279
County Magistrate Cao has been unable to sleep or eat well in recent days. He heard that the leaders of the Red Flag Gang have all arrived in Donglin Town and held a grand ceremony at the General's Temple.
Shouldn’t it be time to reward people based on their merits? Why hasn’t anyone come to the county government to pay a visit yet?
It's not that County Magistrate Cao felt he'd accomplished anything significant, but the county town hadn't been breached by the bandits, and the various workshops, large and small, were safe and sound. He'd even diligently provided relief and comfort to the affected civilians and wealthy families. Even if he hadn't done anything meritorious, he should have been credited for his hard work, right? Could it be that his failure to apprehend the bandits had instead given him leverage? Who could have imagined that the bandits wouldn't attack the Red Flag Gang's main camp, but instead wreak havoc in the county?
Feeling aggrieved and anxious, County Magistrate Cao kept complaining to Advisor Yang for several days. Advisor Yang advised him that the Red Flag Gang had won such a great victory, and they must have a lot of internal affairs to deal with. The county was closely connected with them and would not forget this side.
Only then did County Magistrate Cao reluctantly calm down and wait for a few more days until an invitation was handed to him.
"Please come to the bank for a visit?" Magistrate Cao was somewhat displeased at the unremarkable invitation. Hadn't he always come to the government office to pay his respects before? Why did he disregard his dignity as a county magistrate just because he won a match? However, since he had made his way through officialdom, he still asked cautiously, "Could it be Mr. Tian who is here?"
Tian Yu's official position is higher than his. Now that the Red Flag Gang dominates the South China Sea, it is only natural for them to put on airs. He can still understand it.
Unexpectedly, the messenger smiled and said, "Not only is Mr. Tian here, but the gang leader is here too. Please do me the honor of seeing you."
County Magistrate Cao sat up straight with a smile on his face. "Very good, very good. I will be there on time."
Just kidding, the Red Flag Gang leader invited him, he was so happy, how could he dare to put on airs? Besides, he didn't send someone to commend him, but came in person, so he must think highly of him, so he had to deal with it well.
After rousing himself, County Magistrate Cao changed into casual clothes, took his legal advisor with him, and left the house more than half an hour in advance. When he was almost at the bank, he deliberately lingered for a while, and finally arrived at his destination at a not-too-flattering time.
The person who came out to greet him was only the bank manager, but County Magistrate Cao didn't take it as an offense at all and walked in with a smile. When he saw the woman in the red dress, he couldn't help but shrink a bit and stepped forward quickly: "Your humble servant Cao Jian, greetings to the gang leader."
They had clearly met several times before and discussed many business deals, but the situation had changed. Today, when the Changjing Gang was defeated, County Magistrate Cao did not dare to act arrogantly in front of this big gang leader. He was even more humble than when he was meeting his superiors.
Cheng Xi smiled and said, "Your Excellency is very polite. Please take a seat."
Such a warm attitude, seemingly no different from before, actually made County Magistrate Cao feel relieved, and he carefully sat down on the edge of the chair. Even Mr. Yang didn't even have a seat, but stood respectfully behind him, not forgetting to peek in. Mr. Tian didn't show up. Was this a secret meeting?
"This time the long whale bandits came to attack, thanks to the county magistrate who guarded the county town, the bandits were prevented from succeeding. He has really worked hard and made great contributions." Cheng Xi said directly without being polite.
These words made County Magistrate Cao very happy. He waved his hands repeatedly and said, "No, no, I was just doing my duty. It was the gang leader's proper arrangements that prevented the thieves from succeeding."
This fawning gesture really didn't surprise Cheng Xi. With a slight smile, she changed the subject: "But this time, the shore was finally plagued by banditry. After all, Dongning is the base of the Red Flag Gang. How can we let others run rampant?"
Is this a show of power? Master Yang's heart skipped a beat and he immediately poked his own Dong Weng. County Magistrate Cao also reacted, gave him a careful look, and then said hesitantly, "What the gang leader said is true. I also think that the bandits are disturbing the people and must be severely punished."
As the head of a county, he could still be so flattering and obedient, which made Cheng Xi smile with satisfaction: "Your Excellency is right. Dongning cannot afford to lose anything. We should have more stringent defenses. I plan to train a group of militiamen to cooperate with the Red Flag Army to eliminate bandits and jointly defend the village. This time, the Long Whale Bandits were defeated, and I'm afraid many bandits have escaped to the shore. We must prepare in advance."
