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After the battle, Luoling Island was bustling with activity. Although many wounded remained in the hospital, victory was victory, and the proper time was to celebrate with joy and prepare a celebration banquet. While others could relax and laugh and curse, Tian Yu could not. As the chief steward of the Red Flag Gang, the pre-war and post-war periods were his busiest times.
Counting casualties, taking inventory of warships, inspecting confiscated weapons and artillery, and worrying about rewards and compensation. The tasks were numerous and complicated, but these were nothing to the experienced Tian Yu. The only headache was the group of captives held on Wuyuan Island.
"Boss, we've already captured three to four thousand prisoners. With so many mouths to feed, even if we only feed them one meal a day, it's going to consume a lot of food. We need to make a decision soon on how to deal with them." Tian Yu really didn't know what to do. When he was under General Qiu, he'd captured bandits and simply escorted them to the authorities, where they'd be beheaded, imprisoned, exiled, or flogged, depending on the severity of their crimes. If it were any other general, they might have even chopped off more heads to claim credit.
But the Red Flag Gang wasn't the imperial court. Previously, their captives had been nothing more than pirates and salt smugglers, easily slaughtered until they surrendered. Now, with such a large army of government troops at their disposal, they were truly at a loss. Killing them all would be a violation of natural order, while forcing them to surrender was practically impossible. Many of the soldiers were from the garrisons, with families and families ashore. Who would surrender to the rebels? Using them as laborers or even slaves wasn't easy either. If a riot erupted, it would be unmanageable.
Now they could barely keep the people on Wuyuan Island, but this wasn't a long-term solution. After a major war, the expenses were high and the profits were very small. The captured warships still needed repairs, and even the cannons required expensive preparation of gunpowder before they could be used. There were expenses everywhere, and there was no spare money to support so many freeloaders. Even though Tian Yu was good at calculations, he still felt overwhelmed.
This involved the issue of war compensation. Cheng Xi thought for a moment and said, "First, we need to count the generals and make a list. Then we can ask the court to use the money to redeem them. As for the ordinary soldiers, we need to send some people to educate them. Those who can be used will be kept, and those who cannot will be sent back."
Tian Yu was shocked: "If we put it back like this, wouldn't that let the imperial court take advantage?"
He could understand the ransom; after all, kidnapping for ransom was a common pirate occupation. But what was the point of releasing the captives after such a hard-fought battle? Wouldn't the imperial army still be fighting against the Red Flag Gang in the next war?
Cheng Xi said, "That depends on what you want to teach them. If we release them, they might be more useful than if we keep them."
Tian Yu frowned and asked, "Are you trying to get them to rebel?"
What she was thinking about was much more serious than rebellion. Regardless of whether it could succeed or not, as long as the government heard about it, they would probably not dare to use these soldiers to fight. However, there was no rush. Cheng Xi asked, "Can the treasury still raise enough money for pensions and rewards?"
"It's a bit stretched." Tian Yu sighed, "Many ships need repairing, and recruiting soldiers in the future will be another expense. But we can save some money on buying artillery."
While those workshops were running well and likely profitable, their foundation was still shallow, and it would take time to even recoup their initial investment, let alone generate a profit. It was only thanks to their earlier capture of Lu's ocean-going fleet that they would have been able to make ends meet even with the salt fields.
"We've already won the battle, so how can we not reap some benefits?" Cheng Xi smiled. "Those merchants and boat gangs that attacked us before have paid their all. We also need to start preparing passes. From now on, all ships from Panyu will have to display these passes before they can enter or leave our territory. Taking advantage of the government army's defeat, we can extort some money from them, and that should make up for the shortfall."
Tian Yu was stunned. This wasn't just about making up for losses; it was clearly a huge profit! Ransoms, life-saving payments, and the like were nothing compared to the pass. Previously, they'd just let the private salt traders hang around, but now they were clearly collecting customs duties on behalf of the government. But how many merchant ships would pay customs duties? Smugglers wouldn't pay any attention to the government. If they could capture all the ships at once, the revenue would probably be higher than the imperial tax revenue.
In this great battle, the Red Flag Gang defeated the larger force with a smaller one, completely defeating the imperial army and making it famous. At sea, they relied on their strength, and now it was just a matter of course.
After thinking it through, Lian Tianyu smiled: "Then I have to calculate the ransom carefully..."
However, no matter how detailed the plan is, and how much follow-up needs to be arranged, now is not the time to take action. After all, there is still a team of allies who have not returned.
Fortunately, after a few days, the person they were waiting for returned to Luoling Island in a swagger.
"I've been delayed for a few days, and I'm sorry to have kept Boss Cheng waiting for so long." As soon as he got off the boat, Shen Feng greeted him with a smile.
The Qingfeng Gang brought significantly fewer boats this time than before, presumably because they had looted enough and were sending people back to their base. Of course, it's also possible that they were deliberately trying to be friendly, avoiding unnecessary gossip and causing trouble.
But these little thoughts are not important. Cheng Xi smiled and said, "Brother Chen, you are too polite. This time, thanks to you for wiping out the remaining soldiers, we have saved a lot of trouble. We have to thank you for your righteousness."
Shen Feng's smile suddenly became more playful, but he said, "I'm glad that Gang Leader Cheng doesn't blame me."
His actions could be seen as a favor to the Red Flag Gang, or as a show of force from his own men, hoping to regain some ground. However, Cheng Xi wasn't intimidated. When he expressed his gratitude, he only spoke of the favor, not the advantage they had taken. Such openness made him a bit stronger than an ordinary man.
Cheng Xi smiled slightly and said, "We have to hold a celebration banquet for this great victory. Brother Shen can't refuse this time."
