Once they reached the mountain, Chen Kai and Xiao Tian divided everyone into groups of five to collect different kinds of flowers and plants. Each group was led by a slightly older child.
Chen Kai selected several groups of girls and asked them to collect some specific types of flowers. He also told them to be mindful of their surroundings and to pick any pretty flowers they found, but to keep different types of flowers and plants separate. He then reminded them to be careful while picking the flowers and avoid getting pricked by thorny ones.
Girls are more meticulous and also love pretty flowers and plants, so it's better to let them collect flowers to make dried flowers.
After giving the instructions, Chen Kai chose one of Xiao Tian's cousins and asked her to keep an eye on the children around her while she was picking flowers, and to keep them away from dangerous places.
Chen Kai and Xiao Tian led the rest of the group forward. Chen Kai then spotted several plants that could be used for dyeing, and sent several groups of boys to collect them. He also selected the oldest boy to watch over the group and prevent them from wandering off.
Chen Kai instructed, "Remember, collect only the ones that look the most vibrant, otherwise we won't accept them."
"Understood, we will collect according to your requirements." The people assigned to collect plants for dyeing responded loudly, and then they all ran off to cut grass.
After everyone dispersed to collect flowers and plants, Xiao Tian turned to Chen Kai and asked in a low voice, "Chen Kai, are you confident about how to use these plants for dyeing?"
Chen Kai said with a smile, "The plants I choose for dyeing are those that are relatively easy to color and also relatively easy to make into dyes."
"When making dye, first, you need to select the flowers and herbs that look the most vibrant in color. Then, chop up the same raw materials. Next, find an old pot, put some of the chopped plants in the pot, add double the amount of water, bring it to a boil, and then simmer it over low heat for an hour, stirring occasionally. After cooking, filter out the plant residue, and then let the dye sit for a while before using it."
"The flowers and herbs I had them collect included vines and sappanwood that could be used to dye red, indigo plants such as woad and storax that could be used to dye blue, gardenias and locust flowers that could be used to dye yellow, and some other plants that could be used to dye other colors. These are all common dyes in modern times."
At this moment, Chen Nong ran over, shouting as he ran, "Xiao Tian, Uncle, I brought the sickle and scissors from home." Chen Kai and Xiao Tian also persuaded Chen Shi and Chen Nong to invest in their dried flower business.
Xiao Tian said, "Brother, are you done with your work? Didn't Dad tell you to stay home and learn carpentry from him after you finished?"
Chen Nong complained, "I've finished all the housework. Xiao Tian, don't you know that I'm just not cut out for it? I can't concentrate on learning how to make furniture at all."
A boy who usually played with Chen Nong joked, "You really don't know how lucky you are. We want to learn carpentry, but we haven't had the chance yet!"
Chen Kai saw a large field of globe amaranth. Globe amaranth blooms in spring, has an exceptionally long flowering period, and can maintain its color for a long time. The drying method is simple, and it can even maintain its color for a long time without drying.
In spring, there are still many plants growing Limonium sinense. The dried flowers of Limonium sinense are easy to preserve, just like globe amaranth. Even without special treatment, they can retain their color for a long time.
So Chen Kai called a few people to pick these two kinds of grass.
The dyes made from these herbs can also be used to dye fabrics. If the Zhou family knew this, they would definitely steal their dyes to dye their own fabrics.
In ancient times, ordinary people had no idea that these ubiquitous plants could be used to dye cloth, and the dyeing techniques for cloth were all controlled by dye houses.
Chen Kai then spotted a patch of perilla leaves and asked Xiao Tian to select a few people to pick them.
Chen Nong saw several children digging for perilla and said, "We use this herb as a spice at home. We also boil the leaves of this herb to make a drink when our family members have a sweat or cough."
Chen Kai thought that perilla could be used as a dye plant, producing yellow and grayish-green colors. It also had medicinal properties, including analgesic, sedative, and detoxifying effects. It could also stop coughs, treat colds, and calm the mind and promote pregnancy. The leaves were edible and could also be used as a spice, enhancing the aroma of meat when cooked together.
Chen Kai picked flowers for a while and then got tired, so he sat down on the grass to rest. As he was looking around for any pretty flowers, he suddenly noticed a small tree with a peculiar appearance under a nearby tree. It was growing vigorously and would be perfect as a miniature bonsai.
Chen Kai went over and tried to dig out the small tree that could be used to make miniature bonsai. He dug for a long time with a small shovel but couldn't dig it out.
At this moment, Chen Nong walked over and saw Chen Kai struggling to dig up a small tree. He immediately said, "Uncle, take a break first. What do you want? I'll dig it up for you."
Chen Kai sighed and said helplessly, "Alright then, nephew, you come here. I'll go look around and see if there are any others."
While Chen Nong was digging, Chen Kai discovered several more plants that could be used to make miniature bonsai. After marking them, Chen Kai instructed Chen Nong to dig out the plants according to the markings.
Xiao Tian asked in confusion, "Chen Kai, what do you need these plants for?"
Chen Kai said with a smile, "Don't underestimate these plants. When we get home, I'll have my second brother make a few more wooden pots for us. I'll also find some stones and weeds to decorate them. Miniature bonsai have a wonderful artistic conception. Once they're done, I can sell them to those scholars. I'm sure they'll fetch a good price."
The artistic conception of bonsai comes from the sensory world of the rich and beautiful scenery of nature. Through artistic processing, it transcends nature, surpasses nature, and is sublimated into a spiritual realm that is higher and more beautiful than nature. This is the beauty of "artistic conception".
Xiao Tian said, "Okay, I hope you can find a buyer and get a good price."
After Chen Nong dug up the plants to make miniature bonsai, Xiao Tian also assigned a large group of children to the project. Chen Kai and Xiao Tian then took their families home, and picked some wild vines and indigo plants to study at home.
The roots of the Chinese vine can be made into red dye. By diluting it with different amounts of water, the depth of the color can be adjusted. Red is considered festive and was popular in ancient times. There is also pink, which would definitely be liked by girls.
Indigo plants can be used to make blue dye, and dried blue flowers would certainly be popular with scholars.
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