This time, even without Master Yang's reminder, County Magistrate Cao understood the implication: a plan to seize military power! Were the Red Flag Gang planning to land in Dongning and expand outward? If the army pressed forward, not only would the nearby county magistrates, but even the garrisons and military camps would be frozen in fear, afraid to move.
His heart was trembling, but County Magistrate Cao still forced a smile and said, "As long as the boss orders, I will do my best!"
No matter what this person wants to do, just obey his orders. The world is so chaotic now, it is safer to follow the Red Flag Gang than the imperial court.
With this statement, everything else was a piece of cake. Master Yang felt sweat dripping down his forehead. Fortunately, this Dong Weng was timid, which had prevented a conflict with the Red Flag Gang. Regardless, the stronger the Red Flag Gang, the safer they would be. This was always the right choice. There was no intention of staying for dinner. After a brief discussion and some praise, the two were escorted out the door.
After resolving this matter, Cheng Xi got up and walked towards the study. When he entered the room, he saw Tian Yu still writing something at the desk.
Hearing the noise, he didn't even raise his head and asked directly, "Did the county magistrate agree?"
What they were discussing today was the placement of troops in the county, so he had no interest in dealing with that idiot and therefore did not go to the front hall.
"He has so much courage, how could he object?" Cheng Xi smiled and sat down beside him. "The next step is your turn."
Tian Yu paused with his brush, then finally raised his head. "Using Minsheng Bank as the backbone and the militia as the flesh and blood, they're gradually encroaching on the nearby counties?"
This description is quite insightful. Cheng Xi smiled and nodded: "Dan Hui is right."
"Then why do we still need to preach?" Tian Yu spoke frankly, expressing his inner doubts. Cheng Xi hadn't even discussed it with anyone else, and had directly come up with the "Gongshan Sect" with Taoist Le. This greatly surprised him, and inevitably made him a little resentful, thinking that Cheng Xi was too hasty. There is no such thing as fairness in the world, and exploitation and bullying are everywhere. Can the Red Flag Gang be the justice of the people? If it is not handled properly, it will only damage its own reputation. Even in the future, when it seizes more territory, these doctrines will become a means for others to criticize it. Not to mention that using General Qiu's name to establish a sect is absurd.
"With Minsheng Bank, we can help the poor and curb the lending and exploitation of the rich. With the militia, we can suppress internal or external rebellions and let the Red Flag Gang take root in the countryside. The school can gradually inject fresh blood into this group, so that I will have people available." Cheng Xi paused, "However, all of this is like duckweed without roots. As long as the chaotic times end and the court begins to take control of the local areas, these outstretched hands and feet will be cut off. If we want to keep our foundation, we can only rely on the trading market and the public charity."
Relying on the trading floor was intended to boost maritime trade and collude with wealthy merchants, while promoting public charity was intended to gain the support of the poor and revere them as if they were gods. While this was true, they were two completely different paths, riddled with contradictions, and could never be reconciled.
After a long silence, Tian Yu said, "I understand your desire to become independent and break free from your cage. But going too far and too fast will only shake your foundation and cause more trouble."
Her ideas were simply too numerous and diverse, seemingly endless. While this could certainly bring significant short-term gains, it could also backfire in the long run. It's like a trading floor: if others were to learn from them, would it undermine the Red Flag Gang's position? Not to mention the potential backlash and backlash from the Gongshan Sect. And having an outsider like Le Laodao in charge was a serious problem.
"I know, but I don't care," Cheng Xi replied. Any social experiment would bring unpredictable results, but this was exactly what she wanted: a testing ground that could stir up a storm. Sticking to the status quo wouldn't break the three-hundred-year cycle of order and chaos. Both the upper and lower classes needed to open their eyes and see beyond the obvious.
And this is the goal that comes above all else, even more important than the Red Flag Gang and the Red Flag Army.
She answered casually, but the weight of her words made Tian Yu's heart sink. This was because he knew that although Cheng Xi looked open-minded and brave, she had a stubbornness and persistence that could not be shaken even by life and death.
Since there's no way to change her mind, all I can do is find out what's missing and fill in the gaps.
With a heavy sigh, Tian Yu said, "The Red Flag Gang has occupied the South China Sea and has become very famous. Recruiting talents will be much easier than before. You must pay attention recently, listen more, observe more, and pick some useful people."
He changed the subject, a little abruptly, but his meaning was clear.
No matter how he wants to develop, he will follow closely and work hard.
Cheng Xi laughed and said, "Thank you, Danhui."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
