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0.15% Protect Our Clan Leader / Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Where Did the System Go?

Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Where Did the System Go?

...

"It looks like we can only take it one step at a time," Wang Shouzhe's expression was somewhat solemn, but he quickly came to terms with it, realizing that, even without a golden finger, he still had some advantages.

At least after the fusion of memories, he found that although there were many strong masters in this world, the development of people's livelihood and the degree of advanced thinking were inferior to those of Earthlings, even though he was just an ordinary university graduate and employee...

Just as Wang Shouzhe was preparing to summarize his advantages.

Suddenly, the young servant Wang Gui rushed in frantically from outside, "Family Head, Family Head, something terrible has happened! Sixth Master Wang has been beaten, he has sent someone back asking for help!"

Sixth Master Wang?

Wang Shouzhe frowned slightly, memories flooding in, "It's Sixth Uncle Wang Dinghai."

Wang Dinghai was Wang Shouzhe's paternal uncle, the sixth among the male members of the generation named 'Ding.' Although his talents and cultivation base were mediocre, he was relatively proficient in water skills and thus in charge of one of the family's industries — the fishing fleet.

Now that Wang Dinghai had been beaten, it meant that there must have been a change in the fishing fleet's situation related to the clan's property. This was a good opportunity to observe this world for himself.

"Stay calm. What dignity is there in such a panic?" Wang Shouzhe calmed himself down with this thought and sternly reprimanded, then said composedly, "Prepare the carriage, let's go and take a look."

"Yes, Family Head," Wang Gui hurriedly responded and ran to prepare for the journey.

Wang Shouzhe, following his memories, left his room and strolled leisurely towards the main gate of the main residence, observing each building facility and structure along the way to validate them against his memories.

On his way, he happened to meet his father's first wife, Gongsun Hui, with a grave expression, leading several of the head of household's guards, hurrying towards the main gate.

Wang Shouzhe greeted Gongsun Hui with proper respect, "Greetings to you, Madam."

Wang Shouzhe, now with merged memories, knew that since he had lost his mother at a young age, Gongsun Hui was his father Wang Dingyue's later legally married wife. She had given birth to a rightful daughter named Wang Luomiao, who was eight years old this year.

Therefore, although Gongsun Hui was Wang Shouzhe's stepmother, she was not his biological mother. However, her nature was kind and honest, and she had always treated Wang Shouzhe as her own, taking good care of him in every respect.

This was quite different from the usual tropes in fantasy novels.

Upon seeing Wang Shouzhe, Gongsun Hui immediately came forward and took his hand, her face full of concern, "Zhe Er, why have you come out? Have you eaten yet? Are you feeling any better?"

The rest of the household guards also hurriedly saluted Wang Shouzhe.

"Madam, I have no issues, and I finished the spirit meal you had prepared for me. We will talk more about it later," Wang Shouzhe discreetly pulled his hand free, his face earnest as he spoke, "Madam, you are leading the household guards, are you going to support Sixth Uncle? Allow me to accompany you."

Gongsun Hui's expression darkened, and after a moment's hesitation, she replied, "Zhe Er, since you have inherited the Clan Leader's position, you will inevitably face these things. Since you are well now, let's go and take a look together."

"Yes, Madam."

Together, they left the main gate of the main residence, which bore a plaque inscribed with the spirited characters 'Ping'an Wang Family', an impressive testament to their presence.

Yet, combined with the mottled lacquer of the corridors and the white lanterns inscribed with the character "Ding" swinging in the wind, it underscored the decline and desolation of the Wang family's faltering fortunes.

"Family Head, Madam Gongsun, the carriage is ready." The close attendant Wang Gui came running, "Swords and bows have been placed on the carriage."

After a brief discussion, Wang Shouzhe and Gongsun Hui shared a carriage, while the remaining four household guards each rode a yellow steed, escorting on both sides, heading towards Dingpu Ferry at Peace River.

On the journey, Gongsun Hui recounted the whole incident, detailing the causes and consequences.

