Cursed Mountains and Seas

Chapter 164 Luo Wenlong Repays Kindness: Suitable for Trade, Empty Seal and Appointment

After both parties reach a preliminary agreement, professionals will naturally finalize the details of the alliance, which will then be reviewed and formalized by Zheng Shiniang and Wang Cheng.

Wang Cheng and Shen Yueye got up to say goodbye. Having received this unexpected news, they could hardly remain calm and prepared to go back immediately to discuss countermeasures.

The eldest brother got up to escort them back, and also took the opportunity to pay his respects to the second Prince Jinghai.

Before leaving, Zheng Shiniang gave Zhang Quan a captivating and alluring look:

"Quan, come home early tonight, and don't stay out overnight."

Zhang Quan immediately turned around and made an "OK" gesture with his thumb and forefinger circling around the other three fingers.

It seems that because their territory was close to the chaotic South Seas, they learned this gesture from some Britannian merchant.

Zheng Shiniang smiled with satisfaction and closed the door.

When Zhang Quan turned around, he found that his junior sister and junior brother were staring at his hand.

He quickly coughed lightly and explained to them in a serious tone:

"This gesture actually means that I flicked her on the head from a distance."

That woman is such a busybody, daring to tell me whether I'll be home tonight or not. She really needs a lesson.

Shen Yueye, who had always believed that her senior brother was simply selling his labor honestly and had never given it any other thought, believed him and looked at him with admiration:

"Senior brother, you have a really high status in the Red Flag Gang. You even dare to teach that infamous heroine in the East China Sea a lesson."

That's a real honor for our sect! My father would be so proud if he knew.

Zhang Quan tugged at his collar, concealing the still-fading red whip marks on his neck, and forced himself to remain calm as he said:
"Of course, don't you even know who your senior brother is?"

However, I do have some other things to do tonight. As you know, there are countless matters in the gang that require my attention as the first mate.

After I meet the second-generation Prince Jinghai, I have to rush off to take care of my business. I won't be able to have lunch with you, let alone dinner.

Please don't overthink it, your senior brother really has something on his mind."

Shen Yueye was just a little naive when facing her own family, but she wasn't stupid. Upon hearing this, a hint of suspicion immediately rose in her eyes.

Wang Cheng, who was standing nearby, quickly covered for him:

"Ahem, senior sister, senior brother is right."

A man should prioritize his career; we have a long future ahead of us.

Zhang Quan gave Wang Cheng a grateful look and patted him on the shoulder:
“Junior Brother Fugui, whether you are a Bai Shui Lang or a Chao Feng Lang, you will need to be open-minded, accumulate money, build up your forces, and expand your territory if you want to be promoted.”

Without these foundational skills, it's impossible to advance.

However, money is hard to earn, shit is hard to swallow, and being a turtle is easy but getting angry is hard!

In our line of work, eight out of ten people fail on the path of accumulating capital and wealth; even those with talent cannot make the most of it.

However, senior brother does have a shortcut to Zhongnan Mountain.

If one day you feel that making money is too hard and you don't want to work hard anymore, feel free to ask your senior for help.

Last night you shone brightly, joining forces with the second-generation Prince Jinghai to kill the Black Kirin Mao Haifeng, making a great impression on the heroes of the East China Sea.

Before long, your name, "Wang Fugui, the God of Ghosts and Gods," will spread throughout the entire East China Sea.

Although you are not as handsome as that "Prince Jinghai" Wang Cheng, you have many rich friends, and the boss likes your type.

As long as you can learn three-tenths of your senior's skills and loosen up a bit, you're guaranteed to make money!

This senior brother is truly exceptional; he's incredibly loyal, even willing to share his own livelihood with his junior brother whom he's only met once, without expecting anything in return.

After saying that, he reluctantly gave each of them a gold ingot worth at least twenty taels.

"By the way, senior brother, I didn't prepare any gift for our meeting. You two can take this money and spend it as you like. Come back for it when you're done."

"Making money in the Red Flag Gang is easier for me than for you guys. Shi Niang treats me very well. As long as I can endure hardship, she'll give me as much as I want."

