Ye Shihui heard Li Xu’s assessnt and nodded, acknowledging his expertise.
The man was clearly an expert.
Ye Shihui was confident in the quality of the Rhino Horn and knew it would fetch a high price. However, considering the large quantity of Musk, he cautiously ventured, "How about five hundred fifty thousand?"
Li Xu’s brow furrowed slightly. "Two hundred thousand, tops," he said, his tone firm. "That’s my bottom line."
"Two hundred thousand?" Ye Shihui considered it for a mont, then replied cheerfully, "Alright! Since Doctor Li is a valued guest referred by Ding Aiguo, and we’ll be doing business together long-term, let’s seal the deal at that price!"
Li Xu nodded, satisfied. "It’s a pleasure doing business with you. If you get any more high-quality goods in the future, be sure to contact first."
The deal was completed smoothly, and both parties were quite pleased.
The two didn’t linger and soon took their leave.
Ding Aiguo invited Li Xu back to his villa.
Li Xu accepted.
Inside the Ding villa, Ding Aiguo poured Li Xu a cup of tea and voiced the question that had been on his mind. "Doctor Li, why didn’t you press for a lower price? That Rhino Horn is precious, yes, but there should have been so room to negotiate on that six-million price."
"You have to give the other party so face on the first deal," Li Xu said calmly, taking a sip of tea. "It’s better to leave a good impression to build a long-term relationship. Besides, this deal was an absolute steal."
"Oh?"
Ding Aiguo looked puzzled.
He couldn’t see how it was a steal at all.
Li Xu smiled and picked up a piece of the Musk, beginning a detailed explanation. "Musk has a long and storied history. The great Tang dynasty poet Du Fu wrote in his poem, *Clove*, of ’evenings spent amidst orchid and musk.’ In ancient tis, scholars and artists would often add a small amount of Musk to high-grade pignts, creating what was known as ’Musky Ink’ for their calligraphy and paintings. This not only lent the artwork a subtle fragrance but also protected it from insects and rot, allowing for long-term preservation."
"The *Introduction to dicine* records that Musk can ’penetrate barriers and open the orifices, reaching up to the muscles and deep into the bone marrow.’ Similarly, the *Compendium of Materia dica* states that ’Musk’s nature is to travel swiftly, clearing blockages in the orifices and unblocking the ridians.’ This ans Musk can rapidly penetrate muscle and bone, allowing its dicinal properties to take full effect."
"Scent Deer produce the most musk after they turn three. The peak season for musk secretion is from August to September, with production dropping sharply from October to February. There are two main thods of extraction: harvesting from a hunted deer and extracting it from a live one."
Ding Aiguo listened, captivated. He was out of his depth here. Although he had a passion for rare dicinal ingredients, he knew *of* Musk, but didn’t truly *understand* it.
Previously, Li Xu hadn’t understood it very well either.
’But the intel he’d been given was incredibly detailed.’
’Especially about the Musk from today’s transaction.’
Li Xu gently caressed the Musk and continued, "High-quality Musk is firm yet elastic. It feels slightly soft when you pinch it and imdiately returns to its original shape when you let go. To test it, you can take a small amount and rub it in your palm. Genuine Musk won’t stain your skin, can be clumped together but also breaks apart easily, isn’t sticky, and possesses a rich, lasting aroma."
"In certain formulas, if an animal-based aromatic like Musk is absent, the dicine lacks a certain dynamism, and its efficacy is greatly diminished. Only through the proper application of animal-based aromatics can one balance the dicinal properties, giving the formula a vibrant life force and a profound character."
At this point, Li Xu smiled knowingly. "Chairman Ding, you may not be aware, but while it might look like I took a loss on this deal, that couldn’t be further from the truth!"
A look of surprise crossed Ding Aiguo’s face. "What? You an there’s more to it?"
"Just as Dragon’s Saliva Fragrance is divided into three grades—’water-floated,’ ’sand-perated,’ and ’fish-eaten’—Musk also has three distinct grades."
Li Xu held up the Musk and began to explain. "The lowest grade is called Heart Knot Fragrance. It’s a blood clot that forms in a Scent Deer’s heart when it’s hunted down, terrified and running for its life. This type is dry and astringent, with a heavy, foul odor, making it unsuitable for blending into incense."
"The next grade up is Navel Incense, which is harvested from the natural secretions found in a living Scent Deer’s navel. Its scent is clean and elegant, the foulness is much fainter, and it’s acceptable for blending."