Armed with the thinking of both his past and present lives, Wang Shouzhe quickly clarified the actual circumstances. Peace River was a large river stretching hundreds of zhang in width, rich in aquatic products with distinctive characteristics. The fishing fleets could generate long-term economic benefits through catching these products.

But where there were benefits, conflicts were often inevitable. The three prominent families of Ping'an Town were naturally unwilling to give up such a lucrative resource. After various struggles and compromises, the families each marked their own territory where they would not cross into another's realm.

From Dingpu Ferry towards the right, stretching for thirty li up to Chaotic Stone Beach, that was the waters of the Ping'an Wang family's territory.

However, in recent years, two other prominent families had continuously risen with an abundance of talented individuals, growing bolder by the day. Limited by the overall size of their holdings, it became increasingly tempting for them to reach into others' pots.

Bit by bit, their encroachment scheme played out, with the family's territory and assets shrinking year after year. The smaller the territory, the scarcer the resources, and the harder it became for clan members to grow, thus plunging them into a vicious cycle.

What made the situation even worse was that the Wang family's protector, the Elder Longyan of the Sea Stabilizing Needle, appeared to be weakening with each passing year. Recently she had been in seclusion, not even showing her face when such a big incident occurred in the family, inevitably leading to outside speculation about her ability to fight.

The situation was far from optimistic, Wang Shouzhe's brow furrowed.

Speaking of which, the Wang family's main residence was built near the mountains and by the water, no more than ten miles from Dingpu Ferry, on a well-maintained road that was solid and frequently repaired. With family guards clearing the way, their journey was smooth, and the carriage arrived in less than half an hour.

The ferry had already been one of Changning Guard's outposts at the founding of Ping'an Town. With over a hundred years of development, Dingpu Ferry had become a crucial thoroughfare connecting the north and the south.

All three major families of Ping'an had docks, ferries, shops, and other infrastructure there.

The ferry had some simple defensive structures; the walls were rather unsophisticated, only five to six meters tall, just sufficient to fend off small-scale beast attacks.

After entering the ferry, Wang Shouzhe and his entourage headed straight for the deep-water dock. Under the lengthy wooden pier were giant timber pillars thick enough for two people to embrace, extending the pier to water depths of about three or four Jiang, with lateral extensions forming individual berths.

At the berths there were various boats docked, including ferries, merchant ships, and fishing vessels.

From a distance, one could see two groups of people facing off at the end of the pier. Both were holding sticks and weaponised forks, their emotions running high.

"Sixth Master Wang, you sure have some nerve. Still daring to block your young lord Liu Yongzhou's way. Are you asking for another beating?" taunted a young man's voice.

"You little cur from the Liu Clan," hollered another man, voice thick with anger and excitement, "What's your skill other than sneaking attacks under the water? If you're a real man, let's fight fair and square in the water with real knives and spears. I, Sixth Master Wang, will teach you how to be a proper human being."

"Sixth Master Wang, don't blame me for looking down on you. You've wasted your years on nothing, not an ounce of sense," the young man retorted with a sneer, "Ambush tactics are part of warfare; should we make a prior announcement forbidding the use of tactics before fighting? Oh, really, going back to the old ways. Better roll out of Ping'an Town sooner rather than later and stop wasting food."

The young man's group burst into laughter, echoing his mockery, shouting 'Roll out of Ping'an Town, roll out of Ping'an Town.'

Dingpu Ferry was bustling with a diverse crowd, including many passing travelers and merchants who had now gathered around to watch the excitement, their comments unceasing.

Today's conflict would inevitably spread far and wide with the legs and tongues of these onlookers. The Ping'an Wang family, having been on the losing end of this conflict, would become the talk of the town and a jest for some time, damaging the might of the Wang name.

"You Liu Clan whelp," the man's face turned beet-red as he reached the brink of rage, "you've gone too far, I, your Sixth Master, will take you on!"

"Wang family's old dog, come on if you dare!"

A fight between the two sides was about to erupt with the tension of a bowstring on the verge of snapping.

"Stop it!" Seeing the urgency of the situation, Gongsun Hui quickly stepped between them, "Wang Dinghai, Liu Yongzhou, both of you calm down, let's talk this through."

