Chapter 9: Selling the Formula

Noon, in a private room at the Delicacies Pavilion.

Xu Mo, Chen Miaoyi, and Ning Yongqiang sat together at the table.

The table was laden with dishes, each personally cooked by Master Chef Lu Bingding.

Ning Yongqiang beamed as he gestured enthusiastically, “Come, come, Mr. Xu, Mrs. Xu, please try the skills of our Delicacies Pavilion.”

Chen Miaoyi seemed a bit uneasy, her head lowered, too shy to speak, let alone pick up her chopsticks.

Seeing this, Xu Mo helped her by placing a piece of lamb in her bowl and gently said, “Miaoyi, try it and see how it tastes.”

Ning Yongqiang immediately nodded. “Indeed, Mrs. Xu, please, don’t be shy—give it a try.”

Only then did Chen Miaoyi pick up her chopsticks and put the lamb into her mouth.

The moment she bit into it, her eyes lit up and she nodded repeatedly. “Delicious! Truly delicious! It’s been so long since I’ve had such flavorful lamb.”

Xu Mo smiled and sampled a piece himself.

“How is it, Mr. Xu?” Ning Yongqiang asked with anticipation.

Xu Mo nodded with a smile. “It’s quite good.”

Ning Yongqiang was delighted, immediately recommending several other dishes, describing their ingredients and the methods of preparation as they ate.

After tasting everything, Xu Mo had formed a general opinion of the Delicacies Pavilion’s cuisine and openly expressed his approval.

“Master Ning, the flavors here are indeed excellent,” Xu Mo continued, “but suppose I told you I have a way to make them even better—would you believe me?”

Hearing this, Chen Miaoyi paused mid-bite, lifting her head to glance at Xu Mo.

She knew he was about to mention monosodium glutamate.

“I believe you! If Mr. Xu says it can be done, then it surely can!” Ning Yongqiang replied without hesitation, clasping his hands seriously. “Would you be willing to teach me, Mr. Xu?”

Xu Mo nodded gently and ladled a small bowl of lamb soup, placing it before Ning Yongqiang.

“Master Ning, take a few sips and memorize the flavor,” he said.

Though uncertain, Ning Yongqiang did as instructed, sipping the soup and committing its taste to memory.

“And now, Mr. Xu?” he asked.

Xu Mo retrieved a small paper packet from his sleeve and unfolded it.

Ning Yongqiang leaned in curiously. Inside was a handful of grayish, unknown powder.

“What is this, Mr. Xu?” Ning Yongqiang asked, intrigued.

Xu Mo smiled slightly and teased, “Rest assured, Master Ning—it’s certainly not poison.”

With that, he added a pinch of MSG to the soup and stirred.

“Now, Master Ning, try it again,” Xu Mo said.

Ning Yongqiang took a sip, and his face instantly brightened with delight. “Mr. Xu, it’s even more savory and delicious than before!”

Without hesitation, he picked up the bowl and drank deeply, unable to stop himself—he looked just like Chen Miaoyi earlier with the fish soup.

In the blink of an eye, the bowl was empty.

Curiosity now thoroughly piqued, Ning Yongqiang asked eagerly, not even bothering to wipe his mouth, “Mr. Xu, what exactly did you add?”

Xu Mo smiled. “Master Ning, this is called monosodium glutamate.”

“Monosodium glutamate?” It was the first time Ning Yongqiang had heard the term.

Xu Mo explained, “Monosodium glutamate enhances the umami flavor of food. Whether you’re stir-frying, making soup, or preparing cold dishes, it can be used. Not only does it stimulate the appetite, but it also brings joy to the body and mind.”

Ning Yongqiang was full of praise, immediately serving himself another bowl of lamb soup, adding MSG, and drinking slowly, savoring each mouthful.

Xu Mo did not rush him, instead eating leisurely and chatting idly with Chen Miaoyi.

