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The news that the gang leader was the daughter of General Qiu spread throughout the island in an instant, and countless people were dumbfounded.
"What? The gang leader is a woman? I saw her in the water before, and she swam very fast. How could she be a woman?"
"What's wrong with being a woman? Can't a woman learn martial arts? She's the daughter of General Qiu, and she has inherited martial arts from her family! What we learn and practice might have been passed down from General Qiu!"
"Exactly. The Qingfeng Gang came looking for revenge on her, and three of them were killed in one go. That's incredible!"
"Is there anyone who dares to seek revenge? Those beheaded by General Qiu were all pirates of the sea. Well done to them!"
"Hey, wait, aren't we going to form an alliance with the Qingfeng Gang? Why are we fighting?"
"What do you know? This is called showing off! Our leader showed off his power, and Shen bowed down to him, didn't he?"
There was a commotion below, with people saying all sorts of things, but morale, despite all this, was rising. They all came from the coast, so who in the world didn't know how serious the bandit problem was? It was General Qiu who had pacified the bandits, allowing them to enjoy two years of peace. Now the leader had rescued them from their misery, too. To say he'd done them a favor for two generations wouldn't be an exaggeration.
How could one not repay a great favor? The leader was avenging her father, a matter of course. Even if the emperor wanted to send troops to exterminate them, they would be the first to object! This connected them to the Red Flag Gang's righteous cause, boosting not only military morale but also the hearts of the people. The leader was a remarkable woman who had built the gang single-handedly, a woman who could withstand a hurricane. How could she handle the imperial army?
And all these reactions were also noticed by others.
"Should I call you Boss Cheng or Miss Qiu now?" Shen Feng asked with a smile, looking at the woman in a red dress who looked even more heroic.
Now that her identity had been revealed, Cheng Xi had also changed her attire. The standard black dress had been replaced with a red skirt. Although it was called a skirt, it was actually similar to men's attire, except that the hem was longer, a waist belt was added, and the cuffs and trouser legs were tightened. This change was naturally very different from what an ordinary woman would wear, but it didn't feel out of place on her. Instead, it made her look very heroic and eye-catching.
"Since we have started a boat gang, you should use a nickname. Just call me Cheng Xi." Cheng Xi said simply.
It wasn't that she didn't want to inherit Qiu Yuehua's name, but the title of "Miss Qiu" was too easy to arouse sympathy and pity, and then people would really treat her as a "Miss." It might be effective in deceiving the enemy, but it would be inappropriate in normal circumstances.
Shen Feng was not too surprised. After all, for a leader of a big gang, calling someone "Miss" was a bit too timid. Besides, it was impossible for Qiu Sheng's daughter to tell her maiden name to unrelated outsiders.
But these are secondary. Shen Feng, without beating around the bush, got straight to the point: "Even if our two families join forces this time, we still have too few troops. I'm afraid we won't be able to confront the imperial army head-on. What are your plans, Chief Cheng?"
It seemed he had reorganized his troops, which was faster than he had expected. Cheng Xi did not hide it. "We have planted many spies in Panyu and have already spread several rounds of information. The commander-in-chief this time, Wang Ling, is a man with great ambitions but little talent. He has almost emptied the troops of the coastal garrisons, causing a lot of resentment and possibly hindering the movement of the army. Also, my background, if it gets to the officers and soldiers, it will cause some unrest."
Shen Feng raised an eyebrow in surprise: "This is really well prepared. Could it be that Lu Er also helped a lot?"
The sudden mention of Lu Jian made Cheng Xi look at Shen Feng, but the other party looked very innocent, as if he was just discussing the matter.
"Brother Lu certainly helped, but the Red Flag Gang's foundation is too shallow, and their information transmission is ultimately not well-informed. Gang Leader Shen also has spies in Panyu. If they can lend a hand, it will definitely achieve twice the result with half the effort." Cheng Xi didn't care what Shen Feng was thinking. The Qingfeng Gang was so well-informed, so they had to use it. Spreading rumors has always been an excellent means of information warfare, and the most effective way to shake people's hearts is to tell them that they are three parts true and seven parts false.
Shen Feng smiled and said, "Of course. Now that we have the banner of revenge for General Qiu, our chances of winning are even higher."