Wang Shouzhe, afraid that Madam Gongsun might be at a disadvantage, waved his hand, and four Wang family guards surged forward to protect her, while he followed closely, continuing to observe everything with a cool eye.

His observations and memories told him that the young man dressed in fitted aquatic gear with a short blade at his waist, who seemed somewhat frivolous, was called Liu Yongzhou, a member of the Liu Clan's Yong generation.

It was said that this young man excelled in aquatic warfare, particularly in the Water Escape Technique. He had once slain a Level One fierce beast, the Red-scaled Eel, weighing over 200 pounds with just a short blade. Liu Yongzhou had risen to fame at the age of merely twenty-three or twenty-four, becoming the Liu Clan's "Thousand-Mile Colt" in Ping'an.

The other man was lean and dark-skinned, clearly someone accustomed to making a living on the water. His head and arms were bruised, wrapped in linen, making him look quite disheveled.

That was none other than Wang Shouzhe's uncle—Wang Dinghai, specifically in charge of the family's fishing operations within their territorial waters. He too was proficient in aquatic combat and fishing, and the main hunter of the Red-tailed spirit bream that Wang Shouzhe had eaten earlier.

"Oh, if it isn't Madam Gongsun from the Wang family," young Liu Yongzhou greeted her carelessly with a grin. Then he sneered at Wang Dinghai, "Sixth Master Wang, to think you'd bring out your sister-in-law to back you against a junior like me—Yongzhou is impressed, truly unmatched."

"You..." Wang Dinghai's dark face flushed an even darker shade of red.

...


next chapter

Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Countermeasures _1

Chapter Three: Counter-Framing

...

"Enough." Gongsun Hui's lovely voice ordered, before she added, "Uncle Six, don't be impulsive, let's calmly solve this matter."

Gongsun Hui was the legitimate daughter of the Gongsun Clan of Shanyang, the rightful wife of the Wang family's previous Clan Leader, and the birth mother of the new Clan Leader of the Wang family; that was enough to mediate this affair.

Wang Dinghai exclaimed excitedly: "Sister-in-law, it's not that I, Old Six, am impetuous. It's just that this Liu brat has stepped way out of line. Everyone in Ping'an Town knows that the Peace River from Dingpu Ferry to Chaotic Stone Beach, spanning thirty miles on the right, is our Wang family's territory. But Liu Yongzhou has repeatedly overstepped his bounds by fishing here. This time, he shamelessly trespassed by ten miles. If I do not defend our territory, will there be any place for our Wang family on Peace River?"

"Oh, oh, oh, Old Six Wang, you're jumping the gun here." Liu Yongzhou looked very aggrieved. "The Peace River has a swift current and strong wind, and my Liu family's territory is upstream of the Peace River. There are inevitably times when a ship cannot be anchored properly. Yet, you charge at us with your fishing boats as soon as any conflict arises. It's unjust to cry foul after losing. Are you taking advantage of the fact that the Liu Clan lacks older generations?"

Wang Shouzhe had been quietly observing and speculating. He now confirmed that the Liu Clan had instigated this dispute on purpose, probably to test him, the newly inaugurated Clan Leader, and to assess his abilities.

If he, the Clan Leader, proved to be incompetent and unassertive, a series of covert and overt schemes would soon follow, most likely in alliance with the Zhao Clan.

"Ahem, ahem!"

Wang Shouzhe coughed twice and calmly stepped forward.

"Nephew Shouzhe, you're here?" Wang Dinghai's face lit up, then he angrily said, "Quickly pass judgment for your Uncle Six. This boy cheated in a sneak attack. I, your Uncle Six, won't admit defeat and wish to confront him in a fair rematch."

"So, the young Clan Leader of the Wang family, no, the current Clan Leader, has arrived." Liu Yongzhou narrowed his eyes slightly, revealing a hint of fear and jealousy towards Wang Shouzhe.

Without a doubt, Wang Shouzhe surpassed Liu Yongzhou in terms of overall strength. At just eighteen years old, Wang Shouzhe had already reached the High Level Six of the Vital Energy Refining Realm, which suggested great potential for future growth.

