Disappointed at not finding its bell at the foot of the mountain, the little wild boar returned home, grumbling and whining.
Jiang Zhi comforted it by scratching its itch, and after it was put on the ground, she carefully checked the little wild boar's teeth for any bits of meat or bone.
You may have let the wild boar scare you, but it is still a wild animal and could bite or injure you.
Xu Changshou and his gang are despicable, but they don't deserve to die. Besides, they are blood relatives of Xiaoman. No one would kill a relative over such a trivial matter.
The people of Xujia Village have now returned and are no longer refugees. The government has registered households in various places, social order is gradually returning, and there will be inquiries about any deaths.
Even wild boars should not become ferocious beasts that harm people. Once a precedent is set, their wild nature will be difficult to tame, and they will bring about their own demise in the future.
Jiang Zhi examined the pig and found only some sweet potato residue on its fangs and no external injuries, so she knew there had been no direct conflict and was relieved.
Xiaoman had just gone down the mountain to observe from a distance and heard Yaozu's wife shouting for help. She was afraid that Peiqi would bite someone.
Now that Peppa has obediently completed the task, Jiang Zhi pretended to have found the bell and cooked a pot of vegetable porridge for it as a reward.
No one came to bother them on the mountain anymore, and life returned to peace.
Seeing that Xu Dazhu's back injury had improved significantly, Jiang Zhi not only increased his daily stimulating exercises but also brewed chicken blood vine ointment for him to take as an adjunct treatment.
Making the medicinal paste is simple, and Qiaoyun can now do it independently. All you need to do is wash the chicken blood vine, crush it, add water, and boil it. Add more water as needed, and boil for 5 hours.
[Source: Xie Guan, "Dictionary of Chinese Medicine", "Compilation of Provisional Regulations on Standards for Traditional Chinese Medicine Preparations in Jiangsu Province", Volume 1, 1964]
Chicken Blood Vine Flower
If we want to save costs by industrializing the process, we need to take out the medicinal juice, add clean water and repeat the process three or four times, then mix and filter the juices from each batch, and simmer it over low heat to make a thick paste, thick enough that it won't seep through paper.
Now that it's just for family use, there's no need to worry about costs, so we only use the first concentrated juice to make a paste. It's just a pity that we don't have rock sugar to adjust the flavor.
Chicken blood vine ointment is used for muscle and bone pain, numbness in the hands and feet, and scanty menstruation caused by insufficient blood nourishment.
Chicken blood vine. Promotes blood circulation, replenishes blood, regulates menstruation, relieves pain, and soothes the nerves.
Aside from what Xu Dazhu needs, Jiang Zhi feels that her own body also needs conditioning. The original owner suffered too much in her early years and was severely depleted, always enduring it all the time. Moreover, Xiaoman's grandparents can also be of use now.
This is just a tonic for internal use; naturally, there are also herbs that promote blood circulation.
It's winter now, and all the plants outside are withered. The iron crabs and sour grass are gone.
Jiang Zhi then found the evergreen centipede grass, combined with the tendon grass, the large blood vine, and the saw-saw vine for Xu Dazhu to use.
Centipede grass, also known as ox rib grass or comb grass, is an essential medicine for relieving muscle tension and promoting blood circulation. It is used for patients with joint pain, difficulty in stretching and bending, and paralysis.
The herb *Symplocos edulis*, also known as stone pine, is used to treat rheumatism, numbness, and contractures of the limbs, making it difficult to bend or straighten them. In folk medicine, it is used to stew pig's trotters with centipede grass (*Symplocos edulis*) without salt, and taken on an empty stomach to treat leg cramps.
Nini was not criticized for hitting someone. Grandma Xiaoman hugged her, feeling both relieved and distressed, and said, "With Nini being so fierce, I'm afraid people will say she won't be able to get married in the future."
Grandma Xiaoman is right. People expect girls to be docile and obedient, but it depends on the situation. They should not cause trouble, but they should not be afraid of trouble if someone tries to bully them.
Chunfeng didn't say much to her face, but when she returned to her room, she praised her highly: "Nini did a good job. Girls should be more self-reliant. They can't just be obedient and let others bully them without fighting back."
As she spoke, she felt a pang of sadness. If only she had been capable in the past, instead of relying on men for everything.
Da Zhu Ge wouldn't have sent his wife back to her parents' home after getting injured, fearing she would suffer, but instead she suffered even more.
Now that Nini has such a good personality, even if I and Brother Dazhu don't have any more children in the future, I'll still have Nini to rely on.
