Mistakenly Connected to the Jade Flower Branch

Chapter 289 Clarification

Conch disagreed: "Yanghua's family didn't mean me any harm. They often brought me food, and the neatly stacked firewood in the temple was also a gift from them."

Although she never officially recognized her son, she genuinely cared for him as if he were her own child over the years. He was mostly lonely, but there were occasional moments of warmth.

Xu Sheng saw that Hailuo looked a little disappointed, so he patted his head and said, "It's okay, you'll stay with me from now on."

The ship owners' meeting was held as scheduled, and no one objected when Nianyao announced the dissolution. Even though the ship owners felt regret, they accepted the situation as it was.

In fact, ever since Eighth Sister led her brothers to farm on Chongming Island, and Nianyao moved her family to Chongming Island, rumors of disbanding the Dahe Gang had already spread, and everyone was waiting for it.

At present, tensions are high in Dongyang and Nanyue. If war breaks out, the Dahe Gang will inevitably be attacked from both sides if they do not choose to surrender.

If we choose to defect, internal strife will ensue regardless of which side we choose. Many of the brothers in the Great River Gang come from the military. While internal strife within the gang can still maintain unity, in a conflict between two nations, their stances will inevitably be clearly defined; Xu Lai's death serves as a cautionary tale.

After careful consideration, disbanding the Great River Gang was the best course of action. The brothers from the army went to find their own masters, and the other brothers sought their own paths. The ship owners also dared not step forward to compete at this moment.

Nianyao emptied her coffers, even distributing the calligraphy and paintings in the council hall at a discounted price. This was the last time the Dahe Gang would distribute money, ensuring everyone received a share regardless of rank, striving for fairness and impartiality.

The boat owners handed over the Grand River Gang tokens, and the brothers chatted and laughed as they counted the money and carried the boxes. Several familiar boat owners gathered together to chat.

Nianyao said to Qin Jiu, "Brother Jiu, Erhu said you've made a lot of money. Did you use all the money you earned from the Dahe Gang and from outside to make up for it?"

Qin Jiu said, "The gang leader didn't leave a single penny. If I were to keep some for myself, wouldn't I be letting you down after calling me Uncle Jiu for so many years?"

Nianyao pouted: "Ninth Uncle, we're not the same. You have a wife and children to support. If I'm broke, I'll go to a nightclub; I won't starve."

Qin Jiu said, "If I have no money, I'll go to the palace. The emperor granted me a title but not a fief or a salary. I have to get an explanation from him."

Nianyao suggested, "Ninth Brother, how about we go to Heaven on Earth together? You can be the accountant there, and I'll do odd jobs. What do you say?"

Qin Jiu sighed with emotion: "I just finished building this school and pharmacy, hoping that the two of you would come and open a clinic. But you, sigh, you really are a girl who is outgoing."

Upon hearing this, Su Hexiang leaned closer and said, "Ninth Brother, why don't you come with me? I'm not good at farming, but I should be able to lend you a hand in business."

Suhexiang had originally united with the ship owners of Bagua Island and nearby islands, but unfortunately, their fleet was intercepted by Zhou Yan a hundred miles away. All the brothers in the fleet remained on Jinsha Island, while Suhexiang and the ship owners came on Zhou Yan's ships.

Su Hexiang died before achieving her goal, and although she was unwilling to accept it, she dared not openly confront Zhou Yan.

Qin Jiu said, "Merchants value profit over parting. If I continue to travel around, I'm afraid it will easily cause family conflicts. As people get older and have families, they have more to worry about than you young people."

Su Hexiang glanced at Nianyao: "Ninth Brother, there's something I've always been confused about. I would appreciate your guidance."

Qin Jiu said, "Please speak."

Su Hexiang pointed at Nian Yao: "You two are all protecting her, what is it about me that I can't compare to her?"

Qin Jiu laughed and said, "When the gang leader just announced the disbandment of the Great River Gang, she emphasized that from now on, no one should call her gang leader. Just call her by her name, Yao."

So, Xiang, you're better than Nianyao in many ways. But when it comes to the chivalrous spirit of taking things in stride, Nianyao has a slight edge.

Suhexiang seemed unconvinced: "That's it?"

