Relations eased
Seeing that the grandfather and grandson seemed to be willing to risk their lives to eat a red mushroom, Yu Ying felt that it was not necessary and said, "Forget it, don't force it."
Neither Luo Shi nor Fu An remained silent.
After knowing that his grandson had eaten the red mushroom first, Mrs. Luo began to feel uneasy.
Ultimately, Roche was still unsure.
It’s not that he doubted Yu, but he was afraid that Yu might have identified the wrong mushroom and picked a poisonous one.
Fu An was afraid that he would be poisoned, but he was also savoring the sweet taste.
I wanted to try it again, but I didn’t have the courage, and I was deeply conflicted.
Yu Ying was half full when she suddenly remembered that she had treated Fu Wei's leg. She was afraid that someone didn't want to see him recover, so she reminded Luo Shi, "Don't tell anyone that I treated Erlang's leg. I'm afraid someone with ulterior motives will try to hinder it."
Mrs. Luo immediately understood the meaning of Mrs. Yu's words and her face turned pale.
If the person whose Erlang's leg was broken knew that it was possible to heal it, he might break it again.
If it is interrupted again, I am afraid there will be no possibility of recovery.
Seeing Luo's serious expression, Yu Ying knew she was clear-headed, and she felt relieved. She glanced at Fu An and said, "Warn Fu An too, and tell him not to tell anyone."
When his name was called, Fu An raised his head with a confused expression.
Luo nodded worriedly: "I will talk to him properly."
After Yu Ying gave her instructions, she saw that her relationship with Luo Shi had improved somewhat, so she asked, "How long does it take to get from Lingshui Village to the county town?"
"You want to go to the county town?" Mrs. Luo asked in surprise.
"Yes, I'm going to the county town." Yu Ying glanced at the broken pottery jar. This was the situation. She could not eat the meat for now, but she had to get a pot back to solve the problem of cooking no matter what.
Mrs. Luo remembered that Mrs. Yu had escaped overnight six days ago. Now that she heard that she was going to the county town, she became a little suspicious.
She left before, but since she came back, Yu Shi has changed from her previous sharp and mean self. Now she is treating Erlang's leg...
If she left, what would Erlang do?
Luo was worried again.
But Fu An didn't know what his grandmother was thinking. He just wanted Yu Ying to run again, so he replied earnestly: "There is an ox cart. There will be an ox cart going to Yu County the day after tomorrow morning!"
Yu Ying looked at him and saw that he was so excited that she knew what he was thinking.
But she was destined to disappoint him, and she really didn't want to run away now.
Seeing her grandson's quick words, Mrs. Luo sighed secretly in her heart. Mrs. Yu wanted to leave, and no one could stop her.
Thinking of this, he simply explained the situation, "Wait at the village entrance early the next morning. Uncle Chen from the neighboring village will be driving a bullock cart to deliver vegetables to Yu County. He will pick up some villagers along the way to go to the county town, and will wait for you when he comes back, but..."
But what?
Yu Ying listened carefully.
After a few breaths, Luo Madam said with an embarrassed look on her face, "It costs one cent for the ride there, and one cent for the ride back."
Yu Ying had a few copper coins in her hand, enough for the taxi fare, so she nodded and said, "I understand. I'll go pick some herbs tomorrow morning and see if the county hospital will accept them. If not, I'll bring them back."
If Yu Ying went there, she would have to buy some things, but she didn't want to be noticed, so she planned to use a sleight of hand to deceive people. When she came back, she could use the excuse that the herbs could not be sold to hide the things in the basket.
Mrs. Luo didn't really believe that she would come back, so she didn't pay attention to what she said.
As the sky gradually darkened, Yu Ying brought water into the house to prepare for cleaning.
Every time when she was cleaning and saw the broken basin used by the whole family, the clean-loving Yu Ying would tell herself that it was lucky that she didn't dress like a beggar, and she shouldn't be so picky.
Although my body accepted it, my heart still resisted it.
She had only two silver leaves worth less than a penny, but she wanted to buy a lot of things.
After scrubbing, she tossed and turned on her straw bed and couldn't fall asleep, not to mention the howling of wolves outside and the constant coughing next door.
How can I sleep like this?
I didn't sleep for half the night and only fell asleep for a while in the second half of the night.
In the morning, Yu Ying got up early, but someone got up earlier than her.
