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A small boat is floating on the sea. Even if the boatmen are experienced, it is impossible for it to always sail smoothly.
Gradually, some boats fell behind, were submerged by the waves, or accidentally hit the reefs. Some felt hopeless and secretly rowed towards the shore.
Whether you can escape or not is no longer important; the key is whether you can survive.
Forget Panyu, even Luoling Island seemed a distant prospect. When would their small boats finally reach it? Besides the waves, there were also government ships and pirates at sea. No matter which of them they encountered, these fugitives would surely perish. They were already far from Zhu Village, so if they could hide in a Tanka village and make a living fishing would be fine!
Many small boats fell behind, but there were still many people who were rowing forward with all their might.
The boat was filled with plenty of water, so when she was thirsty, she would take a sip from a bamboo tube. With a bit of luck, the hooks hanging from the side of the boat would always catch something, but while other boats had people helping to butcher and cook the fish, Shi Dani could only eat raw fish to avoid rowing too slowly and falling behind.
A distance that a large ship can reach in three to five days would take a small boat seven or eight days. The long-term exposure to the sun made everyone's skin peel off, their hands were covered in blood from rowing, and their eyes gradually became numb and lifeless.
It's too far, too tiring. Should I give up? Is there still time to turn around? Many people were worried, but soon, the sound of drums behind them made them forget their fatigue.
"The soldiers are catching up!"
"Quick! Run faster!"
Some cried, some roared, and some, like Shi Dani, gritted their teeth and paddled hard. But how could a few small boats escape the pursuit of the large ships? Seeing those official ships getting closer and closer, almost everyone went crazy, desperately trying harder, and some even stopped paddling and stayed where they were, waiting to die.
She didn't want to die! She didn't want to die! Shi Dani paddled hard, sweat pouring down her body, and she could barely open her eyes. She had already escaped so far, and she might reach Luoling Island in a day or two. Why should she be caught by the soldiers?
She also wanted to go to the General Temple to pay her respects, and she also wanted to meet the legendary leader of the Red Flag Gang...
"Dongdong, Dongdong, Dongdong..."
The dull sound of drums came from afar, each one seeming to strike at her heart. Shi Dani suddenly raised her head and looked towards the distant horizon. There appeared a few boats, not large, not numerous, but each one flew a flag as red as blood.
Red Flag! It's the Red Flag Gang's ship!
Not only Shi Dani, but all the Zhu people noticed the movement ahead and looked up blankly. Is this boat really from the Red Flag Gang? Why are there so few people? There must be a lot of government troops following behind! If a fight breaks out between the two sides, how can these little grasshoppers caught in the middle dodge?
However, before this group of Pearl people could react, the official ships following behind moved first. As if their tails were on fire, they turned around and fled.
Are they fleeing without a fight? Those are the officers and soldiers from Leizhou. They must have never fought against the Red Flag Gang before. How could they just ignore these refugees and retreat?
From despair to disbelief, and then from disbelief to ecstasy, countless people cheered, tears streaming down their faces, and bowed down in worship to the Red Flag Gang's ships. They had made the right choice; joining the Red Flag Gang was indeed the right decision!
Soon, several boats arrived nearby. Someone asked about their origins and immediately took all the people on board. The small boats were attached to the back of the big boat and sailed back.
After rowing the sea for days, starving and sleepless, these Pearl people boarded the ship and cared nothing more. They ate and drank, then fell asleep, unconcerned with the strict supervision of the crew. No one scolded or forced them to jump into the sea, so what did a few days of confinement matter? After two days of drowsy and relaxing stays on the ship, they arrived at Luoling Island and were driven off the ship and taken to the camp.
The captive pearl-hunters had never seen such a majestic and solemn military camp before. Their initial excitement subsided, giving way to panic. This was a powerful maritime tycoon who could deter the government troops. He must have killed countless people and dominated the region. Could the rumors they had heard be true? What if the Red Flag Gang also wanted pearls and wanted them to continue fishing for them? With so few people left, wouldn't they be like sheep in the tiger's mouth, vulnerable to slaughter?
Countless people were trembling with fear, sweat dripping down their backs, but Shi Dani stared wide-eyed, carefully examining everything in the camp. This place was different from what she had expected. How could the streets and houses be so clean and tidy? Were all of them soldiers? Then why were there women?
"Boss, everyone is here."
With the announcement, Shi Dani came back to her senses. The people in front of her had already knelt, so she quickly knelt beside them. She peeked over and saw a woman in a red dress sitting at the main seat. She looked a bit intimidating, so she didn't dare to look closely. Shi Dani quickly lowered her head again.
Facing this group of trembling Pearl people, Cheng Xi was honestly a little surprised. In the past two months, she and Taoist Le had begun to vigorously promote the name of General Zhenhai, and they had also tied the Red Flag Gang and the new Sea God together. In addition to stabilizing people's hearts, they also intended to incite the suffering masses to join them.
After all, there were a considerable number of slaves and laborers along the coast, such as salt farmers in the saltworks, the Tanka people in the Tanka villages, and those who had lost their land. Freeing them from slavery would not only increase the labor force, but also provide a good excuse for "upholding justice," expanding territory and even forcing the feudal lords to reduce oppression and exploitation, lest they come knocking on their doorsteps.
