The next day.
After breakfast, Wan Changsheng looked at his son and said, "Ping An, you are now seven and a half years old, and you will be eight in August. Your parents want to send you to school. The nearest private school here is the He Family Private School in your grandmother's village. The other private school is the town. The town is a bit far from here, more than ten miles away. Even if you take a horse cart, it will take half an hour. I have discussed with your mother and decided to send you to the He Family Private School."
Ping An looked at his mother, then at his father, and lowered his eyes: "Mom and Dad, it's already the end of March. The busy farming season will start at the end of June. Why don't we go to school in early August? I will practice calligraphy at home in the next few months, and occasionally go up the mountain to collect herbs."
Wan Changsheng was stunned: "Collecting herbs? No, no, you are so young, how can you go to the mountain? Besides, there are many snakes and insects on Chunri Mountain, no."
Ping An said, "It should be fine to go to the shallow mountains. Bring some snake and insect medicine. I just feel that my body is weak, so I want to practice. Otherwise, if I don't have a good body when I grow up, I will accomplish nothing."
Mei Niang knew that her son was stubborn and once he made up his mind, it would be difficult for him to turn back. Besides, he had already agreed to go to school in early August.
"Husband, let him be. I'll go with you. There are a lot of things on Kasuga Mountain. It won't hurt to stock up."
Wan Changsheng saw his wife winking at him, so he agreed, "Okay, then you can go to school in early August. In the next few months, I will teach you how to collect herbs and set traps. You can keep half of what you get. The weather is good today, I will take you to the shallow mountains in the morning, and we have to plant the land in the afternoon."
He has hired someone to plow his one acre of land, and he can start planting the seeds tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.
Now that there are more people in the family, one acre of land is no longer enough for food. It is difficult to buy good farmland in the village, so we have to plant more sweet potatoes and wheat.
When I was alone before, I didn’t care about anything. But now I am preparing to send my child to school, and I can’t spend a single cent of the money I don’t have.
This child is smart. If he studies well, we can't just let him study for one or two years and then go home. Fifty taels of silver is really nothing compared to supporting a student. It will only be used for a few years. Besides, a family must have some savings in case of disasters and diseases. After all, people eat grains, ...
Ping'an watched his stepfather tie the corners of his trousers, neither loose nor tight so that snakes and insects could not get in.
He also hung a small sachet on himself, which contained snake and insect medicine.
Very common pills, with plenty of ingredients on the mountain. They need to be replaced after a few days of use, otherwise the medicinal properties will be gone.
Wan Changsheng prepared another water bag of warm water. There was only one water bag at home, so next time he would make up his mind to buy two more. Summer is coming soon, and he can’t go out without it.
"My dear, I will take the children to the shallow mountains later, and you can find some wild vegetables on the slope."
Mei Niang nodded and said, "I'll see what else I can plant in the field. The field can't be left empty. Ping An is young, so you should keep an eye on him."
Their home was at the foot of Nanshan Mountain. After leaving the yard and following a mountain road, they soon reached a slope. A large piece of land at the foot of the slope was the land that Changsheng later opened up. Mei Niang parted ways with them here. There were already women and children looking for wild vegetables in groups of three or four.
Wan Changsheng walked in front, looking back at the child from time to time. In just one day, he took the child to heart, as if he were his own.
Maybe this is fate.
Ping'an was a little out of breath. He was carrying a small backpack, which he brought from his home.
In fact, when he was in Changjia Village, he often accompanied his mother to the fields. He was worried about his mother going out alone, and his mother was worried about leaving him alone at home. But at most they would just find some firewood at the foot of the mountain, and they would not dare to go any further.
Over the years, his family's firewood had been chopped by his uncle and cousin in a few days, just enough for his mother and daughter to use, and they had to pick up the dry firewood for starting the fire themselves.
He had never been to the real mountain.
Even so, his luck was quite good. Whenever he went out, he could always find more things than others.
For example, now, you can vaguely see the branches and leaves of Panax notoginseng beside a stone ten feet away from the mountain road. This medicine is the best medicine for wounds and its price will not be low.
But he couldn't say that he knew the child, but it was impossible to let him go.
"Dad, wait for me. I think the leaves are pretty and there are flowers on them. I'll pick some."
Wan Changsheng suddenly heard the child's cheerful voice and was delighted. This child was good in every way, except that he was too old and did not have the cheerfulness of a child. It seemed that it would not be a bad idea to bring him up the mountain.
"What flower?" He was stunned before he could finish his sentence. "Ping An, don't move. That's medicine. Dad will help you."
In a few steps, the father and son arrived at the big rock.
Wan Changsheng was slightly shocked. There were six or seven Panax notoginseng plants, which were more than three or four years old. This kind of medicine was very rare. These plants could be sold for at least eight to ten taels.
He often walked on this mountain road, but had never looked over there. A large rock just covered the herbs, and if he didn't pay attention, he really couldn't see them.
"Ping An, look carefully. This is Panax notoginseng, the best herbal medicine for wounds. It is very hard to find. These plants are basically four to six years old. If this kind of medicine is sold to Baicaotang in the county, it will probably cost more than ten taels. We are going to make a fortune today."
Ping'an grinned. He could get half of the ten taels. At this time, ten taels could allow him to marry a wife. This was his first private money, and it was not a small amount.
Fortunately, I had made three rules with my stepfather before.
It took the father and son nearly half an hour to dig out the medicine carefully.
Wan Changsheng wrapped the medicine in large leaves, wrapped it in a handkerchief, and put it in his backpack. He said happily, "I'll give you half of the money from selling these. Dad has become rich today because of his son."
Ping An smiled and said, "Okay, I'll find a better medicine later."
Wan Changsheng grinned but did not refute him. In the shallow mountains, this should be the best medicine. Better medicine, such as ginseng, would be hard to find in the deep mountains.
He would not go into the deep mountains. His kung fu skills were not very good and he did not want to lose his life, let alone with a child.
They did not walk fast along the way. When they came across medicinal herbs, Wan Changsheng would explain them to the children in detail. They would pick all that could be picked and keep those that could not be picked for the time being.
After a morning, Ping'an realized that there were still many medicinal herbs that his father didn't recognize, and some of them were quite precious.
I can only go to the county town later to see if I can buy a medical book.
Otherwise it would be hard for me to say it out loud.
Take your time.
On the way down the mountain, Wan Changsheng also found a bundle of dry firewood to take with him. He had a good harvest today. It was already past noon, and if he didn't go down the mountain, his wife would be worried.
Ping'an felt his legs shaking a little. He wondered if his stepfather had learned any kung fu in the army. If so, it would be best for him to practice with him.
This time, only a small rabbit was found in the trap, weighing about two pounds and worthless. Ma Changsheng tied it to the firewood and went back to ask his wife to cook it and eat it.
Mei Niang had been looking around in the field, and she only breathed a sigh of relief when she saw two people, one big and one small, coming out.
My son is still too young. She is in such a hurry to go up the mountain to find medicine. I’m afraid she doesn’t want to rely entirely on her husband to raise him.
Mei Niang looked at the two of them with a smile, but her heart was filled with bitterness.
Her son could have grown up happily, but he became a little adult too early.
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