CHAPTER 44: CHAPTER 44: IN-LAW FACTIONS (SEEKING RECOMMENDATIONS)

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However, upon closer consideration, it seems quite reasonable. If Jiaolong Trading Company wasn’t powerful enough, how could it take over all the business along the entire Anjiang?

The annual revenue must be an astronomical figure.

With such immense revenue, attracting or nurturing talent becomes a matter of course.

This is the so-called rule: the stronger you are, the wealthier you become, and the wealthier you become, the stronger you are. This principle is universally applicable in any world.

The speed of the ship sailing downstream was fast, and while Wang Shouzhe chatted casually with Sixth Uncle Wang Dinghai, they quickly left the exclusive Wang Family’s water domain. To the left of the river was a large chaotic stone beach, and to the right were steep cliffs.

The next stretch of water was the domain of the Ping’an Zhao Family. As Wang Shouzhe saw it, it was like an economically exclusive zone divided by various forces through long-term competition.

After traveling more than ten miles downstream, the right bank was the Shanyang Region, the old stronghold of the Gongsun Family. Compared to the small Ping’an Town region, where three noble families squeezed together, Shanyang Town had only two families, with the Shanyang Gongsun Family being considerably stronger than the Shanyang Cao Family.

The Black Tortoise Clan’s marriages are meticulous. They ensure the bloodlines continue while also possessing the means for alliances and diplomacy. Typically, families from the same region do not intermarry.

Just like the Wang Family, the Liu Family, and the Zhao Family in Ping’an Town, they do not intermarry. This is an implicit understanding, signifying that two tigers can’t live on one mountain. Eventually, they are bound to swallow each other.

Similarly, when marrying outside, it’s forbidden to choose two families within the same region for marriage. For example, since the Wang Family and the Shanyang Gongsun Family are in a marriage alliance, the Wang Family absolutely cannot intermarry with Shanyang. That would be a grave taboo. As a return, the Shanyang Gongsun Family naturally will not intermarry with the Ping’an Zhao or Liu Families.

Thus, throughout the Changning Guard Region, with dozens of noble families large and small, it may seem complex, but in reality, it divides into only five or six marriage alliances.

Wang Shouzhe admired the fleeting scenery along the way while sorting through some thoughts. The family’s future development and marriage alliances are factors that cannot be ignored.

Take the Changning Xu Family, for example. Currently, the Changning Xu Family has three members in the Spirit Platform Realm, with the most powerful ancestor reaching the late Spirit Platform Realm, comparable to the Wang Family at its peak.

However, as marriage allies, both parties still maintain direct line marriages. Xinmao Silk Farm’s main business of mulberry planting and silkworm raising also relies on the Xu Family for survival. Not to mention anything else, just the fact that the price of buying cocoons is twenty percent higher than that of others shows that the Changning Xu Family still harbors affection for the Wang Family.

If one day Wang Shouzhe achieves the Spirit Platform Realm, how can he not remember the sentiments of the Gongsun Family, Lua Family, and others? Anyone might face downfall at some point; even the Wang Family, strong as they once were, fell into decline suddenly, didn’t they?

"Shouzhe, look, that’s the Zhao Family’s fishing fleet." Wang Dinghai suddenly spoke.

Wang Shouzhe glanced across the river and noticed a fishing fleet several miles away working on the river, with two of the ships being medium-sized fishing vessels. More than a dozen fishing boats spread out, appearing quite grand. Evidently, their fishing fleet was slightly superior in scale to the Wang Family’s.

It’s no surprise, given that of the three noble families in the small Ping’an Town region, the Wang Family is currently the weakest. Firstly, the Wang Family has always been plagued with misfortunes, and secondly, they owe it to Zhao and Liu’s joint pressure strategy.

However, the Zhao and Liu Families both know that once the Wang Family collapses, Ping’an Town becomes the battlefield between them. The lack of intermarriage between the Zhao and Liu Families indicates their mutual understanding.

"Ha, they still use the outdated fleet netting fishing technique." Wang Dinghai steered the rudder, a sneer appearing at the corner of his mouth, feeling a surge of superiority.

It’s no wonder, since Wang Shouzhe taught the fixed net-launched technique. Wang Dinghai has already discreetly erected 30 fixed net-launching platforms at various hidden locations along both banks. Near those platforms, simple thatched huts have been built to allow two fishermen to take turns working and resting.

Moreover, using the seesaw principle, the fixed net-launching platforms make fishing extraordinarily simple and convenient. Even an ordinary teenager can easily master it without much effort.

Nighttime fishing on the river can be dangerous. Unless absolutely necessary, fishing boats usually head out at dawn and return before nightfall. The net-launching platforms, however, can conduct non-lit fishing operations at night, and are much safer along the shore than on the river.

The fishing pattern is that fish tend to move closer to the shore at dusk because the shore offers more opportunities for food, and the night gives them a sense of security.

