Chapter 6: Learn About Prohibited Fishing Gear

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"Shouzhe, do you have any dissatisfaction with our fishing team?" Wang Dinghai asked, lacking confidence.

Dissatisfaction? The dissatisfaction was immense. Wang Shouzhe thought to himself and said gravely, "Sixth Uncle, what is our fishing fleet's annual output? What are the expenses, and what is the profit?"

Upon hearing this question, Wang Dinghai was dumbfounded, unable to answer such a question.

"Zhe'Er, let me answer that." Gongsun Hui chimed in at this moment, "I've been managing the family's accounts these past years. The fishing fleet has a total of nine small fishing boats and one medium-sized fishing boat. In the past five years, the average annual total catch of ordinary fish is about 6,700 dan, with a revenue of 486 Qian Gold. The annual average catch of spirit fish is 400 jin, yielding a revenue of 120 Qian Gold, with an average annual total revenue of 606 Qian Gold."

This time, it was Wang Shouzhe's turn to be surprised at Gongsun Hui. Although he knew that his aunt was managing the accounts, he didn't expect her to be so familiar with the numbers, speaking them aloud instantaneously.

However, the fish catch numbers seemed too low. With ten fishing boats combined, it averages about twenty dan per day, which is about two thousand jin of fish!

"Why look at me like this, Zhe'Er?" Gongsun Hui said calmly, "Your aunt's Black Tortoise cultivation is not strong, but as the direct daughter of the Shanyang Gongsun Family, mastering the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art is mandatory. Your father, being the Clan Leader, naturally requires my assistance in managing the accounts."

At this point, Gongsun Hui's eyes showed a trace of disappointment. Despite her meticulous work on the accounts, with every figure memorized, her efforts were not valued by her husband Wang Dingyue.

This made Wang Shouzhe recall a fact of the Black Tortoise World: marriages among Black Tortoise Clans are always direct lineage to direct lineage. As a direct daughter, Gongsun Hui is destined to marry a Young Clan Leader of another family.

Just as Wang Shouzhe, in the future, would marry a direct daughter from another family.

The topic wandered away, but seeing that Gongsun Hui was so clear about the accounts, Wang Shouzhe was invigorated, "Sixth Uncle previously introduced me to the high-value catches that are prized by nobles, why then is the six thousand seven hundred dan of fish only valued at 486 Qian Gold annually?"

"Your Sixth Uncle wanted to please you with the highlights of our catches. Most of the fish do not hold such high value. In addition, the family also operates a fish stall business, which processes the catches through ice preservation, pickling, and smoking before selling them. Those earnings are counted separately. Family consumption of fish is also recorded in the accounts through Qian Gold purchases." Gongsun Hui explained clearly, "Please, allow me to continue, like with expenses and net profit, for example."

Seeing someone value her work for the first time, Gongsun Hui felt encouraged and said, "As for expenses, considering the current 46 fishermen and workers, the annual cost and monthly allowance are 151 Qian Gold. Maintenance of the ten fishing boats, including repairs of various tools, costs 92 Qian Gold annually. Furthermore, the average annual taxation is 72 Qian Gold, with average annual pension payments being 60 Qian Gold. After deducting all expenses, the average annual net income is 221 Qian Gold. This does not include the family tribute owed to your Sixth Uncle, which is accounted separately."

Hearing this, Wang Dinghai blushed slightly and said sheepishly, "How can the net income be so little? I thought we could bring in at least four or five hundred Qian Gold annually for the family."

"Sixth Uncle, you can verify the accounts anytime if you have doubts." Gongsun Hui replied calmly.

"No, no, not at all, Fifth Sister-in-law, I didn't mean that." Wang Dinghai hurriedly waved his hands and said, "I'm just a rough man who only knows how to fish. Shouzhe, these boring accounts are no fun to listen to. Let Sixth Uncle show you some skills~"

"No rush, Sixth Uncle." Wang Shouzhe reassured, then frowned and asked Gongsun Hui, "Two questions: first, what is the basis for taxation? Second, what is the pension about?"

"Shouzhe, the winds and waves of Anjiang are strong and unpredictable. On occasion, formidable aquatic ferocious beasts appear." Wang Dinghai quickly explained, "Even if Sixth Uncle is careful, it's inevitable that some fishermen might perish in Anjiang. Without high wages and pensions, no one would join the fishing team."

"As for taxes, they're based on the size of the fishing boat. Small boats pay 6 Qian Gold annually, and medium-sized boats pay 18 Qian Gold annually." Gongsun Hui provided an explanation.

Flat tax rates.

Wang Shouzhe understood that in such an economically underdeveloped world, flat tax rates were the most effective.

Having grasped all the information, Wang Shouzhe clasped his hands to Wang Dinghai and said, "Sixth Uncle, I didn't expect Anjiang's fishing industry to be so dangerous. I appreciate your contributions to the family over the years."

Wang Dinghai relaxed, laughing awkwardly, "Shouzhe, just don't blame the fishing team for not making enough money. To be honest, when Fifth Brother was Clan Leader, I proposed the idea of expanding the fishing fleet. Managing ten boats is the same as managing over twenty; it's not a problem. I could also recruit more fishermen, so we can earn more Qian Gold for the family. After all, the thirty-li stretch of Anjiang can accommodate more than twenty fishing boats without issue. The Liu Family alone has over twenty boats~"

"Ten more boats?" Wang Shouzhe asked, intrigued, "Could you elaborate?" For the family to grow, Qian Gold was the most crucial resource.

