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Xu Xianrong didn't expect Wang Ling to release him so quickly. After all, there was only a small battle in the past two days, and it ended quickly, so the loss should not be much.
Could it be that there was bad news from Panyu, or something unexpected happened in the army?
What he got was a jaw-dropping answer.
"Recruit? How could the Marshal recruit on behalf of the court?" Xu Xianrong doubted his own hearing at that moment. How crazy could someone come up with such a plan? A mere general could make decisions for the court? Even if he wanted to recruit, he would have to return to Panyu and report to the governor, right?
Wang Ling snorted, "Right now, bandits are causing chaos in both the north and the south. The imperial court has deployed all its troops, so how can it possibly deal with the banditry in the South China Sea? In that case, I'd better negotiate with the Red Flag Gang first, and then report to the court. This will save some effort."
Upon hearing this, Xu Xianrong clenched his fists. "It's true that the imperial court is having a hard time deploying troops, but don't you still have over 200 ships at hand? If you weren't so greedy for power and incompetent and afraid of fighting, how could you be so powerless to deal with a group of bandits?"
Seeing that he didn't answer, Wang Ling's face darkened. "The Qingfeng Gang has been wreaking havoc on the shore for several days now, even taking down the artillery batteries in Doumen. If we are delayed by the Red Flag Gang again and the army can't return, who will be held responsible if something goes wrong?!"
Xu Xianrong immediately understood why Wang Ling made such a stupid move. It turned out that the Qingfeng Gang's combat power was extraordinary, and Wang Ling had withdrawn all the troops from the coastal guards. If a big chaos really broke out, he was afraid that he would not even be able to save his life.
However, Xu Xianrong still shook his head: "Among the Red Bandits there are traitors to the imperial court, and they may not believe the Marshal's words."
This was the most crucial point. The Red Flag Gang included some of General Qiu's former subordinates. Would they not be aware of the process for recruiting? On the battlefield of confrontation, how could such an empty promise count?
Wang Ling immediately said, "Since they are flying under the banner of General Qiu and have restrained their men from harassing local areas, they probably still have ulterior motives. As long as the emperor exonerates Qiu Sheng, who would be afraid that they would not gladly surrender?"
Xu Xianrong's head buzzed, and he could barely suppress his anger. He took two deep breaths and said, "Will the Emperor really exonerate the general for the sake of a rebel army?"
So many memorials and remonstrations had failed to change the emperor's mind, so how could a mere band of bandits do the trick? If so, wouldn't what the generals had done back then be a joke?
Wang Ling chuckled, and when he saw that no one was around, he whispered, "If it were a normal day, it would be extremely difficult. However, the emperor is already old, and when the new emperor ascends the throne next year, he will naturally be able to grant amnesty. However, I'm afraid that if others tell this, they won't believe it. Only someone like you, Lieutenant General Xu, can win their trust."
The issue of appointing a crown prince had indeed been a long one, and only recently had things settled down. Xu Xianrong didn't want to speculate on the inner workings of the situation, but the words stuck in his throat. The current emperor executed his entire clan, while the new ruler pardoned them. Was this just speculation, or was it inherently so? Was it the military's command of a large army and the support of the people that led to this fatal disaster?
At that moment, even Xu Xianrong was a bit dazed, feeling a sharp pain in his heart. Seeing his expression, Wang Ling quickly added, "I didn't expect the Qingfeng Gang to collude with the Red Flag Gang this time, but considering Shen Sandao's character, I'm afraid there's something fishy going on. If Miss Qiu loses her virginity to this thief, wouldn't that be unfair? It would be better to appease them and take Miss Qiu back sooner rather than later, so that General Qiu's spirit can rest in peace..."
Before he could finish his words, Xu Xianrong suddenly looked up, glaring at him. Those tiger eyes practically flashed with fire, sending chills down his spine. Wang Ling flinched, then felt something was wrong. He slammed his hand down on the table, "Xu Xianrong, you've suffered repeated defeats, losing countless soldiers. Now you have the chance to redeem yourself, but you're hesitant. Could it be that you're actually connected to these thieves?"
This slander was truly vicious, but Xu Xianrong no longer cared. He looked at Wang Ling for a long time, then slowly said, "Since it is the Marshal's order, I am willing to go."
Seeing him give in, Wang Ling breathed a sigh of relief and clapped his hands, saying, "Alright! Without further ado, lead your men to the enemy camp and persuade them to surrender and bring Miss Qiu back."
