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Transporting several thousand dan of grain would require quite a bit of effort, and many connections would need to be opened up. Naturally, the news reached many people on the way back from Tingzhou.
The Panyu grain merchants headed by the Zhu family were the first to calm down. Then, with Dongning as the center, the powerful people in several nearby counties also gave up the idea of raising prices and honestly sold grain according to the reference price given by the Red Flag Gang. They no longer dared to provoke trouble.
The Long Whale Gang could cut off Hepu's grain supply, preventing the Red Flag Gang from using Lu Jian to purchase grain from Jiaozhi, but so what? There were so many places in the world that produced grain. Even if there was a war, there would still be hundreds of millions of dan of grain circulating in the market.
The Red Flag Gang had ships and soldiers, which meant they could cross the sea at any time to purchase grain from other places, and even strangle other major grain merchants like the Long Whale Gang, preventing them from trading via the most labor-saving sea transport.
In this way, whether the price of grain is high or low is still decided by the Red Flag Gang.
Complete control of the grain supply would also effectively seize the lifeline of the large landowners, who relied on exploiting tenant farmers and smallholders for their livelihoods. Simply scraping food from the soil was no longer as profitable as before, and the Red Flag Gang had also begun collecting grain, offering a relatively fair price for surplus grain from the people. This would effectively eliminate even the ability to lend money and seize land. How could they prosper and leave a legacy for their descendants?
Of course, they can also choose to do business, but unfortunately, the most profitable maritime smuggling still depends on the Red Flag Gang's mood.
This is equivalent to the money supply being controlled by someone, or it is a situation where one cannot go up or down, and cannot get rich but cannot starve to death. It really makes a group of gentlemen extremely distressed.
However, Cheng Xi doesn't care what others think.
When the grain ship returned and Wang Cai came to report, her first question was, "How are the sales of that batch of goods?"
Wang Cai's face was beaming with joy as he said, "We sold them all. Not only did we cover the cost of the grain, but we also made three thousand taels of silver and two hundred taels of gold. Shopkeeper Xiao said that anything made in the West, whether rare or common, could be shipped to Tingzhou and he would buy it all."
Cheng Xi laughed out loud: "It's good that you are willing to admit it. This business should be done for a long time."
All the gold and jewelry from the batch of Southeast Asian goods intercepted earlier were kept in order to create a luxury goods line for the Red Flag Gang.
The profit from this thing is much higher than selling ordinary jewelry, and more importantly, it is a breakthrough in mirror technology.
After the telescope was developed in Liulifang, transparent mirrors were no longer a problem.
Cheng Xi had heard that mirrors were originally coated with mercury. This sentence gave the craftsmen a lot of inspiration. In the end, they adopted a method similar to that of making thermos bottles. They actually mixed mercury and tinfoil together to make a smooth mirror.
Although it is still a bit difficult to produce a large area of bubble-free mirror, as long as the bounty and dividends are sufficient, the initiative of the craftsmen is beyond doubt. It is just a matter of time.
With the help of this kaleidoscope, imitation becomes even easier.
Cheng Xi often traveled abroad on business trips, went shopping, and visited many museums, so he had some understanding of Western aesthetics.
If we remove those designs with mythological and religious themes, what remains is nothing more than a patchwork of elements such as flowers, birds, fruits, and symmetrical geometric patterns. Isn't it easy to create some unobtrusive exotic style?
As for counterfeit luxury goods, they are really profitable, even more so than overseas purchasing agents.
Unfortunately, there was no progress in the development of the clock. She had only disassembled mechanical watches and did not understand the principles of such large mechanical components, so she could only let the craftsmen slowly polish it.
Seeing the gang leader so happy, Wang Cai was even more excited. "We've also negotiated deals for other goods. From now on, when we go there to transport grain, we can just bring herbs, shellac, and other goods as ballast. It's a huge profit both ways! But the gang's inventory is running low. Do we have to ship goods from Panyu in the future?"
In response to this question, Cheng Xi smiled faintly: "How much can we earn by collecting goods? Naturally, we still have to open up ocean routes and re-establish business in Southeast Asia."
Wang Cai was startled and said cautiously, "Although the ocean business is lucrative, with the Changjing Gang around, I'm afraid it might be a little uneasy."
He is in charge of the grain supply and is quite familiar with the affairs of the gang. Now the Changjing Gang is entrenched in Qiongzhou and is eyeing them covetously. If they encounter them in Southeast Asia, won't they lose everything?
Cheng Xi shook his head. "There are several shipping lanes in the South China Sea. Even if the Long Whale Gang is powerful, they can only control one line of the strait. Our fleet can follow the route that the Lu family once took through Ryukyu. We must first open up the route."
During the Age of Discovery, the Strait of Malacca was a key route controlling the sea routes between the East and the West, and was fought over by several countries.
Although she was not sure how far this era had developed and whether the countries she remembered still existed, this battleground still had to be placed in a very important strategic position.
If you want to sail across the ocean, you need all three technologies: shipbuilding, cannon casting, and navigation.
When the hardware cannot be completed immediately, software becomes extremely important. No matter how much it costs, the sea trial must be carried out, and the sooner the better.
Wang Cai understood and was shocked. It seemed that the gang leader’s ambition was not limited to the South China Sea.
Just when he was about to flatter her, Cheng Xi laughed again: "But before we set sail, there is one more thing we need to do."
…
Taoist Le has been very busy recently, hanging out between the construction site and the camp every day. On the one hand, he is keeping an eye on the progress of the temple construction, and on the other hand, he wants to see what attitude the ordinary members of the Red Flag Gang have towards General Qiu and the gang leader.
