didn't even tell us about their move to Panyu, and now they've sent servants over. I'm afraid they don't have good intentions, do they?"

Cheng Xi didn't care: "Mr. Lu is a businessman, he values ​​the exchange of interests. He was able to tell this to the Qingfeng Gang, but not to us, or he thinks we can't gain a firm foothold in a short time. In this case, we must show our strength. Besides, if we send people to help, the favor will be repaid, and the favor will naturally be erased."

Sun Erlang suddenly realized and immediately responded, "Don't worry, Boss. We will show them how powerful we are in the next two days."

On the other side, back in the house, Butler Lu walked around anxiously for several times before reluctantly sitting down.

He came to give gifts, of course, to find out the current situation on the island for the master.

With so many surrendered soldiers, there are still many mouths to feed. These 100 stones are enough to feed them for two or three months. Gang Leader Cheng is anxious to find seeds. I think he is planning to open up new land on the island, so the cost will not be small.

Therefore, catering to their interests and donating generously will most likely be rewarded with gratitude, and may even induce them to ask for more.

In this way, the relationship between the Red Flag Gang and them will naturally become closer and closer, and it will be difficult to escape the control of the Lu family.

Unexpectedly, such a generous gift was only met with "help" from others, and the Lu family was also told that they wanted to move to Panyu.

This is not about being grateful, but about accepting the gift generously and giving something in return.

In this way, there is no distinction between superior and inferior, primary and secondary. It is obvious that one is putting oneself on an equal footing. It is "making friends" rather than "recognizing the master."

Such a huge sum of money seems to have been wasted. No wonder the head of the family asked him to be cautious and not underestimate the gang leader.

But no explanation was likely to be of any use now. The Red Flag Gang already knew of the master's relocation plans, and they were now the most powerful force on this route. He couldn't just rashly tear his relations apart, could he? He still had to report this matter back to the master, who would make the final decision. Fortunately, he had accepted the servants, and he could keep an eye out for any inquiries. His trip hadn't been in vain.

After finally relaxing, Butler Lu decided to stay in the house for two days and wait for the boat to return.

Unexpectedly, the next day, the leader surnamed Sun came over and insisted that the visitor was a guest and wanted to take him out to enjoy the scenery and take a good look at the scenery on the island.

Manager Lu didn't dare to refuse and had to follow him out.

This trip really scared him.

The island's fleet had already grown to over twenty, and only a portion was docked at the dock. At least ten boats had already sailed out! The boats weren't the only thing; there were also quite a few people, brought in from shore at regular intervals. There were already around two hundred people on the island, mostly young and strong laborers, spending their days felling trees, building houses, and renovating camps. Some even trained daily, and there was a menacing aura about them.

Is this really an island that was captured just a month ago? Aren't they worried about food shortages? How dare they recruit so openly?

Although he had only spent a few days on the island, Butler Lu felt that his mentality had changed and he no longer dared to underestimate the people of the Red Flag Gang.

There is a capable person here, either the leader or the young gang leader. Having the support of such a boat gang is probably better than relying on the Qingfeng Gang.

Although he knew that the Red Flag Gang was still far inferior to the Green Phoenix Gang, it was hard to say what would happen if they were given a year or two.

With this in mind, when Butler Lu saw Cheng Xi again, his attitude was extremely respectful.

Cheng Xi seemed not to notice his change and smiled, "The boat has returned, and the housekeeper can set off. Remember to pass on this message. Brother Lu, if you have anything to say, please feel free to ask."

Hearing this, Butler Lu nodded in agreement: "Thank you, Boss. I will definitely convey the truth."

This "truthful transmission" is probably not just a verbal message, but also the current situation on the island and her attitude towards the Lu family. Cheng Xi nodded with satisfaction: "Then I wish you all smooth sailing."

With this "re-examination", Lu Jian should be relieved and tell her some details, right? This kind of complicated guy, let alone open his heart, it is difficult to open up to her, so he must continue to invest and become a qualified ally.

No matter what, she is more reliable than that guy Shen Feng, right?

After watching the Lu family members board the ship, Cheng Xi asked, "Has the flagship not returned yet?"

Someone immediately said, "Chief Yan said he would stay in Panyu for a few more days, so he asked me to wait until he came back."

Cheng Xi nodded. It seemed that the matter she asked Yan Yuan to inquire about should have some clues.

After following the fleet to the private port near Panyu, Yan Yuan ordered his men to buy things, and he took a few people to Panyu City.

Before entering the city, Yan Yuan sent someone out to find out if there was a wanted poster for him posted on the wall.

Although the army is now corrupt and the court finds it difficult to control deserters, it would still cause trouble for an officer to resign, not to mention that he was promoted by General Qiu, and he might be charged with the crime of treason.

That is why he has been wandering around private ports and islands to avoid entering the city.

Unexpectedly, when he asked around, he found out that his name was not on the wanted list at all.

Panyu was once one of the places where the army was stationed, and it was guarded by garrisons. How could it be so disrespectful?

After thinking for a long time, he changed his clothes, pretended to be a merchant buying goods, and went into the city in person.

Of course, buying things was fake; gathering information was the real purpose. It didn't take long for Yan Yuan to bribe a minor official at the government office, pretending to be a "sea merchant" to find out where his previously captured companions were being held and what was happening to them.

There are too many such things in Panyu. Some were arrested when General Qiu was in power, some framed each other because of "personal grudges", and some offended nobles and were directly thrown into prison.

There were countless people in the yamen who made a living by selling information, and the clerk was obviously used to it. As long as there was money, such a small matter could be easily settled.

"The person you are talking about is not in Panyu. He must have lost his temper somewhere else. We need to make further inquiries." The clerk rubbed his fingers in a lewd manner, and his meaning was quite clear.

Yan Yuan immediately handed over another small piece of silver and whispered, "Thank you for your help, sir. My brother has an old mother, a wife, and children at home. They all hope you can come back soon."

After weighing the small change, the clerk chuckled and said, "It's not easy. Let me ask again for you."

Yan Yuan immediately thanked him and poured him some wine himself. After they drank a few more glasses, he asked, "Speaking of which, now that there are no more troops stationed here, is it still easy to get people out of this place?"

When General Qiu was in power, countless thieves were imprisoned and countless heads were chopped off in Panyu City. No one dared to take the risk.

Now that General Qiu is dead, this ironclad situation should surely loosen up, right?

The question made perfect sense, but the clerk snorted, "You're not here, so just be happy. The prison is under strict surveillance right now. How can we get him out so easily?"

Yan Yuan's eyes fixed, and he immediately asked, "Why, have you locked up another powerful figure?"

The clerk tutted his words and said, "Brother, you haven't been ashore for a while, right? That guy is not an ordinary person..."