This is also the key point. To be honest, Wang Ling does not trust the group of thieves, but if he can use Miss Qiu as a hostage, things will be different.
After all, the Red Flag Gang still flies under the banner of Qiu Sheng. Whether Miss Qiu is there or not, the meaning is completely different.
As long as he caught Miss Qiu, the other party would most likely not dare to breach the contract, and it would be easier for him to explain when he returned to the shore.
Of course, Wang Ling didn't trust Xu Xianrong very much. Unfortunately, when negotiating with a group of pirates, there was no such thing as "don't kill the envoy". He also tried his best to let a confidant follow Xu Xianrong, nominally as the chief envoy, but actually to monitor him.
Without wasting any time, a small boat hoisted a white flag to avoid fighting and sailed towards the enemy camp with extreme caution.
The two armies were facing each other from a distance, and such a ship naturally could not escape the eyes of the scouts, and the news soon reached the flagship.
"Could the ship with a white flag be an envoy from the front line?" Cheng Xi was really surprised. It was hard to imagine that someone could be sent to negotiate in this situation.
Yan Yuan frowned and said, "Perhaps they are trying to persuade them to surrender. The Qingfeng Gang is making too much noise, and they are anxious to withdraw. If that is their intention, then the person who came might be someone they know..."
The meaning behind these words was profound. Cheng Xi couldn't help but glance at Yan Yuan, and the same name appeared in their minds. It was really like planting a willow tree without intending to plant a willow tree and it would grow into a shade. Cheng Xi sighed softly and stood up: "Then let's meet."
It takes more than just courage to charge into enemy territory alone. Captain Wang, the accompanying captain, felt his legs tremble as he watched the boats approach the enemy camp, regretting his quick response. These boats were filled with fierce bandits, their blood-red flags fluttering in all directions, a sea of crimson, suffocating. If he said the wrong thing, his head would be hanging from the bow.
Xu Xianrong was also observing the enemy ships. Although they had fought twice before, this was his first time at such close range. The closer he looked, the more he noticed the men on board were very different from the pirates. Their spirit was not even that of ordinary soldiers. They were disciplined, yet not dull or inert. Curiosity could even be seen in many of their eyes. A general who could train such soldiers must be a formidable figure. Besides Miss Qiu's interest, he had come this time to discover who the leader of the Red Flag Gang was.
I just don't know if the person behind the scenes is willing to show his face.
Soon, the boat was stopped by scouts, who questioned their origins. Xu Xianrong didn't try to hide his identity, directly revealing his name and background. By then, Captain Wang had calmed down, at least stopped trembling, and was able to save the court's reputation.
However, things changed after the scout went to report.
"Only I am allowed to board the ship?" Xu Xianrong frowned. "Captain Wang is the official envoy for this trip. Did your gang make a mistake?"
Captain Wang was a close confidant sent by Wang Ling, so he shouldn't be turned away. Moreover, he had a long history with General Qiu, and it would be difficult to explain what happened without an outsider present to witness it.
The soldier just said coldly: "The leader ordered that if you don't want to do this, please go back."
Captain Wang grabbed Xu Xianrong's sleeve and said, "Brother Xu, since they've said so, why don't you go up and take a look? It's better than returning empty-handed."
He was secretly delighted that he couldn't board the ship. After all, it was an enemy ship, so it would be safer to stay on his own. Of course, this was also for official business; the Marshal's orders had to be carried out.
Xu Xianrong pursed his lips, but finally agreed with a cold face. Someone immediately told him to wait for a small boat, and after a long and winding journey, he was finally taken to a three-masted ship.
This should be the flagship. After stepping onto the deck, Xu Xianrong immediately noticed that the soldiers in front of him had changed again. Each of them was imposing and murderous. They were obviously elite soldiers. It was not surprising to see one or two personal soldiers like this, but it was rare to see a whole ship like this.
Could it be that these are the remnants of General Qiu? How many people have they recruited?
Although he was secretly calculating in his mind, Xu Xianrong remained expressionless and strode to the attic at the stern. This was an imitation of an official ship, with a two-story building at the stern, which was often where the general's tent was located.
After going up to the second floor, the guide entered and reported, and then a small door opened in front of us.
Taking a deep breath, Xu Xianrong stepped in.
This time, he should be able to meet the "Boss Cheng", right?
However, the next moment, Xu Xianrong's steps suddenly stopped and he stared forward in surprise. He saw a young woman in a red dress with narrow sleeves sitting in the main seat. Her pair of black, bright and unforgettable phoenix eyes stared straight at him.
"Yue, Yuehua?!"
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