Chapter 480

In Dawang's world, the Shark Pearl could be considered a rare treasure; at sea it was a powerful cheat, and having it could save one's life at critical water moments. Whether it was great rivers and lakes, or vast oceans, even floods…… It would be great if there were a few more.

When Dawang went home in the evening, he didn't go straight to his usual stall; instead he first wandered around Phoenix Market. In case he met that Shark person selling Shark Pearls again, he wanted to inquire about the price; though he couldn't afford it now, saving money later he could buy it. Then his older sister and cousins would each give him one, which would be very useful living by the sea~

Dawang didn't spot any Shark people at a glance, but he earnestly browsed every stall, just in case someone was selling grain?

This careful observation doesn't matter; the stall owners' strange appearances are fine, the price differences of their goods are too high to ignore, and the relatively cheap foods with no price difference are even harder to describe… Dawang couldn't understand.

How could food be made into a blue-green paste? Even the Dry Rice King would lose his appetite!

Passing a stall resembling a barbecue, the stall owner had the same enthusiasm as Dawang, following the principle that lingering means leeks, the owner enthusiastically detained Dawang for a sample. Upon hearing the tasting didn't require ingots, Dawang bravely tried a bite of the owner's grilled fruit, said to be a specialty of their planet? Then, there was nothing after……

When Dawang rushed into Baiyang's Shop, his mouth couldn't close, drool pouring out with a splashing sound; poor Dawang had never eaten anything this sour in his life!

Baiyang, having seen enough of Dawang's jokes, gave him two paper towels, replaced his poor little handkerchief, and then handed him a bottle of sweet milk.

"Hahaha, don't think just because I also sell snacks here that I ever try the food others sell at the market; the civilizational gap is huge! For us it's basically dark cuisine—bad taste is fine, but I fear differing bodily tolerances could lead to poisoning~"

Dawang thought, 'How lucky!' From now on his shopping range would be limited to non-edible trinkets. This good-for-nothing went to set up a stall, he told Baiyang to inquire about the Shark Pearl price if he ever met a Shark person again; it's all his fault for being naked and alone in You Prefecture back then, eating his fill while the family wasn't hungry, and not knowing to stock up when he found something good.

The Treasure Ship sailed another five or six days on the open sea; Dawang could haul up some sea cucumbers each day, Baiyang almost split his lips laughing—the deep sea's abundance two thousand years ago truly exceeded imagination.

Dawang roughly calculated the income from sea cucumbers and Bohai Blades, gritted his teeth and ordered thirty thousand sets of armor and weapons from John Pu, bringing his total of good equipment across the realm to one hundred twenty thousand.

Currently You Prefecture plus the Owl Cavalry and Snow Cavalry total fifty thousand, and those fifty thousand have first-rate armor, weapons, and warhorses. Of the remaining seventy thousand, twenty thousand have already been allocated, each of the four passes has five thousand sets of good armor and sharp blades; Dawang silently calculated, planning to mainly distribute the fifty thousand undelivered to Shanyang Pass, Shuofang Pass, and Luoshui Pass, with the nearer Shanggu Pass to be eased first—if anything happens, reinforcements from You Prefecture can arrive in time.

East-west spoils divided… distribution done, the next day Dawang fished even harder, after all there was still a shortage of several ten thousand. The fish hauled in by sperm‑whale trawl nets were of poor quality and would still draw Dawang's criticism; even Wei Ke, accustomed to Dawang's abstract ways, couldn't comprehend it, and Dawang's ambition was no ordinary two‑fold big.

After another two days, the Treasure Ship fully entered the East Sea's domain, a vast deep‑sea where no human had yet set foot. Here the coastal fishermen of the Great Jin still lacked the ability to venture deep, and the island nation across had never heard of coming here. Dawang stood on the bow, boasting to Wei Shen, "A new journey, a new sea—it's all ours hahaha~"

Actually Wei Shen didn't really understand why they had to go so far; after all they were running an exclusive trade, and even in Bohai they could easily fill the warehouse. "……They've run this far and supplies are almost gone before work even starts."

The fish of the East Sea and the Bohai Sea are different kinds; Taotie's pocket has a freezer that can keep things from rotting, enough for us to slowly sell at a good price and trade for useful goods. Cousin, there's gold buried in this sea… huh? Look ahead, what's flashing silver?

