Don't panic if your home is confiscated or you are exiled, just empty the warehouse and stock u

There had been no merchant ships passing through here for many days. Zong Yan was already worried about the shortage of supplies, but today this ready-made big fish actually came to his doorstep.

Before setting off, Jiang Nianwei had already disguised herself as a man.

She walked to the bow and responded in a resounding voice: "Of course I know, and this shipload of supplies is for you!"

Zong Yan couldn't help but feel suspicious when he heard this reply, "Give it to us?"

The subordinate beside him, with alertness flashing in his eyes, approached Zong Yan and whispered, "Boss, I'm afraid there is a trick. We'd better be careful."

Zong Yan nodded. Seeing that there were only two people on the boat, he let down his guard a little. "In this world, there is no such thing as a gift without a reason. You are so generous, what exactly do you want?"

As he spoke, he waved his hand and asked his men to bring the two men over.

Jiang Nianwei and A Zhao looked calm and allowed him to take them onto the pirate ship.

Zong Yan looked at the two people in front of him and asked coldly, "Tell me! What's the reason?"

Jiang Nianwei looked around for a moment. Although she was shocked, she remained calm. She took a deep breath and answered carefully, "I am an ordinary businessman from Yazhou. I heard that the boss is famous, so I came here hoping to discuss a big business with him."

One of his subordinates immediately replied: "Merchants are the most cunning. Our boss will not do business with you!"

Jiang Nianwei continued, neither humble nor arrogant, "Although there are conflicts of interest among businessmen, in the final analysis, they are all for survival. I came here with no ill intentions, but just hope to achieve a win-win situation with the boss."

Zong Yan was puzzled. If the merchants in the past had met him, they would have kept their tails between their legs. None of them were as calm as the two people in front of him.

He waved his hand, signaling his men to withdraw for the time being, "Then let me hear it, what's the benefit?"

Jiang Nianwei began to answer: "This is the fortress leading to other areas of Yazhou. I want to do business, so I naturally want to open up this route. The boss is a righteous man. When we pass by here in the future, we will definitely provide the island with the necessary supplies. Isn't this the best of both worlds?"

Seeing his scrutinizing gaze, Jiang Nianwei continued, "There are supplies I brought on this merchant ship today. Can you take a look at them, Boss? Are you satisfied?"

Zong Yan signaled his men to check carefully.

After a while, the subordinate hurried back with a look of joy on his face: "Master, the ship is indeed fully loaded with food, fresh vegetables and meat, and even various medicines that we are in short supply. Everything is available."

Zong Yan still did not let down his guard: "How do I know that you are not colluding with the government to catch us all in one fell swoop?"

"Boss, if this is what you are worried about, you can rest assured. In fact, I am just like you, a fugitive from the government."

Jiang Nianwei had already thought of this point a long time ago. Only by using the current criminal's identity can the other party relax their vigilance.

If the boss was really not interested, he would have ordered his men to kill them both long ago. Why would he waste time chatting with her about so much nonsense?

"Boss, have you ever heard of Jiang Yan's name?"

Zong Yan nodded slightly, "I have heard of this. Who doesn't know the Imperial Censor of the Great Zhou Dynasty?"

Jiang Nianwei changed the subject and said, "Then do you know that the Jiang family was confiscated and exiled to Nanzhou Island, which is hundreds of kilometers away from here?"

Zong Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, "You know it so clearly, could it be that you are from the Jiang family?"

Jiang Nianwei looked calm: "That's right, otherwise how could I have the courage to come here with only one person to discuss this matter with you."

Zong Yan was secretly weighing the pros and cons in his mind, and at this moment, there was a sudden noise on the sea.

He looked up and saw a pirate ship coming through the waves not far away. The big man on the ship jumped onto the bow of the ship with a proud look on his face and shouted loudly: "We have a big harvest today!"

Seeing the voice of a stranger on the boat, the big man instantly became alert: "Who is this?"

A subordinate nearby replied: "This is a businessman."

