"This paves the way for that particular Emperor’s Son in the imperial struggle, and also strategizes for his future path as a Saint Son."

However, both he and Zuoqiu Zhenghua have lived for centuries as Purple Mansion Ascendants, so they naturally won’t just look at the surface of things.

Struggles among noble families have always been struggles for interests.

If the Zuoqiu Family hadn’t had designs on the Cao Family’s maritime trade fleet, when Cao Bangning sought reconciliation through intermediaries back then, he would have signaled Zuoqiu Junming to agree, rather than continue their persistent entanglement with the Cao Family.

After all, the Cao Family has no shortage of celestial prides, and while Zuoqiu Qingyun has performed well after gaining an opportunity, his life isn’t exceptionally invaluable either.

Fighting to the death with another Purple Mansion Family for so many years doesn’t align with the overall interests of the Zuoqiu Family.

Since Young Master Ce is personally involved, his intentions are clear and not genuinely aimed at exterminating the Qiaan Family, but rather pursuing other objectives. There’s no need for excessive worry; we just need to act according to the plan. As for the struggle of the imperial sons, haha~ it’s merely mutual exploitation for now; our Zuoqiu Family hardly needs to pledge allegiance.

Having been the foremost ancestor for so many years, he has witnessed the backstabbing among noble families and naturally knows the intricacies involved. If the intention is indeed to topple a noble family, attacking their foundational lifeblood is essential.

However, the strategy devised by Gongyang Strategy is more about applying pressure than severing a foundation.

This will not have a significant impact on the future cooperation between the Zuoqiu Family and the Qiaan Family, as noble families would rather not suffer financial loss unless they are mortal enemies.

Moreover, Gongyang Strategy’s plan doesn’t require extensive manpower or resources.

This time, by acting according to the plan, the Zuoqiu Family can not only do him a favor but also avenge the humiliation of being toyed with, making it a deal with guaranteed returns that he would naturally not refuse.

It’s just a pity about the Cao Family’s maritime trade fleet...

Zuoqiu Deye sighed inwardly, then recalled the death of Zuoqiu Qingyun and the various criticisms the Zuoqiu Family faced over the years because of him.

He couldn’t help but sneer, "Since the Qiaan Family didn’t give our Zuoqiu Family any face back then, we don’t need to spare them any face this time either. I want to see how long the Qiaan Family can hold on under our joint sanction with the Cao Family."

...

A month later.

Ping’an Town, Changning Guard, Longzuo County.

Since Wang Shouzhe obtained the Infinite Treasure Pill from the Southern Desert and returned to the Changning Wang Family to cultivate the wilderness of the Outer Domain, fifteen years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Even the renowned "Shouzhe Pass" has been completed for five years now.

In these fifteen years, although the Wang Family has been bustling, their days have been quite peaceful overall, and the family’s prospects are thriving.

With the endorsement of major noble families, a large population has migrated ceaselessly into Xin’an Town, and swathes of wilderness have been methodically cultivated into fertile fields, forming expansive farms intersected by crisscrossing ridges.

Semi-natural and semi-artificial canals and ditches connect the farms and villages, providing both household water for tenant farmers and irrigation solutions to increase crop yields.

It’s well-known that without reliable and lasting water sources, newly developed farmland can only rely on rainfall and can hardly be deemed fertile.

Moreover, the Changning Wang Family has been constructing embankments, dredging waterways, building sluice gates, and installing water dragon vehicles in Ping’an Town, having even developed a mature technology to divert water into terraced fields. The use and control of water have always been of utmost importance and cannot tolerate any negligence.

Even at the inception of land reclamation, the Wang Family had a comprehensive and unified plan for the canals and sluice gates of Xin’an Town, along with irrigation and flood prevention facilities. Such initial high consumption is linked to future development over decades or even centuries.

While everyone in the Wang Family was quite occupied,

it was Wang Shouzhe, the head of the family, who was relatively at leisure, as the family now had more talents and the younger generation was maturing, making it unnecessary for him to handle everything personally.

Therefore, all Wang Shouzhe needed to do was practice martial arts, cultivate flowers, and occasionally enjoy the company of his grandchildren.

At this moment, Wang Shouzhe was dressed in a loose and comfortable robe, staying in his small courtyard.

The simple and elegant spring plum blossoms, like the buds of a sixteen-year-old girl, were half-open and half-closed, subtly exuding their delicate fragrance. In the open space amidst the flowers, Wang Shouzhe lay contentedly on a Master’s Chair, sipping a pot of Cloud Mist Spirit Tea, savoring the crisp sunlight of early spring.

Several young children surrounded his knees, some massaging his legs, others kneading his shoulders, all gazing at him eagerly.

"Speaking of which, the White Bone Spirit was still unwilling to give up, transforming into an old lady, and crying out: ’Daughter, oh my poor son, where are you? ... Monster, where are you going!’ Wukong struck with his staff... Tang Monk was greatly shocked, ’You fierce monkey, how can you harm two innocent lives? How can I, your master, tolerate you... Whereupon he started reciting the Tightening Spell...’ Wang Shouzhe narrated the story of Three Attacks on the White Bone Spirit with vivid flourishes.