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Panyu was in a state of chaos at the moment.
Neither of the two bandit armies reached the shore, but the seven or eight garrisons near the estuary were all destroyed. Less than 30% of the army escaped back, and the loss of ships was even more appalling.
Such a great defeat almost wiped out all the military forces in Panyu. If the enemy comes again, how can we defend it?
This was not just a matter in Yuezhou, even the Front Army Governor's Office was greatly shocked.
As the commander-in-chief of this battle, Wang Ling could not escape and was immediately detained, awaiting trial. However, how to report this battle to the court became the biggest headache for all the officials.
If the truth had been reported, such a devastating defeat would have been enough to purge the entire Dusi and even the Dudufu, with countless people losing their posts. But if the report was concealed, the loss of ships and soldiers might have been concealed, but how could the loss of generals and officers be concealed? Forget centurions and thousand-man households; even high-ranking officials like guerrilla generals, lieutenant generals, and guard commanders had been lost. There was truly no way to cover it up.
And they desperately tried to cover up the loophole, leaving Panyu wide open. Should they request the imperial court to dispatch troops? What if the enemy really attacked and broke through Panyu City? What about the matter of General Qiu's daughter?
This pile of problems has the entire army racking their brains, and they're desperate to eat Wang Ling alive. It's fine for you to want to claim credit, but you have to earn it first, right? Now that everything is in tatters and there's no way to clean it up, it's just causing trouble for others!
Just when everyone was in a state of panic, a letter was delivered to Doumen Camp.
"The Red Bandits want to use the generals as hostages and demand a ransom?" Although the letter was sent to Doumen, many people still heard the news firsthand. This bandit is so bold that he actually asked the court for a ransom! 100,000 taels of silver, he can even ask for it!
However, after a burst of fury, someone whispered, "It's not impossible. As long as we can get those generals back, we can cover up the situation. Besides, while 100,000 taels is a large sum, it's far cheaper than sending troops to attack the Red Flag Gang. If they want money instead of troops, are they also trying to back down?"
This statement, though perhaps flattering, still caused many to ponder. Only after a battle could one know the enemy's strength. With the imperial court deploying troops everywhere, they were able to "stabilize" a major gang, preventing them from resorting to war and attacking prefectures and counties. Even if they had no merit, they should have at least contributed some hard work, right? The ransom, however, was a difficult matter to handle; they couldn't just let the imperial court approve the allocation...
Finally, the person in charge said, "Take this letter to Wang Ling and see what he has to say."
This sounded strange, but others understood it immediately. Wang Ling had truly gotten into trouble this time. No matter how much he tried to smooth things over, no one would likely plead for him or take responsibility. In this situation, he had no choice but to save himself. Paying a hundred thousand taels to buy his life was a good deal. If he could truly redeem those generals and find someone to help him, retaining his position wouldn't be easy, but retiring home would be possible.
And if Wang Ling stepped forward to resolve the matter, wouldn't it save face for the others?
Their calculations were spot on. When General Wang Ling heard the news, he immediately sent people to raise money without saying a word. After being the commander of the Dusi for so many years, he could still come up with this little money.
Even if Wang Ling took the blame, he couldn't agree to this outright. Finally, a deputy commander who was friendly with Wang Ling stepped forward and called the Red Flag Gang's messenger over.
"You attacked the imperial army, looted ships, and killed countless people. Now you want the imperial court to pay you. How can it be so easy?!"
The deputy commander showed off his authority and started with this. The Red Flag Gang's messenger didn't argue, but simply said, "Your Excellency doesn't want to pay? Fine, I'll go back and report..."
Wait, this guy isn't an envoy, but a messenger? The commanding officer quickly reassured him, "That being said, the Red Flag Gang was founded by Qiu Sheng's daughter. We pity her suffering and wish to give her a safe place. This money can only be considered a reward from the court. And not only the generals, but all the soldiers must be released as well."
The messenger immediately said, "I can't make the decision on this matter. I have to go back and report to the leader."
As expected, he was just a messenger. The commander was even more worried, fearing that he would misunderstand his meaning and cause trouble. He softened his expression and said gently, "Miss Qiu said at the beginning that General Wang could not represent the court in seeking amnesty. This shows that she still admires the court and does not want to ruin the Qiu family's reputation. In this case, we should also advise the court to exonerate General Qiu and restore Miss Qiu's innocence. You should pass on the message truthfully. As long as those soldiers are released, everything can be discussed. Oh, by the way, here is a letter. Please be sure to give it to Miss Qiu."