The big man looked unkind, and his tone was filled with dissatisfaction and doubt. "Boss, you have clearly forbidden us to oppress the people, rob the innocent, and have no interest in dealing with merchants. You are only allowed to rob half of their supplies. Now you are colluding with merchants in private. Isn't this unreasonable?"

In response to his questioning, Zong Yan explained, "Yang Ming, we were discussing other matters and we did not collude privately."

Yang Ming seemed very unconvinced, his eyes wandering around, and finally he took the lead in breaking the solemn atmosphere, "Of course, whatever you say is what it is."

He calmed himself down and said bluntly, "We went out to sea today and had a great harvest. Not only did we get a lot of supplies, but we also accidentally rescued a fish girl. I saw that she was alone and helpless, so I took the initiative to keep her. This decision should not be too much, right!"

It sounds like a discussion, but in fact it is a case of executing first and reporting later.

Zong Yan frowned slightly and glanced at the frightened and disheveled woman not far away.

“I didn’t, I didn’t, he forced me…” Before the woman could finish her words, Yang Ming’s men covered her mouth.

Zong Yan noticed something unusual, his face suddenly changed, and he asked sternly: "Where did this material come from, and where did this woman come from? Didn't I tell you not to harm civilians? And not to kidnap innocent women?"

Yang Ming burst into laughter and shouted disdainfully: "Zong Yan, I have disliked you for a long time. I call you the boss, but you don't think that everyone here will obey you, right? We are all desperate people, and we always need some entertainment! If you don't allow this or that, why don't you ask us to become monks?"

"I told you not to go against morality. If you don't want to obey, you can just leave here!"

"We are all bandits now. What morality do we still need to talk about? I don't care whether I kill people or not! I also have the credit for taking over this territory."

"Different road non-phase plan!"

"In that case, brothers who are not convinced, follow me! Kill Zong Yan and the two merchants."

The two groups of people were at war, and Jiang Nianwei and A Zhao were stuck in the middle, unable to move forward or backward.

Jiang Nianwei's eyes moved between the two sides, and she already had the answer in her heart.

Although Zong Yan is a pirate, he still has moral principles in his actions.

However, Yang Ming was a wicked man who had no regard for human life, killing and kidnapping people at will. He was definitely not a good person.

She whispered, "Kill Yang Ming."

Just as the two groups began to fight, Ah Zhao dodged to the side, quickly pulled out the musket that had been prepared long ago from behind, and aimed it at Yang Ming in the center with eyes as cold as ice.

There was a deafening "bang" and the flames and smoke from the musket instantly filled the air.

The strong and healthy Yang Ming felt as if his chest was hit by a heavy hammer, and severe pain spread throughout his body.

He looked down and saw a huge bloody hole in his chest, with blood gushing out.

“You…how dare you plot against me?” Yang Ming’s eyes were filled with shock, and then he fell to the ground with a bang.

The sounds of fighting around stopped abruptly at this moment. Everyone was stunned by this sudden change. They had never seen a weapon with such terrifying lethality.

There were still some fearless people who attacked Ah Zhao with knives in their hands. He was shot again and fell to the ground.

Jiang Nianwei still had a warm smile on her face, but her voice was unusually cold, "Master Zong, I'm here to discuss business with you. It's not too much to kill these people who are disrupting the order, right?"

Zong Yan paused, realizing that these two people were not as simple as he had imagined.

"If there are still those who refuse to accept, feel free to come forward." Jiang Nianwei's voice echoed in the silent boat.

Seeing that everyone was silent and had put down their weapons, Jiang Nianwei walked up to Zong Yan and said, "Master Zong, can we continue the conversation we were having?"

Zong Yan was puzzled, "Since you have such strength, why do you need to cooperate with us?"

"I need people who abide by morality to cooperate with me. Since the head of the Zong family can make such rules, it must not be to kill innocent people indiscriminately. We don't want to hurt people at will. We just want to talk business properly."

She paused for a moment and continued, "This person dared to break the rules, so he deserved it. I was just helping you clean up the mess."