After the second bowl, Ning Yongqiang paused and asked, “Mr. Xu, how much more of this monosodium glutamate do you have?”

Xu Mo shook his head. “That’s all there is—just this little bit.”

He still had a large bowl at home, but had no intention of selling it—that was for their own table.

Ning Yongqiang looked disappointed. “Just this? How could that possibly supply the whole Delicacies Pavilion?”

Xu Mo quickly replied, “Master Ning, if you purchase the recipe, you can make as much as you need yourself. Why worry about running out?”

“Mr. Xu, you’re willing to sell me the recipe?” Ning Yongqiang was taken aback.

At this, Chen Miaoyi couldn’t help but frown slightly, as if she wanted to say something to Xu Mo, but hesitated and fell silent.

Xu Mo nodded. “As long as the price is right, I’m naturally willing.”

“Mr. Xu, then name your price!” Ning Yongqiang cut straight to the point.

Xu Mo had already made up his mind. He extended a single finger. “Ten strings of cash.”

Ning Yongqiang had expected a much higher price. Hearing it was only ten strings, he burst out laughing. “Ha! I thought it’d be much more... Ten strings it is—deal!”

Afraid Xu Mo might change his mind, Ning Yongqiang immediately sent for a small chest filled with copper coins, silver ingots, and pieces of silver of various sizes.

“Mr. Xu, here are the ten strings. Please accept them,” Ning Yongqiang said with a smile.

Xu Mo pushed the chest toward Chen Miaoyi, then wrote out the detailed recipe and step-by-step instructions for making MSG.

“Master Ning, if you follow this recipe and method, the MSG you produce will be even finer than what I just used,” Xu Mo said, including dried scallops as an ingredient.

Ning Yongqiang read the instructions carefully, folded them, and tucked them safely away.

He then raised his cup. “Mr. Xu, Mrs. Xu, a toast to you both!”

Xu Mo smiled and raised his cup.

Chen Miaoyi raised hers as well, but inside she felt a twinge of unhappiness.

—

After lunch, Ning Yongqiang arranged for a carriage to take the couple home.

As soon as they entered the courtyard, Chen Miaoyi asked, “Husband, why did you sell the recipe for MSG? Isn’t that... isn’t that terribly shortsighted?”

Carrying the money chest inside, Xu Mo feigned ignorance. “How am I being shortsighted?”

Chen Miaoyi closed the courtyard gate, her tone serious. “Husband, MSG is such a wonderful thing—why sell the recipe? We could have opened a shop ourselves. Over time, we’d make far more than ten strings of cash.”

Finishing, she plopped down in the courtyard, a bit sulky.

Xu Mo set the chest in the main hall and came back out. “Miaoyi, MSG may be good, but its ingredients and process are far too simple. If we opened a shop based on that, we’d almost certainly lose money.”

Chen Miaoyi immediately turned to look at him, clearly unconvinced.

Xu Mo continued, “Believe me, anyone with a discerning palate, after tasting MSG carefully, could figure out the ingredients in no time. Then everyone could make it themselves—how would our shop have any business?”

Chen Miaoyi was momentarily speechless, for Xu Mo was right. Dried mushrooms and tiny shrimp, after drying, were flavors far too easy to distinguish.

Xu Mo went on, “Only someone as wealthy and easy-going as Ning Yongqiang would buy it. If it were anyone else, forget ten strings—they might not even give you one!”

“But aren’t you worried that Ning Yongqiang might come back and demand his money once he realizes how easy it is?” Chen Miaoyi asked, worried.

Xu Mo shook his head, smiling. “He won’t, Miaoyi. To someone as rich as Master Ning, ten strings of cash is nothing at all—he doesn’t care.”

“What’s more, I’m currently providing advice to the Delicacies Pavilion. Besides, MSG truly is a boon to their business.”

“So even if someone tells him later how easy it is to make, he won’t come to me asking for his money back.”