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"Ayuan, this is Sun Erlang. He has been guarding the main camp before, and now he has been transferred to the island to serve. All construction matters are under his charge. Erlang, this is Yan Yuan. He has led troops before and knows my identity. He is a trustworthy person." Since Yan Yuan is back, Cheng Xi will naturally introduce him to Sun Erlang. These two people will basically be in charge of internal and external affairs in the future. They will definitely have frequent contacts and cannot be too unfamiliar with each other.
The phrase "knows her identity" immediately alerted Yan Yuan. A young lady would certainly not reveal her background to others, so what was he saying was that Sun Erlang knew she was a woman? Could this seemingly ordinary man actually be such a confidant?
Yan Yuan muttered to himself, and Sun Erlang was also looking carefully at the man in front of him.
He should not have been born by the sea. He was too tall and had a strong build. He looked very heroic, but he did not have the ruffian air of an ordinary swordsman. Instead, he had a hint of hidden sharpness.
Now, after hearing what the gang leader said, Sun Erlang suddenly understood the reason for the other party's strange temperament.
Was this an old acquaintance, a trusted confidant of the family commander, or perhaps... a childhood playmate? Sun Erlang pursed his lips and nodded, "Captain Yan, I've long admired you."
Yan Yuan also retracted his inquiring gaze and said with a smile, "I'm new here, so please take care of me, Brother Sun."
There was nothing wrong with Yan Yuan's performance, but Sun Erlang was a little distant. However, Cheng Xi didn't care much. It always takes time for newcomers to integrate into the team.
If she intervened forcefully, it would only exacerbate the conflict, so Yan Yuan had to figure it out himself.
However, since he comes from the military, he must have some means of building relationships and getting close to people. If he can't even do this, how can he lead the troops?
Cheng Xi had no intention of letting them chatter any longer, so he spoke directly, "Now that Ayuan is back, we must begin to eliminate the bandits. Erlang, do you know of any islands nearby where people could hide?"
Sun Erlang thought for a moment and said, "The closest one is Wuyuan Island. It's not big, and it's a little further up the river. It's also closer to the coast. There were bandits there in the past, but the soldiers swept the sea and wiped them out."
Cheng Xi nodded. "The biggest problem now is how many troops are left on Luoling Island. Although the Qingfeng Gang has surrounded the main force, it's unlikely they can completely wipe them out. If some have escaped, they'll need to find a place to rest, and the nearby islands are the best hiding places. Therefore, when we send our troops, we should start by clearing out the nearby islands."
Yan Yuan frowned and said, "But if that happens, the safety of the island is uncertain. If the enemy discovers we've dispatched a large force, they might take advantage of the situation and launch a surprise attack."
Cheng Xi smiled slightly: "Isn't that better?"
Before Sun Erlang could react, Yan Yuan asked in surprise, "Master, are you trying to lure the snake out of its hole?"
"We may not have the advantage in terms of military strength, and our whereabouts are difficult to track, so naturally we have to give out bait to lure the enemy into taking the bait. So many days have passed, if there is still someone commanding the remaining troops, they should have realized it." Cheng Xi said lightly.
This method was a bit risky, but Yan Yuan pondered for a moment and nodded: "It is also a way. We need to find someone smarter to lead the team to lure the enemy."
Cheng Xi shook his head: "This time, the force luring the enemy is also a main force. We must be able to seize the opportunity and switch from feint attack to main attack at any time. I don't trust anyone else except you."
Yan Yuan was stunned: "But on the island..."
"I'm on the island." Cheng Xi answered simply.
This answer was too decisive and too confident. Yan Yuan pondered for a moment, but ultimately did not refute: "I will follow the boss's arrangements."
Cheng Xi then looked at Sun Erlang and said, "Erlang, you stay here to take charge of internal affairs. Once the war breaks out, you must stabilize the people's hearts and prevent internal chaos."
This was the first person who could keep up with the gang leader's pace. Sun Erlang felt a little uncomfortable, but when the calm and trusting eyes looked at him, he immediately put all these things behind his mind and said with a bow, "Don't worry, boss."
Seeing that neither of them had any objection, Cheng Xi nodded and said, "In that case, let's gather everyone together to discuss tactics and eliminate this hidden danger."
