70
"Boss, there is Xiaojin Island ahead. There are five ships and more than three hundred bandits."
"Order Lin Meng to strangle the enemy ship, and you lead your men to attack it."
Following the order, the fleet docked in the evening. There were thunder and cries of killing all night long, and the fleet withdrew in the early morning.
"Boss, we sank one of our five ships, killed one hundred and seventy enemies, and captured sixty-one. We also found two warehouses on the island and more than ten women."
"Two ships will be used to transport the treasure and the prisoners, and the fleet will continue its journey."
…
"Boss, we've arrived at Changlu Island. There are quite a few pirate ships occupying it."
"Surround the big ships and guard against the small ones."
More than a dozen ships were put into battle, longbows were fired at the same time, and arrows rained down.
When the two ships were boarding the plank, the man holding the rattan shield placed the crossbow on the shield and rushed over the plank in a few steps, like a tiger among a flock of sheep, tearing a hole in the plank.
"Boss, we've captured seven pirate ships, both large and small, with incalculable treasures."
"After a day of rest, the ships will be lined up."
…
"Boss, that's Black Dragon Island. There's a group of thieves occupying it. The number of people is unknown, but they have at least ten ships."
"Surround them first."
Seeing the enemy coming to attack, the pirates sent out boats to stop them, but they collapsed at the first blow.
After a while, the chieftain of the island came forward to accept the surrender, offering gold, silver, silk and silk, and expressing his willingness to submit.
…
For seven consecutive days, the fleet moved back and forth, attacking one island after another and capturing one enemy ship after another, with unstoppable force.
Lu Jian became numb from the initial shock.
Was it because the enemy was too weak and not fierce enough? Of course not, he was on the flagship, and there were several times when even the flagship was ready to launch and prepare for battle.
So was it that the Red Flag Gang was too powerful and invincible? Actually, not really. At least every time they attacked an island, Yan Yuan could tell them the general situation on the island. Occasionally, if there was something he couldn't ascertain, he would use his strength to pressure them instead of just going all out.
Not to mention that these islands are not too big, nor are they close to the sea estuary of Panyu, and are not within the sphere of influence of the big ship gang.
This should have been a goal set in advance, but even so, the results were too astonishing.
What's even more terrible is that the soldiers of the Red Flag Gang can maintain their combat effectiveness after fighting for several days in a row, not to mention their fighting style and methods. It doesn't look like a gang fight, but more like government soldiers suppressing bandits.
How can we bring out such a terrifyingly powerful army in just two months?
Also, Lu Jian discovered that he had guessed wrong about one thing.
Yan Yuan was definitely not an ordinary swordsman. He must have led troops before and had quite good abilities.
Such a person is now Cheng Xi's assistant official and obeys his orders.
If they continue to expand like this, will they still be afraid of Lu’s fleet in a month?
Doing this in front of him was nothing more than a display of strength, and he was indeed shocked.
The original chips may not be enough, so we have to increase them again.
On the eighth day, Cheng Xi finally found Lu Jian and said with a smile, "Things are almost done now. I'm sorry for wasting Brother Mingde's time. We will take the grain ship to Panyu tomorrow."
Panyu is not like the sea, but it has garrisons. Even if they want to cause trouble, they cannot bring a large number of warships with them.
Moreover, after this battle, the new recruits need to be trained, the prisoners of war need to be digested, and the occupied territory needs to be further conquered to be consolidated, so the main army naturally cannot stay with them.
Besides, a rescue operation doesn’t require too many people, just an elite team.
However, this statement once again surprised Lu Jian. It seemed that Cheng Xi was not prepared to help when going to Panyu. If he really needed help, he would have to offer tangible benefits.
However, Lu Jian did not find this strange. The purpose of showing strength is to make people bid. How can it be given away for free?
"These past few days have really broadened my horizons. Why delay any longer?" Lu Jian said with a smile. "After drifting on the sea for so many days, it's time to get back to the city and have a good rest."
