Regarding Tian Chang, Chong Xuan Sheng truly didn’t know enough.

He only knew that this person was a rising young talent in the Tian family in recent years, and that Jiang Wang had some interactions with him in the Seven Star Valley.

However, Jiang Wang had hinted that he held some leverage over this person.

Knowing this much was enough; Chong Xuan Sheng naturally understood how to use it.

As for the overall situation of the nearby islands, this胖子 (fatty) already had his own plan. He always did business by communicating with all parties, going with the flow, and rarely trying to swallow everything whole. It was the same in the nearby islands.

This time, Wudong Island had some seafood business it planned to do in conjunction with Ba Jiao Island.

He hadn’t expected the Tian family to be so proactive, with Tian Chang coming to negotiate in person.

Chong Xuan Sheng naturally wouldn’t refuse communication.

The two sat down according to precedence.

Chong Xuan Sheng’s girth was at least twice that of Tian Chang’s; squeezed into the large chair, he naturally exuded a sense of oppression. But his plump face was full of smiles, making him seem very approachable.

He opened his mouth and said, “Young Master Tian Chang is truly a man of outstanding talent. I see the future of the Tian family resting on your shoulders!”

Tian Chang had been buffeted by the sea breeze for a while and now appeared lean and capable. Having wielded great power for some time, a natural air of authority accompanied him.

But upon hearing Chong Xuan Sheng’s words, the half of his backside that was already only resting on the edge of the seat nearly slipped to the ground. “Young Master Chong Xuan, please don’t jest. The future of the Tian family naturally rests upon Young Master An Ping! I merely follow Young Master An Ping, doing my best to assist.”

Chong Xuan Sheng wasn’t particularly surprised by Tian Chang’s attitude.

While young people were naturally proud, the name of Tian An Ping carried enough weight to crush all arrogance.

Let alone the recently emerged Tian Chang, even Tian An Tai, Tian An Ping’s elder brother who was seventeen years his senior and already a respectable prefectural governor, didn’t he fear him like a tiger?

However, there was no one else present at this moment. Tian Chang’s posture was still so upright, showing that he was a person of profound cunning and should not be underestimated.

He was rather curious as to how Jiang Wang had managed to get a handle on such a person.

“Assist, assist.” Chong Xuan Sheng laughed casually. “Young Master An Ping’s ambition is astonishing.”

Tian Chang’s face changed drastically, and he said solemnly, “Young Master Sheng, please, you must not speak such nonsense!”

“I drank too much yesterday! I was indeed speaking wildly!”

Chong Xuan Sheng gave a hearty laugh, lightly glossing over the topic, and turned the conversation. “The Town Sea Alliance is newly established, integrating all the forces of the nearby islands. The difference between scattered islands and the nearby islands united as one, I need not say more, Young Master Tian Chang naturally knows. Many rules have changed, many businesses have a new landscape.”

Even he was unwilling to provoke that madman. Therefore, he merely made a teasing remark and then skipped over it.

As for what he truly thought in his heart, only he knew.

“This is precisely why I came to visit Young Master Sheng.” It was best not to talk about Tian An Ping if possible, so Tian Chang quickly said, “In the Battle of Qiyang, Young Master Sheng’s performance was truly stunning. In my humble opinion, the next head of the Chong Xuan family, there is no other!”

“Naturally!” Compared to Tian Chang’s flustered reaction, facing the other party’s ‘expectations’, Chong Xuan Sheng merely grinned. The smile was still amiable, but a sense of dominance suddenly arose. “The title of Marquis Bowang, who but I?”

“Yes, yes.” Tian Chang echoed. “Young Master Sheng possesses innate genius, and I, Tian, have come today to seek your guidance!”

At their first meeting, neither was in a hurry to judge the other, instead exchanging flattery and probing each other.

Chong Xuan Sheng waved his large hand and said without ceremony, “Since brother thinks so highly of me, and this young master does indeed have some ability, then this seafood business will have me charge ahead!”

The marketplace is like a battlefield, but not entirely the same. This so-called “charging ahead,” while sounding like taking on more responsibility, actually meant taking a larger share.

