……

Following the Wang’s Clan caravan, one by one, they entered Weng City.

The crowd’s noise and clamor grew louder, especially the traveling merchants and distant cultivators who were shocked by the scene before them, spreading the fame of the Wang’s Clan.

A noble family must have a deterrent power to inspire awe and prevent others from harboring ill intentions. Firstly, it reduces unnecessary troubles, and secondly, the greater the reputation, the easier it is to gain benefits.

However, at the same time, a noble family must maintain its deterrent power while keeping its true strength hidden.

In simple terms, they must establish a reputation that makes people think the Wang’s Clan is very powerful, while also maintaining a sense of mystery about how powerful they actually are.

The subtleties and secrets of this are something that must be carefully considered and grasped.

Therefore, under Wang Shouzhe’s arrangement, the head of the Mountain Devouring Python was placed on the roof of the first carriage. And the head of the White Forehead Golden Tiger was “accidentally” half-hidden in the carriage.

The Water Elemental Turtle, carrying a large amount of game, slowly entered Weng City, elevating the shock of the onlookers to a climax.

In addition to the shock, they felt awe for the Wang’s Clan. The rise of the Wang’s Clan, which could even tame a third-order beast, was inevitable.

This was a parade to show off their achievements, laying the foundation for the Wang’s Clan to dominate Ping’an Town in the near future.

What to show, what not to show, and how to show it, were all results of the Wang’s Clan’s deliberation, not random decisions.

As the crowd praised the Wang’s Clan, they also turned their attention to Wang Shouzhe, praising him as a young Clan Leader with a promising future.

“Brother!”

Wang Luomiao broke free from her mother’s hand and rushed over, her excited little face flushed, her eyes full of pride and admiration for her brother.

The traveling merchants, cultivators, business representatives, and town guards who were blocking the way all voluntarily made way.

That was Wang Luomiao, the legitimate daughter of the Wang’s Clan – Wang Shouzhe’s half-sister from the same father but different mother, her status was very noble.

She took a running start with her short legs and leaped.

Suddenly, Wang Shouzhe stretched out his arm and lifted her onto the horse, riding out of Weng City with her, laughing and asking, “You little thing, we haven’t seen each other for a month, how did you become even cuter?”

“Brother, your words have become sweeter.” Wang Luomiao said happily, “It’s worth it that I praised you in the letter I wrote with Sister Ruolan.”

“Eh… You actually wrote a letter with Miss Ruolan?” Wang Shouzhe said with a wry smile, “With your chicken scratch handwriting, can you show it to others? Doesn’t this expose the lack of cultural foundation in our Wang’s Clan?”

“Wang Shouzhe, you… you’re too much, I’ll fight you.” Wang Luomiao was so angry that she started to wave her fists, “I even helped you make sister-in-law happy, you blockhead. Hmph, I was going to show you sister-in-law’s reply, now, even if you beg me, I won’t show you.”

“I didn’t want to see your private conversations between girls in the first place.”

“You… you… next time I write a letter with Sister Ruolan, I’ll say you’re a big bad guy.”

“Whatever, if I can’t get a wife, I’ll use you, the legitimate daughter, for a marriage alliance.”

Gongsun Hui, who was following closely, couldn’t help but feel a mix of amusement and relief at this scene.

Every time Shouzhe and Luomiao met, they had to go through this routine, and Shouzhe seemed to enjoy it.

And Luomiao, every time she was angered to death, she would run back into her brother’s arms.

The relationship between Shouzhe and Luomiao was really good.

Afterwards, Wang Shouzhe dismounted, thanked Gongsun Hui, Liu Ruolei and Liu Yuanrui, then followed the caravan to the Wang’s Clan main house.

Many people followed to watch the excitement, and the crowd grew larger and larger.

The previously bustling Weng City of Zhouxuan Pass was suddenly empty, leaving only the people of the Liu and Zhao Clans, and some soldiers who couldn’t leave due to their duty to guard the town, making it seem deserted.