"Then I'm sorry to bother Brother Mingde." Cheng Xi laughed and ordered Lin Meng to return with the team, while Yan Yuan followed her to Panyu.
As there was no need for an armed parade, all five grain ships lowered their flags, and the crews changed into ordinary clothes, and they slowly sailed into Panyu Port.
The last time Cheng Xi took a private boat, he naturally docked at a private port.
However, this time it was also a private ship, but it was parked openly at the port outside Panyu City. All the procedures had been completed long ago, which could be regarded as a big gift from Lu Jian.
From now on, even if these ships have their identities whitewashed, they will have no problem docking at any port established by the imperial court as long as they pay taxes.
Although the imperial court banned maritime trade, the maritime trade of grain was never interrupted and the taxes collected were extremely low. Large sea merchants liked to use this to conceal their identities.
Of course, no one can tell exactly what was actually shipped in and to whom it was sold.
But with this identity, it is much easier to get in and out.
This time they were transporting grain for the Lu family, so everyone didn't have to worry about the cargo on the boat. They just got on the car and went back home with Lu Jian.
Perhaps he had made preparations long ago, as Lu Jian also bought a mansion in Panyu City. Although it was not as spacious as the one in Hepu, it was also a real mansion.
Cheng Xi and her confidants were placed in a side courtyard with elegant scenery. Lu Jian also thoughtfully sent a few young and beautiful maids.
After nearly ten days on the sea, I am now home. The first thing I need to do is naturally to take a shower and change clothes. But doesn’t that require someone to serve me?
"Just put the bucket down. You don't need to serve here." Yan Yuan said with a cold face as he stood in front of the door.
Although he looks good, he hasn't shaved for several days and looks like he doesn't want anyone to come near him. Isn't he a typical "bad guy"?
The little maid was so frightened that she didn't even dare to say a word. She put down the bucket and moved aside.
Yan Yuan carried the bucket into the house by himself, but did not go inside. He placed the bucket by the door from a distance and coughed dryly: "Boss, the hot water is delivered again. I put it outside..."
Before he could finish his words, Cheng Xi came out with a large towel on her head, wiping herself as she did so. "Didn't I say there was enough water? Wait, did you chase them away?"
Yan Yuan was so frightened that he almost fainted. He turned around quickly and almost bumped his head against the door: "Dong, Dong, how come you are so fast..."
It's right to be quick. How long can a shower take? Cheng Xi snorted in annoyance: "I'm wearing clothes."
He was wearing them, but they weren't very neat! Of course, he was lucky enough to be able to wear a pair of underwear when he just washed them, but could his boss do the same?!
Although he roared in his heart, Yan Yuan did not dare to retort. He muttered softly, "Next time the boss goes out, it would be better to take those two little girls with him."
She went out this time originally for training, and came to Panyu to carry out rescue, so of course it was not convenient for her to bring He Ling and the others with her.
But now is not the time to talk about these things. Cheng Xi put the cloth on her shoulders and said coldly: "Yan Yuan, are you afraid that others won't notice the clues?"
Yan Yuan shuddered and quickly turned around again, still not daring to look up: "I was wrong."
"Open the door and have someone come in to clean up." Cheng Xi glared at him, "You should also clean up quickly and don't delay things."
In this era, it is normal to let maids do the chores in the house. How can you not let them do it and instead let your confidants do it for you?
As for private matters like bathing and changing clothes, it is not surprising that people do it themselves if they are not used to strangers getting close to them.
Rich people have screens everywhere in their homes. Isn't the purpose of screens to block out things? If they are left unused, they will keep people out, which is a bit of a cover-up.
Yan Yuan now understood what Cheng Xi meant and nodded repeatedly.
After the other person turned around and entered the bedroom, he quickly opened the door and let him in to clean.
But this time he didn't dare to watch outside. He asked someone to prepare water in his room, then ran to wash and clean himself, changed into new clothes, and then ran back to look for people.
Cheng Xi was already dressed in new clothes, but her hair was still untied and hung loose behind her.
