Protect Our Clan Leader

However, this idea was fleeting because Wang Shouzhe knew only that the earliest sodium glutamate was extracted from kelp, but the content of sodium glutamate in kelp is very low, making it difficult for industrial operations. Modern processes all extract sodium glutamate from crops like soybeans through microbial fermentation.

Yet, Wang Shouzhe had almost no understanding of the refining process and principles of sodium glutamate, and developing it himself would have been extremely time-consuming. Therefore, he had to set aside the notion of quick wealth and decided it was safer to start by improving and optimizing the family industry.

“Second brother, now that you understand the principle, I hope you’ll expedite the experimentation and improvement, and make sure not to waste the hard work of Uncle Six’s fishing brigade in catching the live fish. Of course, you also need to protect our Wang family’s secrets. I trust you know better than I how to do that.”

After giving a few instructions, Wang Shouzhe led his household guards to take his leave.

For Wang Shouyi, who had received the “inheritance,” he was eager to try it out. He was too impatient to even see Wang Shouzhe off, so he hurried to start his experiments. If successful, this traditional family industry of a fish stall could play to its strengths.

At the eastern city gate of Changning Defense.

Once out of the city, there was a straight and wide official road.

Wang Shouzhe, accompanied by two household guards, rode his horse at a gallop, and after some time and a few stops, they reached the Changning ferry terminal in Peace River within half an hour.

The Changning ferry terminal was a government-run ferry, actually controlled by the government officials of Changning Defense, where the reach of the three prominent families of Ping’an Town also came to an abrupt halt, marking a clear boundary line.

A guardian from the Wang family had already been waiting there, who came forward to greet them upon their arrival: “Wang Wu greets the Family Head.” “Dispense with the formalities. Have Grandmother and my fifth sister arrived?” When Wang Shouzhe left the family late at night, he had left a letter for Gongsun Hui, instructing her to act according to the plan outlined in the letter.

Reporting to the Family Head,” Wang Wu said respectfully, “Elder Madam Hui and the fifth young miss’s carriage is waiting up ahead.”

Guided by Wang Wu, Wang Shouzhe quickly met up with Gongsun Hui and the others. After boarding the carriage, Gongsun Hui poured a cup of tea for Wang Shouzhe, her brows knit with worry: “Zhe Er, is the matter as serious as your letter described?”

“I’m afraid it’s even more severe than we imagined,” Wang Shouzhe said after taking a sip of tea to settle his spirits and frowning, “The Qian Family’s trading company has industries all over Longzuo, yet they remain oblivious to the situation. This suggests that no significant power within Longzuo County has issued a warning about the impending disaster.”

“How could this be?” Gongsun Hui exclaimed with pale countenance, “So many prominent families in the entire Longzuo County are all unaware? If so, won’t many of the common people suffer?”

Grandmother worries too much. If the sky were to fall, there would still be tall people to hold it up. What our little Wang family can do is to go with the flow and figure out how to survive and grow, which is the right path,” Wang Shouzhe said calmly. “However, Grandmother does have a point. In the vast Longzuo County, it cannot be that we are the first to detect the insect calamity. Perhaps most people will overlook it, but surely some families have noticed the strangeness and made preparations in secret. Or perhaps someone has already issued a warning, but the news has yet to reach Changning.”

Human nature is universal.

After encountering this situation, Wang Shouzhe immediately kept it a strict secret and prepared to seize the opportunity for profit, and most of the other families that had discovered or stumbled upon the situation probably had the same thought.

Moreover, Wang Shouzhe had discovered this issue quite late and merely managed to respond to the situation. Even publicizing it would only hasten the outbreak of chaos and be of no benefit to the overall situation.

Zhe Er, you’re right. Our small family is already doing well if we can take care of ourselves now,” Gongsun Hui said, letting go of the worries, “The Da Qian government, Purple Abode Academic Palace, and those prominent clans will surely step in to save the day in a critical moment. Zhe Er, that you thought to help the Gongsun family at a time like this, Elder Madam Hui would like to thank you on behalf of the Gongsun Clan of Shanyang.”

This is nonsense, Elder Madam,” Wang Shouzhe smiled, “the Gongsun Clan and our Wang family have intermarried for generations, already blending our bloodlines; it is our duty to help and look out for each other. Besides, I haven’t visited my maternal grandfather in a long while, I should pay him my respects.”

As far as Wang Shouzhe was aware, the intermarriage between Gongsun Clan and Wang family indeed ran deep. Take the current Clan Leader of the Gongsun Clan, Gongsun Mo, for instance; his own grandmother was the direct descendant of the fourth generation of the Wang family-Wang Lingdie. Even Elder Madam Gongsun Hui had to address her as her great-grandmother.