Luo stood in the yard, staring blankly at the distant mountains even though she couldn't see, and no one knew what she was thinking.
After washing her face and drinking a sip of river water that she had no conditions to boil, Yu Ying put on her backpack and took the hatchet and prepared to go out. But before leaving, she still said a few words to Luo Shi to reassure her.
"I'm not planning on leaving. I just want to live a better life and that's why I want to go to the county town. And if I want to leave, I can just leave directly. Why would I lie to you?"
Hearing this, Luo was shaken and hesitated for a moment before asking, "You really don't plan to leave?"
Yu Ying helplessly made an excuse: "I almost fell to my death last time, how could I dare to leave? Besides, I don't know how dangerous it is outside. It's safer for me to stay in Lingshui Village."
At the end of her words, she added: "I will be the head of the Fu family in the future, where else should I go?"
Luo's expression changed, and Yu Ying knew that her suspicions had dispelled, so she left.
Luo finally breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the blurry figure disappear from his sight.
*
Although the mountains are dangerous, people still go there together to pick wild fruits and dig wild vegetables.
Several middle-aged women from Lingshui Village went into the mountains together. When they saw Yu Ying, they were stunned and their eyes lingered on the dark spots on her face for a while.
This is not a real black spot, so Yu Ying doesn't need to care about it.
When she turned to leave, someone called her: "It's dangerous in the mountains. Don't go in alone. It will be safer if you stay with us."
Yu Ying looked over and saw that it was the woman who reminded her yesterday.
She thought about it and decided that it would be safer with more people, so she joined them.
A woman in her forties walked up to her and asked, "Fu's new wife, what are you looking for in the mountains?"
After all, she had to continue living in Lingshui Village, and Yu Ying didn't plan to be alone, so she replied, "I plan to go into the mountains to dig some wild vegetables and herbs."
The woman heard this and suddenly remembered: "I remember your father was the imperial physician in the palace. Could it be that you also have medical skills?"
Hearing this, the other women pricked up their ears and became curious.
Yu Ying knew better than to show off her skills, so she replied calmly, "I've only learned the basics and can identify a few common herbs."
Upon hearing this, the others immediately lost interest and started picking wild fruits.
When Yu Ying saw them disperse, she asked the woman next to her, "What's your name, sister-in-law?"
The woman was straightforward and smiled brightly: "Your mother-in-law and I are almost the same age, so don't call me sister-in-law, just call me Aunt He."
Yu Ying called out politely, "Aunt He."
Aunt He was also busy digging wild vegetables, and told her: "Stay close to here and don't stray too far. If you shout at any time, we can hear you."
After giving the instructions, Aunt He went back to her own business.
With so many people, there were not enough wild fruits and vegetables to pick. Even the red mushrooms, Yu Ying did not continue picking in order to avoid gossip.
After Yu Ying dug some herbs, she also found a small piece of night-scented osmanthus.
Tuberose is a type of mint, but it is different from the common mint in later generations. The common mint in later generations has its scientific name as Coriander Leaf Spearmint, which is an imported herb and should not exist in this dynasty.
Night balm can be used to gargle and freshen breath, or it can be made into tea in summer.
Yu Ying pulled out a dozen plants and planned to plant them in the yard, and use them for gargling or making tea in the future.
After squatting for too long, she stood up and moved around. Seeing some wild fruits in the lower bushes ahead, she cut through the thorns along the way and used a bamboo pole to explore the way forward.
When I got closer, I realized it was a fig fruit.
Ficus pumila fruit is also called jelly fruit.
When she was a child, her grandfather would pick this fruit every summer to make jelly for her.
Yu Ying was a little surprised. She was about to pick a few to make jelly when she heard Aunt He's voice behind her: "Why are you picking those fruits? They are not tasty. They have no flavor."
When Yu Ying heard Aunt He's words, she suddenly had an idea of making some money.
Perhaps no one in this dynasty had discovered that this fruit could be used to make other foods. Maybe she could make some jelly and sell it in Yu County?!
Jelly with mint is a great summer refreshment. If you sell it, you might even make some money!
With this thought, Yu Ying's heart ignited a small flame, but she remained calm on the surface. She said with a faint smile: "This fruit can be eaten as a snack after being dried. I'll pick some and store it."
Hearing what the new wife of the Fu family said, Aunt He remembered that the Fu family was the most miserable family in Lingshui Village. The old ones were blind, the older ones were either working in the quarry or disabled, and the younger ones were unable to shoulder heavy burdens. Apart from wild vegetables, their family could not even drink rice soup every day.