Her hair was really long and thick, and it was impossible to dry it in a short time. She couldn't cut her hair short and tie it into a bun at the back of her head like the other sailors, so she had to spend some time to take care of it.
However, this disheveled, lazy look made Yan Yuan feel very uncomfortable. It was really like a little girl, giving him the strange illusion that he had accidentally entered the boudoir. What was even stranger was that this was actually the truth, not an illusion!
"Lu Jian arrived in Panyu so early, I'm afraid he has some plans. I need to take some time to visit the Qingfeng Gang's grocery store and ask about the situation there."
This sentence interrupted Yan Yuan's wild thoughts, and he immediately collected his thoughts: "Does the boss suspect that the Qingfeng Gang is involved in this incident?"
"It's hard to say. If he really contacted the Qingfeng Gang, he should come later." Cheng Xi said thoughtfully, "But with what we have seen along the way, if Lu Jian really has any plans, he shouldn't hide them from us."
This is the greatest benefit of an armed parade and a display of strength. If you leave this emerging force unused, you wouldn't be Lu Jian.
Yan Yuan nodded in understanding.
Cheng Xi then ordered, "Send some people to find out what the current situation in Panyu City is. We must make careful arrangements for our affairs."
"Second Young Master actually arrived in Panyu so early!"
In a jewelry store in the east of the city, several close associates of the Lu family looked nervous and indescribably anxious.
The news of the loss of Luoling Island had already been reported back, and they were extremely anxious. However, it was not so easy to retake the island.
Even Lu An was killed, and it was impossible to organize a fleet in a short time. If they wanted to borrow the power of the bandit gang, they had to ask the mistress and the third young master for permission. It took a lot of time to send a letter to Jiangdong back and forth.
As a result, the mistress was furious and said she wanted to kill the evil son born by that bitch.
They also got the news from somewhere that Lu Jian would arrive in Panyu in April and plan to seize the fleet returning from Nanyang, so they were asked to take action as soon as possible.
This order was too tricky. Even if his mother was divorced and left home early, Lu Jian was still the biological son of the head of the family.
If they killed him, who would be able to bear the consequences of the family head's accountability in the future? But if they really left him alone, he would clearly want to cause trouble, and if he really destroyed the ship returning from Nanyang, no one would be able to bear the consequences!
But when the time comes, there is no way to refuse.
The few of them really gritted their teeth and planned to make a big move, preferably when Lu Jian came east by boat.
After all, the Qingfeng Gang is now tied up. Even if Lu Jian cultivates his power, how powerful can it be? With a generous reward, he should be able to solve this problem without anyone noticing.
But who would have thought that he would arrive in Panyu a full month early, bringing with him several grain ships, ready to open a shop. This made assassination much more difficult.
After all, the Lu family has little influence in Panyu City, and it is easy to hire assassins at sea, and they can just hide anywhere after the success.
If you commit a crime in the city and get caught, you will be implicated too.
"We can't send our people over there." A shopkeeper whispered.
Someone immediately echoed, "I don't know how many guards he brought with him. It would be inappropriate for our people to act rashly."
"Then who should we send? The city is under martial law now, so it's not easy to find anyone." The steward sighed.
In half a month, the two bandit chiefs will be escorted to the capital. There is no telling how many officers and soldiers are in the city now. Even if they have powerful means, they may not be willing to take action at this moment.
"Do you want to wait a little longer?"
"He came to Panyu ahead of time, maybe he has some plans. If I don't act in time, what will I do if the mistress blames me?"
This immediately caused silence.
"I should be able to find a few people." Suddenly, an old shopkeeper spoke up.
"Can they be trusted? What are their methods?" someone asked immediately.
"He's very tight-lipped. Even if he fails, he won't implicate us." The old shopkeeper answered firmly.
This immediately caused a flurry of whispers, and finally the chief steward made the decision: "Let's give it a try first. If it doesn't work, we'll send our people in!"
Cheng Xi originally planned to find an opportunity to visit the Qingfeng Gang's grocery store, but before he could leave, Manager Yang came to the door.
