Fortune Ship Launched, Reward Received

The Yellow Head Venerable was lively and energetic, its scales shimmering with a soft, golden luster.

The Ta Ta Kai slapped the fish's head with its paw, grabbed its tail, and swung it over its back, carrying it to the courtyard. There, it was placed in a large tank along with the Seven-Colored Rainbow Flow that the Old Toad had given it.

The Dragonfolk's gift of the Treasure Fish was truly an unexpected delight.

The resentment over the two baskets of crabs being stolen vanished; how could two baskets of crabs compare to the value of a Yellow Head Venerable vessel worth hundreds of taels of silver?

"They won't listen to my explanations, so don't blame me."

Liang Qu repeatedly explained to Long Pingjiang and Long Pinghe that he was not the reincarnation of the Lord of the Jiang Huai Waters, denying it decisively without any ambiguity or hint.

All of the Dragonfolk's actions now are voluntary gifts and have nothing to do with him!

Neither proactive nor refusing, nor taking responsibility.

They insisted on giving it to Treasure Fish, so there was nothing I could do.

The Fat Catfish, seeing that the heavenly deity had accepted the Treasure Fish, Long Whiskers drooping down, looking slightly disappointed.

The servants of the Catfish Kingdom Manor have no hope.

Seeking revenge against the Dragonfolk will be difficult.

For the next two weeks.

Long Pingjiang Long Pinghe successively sent two Treasure Fish to Liang Residence. They did not show themselves, but waited at the underground river mouth for the Water Beast that came and went each day to carry them.

On average, it takes four or five days to catch one fish. Although the quantity is not as much as the Fat Catfish that they catch every day, the quality is exceptionally high. They are all the best-grade Treasure Fish listed in the "Fish Appearance Record".

Each one of these could be sold for at least a hundred taels of silver!

Money is so easy to make.

Liang Qu did nothing, yet Dragonfolk inexplicably came to deliver Treasure Fish.

Well done, Flood Dragon!...

Early November.

beginning of winter.

The tree pit was filled with fallen leaves.

Seven-Colored Rainbow sways its long tail, and layers of water ripples reflect fluorescence.

Beside the pond, River Otter carried giant logs, beavers worked together to build a new Ship Model, inserting ribs into the Dragon Bone —a scene of prosperity and flourishing.

Only Ta Ta Kai didn't help, didn't practice his boxing, and showed no ambition.

He hugged the Scarface River Otter wood carving, a one-to-one replica of the Great Beaver, and gnawed at it, leaving countless holes in it.

Yesterday, during the fight, it was brutally abused by Scarface's family, so it could only vent its anger on the wooden carving.

Scarface Ta Ta Kai's lifelong enemy! Compared to the bitterness and hatred in the Liang Residence, the Central Court Liu Quanfu's Ta Ta Kai is filled with joy.

Liang Qu, Cha Qing, Fan Zixuan and others gathered together.

The boatmen and apprentices gathered around, watching to see how the three men would lift the object.

Starting in late August, in the Xia Tian, and continuing into winter, the enormous Fujian-style ship has finally been completed and delivered! The air is filled with the bitter smell of Tung Oil.

Wearing a cotton-padded coat, Liu Quanfu guided the Cha Qing and dismantling of the layered wooden structure supporting the Fujian ship.

As the support frame loosened, a huge log rolled down one side. Fan Zixuan, who was on the side of the ship, stepped forward and shouted in a low voice as he used his shoulder to brace the overturned ship.

The Cha Qing that the connecting structures in other places had been loosened, and the entire giant wooden support seemed to have its spine removed, scattering in all directions.

The Fujian-style ship swayed and rocked.

The onlookers exclaimed in surprise.

Upon Cha Qing, he immediately jumped off the bow and, together with Fan Zixuan, supported the bottom of the boat, thus stabilizing the capsizing vessel.

Liang Qu came to the bow of the boat and touched the Dragon Bone on the bottom of the boat with both hands.

"One, two, three, go!"

Upon hearing the command, the three exerted their strength in unison, and the nearly six-zhang-long (approximately 33 meters) large Fuzhou boat began to sway and float smoothly.

Liu Quanfu and his apprentices and helpers were dumbfounded.

They all needed to work together to move the thick planks, yet just three Martial Master were able to lift the entire Fujian ship!

"Master Liang is mighty!"

"I've heard that Martial Master can stop dozens of galloping horses! Now I've seen it for myself."

"What do you mean 'now'? You've forgotten about the Water Beast that Master Liang caught this Xia Tian, which he carried from west to east?"

