BXBX NOVEL Chapter 29 - 29 Crystal Dew Drink i
“Who are you?” Lu Xiaoxiao, holding onto Wang Shouzhe’s arm, glared at Wang Luo Jing, “Let go of my cousin Shouzhe’s hand already. You should feel ashamed as a girl.”
In Changning, the region of defenders, most of the girls from prominent families do not rank their names in order. They are quite free and easy. However, because the Ping’an Wang family has a long history, the Zhou Xuan Old Ancestor personally set the form for naming girls, which is a tradition that has been followed till now.
“I’m Fourth Brother’s sister, and Fourth Brother is the one who dotes on me the most.” Wang Luo Jing, without any concession, held onto the other arm and jeered, “I think it’s you who should be ashamed, lunging into my brother’s arms the moment you see him.”
“You’re lying. Cousin Shouzhe dotes on me the most.” Lu Xiaoxiao said, puffing herself up, “Every time we meet, Cousin Shouzhe always brings me gifts.”
“Fourth Brother treats me the best. He even gave me a Purple Crystal Spirit Beehive to play with the day before yesterday, which is worth more than two hundred Qian Gold.” Wang Luo Jing raised her head in a boastful manner.
“Cousin Shouzhe, I want a Purple Crystal Spirit Beehive too.” Lu Xiaoxiao felt somewhat inferior at once, and began to act coquettishly towards Wang Shouzhe. She was usually pampered and spoiled, and probably had no idea what a Purple Crystal Spirit Bee was.
“Uh….” Wang Shouzhe was a bit speechless. How could these two little girls start fighting over him as soon as they met? Especially Luo Jing, who is actually a year younger than Lu Xiaoxiao and normally very well-behaved, but at this moment was striving for favor.
“Shouzhe, did you really buy a Purple Crystal Spirit Beehive for the child to play with?” Lu Zhengjie, a small uncle who was accompanying them, was also taken aback. “Isn’t that too extravagant and wasteful? Now I’d like to see how you deal with your cousin.”
More than two hundred Qian Gold – this was a large sum of money for both the Wang and Lu families. For example, the fishing team of Sixth Uncle Wang Dinghai consists of ten boats, which after working hard in the wind and rain for a year, would only profit around two hundred Qian Gold.
Being one of the staple industries of the Wang family, Fenggu farm consists of two hundred tenant farmers and a few thousand acres of farmland. Operating on this scale for a year, the profit generated would be only six to seven hundred Qian Gold, and this is just the profit on paper.
There were indeed some gifts prepared for this visit to the Lu family, but they were all small trinkets.
“Little Uncle, there’s more than meets the eye with this.” Wang Shouzhe bitterly smiled and said, “Why don’t you try to coax your niece? Even if they sold me now, I still wouldn’t be able to afford a Purple Crystal Spirit Beehive.”
“I’m not capable of persuading her.” Lu Zhengjie hastily shook his head and said, “This girl is usually the most spoiled. Both the Old Ancestor and the elder brother can’t do anything with her. Shouzhe, you’ll just have to fend for yourself.”
The Old Ancestor also spoils her?
Wang Shouzhe was somewhat stunned. The Old Ancestor of the Lu family, Lu Mingsheng, was the direct line of the Lu family’s Ming generation. He was more than one hundred years old now, right? In terms of lineage and bloodline, he was Wang Shouzhe’s outer great-grandfather.
Most of the Old Ancestors of the Profound Martial prominent families don’t like to show their faces. They are usually absorbed in self-cultivation, focusing on advancing their skills. Only on major events would they emerge to take the stage.
Wang Shouzhe, now eighteen years old, had final counts in remembrance of seeing the Old Ancestor Mingsheng. He was only summoned once, when his potential was tested to be good at the age of seven. Old Ancestor Mingsheng praised him and rewarded him with some resources.
Keep in mind, Wang Shouzhe’s potential was almost of Middle Grade, but still only had such treatment. What merit or ability does this little girl Lu Xiaoxiao have, to be spoiled by the Old Ancestor…?
However, since things have come to this point, he could not afford a gift worth two hundred Qian Gold, and even if he could afford it, he would not be willing to give it. He could only perfunctorily say to Lu Xiaoxiao, “Xiaoxiao, that beehive happened to be something your cousin stumbled upon…”
“Wow! Cousin Shouzhe doesn’t like me anymore. Wuhu, cousin is mean.” Upon finding out she couldn’t have it, Lu Xiaoxiao immediately felt thoroughly outdone. She ran back to the house crying.
Meanwhile, Wang Luo Jing clung to Wang Shouzhe’s arm, wearing a pleased expression as if she had defeated a villain. This cheeky behaviour led Wang Shouzhe to roll his eyes – she was such a little girl, even getting jealous over such things.