"Haha, why did Mr. Lu come so early? I had a hard time... Cheng, why is Gang Leader Cheng here too?" Yang Qing, with a smile on his face, was so scared that his voice became out of tune after he saw clearly who was sitting next to Lu Jian.
Seeing him like this, Cheng Xi smiled slightly: "Why, Chief Yang doesn't want to see me?"
Yang Qing's face turned green, and he quickly lowered his head: "How dare I! I just heard the news from the sea, it was really unexpected."
How could he have expected that the leader of the Red Flag Gang, who had just made a name for himself by showing off his might at sea, would suddenly appear in Panyu.
Damn it, he'd taken so many ships and so many people, shouldn't he be holed up on Luoling Island to digest his achievements? Why did he come to Master Lu instead?
Lu Jian smiled and said, "I came to Panyu with Brother Cheng this time. I really saw a lot along the way."
It seemed that the relationship between the two families was becoming increasingly close. Yang Qing secretly groaned, but could only smile and say, "Boss Cheng is wise. It won't be long before he becomes a powerful figure. I really admire him."
Cheng Xi smiled and said, "It's just an empty reputation. Yangtou came here, but is there something going on with Boss Shen?"
This question was a bit of a step beyond her authority, after all, she was a member of the Red Flag Gang, and the Qingfeng Gang was definitely looking for Lu Jian.
But knowing that this was meant to be a protest, Yang Qing did not dare to retort and could only say dryly, "Yes, there are some things."
After that, he straightened his expression and said to Lu Jian, "Mr. Lu, the leader has been tripped up by some trivial matters recently. I'm afraid I can't fulfill the promise I made to you before."
Lu Jian didn't seem to find it strange, and just nodded slightly: "I understand, it's not Brother Shen's fault."
Turning around, Lu Jian did not forget to explain to Cheng Xi: "Originally, I asked Brother Shen to deal with the Lu family together, but now I'm afraid it won't work."
Then why are you so calm? Have you thought of a backup plan?
Cheng Xi smiled slightly: "Although the Red Flag Gang is not as good as the Green Phoenix Gang, it can still be used. Brother Lu, if you have anything to say, you can talk to me."
Yang Qing almost sighed. It turned out that Boss Cheng had other intentions when he came here.
I don't know if these two are just acting in front of me or they are really in an affair. Anyway, the benefits of the Qingfeng Gang are out of my sight. Oh, how can I explain this to my boss?
Unexpectedly, Lu Jian smiled slightly and said, "I asked Gang Leader Shen to come before because I wanted to harass the grain route from Jiangdong. But there is no rush. There will always be opportunities in the future."
Yang Qing's eyes lit up again. Does this mean that the deadline can be postponed? Indeed, even if the Red Flag Gang is rising rapidly, it hasn't left the South China Sea yet. How could it possibly interfere in the affairs of the Southeast?
Yang Qing made a prompt decision and said, "Our gang leader is the one who keeps his promises. If Mr. Lu doesn't mind, we can discuss this later."
He just refused to pay the debt, and then said that he kept his promise. No one would believe him.
But Lu Jian still nodded with a smile: "Of course, Brother Shen, just go ahead and get busy. Contact me when you're done."
Now Yang Qing felt relieved and didn't dare to stay any longer. He immediately bowed and took his leave.
Without this helper, Cheng Xi looked at Lu Jian with a smile: "Brother Lu, I'm afraid you have other plans? Why, is it inconvenient to tell me?"
Lu Jian shook his head and smiled, "Since I didn't shy away from Manager Yang coming here, why would I hide it from you, my dear brother? But there's still no news on the matter, so I have to wait a couple of days to see what happens."
Is this really a plan? Cheng Xi raised his eyebrows and said, "If I have nothing to do these few days, can I go out for a walk?"
Lu Jian smiled and said, "After all, I am also a half-landlord, so I should accompany you."
It seemed that his plan was still somewhat related to him. Cheng Xi did not refuse and said with a smile: "Then I will have to trouble Brother Mingde."
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