Cursed Mountains and Seas

Chapter 166 My daughter has long admired Your Highness and is willing to serve you.
"My dear nephew, I am well. It is as if I have seen you in person upon receiving this letter. Congratulations."

Wang Cheng quickly skimmed through the letter sent by this distant uncle.

They were not surprised that he learned about the East Sea Kingdom so quickly.

Back then? The rough pottery bowl that the Zhu family passed down still contained half a bowl of destiny, and Han Lin had not completely taken it away.

Strictly speaking, those who occupied the Old Port Pacification Commission were still one of the major shareholders of the Great Zhao Dynasty, not some vassal state of the South Seas.

The current situation is that the entire clan has gone on a southern hunt, having longed to return to their homeland for two hundred years.

It is perfectly normal for them to be sensitive to the subtle changes in the Twenty-Four Solar Terms.

"Well, besides congratulating me on the successful establishment of the nation and inviting me, Little Wang, to the Old Port Pacification Commission to discuss important matters, just like I used to trick Old Wang, there wasn't much else to say.

Surprisingly, Uncle Zhu managed to acquire the Victoria, one of the five battleships in the world, and the spleen flower, one of the five sacred flowers in the temple, which was somewhat unexpected.

He also planned to exchange the Five Temples Divine Treasure Flowers in our possession with me, and he would buy any extras at a high price, so that we wouldn't let the Han family's fakes offer even one as tribute.

He also found the whereabouts of the lung flower and will soon be able to trade it with another great pirate. By sharing resources, they can gather the medicine as quickly as possible.

I almost forgot, this uncle, like the one who hides in Renshou Palace all day refining elixirs, is a high-ranking third-grade [Alchemy Master], filled with a yearning for immortality.

After reading the letter carried by the wild geese, Wang Cheng was amazed.

He hadn't even warmed his seat as the second-generation Prince of Jinghai when he suddenly gained value in united front work, becoming a coveted prize in the eyes of these two mortal enemies.

"Trading the Five Temples Divine Treasure Flowers is of course no problem. Although I don't plan to refine pills, these immortal herbs are still a treasure for cultivation if used to refine the Five Temples. They can save me several years of hard work and allow me to advance to the fifth rank as soon as possible."

Moreover, both the Wang and Zhu families, wanting to realize their own ambitions, would eventually return to the Central Plains, thus naturally having a basis for cooperation.

The Zhu family, also pirate kings, were among the most steadfast advocates of opening up the seas. After being confined outside, they hated the maritime ban more than anyone else.

"It's just that the Old Port Pacification Commissioner's Office is too far away."

The ships that the Shan Hai Association sent to support Yuegang took almost a month to arrive, and Pinghu Port was even further away. The two ports were practically located at opposite ends of the country, one in the far north and the other in the far south.

If anything happens to my family, the Zhu family is too far away to help, and we can't rely on them at all.

Cooperation in economics, military affairs, and religious resources is possible, but taking sides now is far too early.

Wang Cheng knew very well that in the face of national interests, the so-called "uncle-nephew" relationship was too fragile and unreliable.

Now no one can stop him from fleecing the Great Zhao.

So he wrote a reply to his uncle, readily agreeing to the deal, agreeing on the terms, and then temporarily put the matter aside.

Looking up, I saw the bald monk leading two more groups of people in.

"This old minister, Peng Laosheng, greets Your Highness!"

Last night, the Prince displayed great prowess on the battlefield, personally killing the shameless traitor Mao Haifeng, which was truly gratifying.

Upon hearing this, the generals under the old minister were overjoyed and grateful for the arrival of a wise ruler. They couldn't wait for the midday reward for the army and wanted to come and pay their respects to the emperor, but it was only with great difficulty that they were stopped.

The old minister was overjoyed at the thought that the old prince had a successor, and tears streamed down his face.

"Your Majesty, please forgive my previous outburst."

[The Knife Seller] Old Man Peng bowed down from afar, and suddenly burst into tears, his face covered in tears that he couldn't stop.

Behind him, the wealthy merchant Xu Weixue, known as the "Thousand-Gold Peddler," scoffed at his old rival's obsequious manner.
"A sycophant."

Disgusting! Don't you know how old you are? Showing such fawning over a child, your bones are practically brittle.

It's really unbelievable.

How long has this prince been back? A mere month!

After half a year of chaos, Wufengqi was brought back into control. Not only the direct descendants of the Tanka people, but also many of Xu Weixue's maritime merchants were obedient, deeply feeling that the second-generation Prince Jinghai was in power and that great ambitions were about to be realized.

Looking at Peng Laosheng now, he has no bottom line at all. He has the face of a complete servile servant and wishes he could treat this kid's words as a sacred decree.

Pooh!
Disgusting, absolutely disgusting, they've completely lost all sense of shame.

So he pulled one of the people behind him forward and stood side by side with Peng Laosheng.

He clasped his hands in a gesture of respect and bowed deeply to Wang Cheng.
"Your Highness, my daughter, Xu Ershisi Niang, has long admired you. I only ask to serve you, to serve you tea and water, to make your bed and grind your ink, and to be beaten or scolded without complaint."

"I implore Your Highness, in consideration of my years of service, to give my daughter a chance."

When he looked up, the smile on his face was exactly the same as that of Peng Laosheng.

