Legend! The Flood Dragon Gang

Wang Shouzhe's face was nearly black. For this big girl to be so guilty and terrified, she must not have been diligent in her studies on ordinary days. Yet she still had the nerve to tell him she studied and cultivated every day?

"Shouzhe, stop frightening the big girl. Look, you've scared the child into tears." Seeing her like this, the gentle-natured Xu Zhirou drew her into her arms and said with a smile, "Big girl, don't be afraid. Your Fourth Uncle is teasing you. Think about it—if he were really testing your lessons, why would he call only you here?"

So that was it.

Wang Lici patted her chest and immediately relaxed. That scared me to death. Better eat a candied fruit to calm myself down. At once, she picked up a piece of candied fruit and happily began eating it.

Seeing this, Wang Shouzhe's face darkened further. This rotten girl had switched from surviving a catastrophe to being a foodie far too quickly, hadn't she? She was far too heartless.

With her like that, what was there even to test?

He had originally intended to find two female clan members to accompany them on the journey and attend to Ancestor Longyan's daily needs. One ought to be older, mature, and steady, while the other ought to be younger, with greater energy and stamina.

Wang Shouzhe was naturally quite satisfied with Fourth Aunt Xu, but this big girl Wang Lici...

What a headache!

Among the younger female clan members, there were only his full-blooded elder sister Wang Luoyi, his fourth younger sister Wang Luotong, and his eldest niece Wang Lici. Since this trip would pass through East Port, and his elder sister Wang Luoyi was already betrothed to the young master of the Donggang Chen Clan, it would not be appropriate to take her to East Port and have her show her face there.

As for Luotong, she was busy with the final leg of the grain transport. Once she completed her task, Wang Shouzhe also wanted her to follow behind First Aunt Gongsun Hui and handle the follow-up matters, gaining more experience.

Thus, he would not disrupt Wang Luotong's original arrangements.

After thinking it over, the only suitable person who was free was Wang Lici. Looking at her foolishly sturdy appearance, he even had the urge to replace her with some clever and quick-witted maid.

But that thought passed in a flash. Since this girl refused to study properly, he might as well keep her by his side and discipline her, properly putting the tightening headband spell on her.

Besides, the girls in the family not studying properly had already become a widespread habit. Girls like Luotong and Luojing were the same. Presumably, the other little girls were not much better. The boys were somewhat better, after all; the elders put more pressure on them.

Such an unhealthy family custom had to be thoroughly set right later.

With that thought, Wang Shouzhe returned to the matter at hand. "Fourth Aunt. We called you here because we need you to make a long journey with us, roughly ten days in all. Go back and prepare first. We will depart at the hour of the dragon the day after tomorrow. Does Fourth Aunt have any concerns?"

Though Xu Zhirou had some doubts, she still rose and nodded. "No problem. I will follow Shouzhe's arrangements in all things."

Wang Lici's little head was full of confusion, curiosity, and excitement. A long journey? Was Fourth Uncle taking her to Changning Guard for fun? In her mind, Changning Guard was already very far away. She had only been there once or twice in her entire life.

And so, two days hurried past.

Before dawn, when the sky had only just begun to brighten.

A Black-Awning Boat some four or five zhang long sailed from the dock behind the Wang Clan Main Residence into Zhuwei Lake, then headed all the way toward Fenggu Farm.

This was the route Wang Shouzhe had arranged. Since Ancestor Longyan was traveling, he naturally had to proceed in secret. If they took carriages to Dingpu Ferry and boarded a ship there, it would be far too conspicuous.

It was better to follow the grain transport route, passing through the Fenggu Sluice and boarding a large ship there. After all, that was their own territory.

There were not many accompanying Ancestor Longyan on this journey. Wang Shouzhe had only brought the two family retainers, Wang Zhong and Wang Yong, along with Fourth Aunt Xu Zhirou and the big girl Wang Lici. Including the ancestor herself, there were only six people in total.

Wang Zhong and Wang Yong handled the boat outside. Though they were not professionals, it was very simple for Profound Warriors to control a small or medium-sized Black-Awning Boat like this. With poles and oars working together, they traveled quite swiftly.

Inside the Black-Awning Boat.

Wang Lici's eyes were wide as she clutched her bundle tightly with both hands, scarcely daring to take even half a breath too loudly. Fourth Uncle had actually not told her in advance that they would be traveling with Ancestor Longyan.

That was the family ancestor—someone even more terrifying than Fourth Uncle.

Fourth Uncle's surprise was too enormous. It was hard to digest.

"Ancestor, this is the itinerary and arrangement. Fourth Aunt and Lici will be responsible for attending to your daily needs." Wang Shouzhe respectfully finished explaining the various arrangements for the trip to Ancestor Longyan.

"When Shouzhe handles matters, I am at ease." Ancestor Longyan was quite satisfied with Wang Shouzhe's thoughtful arrangements. She then said to Xu Zhirou, "Zhirou, you will have to work hard on this journey."

Xu Zhirou hurriedly replied modestly, "Serving the ancestor is both Zhirou's duty and honor."

Afterward, Ancestor Longyan looked at Wang Lici. A rare trace of gentleness appeared in her eyes. "Child, it has been two years since I last summoned you to see me. In the blink of an eye, you have become a grown young lady. How have your studies been lately?"

Ancestor Longyan was usually rather kind toward the younger members of the family. In particular, she was the third-generation granddaughter descended from Ancestor Zhouxuan, while Wang Lici was already of the clan's eighth generation.