The fish of the East Sea and the Bohai Sea are different species; Taotie's pocket has a freezer that can keep things from rotting, enough for us to slowly sell at a good price and trade for useful goods. Cousin, there's gold buried in this sea… huh? Look ahead, what is reflecting silver light?

Wei Ke beside him lifted his telescope, and then he really bought the king's claim—there truly is gold in this sea.

Wei Ke beside raised his telescope, then he really was convinced by the king's mouth—there really is gold in this sea.

In the distance, a dazzling silver sheen spread across the sea surface; through his telescope he saw it was a terrifyingly large school of fish, also called a fish tide. He didn't know what kind of fish they were—the big ones were as large as the king's small fan used to block the sun, the small ones as big as his palm. These silvery fish floated on the surface, and when sunlight hit them they flashed painfully bright.

On the distant sea surface a dazzling silver shine, he saw through the telescope that it was a terrifyingly large school of fish, also called a fish tide. He didn't know what kind of fish; the big ones were as large as the king's small fan used to block the sun, the small ones were as big as his palm. These wholly silver fish floated on the surface, and when sunlight hit them, they truly flashed and dazzled painfully.

The captain also came up, he cupped his fists toward the king and said, "It's a school of silver pomfret. Congratulations, Your Highness, a prosperous start."

The captain also came up, he cupped his fists toward the king, "It's a school of silver herring. Congratulations, Your Highness, an auspicious start."

The massive school of fish—casting the net once would surely fill it. Upon hearing this, the king quickly pulled out his ranking of valuable fish from the East Sea and found that this fish's price was ordinary. Golden pomfret can be farmed artificially, but this silver pomfret cannot be farmed even in later generations, so its price is only relatively decent; a single spine is actually great for pressing into grilled fish slices!

The enormous fish school, casting this net will definitely fill it. Upon hearing, the king hastily took out his ranking of valuable fish of the East Sea, discovered this fish's price is ordinary. Golden herring can be artificially farmed, this silver herring cannot be farmed in later generations, its price is only relatively okay, and a single spine is quite suitable to be pressed into grilled fish slices, huh!

"Let's get to work!" Even before the fish were hauled up, the king had already decided how to eat them.

"Start working!" The fish haven't been hauled up yet, but the king already thought of how to eat them.

Once they began, they couldn't stop; the depths of the East Sea had never been trodden, so abundant it seemed endless. The king felt that as soon as he stepped ashore, thousands of taels of silver slipped away.

Once work started, it couldn't stop; the depths of the East Sea truly have never been visited, abundance never stops. The king felt that as soon as he went ashore, several thousand taels of silver would fly away.

That afternoon, while diving, he encountered a shrimp almost as long as his arm in the rocky seabed area; he deliberately went over to compare sizes, and indeed the East Sea is great—its shrimp are larger than those of the Bohai Sea.

That afternoon, while diving, he encountered in the seabed reef area a shrimp almost as long as his arm; he deliberately went over to compare, the East Sea really is good, its shrimp are bigger than those of the Bohai Sea.

Before the big shrimp could escape, the king brushed against its antennae.

The king, before the big shrimp escaped, touched its whiskers.

Should we store 1,299 adult magnificent dragon lobsters in the warehouse? Yes or no?

【Whether to store the x1299 adult specimens of the splendid great lobster in the warehouse, yes/no?】

Oh wow, a lobster? Its name is grand indeed, far more imposing than the Bohai shrimp. Looking closely, the shrimp's body is bluish‑black, with hints of green in places, its limbs are black and white; an adult's body alone is almost as long as his arm, and with its long antennae it can exceed a meter.

Oh oh, great lobster? The name is quite grand, much more imposing than the Bohai shrimp overlord. Looking closely, the shrimp's body is bluish-black, with some parts tinged green, limbs black and white, the adult's bare body is already almost as long as his arm, plus the long whiskers in front can be over a meter.

The king curiously picked one up and weighed it, almost getting his claw pinched off—what a terrifying shrimp!

The king curiously picked one up, weighed it, and almost got his claw pinched off—what a terrifying shrimp!

That weigh‑in turned out to be over ten jin, enough to feed a whole table!

This weighing turned out to be over ten jin, enough to feed a whole table!

