Chapter 455: Chapter 213: The Auspicious Ingot in Hand and the Platinum Butterfly Carp Caught by My Father-in-law!_2

Jiang Tao also cheerfully added He Qiang on WeChat and transferred 500 yuan to him.

The responsibility brief was signed, and the transfer was received.

He Qiang took Jiang Tao down to the riverbank, heading to the bait-spreading boat he usually operated.

The small boat had a diesel motor at the rear.

He Qiang briefly explained to Jiang Tao the techniques of driving the boat.

Jiang Tao learned quickly, and it wasn’t as difficult to get started as he imagined.

Buzz buzz buzz, buzz buzz buzz—

After learning some simple fishing boat driving techniques, Jiang Tao started the engine and steered toward the center of the reservoir.

To avoid attracting the attention of the anglers by the river, Jiang Tao first drove the boat aimlessly around the lake for over half an hour.

By the way, he also indulged in the thrill of driving the boat.

After half an hour, his boating skills improved significantly.

Initially, He Qiang was a bit uneasy and watched Jiang Tao from the shore.

After observing for more than twenty minutes, seeing that Jiang Tao’s skills were becoming more proficient, he relaxed and turned away.

After a while, Jiang Tao steered the fishing boat to the position where the red dot was flashing on his retina.

Very soon, Jiang Tao arrived at the spot on the panoramic map on his retina where the flashing red dot overlapped.

[The target item is 38 meters directly below you, and no third-party observation is detected around. Would you like to spend 6666 yuan to retrieve it immediately?]

Seeing the price for obtaining the Auspicious Ingot this time, Jiang Tao was not distressed.

Spending over 6000 yuan to obtain an Auspicious Ingot valued at over 600,000 yuan is nearly a hundredfold profit!

"Yes!"

Without hesitation, Jiang Tao directly chose to pay to retrieve the item.

At a depth of 38 meters, he thought it was impossible to salvage it by himself, so there was no saving on this expense.

[Processing payment, please wait...]

[Payment completed, retrieving item, please wait...]

[Item retrieval successful!]

Upon seeing the third prompt message on his retina.

Jiang Tao suddenly felt something appear in his pocket.

He reached in and felt something cold and hard.

Taking it out, he saw it was an egg-sized, uneven silver ingot with silver-gray color mixed with a bit of black.

This silver ingot was different from those ordinary silver ingots seen in historical dramas.

It surprisingly had a couplet engraved on it.

On the right side: Wealth-Bringing Boy Arrives.

On the left side: Li Shi Immortal Official Comes.

The middle: Celestial Official’s Blessing.

Jiang Tao found out through inquiry that this Auspicious Ingot was also called the "Furnace Opening Auspicious Ingot."

In the past, when the silver furnace started casting silver ingots, they would first cast a few Auspicious Ingots for good luck.

Such Auspicious Ingots usually circulated among high-ranking officials and the wealthy, not being publicly traded.

Auspicious Ingots not only had a higher purity but also were crafted more exquisitely than ordinary circulating silver ingots.

Put simply, they’re like the collectible coins released by banks these days.

Not publicly traded, but they have high collectible value.

This Auspicious Ingot, due to its limited casting and auspicious inscriptions, is often used by some affluent families as a treasure to ward off evil spirits.

One was previously auctioned off for over 600,000 yuan.

The Auspicious Ingot Jiang Tao held was estimated to be worth 600,000 yuan by Brother Tongzi, which is justifiable.

"600,000 in hand, mission accomplished!"

Jiang Tao admired the Auspicious Ingot in his hand for a while, then restarted the engine and steered the boat back to the shore.

Buzz buzz buzz, buzz buzz buzz—

The bait-spreading boat quickly docked, Jiang Tao jumped off the boat, told the boss, then went to meet his father-in-law who was fishing.

"Wow! Dad, you’ve had quite the haul! Caught a lot!"

"The boss might faint from crying when he sees this."

When Jiang Tao found his father-in-law, he noticed a red water bucket with five fish flapping inside at his feet, and he offered a praise with a smile.

He had gone out to the lake to retrieve the Auspicious Ingot for just over an hour.

The father-in-law’s catch was impressive!

"Haha, Jiang Tao, this Lucky Bead bracelet you’ve given me is truly magical!"

"Ever since wearing it, I’ve been having much better luck!"