The Liu family was very wary of Wang Shouzhe. If given the chance, and if he reached the Spirit Platform Realm, the balance of power in Ping'an Town would drastically shift.

Some of the people watching began to whisper among themselves. They seemed quite interested in the young, newly appointed Clan Leader of the Wang family. The discussions hinted that if the previous Clan Leader, Wang Dingyue, had lived a little longer and allowed the younger Clan Leader, Wang Shouzhe, to fully mature, the situation for the Wang family in Ping'an would have been different.

"Uncle Six, victory and defeat is commonplace for warriors." Wang Shouzhe slightly narrowed his eyes and testingly said in a low voice, "But, Uncle Six, are you sure you can certainly beat him? It would damage our Wang family's reputation if you lost again in public."

"Well…" Wang Dinghai hesitated, then said quietly, "I have had several disputes with this Liu youth, and we've been evenly matched, each with our own advantages. I don't know why today, he seemed rather off. His Water Escape Technique has improved significantly, he was as slippery as an eel in the water, and he caught me off guard. But don't worry, Nephew. Even if it costs me my life, I will win this fight."

The Water Escape Technique has improved significantly?

Well, this is interesting. Wang Shouzhe touched his nose. He figured out the opponent's strategy: to provoke a conflict, to incite discontent within Wang Dinghai, and then to have Liu Yongzhou, the promising youth of the Liu family, defeat Wang Dinghai publicly, thereby undermining the Wang family's prestige.

If the situation could be further inflamed and a wager could be agreed upon between the two parties, it would be even better. In such a case, they could bite a big chunk out of the Wang family's resources.

Having made a definite judgement, Wang Shouzhe said, "Uncle Six, let me handle this."

"This..." Wang Dinghai hesitated a little, but when he saw the calm expression on Wang Shouzhe's face, he quickly cooled down and stepped back. "Shouzhe, be careful, the Liu family is best at playing dirty tricks."

"Rest assured, Uncle Six, we won't be wronged." After reassuring Wang Dinghai, Wang Shouzhe scanned the surroundings and loudly declared in front of everyone, "The Wang Family, being a martial Profound Martial lineage, has always upheld our status through martial power. The so-called ancestral territory naturally falls to the capable. Should the younger generation lack the ability to guard it, yielding a portion is expected. Liu Yongzhou, you of the Liu Clan have planned to encroach upon my Wang Clan's fishing and hunting grounds, starting conflicts is merely trivial. Why not be more candid? Let's have a life-and-death match, just like our ancestors. Whoever wins will take control of the other's fishing grounds. How about it?"

"What?"

A gasp echoed around the crowd. A life-and-death match!? Was the young Clan Leader of the Wang family being too aggressive?

Wang Shouzhe was a full five years younger than Liu Yongzhou, but this direct challenge for a life-and-death match left Liu Yingzhou white-lipped and pale-faced. This was something he dared not, and could not, accept. He replied awkwardly, "You're joking, Mr. Wang Clan Leader. You're the Clan Leader. How could you participate in a life-and-death match?"

It was clear that although Liu Yongzhou was not inferior amongst his peers, he fell far short of Wang Shouzhe, who had always been groomed to be the young Clan Leader.

"Hm!" Wang Shouzhe sneered derisively. "If you are cowardly, just admit it, there's no need to be so pretentious. I, Wang Shouzhe, am here today. I'll accept any challenge from anyone of the 'Yong' generation of your Liu Clan."

"Good! Well said. The new Clan Leader of the Wang family sure is spirited."

"The Xuanwu family is a martial arts family. It's interesting to see how the Liu Clan will respond. As far as I know, the elders of the Liu clan are already in their mid to late thirties, and the younger ones are still learning to talk. I can't think of anyone who could fight the new leader of the Wang family."

"Brother, how strong is this young man? Can he really defeat all members of the Liu Clan's elder generation?"