Unexpectedly, before the rebellious salt farmers arrived, a group of pearl farmers arrived first. This was somewhat unexpected. You know, most of the pearl fields are located near the Leizhou Peninsula, which is the territory of the Long Whale Gang. If they cross the border, it will cause chaos. Moreover, the distance is too far, and there is no guarantee that many pearl farmers will respond. It seems that this group of people may have a harder time than the others.
Without hesitation, Cheng Xi said, "Everyone, get up! Since you've come to the Red Flag Gang, this is a place where you can stay. What do you plan to do for a living?"
Unexpectedly, the female gang leader was so easy to talk to. A group of Zhu people stood up hesitantly, and one of them said bravely, "We are all good at swimming and fishing."
"Yes, yes, I can also find fish nests and catch scallops." Someone immediately joined in.
The others seemed to want to say something but couldn't quite bring themselves to say it. It seemed that apart from their main job, they didn't have many skills to show off, and they really didn't want to go into the sea to collect pearls again.
Cheng Xi pondered for a moment and said, "I've heard of a method for cultivating pearl oysters. If you're willing to return to your old ways, I can teach you this method."
This statement made many people frown. Could pearl oysters actually be cultivated? That was too far-fetched. A few others grew wary. Was he trying to force them to go to sea again? Beyond Leizhou and Hepu, there were no other places producing pearls! Furthermore, the waters near the islands were deep, impossible to reach the bottom. Going to sea would be a dead end.
Seeing their expressions, Cheng Xi smiled. "Actually, the method of cultivating pearls in freshwater has been practiced for many years. It's not a new method. It's just that saltwater pearl oysters are difficult to catch and cultivate, so no one has tried it. You have been pearl diggers for generations, and you may be the people in the world who are most familiar with deep-sea pearl oysters. Now that you have fought hard to escape, why not try a new way? As long as these saltwater pearls can be cultivated, I can give you 30% of the profits."
A 30% profit is a staggering figure, yet none of the people in the group reacted. Cheng Xi suddenly understood and sighed, "Sea pearls are expensive these days. A round, smooth pearl the size of a soybean costs 20 taels of silver. If I could raise shellfish and extract pearls, even a 30% profit would be enough to make me a fortune."
The group of pearl collectors stared blankly at the woman at the top. After a while, someone suddenly burst into tears, "The pearls I collected are so valuable!"
This howl caused everyone to burst into tears. These pearl farmers risked their lives at sea daily, all for a good meal. Handing in handfuls of pearls wasn't enough to cover the village's taxes, and they were brutally beaten by officials and soldiers, who told them they were useless and better off being thrown into the sea to feed the sharks.
Who could have imagined that pearls were so valuable? Why couldn't the pearls they collected be exchanged for money, food, and clothing?
The courtyard erupted in tears, drawing pity from the guards nearby. Only those who had experienced hardship could understand how rare it was to find a leader like the gang leader. She never treated those suffering as mere cattle or livestock, but rather as people like herself. It was like the blazing sun, capable of melting away all the gloom and coldness within. How could this not sway one's heart and lead them to follow her wholeheartedly?
Cheng Xi did not speak. She waited until the crying stopped before she continued, "Pearl farming is very unusual. I don't know how long it will take to succeed. I can be responsible for the food, clothing and expenses of the pearl farmers, but there is no salary. Those who don't raise pearls can fish, farm, or find other jobs in the gang. However, until qualified pearl oysters are raised, no one can leave the Red Flag Gang, and no one is allowed to leak the method. If anyone can't keep a lid on his mouth, I will not forgive him."
This sounded harsh, but it was actually much better than the days of hunger before. Everyone knelt down again, and someone shouted, "I am willing to raise pearls for the leader!"
Many people also made the same shout, but Cheng Xi's gaze shifted slightly and fell on the little girl who was still standing there and did not kneel down.
Shi Dani's head was buzzing. She heard what the woman said and saw the villagers crawling on the ground, but she didn't want to collect pearls!
"Dani!" A woman next to her noticed that she had not yet kneeled down, and hurriedly pulled her arm.
This brought Shi Dani back to her senses. She suddenly took a step forward and shouted, "Boss, can I learn martial arts like you?"
She had seen other women in the camp, let alone the leader of the Red Flag Gang. She wasn't much older than her, not as tall and strong, yet she was able to lead such a large gang and defeat such powerful enemies. If practicing martial arts could make one stronger, she would want to practice martial arts too, and join the army!
Many Zhu people were so frightened that they wanted to stop this crazy girl, but Cheng Xi reached out and stopped them. Looking at the little girl who was black all over, thin and haggard, but with fire in her eyes, she smiled and asked, "What can you do?"
"I can dive and hold my breath longer than anyone else in the village! I can also row a boat and spear fish. I'm very strong and not afraid of getting tired!" Shi Dani wanted to jump into the water immediately and swim two laps to show her strength.
Unexpectedly, the woman in the red dress just smiled and nodded approvingly: "In that case, you can train with the female soldiers first. When you are qualified, you can join the personal guards."
Shi Dani didn't quite understand what "personal soldiers" meant, but she understood the meaning behind the other person's words. At that moment, her heart seemed to explode, and she laughed for the first time since her parents, brother and sister-in-law left.
She no longer wanted to be forced to go to sea, nor did she want to tremble in fear before the official ship. She wanted to be like that man, sitting openly before others, commanding respect without raising her voice. She also wanted to sail a ship flying a red flag, so that all enemies would flee at the sight of her.
With a "thump", Shi Dani knelt on the ground and hit her head hard.
No matter what those "personal soldiers" are, she can do it, and do it better than anyone else!
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