However, such an incident was just a small hiccup, and Wang Shouzhe didn’t mind.
Subsequently, under the guidance of little Uncle Lu Zhengjie, both Wang Shouzhe and Wang Luo Jing arrived at the main hall of the Lu family’s main residence.
Meanwhile, the clan leader of the Lu Family, Lu Zhengxiong, and his legal wife from the Wang family, had already dressed formally and were waiting.
Lu Zhengxiong was already in his fifties, with a square face and three strands of goatee, exuding an extraordinary aura.
His legal wife, Lu Wang, was actually Wang Shouzhe’s eldest maternal aunt— Wang Liuling. Her actual age was already over fifty, but she was well-preserved and elegantly dressed, sitting there like an attractive middle-aged woman.
“Uncle, Auntie, I, Shouzhe, along with my fifth sister, Wang Luo Jing, pay our respects to you.” Wang Shouzhe stepped forward, following the ceremony of juniors greeting elders. He had already sent his steward ahead to inform them that this trip was to pay respects to elders, not to meet as the clan leader.
“Shouzhe, please get up.” Lu Zhengxiong came forward to help Wang Shouzhe up and looked him up and down, “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you, and you have grown so phenomenally.”
“Zhe Er, Zhe Er.” Wang Liuling also came forward to hold Wang Shouzhe’s hand, showing great affection, “You’ve just taken on the role of clan leader, and you’re already so busy. I’m sorry for the hardship.”
Wang Liuling, his maternal aunt, had previously personally visited the Wang family to mourn. She had already grieved for the death of her younger brother. Now, she was more concerned about her nephew, Wang Shouzhe.
“Uncle, Auntie, it’s nothing,” said Wang Shouzhe, “Our Wang and Lu families are linked by blood. Helping each other is our inherent duty.”
Because his biological mother was a legitimate daughter of the Lu family, Wang Shouzhe had a deep affection for the Lu family since childhood. The exchange of main lineages between the previous generations made the blood ties between the two families exceptionally close.
After a short cordial conversation, Aunt Wang Liuling took Wang Luo Jing aside to chat.
Meanwhile, Lu Zhengxiong sat opposite Wang Shouzhe for a discussion. But what he brought out to serve was not the usual spiritual tea, but a special Crystal Dew drink, a specialty of Yingxiu’s Lu family.
The Lu family had the advantage of occupying the Yingxiu Lake. Not only did they achieve certain results in aquaculture, but they also fenced off a piece of “spirit water” to specifically grow a kind of underwater spirit plant—Crystal Dew Grass. The Crystal Dew Grass would produce a thumb-sized spirit fruit that looks like a grape, but transparent as cicada wings. The juice from it, chilled, makes an excellent drink.
Drinking it, the cold and clear sensation travels down your throat and into your stomach, and then the coolness spreads throughout your body, making you tremble slightly, giving a feeling of comfort as if your marrow had been washed.
Speaking of which, this was the third time Wang Shouzhe had tasted Crystal Dew drink. It was a rare spirit drink with a high cost. Even the direct descendants of the Lu family rarely had the chance to taste it.
The Yingxiu Lu family was not a very powerful clan, having only one old ancestor holding the fort. But their Crystal Dew drink was a major specialty. Currently, most of the production is supplied to the Purple Abode Academic Palace, with a small part shared among the direct descendants of other powerful families.
As for how much net profit they earned each year, Wang Shouzhe couldn’t tell but estimated that it would not be less than eight or nine hundred Qian Gold.
Apart from the one for Wang Shouzhe, Wang Luo Jing also received a glass. It was her first time tasting such a fine drink, her eyes were wide open.
After the good drink, there was also a treat of spirit food, which made Wang Shouzhe and his sister full of vitality and vigor.
Then, they naturally got down to business. Wang Luo Jing cooperated with the Lu family members to carry out the operation of exterminating insects. The mode was simple, just copying the approach of the Gongsun Clan in Shanyang. Moreover, the Lu family in Yingxiu didn’t have much farmland, only six to seven thousand acres, so it wasn’t too difficult to handle.
Originally, Wang Shouzhe also wanted to help, but before his departure, he received a message from Old Ancestor Mingsheng, summoning him for a meeting.
This left Wang Shouzhe filled with apprehension. Would it be possible that Lu Xiaoxiao had run to Old Ancestor Mingsheng to slander him, causing him to hold a grudge against Wang Shouzhe?
However, this absurd thought only flashed through his mind and then disappeared. Old Ancestor Mingsheng was the bulwark of the Yingxiu Lu family, he wouldn’t get involved in the minor disputes between the younger generation.