Such courage, such momentum, if it doesn't shock people, it must be fake.

Zong Yan hesitated for a moment, then made a decision, "I agree to cooperate with you!"

Then he ordered his men, "Tie up all the people who followed Yang Ming to cause trouble, and properly place the woman."

"Everyone, please follow me, let's go to the cabin to talk." Zong Yan's tone had become much more polite.

Sure enough, if you want to convince people, you still need some drastic measures.

Jiang Nianwei quietly approached Ah Zhao and praised him softly, "That shot just now was really heroic."

Although Ah Zhao looked calm on the surface, he was already very happy in his heart. He boasted seriously: "No, it was because of the powerful weapon that I was able to succeed. It was you who stood in front of those pirates just now, with sonorous words and imposing manner, that was the real power."

Zong Yan was originally the son of a general. His entire family was harmed by treacherous officials and were all beheaded. He was the only one who escaped. Although he became a bandit, he was still unwilling to do things that would hurt the people and go against morality.

After entering the cabin, he asked, "You guys are going through so much trouble, it's definitely not just a simple business, right?"

Jiang Nianwei put her hands behind her back and answered truthfully: "On the one hand, it's for business. On the other hand, I see that your weapons and equipment are not very sophisticated, but the government has been unable to conquer it for a long time. In addition to the unique geographical location here, I believe you must have a unique set of tactics to deal with it."

Zong Yan suddenly realized: "So you want to win me over?"

Jiang Nianwei's expression suddenly became serious. "Master Zong, I have resorted to this desperate measure for the survival of my family. Although we have occupied Nanzhou Island now, once the government finds out, they will definitely punish us. Attacking Nanzhou Island requires a naval battle. You are proficient in these tactics. Why don't we form an alliance? You provide the manpower and I provide the supplies."

Zong Yan shook his head. "If we fight, my brothers' lives will be lost. How can it be easy?"

"I know that most of you became pirates because of the situation. You also know the situation in the Great Zhou. Evil ministers are in power, the emperor is incompetent, and the prince is incompetent. My father, Jiang Yan, was devoted to the country, but ended up being exiled and his property confiscated. If we hadn't been so careful and cautious along the way, we might have been assassinated by the assassins sent by the assassins. I'm sure you are the same."

Speaking of this, Zong Yan's eyes showed hatred, "My father fought bloody battles on the front line to defend his country, while that dog emperor hid in the palace, enjoying wealth and glory. Although he can protect the peace of the people, he can't even protect his own family."

He took a deep breath and continued, "The treacherous minister Meng Gou instigated the emperor, and my innocent brothers and sisters all died tragically under the guillotine. If you really want to cooperate with me, you can, but you must provide us with enough arms and weapons."

Knowing that Zong Yan had the same background as her, she couldn't help but sigh and agreed, "If a war breaks out, we are grasshoppers on the same string, and I will definitely provide you with weapons."

These muskets are already very powerful, but with Jing Zhuo's existence, they will definitely be able to produce more advanced weapons in the future.

Zong Yan stretched out his hand, ready to cut his palm to show his sincerity, "If that's the case, then let's swear an oath and swear an oath of blood!"

Jiang Nianwei only felt the pain she felt, and frowned slightly, "No need to do this, I am naturally afraid of pain, this method is too cruel, how about we try another way? How about a high-five alliance?"

She stretched out her hand, ready to high-five Zong Yan.

Despite his doubts, Zong Yan obeyed her wishes and raised his hand, ready to high-five her.

Just when their palms were about to touch, Ah Zhao suddenly flashed out, stretched out his hand, and completed the high-five on behalf of Jiang Nianwei and Zong Yan.

Zong Yan was puzzled, "Why is this?"

Jiang Nianwei was also stunned for a moment, and explained randomly: "He can also replace me, we are the same."

Ah Zhao leaned close to Jiang Nianwei's ear and whispered, "Remember, don't touch other men's hands casually."

Zong Yan overheard the subtle conversation between the two people, and their behavior was so strange.

