Chapter 2158: Acupuncture
The taxes that the herdsmen on the grassland have to pay are different from those of the people in the Central Plains.
In addition to the capitation tax and levies and labor service, ordinary people in the Central Plains only had to pay the rent for the land allocated to them, which was one in forty, and was not very heavy.
Even in a place like Qili Village with many mountains and little land, most of the land allocated to people is on mountains that cannot be cultivated. However, if the permanent land is sufficient, paying the 40% tax on the land allocated to people is not that unacceptable.
Moreover, Luojiang County has always been very poor. The three previous and current county magistrates were all good people. They knew that most of the land allocated to the people was mountainous and did not generate any income. Therefore, the base tax was not high. One in forty was basically not much. In comparison, the Ding tax was higher.
This is not the case on the grassland. Apart from the Ding tax, they do not have to do labor service, but are required to serve in the military directly. When the Jin Dynasty goes to war, it will directly recruit soldiers from here into the camp.
There were no donations or taxes, but there was a tax on grazing. Bai Shan secretly calculated it and found that it was much higher than that of the people in the Central Plains.
However, ordinary herdsmen were not too worried about this, because in the Khanate before the Jin Dynasty, they did not even own their own people, let alone their own cattle and horses.
At the Khan's command, these small tribes had to pay tribute. If they did not obey, they would most likely be thrown to the front line to block stones.
So they didn't feel unfair at the moment, but they were unhappy about being conscripted for military service from time to time. "Three years ago, the Heavenly Khan wanted to attack Gaochang, so we were recruited to defend Liangzhou. In the end, we fought against the Tibetans who came over, and eight people from our tribe died."
"How many of you went?"
"Twelve, two are still in the army. Their legs are intact, so they can't come back." Speaking of this, the herdsman proudly held out his injured leg for Bai Shan to see. He boasted, "During the charge, my horse was hit by a stray arrow. I was very clever and rolled down the road holding my head. When I rolled to the side of the road, a horse coming from behind stepped on my foot. I didn't die, but I got a few burns."
Bai Shan: "...Then why was the other one able to come back?"
"Oh, he was luckier than me. When he was fighting an enemy, one of his arms was cut off. He chopped off the enemy's head and came back with money to settle down. He used the money to buy fifty lambs. Together with the cattle and sheep he already had, he became the eighth richest family in the clan."
Bai Shan said with a complicated heart: "...I am very lucky."
The herdsman said happily, "But I'm not too bad. I bought ten lambs with the money I brought back."
Bai Shan felt complicated and was speechless for a long time. "Do you think life is better now or fifteen years ago?"
Fifteen years ago, Xiangli Khan was still around.
The herder thought for a moment and said, "Not much different. But there aren't as many wars now, so not as many people die in our tribe. And with the traveling merchants, it's easier for us to buy corn, tea, and salt. My father only raised me, but three of his five children survived."
Bai Shan, who doesn't have children yet, can't understand this pride, but he also knows that the survival rate of children in the Central Plains is not high, let alone the grasslands.
He didn't say anything else.
Yin Huo, who had been sitting quietly by the side, did not say anything. He pulled the grass beside him and weaved it casually. He didn't know what it was. He felt a little disgusted when he saw it and wanted to throw it away.
Bai Shan took a look and said, "This is safflower, which can promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis."
When the herdsman heard this, he immediately looked at the grass in Yin Huo's hand and asked with a sharp gaze, "Master Bai, is this medicine?"
Bai Shan smiled and nodded, "Yes."
"Then can we pick them and sell them to traveling merchants?"
"sure."
The herders are worried, “Will they accept it?”
Bai Shan smiled and said, "Of course he will. Besides, haven't you sold all your herbs to Brother Zhou Si in the past two years? He will buy them."
The herdsman smiled sheepishly and said, "That's not necessarily true. Master Zhou is very strict. He checks the herbs very carefully and won't allow any grass mixed in."
Bai Shan's smile froze. He said, "Herbs are no different from other herbs. They are sold to patients for oral administration. If they are mixed with other things, not only will the efficacy be affected, but there is also the possibility of poisoning. So we should be careful."
The herders smiled sheepishly and nodded. They didn't know before, thinking it was all grass, and they ate it all, so what difference could there be?
Now, after seeing Zhou Man use those herbs to treat the children and the tribesmen, they no longer dare to underestimate these medicinal herbs.
At this time, Manbao was also squatting in the Tutu tribe, picking out the herbs they had picked. He picked up one and asked Aina how they called it and how to use it, and then she told them the name and usage she knew.
She said, "Many herbs can be found anywhere, but some are not available here. You must go and buy them. If I tell you too much, you won't be able to remember them all, so I will only tell you about the herbs that can be found here to treat smallpox."
But after turning around and teaching the four of them, she gave Ayi Na a private lesson. "You don't have all the herbs to treat smallpox, but you do have herbs to treat basic illnesses like colds."
Ayina's eyes lit up instantly.
Man Bao said, "It doesn't have to be exactly as the prescription says. I just suddenly thought that I could come up with one or two prescriptions based on the herbs you can find here. Do you know what herbs you have here?"
The names Ayi Na mentioned were somewhat different from what Manbao knew, but once she described them, Manbao knew what herbs she was talking about. She took a note, then glanced at Agugu and the other two who were still trying to memorize the prescription. She stood up and said, "You guys should memorize the prescription first. When I come back, I'll continue teaching you how to feel a pulse. I'll simulate the pulse of a smallpox patient for you."
Manbao turned around and went to the carriage to look for the herbs he had dug recently.
There are some plants collected here after Koko's guidance, but more of them are herbs she saw while running around on the grassland.
As long as she saw some herbs she knew, she couldn't help but dig them up. She thought they were all brought to her by Koko.
So she knew that the variety of medicinal herbs on the grassland was no less than that of Ayi Na.
She took out the herbs that had been dried or were still drying, picked a few of each, and handed them to Zhou Liru, "Write down the name and effect of the herb, and tape it to Ayi Na."
Zhou Liru took a handful of herbs and sorted them out first. He placed those that still needed to be dried on the wooden board outside the tent to continue drying, and brought the others that had already been dried into the tent.
Manbao then grabbed a bag of needles and went back to find Dai Yi and the other three. She sat down at her seat and waved her hand, "Go and call in all those men, women, young and old who are taking your pulses."
Now, the Tutu tribe has special people who stay in the tribe to take their pulses. When they are not needed, they work in the camp. When they are needed, they will come and roll up their sleeves to let them take their pulses and act as models for learning.
However, this time the pulse taking is different from the previous times, because Manbao will give acupuncture before taking the pulse.
The herders were stunned when they saw acupuncture for the first time, especially when Manbao pulled out the first needle, which was so long...
They trembled all over and looked at Manbao in horror.
Good night
(End of this chapter)
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