Among the ships brought to Luoling Island this time, six belonged to the Red Flag Gang, and four were snatched from bandits. Because they were all captured in sneak attacks, the ships were basically undamaged and could be used directly. Together with the two ships on the island, there were a total of twelve ships.
This number is not small, but the manpower is far from enough.
Because people had to stay behind to guard the main camp, Sun Erlang only brought eighty combat soldiers this time, plus the forty people stationed on the island, a total of one hundred and twenty people.
Each of the four ships of the Zhong family was fully crewed with 25 people, but these 100 people had not been trained and could only be considered crew members, and were still far from being ready to go into battle.
After rounds of selection among the surrendered soldiers, only about 130 were actually retained.
In other words, not counting the laborers repairing ships and houses on the island, there were only 350 men actually available for combat. These men had to be distributed among the twelve ships, and some had to be left to garrison Luoling Island, which was simply too much. Therefore, adjusting tactics according to the manpower became the key.
"The situation on Wuyuan Island is unclear, so we can't send too few troops this time. We need to take all ten ships with us. Yan Yuan will take the flagship and command the fleet. The four newcomers will also follow the fleet as reserve forces, but we should try not to let them participate in the battle.
As for manpower, eighty surrendered soldiers will be sent aboard, while forty members of the gang will remain on the island, led by Lin Meng, along with the remaining surrendered soldiers. Cheng Xi, seated at the head of the group, addressed the group.
Li Lai immediately said, "Boss, aren't we trying to lure the enemy? What good are we doing with just these few people on the island? The surrendered soldiers haven't even been trained for a few days. They can still help on the boats, but they're really useless on the shore."
Cheng Xi shook his head: "Rather than luring the enemy, it's more like dividing the troops. A Yuan, tell everyone the key to this battle."
These words caused several leaders and captains to glance at Yan Yuan, their eyes filled with inquiry, disbelief, and confusion. Facing this scrutiny, Yan Yuan spoke frankly, "This time, to resist the Qingfeng Gang, Lu An, the second-in-command of Luoling Island, led over a dozen ships to meet the enemy. He's a captain from the Lu family and a seasoned veteran, so he might not be able to be stopped. While Wuyuan Island can house some troops, it lacks a camp or food supply. If Lu An can't rally the troops, the remaining soldiers might disperse on their own, leading to the possibility of a counterattack on Luoling Island. Ten days or so is plenty of time to investigate the situation."
"Wouldn't the island be even more dangerous?" Lin Hu was a little confused.
"We want to lure the snake out of its hole, and aren't they thinking the same thing? Once they find out that it is not the Qingfeng Gang but the newly emerged Chiqi Gang that occupies the island, they will definitely have some ideas. If they have more ships than us, they will just attack us directly. The reason they haven't come now is that they have fewer ships. But he may have fewer people under his command. If he can tie down our fleet, won't he be able to free up manpower to seize the island?" Yan Yuan explained.
This was said bluntly, and everyone immediately understood. Li Lai said, "That means the ship we're facing is probably undermanned and just a decoration. Will the troops be used to launch a surprise attack on Luoling Island?"
"Yes, if we can stop him, we can probably capture him easily." Yan Yuandao.
"But in this case, with so few people left on the island, wouldn't it be more dangerous?" Li Lai frowned. Since he had anticipated all this, shouldn't he be prepared in advance?
Yan Yuan shook his head. "There are too many surrendered soldiers. It doesn't matter on normal days, but it's hard to say when a war breaks out. Because whether on the ship or on the island, the number of gang members and surrendered soldiers must be close to each other to avoid disaster."
This is the biggest trouble now. The Red Flag Gang has 120 trained veterans and 130 surrendered soldiers. Problems may arise no matter how they are distributed.
Then the best way is to place most of the people on the six ships, and leave the rest on the island to provide assistance.
In this way, there will not be too many surrendered soldiers on each ship, and the number of troops left on the island will be roughly the same.
Now everyone suddenly realized that although the surrendered soldiers were obedient, they had been subdued for too short a time, and no one could guarantee whether they would cause trouble. It would be safer to divide the troops in this way.