During the fish season, a single fixed net-launching platform might capture one to two thousand pounds of fish overnight with great luck, and even with less luck, it could catch four to five hundred pounds.

Across thirty net-launching fishing points, they’re averaging daily catches of twenty thousand pounds over the past few days! That’s a full two hundred dan of various fish harvests...

Thus, to maintain secrecy, Wang Dinghai has already halted daytime operations of the net-launching platforms. The nets are dismantled, and the frameworks flattened and covered with grass. By the time dusk arrives, they are rapidly assembled to fish throughout the night under the cover of darkness.

After all, the daytime fish harvests are much less compared to nighttime, so it’s better to increase the level of secrecy.

As for the daytime, to cover their tracks, the fishing fleet still needed to go out if there was nothing else. But during the fishing season, catching just a few dozen tans a day gradually made Wang Dinghai lose interest, and he was pondering how to get more bamboo rafts.

When Wang Dinghai reported this softly to Wang Shouzhe, Shouzhe’s heart was filled with emotion. The natural resources of this world were indeed too abundant. Even those famous Western countries with rich natural water resources couldn’t compare to this world.

"Uncle Six, try to pay attention to conserving resources as much as possible," Wang Shouzhe said with a mix of relief and some concern. "In the future, just release the small fish of the same species back."

"How can that be? These are all money, you know. We get more than a dozen tans each day." Wang Dinghai’s eyes widened. "Besides, if our family doesn’t catch them, other families will." After a pause, he couldn’t stand Wang Shouzhe’s gaze and said awkwardly, "If you really have opinions, Shouzhe, we can have the boatmen gather the small fish and throw them all into the Fengshui River, treating it as our own family’s breeding. At most, I’ll add a few more bamboo rafts to catch more big fish."

"That works too," Wang Shouzhe acknowledged, knowing the mindset of the older generation in the family. They had been too poor; making extra money wherever possible mattered to them. As for the advanced thought of protecting natural resources, it couldn’t be changed overnight.

With the ship’s fast pace, they swiftly passed by the Zhao family’s fishing boats at a distance of two miles, gradually leaving them behind.

From Fenggu Gate to East Port, there were about one hundred and twenty li of waterway. With favorable winds and currents, they would reach there in just two and a half hours.

Here, the river broadened, forming a large horn-shaped opening, and the water flow slowed. To the left of the big river horn lay the endlessly extending Liping Mountain Range.

The Liping Mountain Range and the region behind were a highly dangerous area, one of the Outer Domain wildernesses unclaimed by settlers. The deeper you go, the fiercer the beasts become, even a Spirit Platform Realm ancestor might fall if they rashly charge in.

On the right side of the big river was a vast plain area. From Wang Shouzhe’s study of the map and the field observation, he judged it to be a substantial alluvial plain.

This expansive fertile land was the famous East Sea Guard region in Longzuo County.

East Port Town was the furthest eastern segment extending from the Changning Guard Region and bordered the East Sea Guard region.

East Port had a very favorable geographical position, with a natural deep-water bay that was a haven for ships. Over time, it became a prosperous port with developed freight and concentrated trade.

The Liu family’s in-laws—the East Port Chen Family, was one of the noble families here.

The Chen Family was a family primarily in the shipping business. Since its establishment, it had been under a century, making it a relatively young family. Its entrepreneurial ancestor had long passed, giving the impression of a weak foundation, but in reality, the family now had two Spirit Platform Realm ancestors.

The older ancestor was just over a century old, while the younger one was only seventy-something.

In addition, the current clan leader of the Chen Family, Chen Dewei, had reached the peak of the Qi Refining Realm at just forty-two years old. He was doing the final polishing work and gathering resources, and it would take half a year to two years for him to attempt breaking through to the Spirit Platform Realm.

Once successfully advanced, Clan Leader Chen Dewei would make the East Port Chen Family a family of three Spirit Platforms, solidifying the clan’s foundation even more.

Producing a Spirit Platform Realm every thirty years!

It showed the Chen Family’s considerable financial resources and fortune were not ordinary.

Wang Shouzhe gazed at the vigorous East Port buildings afar, feeling somewhat emotional. In contrast, Ping’an Wang Family’s previous fortune seemed rather lackluster.

Fortunately, they now had him, Wang Shouzhe.

Suddenly!

A ship sailed out from the inner bay port, its unique feature being the huge family flag it hoisted, depicting a golden bird flying over the sea.

On the lookout tower, a signalman waved a flag.

"Shouzhe," Wang Dinghai said happily, "that’s a ship from the East Port Chen Family. They’re inquiring via flag signals if we are guests from the Wang Family. They must have sent someone to greet us."

"Yes." Wang Shouzhe nodded. Earlier, household generals were sent to notify the Chen Family of the journey, and them coming out to welcome us was standard courtesy between the two families.

Wang Shouzhe guessed it might be the Young Clan Leader Chen Fangjie, as that fellow was soon to become Wang Shouzhe’s brother-in-law...

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