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"It seems for now, we'll have to take it step by step." Wang Shouzhe's expression was somewhat grave, but he soon relaxed. Even without a golden finger, he still had some advantages.
At least after merging the memories, he discovered that although this world had many powerful experts, it lagged behind Earth in terms of people's livelihood development and advanced thinking, even if he was just an ordinary office worker with a college degree...
Just as Wang Shouzhe was preparing to sum up his advantages.
Suddenly, the servant Wang Gui rushed in hurriedly from outside: "Patriarch, Patriarch, something bad has happened! Sixth Master has been beaten, and he sent someone back to ask for help."
Sixth Master?
Wang Shouzhe frowned slightly, memories surged: "It's Sixth Uncle Wang Dinghai."
Wang Dinghai was Wang Shouzhe's clan uncle, ranking sixth among the male members of the Ding Generation. He had average talent and cultivation, but was quite good at water, so he was responsible for one of the clan industries, the fishing fleet.
Now that Wang Dinghai had been beaten, there should be some changes in the clan's fishing fleet side. It's just the right time to take a closer look at this world.
"Stay calm. Why are you so flustered?" Wang Shouzhe thought of this and calmed down. After a reprimand, he said composedly, "Prepare the carriage, we'll go take a look."
"Yes, Patriarch." Wang Gui hurriedly responded and ran off to prepare for the trip.
Wang Shouzhe left the room based on his memory and walked slowly towards the main gate of the main residence, observing the main residence's various architectural facilities and structures along the way, verifying them one by one with the memories in his mind.
On the way, he happened to see his legitimate mother, Lady Gongsun Hui, with a serious expression, leading a few household generals hurriedly toward the front gate.
Wang Shouzhe saluted Gongsun Hui: "Greetings, Lady."
With the merged memories, Wang Shouzhe already knew that he lost his mother at a young age, and Gongsun Hui was the legal wife his late father Wang Dingyue married afterwards, having a legitimate daughter named Wang Luomiao, who was already eight years old this year.
Therefore, although Gongsun Hui was Wang Shouzhe's legitimate mother, she was not his biological mother. However, she had a kind temperament and always treated Wang Shouzhe as her own, taking care of him in every aspect.
This was quite different from the usual clichés in fantasy novels.
Upon seeing Wang Shouzhe, Gongsun Hui came forward and held his hand with a face full of concern: "Zhe'Er, why did you come out? Have you eaten? Is your health better?"
The other household generals also hurriedly saluted Wang Shouzhe.
"Lady, I'm fine now. I've finished the spiritual meal you ordered to be prepared, and I'll talk to you about it in detail later." Wang Shouzhe calmly withdrew his hand and said solemnly, "Lady, are you leading the household generals to support Sixth Uncle? I'll accompany you."
Gongsun Hui's face sank, and after a slight hesitation, she said, "Zhe'Er, since you have inherited the position of Clan Leader, you will face these things sooner or later. Since you're already well, let's go and take a look together."
"Yes, Lady."
The two went out through the main gate together. On the main gate's plaque, the characters for Ping'an Wang Family were written in a bold and elegant style, exuding an extraordinary aura.
However, paired with the mottled paint on the columns and the white lanterns bearing the word "Offering" fluttering in the wind, it highlighted the desolate feeling of the Wang Family's declining fortunes.
"Patriarch, Lady Gongsun, the carriage is ready." The close servant Wang Gui came running, "The sword and bow are already on the carriage."
After a brief discussion, Wang Shouzhe and Gongsun Hui rode in the same carriage, with the four household generals each on Yellow Steeds guarding the sides, heading towards Anjiang Dingpu Ferry.
On the way, Gongsun Hui recounted the causes and effects one by one.
With the thinking of past and present lives, Wang Shouzhe quickly figured out the actual situation. Anjiang was a great river several hundred feet wide, rich in aquatic products and distinctive, providing long-term economic benefits through the fishing fleet.
But where there are benefits, there are often conflicts. Naturally, none of the Ping'an Three Great Families were willing to give up this fat piece of meat. After various struggles and compromises, the Three Great Families of Ping'an have delineated their territories without crossing boundaries.
Anjiang from Dingpu Ferry to Chaotic Stone Beach, spanning thirty li to the right, was the water domain of the Ping'an Wang Family.
However, in recent years, the other two families have been thriving with talents, expanding their appetites. In the context of limited overall territory, it's easy for them to get their hands into others' pots.
The encroachment plan had long been ongoing, with the clan's territory and industries shrinking year by year. The smaller the territory, the scarcer the resources, making it harder for clan members to grow, thus falling into a vicious cycle.
