195: Unanimous praise

As a third-tier city, Copper City is neither near the mountains nor the sea.

Aside from its developed transportation and a relatively concentrated university town, its local characteristics and advantages are few and far between.

This was something the leaders of the Copper City Administration Bureau were helpless about.

But now, Zhao Rubing saw one shining point after another in Ye Tian.

Whether it was specialized breeding, cultivation, or the products from his Pharmaceutical Factory, any one of them, if developed and expanded, could significantly boost the local economy.

Moreover, these were industries that could take Copper City nationwide.

"Xiao Tian, I've already arranged two extra spots for you at the Trade Fair. Work hard."

Feeling joyful, Zhao Rubing couldn't help but speak up.

"You got it done so quickly? Didn't anyone say anything?"

"There are certainly voices of dissatisfaction, so you have to do your best. Don't let me become a laughingstock."

Zhao Rubing seemed to be under a lot of pressure; though she sounded like she was joking, her expression was quite solemn.

"Alright, Sister Bing, I definitely won't let you down."

Just as the words left his mouth.

Little Stone brought the steaming hot dishes to the table.

As soon as the lid was lifted.

Zhang Aiguo's eyes widened.

"Is this... dongtao chicken?"

"Uncle Zhang really has a sharp eye. Even with the dish covered in sauce like this, you can still recognize it."

Ye Tian laughed.

"Heh, I'm in high-end catering after all. Isn't this the classic way to prepare dongtao chicken? But just how big is this dongtao chicken of yours? One chicken foot must weigh at least three catties, right? I saw that your Chicken Farm does raise some, but they're nowhere near this level."

"Yeah, the ones at the Chicken Farm haven't been there long. These are premium ones we specifically raised in the backyard; each one weighs at least fifteen catties."

Li Ming nodded.

"Fifteen catties? That's top-tier. The largest dongtao chickens our hotel sources are only twelve or thirteen catties, which are already the biggest available on the market and cost a fortune. For a size like yours, the cost price of a single chicken must be over three thousand."

"Only three thousand? Uncle Zhang, why don't you try some before making an offer?"

Ye Tian chuckled and spoke.

Zhang Aiguo's eyes lit up as well. He had already tried the meat of the ordinary chickens from Ye Tian's side, and the flavor was absolutely top-notch.

Involuntarily, Zhang Aiguo picked up a piece of dongtao chicken foot with his chopsticks and slowly put it into his mouth.

He only chewed twice.

Before his eyes widened again.

He took a few deep breaths but didn't speak, chewing slowly and swallowing the chicken completely.

Only then did he speak, his face full of shock.

"Five thousand each, I'll take as many as you have. Ten thousand each... if I grit my teeth, that wouldn't be much of a problem either."

"Uncle Zhang really knows his stuff. But if you buy them as raw ingredients for five thousand, won't you lose money?"

Ye Tian asked curiously.

"Lose money? That's where you don't understand the mindset of the wealthy, Xiao Tian. Honestly, for people who can afford this kind of thing, whether it's a few thousand or tens of thousands makes little difference to them. What they want is prestige and flavor. If I take this chicken back, I'd dare to sell it for tens of thousands per bird, believe it or not?"

As a tycoon, Zhang Aiguo's understanding of high society's psychology far exceeded that of the others. He spoke with confidence.

"It seems I was thinking too small."

Ye Tian let out a chuckle.

"However, this dish of yours has a unique fragrance besides the quality of the chicken. It's something I've never tasted before, yet it feels somewhat familiar. It adds a lot to the dish."

"You must be talking about the termite mushroom oil, right?"

Li Ming was stunned for a moment and said.

"termite mushroom oil? Yes, that must be it. Otherwise, I eat other seasonings so often it'd be impossible not to recognize them. I didn't expect the oil rendered from your termite mushrooms to be so extraordinary. If you can actually research it to the point of artificial cultivation, it would be incredibly promising."

Zhang Aiguo nodded excitedly.

This prompted the others to start using their chopsticks on the dongtao chicken as well.

Soon, everyone's eyes narrowed into slits, their faces filled with satisfaction.

One chicken foot was three catties, so two were six catties.

And it was all packed with collagen.

That sense of satisfaction was definitely incomparable to ordinary dishes.

Meanwhile, the table of guests who had pre-ordered earlier had also started eating.

The man who made the reservation was now flushed from drinking.

He also walked over to Li Ming's table carrying a wine bottle.

