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As the head of the Ye family, Ye Dan has been unable to sleep or eat well recently.
When he went to war with the Qingfeng Gang, he was still full of confidence. Needless to say, the Ye family had great influence in Fujian. With the help of the Japanese general, it would be easy to wipe out a gang, right?
Who would have thought that a year later, not only did the war show no signs of ending, but it was getting deeper and deeper, causing everyone to be extremely anxious.
Of course, their military strength was stronger, but Shen Feng was malicious and actually incited the untouchables to occupy Xiaoliuqiu Island.
In this way, the Ye family's travel route was blocked, like a thorn in their throat. Once they went out to sea, the other party would send troops to stop them.
Unfortunately, pirates are endless. As long as the bandit leader Shen Feng is not caught, the Qingfeng Gang can easily recruit new members, which is really annoying.
Before, the Ye family just didn't pay attention for a moment, and the Qingfeng Gang got several boats from somewhere, almost catching them off guard.
Ye Dan had also taken great pains to cut off the other party's sugar supply, hoping to deprive them of their reliance on Japan, but who would have thought that this group of murderers would actually get new sugar from somewhere else.
This is like being stuck in a quagmire. If you can't get out quickly, you'll probably drown.
By then, not only him, but the entire clan will suffer greatly.
Because of this matter, there has been chaos in the clan. After all, the Ye family's roots are in Tingzhou rather than Quanzhou, and many people do not rely on sea routes.
If he fails to deal with the evil enemy Qingfeng Gang this year, he might lose his position as the head of the family.
Rubbing his hands nervously, Ye Dan took a deep breath. The situation had come to this point, and with an unexpected visitor, how could one not be anxious?
Suddenly, there was a sound outside the door, and his eldest son hurried in and shouted, "Father, Mr. Ning is here."
Ye Dan stood up and saluted the visitor, saying, "I am Ye Dan. I was surprised to hear that Mr. Ning had arrived. I apologize for not coming to greet you. Please forgive me, Mr. Ning."
The scholar in white smiled slightly and bowed in return, "Boss Ye, you're welcome."
"Boss" is an idiomatic term for the leader of a boat gang, but it is a bit disrespectful when applied to Ye Dan. He is not only the owner of the Ye family fleet, but also the head of the entire Ye family. His power is so great that he can dominate not only Tingzhou but the entire Fujian area.
But when he was addressed as "boss," he showed no sign of anger. Instead, he laughed heartily and said, "Mr. Ning is new to Tingzhou. I'm afraid you must be tired from the journey. Please take a seat."
The scholar did not hesitate to sit down in the guest seat.
It was only then that Ye Dan took a closer look at the man before him. The young man had a handsome appearance and an upright figure, and looked to be no more than twenty years old.
He was wearing a plain white gown, spotless and without any flowers or embroidery, but it did not look dull. Instead, it had a kind of scholarly air, which contrasted with his leisurely and free-spirited sitting posture and was quite pleasing to the eye.
However, Ye Dan knew that this man was by no means as harmless as he appeared.
Everyone knows that the leader of the Changjing Gang, "Black Whale" Xu Hei, is a ruthless killer. However, the one who really made the Changjing Gang develop from a bandit gang to a large ship gang that roams across the South China Sea is the military advisor behind him, "Ghost Scholar" Ning Fu.
This person has always been vicious and cruel, and will do anything to achieve his goals, but he has a unique vision and is able to plan everything out.
Ye Dan would not dare to treat such a person lightly even if he came alone.
Quickly withdrawing his gaze, Ye Dan smiled and said, "Tingzhou is a remote place, but Mr. Ning is so lucky to come here in person. I wonder what's the matter?"
Ning Fu tapped his palm lightly with the handle of his fan: "Of course it's because of the Ye family's biggest concern."
The smile on Ye Dan's face faded immediately: "What do you mean, Mr. Ning?"
"Shen Feng is almost riding on your heads. Once he opens up a sugarcane plantation in Xiaoliuqiu, how will the Ye family be able to resist him?" Ning Fu chuckled. "If we continue to fight like this, I'm afraid Boss Ye's position will be in jeopardy first."
The Ye family's internal affairs are not a secret, so it is not surprising that they were discovered by this "ghost scholar".
But Ye Dan couldn't accept it outright. He sneered, "It won't be that easy for Shen Feng to seize Xiaoliuqiu. The island is full of savages. How can he easily reclaim it and open it up as a garden?"
Ning Fu didn't refute. His narrow eyes narrowed slightly, like the eyes of a snake, and his voice became more soothing: "Regardless of whether Shen Feng can open a sugarcane plantation or not, as long as we hold on to this island, we will have a foothold. I advise Boss Ye not to be so stubborn and find some help as soon as possible."
Ye Dan's spirits perked up upon hearing this: "Could it be that your gang is interested?"
If the Long Whale Gang really came to their aid, they would have a great advantage! After all, they were a large shipping gang that crisscrossed the South China Sea. Even if they were squeezed out to the South Seas, their power would probably not be weakened.
Haven’t you seen that they have taken up 80% of the pepper trade in Southeast Asia? If they can join forces with the Ye family, why worry about the demise of the Qingfeng Gang?
Ning Fu chuckled and said, "Our ship can't come over for the time being."
Ye Dan was choked and almost couldn't breathe. He secretly clenched his fists and asked, "Then what are you doing here?"
