Protect Our Patriarch

Chapter 19 – The legendary fiancée

It was a sturdy man in rough linen. He dropped the box of salted fish on his shoulders and greeted him happily.

Wang Shouzhe calmed down and recognized that the man was the second oldest of the Shou generation, Wang Shouyi. Immediately, he arched his hand, smiled, and said, “Second brother, why are you dressed like this? You have to do the work yourself?”

Wang Shouyi laughed helplessly, “I don’t know what kind of madness has infected sixth uncle, but he sent someone to send all the salted fish in stock from Dingpu’s warehouse, and ordered me to sell them as soon as possible. The guys have their hands full, so we are unloading them now.”

With that, he gestured to a couple of laden wagons which were queuing behind them, blocking the road.

Oh…hehe.

Of course, Wang Shouzhe knew the reason. This was because of his suggestions and ideas. This year, the fishing brigade’s catch would be absolutely mind-boggling. If the previous stock of salted fish is not disposed of quickly, its value would drop when a large number of subsequent catches are sold in the market.

“Wang Zhong, Wang Yong, help to unload the goods,” Wang Shouzhe waved his hand.

“Yes, Patriarch.” The two family generals immediately unloaded their bundles and went forward to help. One was at the fourth level of the Qi Refining realm and the other at the fifth. Their strength and physique were far beyond that of ordinary people.

Together with Wang Shouyi, who was also at the fifth level of the Qi Refining realm, the three Xuanwu practitioners worked together to unload the goods, and the unloading speed accelerated.

Of course, Wang Shouzhe was already at the peak of the sixth level of the Qi Refining realm, so if he helps out, the unloading would even be faster. It’s just that he is the head of a clan. If word gets out that the patriarch helped to unload salted fish, wouldn’t that affect the clan’s prestige?

In less than half an hour, the goods from several wagons were moved into the storehouse, the roadside cleared, and traffic resumed.

Then, Wang Shouyi, who had cleaned up, wanted to entertain Wang Shouzhe in the courtyard behind the fish shops. But his idea was rejected, and he found a place in the shop for them to drink tea and chat.

“Fourth brother, our fish stall mainly sells dried salted and smoked fish, fresh fish, as well as live fish.” Wang Shouyi poured the tea himself and said, “Most of the salted fish and other dried goods are purchased in bulk by traveling merchants and sold to the northwest.

“The fresh fish is firstly sold to the vendors in the city. They will come to our fish stall at daybreak to pick up their goods. Secondly, we supply fresh, live fish to a few restaurants in the city. We do the delivery, but the price will be slightly higher.

“Then, there are the noble families, wealthy merchants, etc., who have a high demand for fresh and live fish every day. So, the stall is busiest from daybreak to morning.”

In just a few words, Wang Shouzhe understood the modus operandi of Wang’s fish stall, which was mainly to maximise the price of the fishing brigade’s catch. The overall annual net income that could be brought to the family was only about 200 pieces of Qian gold.

It is precisely because the net income is not high that Wang Shouyi, the seventh generation of the family, is in charge here.

Wang Shouyi’s aptitude was not very good, and he was only of the lower grade. Therefore, the family resources enjoyed since his childhood were far from comparable to Wang Dingyue and Wang Shouzhe. As such, at 33 years old, he is only in the initial stage of the fifth level of the Qi Refining realm.

Fortunately, Wang Shouyi has a calm personality, is hardworking, and has no complaints about the family’s allocation of resources. Instead, he conscientiously picked one of the family industries and made contributions to the family.

“Second brother, it has been hard for you all these years.” Wang Shouzhe arched his hand solemnly.

“What kind of words are you saying, fourth brother?” Wang Shouyi hurriedly rose to return the greeting, “As a direct bloodline clan member, it is my duty to manage the clan’s industries property. It’s not hard work. As long as you, fourth brother, can breakthrough to the Lingtai realm one day, our Wang clan family members will definitely have a good life.”

Lingtai realm! Lingtai realm!

Wang Shouzhe sighed in his heart. All the clansmen had their hopes pinned on him. It was this hope that made them work so hard and give so much.

“Second brother, don’t worry, our Wang clan will definitely get better.” Wang Shouzhe smiled confidently and said, “By the way, I heard that nephew Zongsheng has good aptitude and looks like a low-grade C-class?”

