The Great Rebel at the End of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 033 Transaction

Zhou Lun was also considering this issue. After all, it was his suggestion to Li Wanqing to invite Gao Yingxiang to work in Bao'an.

However, compared to Li Wanqing's current confusion, Zhou Lun was much more composed.

Before he came into this world, he was a successful businessman.

The cutthroat competition and cutthroat rivalry in the business world are hard for outsiders to imagine. Zhou Lun has experienced it firsthand and understands its cruelty all too well.

To outsiders, he was successful in his career, wealthy, and financially independent before the age of forty, living a carefree life. But he knew his own situation best; if he hadn't been truly desperate, how could he have sold the company to which he had poured his heart and soul?

After starting a business, it's inevitable to bring in external capital to secure funding and resources for the company's growth and expansion. However, once this is done, it's only a matter of time before the founder loses control of the company. Zhou Lun struggled with this, considering countless solutions, but ultimately had to face reality.

If this is true in the business world, it goes without saying that it's true elsewhere. Especially in this chaotic era of the late Ming Dynasty, how could it be an exception?

Inviting Gao Yingxiang was inherently risky. And Huang Long's words today only proved that those risks did indeed exist.

Gao Yingxiang was a renowned figure; his title of "Rebel King" would later resonate throughout the land. Which of those who leave a lasting mark on history is truly simple?

The cruelty of the late Ming Dynasty stemmed not only from natural disasters and man-made calamities, but also from the struggles and wars between the rebel armies and the imperial court, and even among the rebel armies themselves. If Gao Yingxiang had simply been a nice guy, relying solely on his personal charisma, he could never have reached such heights.

Not only him, but other well-known rebel leaders were the same. This naturally included the future Li Zicheng. How could these people have survived in such chaotic times without some skill, intelligence, and strategy?

Whether Huang Long's probing today was his own doing or secretly instructed by Gao Yingxiang, it was a signal to them. Gao Yingxiang already intended to gain dominance in the cooperation between the two parties, and even planned to establish their cooperative positions as the leader.

Regardless of Gao Yingxiang's true intentions or how much of his reprimand of Huang Long was genuine, Zhou Lun was not surprised, because he had already considered this before inviting Gao Yingxiang.

Zhou Lun invited Gao Yingxiang to join forces, partly for mutual support and to seek a new path northward. However, he also considered the possibility of being annexed by Wang Jiayin after they reached Fugu in the north and joined forces.

After all, Fugu is not a security guard, and they have never dealt with Wang Jiayin. The so-called "all righteous armies under heaven are one family" is fine to say, but to actually believe it is to be a complete idiot.

What are rebel armies? They're just groups of desperate people who banded together to revolt. If they're rebelling, where are the truly good people? As the saying goes, good people don't live long, but evil people live forever.

Before Gao Yingxiang arrived, Zhou Lun had already considered this matter and even harbored the idea of ​​the two families joining forces to rival Wang Jiayin after moving north.

Weakness is the original sin; big fish eat small fish, small fish eat shrimp—isn't that how the world is? The rebel army naturally couldn't escape this cruel reality either. But Zhou Lun hadn't expected Gao Yingxiang to be so impatient, using this method to test him. Today, Huang Long and Gao Yingxiang's coordinated performance completely put his mind at ease.

Zhou Lun knew Li Wanqing, his elder brother, all too well.

Li Wanqing was a good man. If it weren't for his intervention, Zhou Lun's survival was uncertain. Having spent nearly a year together, Zhou Lun knew his character and temperament very well. Although he was no longer the Li Shouyi of the past, but the suddenly emerging rebel leader "Shooting the Sky" Li Wanqing, he was still the same person. Compared to others, Li Wanqing was more trusting, more honest, and more loyal.

Such a person would be perfect as a sworn brother, and certainly a good one at that. But as a qualified leader of a rebel army, Li Wanqing falls short. The key is that he lacks the thick skin, the ruthlessness, and the cruelty to act; he values ​​so-called "loyalty" too much. These strengths he usually possesses have become his weaknesses in the present moment.

Gao Yingxiang and his group's actions served as a wake-up call for Li Wanqing. For him, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It was far better than treating people sincerely only to be betrayed in the end, wasn't it?

Moreover, Li Wanqing wasn't stupid. In Zhou Lun's eyes, his performance during his conversation with Gao Yingxiang at the dinner table, including when Gao Yingxiang pretended to reprimand Huang Long, was acceptable, which reassured him quite a bit.