Thinking of this, she said nothing more, and only warned: "Then be careful with the thorns, don't get scratched."
Yu Ying picked up half of the frame before stopping.
By the time we returned to the Fu family, more than half an hour had passed.
Since there were no utensils, Yu Ying did not make jelly immediately, but continued to roast red mushrooms and stir-fry wild vegetables with yesterday's pottery shards.
From the moment she started cooking, Fu An began to drool at the sight of the red mushrooms. Seeing him like this, Yu Ying didn't say much, but simply roasted a few more than yesterday.
The wild vegetables and red mushrooms were divided into five portions. Since the little girl from Fu Ning ate less, she got less.
After she was done, she looked at Fu An and said, "Give it to your grandma and your uncle."
Fu An walked over quickly and saw the red mushrooms in the bowl. He didn't say it was poisonous and directly took two bowls into the house.
He was scared for the whole night, but when the next day nothing happened, he believed that the red mushroom was not poisonous.
Yu Ying glanced at Fu Ning, who was standing beside her with her eyes wide open. A gentle smile appeared on her face, and she handed the bowl to her: "Take it into the house and eat."
The little girl hesitated for a moment before carefully stretching out her hands. However, when she saw that her hands were dirty, she quickly retracted them and wiped her clothes.
Yu Ying took the half bucket of water beside her and said to her, "Just hold out your hands and wash them."
The little girl looked down at her hands which were still not wiped clean, and stretched them out timidly.
Yu Ying slowly poured water into her little hands, then reached out and rubbed them gently.
The little girl seemed to be four or five years old, but her hands were about the size of a two-year-old child and there was not much flesh on them.
The little girl looked at the big hand covering hers. It was soft and tender, completely different from her grandmother's rough hands. It felt very comfortable.
Her eyes involuntarily glued to the pair of white and beautiful hands, and the fear in her heart gradually subsided.
Yu Ying put the bowl in her hand and then ate her own portion.
After eating half her fill, she went into the house and took out a copper coin to give to Mrs. Luo.
"Can I borrow a pot from someone for just one day? I'll borrow it tonight and return it before tomorrow night. This penny will be the rent."
Hearing this, Luo squinted at the copper coin in her hand. Knowing that she would not leave, she did not ask her what she was going to do, but nodded directly: "Then I will go and ask."
Luo still took the copper coin. After all, in this village where people are short of food and clothing, who would dare to lend out the food they use at home if there is no benefit?
After a while, Aunt He brought Luo back with a clay pot.
She returned the copper coins to Yu Ying and said, "How could I possibly take your money? If your Dalang hadn't helped my old man at the quarry, I'm afraid he would have died there."
Aunt He said she didn't want anything, so Yu Ying took it back.
Now that she had the clay pot, Yu Ying started making jelly.
First, I picked out the male fruits that I had accidentally picked from the ficus carica, then used a hatchet to cut open the female fruits, dug out the seeds inside and placed them in a wooden bowl.
After all the fruits were picked, there were about two bowls left, which were then put in the sun to dry.
While the fruit seeds were drying, she boiled a pot of hot water and asked Fuan to watch the fire.
Fu An didn't know if he felt that he had to be grateful for what he had received, so he had no complaints and helped very cooperatively.
While Fu An was watching the fire, Yu Ying tore off the sleeves of her white shirt, then took the wooden tray and sleeves to the river and washed them repeatedly. After returning, she scalded the wooden tray and sleeves with boiling water.
An hour later, she put the seeds of the ficus carica fruit into her sleeves, secured the ends of the sleeves, and then placed them in a basin half filled with clear river water and rubbed them repeatedly.
Only after kneading the water until it became thick did she pour the sticky off-white liquid into the ceramic pot.
The half frame of ficus pumila fruit did not even fill up a ceramic jar. If it was replaced with bowls of jelly with water, it would probably be around ten bowls.
After secretly sighing that it was not easy to make money, Yu Ying continued to work, placing the pottery jar into the water tank. She only needed to wait for one night, and it would solidify by tomorrow.
When you want to eat it, just add the boiled mint water.
Although it has no taste, it makes people feel refreshed, just like holding an ice cube. It is the perfect time to enjoy it during the hot weather in July and August.
Whether I can earn some money to improve my current situation depends on tomorrow.
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