Chapter 608: Three-Win

Shangrao Port.

The cold wind howled fiercely.

Xu Xu Yuelong, Ran Ran Zhongshi, and other River Office officials warmly invited Brother Quan Brother Quan Linghan ashore to tour and discuss the beautiful future of a tripartite alliance among the Twenty Jiaoren, Long Ren, and River Office.

Thousands of miles away.

In the central square of the Long Ren settlement.

The white sturgeon darted through the water, its tail flicking, while the giant water lilies swayed gently.

The disturbed currents occasionally startled the silver bubbles clinging to the lily stems, causing them to float upward with a faint glow.

"What are you two doing, Pingjiang and Pinghe?"

"Doing good deeds!"

Long Pingjiang and Long Pinghe had set up a small stall, handing out promotional pamphlets to passing Longwomen; within half a watch, a crowd had gathered.

"Fifteen taels of silver per hour—for scrubbing the old turtle's back, removing algae, rubbing off mud, and washing the golden monkey's fur—all voluntary. Longwomen wishing to go to Peng Ze, sign up here!"

A Long Ren asked: "Only Longwomen?"

"Yes!"

"Why?"

The Long Ren was puzzled.

Scrubbing backs, removing algae, rubbing mud…

Can't men do it too?

"To be honest, this turtle has a fondness for beauty…"

Long Pingjiang openly revealed General Yuan's peculiar preference.

Whoa!

As soon as he said it.

The crowd erupted, and most of them left.

"No way. No way."

"Let's go. Let's go."

"Weird old demon."

"Don't go!" shouted Long Pinghe, still taking names. "We've made three agreements with General Yuan: only scrubbing and algae removal! And we're cooperating with the Frog Clan—the original rate was twenty taels per hour, three of which go to the Frog Lord. When you go to Peng Ze, the Frog Clan will protect you! The Frog Lord vouches for it!"

Hearing the Frog Lord's guarantee.

The crowd halted its departure.

The Long Ren held considerable trust in the Frog Clan.

"Twenty taels—we take fifteen, three go to the Frog Lord, but what about the other two?"

"Ahem." Long Pingjiang held up two fingers. "Two taels for the round trip through the whirlpool channel."

"If we swim ourselves, do we still pay those two taels?"

Long Pinghe stared in disbelief. "Brother, from Jianghuai Great Marsh to Peng Ze is nearly half the length of the Huaijiang River—do you plan to swim it yourself?"

"Big Brother Pingjiang, why must we earn this silver? Outside of when the Long Jun was here, no one ever paid for this service."

Long Pingjiang smiled. "Not needed now, but who knows about the future?"

"What do you mean?"

"Water islands!"

"Water islands?"

"Exactly! Elder Brother Quan, our River Office previously sent scouts to survey nearby waters and found an ideal terrain one hundred and twenty li east-southeast of Pingyang Prefecture—'surrounded by mountains.'"

Underwater hills stretch over two li, with their highest points just half a zhang below the surface. When the Jianghuai Great Marsh is low, rocks even protrude, occasionally causing merchant ships to run aground."

"In the future, our River Office intends to build a water island upon this hill to facilitate trade among the three races."

Ran Ran Zhongshi stood on a small boat, unfurling a map as he spoke at length.

"The island's principle is: 'Twenty Jiaoren never set foot on land, human beings never enter the water.' We maintain gentlemanly boundaries, never intruding into each other's domains—only temporary docks will be built for merchant ships to rest."

He went on and on.

To be frank.

Brother Quan Brother Quan Linghan didn't understand.

Xu Xu Yuelong explained: "We buy everything the Twenty Jiaoren have—precious fish, monster meat, aquatic plants, minerals, even Jiaoxiao and Twenty Jiaoren tears—and we supply everything they need. All trade will occur on this island."

Brother Quan Brother Quan Linghan frowned. "How is this different from when the Long Jun was alive? Why build a separate island?"

Xu Xu Yuelong and Ran Ran Zhongshi exchanged glances and smiled.

"To the Twenty Jiaoren, Elder, consider it merely for safety and convenience."

One hundred and twenty li from shore.

Not too far, not too close—a perfect safety distance.

