Chapter 31: Prosperity! The number of our people is increasing |
Peaceful Town.
April, with persistent drizzle.
Since Wang's Clan unified Peaceful Town, they have been continuously intensifying their development efforts.
Today's Peaceful Town has transformed many lands once unfit for farming through land reclamation, either by digging or filling, gradually turning them into fertile fields.
Around these fields, numerous farms have been established.
Under years of unified planning, old river channels have been renovated and cleared, and new channels have been excavated. This network of rivers, both large and small, crisscrosses the town, providing accessible waterways in all directions. At key points along the waterways, floodgates have been constructed to regulate water levels when necessary.
Each farm and village is connected by these channels and has its own dock, solving irrigation issues and saving on transportation. The carrying capacity of boats far exceeds that of animal-drawn carts.
A modest and unassuming carriage travels along the wide and straight cement road. Even in this rainy season, the road remains clean and free of mud.
Two or three decades ago, such a sight would have been unimaginable. Back then, roads in Peaceful Town were scarce, and most were compacted earth. Come the rainy season, mud was everywhere, making both carriage travel and walking a messy affair.
Only in the town center or near the gates of noble families would the roads be cleaner, with some paved in bluestone to harden the surface and facilitate movement.
However, bluestone paving was prohibitively expensive and inefficient to lay. Each stone required a stonemason's effort to cut and carve, and the more meticulous ones even had names and patterns engraved.
Such costs made bluestone paving feasible only within estates. To pave the rural roads with bluestone was nothing short of a pipe dream, even beyond the financial reach of Wang's Clan.
Cement roads, on the other hand, were much simpler to construct. They were relatively inexpensive and quick to set. Moreover, they were clean and tidy, well-suited to the current state of Peaceful Town.
Inside the low-key carriage, Wang Shouzhe peered through the glass window at the drainage ditches on both sides of the road and the vast expanse of farmland.
This season was prime for wheat growth, creating an endless sea of green. With abundant rainfall and good drainage, barring any surprises, this year was set to be another bumper harvest for wheat.
Despite Wang's Clan owning many industries, the most important remained agriculture. Furthermore, the wheat and rice produced on their farms yielded extraordinary profits.
Changning Garrison and the noble families of neighboring garrisons had gradually begun to accept the seeds provided by Wang's Clan. Although slightly more expensive, the seeds offered significant advantages in disease resistance, lodging resistance, and yield.
Farming with Wang's Clan's seeds resulted in more stable yields and significantly higher production. Overall profits could be 30% to 70% higher than before, with the extra earnings being pure profit.
This pure profit was crucial for the lower-ranked families, allowing them to accumulate resources for spiritual platform succession faster, expand their industries, or relax their training strategies for other talented family members, potentially nurturing a second or even third spiritual platform practitioner.
Many ninth-ranked families even began seeking favor and affiliation with Wang's Clan. They were willing to farm their fertile and spiritual lands with Wang's Clan's seeds, and in return, Wang's Clan would purchase the harvest for unified sales.
As a reward, these ninth-ranked families could earn higher annual profits, easing their financial burdens and increasing their opportunities for growth and strength.
And so, under the leadership of Wang's Clan, many families in Changning Garrison were gradually embarking on a path to "shared prosperity." Once they tasted the benefits, it was difficult to go back to the old ways.
They would firmly unite around Wang's Clan, protecting their common interests.
Dozens of families, big and small, in Changning Garrison, were accelerating their wealth, and the region as a whole was becoming stronger.
Since his transmigration, Wang Shouzhe had lived here for over twenty years.
The journey had been filled with emotions. Despite some regrets, he had ultimately led his people to a better life.
At the very least, his siblings and clansmen no longer had to scrimp and save for spiritual food and cultivation pills, which could affect their "early development" and future potential.
Of course, the development of Peaceful Town was just the beginning.
For instance, Wang Shouzhe would prefer asphalt roads, as their "flexible" nature made them easier to maintain and repair. Cement roads were too troublesome to fix once damaged.
But so far, they had not found natural asphalt deposits or oil to refine asphalt, so this idea had to be put on hold.
Meanwhile, the carriage crossed bridge after bridge over the rivers.
The reason natural rivers meander is due to the erosion of the banks, leading to collapses and further erosion. As the water flows through bends, it exerts pressure on the opposite bank, and over time, the river takes on a winding shape like an earthworm.