Lei Yangqiu, the town guard of Ping’an Town, watched this scene and sighed at the falling snow, “Ping’an Town has completely changed.”

The young people of the Liu and Zhao Clans looked completely defeated. Many of them, weak-hearted and unable to bear the pressure, collapsed and started crying.

……

The Wang’s Clan caravan moved slowly.

What was originally a journey of less than an hour and a half was stretched to two and a half hours.

Behind the caravan, there were no less than three to four thousand people following. Looking down from a high vantage point, it was a sea of people.

The Wang’s Clan main house had already received the news, and the clan members, servants, and maids who had stayed behind were all waiting outside. Fearing that they would not have enough hands, they had specially summoned many people from the side branches to help with the transportation.

“Shouzhe.” Wang Shouxin came over, his face flushed with excitement.

The Wang’s Clan had been in decline for fifty years, and he, Wang Shouxin, had lived for forty-three years, never seeing the Wang’s Clan in such glory.

Immediately, he carefully advised, “Some powerful noble families, after returning from the autumn and winter hunt with a great harvest that attracts attention, will take out a small portion of the game, the ordinary kind, and cook it on the spot to distribute to the poor people who can’t eat meat all year round.”

“At the same time, some powerful noble families will also sell half or a whole beast at a low price to the local low-ranking families to win over the people and enhance their prestige. This tradition is called the ‘Celebration of Surplus’.”

Of course, in the forty-three years that Wang Shouxin had lived, the Wang’s Clan had neither the power nor the status to hold a “Celebration of Surplus”.

Every autumn and winter hunt, the Wang’s Clan would go quietly and return dejectedly.

However, when the Ancestor of Zhouxuan was alive, he would hold a Celebration of Surplus when the harvest was good.

Upon hearing this, several older clan members revealed a strong sense of anticipation in their eyes. The Wang’s Clan had been in decline for fifty years, and now that they had finally turned things around, they too wanted to elevate the clan’s sense of honor and increase their authority over their territory.

“Alright,” Wang Shouzhe pondered for a moment and said, “I remember we still have five or six ordinary wild bulls and boars left. Let’s take one from each, and preserve the rest by pickling and refrigerating them. In addition, let’s take out some of the stored meat from the clan’s warehouse to hold a feast, and in the process, clear out the warehouse.”

“Also, let’s set up a few porridge stalls and distribute porridge. There might not be enough meat for everyone.”

“As for selling the beast meat at a low price, let’s use that high-grade Green Hoof Wild Bull. That bull weighs a full three thousand pounds, which should be enough. Warn those inferior clans that if they dare to sell the cheap spiritual meat to traveling merchants, don’t blame the Wang’s Clan for being ruthless.”

The clan’s food warehouse was not small, but this harvest was so astonishing that the ice cellar might not be enough.

And with just the people of the Wang’s Clan, it was estimated that they could eat well for two years even if they ate freely.

“Good.” Wang Shouzhe was extremely excited and led the crowd to carry out the plan.

When the locals and some inferior Xuanwu clans found out that the Wang’s Clan was preparing to hold a feast and the ingredients they brought out were numerous and astonishing, they were immediately stirred up.

Over the past decades, the Liu’s and Zhao’s Clans had taken turns holding feasts. But the scale was very small, probably not even one-tenth of the Wang’s Clan’s feast this time. They were just making a fuss, claiming that they were the “top families” in Ping’an Town.

Holding a feast naturally did not require Wang Shouzhe, the Clan Leader, to be present. It was enough for the elder brothers, the women of the family, and the younger brothers and sisters to take care of it.

At this time, Wang Shouzhe, along with Liu Ruolei and Liu Yuanrui, returned to the main house and immediately went to visit Ancestor Zhisheng.

Accompanying them, of course, were Ancestor Long Yan and Ancestor Xiaohan.