Brother Quan Brother Quan Linghan neither accepted nor refused, answering vaguely: "Who will build the island?" Ran Ran Zhongshi replied: "The Heavenly Fleet Trading Association has agreed to take full charge of constructing the water island, planting water pines, and covering fifty percent of the cost. The River Office will contribute one-tenth. The remaining forty percent will be split equally between the Twenty Jiaoren and Long Ren—Brother Long Binglin has already agreed."

Brother Quan Brother Quan Linghan turned his head.

Long Long Binglin nodded.

Regarding Liang Qu, the three Elders had agreed without much thought.

Since the Fourth Elder appeared and enlightened the Long Ren brothers, the three Elders had become utterly transformed.

The once busiest, most restless Third Elder now tinkered with grasses in his own courtyard!

In human terms, had he already retired?

"I'll think it over."

"No rush. Elder Brother Quan traveled all the way from Peng Ze—you must be exhausted. Rest well, so your mind stays sharp."

"Goodbye."

Humans are cunning; they dared not linger.

Brother Quan Brother Quan Linghan and Long Long Binglin, along with Brother Quan Brother Quan Guangqin, took a set of island construction blueprints and swam away.

Watching the Twenty Jiaoren and Long Ren vanish.

Xu Xu Yuelong gazed across the Great Marsh, his chest swelling with openness.

With the Twenty Jiaoren and Long Ren, two great underwater races, gradually joining Great Shun's trade, how far could the Southern Frogs be?

Soon, the entire southern Jianghuai Great Marsh would be fully opened, restoring the flourishing glory of the era when the Long Jun lived—when land and marsh exchanged goods freely!

Taxes on transit and lodging would pour in, official achievements would skyrocket; with cooperation and trust, allied with the Long Ren and Southern Frogs, they could strike the Ghost Mother…

Gah gah gah!

What could Wei Lin do against him?

"By the way, did Ah Shui's letter say they captured Old Master Zhao? Did you send someone to Huangzhou?"

…

The Twenty Jiaoren and Long Ren advanced side by side.

Inside Liang Qu's hall, feasting and drinking.

Fine wine, exquisite dishes, cups clinking.

The only drawback: too many toasts, constant reciprocal drinking and standing up to avoid the cup.

Yang Yang Dongxiong, newly promoted to Grand Master, was certain to be the brightest star of the entire banquet.

Especially since Liang Qu had played the ultimate trump card—the Emperor's armor fragment.

Most couldn't get near the Grand Master, so they came to congratulate his disciples, eager to ask how exactly he had met the Emperor.

Since ancient times, legends always depicted women as those who encountered the Emperor—this was the first time a man had, and no one had ever seen anything emerge from it—filling everyone with curiosity.

Liang Qu had prepared his excuse long ago.

For instance: sailing on a boat when suddenly thick fog rolled in, and the small vessel crashed into a mountain…

Some were curious about the Emperor's temperament.

Naturally, he was a benevolent, wise elder who lived in seclusion in Peng Ze—not some lustful old turtle, right?

The gift had already been given.

If the turtle was no good, then the armor fragment was no good.

If the armor fragment was no good, wasn't that slapping oneself in the face?

"Brother Liang!"

"Brother Xu, Brother Chi."

Xu Xu Jiangming and Chi Ang, familiar faces from the Great Hunt, approached one after another.

After them came Xu Xu Lijie and other youths who had secured top ten spots thanks to Liang Qu.

Zong Wang, Hu Zhao Hongyuan, and Zhang Wang, seeing this table so lively, thought for a moment, then raised their cups to join.

Within the garden, the opera played on, endlessly.

The banquet ended at the third watch of the afternoon.

Most guests departed; only a few with deep ties remained.

A second banquet was set for the evening.

This was no longer the birthday feast—it was now a private gathering.

They kept toasting until deep into the night, and only then did the merriment finally disperse.

The Long Ren settlement.

Long Pingjiang ordered Long Pinghe to count the total number of female dragon applicants.

"One hundred twenty-nine."

Peng Ze.

The fat catfish split the waves, suddenly halted its tail, and flapped its fins toward the old toad above.

The old toad swung its leather pouch, tugging its long whiskers.

"Five hundred li forward!"