Such shapes are actually detrimental to overall planning and can lead to adverse situations like river rerouting, also hindering the speed of boat travel.
Therefore, over the years, Wang's Clan had not only dredged the rivers but also constructed concrete revetments to reinforce the banks. Especially for newly excavated channels, the banks were straight and solid, facilitating control and long-term maintenance.
This showed the extent of Wang's Clan's investment in time, effort, and money in Peaceful Town. Wang Shouzhe had always regarded it as his territory, aiming to build a lasting foundation for thousands of years.
Unlike on Earth, where people strive for a lifetime and, at most, live to their eighties or nineties, with centenarians being rare.
In this world, Wang Shouzhe, with his current spiritual platform realm, was already extraordinary.
And in the future, he would at least reach the heaven-man realm, with the purple mansion realm within reach. Then he could live for four hundred or even eight hundred years! Therefore, building a long-lasting home became especially important.
***
The carriage slowly passed through the commercial district beside Zhuwei Mansion and headed towards the right side of Zhuwei Lake, straight to the main house of Wang's Clan. Upon arrival, security became much tighter.
First, one had to pass through a checkpoint. Without an invitation from Wang's Clan or approved visitation, one couldn't get through. Even if one managed to sneak past the checkpoint, there would be patrols of Wang's Clan's family soldiers along the way.
Of course, such patrols were mainly to deter those below the spiritual platform realm. If someone with ill intentions from the spiritual platform realm really wanted to infiltrate near the main house of Wang's Clan, there were ways to do so.
But such an intrusion would likely not end well for the spiritual platform practitioner. Unless there was a special circumstance, either Long Yan the Ancestor or Liu Ruolan would be at home to guard.
Even a heaven-man realm practitioner with hostile intentions would not fare well if they dared to intrude.
***
Outside the main house of Wang's Clan, on the square.
A white steed approached from afar, ridden by a handsome young man in martial attire, with a riding bow and precious sword at his waist. A hawk-like bird circled above, following closely.
Upon reaching the main gate, the young rider dismounted, whistled, and the circling hawk descended like a meteor, landing steadily on the young man's arm.
"Sixth Young Master, you've returned," greeted a family soldier on gate duty, who then instructed others to take care of the horse before saying with a smile, "I heard you took advantage of the school break to visit the Lu Clan in Yingxiu for a family visit and even went to Donghai Garrison for some experience. Did you gain anything?"
The young man looked quite heroic, though his youthful face still retained some childishness. This was none other than Wang Zongcai, the sixth of the eighth generation of the Wang family, and the eldest son of the fourth brother, Wang Shounuo.
Although only fifteen, his cultivation was impressive, having reached the sixth level of the Qi Refining stage. And because of the strictness of Wang's Clan towards its younger members, he was also diligent in practicing Basalt martial techniques and agility skills.
"Brother Wang Yang, it's your turn for duty today," Wang Zongcai replied, returning the greeting. The family soldier Wang Yang was a few years older than him, coming from a collateral branch of Wang's Clan.
Although the collateral branches had diluted Basalt bloodlines, their chances of producing talents were still much higher than those of ordinary civilians. Moreover, with Wang's Clan's improved conditions, even the collateral branches enjoyed much better treatment.
In the past, collateral family members with insufficient "low-grade Ding" bloodline qualifications would be given a third-grade "Enlightenment Pill" by the main branch of Wang's Clan if they were just a step away from improving their qualifications from "defective" to "low-grade Ding" or "low-grade Bing."
This way, they could become Basalt cultivators and change their destiny.
Previously, Wang's Clan's "Enlightenment Pills" were commissioned to the old alchemist of the Changning Xu Clan's Danfang. Now, Wang Shouye had become a mature alchemist and took on the responsibility of refining Enlightenment Pills for the family.
The main ingredient for the Enlightenment Pill was "Purple Crystal Bee Royal Honey," which Wang Luojing was adept at breeding. The Purple Crystal Spirit Bees she now bred had reached the overall third rank.
With the high-quality spiritual flowers and exotic plants of the Purple Mansion Academy, the annual production of Purple Crystal Bee Royal Honey was not low. The spiritual honey produced was contributed to the family for refining Enlightenment Pills.
If it were an ordinary disciple using the spiritual flowers of the Purple Mansion Academy for honey collection and continuously giving it to the family, it might attract gossip. However, Wang Luojing had a formidable reputation among the younger generation of the Purple Mansion Academy. Although she did not initiate conflicts, she remembered those who offended her, and they often suffered greatly.
