Chapter 44: Finding a way to make a living
The meat sizzled on the fire, the fat dripped, and the flames ignited. The tempting aroma filled the camp, making everyone's stomachs growl.
Yang Zhilan washed her hands, ran happily to Lin Xiyan, pulled her clothes and said:
"Sister Lin, this beast meat smells so delicious. Last night was so dangerous, but I didn't expect it to be a delicious meal today. It's really a blessing in disguise."
Lin Xiyan smiled lightly and reached out to pinch her cheek:
"Yes, although we were attacked by beasts, fortunately everyone is safe and sound. This meat can also help everyone replenish their bodies and restore some strength."
Everyone sat around the campfire, chewing the meat with big mouthfuls. Although there was no exquisite seasoning, they ate it with gusto. Lin Wuyu swallowed a mouthful of meat and said solemnly:
"Although we have meat to eat now, we must not let our guard down. The beast tide last night was definitely not accidental. The guy from Jinyun Temple is the biggest suspect. We must not let our guard down in our patrols and vigilance going forward."
Yang Jiangju nodded in agreement.
Yang Zhilan swallowed the food in her mouth, blinked her eyes and suggested:
"Sister Lin, Brother Jiang, can we set up some early warning systems in the future? We can detect the beasts as they approach, and we can prepare in advance."
Everyone's eyes lit up when they heard this, and Lin Xiyan praised:
"Sister Zhilan, this is a great idea! We can bury some bells around the camp, connected by thin wires. When wild animals touch them, the bells will ring and serve as an early warning. We can also sprinkle some animal repellent powder, and even if a few wild animals approach, they will be scared away."
Jiang Shouyi added:
"We need to deploy more lookouts, rotating them day and night, to keep a close eye on the forests from high vantage points. If anything unusual happens, they'll sound the alarm immediately."
After that, everyone quickly divided the work. Lin Xiyan led Yang Zhilan to prepare animal repellent powder, grinding herbs and mixing spices. The powder had a pungent smell but was powerful.
Jiang Moyu and Yang Jiangju led people into the mountains to cut tough branches and make bell frames.
Lin Wuyu surveyed the area around the camp, selected a lookout post, and directed the construction of a simple watchtower.
After working for most of the day, the early warning system was fully set up.
Bells hung quietly in the breeze, powder was evenly spread along the edge of the camp, and on the lookout post, the guys held gongs and binoculars, their eyes sharp.
Jiang Shouyi checked them one by one and nodded with satisfaction: "With these, we will be able to deal with danger more calmly in the future."
The next few days were indeed calm and life in the camp returned to peace.
As the morning light shines, people are still busy in the fields, inside and outside the tents, repairing tools and taking care of crops. Their lives are plain but solid.
However, after experiencing the changes, the two camps became increasingly aware that relying solely on the meager harvest from the land and occasional hunting would not be enough to sustain their livelihoods in the long run, let alone withstand unknown storms.
So, everyone sat together and discussed ways to make money so that the camp could live better.
These days, Lin Xiyan often searches for useful herbs in the mountains to treat injuries, repel insects and prevent epidemics.
One day, she was walking through the mountains and forests as usual. The breeze blew across her clothes, bringing with it the fragrance of grass and trees.
When we reached a hidden valley, we saw several unique-looking herbs:
The leaves are narrow and green with fine hairs on the edges. The stems are flexible and dotted with small lavender flowers with a faint fragrance.
Lin Xiyan's heart moved, and she leaned over to take a closer look. With her years of experience in studying herbs and her keen intuition, she guessed that this thing was extraordinary.
He carefully picked one, rushed back to the camp, and fiddled with it for a while, grinding the herb into a fine powder. He also added a few common nourishing and soothing medicinal powders, mixed it with water, and applied it on the back of his hand to try.
After a while, I took off the mask and saw that my skin was like petals soaked in morning dew, so smooth and radiant, and the fine lines were a little lighter.
“This is good stuff!”
Lin Xiyan couldn't hide her joy, and immediately found Lin Wuyu, Jiang Shouyi and others to excitedly show her the results.
"Look everyone, this herb is made into a facial mask, which has excellent beauty and skin care effects. Who among us women doesn't want smooth and tender skin?"
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Lin's eyes lit up. "In the capital, noble ladies would spend a fortune to keep their youth forever. This thing has never been seen before, it will definitely sell well!"
Everyone gathered around, marveling at her. Yang Zhilan gently stroked her face, eyes full of envy: "Sister Lin, can I become beautiful just by applying this? It's amazing! If I could have skin like this, I would wake up smiling in my dreams."
Lin Xiyan quickly gathered a few sisters who were quick and thoughtful to form a herb-picking team. Yang Zhilan was the first to sign up enthusiastically, pulling Lin Xiyan's arm and acting coquettishly:
"Sister Lin, you have to take me with you. Although I'm weak, I have good eyesight and dexterity, and I guarantee I won't be a burden."
Lin Xiyan couldn't resist and nodded in agreement with a smile.
The next morning, at daybreak, several people, carrying bamboo baskets and holding small shovels, headed up the mountain full of energy.
In the mountains and forests, the morning light shines through the gaps between the branches and leaves, casting mottled light and shadows, like a golden veil.
Lin Xiyan held a homemade map in her hand and led the way, bending down from time to time to check for traces of herbs, and whispered:
"Sisters, be careful when picking this herb. Dig it up with the roots so that it will be fully effective. Don't damage the stems, otherwise the juice will leak out and half of its effectiveness will be lost."
Yang Zhilan followed closely behind, her eyes focused, her small shovel rising and falling gently. When she dug up a whole herb, she felt like she had found a treasure. She carefully placed it in the bamboo basket, muttering:
"Baby, come back to camp with me and make a splash."
My sister Ah Zhen joked: "Sister Zhilan, you think this is raising a baby, why do you take it so seriously?"
Yang Zhilan's cheeks flushed, and she scolded, "Sister Zhen, this is more precious than a doll. It concerns the livelihood of our camp, how can we not pay attention to it?"
As they chatted and laughed, they gradually went deeper into the forest. The medicinal herbs became more and more dense. Everyone worked very hard and soon the bamboo baskets were mostly filled.
But the deep mountains are full of dangers after all. When he was busy collecting herbs, the branches and leaves above his head rustled, and a spotted snake as thick as his arm hung down, spitting out its tongue, and its triangular eyes shone with a cold light.
"Ah! There's a snake!" a sister screamed.
Lin Xiyan reacted extremely quickly. She quickly pulled out a dagger from her waist and threw it out. The dagger accurately pierced the snake's head. The snake twisted its body a few times and collapsed to the ground.
"Don't be afraid, sisters. Be careful of your feet and heads. There are many insects and snakes in the deep mountains. Just don't panic."
Lin Xiyan comforted everyone with a steady and powerful voice, calming everyone's emotions and continuing to carefully collect herbs.
When the bamboo baskets were full, everyone returned happily.
After returning to the camp, without taking a break, Yang Zhilan began to process the herbs manually. She washed her hands, sat at the table, and picked the herbs one by one, removing the remaining leaves and impurities with a skilled technique.
Lin Xiyan prepared the medicinal powder. With years of experience, all kinds of powders flew in her hands, and the proportions were just right.
The other sisters cut the cloth and sewed the mask bags, their needles and threads moving meticulously and neatly.
We were busy until nightfall, and the first batch of finished facial masks were neatly stacked on the table. The white cloth bags were filled with fine powder, and the faint fragrance was very exciting.
"I'll go to town tomorrow to explore sales opportunities."
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