Honey, you didn’t really drugged me, did you?

Chapter 136: Chapter 106, husband, today I am truly, truly very happy.

Chapter 136: Chapter 106, husband, today I am truly, truly very happy.

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There is a saying: In bustling streets, poverty draws no attention, yet in remote hills, the rich find distant kin; just witness the banquet’s wine, where toast after toast is to the wealthy first!

Chen Jie prospered.

From a degenerate gambler on the verge of ruin, he transformed overnight into an adoptive son of Hall Master Bai of the Fishing Guild’s White Tiger Hall, one of the two overlords of Mianshui County.

That’s akin to pledging allegiance to the head of the Green Guild in old Shanghai.

Fruit seller Ah Sheng has followed a great boss and found glory!

Indeed, it was an overnight sensation; he rose rapidly and was no longer walking the same path as those impoverished souls.

Don’t be fooled by the staff at the fisheries showing off in front of the townspeople of Xiantao Town as if they were nobility; to those from the Headquarters in the county, they’re just small-town nobodies.

As for the ship captains, they are merely local leaders.

And even that’s giving them too much credit; at best, they are elite disciples.

A true local leader would have to be at the level of a Fishery Manager like Wu Zhong!

But Chen Jie was on the brink of soaring high.

Having pledged allegiance to Peng Shizhong as his adoptive father, he became a Kun-turned-peng in the eyes of the disciples.

From now on: “With one gust, the great Peng soars, climbing ninety thousand leagues in an instant!”

Chen Jie was courteous as he drank with everyone, without a hint of arrogance or pride, remaining approachable and making everyone feel like they were basking in the warmth of spring.

Even when ordinary followers came to toast, Chen Jie would honor them by drinking a cup.

Fortunately, alcohol content in this era was not high, and the Yang Chun Skill was circulating within Chen Jie’s body, rapidly metabolizing the alcohol.

He would not go so far as to say he could handle a thousand cups without falling, but he could certainly handle dozens.

The reason Chen Jie acted this way was because he understood.

Speaking power is something one grants oneself; Peng Shizhong may adopt you as a son, but he has more than one adoptive son.

Would those four be easy to deal with?

Moreover, once you arrive at the White Tiger Hall, even if you’re Peng Shizhong’s adoptive son, would the inner factions of the White Tiger Hall willingly hand over their power to you?

Impossible.

Therefore, to establish a firm footing, Chen Jie needed his own base, his ‘maternal power.’

That’s right, it’s like a court battle, where once in the palace, the status of these concubines depended not on their looks but on the strength of their maternal families.

If your father is a seventh-rank official and mine is the current Prime Minister, without the Emperor showing favoritism, it’s the one whose family has the Prime Minister backing them that’s formidable.

That is the foundation.

Did Chen Jie have such a foundation?

No, so he had to find ways to build it up.

And Xiantao Town was his base.

As long as he could turn the hundred-plus people of Xiantao Town into his own foundation, others would have to regard him more highly in the city and within the White Tiger Hall.

Young people always think they can conquer the world alone, but only after graduating and truly engaging with society do they realize the world is a net; and to stand out from this net, besides your own capabilities, one must cultivate one’s influence and network.

Only with the help of others can one be lifted to higher positions.

Isn’t an Emperor without his scholars and warriors just a loner?

Therefore, Chen Jie planned to turn Xiantao Town into his ‘maternal power.’

And thereby gain speaking power within the White Tiger Hall.

His current conditions were indeed favorable; having won the battle for the position of Village Chief, he was a hero of the Xiantao Town fishery.

Next, with Uncle Zhong continuing as the Fishery Manager after his departure, his relationship with Uncle Zhong needed no explanation.

Finally, as someone who emerged from this fishery and found success, wouldn’t he lift up a few people and thus become the benefactor of his fellow villagers, and wouldn’t they support him if not anyone else?

Just like now, these people were flattering him, wouldn’t it be in hope that he would become their support and their banner in the future?

They were already actively aligning with him, so he could not play the fool and drive them away.

Wouldn’t that mean turning the power that should have belonged to him into hostility or even opposing forces?

Such behavior would be foolish indeed.

Now that he had already gathered a following, he should seize the opportunity to build private alliances and turn them into his own people.

Chen Jie was an ambitious man, and ambition could not be achieved by a lone ranger.

As cups were exchanged, Chen Jie won over the hearts of the crowd, and their evaluation of him rose substantially, with many even nurturing the thought in their hearts.

Jiu Si was one of our own, a product of our fishery.

In the future, our fortunes might depend on him; if we can help him, we will do so with all our might, for only with his rise do we see an opportunity for our own rapid advancement!

This is the soaring of the chicken and the dog alongside one’s ascent!

With this banquet, Chen Jie solidified his status within the Xiantao Town fishery and elevated his identity from Brother Jiu Si to Jiu Si himself.

When the feast was over, Chen Jie didn’t rush to leave but found Bai and Su Yunjin, who were staying in an inn in the town.

Knowing that the Fishing Guild was to hold a celebration banquet, Bai and Su Yunjin had rented a room in a nearby inn to wait.

Wu Zhong arrived with Chen Jie, ready to take them home.

Seeing the two reeking of alcohol, Bai complained, “Drink less, you still have three wounds on your body.”

Wu Zhong laughed and said, “I’m happy, alright?

Today, Jiu Si made a name for himself, and he even made great contributions to our Fishing Guild.

Moreover, Sect Master Peng is going to adopt him as a son!”

“Really?!!”

Bai was startled and excited upon hearing this.

Being adopted by Peng Shizhong was indeed a splendid opportunity!

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