Moreover, Wang Luojing had the capricious Madame Butterfly backing her, so currently, there were few who dared to make an issue out of it. There had been a few who were blind to this fact before, and naturally, they were "kindly sparred" by Wang Luojing repeatedly until they wept and repented profusely before she "reluctantly" forgave them.
Thus, Wang's Clan's "Enlightenment Pill" had become a kind of family specialty.
However, the Enlightenment Pill was more effective for those with "defective" qualifications and had less room for improvement for those with lower bloodline qualifications. Wang Shouzhe had also taken one in the past and felt its effects were minimal.
As a result, most families had little need for Enlightenment Pills. Only direct or legitimate branches that accidentally produced "defective" offspring would find them useful.
But for Wang's Clan, which was always in need of manpower, the Enlightenment Pill was a precious resource. It allowed them to quickly accumulate family soldiers and build up the clan's foundation.
Direct branch members with "low-grade Yi," "Bing," or "Ding" qualifications could also use one or two Enlightenment Pills to improve their qualifications, though the effect of the second pill would be greatly reduced.
Wang Zongcai casually chatted with Wang Yang: "Brother Wang Yang, I just took on a message delivery task along the way to accumulate some modest contribution points. As for the experience, it did broaden my horizons. But the families in Donghai Garrison were too enthusiastic; I was a bit overwhelmed."
Wang Yang couldn't help but laugh: "Donghai Garrison is a land of wealth, and many eighth and ninth-ranked families have a lot of fertile land. If they get the chance to plant grains for our Wang's Clan, they can earn quite a bit of money. Besides, you are the Sixth Young Master of the noble heaven-man Wang's Clan; how could they not be enthusiastic when you visit their territory?"
"During your trip, quite a few young ladies must have taken a fancy to you, right?"
Wang Zongcai, who was rather thin-skinned, blushed immediately. It wasn't just a few young ladies; he felt like he had almost fled back. Even two legitimate daughters from ninth-ranked families had made their intentions clear to him.
Why were girls so enthusiastic these days?
As they were talking, several children of varying ages ran out from the main house. They were Wang Zongxu, the seventh of the Zong generation; Wang Shining, the eldest of the ninth generation Shi generation; and Wang Yingxue, the young miss of the Ying generation.
Wang Zongxu, at nine years old, was the eldest son of Wang Shouyong. Wang Shining was Zongcai's elder brother, the eldest son of Wang Zongwei, and was now twelve years old. Wang Yingxue was also Wang Zongwei's eldest daughter, currently only eight years old.
Upon seeing Wang Zongcai, they all crowded around him.
"Sixth Brother/Sixth Uncle!" they said in a chorus, "We heard you went on a mission, did you bring us any gifts?"
"Sixth Brother, your hawk is so pretty, did you buy it in Donghai Garrison?"
To some of the elders, Wang Zongcai was still a junior, but to his younger brothers and nieces, he was an elder brother figure.
"Don't touch my Spirit Hawk; it was a gift from my maternal grandfather when I visited the Lu Clan in Yingxiu," Wang Zongcai hurriedly explained, "Of course, I have gifts for everyone under eighteen at home."
He quickly took out some special products from Donghai Garrison from his saddlebag. Although they weren't worth much, they reflected Wang Zongcai's thoughtfulness.
The kids happily took their gifts and began bombarding Wang Zongcai with questions. They were too young for the family's Spirit Artifact system to allow them to take on external missions.
Apart from twelve-year-old Wang Shining, who could take on slightly bigger tasks, the rest could only take on minor errands within the family during their school breaks.
As Wang Zongcai cheerfully shared interesting stories with them while heading home, an inconspicuous carriage arrived and stopped at the gate. A mature and dignified "young man" stepped down from the carriage.
The children's smiles vanished upon seeing him, and they stiffly greeted him: "Fourth Uncle/Fourth Grandfather..."
The "young man" smiled warmly: "You're all here, come to my courtyard for a meal. I haven't seen you for a while, and it's a good opportunity to test your studies."
What?
Wang Zongcai, Wang Zongxu, Wang Shining, Wang Yingxue, and the others' faces fell. They were almost in tears...
Their lives were too hard.
"Yes, Fourth Uncle/Fourth Grandfather!"