"Come on, Old Li, let's have a drink. I've been eating at your place for so many years, and today is the most satisfied I've ever been. Your termite mushrooms are simply incredible. As soon as they hit the table, they surpassed all other delicacies. Everyone says they've never tasted such fresh food. You've really given me a lot of face today. I'm a man of my word; for today's termite mushrooms, I'll give you 200 per catty."

Li Ming laughed. "You're too kind, Old Zhang. How can you take a joke seriously? Just 150 is fine. If you like it, I'll be officially reopening in three days after the renovations are done. Come and support me; I guarantee the taste will be several times better than what you had today."

"Several times better? You must be tricking me because I've had too much to drink, right? Today's flavor already feels like the ceiling to me. How could it possibly get any better?"

"In terms of culinary skill, there's indeed no room for improvement, but the ingredients are worlds apart. You'll see when you come."

"Alright then, I'll definitely be there."

The latter nodded and left with a look of anticipation.

The others at the table looked at Li Ming and Ye Tian.

"Xiao Tian, you guys are going to reopen?"

Zhao Rubing and Zhang Aiguo asked.

"Yeah, regarding the current project at the Chicken Farm, Brother Li and I decided to make some adjustments. Once the shop renovations are finished, we'll change the name and reopen in three days."

"Good, that's how you bring out the unique features. In that case, your Aunt and I will stay for a few more days and wait for your new store to open before we leave."

Zhang Aiguo nodded.

"Let me know once the specific time is set."

Zhao Rubing also spoke up.

"That's for sure. If Sister Bing can come, it will certainly bring light to the place."

"Stop being so glib. What about that wine of yours? Aren't you going to open it yet?"

Zhao Rubing scolded him with a smile, looking at the wine bottle in front of Ye Tian.

"Sister Bing, you've learned bad habits from the old man; you're thinking about my wine all day long."

Ye Tian chuckled.

Without hesitating, he quickly poured the wine for everyone.

Seeing everyone's eyes lighting up, Zhang Aiguo couldn't help but feel curious.

When he actually tasted it.

He finally understood why everyone, who hadn't reacted much to the termite mushrooms and dongtao chicken, was so expectant of this wine.

Putting the flavor aside for a moment, the warm sensation after the wine entered his mouth was something he had never experienced before.

After one cup, he felt like he was floating, incredibly comfortable.

All the minor ailments his body had accumulated over years of a hedonistic lifestyle vanished at this moment.

"Xiao Tian, what kind of wine is this? Can it be mass-produced?"

"Uh, Uncle Zhang, this stuff can't be mass-produced. Even I have very little of it. I only bring some out to drink during gatherings with our own people."

Zhang Aiguo looked a bit disappointed. "That's a pity. After a cup of such good wine, I feel several years younger. Is it very difficult to brew?"

"It is indeed a bit difficult. The main issue is the raw materials; there's nowhere to buy them. Even I obtained them by chance."

Ye Tian explained briefly.

Zhang Aiguo then let it go. As one of their own, he believed that if Ye Tian could say it, there would be no need to hide it from him. After all, had he heard few secrets just now?

Since they didn't hide those things from him, the wine must truly be an impossible matter.

"If you like drinking it, Uncle Zhang, I'll give you a bottle to take when you leave. Usually, just a small cup is enough. I can't say it has major effects, but it's definitely good for strengthening the body."

"That's great. To be honest, there aren't many things in this world that can move me, but this wine of yours is definitely one of my favorites. I won't stand on ceremony with you; if you need anything later, just say the word."

"No need, Uncle Zhang. Given my relationship with Liang Zi, it's only right that I give you a bottle of wine out of respect."

Ye Tian laughed.

Zhang Aiguo smiled gratifiedly and stopped being formal. He continued eating the table full of delicacies along with the wine.

As they were leaving, he said to Mother Zhang, who was also slightly tipsy, "Wife, call Xiao Li in a bit and tell him we're staying a few more days. Have him send a few people from the purchasing department over."

"Mhm."

"Also, have them order some display cabinets to be kept in the restaurant for future use."

"Hubby, are you planning to follow Xiao Tian and the others' lead?"

"How can you call that following? It's called keeping pace. In the future, even when our own Breeding Farm is up and running, we'll still need to use Xiao Tian's brand."

"Yeah, our Xiao Liang has really found the right brother. With Xiao Tian around, we definitely won't have to worry about Xiao Liang in the future."

"That goes without saying. Xiao Tian is definitely a hidden dragon; it won't be long before he soars to the sky. Our family's current assets will probably be nothing compared to his by then."

The two of them conversed in low voices as they left.

