Mistakenly Connected to the Jade Flower Branch

Nianyao lay in bed for four days before realizing something was wrong when she looked up the almanac: tomorrow is the 15th, today is the 14th.

In the side hall, Qin Jiu gave an advance report on last month's accounts: "Only forty-two ship captains sent over their account books, all of them from the Jingjiang River. None of the ship captains from the Xiang River sent over theirs."

With no movement from Chongming Island for so long, the ship captains who had been hesitant and observing naturally sided with the others. After the deaths of the two major ship captains from Yuezhou, none of the ship captains from Xiangshui dared to make a move.

These days, while joking and playing around with Nanfei and the others, Nianyao unintentionally or intentionally ignored the terrible situation of the Dahe Gang.

Nianyao did the math: "Are there still forty-six ship owners who have decided to go to the Golden River Gang at Kongming's invitation?"

That "Kongming Ge" was truly grating. Qin Jiu said, "Chief, not all the remaining ship captains will necessarily accept the invitation; some should be observing and weighing their options before proceeding."

Nianyao asked, "Will this have a big impact on the brothers' income?"

Qin Jiu said, "The impact this year is not significant. With the accumulation of the previous months, the year-end bonus will probably be even higher."

Nianyao naturally chimed in, "The impact will be huge next year, right?"

Next year? Everyone fell silent.

Nianyao also felt awkward: "Uncle Jiu, how many ship owners are expected to send over their ledgers next month?"

After careful consideration, Qin Jiu said, "That depends on what Ji Kongming and the gang leader do. It certainly won't be more than that."

Nianyao said, "Let's give Xiangshui to Brother Kongming, and we'll control Jingjiang. We can exchange aquatic products, cooperate in cargo transportation, and share the profits with Brother Kongming. This way, there will be no conflict, and it won't affect the income of the ship owner and the brothers. What do you think?"

This idea sounds like a joke.

Jing Song subtly reminded him: "Chief, Ji Kongming is ambitious and may not be willing."

Xuesong said, "Ji Kongming killed Captain Li and Captain Shi, which means he is breaking with the Dahe Gang. He will definitely not consider cooperating with them."

Xu Lai said, "Sun Chi and Shi Bingjun have a good relationship. He came that day mainly to see if the gang leader had any plans to avenge the two ship owners and the Yuezhou brothers, but the gang leader didn't say anything."

At that time, Nianyao hadn't yet processed these messages, so she naturally didn't notice how disappointed Sun Chi was.

Qin Jiu handed Yaochi a piece of paper: "This is the list of all the ship owners who sent the account books. Ship Owner Sun is not on it."

Nianyao stared blankly at the list in her hand. Qin Jiu was the first to leave the side hall, and everyone else except Liu Lin followed.

Not only are the ship owners doubting the new gang leader's abilities, but even Qin Jiu is starting to have doubts now. He used to think that Nian Yao was good at everything from scheduling and training pigeons to fishing and boat handling, and that she was no less capable than a man.

In retrospect, even if he had more experience, he would only be a doer rather than a leader, lacking the decisiveness and ruthlessness of someone destined for greatness.

She and Ji Kongming had a relationship spanning many years, but Ji Kongming ended it so easily, while she still hesitated and hoped. The old gang leader, wise throughout his life, became confused on his deathbed; the Great River Gang was truly going to be destroyed in Nianyao's hands.

Liu Lin looked at Nian Yao with some heartache: "Yao'er, if you really don't want to be the gang leader, Uncle Liu will send you to Qinzhou."

Nianyao asked, "What are we going to Qinzhou for?"

Liu Lin said, "Uncle Liu has a friend in Qinzhou who can take care of you."

Nianyao rolled up the list in her hand and then let it go: "I'm so old, I don't need anyone to take care of me."

Liu Lin patted her head: "No matter how old you are, in Uncle Liu's eyes, you are still a child."

Nianyao's nose stung with tears, and she forced a smile, "Uncle Liu, you've been on Chongming Island for years. Your friends in Qinzhou might have long forgotten you. Only you remember..."