Seeing Li Wanqing's furrowed brows and conflicted expression, Zhou Lun couldn't help but chuckle.

"Brother, there's no need to worry," he said softly. "It's true that Gao Yingxiang has more men and more power, but we're not far behind either. If a real fight breaks out, it's hard to say who will win. Besides, Gao Yingxiang isn't stupid. In my opinion, today's events were just a test. With his intelligence, he's probably planning to guard against Wang Jiayin after heading north."

"You mean...?" Li Wanqing's expression hardened, as if deep in thought.

Zhou Lun nodded and continued, "As Gao Yingxiang said, the best way out right now is to go north to Fugu. I don't need to explain this further, I think you understand, brother."

Li Wanqing had no objection to this. They had discussed this matter before, and Gao Yingxiang had also made it clear today. Given the current situation, staying here was extremely risky, and finding a suitable way out, heading north to Fugu was indeed the best option.

"Neither of us has ever met Wang Jiayin, and Gao Yingxiang has only heard of him. Once we're in Fugu, on his territory, who can guarantee how things will go?" Zhou Lun's expression gradually turned serious. He dipped his finger in wine and traced a few lines on the table, pointing to the terrain drawn on it. "From what we've heard before, Wang Jiayin has already gathered several thousand people... We don't know exactly how many 'several thousand,' but it's likely at least two or three thousand, and possibly more."

"My troops currently number less than a thousand, and even with Gao Yingxiang's forces, the total is only slightly over two thousand. We will continue north, passing through Anding, Suide, Mizhi, and Shenmu before reaching Fugu, a journey of nearly a thousand li. Along the way, we will inevitably encounter government troops in the prefectures and counties we pass through, and even if we receive reinforcements along the way, we cannot guarantee that we will not suffer losses. When we reach Fugu, if our strength is not great and we are under the protection of others, things will be difficult to predict. Gao Yingxiang saw this, which is why he used Huang Long's words to suggest that the allied forces elect a leader, just to test you, brother."

"I understand that," Li Wanqing nodded. "If the two families join forces, the chances of successfully heading north are much greater, and they can protect themselves once they reach the north. But now, this matter..."

"In my opinion, there's nothing wrong with this." Zhou Lun picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of meat, put it in his mouth, chewed it, and smiled.

Seeing Li Wanqing looking at him with a puzzled expression, Zhou Lun said to him, "Brother, why don't you go find Gao Yingxiang tomorrow and make a deal with him privately?"

"trade?"

"Yes, it's a transaction."

Zhou Lun told Li Wanqing that he suggested they confront Gao Yingxiang directly and make a deal.

Since everyone shares the same goal—not only ensuring coordination and safety on the northward journey, but more importantly, ensuring their independence and preventing being absorbed by others once they reach Fugu—there is a basis for cooperation on this point.

Li Wanqing and Gao Yingxiang were already acquaintances, giving Li Wanqing a significant advantage over others. Given this, what harm is there in giving up a mere empty title to Gao Yingxiang?

Li Wanqing could cooperate with him, outwardly respecting Gao Yingxiang as his master. Whether this "master" was a major leader or an alliance leader didn't matter. In this way, the two groups would appear to be united. However, in reality, Li Wanqing's side would maintain its independence, and Gao Yingxiang would not be allowed to interfere in Li Wanqing's affairs.

In other words, they may be given titles, but in reality, they still manage their own affairs and obey orders but not official pronouncements.

This would not only reassure Gao Yingxiang but also unite both sides to prepare for potential situations after they reach the north. Furthermore, since Huang Long brought this up today, and Gao Yingxiang has outwardly reprimanded and apologized, who can guarantee what he truly thinks after returning home? To avoid estrangement and backstabbing, it's better to address the matter directly.

With Gao Yingxiang's intelligence, he naturally understood where Li Wanqing's bottom line lay. Besides, relying on Gao Yingxiang as a backer for the time being wasn't a bad thing. Letting him bear this nominal title and act as the leader wouldn't harm them. As long as independence could be maintained, appropriate concessions were worthwhile. In Zhou Lun's view, the other party would definitely agree to this deal.

As Zhou Lun explained, Li Wanqing's eyes gradually brightened.

He pondered Zhou Lun's words carefully, and his previous worries and concerns vanished in an instant, replaced by an indescribable sense of relief.