Xu Wencheng smiled kindly at Jiang Tao, raising his hand to show the bracelet made of River Stone that Jiang Tao had given him on his wrist.

"Luck is just part of hitting the jackpot; you also need solid skills!"

Jiang Tao sat down at the fishing spot next to his father-in-law and gave him another compliment with a smile.

Everyone, whether man or woman, old or young, likes to hear others praise them.

A single compliment can provide immense emotional value to others.

Therefore, Jiang Tao never hesitates to compliment others.

Complimenting others costs nothing but a little saliva and some effort.

It provides others with emotional value, earns their goodwill, and is quite worthwhile.

"Haha! Dad loves to hear that! Say more!"

Old Xu was beaming with joy from his son-in-law’s praise, his old face lighting up with a smile.

"Hey, Dad, what kind of fish is this? Why does it look like that?"

Jiang Tao hadn’t looked closely when he first arrived but only noticed the strikingly beautiful little white fish in the bucket after stepping closer.

"Haha, you mean that white one, right? It’s called a Platinum Butterfly Carp, a type of albino carp."

"It’s still small now, not much to see, but once it grows up and spreads its fins, that’s when it’ll really be beautiful."

Xu Wencheng, without turning around, knew Jiang Tao was talking about that fish.

The Platinum Butterfly Carp stood out quite a bit when placed next to regular carp.

It was also his first time catching such a fish.

If it were a few years ago during the boom, such albino mutant fish might have sold for a few thousand, or even tens of thousands!

Now, interest in exotic fish has cooled off, and they’re not worth much.

The one Xu Wencheng caught today might be worth at most a hundred and eighty yuan, and even then, it’s uncertain if anyone would buy it.

"Platinum Butterfly Carp? The name sounds nice."

Jiang Tao squatted by the bucket, poking the white fish with a blade of grass, causing it to flutter about.

"This fish’s tail fin is broader than that of regular carp. Once it grows, the tail spread looks like a butterfly’s wings."

"As it swims, the tail fin floats like gossamer, it’s quite lovely."

Xu Wencheng cheerfully explained his catch to his son-in-law.

Jiang Tao joked:

"This thing should be worth more than ordinary fish, right? Does that mean we’ve made back our spot fee?"

Xu Wencheng laughed happily:

"Haha, it used to be quite valuable, but not anymore. At most, we could sell it for a few hundred yuan, but we’ve indeed made back our spot fee."

Jiang Tao curiously asked, "Why is such a pretty fish no longer valuable?"

"The Platinum Butterfly Carp looks good, but it’s quite delicate. Its care difficulty matches its appearance."

Xu Wencheng explained with a smile: "If the water temperature is below 22 degrees, it easily catches a cold, becomes congested, or even develops fin rot, losing its ornamental value."

"To raise it well, the temperature must be controlled between 22 and 29 degrees to simulate a tropical fish environment."

"I bet this one was released into the reservoir by some fool."

"That’s not setting it free; it’s more like harming it. What’s the current reservoir water temperature?"

"This Platinum Butterfly Carp won’t last a week before it kicks the bucket."

Old Xu explained the care requirements for the Platinum Butterfly Carp while complaining.

Jiang Tao laughed alongside, "Haha, from what you’re saying, it sure is delicate."

"More than just a bit."

Old Xu continued: "This fish also has high water quality requirements.

Even with the best nitrifying bacteria, you have to wait two or three days for the water quality to stabilize before putting it in."

Jiang Tao has never kept fish, so he was only half-listening to his father-in-law’s explanations, quickly forgetting them.

The two chatted on and off by the reservoir until about 7 in the evening.

As the sun set, Jiang Tao’s phone rang. Xu Li was calling to ask him and his father-in-law to come home for dinner.

A spot fee of 240 yuan allowed for half a day of fishing.

Old Xu planned to return after dinner for a more satisfying fishing session to continue honing his fishing skills.

He’s now employed at Jiang Tao’s MCN company and has become a "professional fisherman on the job."

Going fishing changed from his mother-in-law’s perception of "not doing proper work" to a formal job.

Old Xu now heads out to fish with more confidence.

He can go out whenever he wants and fish for as long as he pleases!

His mother-in-law also supports her husband’s work by providing him with a thermos filled with hot water, snacks, and fruits.

Old Xu is quite content with his current lifestyle.

This is the life Old Xu is meant to live!

It feels like the past few decades were lived in vain!