"But these two pieces right here... these are the finest of all!"
Li Xu picked up a piece of Musk, held it under his nose, and took a gentle sniff. A look of rapture spread across his face. "This is ’raw fragrance,’ also known as ’residual fragrance.’ It’s the musk that a Scent Deer has scraped off itself. Legend says that wherever this type of musk is found, the vegetation grows lush and vibrant. It’s truly miraculous."
Ding Aiguo took it to examine more closely and marveled, "It truly is extraordinary. There’s no foulness at all, just a clean, subtle elegance. It’s incredibly refreshing."
Li Xu placed a minuscule amount on the tip of his tongue. "Top-grade Musk should prickle the tongue. It’s slightly bitter at first, followed by a sweet aftertaste. The inner mbrane of the pod is a translucent, silvery-white, while the middle layer is a lustrous, brownish-red. Connoisseurs call this ’The Two Heavens of Red and Silver.’"
"At dawn, hunters burn pine branches to ward off evil spirits before entering the mountains with their hounds. The Scent Deer is vigilant and flees at the sight of humans, leaving only its droppings behind as a trail. This animal has a fierce nature. When cornered, it will often curl up to protect its navel, refusing to yield even unto death."
Li Xu recited, "It’s just as the poet Li Shangyin wrote: ’Leaping from the cliff, the musk deer sheds its scent.’ His words capture this exact, tragic grandeur."
"I’ve learned so much!" Ding Aiguo said, his face full of admiration. "Doctor Li, your breadth of knowledge is astonishing. I’m truly impressed!"
Ding Aiguo refilled their cups with fresh tea and chuckled. "So, it seems Ye Shihui was too clever for his own good, eh? Heh heh. He’s always bragging about his discerning eye, but it looks like his skills are just average. You really found a hidden gem that he missed, Doctor Li."
Li Xu just smiled and said nothing more.
’In truth, distinguishing between different grades of Musk was incredibly difficult.’
’Without the reminder from his intel, he wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference either.’
"Doctor Li, what do you think of this tea?" Ding Aiguo inquired.
"The tea?"
Li Xu paused.
His attention had been so focused on the Musk that he hadn’t paid any mind to the tea’s flavor.
Now reminded, Li Xu picked up his cup again, gently blowing across the surface to cool it.
The brew was clear and bright with a faint golden hue. A delicate, clean aroma drifted up to his nose.
He took a sip. The liquid swirled over his tongue, first a hint of bitterness, then a returning sweetness, and finally a crisp fragrance that filled his throat.
"This tea..." Li Xu’s eyes brightened. "Is this a top-grade Longjing?"
Ding Aiguo nodded with a smile. "Doctor Li really knows his tea. This is a pre-Qingming West Lake Longjing from this year’s harvest. I got it from a good friend of mine who’s a connoisseur."
Li Xu took another deliberate sip, savoring the complex layers of flavor that unfolded in his mouth.
First ca the crisp freshness of young buds, followed by the llow, nutty aroma from the pan-firing process, and finally a long, lingering finish that carried the fresh scent of the mountains.
He couldn’t help but exclaim, "Excellent tea! The roasting was handled perfectly. It preserved the fresh vitality of the leaves while bringing out their underlying depth."
Seeing Li Xu’s deep appreciation, Ding Aiguo’s face lit up with pleasure. "I’m glad you like it, Doctor Li. Speaking of which, I have a friend who shares your family na, Li. He’s a tea fanatic and a true gourmand. He always says that ’tea and food are one family,’ and insists on pairing every tea tasting with a table of exquisite dishes."
Li Xu set down his cup, listening with keen interest.
"It’s all thanks to your help recently that Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory was able to weather that storm," Ding Aiguo said, extending an invitation. "I’d like to ask my friend to cook for us personally, to prepare a banquet in your honor. I wonder if you would grace us with your presence, Doctor Li?"
Li Xu waved his hand dismissively. "Chairman Ding, you’re being too kind. It was all part of my job."
"Please, Doctor Li, you mustn’t refuse," Ding Aiguo insisted. "Brother Li’s culinary skills are famous in our circle. The als he prepares are simply out of this world. Once you’ve tried his food, you’ll never forget it."
"Well..."
Li Xu was starting to feel tempted.
’Is it really that good?’
Between that and Ding Aiguo’s persistence, he finally nodded in agreent. "In that case, it would be rude of to refuse."
Ding Aiguo laughed heartily. "Excellent! It’s settled, then. I’ll co and get you this weekend."
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