After saying that, he changed the subject: "Now that Luoling Island is being used as the front line, how are we going to defend Dongning? We don't have enough troops, do we?"
"If we are dealing with pirates, Dongning must be strictly guarded. If we are dealing with government troops, it will not be so dangerous. I have opened many workshops there, which are complicated and involve many relationships." Cheng Xi was not worried about Dongning. This was one of the reasons why she deliberately developed the onshore camp towards urbanization when she was planning.
Including the salt fields at the East Gate, there are now many large shareholders in her industry, and even officials and guards have their own power.
These people kept each other in check, preventing them from swallowing up the Red Flag Gang's assets in one fell swoop, but they also couldn't easily let others take advantage. How could they let a large army attack them so easily? Once they had overcome this difficult time, Dongning would become a self-contained entity, with both military and economic development as its two pillars, and only then would they be able to move forward more steadily.
This was beyond Shen Feng's imagination. In his opinion, the geographical location of the Red Flag Gang was far inferior to that of the Green Phoenix Gang, and they were rashly setting up camp on the shore, which was really a bit greedy.
Who would have thought that they had already made all the arrangements? This method is not something that ordinary people can possess. Could it be that Lu Jian played a significant role in this? What is the relationship between these two people?
But Shen Feng was curious and did not ask any more questions at this time. He just smiled and said, "It seems that we just need to agree on how to defend against the enemy."
Cheng Xi simply nodded and said, "Master Shen, please call your men and let's make a plan together based on the sea chart."
Military meetings also require brainstorming, but for Cheng Xi, the key is to understand the strength of the allies, and any oral description is not as intuitive as seeing it with your own eyes.
Shen Feng smiled: "Of course the guest should follow the host's wishes."
Such a smart and strong woman, I really need to get to know her better.
…
Although he had made up his mind to withdraw before the war, when it came time to board the ship, Lu Jian felt a little empty in his heart.
This was a big battle concerning the life and death of the Red Flag Gang, but he couldn't help at all and was just like a bystander.
"Brother Lu, this battle will probably take some time. Once you get ashore, if you don't want to stay in the camp, you can go to the provincial capital to take shelter temporarily." Cheng Xi still had to be there in person to send Lu Jian off. Although he knew that he might feel a little uncomfortable now, he still had to win him over.
Looking at the woman in front of him, Lu Jian was speechless for a moment.
She changed her clothes, tied her hair into a bun, and even slightly changed her eyebrow shape. Now no one would regard her as a teenager.
However, the expected chaos did not occur. He was wrong about one thing. Cheng Xi did not hide it from the big bosses around him, and they easily controlled the situation.
She has never been afraid of her identity as a woman, and can even use this identity to the extreme, turning it into a powerful weapon.
Such courage and skill are truly admirable.
But the more powerful she is, the more useless he becomes, right? After a moment of silence, Lu Jian suddenly said, "I heard that you have set up many workshops in Dongning?"
Cheng Xi nodded: "There are a few, but they just opened, so they are nothing."
"I've been doing business for several years and I think I have some experience. Can I go and take a look?" Lu Jian's voice was flat, as if he was being modest, but also a little conceited.
Cheng Xi smiled: "Brother Lu has a keen eye. If you can give me some pointers, I would be delighted. If you want to see anything, just look for Sun Erlang."
Her smile was still the same, sincere and frank, making the bloodstain on her face look less like a scar and more like the long-lost "slanting red makeup".
Pained by that smile, Lu Jian lowered his eyelids slightly: "If we can win this battle, the Red Flag Gang will dominate the South China Sea. How can I not be one step ahead of them?"
Upon hearing this, Cheng Xi said sternly, "If it weren't for Brother Lu's repeated assistance, the Red Flag Gang wouldn't be where it is today. Why are we being so polite to each other?"
Lu Jian's gaze fell back on the other person. She still had that frank expression and those clear eyes. She didn't say anything out of line, but it made him feel relieved.
Yes, they are still friends, nothing has changed.
A smile appeared on his lips again, and Lu Jian said nothing more, bowing and saying goodbye.
When he turned around again, his pace returned to normal, neither fast nor slow, dignified and steady.
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