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After asking so many questions and even asking about grain, Shen Feng's temperament suggested he was probably trying to negotiate terms. Unexpectedly, he simply said, "Of course they deserve to be killed. I already disliked them back then, not to mention I promised you that our two families would fight the enemy together."
Dealing with the Changjing Gang together was one of the conditions for Cheng Xi to send troops to support the Qingfeng Gang. But now he said it so righteously and heroically that it really made people wonder how to respond.
Cheng Xi laughed: "It's best if Brother Shen thinks so. I was worried that you wouldn't admit it."
Shen Feng sighed deliberately: "Look at what you said, am I the kind of person who doesn't keep his word? It's just that Ning Fu is too vicious, so I advise you to be more cautious and arrange some escape routes. If Lu Er is unreliable, you can come to me to buy food. I have no shortage of connections here."
Although the Qingfeng Gang originated in Fujian and operated in the sugar industry, their sphere of influence had long since expanded to the East China Sea, so obtaining food was not difficult. However, Cheng Xi would not even trust Lu Jian completely, so how could he hand over his lifeblood to Shen Feng? He complained in his heart, but Cheng Xi smiled and said, "I take this seriously. If we are short of food, I will definitely come to bother you."
Shen Feng waved his hand generously: "Why bother being polite with me? As for those ships, you can keep them. I have also robbed some official ships before, which are enough for you."
In order to get Qingfeng's help, Cheng Xi had given up a lot of benefits. Not only did they own all the loot on the shore, but she also promised to share half of the ships. That's why she had lowered the amount at the celebration banquet. Now Shen Feng didn't want these ships anymore, which was really surprising.
Cheng Xi raised an eyebrow: "Why, Brother Shen thinks I will default on my debt?"
Shen Feng laughed heartily: "You are too honest. I took no risks this time and spared so much military funds for nothing. How can I take advantage of you again? Others think that we, as gang leaders, can call the wind and rain and do everything, but who knows how many difficulties we face behind the scenes in running such a large gang."
His tone remained neither too formal nor condescending, nor offering "sympathy." Instead, it had a certain sincerity and openness to it. After all, he had risen from the bottom of society and had even been adopted as someone's "adopted son." His hardships were no less than others'.
Cheng Xi smiled slightly: "Since Brother Shen has said so, then I will not be hypocritical. The Red Flag Gang is in a state of disrepair and is indeed short of ships."
After two big battles in a row, the Red Flag Gang lost countless ships. Shen Feng's move was really like a timely help, so how could she refuse?
"That's right. If the Changjing Gang attacks us in the future, I'm counting on you to hold them off first." Seeing her so straightforward, Shen Feng started joking.
Cheng Xi sighed, "I don't know what Ning Fu is planning, but since they can even monopolize the pepper trade, the Changjing Gang is probably even stronger than before. If they start fighting, it will be a fight to the death."
The intensity of the clashes between the maritime tycoons far surpassed the imperial court's crackdowns on bandits. After all, the imperial court dispatched troops merely to drive out the pirates harassing the shore, not to annihilate them completely. The pirates' clashes, on the other hand, were all about territorial sovereignty, a fight to the death. Even Ning Fu, alone, could cause such trouble, the threat posed by the Long Whale Gang was self-evident.
This sigh was somewhat sincere, but also somewhat pretentious, because Shen Feng was right. The first gang to deal with the Long Whale Gang would be the Red Flag Gang. If Shen Feng chose to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, or even join forces with the Long Whale Gang, then all would be lost.
Shen Feng obviously understood what she was saying and smiled, "I understand the principle of lips and teeth being cold, and I won't go back on my word. Besides, it's better to be your neighbor than to confront that venomous snake Ning Fu."
Without waiting for Cheng Xi to answer, he stood up leisurely and said, "I've heard that the Red Flag Gang's clinic is special. Gang Leader Cheng, could you take me to have a look?"
This was the first time he called me "Boss Cheng" since they met today. Cheng Xi also stood up: "Brother Shen wants to see it, how can I not agree?"
Visiting a military camp may involve some taboos, but visiting a hospital is harmless. Since they are so generous, we should show our hospitality as a good host.
Shen Feng winked at her and said, "Then Gang Leader Cheng, don't you want to change your clothes?"
Looking at the red dress on Shen Feng, Cheng Xi chuckled with a forced smile: "No need to bother."
Shen Feng laughed and walked out the door first. Cheng Xi shook his head and followed.
The hospital wasn't far from where they lived, so neither of them brought any guards with them and walked straight in. The war had just ended, and the hospital was packed with wounded. While it wasn't as chaotic as during the emergency, it was still quite busy.
The arrival of the two attracted a lot of attention. No matter whether they were injured soldiers or nurses, they were all stunned when they saw them, and many of them blushed. It was really because Cheng Xi rarely dressed like this in front of outsiders, and Shen Feng was too eye-catching.
"Boss, why are you here?" Lin Mo heard the news and rushed out to greet him. At a glance, she saw the man standing next to Cheng Xi. Wasn't this the leader of the Qingfeng Gang? She was immediately alert and quickly protected Cheng Xi. Others had forgotten, but she hadn't forgotten that this man had caused the boss to be injured!
