...
He was a strong adult man wearing coarse cloth, busy at work. He threw a box of salted fish off his shoulder with a thud and greeted him happily.
Wang Shouzhe gathered himself and recognized him as the second in the Shou generation, Wang Shouyi. He cupped his hands and smiled, "Second Brother, why are you dressed like this and even working personally?"
Wang Shouyi smiled helplessly, "Sixth Uncle seems to have gone crazy and sent all the stock of salted fish from the Dingpu Warehouse over here for me to sell quickly. The workers can't handle it at once, so here I am, unloading the goods."
As he spoke, he pointed to a line of goods-laden horse-drawn carts, practically blocking the road.
Uh... hehe.
Wang Shouzhe naturally knew the reason. It was because of his suggestions and ideas that this year's fishing team had an absolute boom in catches. If the stockpiled salted fish weren't dealt with quickly, they'd end up stuck with it when a large amount of fresh catch hit the market.
"Wang Zhong, Wang Yong, lend a hand with unloading." Wang Shouzhe waved his hand.
"Yes, Patriarch." The two Household Generals immediately put down their burdens and went to help. Each was at the Fourth Layer and Fifth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm, their strength and physique far exceeding ordinary people.
Additionally, Wang Shouyi was also at the Fifth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm. With three Black Tortoise Practitioners working together, the unloading speed shot up.
Of course, Wang Shouzhe was already at the high stage of the Sixth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm, and if he joined, the speed would be even faster. However, if he, being the head of the family, were to move salted fish himself, it would tarnish the family's prestige if word got out.
In less than two quarter-hours, the fish goods on several carts were moved into the warehouse, and the road was clear again.
Afterward, Wang Shouyi, having cleaned himself up, was going to entertain Wang Shouzhe in the backyard, but was declined, and they found a spot inside the fish stall for some tea and a chat.
"Fourth Brother, our fish stall mainly sells salted fish and smoked fish dried goods, fresh fish, and live fish," Wang Shouyi said, personally pouring tea. "Most dried goods like salted fish are bulk-purchased by traveling merchants and sold toward the northwest."
"The fresh fish are sold first to the vendors in Changning Guard City, who come to our stall at dawn to pick up goods. Secondly, we supply fresh fish and live fish to a few restaurants in the city. This part, we're responsible for delivering, so the price is slightly higher."
"Additionally, some noble families, wealthy merchant families, and so forth have a daily need for fresh fish and live fish. Hence, from dawn to noon, is the busiest time for our fish stall."
With just a few words, Wang Shouzhe understood the operation mode of Wang's Fish Stall, which mainly aimed to maximize the selling price of the fishing team's catch output, bringing net profits to the family of about two hundred Qian Gold each year.
And because the net profit wasn't high, the family had Wang Shouyi of the seventh generation take charge here.
Wang Shouyi's talent wasn't very good, only a Lower Grade D, so throughout his life, he could not enjoy family resources comparable to those of Wang Dingyue and Wang Shouzhe, resulting in his being only at the initial stage of the Fifth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm at the age of thirty-three.
Fortunately, Wang Shouyi's character was steady, hard-working, with no complaints about the family's resource distribution, and he strove diligently to shoulder one part of the family industry, contributing to the family.
"Second Brother, you've worked hard all these years." Wang Shouzhe solemnly cupped his hands.
"Fourth Brother, what are you saying?" Wang Shouyi hurriedly stood up to return the gesture, "As a direct descendant of the family, managing the family industry is my duty, no talk of hardship. As long as you, Fourth Brother, can one day reach the Spirit Platform Realm, our Wang clan members will live a good life."
Spirit Platform Realm! Spirit Platform Realm!
Wang Shouzhe sighed inwardly. Now, the hopes of all family members were pinned on him, Wang Shouzhe. It was this hope that made them work tirelessly without complaint.
"Don't worry, Second Brother, our Wang family will only get better and better," Wang Shouzhe said confidently with a smile, "By the way, I heard that nephew Zongsheng's talent is not bad, at Lower Grade C?"
When mentioning Zongsheng, a joyful expression appeared on Wang Shouyi's honest face as he scratched his head, "That kid is alright, better than his father, it seems my bloodline isn't bad."
"Haha, Second Brother, that's because Second Sister-in-law has a good bloodline," Wang Shouzhe teased with a smile, "I know that Second Sister-in-law was a renowned beauty when she was in the Golden Sand Xu Family waiting for marriage, with many families proposing. Yet you managed to stand out and win her heart."
"Fourth Brother, you actually remember that? You were just a child then, right? Hehe, your Second Sister-in-law didn't fancy those flashy young masters, she chose your Second Brother for his honesty and simplicity." Recalling the matter, Wang Shouyi was filled with pride, "Marrying your Second Sister-in-law was the greatest victory of my life. By the way, Fourth Brother, you're eighteen this year, right? When do you plan to marry the Liua family daughter?"
Liua family daughter?
Wang Shouzhe paused. If Wang Shouyi hadn't brought it up, he'd have forgotten that he was engaged to the eldest legitimate daughter of the Liua family.
Logically speaking, the declining Wang family would have difficulty connecting with the Liua's direct lineage, with the relationship only maintained through occasional marriages between direct veins. It had been generations since the last direct line marriage between the Wang and Liua families.
At that time, the Liua's legitimate daughter married Ancestor Zhou Xuan's second son, Wang Yuyou, while Ancestor Zhou Xuan's second daughter, Wang Zhuwei, was married into the Liua's direct line.
It's worth noting that Ancestral Grandmother Zhu Wei gave birth to two sons and a daughter in the Liua family, and currently, the two living Spirit Platform Realm ancestors of the Liua family are one son and one grandson of Ancestral Grandmother Zhu Wei.
It is precisely because of this that Shanyin Liua family always held a sentiment towards the Wang family.
Yet the most formidable among the Liua family isn't those two Spirit Platform Realm ancestors, but Ancestral Grandmother Zhu Wei's daughter, Liua Xuanfu.
Back then, Liua Xuanfu of the Liua family and Wang Longyan of the Wang family were not only cousins but also rare prodigious girls, both admitted to the Purple Mansion Academy, which shocked the entire Changning Guard Region.
They were called the Two Beauties of Changning, and their fame surpassed that of ordinary clan's Spirit Platform ancestors. Furthermore, they both thrived at the Purple Mansion Academy, promising a bright future.
Unfortunately.
After the Wang family faced disaster, Ancestor Longyan had to give up her Elite Disciple status at the academy and return to the family, ending up heavily injured with a greatly reduced lifespan, and never left Changning thereafter.
However, Liua Xuanfu continued to develop at the Purple Mansion Academy, her current situation unknown. But, given the rising strength of the Liua family, it can be deduced that Liua Xuanfu must have fared well at the Purple Mansion Academy.
Therefore, perhaps Ancestor Longyan sacrificed something unknown to secure this last assurance for the family by arranging Wang Shouzhe's marriage to a direct descendant of the Liua family.
"Fourth Brother, what are you thinking?" Wang Shouyi said with a hearty laugh, "Are you thinking about your fiancée who has yet to come home?"
"Second Brother, Second Brother, let's not talk about my fiancée now," Wang Shouzhe said, shifting the topic, "Let's focus on how we can make the family more prosperous. If Uncle Six's Fishing Team reaches last year's production levels, it will be beneficial for the family. If that happens, I assure you, our family will certainly have better days ahead, Second Brother."
"Hiss~" Wang Shouyi gasped, "Fourth Brother, don't joke with me."
Wang Shouzhe's smile froze on his face, and his gaze turned a bit sharp.
...