This was the proper etiquette. After all, Ancestor Zhisheng had come to help guard the Wang’s main house without hesitation after receiving the letter.

This favor was not small.

After some pleasantries, Ancestor Zhisheng completed his mission and excused himself.

Naturally, Wang Shouzhe would not let Ancestor Zhisheng work for nothing. Soon, a cart of spiritual meat and spiritual rice would be sent directly to the Liu’s residence in Shanyin.

After dealing with all the matters.

Wang Shouzhe finally settled down and relaxed, as if he had unloaded all his burdens at once.

Then, he took a nice bath, instructed Wang Gui not to see anyone, not to think about anything, and lay in bed for a day and a night.

During this period, dealing with the Liu’s and Zhao’s Clans was really tiring, especially mentally, and there was no room for mistakes.

But now, he was truly relaxed.

……

The Wang’s Clan’s feast was very lively, as if it had become the most festive celebration in the entire Ping’an Town.

Almost everyone was talking about the Wang’s Clan in Ping’an Town.

The other two families in Ping’an Town, the Liu’s and Zhao’s Clans, seemed to have been forgotten in the corner, and no one mentioned them anymore.

It seemed that in the vast Ping’an Town, there was only one Xuanwu family – the Wang’s Clan in Ping’an.

At this time.

A carriage from the Daqian government quietly parked at the entrance of the Wang’s main house.

The first to get off the carriage was a middle-aged man in a town guard’s uniform, with an extraordinary aura. This man was, of course, the town guard, Lei Yangqiu.

Then, two old men in their seventies or eighties, trembling, walked out of the carriage.

The square in front of the Wang’s house was still bustling. There were people lining up for porridge and meat, and there were also local inferior Xuanwu clans, holding the Top Gold they had saved for a long time, coming to buy cheap spiritual meat.

Such an opportunity, no normal person would miss.

However, the Wang’s Clan always did things clearly. They knew how many people each family had and how much they had bought. There were quotas.

And the local residents who enjoyed the feast had to have local household registration certificates and register, so they couldn’t eat again and again.

If anyone dared to mess around, the Wang’s Clan’s methods were naturally not vegetarian.

But even with such strict rules, there were still many people lining up three days and three nights later.

“Tsk tsk, the Wang’s Clan really has a great momentum.” Town Guard Lei Yangqiu praised with a smile, then said to Wang Luoqiu, who was distributing meat, “Little sister Luoqiu, you remember me, right?”

Wang Luoqiu looked up at him, continued to register and distribute meat and porridge, and said casually, “I remember, the one who was scolded by my fourth brother and cried, seems to be surnamed Lei or something…”

Lei Yangqiu’s face turned awkward, and he was immediately tired. When was he ever scolded to tears?

But he couldn’t argue with a little girl, so he laughed dryly and said, “Well, let’s not talk about the past. By the way, is your fourth brother here? I want to see him. Could you help me pass the message, Miss Luoqiu?”

“Can’t you see I’m busy?” Wang Luoqiu replied impatiently, then waved to a servant and said, “Junyan, go find Wang Gui and tell my fourth brother that someone named Lei or something is looking for him. Oh, it’s the town guard.”

“Yes, Sixth Miss.” Ouyang Junyan shrank his neck and hurriedly went to do his job.

He couldn’t help but feel that working with the Sixth Miss was prestigious, even the mighty town guard had to wait.

Soon!

……

Inside the main hall of the Wang’s front house.

Wang Shouzhe and Lei Yangqiu were sitting face to face, drinking tea and chatting from time to time.

Lei Yangqiu kept laughing heartily and agreeing with Wang Shouzhe’s views, as if he were a subordinate facing his leader.

As for the two old men in their seventies or eighties, they were standing with their heads down, their hands clasped and hanging down, trembling as if waiting for the choice of fate.

These two old men were naturally the elders of the Liu’s and Zhao’s Clans.