Seeing the tears in Chunfeng's eyes, Xu Dazhu knew she was saddened by the past again. He pulled her aside and comforted her, saying, "I was wrong before. Don't be sad. You can never leave me again, and I can't leave you either."
Chunfeng bit her lip and nodded, determined not to leave Nini and Brother Dazhu again.
Xiaoman was extremely pleased with his niece's performance: "Nini, your uncle will teach you boxing every day from now on!"
Nini giggled with delight: "Great! From now on, Nini will be as strong as Uncle and beat up those bad guys."
"Hahaha! Nini is such a good girl!" Xiaoman picked up Nini and lifted her high in the air.
With the Lunar New Year approaching, both families cleaned up the area around their houses, preparing for the holiday.
Who knew that on the 25th of the twelfth lunar month, Li Laoshi came up the mountain again, accompanied by Xiang Dejin, who had been away from the mountain for a month.
Sitting in the main house of Xiaoman's family at the foot of the cliff, Xiang Dejin first presented the two families with some pastries and brown sugar, as well as a large bag of brown rice.
“Grandpa, Auntie, this is the grain distributed by the government for the New Year. I can’t finish it all by myself, and my home is far away, so I’m giving it to you. I hope you won’t mind accepting it.”
Grandpa Xiaoman said with a smile, "You should go home to visit after you recover. We don't need to bring you these expensive gifts."
Although it's brown rice, it's still a rare find at this critical juncture.
Xiang Dejin said, "I've already sent my military pay home through someone. This grain was issued by the government and won't fetch much money. Since Commander Zhang is in the county town, I brought it here to you. I hope you won't mind, sir?"
Grandma Xiaoman said reproachfully, "You're being too formal, child. We're happy that you came to climb this mountain!"
Everyone burst into laughter.
Jiang Zhi looked at his clothes and said, "You said before that you wanted to go back to the army camp, so why did you go to the government office again?"
Previously, Xiang Dejin and the others had said they were going back to the military camp to earn military merits, but now, after only a month away, they've suddenly returned to the government office. The change is too rapid.
Xiang Dejin pulled up his official uniform and said with a smile, "It's all thanks to my aunt. Last time, we went to Pingchuan County Government with her and were remembered by Magistrate Zhang. This time, after we brothers recovered from our injuries, we went to seek refuge with him. Magistrate Zhang kept us in the county government as yamen runners, so we can finally eat government food."
Xiaoman and Xu Errui were filled with envy.
Jiang Zhi asked, "I've heard people say before that the yamen runners are divided into three shifts. Which shift are you in?"
Xiang Dejin was surprised that Jiang Zhi would ask this question, and hurriedly replied, "The refugees in various places are not yet settled, so for the time being, they are in the process of being recruited."
Magistrate Zhang still needs to expand his staff, and if Auntie is willing to find Errui and Xiaoman some jobs, now is the perfect time!
Aside from clerical work, the staff of the county government were also called "three shifts of yamen runners".
The term "zaoban" refers to the bailiffs, who are responsible for clearing the way with gongs and drums and for issuing orders in court.
"Quick Team" refers to constables who are responsible for finding missing persons and investigating cases, similar to police officers in a police station.
The "Zhuangban" were responsible for guarding warehouses and protecting the security of city gates and streets, equivalent to urban management officers and armed police.
Although the yamen runners are all on a one-year contract, the personnel are not changed casually. Now that Xiang Dejin and his men have been transferred from the military to local security, it is a long-term job.
Looking at Dejin and asking him questions, it was most likely at the behest of Magistrate Zhang.
As Magistrate Zhang was just starting out, he certainly needed people with relevant backgrounds. He had met Xiaoman and Xu Errui once, so naturally he had to ask them about it.
However, Jiang Zhi was unwilling to let Xu Errui and Xiaoman become yamen runners.
In the eyes of the world, yamen runners were not well-liked.
It's easy to talk to the King of Hell, but difficult to deal with his underlings. The common people's affairs have to go through the yamen runners, and there are too many traps and demands involved.
Xiaoman is impatient, and Xu Errui is too honest and simple-minded to do such tactful things. They fell into the trap without even realizing it.
Moreover, the tasks I need to do require reliable manpower.
Jiang Zhi smiled and shook her head: "They both have family matters to worry about, so they can't do this. But what made you two think of joining the government?"
Xiang Dejin didn't hide anything and told him all the reasons why he left the army and entered the government office.
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