"Let me explain." Understanding that Wang Dinghai was not good with numbers, Gongsun Hui interjected, "I am aware of Sixth Uncle's idea. He wants to add two medium-sized fishing boats and ten small fishing boats. The cost of each medium-sized boat is 120 Qian Gold and each small boat costs 45 Qian Gold, making a total investment of 690 Qian Gold. Assuming we recruit the necessary fishermen, the investment would pay for itself within three years."

"If the accounts balance within three years, it's worth doing." Wang Shouzhe nodded in agreement, "Even if we stop later, selling the boats won't result in a loss."

Wang Dinghai's face lit up, feeling he had found a kindred spirit, patting his thighs and saying, "Fifth Sister-in-law, I told you it could be done. I just don't understand why, when I'm willing to contribute more to the family, Fifth Brother disagreed."

Gongsun Hui's expression turned awkward, "Sixth Uncle, you don't know, but the Wang Family has been short on money in many aspects these years." She sighed inwardly; she actually supported expanding the fleet, but Wang Dingyue was unwilling. Furthermore, her plan to borrow money from her natal family was also firmly opposed by Wang Dingyue.

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

"Zhe'Er, if you need to expand the fleet," Gongsun Hui hesitated slightly and said, "the auntie can make a trip back to Shanyang to raise some Qian Gold." It is embarrassing to borrow money from her parents, but for the sake of the family's development, she couldn't care less.

"No, I do not agree," Wang Shouzhe thought and said.

What?

Wang Dinghai's face darkened.

Even Gongsun Hui looked at Wang Shouzhe inexplicably; hadn't they just agreed to do it? Could it be that, like his father, he is too proud to let her raise money?

"This is the time for this," Wang Shouzhe frowned and pondered, "To develop the family, we cannot do without Qian Gold; to obtain more Qian Gold, we must expand the benefits of the family's property."

"Isn't that correct? How can we increase the benefits without expanding the fleet?" Wang Dinghai looked eagerly at Wang Shouzhe.

Wang Shouzhe mysteriously smiled: "Sixth Uncle, you are a fishing expert. I have a few ideas to discuss with you. Have you ever thought about a fishing method called trawling? It's a cooperative fishing operation method involving two boats."

Subsequently, Wang Shouzhe pulled Wang Dinghai down and began to sketch on the deck.

Trawling is a very conventional fishing operation method on Earth; it is a specialized fishing method, and its efficiency is far beyond that of net casting, which is merely an entertainment tool.

If it weren't for the excellent natural ecology of Anjiang, with Wang Dinghai's extremely unprofessional fishing methods, he would have lost even his pants.

Of course, because trawling is too powerful, it greatly harms the natural ecological environment, which Wang Shouzhe strongly resists. But now the family faces a situation where, if it doesn't develop, it will be obliterated.

They might as well abandon natural fishing methods once the family grows stronger.

"Shouzhe, your idea is amazing." Wang Dinghai, being a professional, quickly understood the principles but frowned and said, "However, such a giant net is extremely difficult to make, not to mention our fishing boats can't pull it, right?"

Can't pull it!

Alright, Wang Shouzhe immediately understood the problem. Sailing ships are not like diesel-powered machinery boats; they don't have the strength to pull a giant net.

"Then let's create a smaller one first, focusing on being able to pull it," Wang Shouzhe said. "Let's first make a small trawl net, three to four zhang wide and six to seven zhang long with a conical shape. It would be like a big pocket with reverse bristles inside to prevent the fish from escaping..."

"This can be tried," Wang Dinghai's eyes shone, "I'll go back and find twenty net weavers to make it together; it will probably be completed in two months."

Twenty people, two months...

Wang Shouzhe was rather helpless about this; the production capacity of this Black Tortoise World is indeed very low. However, because of this, the natural resources of this world are well protected.

Unlike Wang Shouzhe's world, nearby seas have been almost plowed flat by trawling, leading nations to have to enact various fishing bans. The power of trawling is no joke.

"Don't rush, Sixth Uncle, take a look at this fishing tool, though not as good as trawling... Its advantage lies in easy operation; if done well, even ordinary people can handle it."

Next, Wang Shouzhe drew another fishing tool for Wang Dinghai, called Maneuvering Trap. This fishing method is somewhat similar to net casting, but net casting covers the catch from top to bottom, and maneuvering trap scoops it from bottom to top.

Maneuvering trap is much more complex overall than net casting, but once the setup and levers are done, it's simpler than net casting in terms of effort. Its advantage is that once made, any ordinary labor, even minors, can operate it.

Furthermore, maneuvering trap has a more powerful evolved form called Blocking River Net, if it can be made, its destructive power is no less than a small trawl net.

"Shouzhe, where did you get your brilliant ideas?" Wang Dinghai was excited to the point of trembling, "If everything can be realized, we will be rich."

"In some ancient miscellaneous writings when idle," Wang Shouzhe said again, "Sixth Uncle, let's understand Mesh Cage and Bewildering Formation together..."

These two are naturally strong lethal fishing tools, both already strong enough to be listed among prohibited fishing gear by the nation, showing their superiority; both are passive stationary fishing gear.

After installation and deployment, you just need to go and check at regular intervals, similar to idling in games... Don't worry about anything, just harvest regularly.

Wang Dinghai was almost driven mad; as a Black Tortoise "professional fisherman," Wang Shouzhe seemed to open a whole new world to him.

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