Chapter 139

Da Wang again set out to sea with his belongings in the deep winter month, following the treasure ship; this time only Lingyin followed him. He left the main force of the Owl Cavalry, along with Zhang Tu and Zhao Chuan, to guard Youzhou City, fearing that something might change in the north while he was away.

The treasure ship had sailed safely for a year; this time, when Da Wang went out again, the former court had no objections.

Even though the Grand Tutor didn't go, Xue Xiang had objections to this. But since he stayed behind to give lectures to the commanders, which was a legitimate reason, he ultimately had to yield.

Da Wang and Wei Shen each squatted at the stern with a banana, watching the scenery. 'In the blink of an eye, my cousin has been in Youzhou for a whole year—hasn't Aunt urged you to go home?'

Wei Shen shoved the banana into his mouth in two bites. 'It's infuriating that there's no news—I think they've forgotten me! They only ask me to report major daily events. Fortunately, my martial arts have improved more in one year with you than in ten years of training before, so I'm not going back! Once I'm skilled enough, I'll return and defeat Wei Huo and Wei Ke in a single move!'

He thought Da Wang would wholeheartedly approve his suggestion, but Da Wang sighed, 'Come on, aren't you aware that your cousin is getting married next year? Aren't you going to see her off? Actually, I also really want to visit my maternal grandfather, my third maternal uncle, as well as my aunt, my eldest cousin, and my cousin—but I've only ever seen you and my maternal uncle.'

Wei Shen's spirits lifted at once: 'Then let's go! You haven't even met the old sir yet—what a pity!'

'As the king, I cannot leave my fief without an imperial edict, and my maternal grandfather, as Marquis of Wei Ting, cannot leave the southwest without one either—think about it, this rule makes no sense!... Well, I've already left twice. But the round trip from Youzhou to Changzhou takes two months, plus layover time... The time is too long; I fear something might happen in the meantime.'

Wei Shen pondered, 'What kind of accident could happen? Nothing more than a threat from the steppes. Next year we'll stockpile troops and train; with Zhu Ti in Youzhou advising you, what do you have to worry about? I can see it—this woman is extremely capable, no ordinary person can match her. Besides, my father said Zhao Chuan is trustworthy; his whole family is in the old sir's hands.... Or we could give the Xianbei a taste of their own medicine first.'

Da Wang remained silent, thinking for a while, then asked, 'What color? Send someone to take out Wanniuyu and Tuoba Hui to sow internal strife?'

Wei Shen took it seriously, 'Excellent! Or are you just being crafty?'

Da Wang: '...... Who could we send with such certainty? You? If we bungle it, we'd go straight to war—now isn't the time; Youzhou's population is still too small, its resources insufficient......'

Wei Shen, knowing his own limits, said, 'Ah? You really dare to think that! Thanks for your confidence in me, but I'm afraid I truly can't do this; however, I have someone in mind.'

Who?

Wei Shen gestured toward the empty ground behind them where Lingyin was practicing swordsmanship heedless of surroundings, 'Lingyin! I don't believe the northern barbarians possess such martial skill; they merely rely on brute strength.'

The Great King, while telling him that one force can overcome ten gatherings, said great strength is very useful; he, being strong, finds learning the sword and archery very smooth; meanwhile, he seriously considers this proposal.

It's feasible, feasible, but I'm afraid they'll also learn from the previous dynasties of the Central Plains, using external wars to cover up internal contradictions by taking an unconventional path; then all his efforts would be in vain.

Kill Wan Niuyu, bring in a more radical warmonger; where would he go to reason?

Still, we understand the Eastern Xianbei too little; after Wan Niuyu's death, he doesn't know who the next successor is, so this plan is a bit rash. When the Great King should be smart, his mind is very sharp.

"Not a good idea; let's wait for the news of the northbound caravan before saying anything. We still need to have our own strength. Keep thinking."

However, Wei Shen's mention of Zhu Ti is indeed correct; with Zhu Ti in Youzhou, the Great King can always grasp Youzhou's dynamics; this steward is still very useful.

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The ship left the Youzhou ferry crossing and sailed for a day and night, completely leaving the near sea; the next day, just as dawn broke, the deck finally became busy.

Chen Cang's treasure ship never casts nets in the near sea, whether on the Youzhou shore or the shores of other coastal commanderies; according to him, large ships do not compete for profit with the fishermen who sail small boats out to sea, because life at sea is not easy. Based on this alone, the Great King greatly appreciates him.

The first net of the opening haul pulled up a long net of ribbonfish; the deep sea right now is truly abundant to the level that would make future generations drool.

A teardrop-shaped net full of fish was hoisted onto the deck, and the Great King felt happy again.

As long as we have this treasure ship, guarding the sea means we won't starve; the joy of a bountiful harvest envelops the whole ship. The Great King had the fragrant pan-fried ribbonfish made by the palace chef for lunch. The palace masters all went out, so the kitchen staff couldn't come along.

