"It was in the river just outside the village. Yesterday, Little Yan and I went fishing and caught it by sheer luck," Lu Qing replied.
"A Green Armored Fish of such age in that little river?" Old Doctor Chen said, somewhat surprised.
The river outside the village wasn't particularly large; the fact that a Green Armored Fish had grown to this size was indeed remarkable.
But suddenly, a thought flashed across his mind: the nearby villages didn't seem to rely on fishing as their livelihood.
"No wonder you mentioned earlier that you feel gifted in fishing. To have a Fish Stone that could nurture a fish of this quality and size, the Green Armored Fish must've been huge. And you still managed to reel it in?"
Old Doctor Chen glanced at Lu Qing's somewhat thin and frail frame, his impression of the boy profoundly shifting.
"It was thanks to the fishing line you gave me, Grandpa Chen," Lu Qing replied humbly. "Grandpa Chen, that line really is extraordinarily sturdy. Without it, I wouldn't have been able to pull in such a big fish."
"Glad it came in handy. That thing was of no use to me anyway," Old Doctor Chen said, waving his hand dismissively.
Instead, his interest shifted to the wooden bucket Lu Qing was carrying in his hands.
"What's in your bucket? It looks quite heavy."
To prevent the fish from becoming overly startled during the outing, Lu Qing had placed some branches and leaves in the bucket, making it hard for Old Doctor Chen to distinguish its contents.
"Inside is something I want to give you, Grandpa Chen," Lu Qing said, beginning to remove the branches and leaves from the bucket. "Yesterday, Little Yan and I caught two big fish while fishing. We ate the bigger Green Armored Fish, and this smaller one—we thought of giving it to you to enjoy."
"That's right, Grandpa Chen! This fish is so, so beautiful! Grandpa Zhang and the others didn't even recognize what kind it was," Little Yan chimed in.
"Oh, how thoughtful. Then I must take a look at what kind of fish you've brought me," Old Doctor Chen said, his interest visibly piqued.
"Here it is," Lu Qing said, clearing away the remaining leaves and handing the bucket to the elderly doctor.
The old man peered into the bucket, and as his eyes landed on that flame-like fish, his expression froze briefly before softening into an emotional gaze.
He exclaimed, "This, this is the Red Moon Carp!"
Old Doctor Chen certainly recognized the fish.
*Lu Qing's thoughts churned, but his face showed nothing but confusion.*
"Grandpa Chen, you know what kind of fish this is?"
Setting Little Yan down, Old Doctor Chen leaned closer, reached into the bucket, and gently teased the fish as he carefully examined it.
At last, he confirmed with certainty, "No doubt about it—this is indeed a Red Moon Carp!"
The old doctor now looked at Lu Qing with genuine astonishment. "You actually managed to catch a Strange Fish like the Red Moon Carp?"
"Grandpa Chen, what's a Red Moon Carp?" Little Yan asked innocently.
"Ah, Red Moon Carp... now that's something truly extraordinary."
Seeing Lu Qing's equally bewildered face, Old Doctor Chen decided to explain in full.
"The Red Moon Carp is a type of Strange Fish. In this world, any fish that's considered 'strange' always has unique qualities."
"The Red Moon Carp, for instance, is renowned for its unmatched flavor."
"Legend has it that its taste is so exquisite that once someone eats it, they could never forget the experience. Because of this, some enthusiasts even rank it among 'The Ten Great Delicacies of the World.'"
"The Ten Great Delicacies of the World?"
This time, it was Lu Qing's turn to be surprised.
*He hadn't anticipated that the Red Moon Carp would have such a grand reputation.*
*No wonder it was deemed a Superpower-class delicacy among Strange Fish.*
"Wow! So Big Red Fish is that amazing!" Little Yan exclaimed, astonished. "Grandpa Chen, have you ever eaten Big Red Fish?"
"I had the fortune of tasting it once at a banquet hosted by a wealthy noble," Old Doctor Chen said. "The flavor was..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but even Little Yan could see the nostalgia written all over his face.
"Then giving this Red Moon Carp to you, Grandpa Chen, would be perfect," Lu Qing said.
"Your gift is too precious for me to accept, though," Old Doctor Chen replied. "Do you know how much this Red Moon Carp could sell for in the city?"
Lu Qing shook his head.
"One hundred taels of silver," Old Doctor Chen said, raising a finger. Seeing the shock on Lu Qing's face, he continued, "The finest quality Red Moon Carp can easily fetch at least one hundred taels of pure silver."
"One single fish is worth one hundred taels of silver?" Lu Qing gasped.
*He was well aware of the value of silver in this world; it was exceedingly high.*
*One tael of silver could sustain a family of three in basic comfort for a month.*
"The world is vast, Lu Qing," Old Doctor Chen said with a soft sigh. "The expenditures of the wealthy exceed anything ordinary folks could fathom. Do you know how much is spent on a single banquet hosted by these nobles?"
Lu Qing shook his head again.
"At least one thousand taels of silver for a modest affair. If it's meant to entertain distinguished guests, the cost would be even more staggering."
"The Red Moon Carp is such a rare and exquisite delicacy that for these moneyed nobles, spending a mere hundred taels for its taste is nothing at all."
Lu Qing's jaw slackened.
*His expression was half-feigned, but the other half revealed genuine astonishment.*
"So, what do you think? Do you still want to give this Red Moon Carp to an old man like me?"
Old Doctor Chen teased, watching the incredulous look on Lu Qing's face.