The path up the mountain is not difficult to walk. Because many people have walked it, some sections have been cleared into mud steps, which can reduce a lot of effort.
This mountain was even balder than the one Yunling had seen in the apocalypse. Forget about thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum and hundred-year-old ginseng; there wasn't even a trace of mushrooms, fungi, wild vegetables, or wild fruits. Many trees had even had their bark stripped off.
Yunling had no choice but to go deeper into the mountains. The further she went, the more energy she absorbed from the mountain beneath her feet. She could see more clearly and farther. At the same time, the entire mountain was nourished by her supernatural power and became more and more vibrant.
But when she heard the strange noise, Yun Ruochun pulled her back, "Ling-jie, everyone usually goes back after coming here. It's dangerous inside, there might be poisonous snakes."
As Yunling knew, venomous snakes in the deep mountains generally move slowly and sleep lazily curled up. Even if you check on them every few days, they will only turn over to bask in the sun.
Moreover, even if she were attacked by a venomous snake, Yun Ling would be unharmed due to her supernatural abilities. However, she couldn't tell Yun Ruochun about this, so she could only use her age-appropriate skills and act coquettishly:
"Auntie, let's go in. I have excellent eyesight. If I spot a poisonous snake, I'll tell you immediately. My auntie is so amazing, she can do anything. We'll definitely get back safely, right?"
"And if we're lucky, we might even catch a pheasant. Auntie, we haven't had meat in ages. Do you remember the taste of roast chicken, braised chicken, and stewed chicken?"
Yun Ruochun swallowed hard, as if she could smell chicken. "We have to agree that if we encounter any danger, we should run away immediately, and we can't mention this when we get home."
"Yes!" Yunling nodded emphatically.
The two continued walking, and after walking quite a distance, they finally saw some small black mushrooms. Yun Ruochun was delighted and was about to pick them.
"At least we've made some progress. We can make mushroom porridge tonight."
"Auntie, I'll pick them. You go and gather some dead branches; we'll grow mushrooms."
Yun Ruochun didn't take growing mushrooms seriously, thinking that Yun Ling was just a child playing house. However, she didn't take advantage of her age to lecture her. Who didn't grow up to be a child? Who didn't have a childhood?
Yun Ruochun replied, "Okay." Then she searched around for dead branches.
Yunling gently pulled up the black mushroom. The black mushroom had plumped up in her hand. This black mushroom opened its cap early, had a thin cap, and its nutritional content was not as high as other mushrooms. It also tasted very rough. Even if it were grown and sold, the price would not be very high. But in the current situation, it was a stroke of luck to find it.
After carefully placing all the black mushrooms in the basket, Yunling noticed the small grass at her feet. She squatted down to take a look and realized it was Coptis chinensis.
She understood.
Most villagers don't recognize the herbs and think they're just ordinary grass, so apart from those that have been trampled or pulled up carelessly, most of them are intact.
These herbs are all wild, and even if they are dried, they can fetch a good price. Yunling was delighted to show off her skills. In addition to Coptis chinensis, she also picked a lot of Asarum heterotropoides, Ophiopogon japonicus, and Schisandra chinensis, filling the basket to the brim.
It was getting late, and Yunling was thinking about having some meat, so she used her special ability to find some birds and beasts. After learning that there were wild pheasants in the northwest, she immediately informed Yun Ruochun.
"No, Ling-jie, you saw it?"
"Yes, I just saw pheasant feathers, in the northwest."
Yun Ruochun immediately took off the basket, took out the thin rope inside, and tiptoed in the direction Yun Ling indicated.
Yunling followed closely behind, and the two parted a clump of grass, where they saw a pheasant with a red face, blue neck, and yellow body pecking at tender leaves.
As Yunling pondered how to capture the pheasant, unsure whether to kill it with a stick or cover it with something, Yun Ruochun swiftly caught the pheasant before she could react. She then deftly tied the pheasant's legs and threw it into a basket, her movements fluid and effortless.
"Auntie, you're amazing."
"That's all I'm capable of. Let's go back."
"good."
They hurried down the mountain, not for any other reason than the smoke rising from every household's chimney, the aroma of food wafting gently to their noses.
The villagers always prepare their evening meal before sunset, and after eating, they wash up and go to bed, saving money on candles.
After Yunling and Yun Ruochun descended the mountain, they saw Zhang Shi and Yun's mother standing at their doorstep from afar. The worry on their faces disappeared completely upon seeing them.
After entering the room, Yun Ruochun took out a pheasant from the basket, and everyone's eyes lit up.
"How about we cook it and eat it now?"
Zhang glanced at the western sun, which was almost hidden behind the mountain. In addition, there was no water in the kitchen, and pheasants were more troublesome to prepare than domestic chickens. They also needed to light candles for illumination. Wasn't this just blatantly telling others that they were stealing food?
She thought she should deal with it tomorrow, but she didn't say it out loud. Her family had never been stingy with good food, but in order to move to the county town, they had eaten coarse grains for several months without any oil or fat. It was a rare treat to get a pheasant.
Pheasant, it's a pheasant!
Finally, it was Old Man Yun who spoke up, "If we keep this chicken until tomorrow, I bet none of us will be able to sleep tonight. Let's eat it."
His words brought joy to the whole family.
"I'll go boil some water."
"I'll go bleed him out."
"I'll go wash the vegetables."
Yun Shenghua ended the life of the pheasant in the dark, plucked its feathers, cleaned it, and then put it in a pot to stew. To prevent the smell from wafting out, Zhang wrapped a thick towel around the pot lid, and Yunling and Yunchu also used handkerchiefs to block the gaps in the window.
With Yun Ruochun diligently tending the fire, it was cooked in less than half an hour.
The family squeezed into the kitchen, closing the door tightly. Yunling stood on a small stool, watching as the pot lid was lifted, releasing billowing steam. The aroma of chicken wafted over, and she couldn't help but lean forward.
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