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Xu Xianrong suddenly raised his head, his eyes flashing with anger: "Why do you say that, sir?!"
The word "Qiu Ni" was what Xu Xianrong hated the most. Now that it was spoken out loudly by the person in front of him, how could he not be furious?
Commander Wang chuckled, "Commander Xu, do you think no one knows your origins? I've heard that the Red Flag Gang has a close relationship with Qiu Ni. How could you be so defeated upon your arrival?"
Xu Xianrong's head buzzed, and he blurted out, "This is slander! How could General Qiu be colluding with pirates?!"
General Qiu had annihilated countless bandits in the South China Sea, yet he was accused of colluding with treacherous forces. Xu Xianrong had submitted petitions to exonerate the general, but his influence was limited, and all his requests fell on deaf ears. That's why, when Minister Lu transferred him to the South China Sea to suppress the bandits and riots, he readily agreed.
This was not only the continuation of General Qiu's will, but also his only chance to clear his name. Precisely because of this, Xu Xianrong could not stand such slander. How dare this bastard official!
Unexpectedly, this brat actually dared to scold him. Commander Wang slammed the table and said, "How dare you! This case of treason was ordered by the emperor himself. Are you planning to rebel?!"
Xu Xianrong clenched his teeth, veins popping out of his face. He endured it for a long time before saying, "There must be something fishy about this matter. General Qiu has lived a clean life. Even if he was framed, he never led his troops in rebellion. How could he have colluded with a gang? Please investigate!"
Commander Wang sneered, "Do we even need to investigate? You brought all the elite naval troops with you this time, and they were wiped out in one battle. And you still dare to claim you had nothing to do with it?"
Xu Xianrong immediately said, "I defeated the bandits several times and even approached the enemy camp, but unfortunately, we were hit by a hurricane, which resulted in the loss of our men and horses. With such a hurricane, Panyu should have been hit by waves as well. If you don't believe me, feel free to ask others!"
The center of the storm wasn't near Luoling Island, so it was likely headed towards Panyu. This kind of thing would become clear with a quick investigation. Besides, he wasn't the only one who survived. Wouldn't calling him in for questioning prove his innocence?
Commander Wang, however, refused to believe it. "I heard you were fighting them to a standstill. A bunch of bandits could fight the government troops to the death. If you weren't letting them off the hook, then there must be someone capable within the Red Flag Gang."
Xu Xianrong was stunned when he heard this. He had been fighting and escaping before, and he had never thought about it carefully.
Yes, that group of bandits was indeed too strong, and both their means of deploying troops and the formation of their fleet were vaguely in line with the art of war. The performance of the soldiers in the boarding battle was even more astonishing, and they were obviously well-trained.
How can we build such a strong army in just one year?
Because they had fought each other personally, his feelings became more obvious, and he forgot to refute for a moment.
Seeing his expression change, Commander Wang immediately seized on the opportunity: "What, you have nothing to say? You disregarded the lives of soldiers for personal gain. What is the crime?!"
He didn't care whether this matter was true or not, as long as he could seize the opportunity to eliminate this chess piece planted by an outsider.
After all, one good general like Qiu Sheng is enough. Wouldn't adding another one just make everyone lose face? Furthermore, suppressing bandits at sea is a thankless job. Now that no one is attacking the city or harassing the land, wouldn't it be more cost-effective to join in the smuggling of goods and make a little money than risking their lives?
This thorn must be removed as soon as possible!
The word "self-interest" was like a sharp knife, piercing Xu Xianrong's eyes. He suddenly sneered, "Then Lord Wang is saying that Minister Lu knew that the rioters were General Qiu's accomplices, but still sent me here?"
He would never have said such words before, but the art of war is to attack while the enemy must defend. Now, he has more than one follower.
Commander Wang's expression immediately changed. Back in Panyu, he'd heard the jokes about the two Lu masters' feud, and he knew all too well how furious Lord Lu was, wanting to eliminate certain individuals. Even if he disliked Xu Xianrong, he wouldn't dare openly target the high-ranking officials of the six ministries.
With a dry cough, Commander Wang rebuked, "You went out on your own this time and suffered a crushing defeat. You must give an account. Take him away and await your punishment!"
Xu Xianrong took a deep breath, but said no more. What was happening now wasn't just a matter of war; it was a political struggle, a power struggle. And the side he was on wasn't necessarily going to lose. If possible, he would find the person with ulterior motives who had slandered General Qiu!
Xu Xianrong was suppressed, but Commander Wang was not so calm. He sat at his desk and pondered for a long time before he sighed, "Spread the word that the Red Flag Gang is the remnant of the Qiu Party. We must thoroughly investigate this matter."
Now that this gang is powerful and has a personal vendetta against Lord Lu, if he interferes and refuses to send troops, he might end up in trouble. Since this is the case, he has to make a big deal out of it and take some power. I think the title of "Qiu the Rebel" will also attract the attention of the court and they will send more troops, right?
Now that Xu has caused such a commotion, it seems that the bandits will suffer a heavy blow to their fighting capacity. Isn't this the perfect opportunity for him to curry favor with his superiors and reap some benefits at the same time?
Thinking of this, Commander Wang chuckled softly. He wasn't a muddleheaded person like Qiu Sheng; he had to consider every aspect carefully.
…
"How could they be so badly damaged!" Huangmao was almost heartbroken when he saw the boats in front of him. They were all good schooners, and they were reduced to this state after just one trip. If they were repaired, they wouldn't be as useful as before.
"What are you talking about! This is a ship that has withstood hurricanes. It must be blessed by gods. We can't be careless!" The master leading the team in front scolded.
