There is indeed a persimmon tree to the west.
The old persimmon tree stands cleverly on a large rock, with its roots penetrating through the cracks in the rock and into the soil. It is much taller than the other trees nearby, and the persimmons hanging on it are also particularly strong.
"Oh my God!" Wang Xiaohua exclaimed, startling a group of birds on the persimmon tree. They chirped and flapped their wings and fled in all directions, as if a dark cloud had flown out.
The three of them were silent for a moment. Wang Xiaohua twitched her lips and said, "I, I thought they were just leaves! How come there are so many birds?! These persimmons must be delicious!"
Mu Huaixi looked up at the tree and found that the persimmons were indeed delicious, otherwise they would not have been pecked by birds. Only a few at the top were still intact, which seemed to be stored food.
Li Fengjuan also noticed this and said to Wang Xiaohua with regret, "All the persimmons have been pecked. They can't be eaten."
Wang Xiaohua also looked regretful, but if Mu Huaixi had not been accompanying them, it would have been difficult for them to come to Yinjiao Mountain. If they were misunderstood by the people in the military camp, it would be hard to explain.
The nearby mountain people were probably just like them, both respecting and fearing the soldiers, which was why the persimmons on this tree were given to the birds.
"Why don't we walk a little further," Wang Xiaohua was not giving up hope. She thought there might be a persimmon tree nearby, and maybe the fruits there were not as sweet as those from this tree, so the birds would not like to eat them.
Mu Huaixi knew that there was only one persimmon tree nearby, and she wanted to ask if people would like to eat something that flowers and birds don't like. What if it was an astringent persimmon?
However, Mu Huaixi still agreed to look forward. She could vaguely feel that there would be gains ahead, but she didn't know the specific situation, so she couldn't help but feel curious.
After passing the persimmon tree and climbing a gentle slope, the three of them walked into a pine forest. The thick pine needles under their feet made a crackling sound, and a faint pine scent wafted in their noses.
“There are mushrooms!”
Li Fengjuan often went up the mountain, and immediately spotted a pale yellow growth buried among the pine needles at the foot of a tree. Wang Xiaohua ran over, peeled away the needles, and called back to them. "It's a yellow chicken mushroom! What a lucky charm!"
Mu Huaixi also knew how delicious chicken mushrooms were. She had picked them in the mountains with her grandfather and father in the past. They were more fragrant than meat when stewed. However, chicken mushrooms could no longer be seen in Zhangjiagou after October. She didn't expect that they were still available on Yinjiao Mountain.
"There are no chicken mushrooms on the mountain near our home. Maybe it's because there are dense trees and fallen leaves here, and the temperature is high. But if it snows, they will definitely be gone," Li Fengjuan looked around and put her hand into the layer of pine needles to feel it.
Mu Huaixi nodded. The mountains were different from the outside world, and the climate here was more complicated.
Wang Xiaohua couldn't wait any longer. She threw her backpack on the ground and called for the two to come over and pick mushrooms. "There's such a huge patch of mushrooms, and you two aren't tempted? You're even trying to figure out why they're growing so large. Why else could it be? They're just for me to eat!"
Mu Huaixi sometimes really envied Wang Xiaohua. She nodded to Li Fengjuan and said, "Let's get started."
This pine forest is quite large, and there are quite a few yellow chicken mushrooms hidden under the thick pine needles, which gave the three people a great surprise.
Mu Huaixi squatted under the tree, gently pulled away the green-brown and messy pine needles, and saw the chicken mushroom hiding inside like a little yellow duck. He used the hook knife left by his grandfather to cut along the bottom of the stem, and the chicken mushroom was in his hand.
This small hook knife is slender and curved, and looks like a miniature sickle, but it has blades inside and outside, making it easy and labor-saving for cutting and peeling. The leather on the handle was wrapped by Mu Huaixi, and there is a peace knot at the end.