The rest of the people at the table were also mostly finished eating.

They left after having their fill of food and wine.

After seeing off Zhao Rubing, Ye Tian cleared all the dishes from the table like a whirlwind before taking the old man home.

Immediately, the old man, who had been itching with curiosity for a long time, had Ye Tian take him to the location of the termite nest.

The moment he saw the termite nest.

The old man's mouth hung open in shock.

Staring at the room-sized white palace, he was stunned for a long while before saying resentfully, "Little Ye, you're really bold, daring to keep Termites in the yard and raising them to this extent. Aren't you afraid they'll tear our house down?"

"Hehe, Grandpa, it's not that dramatic. I've observed them for a long time. As long as these Termites of ours have cockroach meat, they're very well-behaved and never wander off. Even if they do, they just bring back sticks and fallen leaves from nearby; they never damage the buildings. Otherwise, with their scale, our Breeding Farm would have been torn down long ago."

"That may be so, but it's still better to be careful. Fortunately, Termites don't actively attack people and aren't toxic; otherwise, I really wouldn't dare let you continue raising them like this."

"Yeah, Grandpa, don't worry, I'm not the type to act recklessly. Why don't you take a look and see how we should go about it if we want to do artificial breeding?"

The old man walked around the massive termite palace and looked at it for a while.

Only then did he speak.

"The termite nest is an ideal ecological environment for the symbiosis of Termites and termite mushrooms. Nests are usually built 20 to 100 centimeters underground, but your nest obviously exceeds the conventional range. So, I can't estimate how deep this nest goes right now. However, I'm certain there are quite a few Satellite Nests."

"Satellite Nests?"

Ye Tian was taken aback.

"Yes. This woodshed should be the Central Main Nest. Around the Central Main Nest, there will be many scattered Satellite Nests connected by Termite Paths. But currently, except for the main nest, the other nests should be underground. However, there isn't much land nearby. If we want artificial cultivation, it's best to have them actively establish nests under the soil."

"In other words, the reason I can dig up termite mushrooms is actually that there are termite Satellite Nests beneath them?"

"Correct. Under natural conditions, termite mushrooms and Termites live in symbiosis. The base of the termite mushroom is connected to the termite nest, growing from scattered to clustered."

"In the high temperature and humidity of summer, small white ball bacteria will first grow on the termite nest, followed by the formation of the termite mushroom fruiting body."

"Termites spread the spores for the termite mushrooms while building the nest, and they obtain various nutrients and disease-resistant substances from the small white balls of the termite mushrooms."

"The termite mushrooms, in turn, obtain nutrients from the termite nest Fungus Garden and the surrounding environment."

"That's why there are stable ecological conditions within the nest suitable for the coexistence of Termites and termite mushrooms."

"So, without a nest, termite mushrooms can't grow?"

"Not necessarily. Like I just said, small white ball bacteria will first grow on the termite nest before becoming termite mushrooms. Under the right conditions, you only need the small white ball bacteria. But without a termite nest, cultivating with small white ball bacteria is just a one-off thing. Furthermore, without enough nutrients, they won't grow very well. After all, the small white ball bacteria don't reproduce or spread on their own; once they turn into termite mushrooms, they're gone."

"I see. So it's best to have a nest, then we can harvest crop after crop?"

"Yes. With a nest, to have termite mushrooms appear over a long period, you need stable temperature and humidity, and the soil pH must be low and stable. Additionally, there needs to be a high concentration of carbon dioxide."

"These points won't be difficult once your greenhouse is built, but for now, in the experimental stage, we have to rely on a bit of luck. In a while, I'll test the pH value over in the vegetable garden to see if it's suitable for termite mushroom growth."

"If it's suitable, we'll find a way to make a connection path for these Termites to go to the vegetable garden and establish Satellite Nests."

"Grandpa, you know how to establish a path?"

Ye Tian asked curiously. After all, for him, this was just a matter of giving an order, but the old man didn't have the ability to command Termites.

"What's so hard about that? You just need to find their underground path, then dig a trench along it. Use cockroach meat as bait along the path, and they'll naturally follow it. Then cover the path with fallen leaves or wooden boards and place more cockroach meat where we want them to go. Once they get used to getting cockroach meat there, they'll naturally treat it as a Satellite Nest."

"Heh, that really sounds like it would work."

Ye Tian raised an eyebrow.

"Actually, I tried this method before when I was studying Termites. It's just that I didn't have cockroach meat back then, so it was hard to lure them effectively. Otherwise, my research probably would have succeeded then."