Chapter 623 We're Going to Raid the Pirate Stronghold
The pirates quickly reverted to their time-honored tradition: they were champions of retreat, far more skilled at fleeing than fighting.
Losing all will to fight, the smaller pirate boats scattered like startled birds. Hundreds of vessels fled eastward into the vast, yellow expanse of the river, vanishing from sight in the blink of an eye.
Gao Family Village's flat-bottomed boats, limited in number, couldn't pursue all the scattered vessels. Instead, they focused on a single target: the enemy flagship.
That flagship was a medium-sized warship the pirates had only just seized from the imperial forces, barely having had time to get comfortable in it. Fan Zhoulong, the pirate commander, had just enjoyed his brief moment as a "grand captain" when he saw the Gao Family Village flat-bottomed boat lock onto him, charging forward with alarming speed.
Fan Zhoulong screamed in terror, "Stay away from me!"
His subordinate urgently cried out, "Boss! Abandon ship! Get on a smaller boat and flee!"
Fan Zhoulong jolted awake. The flagship was too big, too obvious; it would never escape.
He quickly abandoned the warship, leaping onto a small skiff and rowing desperately as he made a pathetic escape. Behind him, he watched as the strange flat-bottomed boat pulled alongside the abandoned warship, effortlessly reclaiming it.
Fan Zhoulong could only curse under his breath as he fled.
The pirates had arrived as quickly as they vanished, disappearing without a trace.
Gao Family Village's flat-bottomed boats, towing the reclaimed warship and a multitude of captured small sampans, slowly returned to shore.
The refugees on shore erupted in a thunderous cheer: "How formidable!"
"Master Bai's men are incredible!"
"They defeated the pirates!"
"Slaughter those vile pirates!"
"A few days ago, they robbed me on that deserted island; all my money was stolen!"
"Those brutes defiled the Zhang family's daughter and slaughtered her entire family!"
"Wailing... My daughter's vengeance... I wonder if this counts as it?"
The common folk were a mix of joy and sorrow: joy that the pirates had been taught a lesson, but sorrow that the family members they had murdered would never return.
The Heavenly Lord, witnessing this scene, felt a ripple of sadness. He said in a low voice, "Bai Yuan, take this opportunity to get the common folk to come with us. We'll have them help us build a water stronghold."
Bai Yuan's spirits lifted. "Understood, sir."
He slowly walked to the front of the refugee camp, climbed onto a high rooftop, then produced a tin megaphone and raised it to his lips...
"Ahem, hello? Hello? Can you hear me?"
For some reason, those were always the first words spoken into a megaphone.
The common folk in the refugee camp responded in unison, "We can hear you!"
Bai Yuan raised a hand, and everyone instantly fell silent.
The Gao Family Village militia's charitable act of distributing porridge to the suffering, coupled with the fighting prowess displayed in routing the pirates, had earned the common folk's respect from two angles. This naturally commanded great deference for Bai Yuan. When he spoke, not a single whisper dared to rise from the crowd.
Bai Yuan announced loudly, "My dear friends, that group of pirates just robbed you of all your possessions, didn't they?"
"Yes!"
"Those scoundrels!"
"I wish I could feast on their flesh!"
"A pack of shameless thieves!"
The crowd surged with righteous indignation.
Bai Yuan raised both hands, and it took a moment for the clamor to subside.
Bai Yuan continued, "Listen to me, everyone. Your homes have been swallowed by the Yellow River. There's no telling when these floodwaters will recede, and even if they do, your farmlands will remain uncultivable for a long, long time."
The farmers heard his words, their hearts heavy.
Indeed, after the Yellow River floods, the submerged areas become what is known as the "Yellow Flood Zone." This "Yellow Flood Zone" is truly terrifying. The soil's fertility will be severely degraded, and no crops will thrive there. Furthermore, these zones are prone to outbreaks of various plagues.
This impact can persist for many years.
And what's even more unsettling is that once the Yellow River abandons its original course, it becomes a "river without a channel."
A channel-less Yellow River is a terrifying force. It will roll across the plains indiscriminately, like a capricious water dragon, tumbling wherever it pleases.
In other words, the Yellow Flood Zone itself will constantly shift.
For the next few years, they wouldn't be able to return home.
The common folk fell silent, crestfallen.
Bai Yuan asked, "No homes, no money... What will you do for a living now?"
No one could answer him. Everyone was speechless.
Bai Yuan declared, "I, however, have an excellent idea."
The common folk suddenly raised their heads, looking at him with eyes full of desperate hope.
Bai Yuan said, "The pirates stole all your money. So why don't you go to the pirates and take your money back? Then, we'll seize their water stronghold and live there ourselves. Wouldn't that be a joyful way to live?"
Upon hearing these words, the common folk murmured, "Huh? That actually makes a lot of sense."
"That's right!" someone exclaimed. "My money was stolen by pirates, so it's perfectly reasonable for me to take it back! And once we've eliminated the pirates, their stronghold will be empty. We can just live in their stronghold, and then we'll have homes again!"
"But... if we do that, how will we sustain ourselves afterward?"
"If we live in the water stronghold, we can fish."
"I don't know how to fish."
"I don't either, but we can learn! Anyway, there's no farmland to return to."
"The Yellow Flood Zone won't be suitable for farming for years. If we don't learn to fish, are we just supposed to wait for death?"
"It's not just that we can't farm. The officials will still come to collect taxes!"
The common folk debated amongst themselves.
Bai Yuan smiled. "Don't forget, I am here. I will help you all settle into life in the water stronghold. Now, let me ask you: How many of you, my friends, are willing to follow me to the pirate stronghold at Xiaolangdi?"
"I am!"
"Our whole family will go!"
"I'll go too!"
At first, only a few people agreed. But soon, the number of volunteers swelled. Once more than half expressed their willingness to go, the momentum became unstoppable. Even those who had initially been hesitant, seeing everyone else commit, now felt compelled to join.
In truth...
This was a form of coercion.
What Bai Yuan was doing was similar to what roving bandits did to coerce common folk.
However, while the actions appeared similar, the underlying essence was vastly different.
Roving bandits coerced people into becoming mere tools for their own gain. But Li Daoxuan coerced these common folk so that they might survive.
Bai Yuan announced loudly, "Since everyone has decided, then the plan is simple. Tonight, get a good night's rest. Tomorrow, wake early and eat a hearty meal. We will march by land to Eagle Beak Mountain and seize the pirates' Yellow Turban Fortress!"
The common folk roared, "Good!"
"Let's wipe out those damned thieves!"
"Wow, we're going to attack the pirates' stronghold! I don't know why, but I feel so excited!"
"Even though Master Bai told us to get a good night's sleep, there's no way I'll be able to sleep! Tomorrow, I'll bring my hoe."
"My family's hoe couldn't be salvaged; it was submerged. I'll find a stick instead."
Bai Yuan, hearing their chatter, couldn't help but burst into laughter and exasperation. "What on earth are you excited about? My men will handle the assault on the stronghold. You just need to cheer us on from the rear. There's no need for you to engage directly."
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