Grandpa didn't leave many things behind, and she cherished every one of them. The small hook knife had just been oiled yesterday, so she picked mushrooms quickly and steadily. In a short while, the bamboo basket was half full.
The temptation of the chicken mushroom was too great, and Mu Huaixi was only focused on searching and collecting. When she looked up again, she found that the three of them had subconsciously chosen a different direction from others. Now she could only see the backs of Fengjuan and Xiaohua.
"Feng..." Mu Huaixi wanted to tell Feng Juan Xiaohua not to go too far, but just as he opened his mouth, he remembered the taboos in the mountains and stopped, saying, "Don't go too far!"
"I know! Boss! There are other mushrooms here besides chicken mushrooms, don't miss them!" Wang Xiaohua shouted at the top of her voice without even raising her head, fearing that they would put one in by mistake.
Mu Huaixi shook her head. She didn't rush to look for mushrooms, but walked around and looked around. This pine forest had more than just mushrooms. After a while, she found what she wanted on an old pine tree.
"What is this?" Wang Xiaohua had originally come to urge her to pick mushrooms, but when she came over, she found her cutting a reddish-brown crystal from the tree trunk. There seemed to be a small praying mantis wrapped inside. "Could this be amber?"
Mu Huaixi glanced at her, turned his wrist, shaved off the piece wrapped around the mantis, and handed it to her. "It can be said to be the predecessor of amber. If you bury it underground, after thousands or even tens of thousands of years, it should become amber."
Wang Xiaohua's eyes widened with excitement, but when she finished, she threw it away in disgust, "It's better to stay here for thousands and thousands of years. Even if it turns into amber, I won't be able to see it anymore!"
She stomped her feet on the ground twice, and seeing Mu Huaixi still cutting the thing, she became even more curious, "Boss, it's not amber, why are you doing this?"
"This is pine resin, which can be used as medicine." Mu Huaixi placed the freshly cut pine resin on the tip of her nose. Seeing her nostrils flaring and inhaling repeatedly, he asked with a smile, "Does it smell good? Pine resin is warm in nature and bitter and sweet in taste. It can dispel wind and dampness, drain pus and toxins, promote tissue regeneration and relieve pain. It has many uses."
"It's a bit bitter, but it's a nice-smelling kind," Wang Xiaohua's eyes lit up, and she pointed in the direction she came from and said, "There's some over there too. I'll go pick some!"
In fact, the whole pine tree is a treasure. Pine flowers dispel wind and calm the mind, turpentine strengthens bones and relieves pain, and pine nuts moisturize and strengthen the body. However, people with dryness and heat syndrome should not use it.
As the inheritors of the "Golden Chamber" and a school of classical prescriptions, the Mu family actually rarely uses rosin. Mu Huaixi collected rosin today just to use it as a backup when making plasters.
Her traditional plaster is made from medicated oil and red lead, and is applied to the fabric backing, commonly known as "dog skin plaster." However, some people are allergic to red lead, and applying the plaster causes a rash and itching. In such cases, rosin can be mixed with medicated oil to create a lead-free plaster, though this is slightly more expensive.
In the end, the three of them filled the bamboo baskets to 80% full, and Mu Huaixi also got a lot of pine resin. Only then did they walk out of the pine forest contentedly and continue walking up the mountain.
There was sparse vegetation and many steep rocks near the mountainside. The three of them supported and pulled each other, and they were all sweating after climbing up.
Mu Huaixi pulled his collar and a stream of white mist came out. Wang Xiaohua, who was standing next to him, laughed out loud when she saw this, not noticing that white mist was also coming out of his torn collar.
Li Fengjuan had the best physical strength and had rested long ago. She pointed to a stone platform not far away and said, "Let's go over there. There's a walnut tree there."
"Okay, walnuts are good! I love eating walnuts!" Wang Xiaohua immediately became energetic and ran to the stone platform, shouting that she wanted to pick more and roast them.
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