The king had never seen such a huge lobster; he subdued a five‑spotted large one, tied it up, and brought it to ask Bai Yang that night—his inexperienced brother immediately spat out a mouthful of tea.

The king had never eaten such a large one; he subdued a five‑flower trussed specimen, stored it, and at night took it to ask Bai Yang; his clueless older brother immediately spat out a mouthful of tea!

"Damn! Flower dragon!"

"Damn! Flower dragon!"

Hearing that, the king relaxed—he knew what it was.

Upon hearing that, the king felt relieved; he recognized it.

"Flower dragon! How could I forget such a huge flower dragon? Nowadays we can't buy wild ones here—everything is farmed. Mother, a pure wild giant flower dragon—we've struck it rich, Your Majesty!"

"Flower dragon! Such a big flower dragon, how could I have forgotten it! Nowadays we can't buy wild ones here, they're all farmed stock! Mother, pure wild great flower dragon, we've struck it rich, Your Highness!"

The king's eyes lit up: "How much per jin?"

The king's eyes lit up, "How much per jin?"

"Forget per jin—at this size, even wholesale would be under twenty thousand per piece; I wouldn't waste my time on it!"

"What jin, you're this big; wholesale less than twenty thousand per piece and I wouldn't bother with it!"

The king silently calculated: "... Two thousand taels of silver?"

The king silently calculated, "…two thousand taels of silver?"

After finishing the calculation, the money‑lover took a deep breath: "I shouldn't be here; I should be down in the sea!"

After finishing the calculation, the money‑lover took a deep breath, "I shouldn't be here; I should be down in the seabed!"

What's the point of a stall? While we're in the East Sea we should haul in big catches and head back to Youzhou to kick back.

What stall to set up? While in the East Sea, we should go haul up big ones and return to Youzhou to lie flat!

I heard the king has over a thousand, each about this size. Bai Yang circled the giant flower lobster placed on the ground, turning twice, unable to contain his excitement. "It must weigh over ten jin! The bigger it is, the more valuable—prices for half a jin or one jin are nothing compared to over ten jin; in our area, catching one this big would make the news! It looks like the high‑end seafood restaurant needs to speed up. Originally we wanted to wait until spring to talk about it, but giving away such top‑grade stock to others would be a waste; even having more wouldn't fetch a good price. If we take out two each day and put them in the restaurant as a signature dish, the price would truly have no ceiling."

I heard the king has over a thousand of them about this size; Bai Yang circled the great flower dragon placed on the ground, two rounds, excited beyond words: "It should be over ten jin! The bigger this thing, the more valuable; the price for half a jin to one jin and over ten jin are completely different; in our area, catching one this big would make the news! It seems the high‑end seafood restaurant needs to speed up; originally I wanted to wait until spring to say, but giving this top‑quality batch to others would be a waste, and even more wouldn't sell for a price; taking out two each day to put in the restaurant as a signature dish, the price truly has no ceiling!"

The king's eyes sparkled: "If we put it in the restaurant, how much should we sell it for?"

The king's eyes sparkled, "If placed in the restaurant, how much would you sell it for?"

Bai Yang: "Thirty‑nine thousand nine hundred ninety‑nine, three lobster meals!"

Bai Yang: "Thirty‑nine thousand nine hundred ninety‑nine, lobster three ways!"

The stall tycoon nodded, indicating he'd learned: "Leave me a few for the Spring River Flower Moon Night; I'll sell them at half price, just to let regulars broaden their horizons—hahaha~"

The stall tycoon nodded, indicating he learned: "Leave me a few for Spring River Flower Moon Night; I'll sell at half price, just to let regulars broaden their horizons, hahaha~"

While on leave, the magistrate who had gone to Spring River Flower Moon Night to deliver silver let out a violent sneeze; his visiting friend urged him to dress warmly in the north, warning not to sacrifice his health for appearances—this place simply can't be compared to Fangyang, and so on.

The official on leave who again went to Spring River Flower Moon Night to deliver silver sneezed violently; the friend visiting him opposite began advising him to wear more clothes in the northern lands, lest he freeze to death for the sake of appearance; here one cannot compare with Fangyang, etc.

Lu Tong: "……It's fine, I just have the feeling that someone is scheming against me."

Lu Tong: "…Nothing, I just feel like someone is scheming against me."