Chapter 22

......

However, this thought was fleeting, as Wang Shouzhe only knew that the earliest monosodium glutamate (MSG) was extracted from kelp, but the MSG content in kelp is very low, making industrial production difficult.

Modern processes extract MSG from crops like soybeans through microbial fermentation.

However, Wang Shouzhe knew almost nothing about the extraction process and principles of MSG, and if he were to develop it himself, it would take an unknown amount of time to succeed. Therefore, he had to put this idea of getting rich on hold and focus on improving and optimizing the family business, which seemed more stable.

"Second Brother, you understand the principles, so I hope you will hurry to experiment and improve. Don't let Uncle Liu's fishing team's hard work go to waste. Of course, you must also ensure the confidentiality of our Wang family. I believe you know better than I do how to handle this."

After giving these instructions, Wang Shouzhe led the family guards and took his leave.

Wang Shouyi, having received the "legacy," was already eager to try it out. He didn't even bother to see Wang Shouzhe off and rushed to start his experiments. If successful, the family's fish stall could leverage its traditional advantages.

At the Changning Ferry in the eastern gate of Changning.

After leaving the city, they were on a straight, wide official road.

Wang Shouzhe, accompanied by two family guards, galloped on horseback. After a stop or two, they arrived at the Changning Ferry in Anjiang within an hour.

The Changning Ferry is an official ferry, controlled by the Changning Guard. The influence of the three major families in Ping'an Town ends here, marking a clear boundary.

A Wang family guard had been waiting here. Seeing Wang Shouzhe and his group, he greeted them: "Wang Wu pays respects to the family head."

"Exempt from the formalities. Has Lady Dama and Fifth Sister arrived?" Wang Shouzhe had left a note for Gongsun Hui when he left the family in a hurry, instructing her to act according to the plan in the note.

"Report to the family head," Wang Wu respectfully said, "Lady Hui and Fifth Miss are waiting in the carriage ahead."

Guided by Wang Wu, Wang Shouzhe soon met up with Gongsun Hui and the others. After getting into the carriage, Gongsun Hui poured a cup of tea for Wang Shouzhe, her brows furrowed with worry: "Zhe'er, is what you wrote in the note really that serious?"

"It's probably even more serious than you can imagine," Wang Shouzhe said, taking a sip of tea to calm himself, frowning. "The Qian family's business spans the entire Longzuo region, yet they haven't noticed this. This indicates that at least within the Longzuo region, no major forces have issued a warning about this disaster."

"How can this be?" Gongsun Hui's face turned pale, exclaiming, "So many powerful families in the entire Longzuo region, and not one has noticed? If so, won't many civilians suffer?"

"Don't worry too much, Dama. If the sky is about to fall, there will always be tall people to hold it up. For our small Wang family, the best we can do is to go with the flow and focus on how to survive and grow," Wang Shouzhe said calmly. "However, what Dama said makes sense. In such a large region like Longzuo, we can't be the first to notice the insect disaster. Most people might overlook it, but some families must have noticed something amiss and made preparations in secret. Or perhaps someone has already issued a warning, but the news hasn't reached us in Changning yet."

Human nature is universal.

After discovering this, Wang Shouzhe immediately kept it strictly confidential and prepared to take advantage of the situation. Most other families who discovered it by luck or skill would likely think the same way.

Moreover, Wang Shouzhe discovered this quite late, just in time to adapt to the situation. Even if he were to publicize it, it would only accelerate the chaos without helping the overall situation.

"You're right, Zhe'er. Our small family can only take care of itself for now," Gongsun Hui said, relieved. "The officials of the Great Qian Dynasty and the Purple Mansion Academy, as well as the powerful families, will surely step in to help during critical times. Zhe'er, you thinking of helping the Gongsun family at this critical moment, Dama thanks you on behalf of the Shanyang Gongsun family."

"Don't mention it, Dama. The Gongsun family and our Wang family have been intermarried for generations, our bloodlines are intertwined, and we should support each other," Wang Shouzhe smiled. "Besides, it's been a long time since I last visited my grandfather to pay my respects."