Upon hearing this, Huangmao's expression changed instantly. Was it blown down by a hurricane? Could a ship like this possibly withstand a hurricane? Surprised and moved, he muttered, "Our Red Flag Gang's ships are just different..."
"You idiot, you're a different person! Our leader has great luck. If the Dragon King of the Sea comes, he'll probably retreat..."
Before he could finish his words, Huangmao coughed and said, "No, no, no, we are still on the island, we can't say anything nonsense!"
The master choked and snorted, "Anyway, I've never seen anyone who can escape a hurricane. The gang leader is just different from ordinary people!"
This made Huangmao nod his head vigorously: "Our gang leader is definitely not an ordinary person. We must repair the boat properly and cannot delay anything."
Regardless of how they survived the hurricane, as long as they did, it was a great blessing. So what if they need to repair the ship? Aren't they the ones we raise to build and repair ships? Now it's just a few broken masts and a few broken planks. Just fix it. We can't delay the boss's important business!
A group of ship repair craftsmen stopped talking nonsense and started working energetically.
This great battle, coupled with a devastating disaster, had indeed caused immense damage to Luoling Island. Countless houses collapsed, and crops were completely destroyed. Over a hundred people were killed or missing, not to mention the wounded. The hospital was completely overwhelmed.
Yet, even so, the Red Flag Gang showed no signs of weakness. With their relatively small force, they had repelled the coalition forces, repelled the government troops, and even managed to escape the hurricane after several consecutive victories. If even such a terrifying weather pattern couldn't defeat them, what else was there to fear?
When people died, they were given relief. When houses were destroyed, they were rebuilt. When boats were lost, others generously repaired and rebuilt them. Though heartbroken, no one felt wronged, because their leaders genuinely cared about them. So what was there to fear? Wiping away their tears, everyone threw themselves back into the work of rebuilding.
So when the merchants arrived at Luoling Island, they saw a thriving scene. This didn't look like a disaster at all. Why did morale seem to be rising instead of falling? Even more terrifying!
Now, those who were doubtful before no longer dared to get angry, and they became as obedient as dogs.
Cheng Xi ignored them and listened to his subordinates' report. During this survey of the waters near Wuyuan Island, twelve warships were discovered, along with numerous merchant ships and small boats, and even several seawater-soaked cannons. It seemed the government troops had indeed not escaped the hurricane, and along with the surrendered soldiers, they had suffered a great disaster. This could be considered a victory without a fight.
Defeating this government army wasn't enough. Turning around, Cheng Xi looked at the sea merchants and boat people. "You all contributed greatly to this battle. Now that the battle is over, what are your plans?"
She didn't even mention the reward. The merchants looked at each other, unsure how to respond. The leader of the boat people on the side shouted, "The leader has the protection of the Dragon King of the Sea. We are naturally willing to obey your orders!"
They are the ones who know the power of hurricanes best. Now that they can even avoid hurricanes, what else can't they defeat? Following such people is the long-term solution.
Several sea merchants shuddered at this, then immediately laughed and agreed. Regardless of whether the words were true or not, the man's abilities were real, so there was nothing wrong with a few words of flattery.
Cheng Xi glanced at the few people and said calmly, "We don't know how the government army will react after being defeated this time, but my Red Flag Gang should have established a foothold in the South China Sea. Now it's time to sort out the nearby islands and make arrangements."
Boss Liang shuddered. This was going to be a big move! Indeed, this time, Ghost Scholar had gathered nearly every member of Panyu who disobeyed the Red Flag Gang, and they were killed, injured, and more than half wiped out by the hurricane. Didn't that make the Red Flag Gang the overlords of the South China Sea? As for the troublemaking Long Whale Gang, they definitely couldn't trust them anymore. It was safer to cling to the powerful force in front of them!
The fact that the government troops were able to get so close quietly this time was probably because the people stationed on the nearby islands had surrendered to the enemy. Now they are saying they want to reorganize the troops. Isn't it just that they want to place their own people nearby?
After a moment of clarity, Boss Liang was about to respond, but someone else spoke before him: "I, Qian San, am willing to serve the gang leader and go through fire and water without hesitation!"
It's you again! Boss Liang was so angry that his teeth were itching, but he didn't dare to neglect it at all. He immediately followed suit and showed his loyalty.
After Cheng Xi listened to them, he slowly said, "If you join me, you must be prepared to fight against the government troops. Now it's just a fleet, what if a large army comes to encircle and suppress us in the future?"
Many people broke out in cold sweat, but Qian Sanyi gritted his teeth and said, "I don't have much ability. I followed the wrong person this time and almost caused a disaster. The South China Sea is in chaos now, and we need people with virtue and ability to take care of it. I am not afraid of the government troops and am willing to obey the orders of Gang Leader Cheng."
This was a huge gamble! However, the merchants looked at each other and swallowed their saliva.
As the saying goes, fortune and honor are sought in danger. Now that the situation is so bad, they don't have many choices. Instead of being exploited by the imperial court and deceived by the Changjing Gang, it is better to follow the Chiqi Gang all the way to the end. At least they keep their words and will not harm their allies. This is much better than other gangs!
When they thought of this, what was there to hesitate about? Several small merchants also hurriedly expressed their opinions, each of them obeying and unwilling to fall behind.
Seeing them like this, Cheng Xi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The Red Flag Gang is indeed at its weakest now, and she doesn't know whether the government troops will send troops to attack again.
Therefore, finding new allies and strengthening strength became the only option.
As for the rest, we have to wait for news from various places...
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