He had painstakingly written this letter. He wanted to avoid tarnishing the prestige of the imperial court, and at the same time, he wanted it to be obscure and difficult to understand, so as not to cause misunderstandings among the illiterate women and soldiers. It really took a lot of effort.
When the letter reached Cheng Xi, she laughed: "It seems that these court officials really want to negotiate peace with us."
The letter not only reaffirmed the relationship between the Red Flag Gang and General Qiu, but also earnestly emphasized that this was a regrettable, avoidable conflict, and hoped that both sides would remain calm and restrained, refrain from further conflict, and work together to build a harmonious and beautiful new environment. Of course, stripping away the diplomatic rhetoric, the letter simply screamed, "Don't fight, good man! We can talk things over!"
After taking the letter and reading it, Tian Yu's mouth twitched: "It seems that as long as the court doesn't order the troops to be sent out, no one will care if we open a shop in Panyu."
This is the effect he wanted. Cheng Xi smiled slightly and said, "Anyway, we don't plan to keep so many soldiers. Since you are willing to make concessions, let's send them off generously."
…
Early in the morning, the captives on Wuyuan Island rose as usual and gathered in the parade grounds. However, today, no one had arranged for food. Instead, the high platform where stories were often told was covered with flags and drums were played nearby.
They were all soldiers, so they were all too familiar with this scene. Wasn't it the same arrangement as during a military review? However, before they could ask for clarification, a sudden drumbeat boomed, and the captives stood up almost reflexively, their eyes fixed on the platform. They saw a figure step forward and stand before them.
The woman was wearing a strange red dress, and she looked too young. But at that moment, everyone fell silent. Ten days of lectures had allowed them to guess her identity. This must be General Qiu's daughter, the leader of the Red Flag Gang!
The drums stopped abruptly, and in the silence, the woman on the stage spoke: "I am the leader of the Red Flag Gang. My father was a great warrior, but was unjustly killed by a tyrant. Now the imperial court has sent troops to attack us, killing my gang members and destroying my ships. This feud is irreconcilable."
Her voice was high and sharp, with a murderous aura uncommon to an ordinary woman. When the words "irreconcilable" came out, many captives panicked. They were the ones fighting with the Red Flag Gang, and had been caught red-handed. Was this the time to confront them and bring them to justice?
However, unexpectedly, the woman continued, "But this hatred and resentment should be attributed to those incompetent emperors and treacherous ministers, and to those who wanted to use the Red Banner Gang to establish their authority and gain merit. You are just trying to make a living, and you have no hatred or resentment towards me."
The crowd below couldn't help but stir, especially those who had heard so much about General Qiu's deeds these days, and they couldn't help but feel guilty. Really, what grudge could they have against Miss Qiu? The Red Flag Gang had never robbed the people, and she was just trying to redress her father's injustice. What did it have to do with them?
Just as this thought came to mind, the woman spoke again: "So this time I can let you go."
With a bang, the arena exploded, and many people cried out. The woman on the stage raised her voice and shouted, "If you dare to offend the Red Flag Gang again, you will be killed without mercy!"
This sentence truly revealed murderous intent, and it silenced the shouting voices. Many people began to secretly swallow their saliva. They had experienced the power of the Red Flag Gang before. If the imperial court launched another attack, would they obey orders or not?
The next moment, the woman's voice softened, "Of course, you can choose to stay and join the Red Flag Gang, so you won't have to suffer oppression and humiliation anymore."
No one spoke. Everyone was stunned by these two diametrically opposed choices, feeling conflicted and anxious. What was there to cherish about being a soldier? Actually, not really. It was all about risking one's life, and being burdened by those mediocre officers. But joining the Red Flag Gang wasn't so simple. They were bandits, after all. If the imperial court refused to let them go, wouldn't that be even more dangerous?
The woman on the stage didn't care about their choice and just waved her hand: "After dinner, it's your choice whether to leave or stay."
Without any nonsense, she turned around and walked down the platform, and disappeared in a moment.
The familiar cooks stood at the counter again, carrying large buckets, cursing and distributing porridge. It was still hot porridge with salted fish, the same bowlful size, but even the hungriest of the hungry felt their appetites waned. Could they really leave? Would they be released without a care? Or was this all a trap, meant to keep them all?
Suddenly, a man stood up and said, "I want to stay! I want to follow General Qiu!"
General Qiu had passed away long ago, but everyone could understand what he said. He wanted to stay because this fleet was built by Miss Qiu and was General Qiu's only remaining legacy. Why couldn't he leave it behind?!
This roar actually caused many people to stand up and walk towards the nearby guards. However, many more people just drank their porridge silently, lost in thought, hesitant, looking ahead and behind. In less than half an hour, the meal was finished, and at the distant dock, a large ship could be vaguely seen.
