Banned Fishing Gear—Care to Take a Look?

"Um... Shouzhe, are you dissatisfied with our Fishing Brigade?" Wang Dinghai asked, somewhat lacking in confidence.

Dissatisfied? I was dissatisfied beyond measure. Wang Shouzhe muttered to himself, his expression grave. "Sixth Uncle, how much does our Fishing Brigade produce each year? What are the expenses? What is the profit?"

At that question, Wang Dinghai stared at him in bewilderment. How was he supposed to answer something like that?

"Zhe'er, let me answer that." Gongsun Hui took over. "I have managed the family's general accounts in recent years. The Fishing Brigade has nine small fishing boats and one medium-sized fishing boat. Over the past five years, the average annual haul of ordinary fish was roughly 6,700 dan, bringing in 486 Qian Gold. The average annual catch of Spirit Fish was 400 jin, bringing in 120 Qian Gold. The average total annual revenue was 606 Qian Gold."

This time, Wang Shouzhe looked at Gongsun Hui in surprise. He knew his First Aunt managed the general accounts, but he had not expected her to know the figures so thoroughly, reeling them off without pause.

But this catch was far too small. Ten fishing boats combined only brought in an average of twenty dan a day—around two thousand jin of fish!

"Why are you looking at me like that, Zhe'er?" Gongsun Hui said calmly. "Your First Aunt's talent for cultivating Xuanwu is not particularly strong, but as the legitimate daughter of the Shanyang Gongsun Clan, the Nine Chapters of Arithmetic was a required course. Your father is the Clan Leader, so naturally I should help him keep the accounts in order."

As she spoke, Gongsun Hui's gaze dimmed slightly. Over the years, she had kept the books impeccably clear and memorized every figure inside out, yet her husband, Wang Dingyue, had never valued it.

Her words reminded Wang Shouzhe of the common customs of the Profound Martial World. Marriages between Profound Martial Aristocratic Clans had always been arranged with legitimate branches marrying legitimate branches, and direct branches marrying direct branches. As a legitimate daughter, Gongsun Hui had naturally been destined to marry the Young Clan Leader of some clan.

Just as when Wang Shouzhe took a wife in the future, he would inevitably marry the legitimate daughter of some clan.

The topic had drifted too far. Since Gongsun Hui knew the accounts so clearly, Wang Shouzhe immediately perked up. "Earlier, Sixth Uncle introduced several catches that were all quite valuable. Why then did roughly 6,700 dan of annual catch only have a total value of 486 Qian Gold?"

"To please you, your Sixth Uncle pointed out only high-value catches, the sort favored and consumed by the nobles of various clans. Most catches are not worth nearly that much. Besides, our clan also operates fish stalls. They sort the catch, then process and sell it as chilled fish, salted fish, smoked fish, and so on. That income is counted under the fish stalls, which is another matter entirely." Gongsun Hui explained with perfect clarity. "The Wang Clan's internal consumption is also entered into the accounts as purchases made with Qian Gold."

"Please continue, First Aunt," Wang Shouzhe said respectfully. "For example, the expenses and net profit."

It was the first time anyone had taken the accounts so seriously. Gongsun Hui brightened at once. "As for expenses, based on our current forty-six fishermen, annual wages and monthly stipends come to 151 Qian Gold. The yearly upkeep of the ten fishing boats, including repairs and maintenance for all manner of tools, costs 92 Qian Gold. In addition, average annual taxes amount to 72 Qian Gold, while annual compensation payments average 60 Qian Gold. After all expenses are deducted, the average annual net income is 221 Qian Gold. This does not include the family Attendant due to your Sixth Uncle, which is kept in a separate account."

Hearing this, Wang Dinghai immediately flushed a little and said awkwardly, "How could the net income be so low? I thought we brought the family at least four or five hundred Qian Gold in net income every year."

"If Sixth Uncle has any doubts about the accounts, you may inspect them at any time," Gongsun Hui said evenly.