A girl in a pink dress beside him removed her white veiled hat, revealing a beautiful face. She smiled shyly and said, "Greetings, Your Highness." Seeing this, Xu Weixue smiled smugly to himself.
"Hmph, when it comes to flattery, no, when it comes to being considerate, even three Peng Laoshengs combined can't match me, Xu Weixue!"

How did I get the nickname "The Peddler with a Thousand Pieces of Gold"? It's not because I'm rich, nor because I'm fat.

Rather, it was because I gave birth to more than thirty beautiful daughters, all of whom married into powerful families across the land, that I amassed such a vast fortune!

Unexpectedly, upon seeing this, Old Man Peng reached out and pulled over the petite figure draped in a black cloak, tearing off her cloak to reveal another pretty young woman in a blue dress.

An old face smiled like a chrysanthemum:

"Your Highness, this is my granddaughter, Peng Qiniang, who is also willing to enter the palace to serve you."

How can we old ministers feel at ease knowing that there are no close confidants serving us in this vast palace?

"I beg Your Highness to have mercy on Seventh Sister's sincere heart."

One of these two old guys was a peddler who should have been going from street to street selling daily necessities; he was a master at reading people.

The other type is the "knife-selling man," who uses apocryphal texts to collect payment for knives on credit. They only sell their knives on credit, leaving behind a apocryphal prophecy. They will only collect payment for the knives if the prophecy comes true.

Both of them were worldly-wise and experienced.

If I didn't have some investment and betting skills, I wouldn't be where I am today.

Although they all had ambitions to divide up the assets of the Five Peaks Banner, those ambitions were extinguished in a single battle last night, making them realize that they were not cut out for large-scale naval warfare.

Furthermore, with the entire capital of the East Sea now united as one, the second-generation King Jinghai, holding the royal seal, has the power to establish a hundred officials and six ministries, and to bestow titles and ranks.

Which subordinate wouldn't want to follow the ruler of a country, secure a position for their wife and children, and ensure a bright future for their descendants?
Even among their loyal followers, there were countless people who were loyal to Wang Cheng and wanted to rise to power with him.

What can the two of them do?

Furthermore, it is said: "A golden carp is no ordinary fish; it will transform into a dragon once it encounters wind and clouds."

The second-generation Prince Jinghai has already established his power. If he doesn't take the initiative to curry favor with the powerful now, what's the difference between him and a fool?
Your Highness, we desperately want to join the ministry!

"This"

After receiving the blank official document from Luo Wenlong, Wang Cheng had already made arrangements for the two veteran officials.

Xu Weixue's crew consisted of maritime merchants from various countries who were under the protection of the Five Peaks Flag. They had extensive connections in the East China Sea and the South China Sea, and for many years they had sailed freely at sea with the Five Peaks Flag, reaping the benefits of having powerful backers.

Peng Laosheng, on the other hand, controls many peripheral gray forces that Wufeng Banner has been continuously recruiting over the years.

There were reformed "pirates," Japanese samurai who were half merchants and half thieves, Westerners who couldn't make a living in their homeland, black gloves with complicated backgrounds, and wanted criminals who had committed crimes in Dazhao.
In the past, many small factions within these two groups nominally respected Prince Jinghai as their leader, but they did not actually have a direct command relationship.

Therefore, Wang Cheng had originally planned to have them spun off to do another big thing.

I didn't expect them to suddenly put on such a show. Could it be that the "official star and peach blossom" formation has taken effect?
Looking at the daughters and granddaughters they presented, they were quite pretty compared to ordinary people. They had been pampered since childhood, and the maternal side was quite attractive.

The daughter I raised may not be stunning, but she is at least lovable.

However, as soon as he looked up, he spotted his senior sister Shen Yueye, who was already approaching the palace gate in the distance. He quickly waved his hand and said righteously:
"What do you two take me for?"
My father's ambition: to share the benefits with the people and defend the country's borders. My ambition: I do not desire titles and honors, but only wish for peace on the seas.

How can I think of a family when the great cause is not yet accomplished?
Let's take them back.

The two old men appeared obsequious on the surface, but inwardly they were thinking:
"This young prince isn't actually a dragon, he's probably a dog, right? He's cunning and slippery, much more difficult to deal with than his straightforward father."

You think we haven't heard that story?
"Having encountered such an unattractive young woman, I have no way to repay her kindness, except to be reborn as her ox or horse in my next life."

"Having encountered a beautiful young woman, I have no way to repay her except by offering myself to her, to repay the hero's great kindness."

This guy clearly doesn't think much of his own daughter/granddaughter.

If his own daughter/granddaughter were as beautiful as the girl next to him last night, would he still be able to speak so righteously?

This probably means that it is the right way of the world to start a family before building a career.
However, looking at it from another angle, doesn't his shamelessness precisely demonstrate his suitability as a ruler? Unlike Prince Jing, he won't be so easily tricked.

Just when the two were disappointed and thought it was hopeless.

But then he suddenly heard Wang Cheng continue casually:
"Both of you are pillars of the Eastern Sea Kingdom, and my late father and I both know of your unwavering loyalty."

"Forget about your daughters and granddaughters who are going to serve in the palace for now; send your children and grandchildren over later."

"Um???"

This time, not only Xu Weixue and Peng Laosheng, but even Shen Yueye, who had just entered the Litang Palace, suddenly turned her head to look at him.

(End of this chapter)