"Oh, I remember now."

"With such divine power, it's no wonder that Martial Master don't need a shipyard."

To build a large ship, a large pit needs to be dug on the shore first.

Once the boat is built, a hole is dug, water is poured into the pit, and the boat floats up and sails into the river.

The large pits are called "docks". The larger the shipyard, the better the dock, as it is more convenient for rapid mass production of ships.

But the Martial Master were not normal people. With the strength of Galloping Horse Martial Master who could easily stop dozens of tall horses, let alone three people, two people could easily lift a six-zhang-long Fu boat.

Even as an anomaly among Galloping Horse, Liang Qu alone is enough; there's no need to worry about whether or not there's a dock.

Liang Qu was worried that if one person carried it, the surface area of force would be too small, and it would be easy to shake.

There's a distance between the place and the Great Marsh, so it's hard to guarantee that it won't get bumped or knocked over.

A large ship, which took two and a half months to build with great effort, was damaged before it even went into the water and needed to be repaired. This was considered very unlucky, so the two River Earl under the River Gods' command were called in to help.

Seeing the Fujian-style ship being raised, Liang Qu shouted, "Uncle Fu, open the door in front!"

Liu Quanfu snapped out of his shock and hurriedly led his apprentices and helpers to open the door.

Liang Qu compared the width of the entrance and turned to look at Fan Zixuan in the middle. "The entrance is too narrow, we can't get through. You two, raise your hands a little higher, be careful that the bottom of the boat doesn't bump into the wall!"

"We both looked carefully, there's no mistake."

"Don't worry, Lord Liang, just keep going! Not to mention one Fujian boat, if those two tower ships from the River Conservancy Office come today, the two of us will have to hold them up too!"

Cha Qing, Fan Zixuan responded in succession, his voice full of energy.

Seeing that the two were alright, Liang Qu started moving forward.

Throughout the journey, the three of them maintained a straight line, raised their arms, and carried the Fuzhou boat out of the courtyard. They made a large turn, turned onto the Azure Stone Street from the side road, and slowly made their way to Shang Rao Wharf amidst the astonished gazes of passersby.

The Fujian-style ship was 18 meters long and nearly 60 feet long. With its width and height, it was a rather exaggeratedly large ship, attracting a large crowd of onlookers.

"My goodness, what a huge ship!"

"Is this a Fujian-style ship? There are similar ones in the River Conservancy Office, used as warships."

"Master Liang has risen through the ranks so quickly! Just a year ago he was riding in Small Sampan! I can't even imagine what kind of boat he'll be on this day next year. Who knows, the grand boat that came with the River Conservancy Office might all belong to Master Liang!"

"A sampan? Master Liang used to use a sampan?"

"Are you from out of town?"

"My home is in the neighboring Nan Xun Village, about 13 or 14 miles away. Not many people know about it. I came to Ping Yang Town today to buy some things."

Several local villagers couldn't help but show arrogance when they saw outsiders.

Shang Rao Wharf.

The deep harbor for large ships was built long ago. The long pier extends a hundred meters from the shore into the depths of the Great Marsh, not far from where the fishing boats used to be moored. On each side, a large merchant ship is moored, unloading cargo.

After winter sets in, the fields are not busy, the fish catch gradually decreases, and the villagers are basically living off their stored grain.

Farmers and fishermen often went to the docks to do some manual labor, carrying goods to earn money. The competition was fierce, and wages had been driven down to three copper coins a day.

Liang Qu always doubted that the copper coins they earned weren't enough to cover the extra few bites of rice and oil they could afford after a hard day's work.

As Liang Qu approached the pier, he saw Lin Songbao waiting on the road. Beside him were two workers from the Fishing Wharf, each carrying a red cloth and an incense burner, as well as a food box containing chicken, duck, fish, and meat.

"Sir, there's no need for you to go into the water, I'll do it!"

Fan Zixuan shouted loudly, took a step, and tacitly turned around with Cha Qing. Ignoring Liang Qu's obstruction, he pushed him behind and stepped into the water first. The river water spread up his trouser legs, forming a dark color.

The Cha Qing in front turned around and shouted, "Lord Liang, let go. Don't worry, leave it to us. There won't be any problems."

Fan Zixuan replied, "Yes, Lord Liang, rest assured. If we can't handle this small matter, we'll have no face to continue being the River Earl!"

Unable to refuse Liang Qu's hospitality, he had no choice but to let go of her hand. "Alright, thank you for your hard work."