Liu Lin said, "No. Not everyone is like Ji Kongming."

Nianyao's eyes dimmed: "Uncle Liu, do you also think he won't cooperate with us?"

Liu Lin said, "Two tigers cannot share one mountain. If Jin Hu is truly the General of Xiling, Ji Kongming will also be powerless to make his own decisions."

Nianyao sighed, "That's right. It's easy to get on a pirate ship, but hard to get off."

Liu Lin said, "Yao'er, a person who is a thief by nature will not want to get off the thief's ship."

Nianyao said, "Uncle Liu just doesn't believe him?"

Liu Lin said, "It's not that Uncle Liu doesn't believe me, it's that he's simply not trustworthy. The old gang leader has only dealt with two ship captains over the years. One was involved in collusion with Dongyang, and the other was related to you. What is Ji Kongming anyway, killing two ship captains and hundreds of brothers in one go?"

The words "What is Ji Kongming anyway?" stung Nianyao, but she couldn't refute Liu Lin's words.

Liu Lin continued, "Yao'er, the old gang leader just wants you to be happy and carefree. He doesn't necessarily want you to be the gang leader. He wants you to get married and take over the position because you are the most legitimate and have a high probability of ensuring a smooth transition for the Great River Gang. So you don't need to force yourself. If you really want to give up, that's fine too."

Nianyao nodded: "My father told me to hold on for three years and find a way out for the Dahe Gang. Uncle Liu, my father trusts you the most, you must know a lot about him. Do you remember that woman who said she was pregnant with my father's child back then?"

Liu Lin asked, "What's wrong?"

Nianyao said, "Father said she boarded the boat and died before it had gone ten miles. I remember she was good at martial arts and swimming, how could she have died in the capsizing?"

Liu Lin said, "I killed him."

Nianyao wasn't surprised: "Was it Father's idea?"

Liu Lin shook his head: "It was my idea."

Liu Lin beat her in front of her father and, without authorization, killed her father's woman and child. Even so, her father still entrusted her to Liu Lin, asking her to trust him completely.

Nianyao was very puzzled: "What exactly is your relationship with my father? Were you really a general of Nanyue before? Why does my father trust you so much?"

Liu Lin didn't answer: "Yao'er, as long as you think Uncle Liu is trustworthy, there's no need to dig deeper. What you need to think about now is where the Great River Gang is headed. Once you've decided, tell Uncle Liu so he can make arrangements."

Nianyao said, "Uncle Liu, I don't want to be the gang leader or go to Qinzhou. I just want to follow you."

Liu Lin said, "Uncle Liu is practically buried in the ground, how old are you? If you really don't want to go to Qinzhou, you can go to Bianjing with the young master."

Nianyao asked curiously, "What would I do in Bianjing?"

Liu Lin asked, "Where do you want to go?"

Nianyao remained silent, and Liu Lin said, "Yao'er, don't rush, there's still time to think it over."

Tomorrow, Ji Kongming will host a banquet for the ship owner, so there's no time to think things through.

After Xu Sheng left, the teahouse returned to its original state. Nan Fei read a book on the platform, while Luo An peeled melon seeds and drank tea. Whether the Dahe Gang was bustling or desolate, it never affected the leisurely atmosphere of the teahouse.

Nanfei is lying on his back with his legs crossed, his posture is really...an eyesore!

Nianyao watched from outside for a while, then sat down opposite Luo An, poured all the melon seeds from the small plate into her palm, and stuffed them into her mouth.

Nanfei, with his keen eyes and ears, said, "Hey, those are my sunflower seeds."

Nianyao said, "You wrote your name on it? Did he respond when you called him? The tea room is all mine, and he has a problem with eating a few melon seeds? Is he even a man? Oh... you said he wasn't."

Nan Fei put away his book, sat up straight, and looked her up and down: "It's been a few days, and Chief Xue's ability to find fault has grown quite a bit? Could it be that you twisted your temper instead of your back?"

Nianyao touched her face: "You have a scar on your face."

Nanfei snorted, "Young master has a good medicine; it will subside in a few days."