Following the stream that Mu Huaixi found, she indeed found all kinds of wild vegetables. She also found a lot of herbs, but it was not time to pick them yet, so she could only remember them in her mind.
Of course, she did not gain nothing. She found tender shoots of Atractylodes lancea on the sunny side of a hillside, dug out seven or eight rhizomes that had not yet sprouted, and put them into the medicine bag with satisfaction.
Atractylodes lancea is warm and bitter in nature, and can be used to dispel dampness and strengthen the spleen, treating rheumatic arthritis, as well as nausea and loss of appetite. Deep in the mountains, there's a damp miasma, but there are also herbs that can treat these conditions. Finding Atractylodes lancea gave Mu Huaixi great relief and boosted her confidence. The experience her grandfather had taught her also applied here. It was only a matter of time before she found the key ingredient, Drynaria fortunei, to treat Song Zhengxin!
Mu Huaixi searched around the hillside again and dug up a small pile of Atractylodes lancea. When she looked up, she saw a big tree and Guan Jichun standing under the tree, looking up in a daze.
"This is a Chinese tallow tree," Mu Huaixi stood beside her and looked up. The Chinese tallow tree had not sprouted yet, and clusters of Chinese tallow nuts were hanging on the tall branches.
“The Chinese tallow tree is most beautiful in autumn, with leaves covering the tree like fire.”
"Can this seed be eaten?"
"Hmm?" Mu Huaixi glanced at Chun'er, thinking that she didn't intend to talk to him.
"I just think it looks like Job's tears," the little girl perhaps realized that she had asked a silly question, and explained awkwardly, lowering her head to kick the Chinese tallow tree on the ground.
Mu Huaixi couldn't help laughing, "This can't be eaten, it's poisonous. But..."
Something suddenly flashed through her mind. She stopped talking and walked straight behind the tree. Sure enough, she found more Chinese tallow trees on the sunny slope. Clusters of fruits hung on the branches. They looked like miniature cotton, and also like the Job's tears that Chun'er had mentioned.
Mu Huaixi had not noticed the Chinese tallow tree before. Firstly, it was because she often climbed the shady side of the mountain in the morning, and Chinese tallow trees prefer sunny places. Secondly, there are many grasses and leaves in spring, and she often lowered her head to search for herbs, but ignored the top of her head. Thirdly, in Zhangjiagou, the Chinese tallow seeds were picked as early as autumn and winter. Who would have thought that in these mountains, there would still be so many tree seeds hanging on the branches in spring.
"Could it be that people here don't pick Chinese tallow trees?"
Mu Huaixi found Sister Yu, who knew a little about the situation here. "People in the mountains call it the Dead Man Tree, also known as the Coffin Tree. There are always crows resting on the tree, croaking loudly when they pass by. It's very scary!"
Someone nearby added, "Yes, we have this tree in our hometown too, called the Catalpa chinensis. Caterpillars have nests on the tree, hanging upside down like coffins. If you accidentally touch one, your whole body will itch. Its branches and leaves are poisonous, so you dare not touch it and can only walk around it."
It is true that almost the entire body of the Chinese tallow tree is poisonous, and most people dare not provoke it. However, the caterpillars living on its branches and leaves attract birds, so it is no wonder that the mountain people misunderstood it.
But in the eyes of traditional Chinese medicine, this tree is a treasure from head to toe. The bark, branches and leaves can be used as medicine, and the white wax on the seeds can be used to make tung wax, which can be used to make candles and soap. The fruit inside can be used to extract oil, called clear oil, which can be used to make paint and ink. Moreover, clear oil is waterproof and rust-proof, and can be applied to machines for maintenance.
Mu Huaixi enthusiastically shared with Sister Yu the uses of Chinese tallow trees she knew about, and then solemnly suggested, "Sister Yu, there are still many people in our family compound who are unemployed. We can definitely set up an oil press workshop, picking Chinese tallow trees, extracting the wax, and pressing oil. Then, whether we sell it in candles at the supply and marketing cooperative or export it as cooking oil, we can definitely make some money!"
Sister Yu was shocked by her bold idea. She was silent for a while, then patted Mu Huaixi on the shoulder and said, "Xiao Mu, this is a big deal. You have to let me think about it."
Mu Huaixi nodded, but added, "Sister Yu, if you want to do it, you have to hurry."
When the weather gets warmer, the Chinese tallow trees will sprout new buds and the seeds will fall off, and they can only be picked in autumn.
Sister Yu hurried down the mountain.
Mu Huaixi looked at Guan Jichun who had been following her, "Chun'er, if your mother finds another job, don't be angry with her."
Guan Jichun swallowed, "You...you told Aunt Yu about the workshop because my mom doesn't want to work in the nursery?"
"Yes and no," Mu Huaixi answered ambiguously. Seeing Guan Jichun's surprised face, he explained, "It's indeed because of Sister Hongxia's matter that I thought of opening a wax and oil workshop, but it's not entirely for your mother. If this thing succeeds, it will benefit many people and everyone can make money. Isn't that a wonderful thing?"
"What if it doesn't work?" Guan Jichun took a step forward, not understanding why she was so bold.
In her mind, opening a workshop or running a business was a big deal, something only the extremely capable could accomplish. Even though she called Mu Huaixi "Auntie," Mu Huaixi was only a few years older than her. Honestly, if she knew the value of Chinese tallow seeds, she wouldn't have dared to bring it up.
"Maybe, I can tell Dad and let him bring up this matter."
An idea popped up in Guan Jichun's mind, and she also persuaded Mu Huaixi, "You can actually tell Deputy Battalion Commander Ying. If he talks about this matter, the chances of success will be greater."
Mu Huaixi finally understood what she meant by "it didn't work out". She tilted her head and looked at Guan Jichun, "Your personality is not like Sister Hongxia."
If Wang Hongxia were here and heard this news, she would probably pick up a handful of tree seeds and take them home to try.
Guan Jichun also felt that her personality was more like her father's, and she liked to plan before taking action. She didn't think there was anything wrong with this, so she frowned after hearing her evaluation.
Mu Huaixi changed the subject, "Which grade are you in when school starts?"
"It's the third year of junior high school," Guan Jichun pouted. The adolescent girl felt that she was being treated perfunctorily and was very unhappy.
Mu Huaixi had previously thought Chun'er was very sensible and often helped out at home, but only now did she realize that perhaps because she had so many younger brothers and sisters, her temperament had become very calm and well-behaved, but she lacked the drive of a teenager.
She set many rules for herself, clearly defining what she should and should not do, which made her hesitant to do things. But perhaps it was because there were too many children in the family, and she didn't want to do unnecessary things to cause trouble for her parents.
Mu Huaixi felt a little soft-hearted. She waved at the sensible and upright "little adult" and said in a very low voice, "Chun'er, you're right. I should have asked Ying Mingcheng to speak. That way, if things fail, someone will take the blame."
Guan Jichun was stunned. She really didn't expect to hear such words.
Mu Huaixi turned around and waved at her, "I'll go down the mountain and tell him to get ready."
"I, I didn't mean that!" Guan Jichun hurriedly chased after him, his hurried steps having some youthful recklessness.
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