As soon as Zongsheng was mentioned, Wang Shouyi’s simple and honest face exuded joy, he scratched his head and said, “That boy is not bad, better than his father, it seems that my bloodline is still good.”

“Oh, second brother, that’s because second sister-in-law’s bloodline is good.” Wang Shouzhe chuckled and teased, “I do know that when second sister-in-law was in the Xu family’s boudoir in Jinsha, she was a famous beauty, and many families went to propose marriage. But I didn’t expect you to win her heart in the end.”

“I can’t believe you still remember this, fourth brother, you were still a kid back then, right? Well, your second sister-in-law didn’t like those gaudy and flashy gentry, she took a fancy to your second brother’s honesty and integrity.”

When Wang Shouyi recalled this, he was full of pride, “To marry your second sister-in-law is the greatest victory of my life. By the way, fourth brother, you are 18 this year, right? When are you going to marry the Liu family’s daughter?”

The Liu family’s daughter?

Wang Shouzhe was dumbstruck. If Wang Shouyi didn’t bring this up, he would have forgotten that he is engaged to the Liu family’s eldest daughter.

In theory, it is difficult for the now declining Wang clan to match the Liu clan. The relationship between the two clans is only maintained by occasional intermarriages of the indirect lineages. The last time the clan’s official/ direct lineage married each other was over a hundred years ago.

At that time, the official daughter of the Liu clan married Wang Yuyou, the second son of ancestor Zhou Xuan while his second daughter, Zhuwei, married into the official line of the Liu clan.

It is worth mentioning that Aunt Zhuwei gave birth to two sons and a daughter. There are two Lingtai realm experts in the Liu clan now, one is Aunt Zhuwei’s son and the other, her grandson.

It is precisely because of this that the Shanyin Liu clan has always respected the Wang clan.

But the most powerful member of the Liu clan is not the two Lingtai realm ancestors, but Aunt Zhuwei’s daughter, Liu Xuanfu.

He recalled the time when Liu Xuanfu and Wang Longyan, who were cousins and pride of heaven, were accepted into the Zifu Academy, and shocked the entire Changning’wei region.

They were known as the Changning twins, and they were more famous than the Lingtai realm ancestors of ordinary families. Moreover, they were doing very well in the Zifu Academy and have a bright future.

Unfortunately.

After the Wang clan suffered a catastrophe, ancestor Longyan had to give up her status as an elite disciple of the academy to return to the clan. Eventually, she ended up with serious injuries and a greatly reduced life span.

Liu Xuanfu, on the other hand, was doing very well in the Zifu Academy although her current situation is unclear. However, seeing that the Shanyin Liu clan is becoming increasingly stronger, it was possible to deduce that Liu Xuanfu should be doing very well in the Academy.

Therefore, the marriage contract between Wang Shouzhe and the Liu family’s eldest daughter was a marriage personally contracted by ancestor Longyan. It was also the last protection that she was going to leave to the family.

Perhaps ancestor Longyan paid some unknown price, or perhaps the Liu clan still remembered their old friendship, and the marriage contract was thus settled.

“Fourth brother, what are you thinking about, fourth brother?” Wang Shouyi said with a smile, “You are not thinking about your future wife, Liu Ruolan, Miss Liu, right?”

“Hehe~ second brother, let’s think more about how to expand the family’s business.” Wang Shouzhe changed the subject, “If sixth uncle’s fishing brigade doubles the annual catch this year, can your fish shop cope?”

“What, double?” Wang Shouyi’s face flushed with joy and he whispered, “Fourth brother, the family is willing to expand the fishing brigade? This is a good thing which will benefit the family. If that’s the case, I will do my best.”

“What about twice as much?” Wang Shouzhe said with a smirk.

“Hiss~” Wang Shouyi took a breath, “Fourth brother, are you teasing me?”

Wang Shouzhe was just about to explain when suddenly, they heard an earnest laugh outside the shop, “Is the Wang family’s second child, Wang Shouyi here? I am Ding Youde, the second boss of the Fat Choi gambling house. When is your nephew going to repay the money he owes us?”

Fat Choi gambling house? Gambling debt? Nephew?

Just as Wang Shouyi’s expression changed drastically, Wang Shouzhe’s smile stiffen, and his eyes became a little sharper.