The Luo family, in Luo Shang’s courtyard.
Star Moon Island differs from Da Rong; there are no particularly large courtyards on Star Moon Island, and Yang Zhenshan’s courtyard is only about the size of a four-entry courtyard.
Therefore, on Star Moon Island, it’s not mon for a large family to live entirely in one courtyard.
The family members must live separately, with each descendant having their own small courtyard.
Initially, the courtyards of each family were still together, but later, as more residences were built in Star Moon City and more people moved to the island, the courtyards of each family became scattered.
For example, the Luo family, at first, lived in the west of Star Moon City, and now they’re still in the west, but Luo Shang’s courtyard is considered the middle area of Star Moon City.
On the first day of the year, the descendants of the Luo family were gathered at Luo Shang’s place for dining and chatting.
The family was discussing matters concerning the Yang family trading pany.
Unlike several other families, both the Luo family and the Zhen family mainly focused their energies on the Yang family trading pany, even though talented martial artists have emerged within their families; they still remain loyal to the Yang family trading pany.
For Luo Shang, the greatest role of the Luo family is to make money for the Yang family, and losing this role means that the Luo family would bee worthless on Star Moon Island.
Even though Luo Shang has retired, he has not pletely let go of matters concerning the Yang family trading pany.
He still inquires about the trading pany regularly, helping Luo Zhen handle some affairs.
At this moment, Luo Shang was discussing the Yang family trading pany with Luo Zhen.
"Father, last year our trading pany’s silk performance nearly halved, profits were only half of previous years!" Luo Zhen said, face full of worry.
Influenced by the Da Yue Dynasty and the Martial God Temple, the Yang family trading pany’s trade volume with the Peacock Dynasty drastically reduced, especially for silk and ceramics, where there is almost no market.
Luo Shang leaned on the armchair, asking with a calm demeanor: "When will the war between the Da Yue Dynasty and the Martial God Temple end?"
"This is pletely unpredictable; both sides have been dragging it out for over three years. If you say it’s intense, neither side has gone all out. If you say it’s not intense, they’ve stationed a million soldiers at the border!"
Luo Zhen was very frustrated; as sea merchants, this kind of situation is what they fear the most. If the Da Yue Dynasty and the Martial God Temple had a quick resolution, even if they fought fiercely, the impact on the Yang family trading pany wouldn’t be significant. But if both sides keep dragging it out like this, the Yang family trading pany can forget about selling silk and ceramics to the Peacock Dynasty in the future.
Luo Shang calmly sipped his tea.
"If nothing else works, bypass the Peacock Dynasty and trade directly with the Da Yue Dynasty!"
Luo Zhen shook his head slightly, "The Nangga Dynasty does not allow foreign sea vessels to approach, and if we want to bypass, we must go around the southern part of the Bang Jia Dynasty, which would extend the route by at least three thousand miles!"
The Nangga Dynasty is located on the Nangga Peninsula, south of the Jialuo Dynasty and the Peacock Dynasty, with the peninsula stretching over a thousand miles in a north-south direction.
South of the Nangga Peninsula is the Bang Jia Dynasty, with a strait about a hundred miles wide between the two dynasties.
The shortest route from Da Rong’s South Sea to Da Yue is through this strait.
The Bang Jia Dynasty is alright; they do not block merchant vessels passing by, and even wele them to visit. But the Nangga Dynasty is different.
They do not allow any fleets to approach their near seas, and the entire strait is within their blockade range; any foreign vessels attempting to approach would certainly face their attacks.
This is also why Da Rong’s merchant vessels can only reach the Peacock Dynasty’s Tunwu Port.
The Yang family trading pany’s fleet can bypass the Bang Jia Dynasty, but doing so would increase both costs and risks, and establishing a new trade route is no easy task.
Luo Shang thought for a moment and said: "In a few days, go discuss with Second Young Master and see if we can have the Navy make a trip to the Nangga Dynasty!"
They cannot stop the war between the Da Yue Dynasty and the Martial God Temple, but they do have the power to force the Nangga Dynasty to open their trade routes.
In business, harmony brings wealth, but in maritime trade, strength reigns supreme.
The rule of the strongest fist is the hard truth.
Since the Nangga Dynasty blocks the Yang family trading pany’s route, they will use force to pel the Nangga Dynasty to open the route.
Star Moon Island has done this before; the Yang family trading pany initially established its routes through force.
While the two were talking, an elderly servant quickly entered the main room.
"What happened?" Luo Zhen asked, noticing the servant’s uneasy expression.
"Master, Young Master, someone from the trading pany has reported that fleet number twenty-two was attacked near Hu Ya Island, all five large ships captured, with only a fast ship escaping!"
"What?" Luo Zhen jumped up, looking extremely grim.
Luo Shang maintained his calm demeanor, holding his tea.
The old servant continued, "The trading pany people are waiting outside, master, should we call them in to inquire?"
Luo Shang set down his tea cup and waved his hand, "No need, Divine Wood Island intends to wage war against us! Asking or not, the result is the same!"
Hu Ya Island is more than three hundred miles east of Star Moon Island, under Divine Wood Island’s territory.
Daring to intercept the Yang family trading pany’s fleet near Hu Ya Island surely indicates Divine Wood Island’s mand.
Nowadays, the Yang family trading pany is like a formidable entity; not just any small pirates would dare to provoke them, and even some island powers would avoid the Yang family trading pany fleet.
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