Red Flower Headquarters

Leihu, with his belly protruding, said, "Kid, you didn't really kill that Nine Gates Governor from the capital, did you?"

Fang Xiaoyu chuckled, "It was just a Nine Gates Governor. I killed him, so what?"

Leihu couldn't help but pout and muttered, "Damn, this kid is really arrogant. That was a powerful Nine Gates Governor, but he talks like he just killed a chicken."

Fang De, shocked by Fang Xiaoyu's words, stared at him and asked, "Xiaoyu, did you really kill the Nine Gates Governor?"

The Nine Gates Governor was one of Qianlong's most trusted officials and had always been responsible for suppressing the Red Flower Society. Countless members of the society had met a tragic end at the hands of this official.

Knowing how formidable the Nine Gates Governor was, Fang De couldn't help but doubt Fang Xiaoyu's claim, even though it came from his own mouth.

Seeing Fang De's skepticism, Fang Xiaoyu nodded and said, "I just used some tricks, but it's true that he is dead. I'm sure the Red Flower Society's intelligence network will confirm it soon."

Fang De, overjoyed, slammed his fist on the desk and exclaimed, "Good, well done! That dog official is dead; our brothers' deaths have finally been avenged."

Leihu, standing by, pouted again and said, "What's so good about it? Now that you've killed the Nine Gates Governor, we'll all be on the imperial court's most-wanted list. We should prioritize peace, prioritize peace..."

Ignoring Leihu's muttering, Fang Xiaoyu took Lei Tingting's hand and said to everyone, "Everyone should rest early. If my guess is right, with the Nine Gates Governor dead, the officials in Guangzhou will not dare slack off, so we must leave the area as soon as possible."

Fang De nodded heavily and said, "Yes, we'll head to the Red Flower Society's headquarters to meet with the chief tomorrow."

Everyone then returned to their rooms to rest.

At the break of dawn the next day, Fang Xiaoyu, who had only slept for a few hours, woke up. He looked outside at the sky, then at Lei Tingting who was snuggled up in his arms.

Fang Xiaoyu couldn't help but be captivated. Lei Tingting, only seventeen or eighteen years old and newly married, had a mix of innocence and mature charm, combined with a face that could be described as devastatingly beautiful. Fang Xiaoyu felt a surge of heat.

Lei Tingting, dressed in light-colored inner garments, blinked her eyes open and saw Fang Xiaoyu staring at her.

With a blush on her face, Lei Tingting slowly sat up and said softly, "Husband, why aren't you resting?"

Fang Xiaoyu took a deep breath, suppressing his thoughts, and patted Lei Tingting's shoulder, saying, "Tingting, get dressed quickly. We need to leave here as soon as possible."

Lei Tingting was startled, and just then, Fang Shiyu's voice came from outside, "Brother, wake up! Get ready; we're leaving."

As Fang Xiaoyu dressed, he apologized to Lei Tingting, "It's our family that has dragged you into this..."

Lei Tingting quickly covered his mouth with her hand and said with deep affection, "Husband, don't say that."

Fang Xiaoyu kissed her palm, causing Lei Tingting's face to flush even more. She gave him a charming look, while Fang Xiaoyu laughed heartily and said, "Tingting, hurry up and get ready. I'll go check outside."

Soon, everyone was ready. The courtyard was filled with over ten people. Besides Fang Xiaoyu and Leihu's families, there were also more than ten robust men with knives on their backs, spread around the perimeter.

Although these men were all under twenty years old, they carried an air of inexperience. However, their entire beings exuded a murderous aura, a result of Fang Xiaoyu's efforts over the past ten years.

With the vast wealth Fang Xiaoyu secretly controlled, it was easy for him to cultivate a group of loyal subordinates.

Although these more than ten guards couldn't be said to take on ten men at once, together they could hold their own against a squad of over a hundred Green Standard soldiers.

Fang De knew nothing about these men, but Fang Shiyu, who was always with Fang Xiaoyu, had a vague idea. However, he never expected that Fang Xiaoyu had gathered such a powerful group of followers.

Fang Shiyu, who loved to fight, was very pleased with these men. If it weren't for the wrong time and place, he would have definitely sparred with them.

There wasn't much to pack. When the tall horses were brought out, even Fang De looked at Fang Xiaoyu in surprise.

If it weren't for the events of the previous day, they would all be asking Fang Xiaoyu what other plans he had kept secret from them.

Since the unexpected events began yesterday, Fang Xiaoyu had revealed one surprising card after another: secret passages, a calm escape from the city, and these more than ten robust guards. Each one exceeded Fang De and the others' expectations.

With a swift movement, Fang Xiaoyu mounted his horse, and amidst Lei Tingting's exclamation, pulled her up onto the horse with him. He looked at the dazed group and said, "What are you standing there for? Mount up!"

Everyone came to their senses and mounted their horses.

Thanks to Fang Xiaoyu's preparations over the past ten years, their journey went smoothly, without any hint of fleeing for their lives.

In just a few days, they were close to the Red Flower Society's headquarters.

The Red Flower Society was based in a remote village. As a force wanted and suppressed by the imperial court, its headquarters was naturally well-hidden.

The entire village was made up of Red Flower Society members, who normally kept a low profile. Even the local authorities would never suspect that the famous Red Flower Society's headquarters was hidden in such a village.

On this day, the usual calm of the village was broken as more than ten tall horses galloped in.

Under a large tree at the entrance of the village, a dozen figures stood, led by a scholarly-looking man, watching the approaching horsemen.

One of the figures, a one-armed Daoist, laughed, "They're here; it's Brother Fang De and his group."

The man at the front, the scholarly one, was the Red Flower Society leader, Chen Jialuo. Beside him was a bald man with a sinister look, who narrowed his eyes like a venomous snake, staring coldly at the approaching Fang Xiaoyu and company with a smirk on his face. This was Yu Zhenhai, the descendant of the former Red Flower Society leader Yu Wanting.

Chen Jialuo smiled and said to Yu Zhenhai and the others, "Gentlemen, let's go and greet Brother Fang De together."

"Whoa!"

With a long shout, the horses came to a sudden stop. Fang De was the first to dismount, and he quickly walked up to Chen Jialuo, saluting, "Fang De greets the Chief and the heads of the families!"

Chen Jialuo helped Fang De up with a smile and said, "Brother Fang, no need for such formalities. In fact, it's our fault that your identity was compromised, forcing you to bring your whole family here..."

Fang De immediately straightened his expression and said, "Chief, please don't say that. I am a member of the Red Flower Society, so it's natural that my identity could be exposed. How could I blame the brothers of the headquarters?"

Yu Zhenhai spoke in a sarcastic tone, "It's just a pity about that vast fortune. If Brother Fang had transferred the wealth earlier and let the headquarters handle it, now that your identity is exposed, that wealth will fall into the hands of the Qing court."

After dismounting, Fang Xiaoyu had been quietly observing the group. Zheng Shaoqiu's portrayal of Chen Jialuo was indeed scholarly and elegant, while Yu Zhenhai perfectly embodied the main villain from the original story, blaming them for losing their fortune right from the start.