After three rounds of tea.

Lei Yangqiu cautiously asked, “Brother Shouzhe, as the guardian of Ping’an Town, there are some matters I can’t ignore, especially with so many eyes watching from above. I just want to ask, how do you plan to deal with the remnants of the Liu and Zhao Clans?”

“Deal with?” Wang Shouzhe leisurely sipped his tea, “Guardian Lei, you must be joking. We, the Wang’s Clan, are a traditional family that abides by the law. We have no authority to deal with other families.”

Lei Yangqiu, knowing that Wang Shouzhe was not to be trifled with, had prepared himself mentally. He said, “Little brother, let’s not beat around the bush. Everyone knows about the affairs between your Wang’s Clan and the Liu and Zhao Clans in the outer regions. But since it’s a done deal, no one will pursue it.”

“However, some things need to be handled properly to avoid blame from above. I can’t afford to bear that.”

“Guardian Lei, don’t talk nonsense. What’s this about outer and inner regions?” Wang Shouzhe sipped his tea, glanced at the two elders, and said firmly, “Let me say it again, we, the Wang’s Clan, are a law-abiding family. We never engage in illegal activities.”

The two elders trembled at his words.

Lei Yangqiu muttered to himself, ‘Indeed, with your abilities, Wang Shouzhe, you could probably wipe out everyone while still abiding by the law. There’s no need to risk breaking it.’

Seeing Wang Shouzhe’s indifference, Lei Yangqiu couldn’t help but smile bitterly, “How about this, I’ll propose a solution. Just hear me out.”

Wang Shouzhe remained noncommittal.

Lei Yangqiu carefully explained, “In cases like the conflict between your three clans, there are precedents in the Great Qian, even in Longzuo Commandery or Changning Guard. The traditional practice is that if one side withdraws from the family dispute and flees to another place, the other family should not pursue them.”

“Now, the Liu and Zhao Clans are left with only the elderly, women, and underage males. I suggest that, according to some precedents, all their properties should be bought back by the Wang’s Clan at half price. Then, the survivors of the Liu and Zhao Clans can use this money to move to another commandery, buy some land to sustain their lives, and swear never to return to Longzuo Commandery.”

After finishing, Lei Yangqiu carefully observed Wang Shouzhe’s expression.

To his surprise, Wang Shouzhe remained silent, continuing to sip his tea, appearing completely unconcerned.

Lei Yangqiu felt helpless, but as the guardian, he had to get involved in this mess.

He continued to persuade, “Clan Leader Wang, look, they are just a bunch of elderly, women, and children. After they move to another commandery, even if they can establish a foothold, they will only be a minor clan. There’s absolutely no chance for them to return to being a ninth-rank family in this lifetime.”

“A hundred years later, no one will remember the Wang’s Clan!”

“And if you, Clan Leader Wang, decide to exterminate these elderly, women, and children, it will damage your clan’s reputation.”

“Hehe~” Wang Shouzhe chuckled, “Guardian Lei, you always make me out to be the bad guy. That’s not right. Although I’ll miss my old neighbors, if the Liu and Zhao Clans want to move, they can leave anytime. No one is stopping them.”

Lei Yangqiu felt exhausted dealing with Wang Shouzhe.

If he wasn’t the guardian of Ping’an and hadn’t received many favors from the Liu and Zhao Clans, he wouldn’t want to get involved in this mess.

Without your agreement, Wang Shouzhe, would they dare to sell their properties and run away?

There are many people in their clans, young and old. Aren’t you afraid that they might encounter “bandits” on the way and end up dead?

“Three-tenths. I’ll make a decision for them. After all, they were the ones who made the mistake first. They will sell their assets to the Wang’s Clan at three-tenths of the price.” Lei Yangqiu said, “Clan Leader Wang, give me a straight answer. If it’s okay, it’s okay. If not, I’ll leave immediately and won’t get involved in your mess anymore. Even if blame comes from above in the future, I won’t interfere.”