After a day of swaying and getting used to it, Wei Shen and the owl cavalry who came along as bodyguards have already adapted to life on the ship; their food and lodging are fine, and they still practice martial arts and stand guard as they should.

The Great King is busiest; he came to plunder the sea, so he can't be idle.

After lunch, the treasure ship launched a small boat; the Great King took a small net and dove into the water. He began the long-missing activity of picking up silver.

The Great King quickly drifted to over twenty meters deep, diligently touching every marine creature he could reach.

【Whether to store adult sea bass x29 in the warehouse? Yes/No】

【Whether to store adult octopus x588 in the warehouse? Yes/No】

Wow, stir-fried octopus with chili sauce smells so good!

The Great King happily gathered, thinking: If his fief weren't in Youzhou but in any coastal city south of Jiaodong, without the threat from the steppes, relying on Mengmeng he could certainly make his city wealthy. Even if the land climate is poor and grain yields drop, with the resource-rich deep sea, he could eventually eliminate that outrageous hunger index.

While working and daydreaming, the Great King crouched on a sandy seabed, touched some bottom-dwelling shrimp, feeling happy, when suddenly he looked up and discovered a large creature approaching; he was so lost in thought that he almost got bumped by it.

It was a meter-long big fish; the Great King, squatting short and stout on the seabed touching sand, the fish still thought it was a big stone...

The Great King instinctively swung his hand, hitting the big fish; at that moment he hadn't even thought to click the warehouse to collect, and he was frightened by the dense mass of fish behind him.

"Don't gurgle~" the Great King hastily closed his mouth; that was a dense school of fish that blocked out the sky and completely darkened this patch of seabed.

Bai Li·Ruoxiao Wuzhu Kelian·Jing, while bracing himself not to be knocked away, mercilessly opened his warehouse,

【Whether to store adult blue-spotted horse mackerel x33089 in the warehouse? Yes/No】

The Great King quickly clicked yes, waiting for the black cloud above to disappear before he stretched out his hand to start counting the five-digit number: units, tens, hundreds, thousands... ten thousands?

We've struck it rich!

After looking up again, only a few scattered small fish drifted by above; the Great King was overjoyed, feeling that his afternoon's haul might even exceed that of the ship above. This black‑pressing fish tide, even if the treasure ship's big net couldn't pull it up. This is a meter‑long big fish; two chops would be enough to give each household in Youzhou a piece.

The Great King encouraged himself; he wanted to make a few more trips later, and when the New Year came, he would give the people a share of fish—a trivial task that would also increase the people's sense of belonging. From then on, he wanted the surrounding commanderies and counties to envy Youzhou's abundance, and that was settled.

The Great King dared not linger, fearing to delay the schedule of the large ship above; he hastily stuffed a net bag full of the scallops he had just touched and floated up. As soon as his head broke the surface, the guards rowed the small boat over to pull him up, waiting for the treasure ship to next stop and haul its net, after which he would follow down again.

The Great King kept at it, enjoying it without tiring.

Wei Shen just couldn't understand: you say the bit of catch you bring up compared to the treasure ship's trawl net is not even a hair on nine oxen—why bother working so hard? Going down twice a day?

The Great King mysteriously said, "You don't understand."

"It's quite hard to understand. Maybe you're just diligent? I also don't know who you take after."

Da Wang hides his merit and fame; poor cousin, he has no idea that what he brings out is only a tiny fraction of what he picked up.

【54> He single-handedly supplies Bai Ge's three chain supermarkets and many high-end restaurants, his ingot balance has returned to five digits, whereas when he set out he had only over a thousand.

He alone supplied White Brother's three chain supermarkets and many high-end restaurants, his ingot balance had returned to five digits; when he set out, he only had over a thousand.

Even the restaurants far away in You Prefecture have eaten the seafood personally caught by Da Wang; with Zhu Ti present, the precious catches at Seafood Pavilion are all the freshest. The disciples of Xie Yuan stationed there long-term discovered that the fish over the past few days seemed just out of the water, incredibly fresh. Never mind that, the shop also newly moved in two large glass tanks, raising some big crabs; whichever you fancy, the attendant will catch it and bring it to your table. The spicy crab at Seafood Pavilion, fragrant, numbing and spicy, makes Xie Yuan want to move his academy to You Prefecture.

That day, the treasure boat hauled up another net full of mixed fish, so many varieties they couldn't be counted. Chen Cang told Da Wang that beneath there is a confluence of currents; judging from the catch, it's probably a warm current.

This definitely warrants exploration; such a place must be bustling.

Da Wang pocketed two nets, ignoring the nagging of Zhao Bao and his cousin, and went out to sea to play early in the morning.

Today is a bright sunny day, visibility is quite good. Da Wang dove down ten meters and could still barely see objects; beyond twenty meters it turned black, so he took out the diving headlamp he had bought at great expense from Bai Yang and put it on his head. Each time he took it out to admire, Da Wang marveled at how amazing this device was. Its illumination range far surpassed his little night lamps and the official lights of the You Prince's mansion, and it could adjust size and distance, making it endlessly fun.