This sight scared the old Taoist.
He had been to many places in his past and had seen many gangs and rebel armies. They controlled their subordinates through threats and inducements, drinking wine in large bowls and dividing gold with large scales. They had to indulge their subordinates in order to drive them around at will.
However, the Red Flag Gang is different. There are clear rewards and punishments within the gang, several types of military forces, and three gang rules that require killing without mercy. Despite such strict rules, the gang members are calm and obedient, without any of the violent tendencies that are seen in ordinary gangs.
Taoist Le had seen such teams before, their leaders all calling themselves "Tianzun," "Daojun," or "Buddha Mother," relying on gods and ghosts to command their subordinates. It was no wonder that Gang Leader Cheng prioritized building a temple for her late father. As long as the temple was built, even if she didn't say anything, others would worship her as a deity.
And he is the one who fanned the flames.
After understanding his identity, Taoist Le immediately felt relieved. This was much simpler than he had imagined.
However, it seems that Gang Leader Cheng is still a little wary of him. It is probably because that old man Fang Tianxi is too unreliable, so he needs time to observe him.
Facing the scrutiny of this tycoon from the sea, Taoist Le was not really afraid. After all, he was willing to come out of seclusion just to live a good life, and he had no ambitions or evil intentions.
The Red Flag Gang is now in a stable situation and pays generously. All he needs to do is buy some manpower. Why should he follow Fang Tianxi and make trouble?
With a plan in mind, Taoist Le looked forward to the completion of the General Temple. The Red Flag Gang members had really worked hard, and it didn't take long for the temple to be completed. The temple was magnificent with carved beams and painted buildings, and the statues were also made to perfection. The rest was his old tricks.
For Cheng Xi, this General Temple was more than just a family ancestral hall; it was the key to spreading faith within the Red Flag Gang. Its significance was as significant as any major battle. Therefore, communicating with Taoist Le and arranging the matter became a top priority.
Not only her, but all the leaders of the Red Flag Gang, big and small, had to attend the ceremony of the completion of the General Temple. The ceremony of entering the statue into the temple was even more complicated and solemn, and no expense was spared.
Such solemnity caused Yan Yuan, Tian Yu, and other former General Qiu subordinates to feel complicated. The significance of this ceremony was not just a simple sacrifice or deification, but also an outlet for their long-held resentment and grief. If this was so for them, it went without saying for the leader.
No one dared to be careless or rash. After half a month of preparation and arrangement, a grand ritual officially began.
The sound of gongs and drums was deafening, and red silk was everywhere. Under a yellow silk umbrella, a statue of a god wearing a general's robe and with a solemn face sat on an eight-man sedan chair. Yan Yuan, Lin Meng, Sun Erlang, Li Niu and other leaders, both big and small, served as sedan bearers. They carried the statue steadily on their shoulders and walked towards the newly built temple in neat steps.
In front of them all stood the leader of the Red Flag Gang, clad in sackcloth, holding a tablet. This was both a memorial service and a summons to the spirits, a position only she, the orphan of the Qiu family, could fulfill. Smoke curled around her, and firecrackers blared everywhere, making her figure seem even more aloof and cold, possessing a remoteness and holiness untouchable by others.
Tian Yu did not use a wheelchair, but instead used crutches and followed the crowd with difficulty.
The sweat was dripping, making his eyes dizzy.
But the pain in his body couldn't mask the sorrow in his heart. He couldn't walk on his own two feet, so what was the woman walking in front of him stepping on? The road was full of thorns, so how could it be easy to walk...
However, there were too many people on this road, and all eyes were on the statue. No one cared about the thoughts of any particular person.
The long dragon snaked endlessly until it reached the main temple hall. Taoist priests chanted, fire basins were used to dispel the evil spirits, and the names of the gods were called out to offer sacrifices to the heavens. Several leaders carefully carried the sedan chair and placed the statue in the shrine. A veil hung, covering most of the space, making the statue even more solemn and sacred.
Le Laodao is indeed a professional. He set off everything just right, making everyone mesmerized and almost in tears.
After placing the altar properly, Cheng Xi knelt in front of the statue.
The sculpture was so lifelike that it resembled her exactly. However, when she looked up at it, she saw the clay figure with its eyes lowered, with a divine light in them, looking back at the person kneeling in front of it.
She had borrowed Qiu Yuehua's body and the name of General Qiu. If Qiu Sheng were still alive, would he be angry and lament? However, at this moment, she felt no guilt or fear. On the contrary, she remembered many, many faces.
In history books, on TV, and in memories, those figures, whether clear or blurry, she, like every one of her ancestors, went through life and death, all for the sake of "homeland".
These two words carry so much humiliation, so much persistence, so much courageous struggle, and so much fearlessness of death.
And now, in this unfamiliar world, in this time when it is not too late, she can always do something to clear the depression in her heart.
For myself, and for the countless people in front of and behind me...
Bending down, Cheng Xi kowtowed deeply and put his forehead on the cold floor tiles.
Looking at the unexpectedly frail figure kneeling on the ground, tears welled up in Yan Yuan's eyes.
He originally thought that he would never see this scene in his life, never to see the military family having tablets in their ancestral temple and receiving incense and offerings.
However, now, the gang leader has done it, long before the court cleared the military officer's grievances and restored his reputation.
No, with them around, with the Red Flag Gang around, why would anyone need to "vindicate" him? They were carrying on General Qiu's legacy, and as long as they didn't stray, their reputation would be etched in the hearts of millions.
Xu Xianrong was wrong. What the military commander wanted to protect was not just the imperial court.
Like Cheng Xi and everyone around him, he also bent down and knelt devoutly before the statue.
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