Protect Our Clan Leader

Chapter 713: Chapter 91: Get in Position! Taishi Ankang is Ready to Lie Down_1

…

Wei Wenxun, standing to the side, felt a sudden chill on his scalp and his heart pounded in fear. Is Master Shouzhe truly planning to dictate the Prefectural Governor’s actions so clearly?

That man holds the distinguished title of Purple Abode Master…though he is not Wei Wenxun, he surely cannot be ordered around as per one’s whims, right?

Fearing that Master Shouzhe’s behavior might implicate him, Wei Wenxun tried desperately to subtly communicate with Wang Shouzhe, hinting at him to stop before he annoyed the Prefect.

Unexpectedly.

It seemed as if Wang Shouzhe didn’t notice his gesturing and continued, “Master, Longzuo County has jurisdiction over half of Qingluo Sea only nominally. In reality, the distance between Longzuo County Town and Qingluo Sea is too far, causing ineffective jurisdiction. Furthermore, our port in the north of Longzuo County has relatively weak control over the Qingluo Sea. As a result, Qingluo Sea has almost become a separate entity from Longzuo County, and is almost entirely under Liaoyuan County’s jurisdiction.”

As the statement was delivered.

The complexion of Taishi Ankang darkened further. This lad, Wang Shouzhe, was practically pointing at a monk and cursing him bald – was he disregarding the Prefect’s dignity?

“But now, our Longzuo County’s opportunity has arrived,” said Wang Shouzhe solemnly. “This time, the Cao Family of Liaoyuan fell into such a big mess. Putting it mildly, they are self-feeding a threat; severely, they are planning a rebellion.”

“Leaving aside the impending disarray of the Cao family, was the Prefect of Liaoyuan County aware of this? If he was, he is equally guilty. If he wasn’t, it is nonetheless a failure of management. However, at this critical moment, our Prefect Taishi is bravely stepping forward, clearing Qingluo Sea of bandits, thereby defending our nation’s seas. If we compare these two situations…”

“Quite interesting,” Taishi Ankang’s eyes narrowed, seemingly intrigued.

“Master, Qingluo Sea is named after the Eldest Princess!” Wang Shouzhe whispered, “When His Majesty was but the Quasi Emperor’s Son, he fathered Princess Qingluo who he has always cherished. As His Majesty’s years advance… Well, people, as they age, tend to reminisce about their youth… If Master were to rid Qingluo Sea of bandits at this time and report the military merits, stating his unwillingness to let Princess’s named sea be ravaged by bandits, then reclaiming jurisdiction over the entire Qingluo Sea will be a piece of cake.”

This instantly caught Taishi Ankang’s interest. Even though the contest for the Emperor’s son had begun, the actual transfer of power from the current Emperor wouldn’t happen overnight. This process may take at least a hundred or two hundred years, even up to two or three hundred years.

The closer an Emperor gets to his later years, especially during the time of transferring power, he tends to become more sensitive, and even more possessive of his authority. Consequently, the power of the current Emperor even surpasses his prime.

This is one of the reasons why most current authorities and high-ranking Prominent Families are reluctant to get involved in the Emperor’s son contest early. If they accidentally provoke the Emperor’s sensitive nerves, disaster will inevitably strike.

If Taishi Ankang could earn merit points through this, it would present an opportunity for further advancement, and he would have a better chance of handling the future Emperor’s son competition with greater composure.

The benefits are substantial, but Taishi Ankang still has some doubts: “Shouzhe, as per your theory, it would not be an issue to regain jurisdiction over Qingluo Sea and please His Majesty. However, once we have control again, what do we do with it? If the area is poorly managed, it would not take long for problems to arise. At that point, if someone were to report me, I fear the consequences might be grave.”

“Master’s concerns are indeed comprehensive,” Wang Shouzhe humored, then continued seriously. “Our port of Longzuo County is indeed in a tough spot, unsupported. But we can set up another outpost among the islands of Qingluo Sea, serving as a hub for the commercial transportation in the north and also supporting fishing and farming industries.”

“In the past, the fishing industry was weak due to insufficient transport capabilities. Now that the Longzuo Keep Achieving Commercial Firm’s Air Cold Chain System is maturing, high-end ingredients can easily be transported to various places in Da Qian, generating considerable economic benefits.”

“I believe that the name of Qingluo Cold Sea’s exquisite seafood will echo throughout Da Qian! Our Wang family is not talented, but we’re willing to work tirelessly to build ‘Qingluo Guard’ for Master.”

Taishi Ankang was taken aback. After all this plotting, this lad’s ambitions are truly grandiose. This isn’t merely strategizing on the Qingluo Sea for Longzuo County, this is planning Qingluo Sea for the Wang family.

However, he had to admit, given the abilities that Wang Shouzhe had displayed till now, the plan had a high probability of success.

Moreover, such a plan would not only benefit the Wang family, but would also greatly benefit Taishi Ankang himself. After pondering for a moment, he looked at Wang Shouzhe with increased seriousness: “Shouzhe, you truly are well-versed in strategy. This move in the Qingluo Sea is not only suppressing the Cao family of Liaoyuan but also gaining substantial benefits for the Wang family. It’s like killing two birds with one stone.”

“No, it’s more like killing three birds with one stone,” said Wang Shouzhe, laughing.

“Right, hahaha”, said Taishi Ankang, laughing heartily: “Master Shouzhe, come, come, try some of my treasured Yunluo Immortal Tea. It is a high-quality Immortal Tea from the Frost Moon Immortal Dynasty. It is said to nourish the Spiritual Platform and nourish the Divine Soul.”

“Thank you, Master,” Wang Shouzhe replied, unceremoniously joining Taishi Ankang for a sip of the Immortal Tea.

The two of them chatted while drinking tea, much like ‘age-difference brothers’ who had known each other for many years.

Wei Wenxun, standing to the side, was feeling a surge of emotions: my dear Prefectural Governor, how could you so quickly put yourself at the mercy of someone else’s whims? Why not persist a little longer? Alas, this must be the skill of Master Shouzhe.