Qin Jiu said, "When we travel the martial world, we value the spirit of the martial world, and that's more important than anything else."

Su Hexiang said, "Ninth Brother, Nianyao was raised by Uncle Xu and Uncle Liu, but Nianyao didn't avenge Uncle Liu when he was murdered, and now that Xu Lai has been murdered, Nianyao doesn't intend to avenge him either. Is this what they call the chivalrous spirit of being able to take things as they come and let them go?"

Zhou Yan walked over after talking with Sun Chi and happened to hear this: "Xiang Meizi, life and death are preordained, you can't blame Nian Yao."

Su Hexiang said, "Brother Zhou, if you were the one who died, would you say the same thing? I'm quite impressed that the murderer can be so self-righteous."

Tiger called out from the edge of Xianzhou Garden: "The boat is about to set sail. Uncles and brothers, please board."

Nianyao said, "Ninth Brother, let's see them off."

Nianyao and Qin Jiu, along with their brothers, went to the dock to see off the ship owners. The two groups waved goodbye. These men of the martial world were open-minded and magnanimous, showing no particular sadness.

Until the boat left, the brothers dispersed, and the dock quieted down, it was as if the lively scene just moments before had been an illusion.

A voice rose in Nianyao's heart, both mocking and sorrowful: The Great River Gang is gone, everything is over.

Nianyao tilted her head slightly to look at the sky: "Ninth Brother, am I particularly useless?"

“Nianyao, you have to believe that everything that happens in this world is meant to happen, and you did nothing wrong.” Qin Jiu thought for a moment and then said, “Don’t take all the responsibility on yourself, and don’t create shackles for yourself.”

“Ninth Brother is right,” Zhou Yan’s voice rang out from behind.

Qin Jiu was flattered: "Brother Zhou, you can call me Qin Jiu or A Jiu, it's fine."

Zhou Yan said, "Yao'er, you didn't do anything wrong, and I didn't do anything wrong either. If time could turn back, I would still kill Xu Lai."

Nianyao's eyes immediately reddened: It wasn't the gang leader, nor Nianyao, but Yao'er. She had always been the uncles' Yao'er.

Zhou Yan said, "Personally, he is an accomplice in the killing of Liu Lin; publicly, he is a guard of Dongyang. Now that war between the two countries is inevitable, Xu Lai is familiar with Jingjiang and has a great reputation in the Dahe Gang. I cannot let him go."

Nianyao's voice trembled slightly: "Ninth Brother and I are going back to Bianjing tomorrow, and we'll have fewer opportunities to see Uncle Zhou after that. I'd like to take this opportunity to ask Uncle Zhou for some pointers."

Zhou Yan, of course, would not refuse. He slowly ran his fingers across the blade: "Yao'er, swords have no eyes, you must be careful."

Nianyao used the old gang leader's sword: "I remember Uncle Zhou taught me martial arts when I was little. The uncles of the Dahe Gang have been very kind to me, and I have always been grateful. Uncle Zhou, please go first."

With guidance from many people, Nianyao combined the strengths of various schools and developed her own unique style. Her moves were ruthless and merciless, and she gained the upper hand.

After exchanging about a hundred blows, Nianyao suddenly leaped into the air, her long sword pointing directly at Zhou Yan's head.

Zhou Yan blocked the attack with his sword, and as the swords clashed, a clang was heard, and Zhou Yan's sword broke in two.

Qin Jiu blurted out, "Be careful."

Nianyao's longsword tilted slightly as she slashed downwards from behind Zhou Yan. Zhou Yan felt a chill run down his spine, and as he spun back, he saw a strand of hair fall into Nianyao's hand.

Nianyao bowed respectfully and said, "Uncle Zhou acknowledges."

Looking at the broken knife in his hand, Zhou Yan's expression was both sad and happy: "Yao'er has grown up, and Uncle Zhou has grown old. Yao'er, when you return to Heaven and Earth to be the mistress of the manor, you should no longer wear men's clothes. Our Yao'er must have the demeanor of a matriarch."

Nianyao noticed a few silver strands mixed in with the black hair in her hand. Time spares no one; these uncles are slowly growing old.

Nianyao smiled through her tears: "Okay, Yao'er will remember."