Current laws stipulate that wild ginseng dug up by ordinary people and wild ginseng purchased by supply and marketing cooperatives in various townships must be sold to higher-level pharmaceutical companies.

The pharmaceutical company must purchase wild ginseng of grade six or above and send it to the foreign trade bureau for export to generate revenue and earn foreign exchange for the country.

Wild ginseng of grade six or below is only permitted to be sold by pharmaceutical companies.

Of course, many people also find wild ginseng and want to make more money, so they hide the wild ginseng and sell it privately.

This situation has become increasingly common since the rise of scalper groups led by Xu Yunfeng.

For example, the county supply and marketing cooperative offered 1,600 yuan for a 50-year-old ginseng root, but Xu Yunfeng and his team offered 3,000 yuan.

Naturally, once Xu Yunfeng resells it, the price of this old ginseng will increase by a zero.

Xu Yunfeng's method was very simple.

Since these outsiders want to steal our jobs, let them have a big one.

"Lei Zi, doesn't Sun Deyi from Chaoyang Village have a 60-year-old ginseng?"

Xu Yunfeng had seen this old ginseng at Lao Sun's house. It was of good quality, with lush roots and a perfect shape, like a little baby running around.

Sun Deyi was asking for 5,000 yuan, while they only wanted to offer 3,500 yuan. The two sides were currently negotiating the price.

If this old ginseng were sold in Shanghai, it could conservatively fetch 20,000 to 30,000 yuan.

They could have made a profit even with 5,000 yuan, but if they opened the door this time, it would be difficult to do business later. So the two sides are at an impasse now and have not yet made a deal.

"What's wrong, bro? You agreed to give Sun Deyi 5,000 yuan?"

Lei Zi thought Xu Yunfeng was in a hurry and wanted to pay a fine to get the ginseng.

Xu Yunfeng shook his head. "Tell Li Jin that Sun Deyi has old ginseng, and then tell Sun Deyi that Li Jin is offering a much higher price than us!"

Why?!

"They were already trying to steal our wild ginseng, and now they want to give up the market for our old wild ginseng too?!"

"Big brother, why did you do this?!"

"You admitted defeat? You handed over your livelihood to them?"

Upon hearing Xu Yunfeng's words, the group immediately erupted in anger.

Only Xu Yunsong didn't react. He thought for a moment, then clapped his hands and laughed, saying, "Big brother, you're the best!"

Xu Yunhai and Xu Yunsong are biological brothers, but he often feels that Xu Yunsong and Xu Yunfeng are the real biological brothers.

Sure enough, among the group of people, Xu Yunsong once again acted as if he could read Xu Yunfeng's mind.

Xu Yunhai complained, "What exactly do you mean? Can't you just say things clearly? You talk like you're playing a riddle all the time!"

Xu Yunsong said with a grin, "Brother, remember to keep an eye on Sun Deyi's movements with Da Niu. If the deal goes through, haha, then it'll be time for Director Ai to make his move."

As soon as these words were spoken, the few people who had been chattering just moments before immediately fell silent.

Now I understand.

Understood!

Several people slapped their thighs and laughed even more heartily than Xu Yunsong.

Lei Zi said, "This is a decisive blow; it'll definitely skin him alive before he leaves Yilan!"

Da Niu patted his chest and guaranteed, "My buddy will definitely get the latest news!"

Sun Deyi's youngest daughter-in-law had a relationship with Da Niu before marriage, and it continued after marriage.

Everyone made fun of Da Niu with winks and jerks, but Da Niu didn't care at all and even took pride in it.

Once the plan was finalized, the group immediately began to implement it.

Meanwhile, Li Xiangdong was still thinking about the few old ginseng roots that hadn't been brought out yet.

The next morning, Li Xiangdong got up very early.

Old Cui, Li Jin, Zhou Hongsong, He Chaochao, and the others drank too much last night and are still fast asleep on the kang (heated brick bed).

Li Jiabao has been going up the mountain with them these past few days, climbing high and low, and he's exhausted, but he's also sleeping soundly on the kang (heated brick bed).

Aunt Cui had just finished breakfast when she was surprised to see Li Xiangdong come out. "Dongzi, why are you up so early? I thought you would get up later!"

Li Xiangdong washed his face with water and served himself a bowl of porridge. "I can't sleep. I want to go for a walk in the mountains later."

Then he asked Cui Xinni, "Sister, are you going to help my aunt carry ginseng later?"

After tidying up her gear, Cui Xinni filled the kettle with cooled boiled water. "Yeah, the people from the herbal medicine company should be here in a few days."

Li Xiangdong's heart skipped a beat. "Sister, let me see the kind of equipment you use to carry ginseng!"

"What's so interesting about this!"

Despite saying that, Cui Xinni still introduced him to all the tools for carrying ginseng one by one.

A small pickaxe—for digging stones and digging soil.

Deer bone is used as a skewer to find the main body of ginseng and dig out the ginseng rootlets.

Quickly used as a saw, quickly used as an axe, quickly used as a sickle, quickly used as scissors—for carrying ginseng up the forest floor, digging up tree roots, and cutting grass.

"Kuai Dang" is a Manchu word, placed before saws, axes, scissors, and sickles. It was passed down from our ancestors. One meaning is that these tools are small and convenient, and the other is that going through the mountains smoothly and successfully, bringing good luck.

As for why deer bone skewers are used, many experienced ginseng farmers say it's because deer bones are tough and not easily broken, and the surface of deer bone skewers is very smooth, so it's not easy to damage the ginseng's skin when lifting it.

Both deer bone and deer antler are traditional Chinese medicines with anti-inflammatory properties. Even if a deer bone skewer damages the ginseng's skin, the ginseng will not rot.

In addition, in ancient times, herders were in a situation of lack of medical care and medicine as soon as they entered the mountains. If a wound became infected, they could grind deer bone into powder, boil it in water, and drink it to reduce inflammation and detoxify.

Therefore, carrying ginseng with deer bone skewers served two purposes at once, and this custom has been passed down.

Cui Xinni continued to explain to Li Xiangdong, "You can't use iron skewers to lift ginseng. If you use iron skewers to lift ginseng, it will rot as soon as you break the skin. If you touch the ginseng roots, they will break."

Li Xiangdong suddenly realized, "Wow, there are so many intricacies involved! I thought they used deer bones because sika deer are considered auspicious!"

"What you're saying also has that meaning."

"Sister, I have a favor to ask."

"Speak! And all that flowery language!"

"Do you have any spare deer bone skewers I can use?"

Cui Xinni and Aunt Cui went to the ginseng field together. Li Xiangdong, holding the deer bone pick that Cui Xinni had just given him, carried a basket on his back and leisurely walked up the mountain.

Along the way, he would stop from time to time to pick wild scallions from the riverbank, pluck a few bunches of bright red Schisandra chinensis, and pluck some wild honeysuckle.

Anyway, anyone who sees him would think he's just a young man who went up the mountain to see something new.

Li Xiangdong appeared relaxed, but he was actually very alert. He kept a close eye on his surroundings, and only when he was sure that no one was around did he hurry towards the place he had marked the day before.

With the help of tools, Li Xiangdong successfully dug up three smaller wild ginseng roots within three hours.

There were actually a few more trees, but they were too small and wouldn't be of much value if dug up, so Li Xiangdong didn't bother with them.