Ning Fu seemed oblivious to his dissatisfaction and changed the subject, "I'm guessing Boss Ye has heard about this too. The Lu family is in turmoil, and with a rebellious son, they nearly brought down Lord Lu in the court. Recently, there were even rumors that one of the Lu family's ocean-going vessels had been hijacked. How could such a vengeance go unresolved?"
This was the first time Ye Dan had heard of this news. He frowned and asked, "Could it be that the Qingfeng Gang did it?"
That's impossible. They have been fighting with Shen Feng on the sea these days. How can they rob an ocean-going fleet without anyone noticing?
"No." Ning Fu answered naturally, "It was the work of the Red Flag Gang."
Ye Dan's frown deepened. "I've heard of the Red Flag Gang, but the Lu family has a grudge against them. What does that have to do with the Ye family?"
Ye Dan, who was in Fujian, naturally knew about the rise of the Red Flag Gang. However, this gang had no intention of stirring up trouble in Fujian, and had nothing to do with the Green Phoenix Gang. So what did it mean by suddenly mentioning them and the Lu family?
Ning Fu smiled: "If the Ye and Lu families join forces, first take down the Qingfeng Gang, then the Chiqi Gang, wouldn't both families' mortal enemies be eliminated?"
This was a bit too far-fetched. Ye Dan shook his head, "The Ye and Lu families are like water and fire. Each family is facing its own difficulties right now, and they don't have time to defend themselves. How could they join forces?"
After saying this, Ye Dan paused and suddenly asked, "Mr. Ning, do you want to use us to deal with your powerful enemy?"
The Changjing Gang is doing well in Southeast Asia now, but now that General Qiu is gone, it is only a matter of time before they return.
But now the largest shipping gang in the South China Sea is the Red Flag Gang. Who would believe that they have no ulterior motives?
Now that the Changjing Gang is not taking any action, they want to use them to eliminate dissidents. This is a perfect plan.
Ning Fu nodded in agreement at this heartbreaking statement. "You're right. We can't advance eastward for now. But if the Red Flag Gang joins forces with the Green Phoenix Gang, sweeping Fujian first and then turning around to clean up the South China Sea, it will be quite troublesome by the time we have time. So, we must divide and conquer them. My Long Whale Gang doesn't have much else, but we have a lot of goods shipped back from Southeast Asia."
The Long Whale Gang has pepper! Ye Dan's breath hitched. Could it be that they were planning to let others have a piece of the pie? This was a big deal! The Ye family's fleet was now heading towards Japan. Although the Lu family had ocean-going ships, according to Ning Fu, they were probably almost destroyed. Both families were salivating over Western goods. If they could get in touch with the Long Whale Gang, wouldn't that be a huge bargain?
Moreover, they have the sea route to Jiangnan, and the Lu family has connections to Jiangnan. No matter how powerful the Changjing Gang is, it can only monopolize the South China Sea. If they really want to go to the East China Sea, they still have to find partners.
If this deal could be done, not only would they be able to get rid of their biggest threat, but they would also be able to become another major shipping gang on the sea. How much profit would there be in this?
His mind was in turmoil, but looking at the gentle scholar in front of him, Ye Dan retreated a little. Whether cooperating with the Changjing Gang or the Lu family, it would be like trying to get the skin of a tiger, which would not be safe.
Seeing his expression, Ning Fu slowly tapped his palms with his fan again. "I came to Tingzhou this time just for this matter. If Boss Ye trusts me, why not go find Lu and sit down to talk. If not, maybe someone will do something bad behind your back and disrupt your foundation."
Ye Dan frowned, "What do you mean, Mr. Ning?"
"Have you seen where the Suoyi Gang has been? If they come to Tingzhou and cause chaos, the Ye family will be surrounded by wolves in front and tigers behind. How can they resist?"
Ye Dan sat up straight. "Mr. Ning, please stop exaggerating!"
Ning Fu sneered, "If it were me, I wouldn't miss this opportunity. If the Red Flag Gang can unite with the Green Phoenix Gang to fight you now, they can join forces with them to resist us in the future. Who will win by then is still unknown."
The clattering of fans disturbed Ye Dan's mind. Was what this "ghost scholar" said reasonable? Actually, it was reasonable. If the Red Flag Gang and the Green Phoenix Gang really joined forces, they might be able to defeat them.
But how could it be so easy to join forces with the Lu family? Many people in the family were eager to try and cause trouble for the Lu family. The two families had a deep-seated feud, and I'm afraid no one would be willing to give in... Wait, Ye Dan suddenly looked at Ning Fu: "Mr. Ning, are you sure you can bring the two families together?"
Ning Fu paused with the paper fan in his hand and smiled: "Of course."
That smile was not gentle at all, but rather bloody and made people feel cold in their hearts.
Of course, he's a lunatic, but his eloquence and resourcefulness are real. If he can really convince the Lu family, it's not impossible...
After a long pause, Ye Dan finally said, "There will be a grand banquet at Hibiscus Garden in two days, and the Lu family will also be there. If you're interested, you can come with me."
Ning Fu nodded happily: "Then I'll trouble you, Boss Ye."
Looking at his complacent look, Ye Dan breathed a sigh of relief. It is better to seek the skin of a tiger than to fall into death.
He couldn't find any better help anyway, so why not give it a try?
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