Shen Feng didn't pay any attention to the little girl's nervous look. Instead, she looked around with interest: "This hospital is quite expensive, right? Are all the patients being cared for by women?"
This courtyard looks quite large, with many houses, all of which are clean and bright. However, it takes a lot of effort to wash the white cloths hung on the bamboo poles, not to mention the smell of medicine wafting through the garden. It is obvious how much manpower and resources are needed to manage such a place.
Cheng Xi nodded: "It's expensive. Most of the nurses here are women. But the war just ended, and many soldiers came to help."
The soldiers she was talking about were actually the medical staff assigned to the ship. They were responsible for first aid on the ship during wartime, and helped the nurses take care of the wounded after the war. This is now a common practice.
Shen Feng exclaimed in amazement: "This is really a big deal, aren't those women afraid?"
Cheng Xi didn't answer, so Lin Mo didn't agree: "What are you afraid of? A woman kills chickens and fish, who can't stand the sight of blood?"
Shen Feng never expected that a little girl would dare to speak to him like that, but he didn't get angry. He smiled and said, "That's right. With your leader here, it's not surprising for the women of the Red Flag Gang to do anything."
It was an obvious compliment, but Lin Mo didn't buy it. Instead, he became even more alert. "If someone shows kindness without any reason, they're either a traitor or a thief." It seemed Chief Yan was right. Chen had bad intentions!
"Why, Brother Shen is also interested in this hospital?" Cheng Xi saw that the little girl was about to get angry, so he changed the subject.
Shen Feng looked at the yard again and shook his head, saying, "It's too difficult to set up. Besides, the Qingfeng Gang has different rules from you. We can't use women like this."
The Qingfeng Gang was a typical pirate gang, and they would never hire a bunch of women as nurses. Only a legitimate gang like the Red Flag Gang, led by women and strictly prohibiting rape and looting, would do so. Having said that, he was still quite surprised to see those women busying around, occasionally stealing glances at him.
Treating the wounded sounds simple, but in reality, it's incredibly gruesome. Those seriously injured are left with their skin torn and screaming in agony, desperate for a quick death. Of course, within the Qingfeng Gang, most would simply end their lives, a farewell for their brothers. But the Red Flag Gang is different. Not only do they treat the wounded, they even dare to let women care for them. Imagine rescuing someone from the battlefield, even if they haven't married yet, knowing they have a woman dedicated to caring for them—what a comfort that is for the injured!
And there was no cowardice or grievance in the eyes of those women. No matter how hard or tiring the work was, they did it in an orderly manner and even had time to sneak a peek at him as a visitor. Such spirit and energy was truly amazing.
As the saying goes, a glimpse of the whole picture reveals a small part. While this hospital costs a lot of money, it's incredibly useful for winning people over. It's no wonder the Red Flag Gang is so obedient and compliant to a single woman. She can be both a strict father and a loving mother, and she's also a generous and helpful customer. How could these people not be so devoted and devoted to her?
However, Shen Feng would not express these feelings out loud, but only sighed: "If there were more people like you in Fujian, drowning girls would not become such a common practice."
This sentence was beyond Cheng Xi's expectations. She frowned and asked, "Is the atmosphere in Fujian really so bad?"
Shen Feng sneered, "With the tax on males so high, boys can go out to sea early to make a living, but what can we do with girls? We'll have to pay for their dowry in the future, so it's better to drown them and save trouble."
If someone else said this, it might seem too heartless, but in Shen Feng's mouth, it was extremely sarcastic, and I'm afraid she could also empathize with it. After all, the practice of contracting in Fujian was a common practice, and it was also one of the consequences of drowning women.
Facing Shen Feng's rare seriousness, Cheng Xi was silent for a moment, and suddenly said: "If I want to go there to buy some girls, can Brother Shen help to make some connections?"
Shen Feng really didn't expect Cheng Xi to say that. She turned around in surprise, looked at her seriously for a moment, and then laughed: "How could I not help such a kind deed? Even though I'm doing a bloody business, I still understand the word 'chivalry'."
The smile was extremely bright, without any frivolity, but with a bit of heroism. Even Lin Mo, who had always disliked him, softened his expression a little and showed a bit of admiration.
Suddenly, Cheng Xi understood why Shen Feng, who was so cunning, had a bad reputation, and was a bit opportunistic and ruthless, could still have a group of loyal subordinates and friends all over the world.
Unlike Lu Jian, Shen Feng's connections weren't based on smooth, slick communication, but rather on a near-instinct. As long as he was genuinely interested, he could detect your preferences and, unintentionally, reveal something you appreciated, drawing the two closer. Furthermore, he truly had no prejudices against class or gender. When he tried to get close to someone, he was incredibly brazen and pervasive, yet possessed a perfect sense of propriety, preventing anyone from feeling resentful.
How could he be a simple person if he could rise from being penniless to become the owner of the largest shipping gang in the East China Sea?
And she doesn't hate such "friends".
Cheng Xi also smiled: "Then thank you, Brother Shen."
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