"It is said that a few taels of silver are earned through hardship, and one is busy all day long without rest. One's life is like that of an ox, never at rest. When one is at rest, one sleeps with the mountains. If the spring breeze has any pity for the flowers, can it grant me another youth?"
These few taels of silver are the best medicine in the world, able to relieve all kinds of anxiety. Having money in my hand makes me feel especially at ease.

I wish I had a father who was a prince.

Prince Jinghai certainly didn't have to struggle like we did to accumulate capital. We can't compare, we simply can't."

"Thank you, senior brother!"

Feeling the heavy weight of the gold ingot in his hand, Wang Cheng couldn't help but feel a deep respect for his senior brother.

Is this money?

This is my senior's good looks and youth!
It seems that this senior disciple neither knows that he is the ruler of the East Sea Kingdom, nor that his master Shen Yuting is the head of the Shen family, the God of Wealth. In fact, he is the poorest in the entire sect!
Wang Cheng and Shen Yueye didn't want to accept money from him, a poor man whose entire fortune was probably only a few hundred thousand taels of silver, but they couldn't refuse his hospitality.

After thinking about it, I was afraid of upsetting him, so I decided not to tell him for the time being.

As for his good intentions in introducing him to wealthy women, Wang Cheng could only accept it.

With the current wealth of the Donghai Kingdom, I should not need to sell my body to serve rich women for the time being, and I can fully meet the requirements for the "All Rivers Run into the Sea" ritual to advance to the third rank.

Even if they were to be sold, they would have to be sold to wealthy women like Sister A-Xiao and Senior Sister Yueye, who are both beautiful and rich. They couldn't just be sold off cheaply.

"I should hurry up and finalize the alliance with the Red Flag Gang, and introduce a few wealthy and powerful figures on the island for my senior brother to rob. That's a quick way to make money."

Yang Shen and Shen Yueye were plotting something big with Zhang Quan and Zheng Shiniang.

Luo Wenlong and Wang Cuiqiao also entered the imperial palace.

Wang Cuiqiao, who stepped out of the painting, still looked no different from a real person. Because she had shed the shackles of the "Official Star Peach Blossom Pattern," although she had lost much of her instinctive attraction to the opposite sex, she exuded a vibrant vitality of rebirth from the inside out.

He's clearly in good shape.

After the guests and hosts were seated, Luo Wenlong held the hand of his wife, whom he had just regained, and was filled with gratitude towards Wang Cheng.

"Your Highness, I have already reported the events that happened at Pinghu Port to His Majesty, highlighting the parts I can tell."

The establishment of the sixty-fourth vassal state recognized by the Twenty-Four Solar Terms is of paramount importance, and I have already petitioned Your Majesty to grant a letter of credence.

If all goes well, it won't be long before the Kingdom of Donghai will be able to obtain the same treatment as other vassal states, join the Kanho trade system, and openly conduct business with the Great Zhao.

Wang Cheng was somewhat surprised.

"Oh? Our Daoist Emperor probably wouldn't like to see overseas Chinese establishing their own kingdoms, would he? Does that mean I can join the Kanhe system?"

He remembered his master, Shen Yuting, saying that from the gentry to the emperors of all dynasties, they all managed the ocean with the mindset of small farmers and landlords, fearing that they would lose control of these overseas Chinese and guarding them against them at all times.

Even Emperor Taizong, the enlightened ruler who spearheaded the voyages to the Western Ocean, issued an edict to the overseas Chinese: "Return to your hometowns and resume your businesses, and become good citizens forever," using pardons to gain their naturalization.

Seeing that he only had a vague understanding of the thoughts of the upper echelons of the Great Zhao court, Luo Wenlong couldn't help but laugh and explain:

"Your Highness, times have changed."

Humans love compromise the most.

If you say the room is too dark and you want to open a skylight, everyone will definitely object. But if you advocate tearing down the roof, they will compromise and agree to open a skylight.

"Your Majesty is human too; we are all the same in nature."

"If you do not truly establish a nation as before, and Your Majesty needs to use a portion of the divine energy of the First Emperor of Han to bestow titles, thus consuming your own strength, he will most likely be unwilling."

Even if there are long-term benefits after a short period of effort, it is still difficult to achieve.