Moreover, the situation was exacerbated by the fact that Wang Family's anchor, Ancestor Longyan, seemed to be declining year by year, having been in seclusion for several years. Even when such a big thing happened at home, she did not appear, leading the outside world to speculate whether she could still fight.
The situation was grim, Wang Shouzhe frowned.
That being said, the main residence of the Wang Family was built by the mountains and rivers, only about ten li from Dingpu Ferry through a sturdy roadbed maintained year-round. With the advance household generals paving the way, the carriage took less than a half hour to arrive.
During the initial construction of Ping'an Town, this ferry was already one of the outposts of Changning Guard. After more than a hundred years of development, Dingpu Ferry became a vital North-South transportation hub.
The Three Great Families of Ping'an each established docks, ferries, shops, and other basic facilities here.
There were some simple defensive facilities at the ferry, with walls quite rudimentary at about five or six meters high, only capable of withstanding small-scale fierce beast attacks.
After entering the ferry, Wang Shouzhe and his party went straight to the deep-water dock. Under the long wooden pier stood giant timber columns that required two arms to encircle, extending the length of the pier to depths of three or four meters in the water. Further out, the deep-water area had two transverse piers forming berths.
Docked at the berths were various ships of different sizes, including ferries, merchant ships, and fishing boats.
In the distance, at the end of the pier, two groups of people were confronting each other. Both sides held sticks, knives, and forks, their emotions very intense.
"Wang the Sixth, you've got quite some guts. Still daring to bring people to block your Young Master Yongzhou, are you not satisfied with the beating you got?" A young man's mocking voice rang out.
"You Liu Family little mutt." Another man's voice was agitated and angry, "You just sneak attacked from underwater, if you're a real man, let's rely on our own skills and fight in the water for real. Your Sixth Master Wang will teach you how to behave."
"Wang the Sixth, don't blame Young Master for looking down on you. You've lived all these years in vain, with not a shred of brains." The young man sneered, "Underwater ambush is but one battle tactic. Should we declare that tactics can't be used before a fight? Haha, you're living backwards. You might as well roll out of Ping'an Town, stop squandering food."
The young man's group burst into loud laughter, echoing the cry to roll out of Ping'an Town, roll out of Ping'an Town.
Dingpu Ferry was a mixed crowd, with many travelers and traders gathering to watch the fuss, all kinds of discussions ongoing.
The conflict today was bound to spread to other places through their footsteps and mouths. The Ping'an Wang Family, as the side suffering the loss in this conflict, would also become a laughingstock for a while, a topic of conversation over tea and meals, damaging the Wang Race's prestige.
"Liu Family little mutt." The man's face was flushed red, in extreme rage, "You've gone too far, your Sixth Master will fight you!"
"Wang Family old dog, come on if you dare!"
A brawl was as imminent as a taut string ready to snap.
"Stop!" Seeing the urgency of the situation, Gongsun Hui hurriedly stepped in between the confrontation to stop it, "Wang Dinghai, Liu Yongzhou, calm down first, and speak properly."
Afraid Lady Gongsun would suffer, Wang Shouzhe waved his hand, and the four Wang Family household generals gathered around, protecting Gongsun Hui in their midst. He followed closely, continuing to observe everything coldly.
Onsite observation and memory told him that the young man in tight-fitting water armor, with a short blade at his waist and a somewhat cocky demeanor, was Liu Yongzhou, a member of the Liu Family's Yong Generation.
Rumor had it that this young man was skilled in water combat, particularly adept in the Water Escape Technique, and had once wielded a short blade to dive and hunt a Tier One fierce beast, the Red-Scaled Eel, weighing over two hundred jin. He had gained fame at the age of just twenty-three or twenty-four, a prodigy of the Ping'an Liu Family.
The other man, lean and dark-skinned, was obviously a person who lived long on the water. Though his head and arm were injured, wrapped in burlap, he seemed a bit battered.
That man was Wang Shouzhe's clan uncle—Wang Dinghai, specializing in the clan's fishing operations in domain waters, also very skilled in water battle fishing. He was the main catcher of the Red-tailed Spirit Eel Wang Shouzhe had eaten earlier.
"Ah, it's the Wang Family's Lady Gongsun." The young Liu Yongzhou said with a smile, casually cupping his hands. He then disdainfully mocked Wang Dinghai, "Wang the Sixth, you had a little friction with me, a junior, and you brought out the Clan Sister-in-law to support you. Yongzhou is impressed, very impressed, I can't compare."
"You..." Wang Dinghai's dark face reddened with anger.
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