Looking at this man named Jiang, although he has outstanding appearance and temperament, his figure is a little weak, which is different from ordinary men.

Zong Yan's heart moved, and he suddenly understood something. He asked tentatively: "Could it be...could it be that you two...are having an affair?"

Jiang Nianwei hurriedly denied: "How could this be? No, please don't misunderstand."

Zong Yan's eyes flickered as he explained, "This is nothing shameful. You don't have to hide it. Since we are allies, I won't care about these things."

Jiang Nianwei was slightly startled, and then she concealed her embarrassment with a slightly uncomfortable smile. She did not intend to explain too much, but just said lightly: "Since this is the decision, I will keep the supplies on this ship."

Seeing her like this, Zong Yan understood a little bit, and hurriedly bowed his hands to express his gratitude: "Brother Jiang, you are so generous, we are very grateful, but I don't know your full name, Brother Jiang?"

Jiang Nianwei didn't want to reveal her identity as a woman, so she changed her original name and said with a cough, "My last name is Jiang, and it's pronounced in one word."

"Brother Jiang Nian..."

He wanted to put his hand on Jiang Nianwei's shoulder, but then he remembered that she liked men, so he had to retract his hand and touched his nose awkwardly.

There was also a stern man with a resentful look on his face staring at him, making him feel uncomfortable.

It makes people more certain that the two of them have that kind of relationship.

……

Zong Yan looked at the bags of supplies being loaded onto the boat. Jiang Nian was considered quite capable and had the ability to buy so many supplies, but it was a pity that he was a homosexual. The good news was that he already had a partner, so there was no need to worry that he would fall in love with him.

They are desperate criminals, and based on the principle of living one more day is one more day, they are struggling in this world that does not tolerate them.

Now it seems that cooperating with Jiang Nian is the best option at the moment. It can solve the material problem of the water fort and also obtain sophisticated weapons.

Especially the firearms he saw today, which shocked Zong Yan greatly.

Yang Ming was originally his biggest threat in the water stronghold. He was very skilled in martial arts and even if Zong Yan fought him himself he might not be able to gain the upper hand.

But the firearm was extremely powerful and could kill Yang Ming with just one strike. It was really terrifying.

With thoughts surging in his mind, Zong Yan tentatively invited: "Since we have reached a cooperation agreement today, why don't you stay in the water fort and have dinner before leaving."

He wanted to learn more details about the firearm, and maybe even get a closer look at the weapon.

Jiang Nianwei originally wanted to stay and investigate, but after Ah Zhao whispered something in her ear, she gave up the idea.

She sighed softly, "I'm so sorry, we have other important matters to attend to and can't stay long."

"But in five days, our merchant ship will pass by here. By then, I hope that Master Zong will take good care of us. We will definitely supply the necessary materials on time. If there are other important matters, please ask the crew on the ship to pass the letter to me, and I will reply as soon as possible."

The two then boarded the merchant ship and left the water fort smoothly.

All this went more smoothly than Jiang Nianwei had imagined, thanks to the power of the musket. "After returning, I must ask Xiao Zhuo to develop several more powerful weapons in case of emergency."

She raised her head and looked towards the boundless sea, only to see a bright moon hanging high in the night sky, casting a silvery-white light and making the originally dark sea surface sparkle.

In this atmosphere, Jiang Nianwei asked Ah Zhao beside her, "If you remember the past, would you choose to leave here or stay?"

Ah Zhao did not hesitate, "I will definitely choose to stay. If I really leave, it must be because of some unspeakable difficulties."

The two did not return directly to Nanzhou Island, but instead docked at Yazhou Port.

They came back a few days earlier than originally planned, so Jiang Nianwei planned to go and see the progress of the renovation of Baihua Tower.

When the two men arrived in front of Baihua Tower, they saw Li Kun leading a group of soldiers, walking towards them in a menacing manner.

He sat on a tall horse, the flesh on his face trembling, with a look of triumph: "Capture all the people in Baihua Tower!"