"Are you from out of town? That's the new leader of our Ping'an Wang family, Wang Shouzhe. At only eighteen, he's close to cultivating to the advanced stage of the Qi Refinement Realm. It's rumored that his talent in sword Dao is extraordinary, his sword techniques have already reached an impeccable stage." The local bragged, "Moreover, he's passed the entrance exam of the Purple Abode Academy. He's supposed to go off to school soon, it's a pity such a big incident happened in the Wang family causing him to give up his studies."

"The Purple Abode Academy? The one known for transforming students into Spirit Platform experts once they get in? That's impressive, it's really a pity!"

Scattered discussions around Wang Shouzhe reminded him that he indeed passed the Purple Abode Academy's early selection not too long ago.

The Purple Abode Academy in Longzuo County enrolls a new class every three years, but their requirements are very strict. Only one to three individuals in the whole Changning area pass the primary selection each time, gaining the opportunity to participate in the secondary examination, and this year, Wang Shouzhe was among them.

But the talk about him going off to the Academy was exaggerated, the jurisdiction area of Changning City wouldn't produce a Purple Abode student once in eight or ten years. Although Wang Shouzhe considered himself exceptional, he also knew that the probability of passing the second round of selection was less than 30%.

The public opinion started to tilt in favor of the Wang family.

In the previous conflict, the improper handling could have damaged the Wang family's reputation. At this moment, it instead boosted the prestigous image of Wang family.

"Well done, nephew." Wang Dinghai said with a pleased expression, "Look if those brats from the Liu family still dare to be arrogant."

Gongsun Hui was also surprised, she didn't expect that Wang Shouzhe's very utterance had turned a bad situation which would harm the family's prestige into a predicament for the Liu clan's reputation.

Prior to this, her oldest son only focused on his own cultivation with very little concern for other matters. She didn't expect him to demonstrate such capability as soon as he took the role of Clan Leader.

"Excellent!"

Suddenly, a voice of approval rang out, "The words of the Wang Clan Leader really opened my ears, I'm impressed. I'm impressed. The Xuanwu family is a martial arts family. If you can't hold on to your ancestral property, why not retire to a corner?"

While speaking, a middle-aged man, appearing extraordinary in his brocade robe, strode out, surrounded by several fierce family guards, he looked at Wang Shouzhe with a smile that wasn't quite a smile.

As soon as this man appeared, both Gongsun Hui and Wang Dinghai's expressions changed: "It's Liu Shengye!"

Especially Gongsun Hui, her face awkwardly whispered a warning to Wang Shouzhe, "Zhe Er, be careful. The Liu Clan leader appearing at this time is suspicious."

Liu Shengye.

Wang Shouzhe's eyes narrowed slightly. The present Clan Leader of Liu Clan in Ping'an. He heard that his personal martial power is not the strongest in Liu Clan, having not broken through to level eight of Qi Refinement Realm despite being forty years old.

In Wang Shouzhe's memory, this person was famous for his cunning and deceitful tactics, a smiling tiger. He had taken advantage of the former Clan Leader, Wang Dingyue, several times. He was very good at managing family properties, making the power of Liu Clan grow stronger day by day.

"I see, it's the Liu Clan Leader." Wang Shouzhe responded calmly, "Since the Liu Clan Leader agrees with my words, does that mean you agree to my duel with Liu Yongzhou?" Without further ado, he threw a loop to Liu Shengye.

"Where is this coming from? Though your words make sense, as the head of a clan, how can you bully the weak?" Liu Shengye smoothly rode the momentum, "For the duel, it should be fair and equal."

His intention was naturally to shift the duel back onto Liu Yongzhou and Wang Dinghai.

"Clan Leader Liu's words make sense." Wang Shouzhe nodded seriously in agreement, "Our Wang and Liu Clans usually have many disagreements and misunderstandings. Since we have to duel, why don't we, two Clan Leaders, fight personally? That could also be considered equal."

"What?"

Liu Shengye's face twitched. The Clan Leaders personally duel? Was Wang Shouzhe crazy? He first bit on Liu Yongzhou, and now he is directly biting on him, Liu Shengye! Was he going to bite everyone? Is that what he meant?

The surrounding business travelers and other people at the ferry crossing were also taken aback, going straight for a deathmatch between two prominent family Clan Leaders, was he too impulsive?

...


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