"No, no, Fifth Sister-in-law, that is not what I meant." Wang Dinghai hurriedly waved his hands. "I am just a rough man who only knows how to catch fish. Shouzhe, what is there to hear in these dry accounts? Let Sixth Uncle show you one of my special skills instead~"

"Do not rush, Sixth Uncle." Wang Shouzhe soothed him, then frowned at Gongsun Hui. "Two questions. First, what is the basis for the taxes? Second, what are these compensation payments about?"

"Shouzhe, the An River has fierce winds, turbulent waves, and many hidden currents. Sometimes, there are even aquatic Fierce Beasts that are difficult to deal with." Wang Dinghai hurriedly explained. "No matter how careful Sixth Uncle is, some boatmen and fishermen will inevitably be buried in the An River. Without high monthly stipends and compensation payments, no one would be willing to join the fishing team."

"As for the tax, it is calculated according to the size of the fishing boat," Gongsun Hui added. "Each small fishing boat must pay 6 Qian Gold per year, while each medium-sized fishing boat must pay 18 Qian Gold per year."

A fixed tax.

Still, Wang Shouzhe understood. In a world with such a backward economic system, fixed taxation was the best method.

After learning all the details, Wang Shouzhe cupped his hands toward Wang Dinghai. "Sixth Uncle, I never expected fishing on the An River to be so dangerous. You have worked hard for so many years and made such contributions to the family."

Wang Dinghai relaxed inwardly and gave an embarrassed laugh. "As long as you do not blame the Fishing Brigade for earning too little. To be honest, when Fifth Brother was Clan Leader, I proposed expanding the fishing fleet to him as well. Managing ten boats is management, and managing more than twenty would not be a problem either. I would find a way to recruit the fishermen. That way, we could earn more Qian Gold for the family. In any case, the thirty li stretch of the An River can easily accommodate more than twenty fishing boats. Oh, right—the Liu Clan has more than twenty boats in its fleet~"

"Ten or so more boats?" Wang Shouzhe asked with interest. "Could you tell me more?" If the family wanted to grow stronger, Qian Gold was its most important resource.

"Let me explain." Knowing Wang Dinghai was poor with figures, Gongsun Hui said, "I know about Sixth Uncle's proposal. He wants to add two medium-sized fishing boats and ten small fishing boats. Each medium-sized fishing boat costs 120 Qian Gold to build, while each small fishing boat costs 45 Qian Gold. That would require a total investment of 690 Qian Gold. As long as the necessary fishermen can be recruited, the accounts would break even after three years."

"Breaking even on the books in three years means it can be done." Wang Shouzhe nodded in approval. "Even if we stopped later, selling those boats would not be a loss."

Wang Dinghai's face lit up at once, as though he had met a kindred spirit. Slapping his thigh, he said, "Fifth Sister-in-law, see? I told you this could be done. I just do not understand it. I was willing to contribute more to the family, so why would Fifth Brother refuse?"

Gongsun Hui's expression suddenly turned awkward. "Sixth Uncle, what you do not know is that the Wang Clan has been short of money in every respect these past years." She sighed softly to herself. In truth, she also agreed with expanding the fleet, but Wang Dingyue had refused. Even her plan to return to her maternal home and borrow money had been firmly opposed by Wang Dingyue.

"Shouzhe, then you agree to expand the fleet?" Wang Dinghai probed.

"Zhe'er, if you need to expand the fleet..." After a brief hesitation, Gongsun Hui said, "First Aunt can return to Shanyang and raise some Qian Gold." Borrowing money from her maternal family was humiliating, but for the family's development, she could no longer worry about such things.

"No, I do not agree." Wang Shouzhe spoke after considering it.

What?

Wang Dinghai's face nearly turned black.

Even Gongsun Hui looked at Wang Shouzhe in confusion. Had he not just said it could be done? Could it be that, like his father, he cared too much about face to let her raise money?

"The situation then was different from the situation now." Wang Shouzhe frowned in thought. "If the family wants to develop, it cannot do without Qian Gold. If we want more Qian Gold, we must increase the returns from our clan industries."