They were really here to pick them up! Some were ecstatic, while others were even more hesitant. When the guards began to herd them onto the boat, the group realized that no one was tying them up anymore. Even though they were still empty-handed, with so many people aboard, how could they possibly seize the ship if a commotion broke out? Miss Qiu hadn't lied; she truly wanted to let them go!
Yet, the more they thought about it, the more they hesitated. What would a defeated army find in returning home? They had all gone on stage, crying and shouting about their grievances. Were they really going to return to that damned place and continue to be bullied?
More and more people boarded the ship, and more and more people stopped. As if separated by a sharp blade, all the captives were divided into two distinct groups. Although there were only a few left, there were still thousands of them.
It only took half an hour for all the ships to be loaded with captives and sailed towards Panyu. The remaining ones were brought to the stage again.
It was still that fiery figure, and still that clear voice: "Since you have chosen to stay, you are members of my Red Flag Gang. However, in the previous battle, you also killed many gang members and destroyed many ships. Even if it was unintentional, you must atone for your sins on Wuyuan Island and do hard labor for a period of time. After compensation, you will still have to do a lot of work. You must relearn martial arts and practice formations. Those who want to go on board can serve as soldiers. If you don't want to fight, you can also find a job in the gang, or even work on land. If you have families, just tell me, I will find a way to bring them over. The gang has its rules, and everyone must obey my orders. But if you stay, you will be brothers who will advance and retreat together. Are you willing to obey my orders?"
If there were no punishment or conditions, they might still be a little skeptical in their hearts, but now, everyone believes it, and all the doubts in their hearts have dissipated.
They can admit to those crimes and do those jobs. As long as Miss Qiu is as fair as she says, there is nothing they can't do.
Not to mention that she also agreed to bring their relatives back. Now that even the last bit of concern is gone, what else is there to worry about?
Some people knelt down, one by one, in rows and rows, and everyone prostrated themselves before the person on the stage. The fiery red dress was like a flame, deeply engraved in their eyes.
…
Although he had expressed his grievances in front of others and cried uncontrollably, when the choice was presented, Zhang Gouer got on the boat without hesitation.
It's not because he likes being a soldier, but because he only knows how to be a soldier. Compared to the Red Flag Gang, he would rather return to the shore and return to the garrison he is familiar with.
Although the boat was large, the hundreds of people crammed onto the deck and cabins were still incredibly stuffy. Furthermore, after the hot porridge, they hadn't been given any more food, only a few buckets of water. Consequently, after a day and night of sailing, when everyone reached shore, they were starving and utterly exhausted.
However, when they saw Doumen’s camp, many people burst into tears, and even Zhang Gouer felt a little happy.
Unfortunately, this joy only lasted until the moment we got off the boat and landed.
Seeing these people, the soldiers rushed out like tigers and wolves, tied them all up, and pushed them into the camp.
There was no hot water or food, no comfort or counseling, only cold, defensive gazes. It was as if they were not from the main camp, but a group of bandits.
Who could bear this? But now that I'm back, what else can I do?
After being hungry for most of the day, generals came one after another, picked out the soldiers they knew, and confirmed their identities.
After that, everyone returned to their teams and food was distributed.
They were all hard dry rice with a familiar musty smell. I didn't know which year it was left over from. As long as it could fill their stomachs, no one would complain.
But when Zhang Gou'er stuffed the brown rice into his mouth, he couldn't help but think of those bowls of hot porridge. It wasn't filling, but it made his stomach feel comfortable and his heart feel at ease. He had clearly returned to the army, so how could he be worse than a prisoner?
After that, there was another series of interrogations, and generals came to tell them that they should not talk about being captured and should not mention the previous battles again.
If he didn't want to talk about it, then he wouldn't be guilty of anything. Zhang Gou'er was a little happy at first, but after a few days, he couldn't laugh anymore.
"Have you heard? Another guy next door was dragged out and beaten!"
"What's going on? Are you slandering your superiors again?"
"That's right! I heard that he cursed his own captain in front of a group of people at the Red Flag Gang. Sigh, how could he be so stupid?"
"Shh, stop talking. It seems someone over there was arrested too..."
Although they were just whispers, they made Zhang Gouer feel cold and trembling all over.
He didn't say anything bad about Shangguan, he just said that a rich businessman beat him.
It’s such a small matter that maybe no one else remembers it, so who would take it to heart?
But at this moment, a thought kept echoing in my mind.
Why didn't I stay? Why didn't I stay on Wuyuan Island, or stay with the Red Flag Gang...
And Zhang Gou'er was not the only one who had such thoughts.
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