This inference was made for everyone, and perhaps also for Cheng Xi. She nodded and said, "Ayuan is right. Since the troops have been divided, both sides are the main battlefields. Only if you have enough manpower can you take advantage of the situation to capture the enemy fleet and even the camp. My defense mainly relies on fortifications, and a team of about 100 people is enough. Because of this, the fleet's grasp of the battle opportunity is even more critical. Whether to fight or return to support, we need to make a quick decision."
Sun Erlang then spoke up: "If that's the case, wouldn't it be better for the boss to lead the fleet himself?"
Cheng Xi raised an eyebrow: "Since it's bait, you have to be strong enough to avoid being swallowed. Besides, when facing a disadvantage, who among you is sure to control the hearts and minds of the people on the island?"
Now everyone shut up, and Yan Yuan sighed inwardly. This was the only reason why he agreed to this risky move.
In fact, the only person that all the surrendered soldiers were afraid of was Cheng Xi.
She is the only one who has the ability to hold the camp, and even turn the tables and defeat the invading enemies.
Seeing that no one objected, Cheng Xi said, "Since that's the case, let's gather the troops. We can't call on the surrendered soldiers anymore. Let them be auxiliary troops first to stabilize the morale of the army."
Everyone responded in unison.
Looking at the expressions of the crowd, Yan Yuan sighed inwardly. It seemed that these people believed in the gang leader's means of controlling people's hearts. Would the group of surrendered soldiers in the future also be so loyal?
…
"It's time to send out the troops!" Zhong Daliang was delighted when he heard the call to action.
Although they have only been training for a few days and haven't gotten the hang of it yet, it's good that they can fight. He is really thinking about the new ship!
His father, Zhong Ping, said solemnly, "We may not be the main force this time. We just need to follow the main force."
Zhong Daliang was startled, then nodded immediately: "Dad is right."
He can't be as reckless as before. Once he joins a gang, he has to obey the orders of the gang leader and the leaders.
This is not just about me, but about the whole village.
The Red Flag Gang is about to grow stronger, so how can they cause trouble at this time?
He had made up his mind, but when he arrived at the training ground, he was still surprised.
All of them, members of the Red Flag Gang, whether they were wearing black clothes or not, stood on one side, but in the middle was the group of surrendered soldiers.
Are we going to take them with us this time? They've just come over, can they be trusted?
Obviously, there were more than one person who had this idea. However, when Cheng Xi stepped onto the platform and several leaders stood beside him, all the voices were suppressed.
Looking at the group of surrendered soldiers with anxious expressions, Cheng Xi said, "Those bandits who escaped that day haven't given up yet. They want to attack our Red Flag Gang. Not only are they attacking the main camp on the shore, they're also planning to retake this island. If they succeed, I wonder what will become of you?"
As soon as these words were spoken, all the surrendered soldiers felt a tremor in their hearts.
What methods would pirates at sea use to deal with those who surrendered to the enemy? Just thinking about it makes people shudder.
In any case, they definitely won’t be able to feed them and train them like the Red Flag Gang does.
But what if the enemy is strong? After all, the second in command took away so many ships and so many people. What if he could preserve his strength...
Before they could think further, Cheng Xi continued, "But those attacking the main camp have already piled up their heads. I believe some of you have witnessed the scene that day. And I can capture this island by night raid and kill all the leaders. Naturally, I can defeat those clowns again."
The first sentence immediately made those who had attacked the camp tremble in fear. They had not forgotten the Shura field with blood and flesh flying everywhere and they could not break through it no matter what.
The following words made the surrendered soldiers on the island sweat on their foreheads, remembering the tragic scene that night and the heads hanging on the gate of the village.
"Now I intend to send out troops to wipe out the remaining bandits, and I need to select a group of you to serve as auxiliary soldiers. As long as you are brave enough to fight on the battlefield, you will have the opportunity to be promoted to regular soldiers and be treated the same as the gang members. Chief Yan, Chief Lin, Captain Li, please each select your own men."
As soon as the order was given, the surrendered soldiers became agitated, and then they saw three people step forward to call out their names.
Yan Yuan and Lin Meng had been following the military training. Li Lai had also been keeping an eye on this group of surrendered soldiers for several days and had already had an idea of what was going on. It didn't take long for him to pick out the ones he valued.