"There's no hardship at all, not tired at all!"

"Lord Liang, as the Dushui Official, changing boats is an official matter! We two should do our best!"

Fan Zixuan Cha Qing the two men had carried the Fu boat into the Great Marsh, their clothes soaked by the muddy water that had surfaced.

The water level rose, eventually reaching chest height.

Fan Zixuan and Cha Qing took a deep breath, pushed off the ground together, and the entire Fujian boat slid forward with the current.

Boom! The entire Fujian-style ship was completely submerged.

The hull of the boat collided with the Great Marsh, splashing out layers of foam that spread far and wide, only to be offset by the river waves.

Wait a moment.

The Fujian-style ship neither tilted, capsized, nor sank, but floated steadily on the water.

"Good!"

"Great ship!"

Cheers erupted from the shore!

Liang Qu couldn't help but clap his hands, feeling a sense of lightness throughout his body.

Liu Quanfu's tense mood eased slightly.

On either side of the boat, Fan Zixuan and Cha Qing wiped the water off their faces, waded through the mud and sand back to the shore, and took off their clothes to wring them dry.

Liu Quanfu hurriedly said thank you for your hard work, then turned and called to his apprentice behind him, "Quick, go into the boat and see if there are any leaks."

Even with Master Lou's help, Liu Quanfu, who was building a ship for the first time, was still unsure of himself.

However, he was equally excited.

On the one hand, Liang Qu paid more, and his wages were generally much higher than others every time he worked.

On the other hand, if he actually built a ship, it would be a valuable qualification for Liu Quanfu.

Shipbuilding requires carpentry skills, but not everyone who is a carpenter can build a ship.

Liu Quanfu learned a lot from Master Lou. With such shipbuilding skills, he will no longer be an ordinary carpenter wherever he goes in the future.

Even if Liang Qu doesn't need some strange gadgets in the future, Liu Quanfu's life will definitely be better than before.

After giving the instructions, a short apprentice rode a sampan to the side of the boat, grabbed the ropes on the side of the boat and went up to the deck. He then threw down a pontoon bridge made of driftwood and ropes from above, bringing Liang Qu and the others aboard.

Fan Zixuan and Cha Qing returned to the shore and repeatedly waved their hands in response to Liang Qu's invitation to board the boat and tour the area.

"We were both soaking wet and dirty, so we decided not to go aboard."

Fan Zixuan and Cha Qing had finally found an opportunity, so they naturally wanted to perform well, and their every move was extremely humble.

Liang Qu understood their thoughts and felt a slight pang of regret.

When he was the River Earl, he never felt the need to please anyone.

It's all about timing and fate.

Liang Qu did not insist and followed Liu Quanfu to inspect each cabin.

Ensure that no compartment has inadequate caulking, which could lead to leaks.

While Liang Qu was inspecting the canal, the two workers in the Fishing Wharf, under Lin Songbao's command, stepped onto the deck, laid out wooden tables, set up incense burners, piled up chickens, ducks, fish and meat, and hung flags all over the mast and the side of the boat.

Whenever a large ship is launched, a sacrifice must be made to the River God.

I pray that your voyage will be smooth sailing and safe.

However, compared to the River God Sacrifice of an entire region, this kind of sacrifice is not complicated, is small in scale, and has not many rules. It is mostly just a charade to comfort oneself.

After inspecting the cabins, Liang Qu walked out of the ship with satisfaction.

Lin Songbao lit the long incense stick and stepped forward three steps to hand it over.

The shore was crowded with people, and the lake was rippling with waves.

wisps of white smoke rose.

Liang Qu accepted the long incense stick, faced the vast and boundless Jiang Huai Great Marsh, uttered a few words of hope for the future, wishing the River God to favor him, bowed three times towards the Jiang Huai Great Marsh, and inserted the incense into the incense burner.

At this point, the ship has been completely handed over.

Everyone present felt a huge weight lifted from their shoulders.

Liang Qu was overjoyed. He walked around the deck, overlooking the Great Marsh and the wharf, feeling refreshed and invigorated.

It's so refreshing, so incredibly refreshing.

The feeling of a large ship is completely different from that of a sampan; the space is open and the view is expansive, making you feel quite at ease!

From sampans, awning boats, and small boats, to today's large Fujian-style boats that are 18 meters long.

Bigger is better, bigger is more beautiful! While awning boats and barges may have a touch of the misty, rainy charm of Jiangnan, in terms of practicality, larger boats are still the better choice!