After some hesitation, Wang Shouzhe felt that he had suppressed enough and said lightly, “Since Guardian Lei has spoken, I should give you some face.”

Lei Yangqiu breathed a sigh of relief, ‘Thank you for your face.’ Before he could speak, Wang Shouzhe added, “But, I have two conditions.”

“Let’s hear it, Brother Shouzhe. I’ll try my best to mediate.” Lei Yangqiu said solemnly.

“First, where they migrate to should be decided by my Wang’s Clan. I will keep an eye on the situation there.” Wang Shouzhe said.

Lei Yangqiu agreed without hesitation, “That’s not a problem. Just give them a way to survive, Clan Leader Wang. Don’t send them to a commandery where they can’t survive.”

“Then let the Liu Clan go to the North Ridge Commandery and the Zhao Clan to the South Desert Commandery. It’s just a few thousand to ten thousand miles away.” After randomly assigning a place, Wang Shouzhe said, “Second, men between the ages of twelve and sixty must stay. They will serve hard labor in my Wang’s Clan for five years as atonement for their ancestors’ sins.”

Lei Yangqiu’s face fell. He thought to himself, ‘Wang Shouzhe is really ruthless.’

Without those young and strong men, the Liu and Zhao Clans would have a hard time establishing a foothold in such a distant and unfamiliar commandery. They would probably be targeted and bullied by the local clans.

And after serving hard labor for five years, would those young men still have any ambition left? How could they have the heart to compete for power?

It’s over!

The Liu and Zhao Clans are basically done for. In the future, they will at most be an ordinary Xuanwu family. Even after seventy or eighty years, let alone a hundred, no one will remember the Wang’s Clan or Ping’an Town.

The two elderly clan leaders looked extremely embarrassed.

Wang Shouzhe’s strategy was to completely eliminate their chance of making a comeback. He was planning to make the Liu and Zhao Clans extinct.

But if they didn’t agree, it was likely that not a single person from the Liu and Zhao Clans would be able to leave Ping’an Town alive.”Forget it, forget it. The Liu and Zhao clans should be grateful to Clan Leader Wang for leaving them a glimmer of hope,” Lei Yangqiu concluded, “Let’s proceed according to Clan Leader Wang’s plan.”

In doing so, Lei Yangqiu felt he had done justice to the deceased Liu Zhide and Zhao Bojun. After all, they couldn’t possibly offend Wang Shouzhe, who had a promising future, just for the sake of their dead ancestors, could they?

“Yes, Lord Lei.” Although the two clan elders were filled with despair, it was not their place to decide their own fate at this moment. At the same time, they also bowed to Wang Shouzhe, “Thank you, Clan Leader Wang, for sparing our lives.”

“In that case, I won’t keep Lord Lei for dinner.” Wang Shouzhe served tea and saw his guests out.

Lei Yangqiu led the two remaining clan elders, smiling and bowing his hands, “I’ve troubled Clan Leader Wang. We’ll take our leave now.”

As they reached the entrance of the main hall, another sentence from Wang Shouzhe reached their ears, “Lord Lei, before you leave, don’t forget to take their nine-grade family seals. Some clans are just pretentious, even given the opportunity, they can’t make it to the stage.”

Lei Yangqiu was taken aback and quickly bowed his hands, “Indeed, indeed, we will follow Clan Leader Wang’s instructions.”

Once Lei Yangqiu got into the carriage and watched the gate of the Wang’s Clan in Ping’an Town gradually recede, he couldn’t help but sigh deeply.

“From today onwards, the Wang’s Clan will dominate Ping’an Town.”

What Lei Yangqiu didn’t know was that after they left.

Wang Shouzhe casually took out his system notebook and formally made changes in the reputation column.

【Clan Prestige】:【Village Prestige (100) Dominating Single-handedly】

……