Da Wang adjusted to a suitable illumination range, then continued diving, and immediately he surprisingly discovered a small forest below.

So this is what the underwater tree looks like!

The huge seaweed grew wildly in the sea, unsure what was inside, Dawang pulled out his curved blade again.

Thus, one hand holding the curved blade, the other opening the storage, both hands ready, he cautiously entered the bustling seaweed thicket.

He soon found no large schools of fish here, but countless small ones; Dawang was happily stamp‑collecting, and he could also stow away anything his blade swing missed.

After gathering a mess of fish for a while, he discovered a reef area, everywhere rolling with spiky little balls. Dawang had no trypophobia, but those with it would be covered in goosebumps. In the unexplored deep sea, sea urchins littered every pit and valley.

What is this?

Dawang poked it with his curved blade, opened the storage to check, and a frame promptly popped up;

【Whether to store the x26887 adult purple sea urchins in the warehouse, yes/no】

Dawang without hesitation clicked yes, edible or not, he'd ask Bai Ge first.

The reef area he had cleared instantly became fresh, leaving only a few small fur balls still in place.

Satisfied, Dawang continued forward treasure‑hunting; soon in this rich confluence zone he picked up rice fish, flower clams, abalone—yes, abalone. Dawang almost missed the abalone fused with the rock; he was about to walk past when one twitched, and Dawang realized it wasn't stone……

Finding one meant countless more remained unseen; Dawang opened the storage and hauled in over two thousand large abalone. Thereafter, whenever he passed a rock he'd feel it, this meticulous clean‑sweep policy left no stone‑hiding sciaenid fish unturned.

Even with good camouflage it was useless; Dawang, who had no phone to play with, had perfect vision.

After skirting two giant seaweeds, Dawang spotted two banded shrimp half‑exposed in the sand—this he knew well, valuable!

Dawang rushed over, stirring the sand with his curved blade; the seabed instantly kicked up sand and stones, the banded shrimp's attempt to flee in all directions was too late—the demon activated his cheat.

【Whether to store the x1221 adult banded shrimp in the warehouse, yes/no】

After confirming yes, Dawang hurried to continue exploring; when leaving he suffered retribution—the cooler his blade dance had been, the tighter the seaweed now wrapped him.

This thing, who knows how it got tangled, had its calf snagged by seabed vines; he hauled hard but couldn't pull it free?

Dawang thought to slash it with his blade, but considering its sharpness he feared accidentally cutting his own leg. That wouldn't do—this king had just grown a bit taller; his long legs were not to be lost.

Dawang resignedly sheathed his blade, intending to squat and slowly undo it.

The huge creature that had been furtively hiding behind the giant algae, watching, finally poked its head out and ran forth.

Dawang was straining to pull his leg free when he felt something approach; he looked up and a vast shadow swept over him—the beast opened its abyssal maw, and in that instant Dawang was truly dazed!

Was his little life destined to end in a fish's belly?

Could the invulnerable lord's heart still be of use?

It was too late to access the storage; Dawang closed his eyes, blaming himself for having let his guard down too much in the deserted seabed.

After closing his eyes for a moment he felt no sensation of being swallowed into a fish's belly; instead he felt his arm clamped, and the next instant a great force yanked him up, the vines entangling him snapping straight away.

When he opened his eyes, the enormous fish that could be six or seven meters long had already released his arm.

Heavens!

This guy… was he trying to save me?

Dawang previously thought the fish's abyssal maw was terribly ferocious, but now this so‑helpful creature, bobbing its head and wagging its tail beside him, looked good however he viewed it—big and dopey, like his Winnie.

He boldly reached out and touched the big fish, 'I'm not trying to catch you, I just want to know your name!'

Immediately the storage helped him identify the giant fish's species;

【Whether to store the x1 humpback whale in the warehouse, yes/no】

Oh oh, so you're a humpback whale!

Dawang had seen the picture in the manual, but it's been too long and he forgot the match.

Sure enough, to grow that big its intelligence must be sufficient. For the humpback whale that treated him kindly, Dawang certainly wouldn't store it, so he clicked no.

The humpback whale circled him and didn't leave.

Dawang took it as the whale liking him.

Dawang didn't think it was narcissism; he felt the whale circling and watching him was quite happy.

"Hey, you helped me too, so we're friends. By the way, I have two green sea turtle friends in this sea—I don't know if you know them? As friends, let me give you a gift!"

Dawang took out the Winnie‑eaten beast pellet, poured out one, and slipped it into the humpback whale's mouth when it opened.

Dawang: 'You're lucky! Ah, friend, goodbye!'

Humpback whale: 'Look what rare species I've found, and it even glows! I won't eat it—I'll raise it to watch!'