In the future, when leading a team to fish for Treasure Fish deep in the Great Marsh, having our own large ship will make things much more convenient.

However, the River Otter's boatman training should be put on the agenda as soon as possible.

I wonder what the Ta Ta Kai are doing in the pond; their comfortable days are almost over.

Liang Qu was in a good mood, so he gave the Fishing Wharf another five taels of silver to treat the villagers on the shore to tea.

This naturally drew another round of cheers.

A series of generous congratulations came from Master Liang.

Taking the opportunity, Lin Songbao suggested, "Water Bro is delighted to have a new boat. Why don't we raise the sails, take the helm, and go for a spin in the Great Marsh?"

Liang Qu's heart stirred slightly; whether the boat was good or not, he would indeed have to take it for a spin to know.

"Is the boat able to move now?"

The boatman quickly replied, "Don't worry, Lord Liang. If it can go into the water, it can move. Although shipbuilding and sailing are two different things, we know a little about them."

"Alright, let's take a stroll then! I'll treat everyone to dinner later!"

"Alright!" The boatman straightened up and looked at the group behind him. "Who's going to raise the sails?"

"I'll do it!"

"I'll take the helm!"

The helpers of the River Conservancy Office volunteered to return to their busy work, each acting as a temporary boatman, raising all the sails of the large ship, casting a huge shadow over everyone.

With its white sails billowing, the entire Fujian-style ship, like a giant eagle spreading its wings, suddenly accelerated, gliding over the waterways and across the shadowy waves, drifting like a bird under the sunlight.

Liang Qu stood at the bow of the boat, his clothes fluttering in the wind.

Looking out, all you see is a shimmering expanse of water.

A river breeze carrying a rich moisture hit my face, penetrating deep into my lungs, and then dissipated with each exhale.

All exhaust fumes are expelled!

On the shore, Fan Zixuan gazed at the Fujian ship with envy.

When will I be able to own such a large ship?

By Cha Qing his colleague's expression, he knew what the other person was thinking.

Who isn't?

After a lively gathering, the Fujian-style ship slowly docked at noon.

Everyone disembarked one after another.

Liang Qu funded a meal at a nearby hotel for Liu Quanfu, the boatmen, and Fan Zixuan, Lin Songbao, and others who came to help.

I also paid the bill for Liu Quanfu.

A good four-poster bed costs several tens of taels of silver, let alone an eighteen-meter-long ship.

It's ridiculously expensive.

Including the recent expenses for entertaining guests, buying furniture, digging a pond, and adding flower gardens, Liang Qu has unknowingly spent nearly two thousand taels of silver.

However, Liang Qu didn't care much about his extravagant spending.

There is both outflow and inflow.

With the Great Marsh as a backdrop, there are always ways to make money; it's just that the good stuff ends up in our stomachs.

The purpose of making money is to make yourself comfortable.

It's uncomfortable; the money is practically free.

afternoon.

Liang Qu handed the Old Giant Clam a boatman's manual, instructing it to properly teach the River Otter and practice boatman's skills so that it could start working as soon as possible. He himself, meanwhile, held the Fubo and cultivated in the courtyard.

After Fubo completed his spiritual practice, Liang Qu became increasingly fond of practicing spear techniques, feeling restless if he didn't practice for a day.

It was not yet evening.

Smoke rose from the kitchen.

Chen Jiechang visited Liang Qu River Conservancy Office and told him that Secretary Li was looking for him about a reward.

Upon hearing about the reward, Liang Qu immediately understood what was going on.

Double Happiness!

Today, we not only received the Fujian ship, but also a reward for flood control!

Red Mountain comes and goes like a fierce wind.

Liang Qu didn't bother to tie the rope, dismounted, and left a message telling him not to run around before quickly entering the Records Room.

When Li Shoufu saw Liang Qu striding across the threshold in a flurry, he didn't waste any words. He turned around, carried a large wooden box out of a small room in the Records Room, took the key from the Secretary Huang, unlocked the lock, and stepped back half a step.

Liang Qu eagerly lifted the lid of the box, and what came into view was Treasure Box with the names of two heavenly materials and earthly treasures written on it.

Morning Dew Worm! Withered Wind Narcissus!

Further down, there was the "Azure Dragon Kill Scripture," its name reflected in the brocade pouch! All three treasures were now in his possession! "Looking across the entire Huaiyin Prefecture River Conservancy Office, Lord Liang is the first to be able to borrow Great Merit."

Li Shoufu was completely convinced.