Chapter 29: Finding a Place to Settle Down (Part 2)

Over there, Deng Cunyu came to demand an explanation: “Huang Er, I, Deng Cunyu, have never done anything wrong to your Black Flag Army. You asked for rifles and bullets, and I did my best to provide them for you. This time, I even went out of my way to persuade a powerful force like the Xiliu Camp to join your Black Flag Army. Well, let’s see how you’ll treat us now.”
He was practically threatening: “A few hundred bandits raided us and caused us huge losses. But where was the Black Flag Army?”
Huang Shouzhong shook his head in frustration. After all, Deng Cunyu was a cunning man and close to Liu Yongfu. Although the weapons he passed on were only two or three at a time, the total amount added up to quite a significant number. Moreover, with the support of the Xiliu Camp now, he had to clarify things first: “Brother Deng, this is indeed my fault. But where did this Xiliu Camp come from? I haven’t heard anything about it.”
Deng Cunyu replied immediately, “It’s the Haiyang Liu Camp we mentioned before, which sent its family members to you. Now, Liu Xiaotong is following in the footsteps of Zhou Yafu, who once stationed troops at Xiliu, and has renamed it the Xiliu Camp.”
It turned out to be that deadly Liu Camp. Cold sweat broke out on Huang Shouzhong’s forehead.
Some time ago, a group of elders and children claiming to be from the Haiyang Liu Camp arrived in Shanxi City by boat, bringing some contraband for their use. Huang Shouzhong had taken care of them. Before long, shocking news spread—this Liu Camp had broken into Haiyang City and been wreaking havoc throughout Haiyang and Guang’an. The most extreme claims even said they had burned down French churches.
He had thought it was just rumor, at least with some exaggeration. Rumors claimed the Liu Camp had hundreds of guns, but he had dismissed them as nonsense. Now, it turned out those were all true.
The defeated Vietnamese soldiers were terrified, exchanged glances, and quickly hid behind the Black Flag Army camp.
It was that deadly Liu Camp—capable of abducting even the governor of Haiyang and burning down French churches. He had been so blind as to go looking for trouble with them.
He had now understood the situation, but Deng Cunyu wouldn’t back down: “These bandits even dare to disguise themselves as government troops to attack us. What’s going on with your Black Flag Army? Are these their confessions?”
Huang Shouzhong felt his scalp burn. Those weren’t bandits—they were clearly government troops. What use were those confessions? But in the next moment, he realized the Xiliu Camp was showing them that they didn’t care about procedures or facts.
Thinking of how the Xiliu Camp had fired a warning shot into the air without hesitation and immediately prepared to fire on the government troops, he understood how such a fierce force wouldn’t care about others’ reactions. They simply made sure everything was handled flawlessly.
What to do? Thinking of Governor Huang Zuoyan’s reaction and seeing Deng Cunyu’s aggressive attitude, he didn’t even have the energy to consider more complex issues. He could only be relieved that, out of loyalty to his hometown, he had done some favors for the Liu Camp’s family members when they arrived in Shanxi, which gave him some peace of mind.

Over there, Deng Cunyu exaggerated the capabilities of the Xiliu Camp even further: “The Xiliu Camp has pledged allegiance to the Black Flag Army, bringing with them hundreds of rapid-fire guns and countless sophisticated military weapons. It took me, Deng, great effort to persuade them. Yet this is how you, the Black Flag Army, treat your friends?”
“Huang Er, tell me the truth! If you don’t welcome them, the Xiliu Camp will just leave!”
As soon as he said this, despite Huang Shouzhong’s high prestige in the front camp, the soldiers of the Black Flag Army began whispering among themselves. Some dared to ask Deng Cunyu, “Are there really hundreds of rapid-fire guns?”
“There are hundreds of rapid-fire guns, more than one per soldier, plus many short-barreled firearms as well,” Deng Cunyu assured them. “There are also many other sophisticated Western-style weapons.”
With such equipment, the Xiliu Camp could dominate the entire North Vietnam. Not only could Huang Shouzhong hear the gunshots clearly, but every soldier of the Black Flag Army remembered them deeply.
They didn’t have as many considerations as Huang Shouzhong; everyone could see the joy on their faces. “Are there really hundreds of rapid-fire guns? I might try to get one for myself too.”
“Just having such a strong force is enough! We won’t struggle to feed them.”
“Well said. Our front camp can get closer to them.”
Meanwhile, Deng Cunyu kept pressing him: “Huang Er, give me an answer! If not, I’ll have the Xiliu Camp join another faction.”
Huang Shouzhong was usually a decisive and capable leader, but never had he faced such a difficult decision before.
Rejecting the Xiliu Camp was simply impossible. If he did it, he would lose the loyalty of the Black Flag Army soldiers.
The Xiliu Camp’s abundance of rapid-fire guns and sophisticated weapons seemed genuine, which was a huge advantage for the Black Flag Army. But once the Xiliu Camp was integrated into their ranks, how would he, as the second-in-command, position himself?
Although the Xiliu Camp was small in number, their advanced weapons meant they would surely surpass his own front camp. Moreover, the more complicated issue was coordinating relations with the Vietnamese authorities.
This group was known for their brutality—storming Haiyang, kidnapping the governor, setting churches on fire under the tricolor flag—they had already angered the Vietnamese authorities to the extreme. Today’s gunshots would make Huang Zuoyan hate them deeply. If the Black Flag Army took them in, how would these local warlords react?
The Xiliu Camp wasn’t to be underestimated either. He had even considered forcing them to join, but now it seemed like a ridiculous idea.
It was difficult!
Several officers gathered behind Huang Shouzhong. An officer surnamed Deng spoke up, “Commander, please make a decision.”
Encouraged by this, Huang Shouzhong mustered up the courage and finally resolved, “It’s delightful to have friends come from afar! Since they’ve come to pledge allegiance to our Black Flag Army, there’s no reason for my front camp to reject them.”
After saying this, he smiled. “Besides, my front camp itself originated from the Yellow Flag Army. Thanks to the support of the brothers in the Black Flag Army, we’ve fought together through thick and thin and built up the Black Flag Army to what it is today. How could I reject the Xiliu Camp?”
With that, he felt a bit relieved. “However, their joining is a matter of great significance. As just one of the members of the Black Flag Army, I can’t make a decision alone. Only Yuan Ting can decide!”

Yuan Ting is Liu Yongfu’s pseudonym. “Yuan Ting is currently leading troops abroad to fight against Li Yangcai. I will send someone there immediately to inform him and ask him to make a decision right away… Until then, I have designated a defensive area; how about the people of Xiliu Camp settle there temporarily?”