The other person was going with the flow, but this胖子 (fatty) was taking a flying boat with the flow!

Tian Chang’s thoughts raced, but he smiled and said, “Actually, who charges ahead and who does the fighting is not the most important thing. Our two families are looking for a long-term relationship. We have cooperated since the Qiyang battlefield. Our Tian family’s Chongjia Island still has many years left for you to develop and manage!”

Chongjia Island had been lost and was now indirectly in the hands of the Gu Huaixin faction. The Tian family certainly knew this.

The Tian family wasn’t actually in a hurry. This was because the allocation of ownership of the nearby islands was somewhat complex, involving both operating rights and ownership.

This was due to the chaotic period, when forces on the islands rose and fell, and transactions between the islands were very frequent.

Today I lend you this island for three years, tomorrow you lend me that island for five years – these were common occurrences. However, the operating rights of the various transactions did not affect ownership.

Taking Chongjia Island as an example, although Chong Xuan Sheng had obtained ten years of operating rights, the ownership still belonged to the Tian family.

Regardless of what changes occurred during this time, whether the Chong Xuan family didn’t want to return it or Chongjia Island was lost, once the ten-year period was up, the Tian family had the right to reclaim Chongjia Island based on ownership. They could rightfully launch a war without fear of intervention.

This was the rule of the nearby islands, recognized by all islands. After the establishment of the Town Sea Alliance, it had not been changed.

If the operating rights and ownership of the islands weren’t so clearly defined, the Chong Xuan family could have put on a big show, letting the island be “seized” in the ninth year. Then to whom would the Tian family cry?

Chongjia Island being attacked by pirates and its defenses breached was purely a joke. But the Nine Mysterious Sect closely followed, expelled the pirate forces, and yet also rightfully obtained the operating rights of Chongjia Island – the nine years of operating rights that the Chong Xuan family had exchanged for interests.

This was undoubtedly a huge fortune.

One should know that the Chong Xuan family had paid for these ten years of operating rights of Chongjia Island with the position of a Qi State prefectural governor.

Tian Chang specifically mentioned this matter, actually to remind Chong Xuan Sheng, what would the Chong Xuan family deliver when the ten-year term was up?

The Tian family could, of course, invoke ownership at that time, forcing the Nine Mysterious Sect to leave the island. They also had the right to wage war. But after all, what the Tian family had delivered to the Chong Xuan family was a complete and undefended Chongjia Island. Now to reclaim it, they still had to contend with the Nine Mysterious Sect.

In this matter, the Chong Xuan family was not in the right. So, in the current cooperation, should they make appropriate concessions?

Chong Xuan Sheng smiled and then said, “In the entire Town Sea Alliance, the council has ninety-nine votes. Excluding the five votes of the Fishing Sea Tower, the six votes of Yang Valley and Jue Ming Island combined, the remaining eighty-eight votes belong to eighty-eight families. Among these eighty-eight families, our Wudong Island and your Ba Jiao Island each have only one council seat.”

He seemed to be talking about something else, but Tian Chang also didn’t seem to mind at all, following up with a sigh, “Yes, the Fishing Sea Tower has been rooted in the nearby islands for too long. What’s beneath the water is even more massive than what’s above. Although we are backed by Great Qi, every piece of meat we bite off requires us to exert effort ourselves.”

Chong Xuan Sheng watched Tian Chang with a calm demeanor, then suddenly said, “Our Chong Xuan family is willing to return Chongjia Island unconditionally to the Great Marsh Tian family! The remaining nine years, we don’t want even a single day.”

He said meaningfully, “But Chongjia Island is not in our hands now, you will have to take it yourselves.”

The previous ten-year agreement was signed between the Chong Xuan family and the Tian family.

If the Chong Xuan family gave up the possibility of regaining the operating rights, it would mean… the Tian family could directly reclaim ownership!

Even if the Chong Xuan family no longer planned to find a way to compete with the Nine Mysterious Sect for these nine years of operating rights, they could still sell them to a faction in the Yang Valley lineage.

Now they were giving it up unconditionally.

What was Chong Xuan Sheng’s motive?