As Wang Shouzhe knew, the intermarriage between the Gongsun and Wang families was deep. For example, the current Gongsun family head, Gongsun Mo, had a grandmother from the fourth generation of the Wang family—Wang Lingdie, whom Gongsun Hui would call her great-grandmother.

In the fourth generation of the Wang family, they also married a daughter from the Gongsun family, who was Wang Shouzhe's great-grandmother.

This shows how close the relationship between the Gongsun and Wang families is.

Mentioning his grandfather, Gongsun Hui was momentarily stunned but then became delighted, saying, "Zhe'er, you've really grown up and become more understanding."

Although Gongsun Hui was not Wang Shouzhe's birth mother, she was his legal mother, and her father, Gongsun Mo, was naturally Wang Shouzhe's grandfather. However, Wang Shouzhe's predecessor was rather introverted and had always been cold during his few visits to Gongsun Mo, so they were not very close.

For Gongsun Hui, after remarrying Wang Dingyue, she only had a daughter and no son, so she focused all her attention on her son, Wang Shouzhe.

According to the laws of the Great Qian Dynasty and the rules followed by all Xuanwu families, the relationship between a legal mother and her son is legitimate, regardless of whether they are biologically related.

While Gongsun Hui was chatting, Fifth Sister Wang Luojing sat quietly, listening even though it was boring, but she didn't dare to speak much.

"Luojing, Fourth Brother has brought you a gift. Do you like it?" Wang Shouzhe took out a package and handed it to her.

Wang Luojing opened it and saw a beehive. She was immediately delighted and covered her mouth, saying, "This, this beehive is perfectly spherical, with a hexagonal opening and a slightly crystalline appearance. Could it be the legendary Purple Crystal Spirit Bee hive? Thank you, Fourth Brother, this is wonderful."

Wait, what is a Purple Crystal Spirit Bee?

Wang Shouzhe was slightly taken aback: "Luojing, you need to study more. This is clearly a Tigerhead Spirit Bee hive."

Wang Luojing was slightly stunned and bit her finger, saying, "I see, Fourth Brother, you're testing me again. According to the Insect Canon, Tigerhead Spirit Bees and Purple Crystal Spirit Bees look similar in their first stage. The minor difference is that Purple Crystal Spirit Bees are more slender. However, their hives are quite different. Tigerhead Spirit Bee hives are usually flatter with rougher openings. Purple Crystal Spirit Bee hives are usually round and crystalline. This Purple Crystal Spirit Bee hive is still in the first stage, so it's only slightly crystalline. If they advance to the second stage, the hive will be ten times larger and gradually turn into a purple crystal."

As she spoke, Wang Luojing carefully poured out a few bee larvae, and her face showed concern: "The person who harvested the hive is a fool. Many larvae have died. Oh, these are really Purple Crystal Spirit Bees, and only a few dozen larvae are still alive. What a pity!"

"Really Purple Crystal Spirit Bees?" Wang Shouzhe's expression also became strange. "Did I get a good deal?" As the young head of the family, he had to learn a lot, and he was familiar with Tigerhead Spirit Bees, which are relatively common.

However, he knew little about Purple Crystal Spirit Bees, only that they are a rare species that can grow to the second stage.

Gongsun Hui, listening on the side, was also surprised, covering her mouth and saying, "Zhe'er, did you really buy this thinking it was a Tigerhead Spirit Bee hive? How much did you pay?"

"I was just browsing the market and found this hive. Thinking of Fifth Sister's potential as a Spirit Insect Master, I bought it for her to play with..." Wang Shouzhe laughed, "After some haggling, it cost me ten gold coins. It seems both the cultivator and I were mistaken, hehe~"

"Not just mistaken, you were both blind," Gongsun Hui teased, laughing. "The Purple Crystal Spirit Bee, once mature, produces Purple Crystal Spirit Honey, which has the effects of strengthening the body, beautifying the skin, and is a key ingredient in various second-stage spirit pills. If it can produce Purple Crystal Queen Honey, it becomes a standard third-stage spirit material, one of the main ingredients in the famous third-stage spirit pill, the Enlightenment Pill."

"Whoa~" Wang Shouzhe drew in a sharp breath, "The Enlightenment Pill, isn't that the legendary spirit pill that can improve Xuanwu qualities?"

...