The last time the two gangs attacked Luoling Island together, Shen Feng hadn't stayed for the celebration banquet. All his excuses were just pretexts; to be frank, he was still scheming. But this time, he clapped his hands and laughed heartily: "Such a great victory, I deserve to get drunk!"
Facing an ally of equal strength, it would be unnecessary to put on airs. Shen Feng was a smart man, so he naturally agreed readily.
Neither of them mentioned their achievements, nor did they have any intention of continuing negotiations or even dividing the spoils. These intrigues and conflicts of interest could be put aside. A feast was what was most needed right now.
After the rules were set, Cheng Xi no longer hesitated and immediately ordered people to set up a banquet in the training ground.
Preparing a banquet large enough to feed one or two thousand people is no easy task, especially in such a chaotic time right after a war. The Red Flag Gang's methodical arrangements alone reveal something.
But Shen Feng wasn't concerned about that. At the last banquet, all the attendees were big and small leaders, and Cheng Xi's self-proclaimed identity didn't cause any trouble, which wasn't surprising. Now that it was a banquet with thousands of people, he wanted to see how important this extraordinary woman was in the gang.
Because it was a temporary arrangement, a platform was built in the training ground for the leaders of both sides to set up their tables. Below it were densely packed long tables and benches, and seats were specially arranged for the people from the Qingfeng Gang.
The food was laid out on the table, and once seated, the Green Phoenix Gang members couldn't help but join in the fun, chatting and laughing as they ate and drank. The Red Flag Gang soldiers, on the other hand, placed their hands on their knees, and even with the steaming hot food and wine, they weren't allowed to pick up their chopsticks first. This stark contrast was so striking that even Shen Feng raised an eyebrow.
Cheng Xi, however, ignored the guests' opinions and walked to the edge of the platform, holding a porcelain bowl. He said to the crowd, "Before the battle, I mourned the martyrs and made an oath with you all. If we win, I will get drunk with you when we are rewarded according to our merits!"
Her voice was high, clear, and sharp, as striking as her red dress. Countless people had heard that the gang leader was a woman, but many were seeing her in person for the first time. But so what? The gang leader had personally sworn an oath to them and had led them to defeat the government troops. She was General Qiu's daughter, so she must be extraordinary!
"Now we have defeated the invading enemy with fewer troops. This cup of wine is a toast to you all!" After saying this, Cheng Xi raised his head and drank the bowl of wine clean. He turned the bowl over and not a drop was left.
The soldiers below cheered loudly, some even raised their wine bowls and shouted, "Cheers to the leader too!"
With these smart people taking the lead, the others also reacted, raising their wine bowls above their heads and roaring like thunder: "Cheers to the leader!"
Looking at the group of soldiers guzzling wine, Cheng Xi laughed and said, "Come on, bring up all the reward money!"
Heavy boxes were brought up one after another. When the lids were opened, yellow, white, and colorful satins were revealed, which made people's eyes shine.
Cheng Xi didn't look at the treasures, but said to the people below: "In this battle, you fought bravely and fearlessly, killing thousands of enemies and capturing 72 large and small ships and 130 cannons. This gold and silver is your reward. In addition, many of you will become captains and gunners, and share our glory and wealth with the Red Flag Gang!"
These words were like a tsunami, stirring up a massive wave even within the Red Flag Gang, known for its strict military discipline. What was the point of risking your life in the army? Isn't it just for the money and the position? Everyone's face flushed with excitement, and all their pain and fear seemed to dissipate amidst the cheers. Not only the Red Flag Gang, but even the Green Phoenix Gang were stunned by these bold words, a wave of envy rising in their hearts.
Regardless of the waves of noise below, Cheng Xi picked up the wine jar, filled her own glass, and raised the wine bowl. The cheers suddenly subsided. When she spoke, Cheng Xi smiled and said, "Today, I won't go home until I'm drunk!"
There is no more nonsense, no more solicitation of people's hearts, because people's hearts are gathered together, so why say more?
This heroic spirit and this laughter made everyone laugh. Some raised their glasses, some slammed their hands on the table, and some stood up and shouted, "Don't worry until you're drunk!"
Sitting next to Cheng Xi, Shen Feng's eyes narrowed slightly. The figure in the red dress was like a burning flame, dazzling and yet unable to look away. To her, male or female no longer mattered; she followed the will of the people.
After finishing the opening remarks and toasts in one breath, Cheng Xi returned to his seat and smiled at Shen Feng, "Brother Shen, have you tasted this wine?"
"I haven't tasted it yet. Why is this wine different?" Shen Feng asked with a smile.
"This is the new wine of the Red Flag Gang. Although it is not a fine wine, it has a unique flavor." Cheng Xi personally poured a glass for Shen Feng.
Shen Feng naturally didn't act pretentiously. He tilted his head back and drank it down. Then he raised his eyebrows slightly and said, "Is it sugar wine?"
He was one of the largest sugar merchants in the East China Sea. How could he not know that sugarcane could be used to make wine? It was just that the taste of this stuff was strange and not many people liked it, let alone this strong.
"Brother Shen really knows." Cheng Xi also raised his glass, "Is this wine suitable for the sea?"
She had already built a distillery on shore and started producing alcohol, so naturally she also wanted to start a winemaking business. However, the first thing she brewed wasn't grain wine, but sugarcane wine, the standard "pirate drink," rum. This stuff really didn't require much technical skills, but through distillation, the alcohol content could be easily increased. It was perfect for desperate people to get drunk and have fun, and it was also a business that she and Shen Feng could do together.
The wine in his mouth was sweet, yet also spicy and fiery, a flavor Shen Feng had never tasted before, just like the woman before him. He smiled as well, raising his glass: "Such a refreshing drink, of course it's appropriate. Come on, let's get drunk..."
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