However, after the last major upheaval, the establishment of the Donghai Kingdom has become a fait accompli.

Just like your father, Prince Jing, who was recognized by the Twenty-Four Solar Terms and transformed into the Water God [Prince] for a Thousand Years, even the Lord of the State cannot do anything to him.

This time, His Majesty won't have to spend a single penny, nor will he need to contribute any dragon energy.

He gained the merit of being a sage ruler with all nations paying tribute to him for nothing.

Why not go with the flow?
Many of those who accompanied Zheng Sanbao on his voyages to the Western Ocean ended up stranded overseas, eventually becoming the Shanhaihui (a secret society).
The imperial court had no choice but to reluctantly acknowledge this fait accompli?

"Moreover, you should also get used to your current identity, no longer a pirate leader, but the ruler of a country."

It should be noted that the official tributary system between states has never been interrupted, and the Great Zhao Dynasty has always only cracked down on smuggling by the common people.

The saying "Officials are allowed to set fires, but common people are not allowed to light lamps" has been true since ancient times.

There are no legal obstacles.

Unfortunately, the policy of maritime prohibition was exploited by those upright gentry, and instead of benefiting the country, they all became gluttons.

After receiving the letter of credence, if you make a gesture and promise to curb the Japanese pirates in Yingzhou at the source, our Yan Party will then mediate with the court.

"Who knows, His Majesty might even provide your Eastern Sea Kingdom with a batch of supplies and artisans, allowing you to make a fortune."

After hearing his explanation, Wang Cheng immediately understood.

Moreover, Luo Wenlong's actions, besides repaying a debt of gratitude, also served to sow discord among the Qingliu faction.

As the truth about the ambush of Prince Jinghai came to light...

Even if the emperor has no conscience to uphold justice, as long as he realizes that the upright officials under his command are not loyal ministers, but treacherous ministers just like the Yan faction.

Or is he a treacherous minister who colluded with the imperial family to collect dragon energy? He is even worse than the greedy and power-hungry Yan faction, which made me hesitant.

It won't be so easy for the Qingliu faction to overthrow the Yan faction, which has controlled the court for twenty years.

As I said before, what you think is not important, but the strength must be balanced.

Then, Luo Wenlong took out a wooden box and placed it on the table. Inside were five or six blank official documents and imperial edicts that had already been stamped.

"Your Highness, I have thought long and hard but have no way to repay you. The most valuable thing I have is probably this official title of General Zhenhai and General Daohai."

Apart from the merchants and pirates from the pro-Yan faction assigned by the Grand Secretary who need to be taken care of, the rest are all here.

Three official documents for the General Who Guards the Sea and three official documents for the General Who Dares to Leap Through the Sea.

You yourself don't need this, but simply by holding a vermilion brush and writing someone's name on it, that person becomes an officially appointed official general by the Great Zhao.

The so-called "official appointment certificate" was actually an official document produced by the government office to prove the official's identity upon taking office.

The document details the official's name, place of origin, age, appearance, physical characteristics, and even the whorl pattern on their ten fingers.

There are also official seals and stamps issued by government offices, as well as the signatures and signatures of the heads of government offices and the officials in charge of the matter.

The "imperial edict" was similar to a modern letter of appointment, serving as another form of identification for officials. It bore the official seal of the Ministry of Personnel and the official seal of the Ministry of Personnel, and was backed by the "Twenty-Four Seasonal Laws," making it absolutely impossible to forge.

The imperial court bestowed the titles of four Generals of the Sea-Suppressing Army and eight Generals of the Sea-Diving Army, originally intended to divide the East China Sea water-collecting people represented by the Five Peaks Banner, and to use bandits to control bandits.

This time, the killing of Black Kirin, the number two figure in the Five Peaks Banner, was an undeniable blow to the pirate forces, and the mission was considered to have been exceeded.

Originally, there was also Jiang Wenyuan to supervise, but now that the memorials to punish him have been submitted, it is naturally up to Luo Wenlong to decide who gets these blank official certificates.

Wang Cheng understood the key point and was overjoyed:

"From the port of origin, Yuegang, to the port of destination, Pinghu, is this all it takes to complete the entire industrial chain involving soldiers, bandits, and vassal states?"

(End of this chapter)