This made the rest of the people jealous. They also wanted to join the Red Flag Gang, but they couldn't grab such a good opportunity. They were secretly resentful in their hearts. They were obviously training very seriously, so why didn't they get chosen?
Unexpectedly, Cheng Xi spoke again at this time: "The rest of you stay on the island and obey my orders."
All the commotion instantly disappeared. Regardless of whether they were auxiliary soldiers or not, no one dared to disobey this young but ruthless gang leader.
Besides, following the leader's orders doesn't seem so bad, does it? If someone is chosen, wouldn't that be better than those who got on the ship?
Over a hundred men quickly joined the team, leaving the Zhongs and their sons, along with the other captains, stunned. Zhong Daliang whispered, "How come they're so submissive so quickly? It's only been less than two weeks since we captured Luoling Island?"
Zhong Ping sighed: "How long did it take us to be subdued?"
Zhong Daliang immediately shut up. Didn't they just join the gang after a boat trip? Actually, they had the upper hand. At least they were official gang members, not just auxiliary soldiers. That was good enough.
Now the last hidden danger was eliminated. The ships quickly stocked up on water and weapons. Under the leadership of Yan Yuan, the mighty fleet sailed out of the harbor.
…
"If we don't fight now, there will be chaos..." On Wuyuan Island, Lu An, the second in command who had just stood firm, looked anxious and uneasy.
He is a son of the Lu family, and is the one who actually came to occupy the island under the orders of the lady and the third young master.
Jiang Da and Wang Lu'er were just desperate criminals he recruited to deal with bandits. They were reliable thugs, but they were not ambitious or courageous.
Therefore, when the Qingfeng Gang came to harass and wanted to launch a large-scale attack on the island, he ignored the opposition and personally led the troops to meet them.
As a result, as soon as I went out, my retreat was blocked.
Jiang Da was actually fooled and his camp was breached by a surprise attack, and he even lost his life.
Afterwards, the Qingfeng Gang split into two groups and surrounded their fleet. His ship was destroyed, so he changed to another ship and escaped from the siege with great difficulty.
After that, there were only six boats left. Together with the remaining soldiers gathered later, it was barely possible to make up eight boats and about four hundred people.
What can this number of people do?
He had no choice but to send someone to the Lu family to report the news.
Last year, the Lu family sent a fleet to Southeast Asia, loaded with precious silk, porcelain, and tea. Who knows how much they'll be able to exchange for spices, ivory, and other treasures? The fleet will return from Southeast Asia in the spring, but they'll need to stop at Luoling Island. If they don't give us advance notice, who will be held responsible if something goes wrong?
However, after a few days of panic, he suddenly heard a piece of news that the gang occupying Luoling Island was not the Qingfeng Gang, but a boat gang called "Chiqi Gang", which appeared out of nowhere.
Lu An felt like he had found a life-saving straw, and immediately sent someone to investigate carefully.
The Red Flag Gang was indeed a new gang, but its military strength was not weak. Previously, the defeated soldiers on the island had ambushed their camp and were all killed.
The camp on the shore is so powerful, how many troops are there on the island?
The people who escaped that day could not explain clearly, they just said that the night attack was led by the Qingfeng Gang. Lu An became concerned and sent people to keep an eye on the two places to see if there was any movement.
After several days of hard work, news finally came back that ten ships had left the camp and were heading for Luoling Island.
Now Lu An had an idea in his mind. It was probably a handover between the two gangs, and the Red Flag Gang needed to transfer its main camp personnel to the island.
Ten ships, that must mean a lot of troops. How can we divert this group of people and retake Luoling Island?
Before Lu An could come up with a solution, his men's morale was about to disperse. They had fled in such a hurry that the Wuyuan Island where they settled did not have enough food to support so many troops. He had to appease the people even after the defeat, so where would he get the money?
We can't go on like this, we have to think of a way first! Lu An made up his mind and prepared to deceive his men, saying that Luoling Island was empty and that as long as they sent people to harass it, they could take it back.
By then, he will not keep any of the wealth on the island and will distribute it all to everyone. In the future, the Lu family will also give more money and food and promote leaders.
This way, with promises and benefits, should be able to build up morale.
Unexpectedly, before he could finish his words, he received a news report that Luoling Island had sent out all ten ships, heading towards Wuyuan Island!
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