And in the fourth generation, the direct lineage of the Wang family also married a direct daughter from the Gongsun Clan, who was Wang Shouzhe’s great-grandmother.

Thus, one could see just how close the direct lineages of the Gongsun Clan and the Wang family were to each other.

As soon as the words ‘maternal grandfather’ aired, Gongsun Hui paused slightly, then revealed a delighted expression, emotionally saying, “Zhe Er, you’ve truly grown up, becoming sensible.”

Although Gongsun Hui was not Wang Shouzhe’s birth mother, she was his father’s first wife, making her father, Gongsun Mo, naturally Wang Shouzhe’s maternal grandfather. However, Wang Shouzhe’s predecessor had been somewhat reclusive since childhood, having visited Gongsun Mo a few times in a rather cold manner, with little warmth between them.

For Gongsun Hui, having remarried Wang Dingyue and given birth to just one legitimate daughter without a son, she poured all her affection and attention into her stepson, Wang Shouzhe.

According to the laws of Great Qian Land and the rules commonly followed by all Profound Martial Prominent Families, the relationship between a father’s first wife and the legitimate son must be regarded as that of a true mother and son, whether they are blood-related or not.

While Gongsun Hui was chatting, the fifth sister, Wang Luo Jing, sat obediently all along, and even if she found it boring, she just blinked and dared not interrupt.

“Luo Jing, your fourth brother has brought you a gift, have a look and see if you like it?” Wang Shouzhe offered her a wrapped package.

Wang Luo Jing opened it and found a beehive. Instantly, she covered her mouth with delight, and murmured, “Is this, this beehive so round and smooth, with hexagonal openings, slightly crystalline and lustrous… Could it actually be the legendary Purple Crystal Spirit Bee Hive? Thank you Fourth Brother, this is wonderful.”

Wait a second, what in the world is a Purple Crystal Spirit Bee?

Wang Shouzhe’s face showed a hint of surprise, “Luo Jing, your learning is not yet thorough, this is clearly a Tiger Head Spirit Bee Hive.”

Wang Luo Jing paused, biting her lip, she said, “I understand, Fourth Brother, you’re testing me again. The Insect Scripture records that Tiger Head Spirit Bees and Purple Crystal Spirit Bees look quite similar at Level One, with the subtle difference being the slightly more slender body of the Purple Crystal Spirit Bee. However, their hives are significantly different; Tiger Head Spirit Bee Hives are generally flatter and rougher around the openings, while those of Purple Crystal Spirit Bees are round and their hives appear crystalline. This suggests that this swarm of Purple Crystal Spirit Bees is still at the Level One phase, just starting to crystallize. If they advance to Level Two, the hive will be more than ten times larger than this, and will gradually assume the form of Purple Crystal.”

As she spoke, Wang Luo Jing carefully turned out several bee pupae, immediately showing a pained expression on her small face, “The person who harvested this hive is foolish, many of the pupae and larvae are dead, oh… This really is a Purple Crystal Spirit Bee Hive, and only a few dozen pupae are still alive, what a pity!”

“Is it really a Purple Crystal Spirit Bee?” Wang Shouzhe’s expression also grew strange, “Did I unintentionally pick up a treasure?” Given his status as a Young Clan Leader, he naturally had to learn a great deal, and Tiger Head Spirit Bees were relatively common and well-known to him.

However, he knew very little about Purple Crystal Spirit Bees, only that they were a rare species capable of growing to Level Two Spirit Bees.

Gongsun Hui, listening from the side, was also startled, covering her mouth, she teased, “Zhe Er, you didn’t really buy this thinking it was a Tiger Head Spirit Bee Hive, did you? How much Qian Gold did you pay?”

“I was just strolling through the market when I found this hive. Thinking of Fifth Sister’s potential as an Insect Master, I bought it for her to play with…” Wang Shouzhe chuckled, “After some haggling, it went for ten Qian Gold. It seems both that Independent Cultivator and I were mistaken, heh heh~ ” “It’s more than a mistake, you were both blind,” Gongsun Hui joked with a laugh, The Purple Crystal Spirit Bee, among Level Two Spirit Bees, once mature, produces Purple Crystal Spirit Honey, which has the effect of consolidating the foundation, nurturing the essence, and beautifying the complexion. It’s a major ingredient in a variety of Level Two Spirit Pills. And if they can produce ‘Purple Crystal Bee King Honey’, that’s a standard Level Three Spiritual Material, and a main ingredient in the well-known Level Three Spirit Pill, ‘Enlightenment Pill’.”

■Hiss-” Wang Shouzhe gasped, “The Enlightenment Pill, isn’t that the fabled pill said to enhance Profound Martial attributes?”