"Then that is exactly right! How can we increase returns without expanding the fleet?" Wang Dinghai looked at Wang Shouzhe eagerly.

Wang Shouzhe merely smiled mysteriously. "Sixth Uncle, you are an expert at catching fish. I have a few ideas I would like to discuss with you. Have you ever considered a fishing method called a Trawl Net? It is a method where two boats work together to fish."

Afterward, Wang Shouzhe pulled Wang Dinghai down into a squat and began drawing a rough diagram on the deck.

Trawl nets had been an extremely ordinary fishing method on Earth for Wang Shouzhe. They were professional fishing gear, and their efficiency was far beyond that of recreational tools like cast nets.

If the An River's natural ecology had not been so excellent, Wang Dinghai's utterly unprofessional fishing methods would have left him so broke he could not even afford his trousers.

Of course, trawl nets were precisely too effective, and they inflicted immense damage on the natural environment. Wang Shouzhe had always been strongly opposed to them. But the family's current situation was such that if it did not develop soon, it would be wiped out.

At worst, once the family had grown strong enough, they could abandon natural fishing altogether.

"Shouzhe, this idea of yours is marvelous." Wang Dinghai was a professional too, and he quickly understood the principle. Yet he frowned. "But setting up such a gigantic net would be extremely difficult. More importantly, could our fishing boats even drag it?"

Could not drag it!

All right. Wang Shouzhe immediately understood where the problem lay. Sailboats were not diesel-powered mechanical ships. Where would they find the strength to pull an enormous net?

"Then let us make a smaller one first, focusing on one that can be dragged." Wang Shouzhe said. "Start with a cone-shaped small trawl net three or four zhang wide and six or seven zhang long, like a huge sack. Add inward-pointing barbs inside to keep the catch from escaping..."

"That can be tried." Wang Dinghai's eyes shone. "I will go back and have twenty net weavers make it together. It should be finished in two months."

Twenty people, two months...

Wang Shouzhe felt rather helpless. Productivity in this Profound Martial World truly was low. Yet it was precisely because of this that the world's natural resources had been so well preserved.

Unlike Wang Shouzhe's own world, where the nearby seas had nearly been plowed flat by trawl nets, forcing the state to introduce all sorts of fishing bans. The power of trawl nets was no joke.

"Do not rush, Sixth Uncle. Take a look at this fishing tool too. Though it is not as good as a trawl net... it is easier to operate. If it is made properly, even ordinary people can use it."

Afterward, Wang Shouzhe drew another fishing tool for Wang Dinghai, called a Moving Zither. This method was somewhat similar to casting nets. A cast net came down from above to cover the catch, while a Moving Zither rose from below to scoop it up.

A Moving Zither was much more complex than a cast net as a whole, but once the supports and levers were properly set up, it was easier and less strenuous to use than a cast net. Its advantage was that once it had been properly made, any ordinary laborer—even a minor—could operate it.

Moreover, the Moving Zither had an even more powerful evolved form: the River-Blocking Net. If they could make that thing, its killing power would be no weaker than a small trawl net.

"Shouzhe, y-you-you... where did you get such marvelous ideas?" Wang Dinghai was trembling with excitement. "If all of them can be made, we will strike it rich."

"I saw them in some miscellany of ancient records while idling away the time," Wang Shouzhe said. "Sixth Uncle, how about taking a look at Earth Cages and Maze Traps..."

These two were naturally fishing tools with tremendous killing power as well. They were so powerful that they had been listed by the state as prohibited fishing gear, which spoke volumes about their might. Both were passive fixed fishing devices.

Once installed and deployed, they only needed to be checked at fixed times and places. It was like leaving a game on auto-play... do not bother with anything, just collect the harvest on schedule.

Wang Dinghai was nearly going mad. As a Xuanwu "professional fisherman," it felt as though Wang Shouzhe had opened an entirely new world before him.