"Huh?" Wang Lici froze. Another question about her studies?

Fortunately, after Fourth Uncle's earlier test of her lessons, she was prepared.

Wang Lici's eyes rolled, and she hastily said, "I've been quite diligent lately. I'll recite an essay for Ancestor to hear..." As she spoke, she eagerly began reciting an essay—"Ascending Tianlan to Observe the Firmament at Night." It had been written a thousand years ago by a senior who was both a Celestial Realm expert and a literary master. Its language was ornate, its spirit vast and heroic, and it was deeply loved by later generations.

Literature was an extremely important layer in any civilization. It could cultivate one's sentiments and deepen one's cultural foundation. If humanity knew only fighting and killing, neither cultivating oneself nor nurturing one's nature, spending an entire lifetime pursuing nothing but power and slaughter, then how would they differ from the savage Fierce Beasts?

Hearing her recite fluently, with something of feeling and expression as well, Wang Shouzhe felt helplessly amused. This so-called recent diligence probably meant cramming at the last minute over the past two days, didn't it? She probably could only recite this one essay fluently.

Yet he did not expose her. Ancestor Longyan seemed rather pleased, after all, and praised and encouraged her a few times.

The Black-Awning Boat wound its way toward Fenggu Farm. After reaching the farm, it did not stop, but passed through it and headed straight for the Fenggu Sluice. Everyone disembarked from the Black-Awning Boat and crossed over the sluice, where a medium-sized river ship was already waiting on the other side.

This river ship was a medium-sized sailing vessel. Even if a loaded carriage went aboard, it would remain perfectly steady. Who knew where Wang Dinghai had borrowed it from.

"Shouzhe, as you instructed." Sixth Uncle Wang Dinghai came forward to greet them. "The cabin has been modified a little, and a resting room was temporarily set up. You've been acting so mysteriously—are you planning to... mm?"

Wang Dinghai suddenly noticed Ancestor Longyan behind Wang Shouzhe. His eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. This was a joke, right? The family ancestor was actually traveling...

Cold sweat poured down his body. Just as he was about to offer a salute, Wang Shouzhe stopped him. "Sixth Uncle, hold it. Just steer properly toward East Port."

"Yes, yes, I will definitely steer properly." Wang Dinghai's face was pale as he hurriedly invited Wang Shouzhe and the others into the temporary resting room in the cabin. Then, without another word, he went outside to sail the ship.

The ancestor traveling meant something major must be happening.

But no matter how great the matter, nothing was more important than Ancestor Longyan's safety. Thus, under his control and command, the vessel slowly left the deep waters outside the Fenggu Sluice and steadily reached the middle of the An River.

As they reached midstream, the wind and waves gradually strengthened. The sails were unfurled in orderly fashion, and the dense canvas swelled as it caught the wind. The ship's speed gradually increased.

On Earth, a ship's speed was measured in knots.

But in the Great Qian Kingdom of this world, it was still measured by how many li it traveled per hour. Today, the wind blew from the southeast, while the current flowed eastward and was swift. Before they knew it, their speed had reached fifty or sixty li per hour.

It sounded fast, but it was only equivalent to a little over ten kilometers per hour—two or three times the walking speed of an ordinary person.

Sixth Uncle Wang Dinghai was indeed an expert who had made his living on the An River for years. He handled the ship as steadily and naturally as drifting clouds and flowing water. Wang Shouzhe and the others felt little discomfort from the rocking inside the cabin's resting room.

But Wang Shouzhe was young and vigorous, and staying in the cabin naturally became dull. He excused himself to Ancestor Longyan and went to the deck to enjoy the scenery. Seeing Wang Dinghai at the helm, he immediately went over for a look.

"Sixth Uncle, this ship seems quite good. It looks like a merchant vessel. Where did you borrow it from?" Wang Shouzhe examined the ship. The sailors aboard were clearly not from the Wang Clan Fishing Fleet.

As he steered, Wang Dinghai said, "You sent word for me to find a better ship, so I borrowed one from a friend at the Changning Branch of the Flood Dragon Trading Firm. That old fellow owed me a favor. Last time, the fleet he was responsible for had an accident in our territory, and Sixth Uncle risked his life to save him."

The Flood Dragon Trading Firm?

Wang Shouzhe had naturally heard of this trading firm. Their way of doing business was to travel along the entire An River, from Dahuang Prefecture in the far west to Longzuo Prefecture, crossing several prefectures in between. They had branches in every city along the river.

It was a trading firm whose overall strength did not pale beside the Qian Clan Trading Firm. They merely conducted commerce by water along the river, and on the surface, they did not conflict with the local powers in each prefecture—well water did not mix with river water.

"Shouzhe, don't get any ideas about running a merchant business by water either." Wang Dinghai warned gravely. "The Flood Dragon Trading Firm is not easy to provoke. You should know that they used to be called the Flood Dragon Gang, a gang secretly supported by several powerful clans. Only after their business grew larger and larger over the past few decades did they change their name to a trading firm. They have agreements with the local clans in every region not to encroach upon one another's interests."

So that was it! A trading firm laundered clean from an underworld force. No wonder they had the strength to occupy this vital waterway along the An River.

Still, Wang Shouzhe did not know whether to laugh or find it tragic. When reading fantasy novels on Earth, groups like the Flood Dragon Gang and Furious Dragon Society were always insignificant forces, places for protagonists to farm experience in the early stages.

How had it become, once it reached him, a colossal force that could not be easily provoked?