Eclipta prostrata is the above-ground part of an annual herbaceous plant of the genus Channa in the Asteraceae family. It is also known as Eclipta prostrata, wild sunflower, rotten foot grass, water Eclipta prostrata, ink grass, etc.
The stem of Eclipta prostrata is erect, green-brown or dark green in surface, ascending or lying flat, up to 60 cm high, usually branched from the base, and covered with rough hairs.
Simple leaves are opposite, sessile or with very short petioles, oblong-lanceolate or lanceolate, with thin and weak stems, pointed or acuminate apex, finely serrated edges or sometimes just wavy, and densely hard and rough hairs on both sides.
The flowers are white and the fruits are yellow-black, like a miniature sunflower.
It likes to grow on roadsides, ditches, fields and damp places. When you pick it and rub its stems and leaves, you can see black juice flowing out. It is also called ink grass.
Eclipta prostrata: sweet, sour, cool, non-toxic. Enters the liver and kidney meridians. The whole plant can be used as medicine, with the effects of astringency, cooling blood and stopping bleeding, nourishing the liver and kidneys, and can treat various hematemesis, intestinal bleeding and other symptoms.
The whole grass can be cut in summer and autumn, cleaned, and dried in the sun or in the shade.
It can also prevent and treat paddy field dermatitis and treat malaria, but it is forbidden for people with spleen and kidney deficiency, weak stomach, loose stools, and kidney deficiency.
"Compendium of Materia Medica" records that "the juice of Eclipta prostrata can be applied to eyebrows and hair, which will grow quickly and profusely." Many ancient herbal books also record that Eclipta prostrata can blacken beard and beard, and grow hair.
After Zhang Xiuxiang washed herself clean, Yang Chunyan went back with her, took a handful, weighed it, put it in a small jar, added sugar and boiled water for Zhou Jiakang to drink.
Zhou Jiakang exhaled after drinking it, "Aunt, luckily you put sugar in it, otherwise I would have lost my appetite just by looking at the black stuff!"
Zhang Xiuxiang rolled her eyes at him, "You're already having diarrhea and you're still thinking about delicious food." Then she asked, "Chunyan, how many times do you need to drink to get better?"
Yang Chunyan: "Drink three or four times and it will be fine."
After sitting in Zhang Xiuxiang's house for a while, Li Qiuyue came over with a few pieces of roasted sugarcane and handed over one with a smile on her face.
"Chunyan, eat sugar cane! My throat felt uncomfortable because of these two things. Mom told me to burn some sugar cane and eat it. It really made me feel better after eating it."
Yang Chunyan took the hot roasted sugar cane and said, "My husband said that roasted sugar cane can moisten the throat and protect the voice, warm the stomach, promote salivation and relieve cough, and treat colds and coughs."
Ever since Li Qiuyue was treated coldly for a few days before the New Year, she has been much better than before. She no longer says sarcastic words at every turn.
"No wonder, my throat feels much better after eating it." Li Qiuyue pointed to the grove and said, "That person seems to be your relative from your mother's side?"
Yang Chunyan turned her head and saw Yang Hui walking towards her. "It's my grandmother's little girl. I'll go over and take a look."
She thought, since she came so early in the morning, it proved that she still had feelings for Erchun, so why did she act so reserved before? And the betrothal gift, could it really be done by Grandma Yao?
"Chunyan!" Yang Hui called her in a low voice.
Yang Chunyan smiled at her and said, "Come to my house and have a seat."
"Yeah!" Yang Hui nodded and followed her back.
When they arrived at the courtyard, the gate was wide open. The dog was lying at the door. When he saw Yang Chunyan coming back, he wagged his tail and lay back down.
Few people in the village keep their doors tightly shut, and Yang Chunyan felt a little worried about keeping so much cash at home.
Every time I go out, I have to call Lai Fu and Wang Cai to watch over me, and the doors of the main room and the bedrooms have to be locked.
"Sit down!" Yang Chunyan pointed to the rattan chair next to the tea table and sat down herself. "When did you come?"
Yang Hui glanced at her and bit her lip. "I arrived yesterday, but it was already dark when I got there, so I didn't come to see you."
Yang Chunyan: "When Huai'an and I returned, we didn't know that Uncle Xu was ill. We didn't tell you when we returned. How did you know?"
Yang Hui said angrily: "Sister Mei, who lives next door to Erchun's family, went home and told my mother that Erchun's husband was ill, but my mother kept it a secret from me. I ran into her when I went out in the afternoon, and she asked me why I didn't go to Funiu, and then I found out."
Sure enough, she was the one causing trouble! Yang Chunyan asked, "Grandma Yao doesn't like Erchun?"
"She said before that you and Xiaoxue were married here, so I came here to take care of everyone. Half a month ago..." Yang Hui swallowed the words that were about to come back to her lips and looked around, "You are the only one in your family?"
Yang Chunyan: "Huaian went up the mountain, and Grandpa went to Third Father's house."
Yang Hui blushed, "Half a month ago, my aunt said that her uncle's son had broken up with his girlfriend, and she also said that the guy's elder brother worked in town and wanted to introduce me to that guy!"
Yang Chunyan frowned, thinking that her mother was always thinking that the grass is greener on the other side, but when she got to the other side there was no firewood to burn.
"Did you go to see him?"
Yang Hui couldn't suppress her anger and her voice got louder. "No, I didn't agree. Who knew they would bring the person here to see me?"
"Ah!" Yang Chunyan looked at her in surprise, "Why is grandma like this? This is too much!"
Yang Hui said angrily, "Of course not! I told that guy that I had a boyfriend, and after he left, I had a quarrel with her. But she went to find Aunt Liu and asked her to talk to Erchun about the betrothal gift.
Since I started dating, I have been on more than a dozen blind dates. She was always satisfied with me when I first met her, but after being together for a while, she would start to find fault with me.
The villagers are talking about me behind my back. Don’t look at the Yang family’s youngest son’s ugly appearance, he is still very picky when it comes to finding a partner! "
Yang Chunyan was speechless after hearing this. "Then did Grandma know that you came here yesterday afternoon?"
"I know!" Yang Hui said, "I told her I wanted to come to Funiu, but she said I couldn't come because Erchun hadn't come to pick me up yet. I said the house here had been repaired, which pissed me off, so I just lived here and didn't go back."
"My sister and my sister-in-law also persuaded her, saying that Uncle Xu was ill and she should come to see him, otherwise people would gossip about her. Seeing that I was determined to come, she had no choice but to agree."
"I think I was too accommodating to her in the past. My husband, brother and sister-in-law would indulge her whenever she was unhappy. They had to do things according to her mood. I spoiled her like the old lady in the movie, who controlled everything."
Yang Chunyan laughed when she heard this. "You moved into a new house when you came here, but how come you couldn't even see anyone when the house was being renovated? I thought you didn't like it, but your mom and the others forced you to do it!"
"No way!" Yang Hui said a little embarrassedly, "After meeting Erchun twice, I thought he was a good guy, so I agreed to look around. My mother also asked around and made some requests to the matchmaker.
Later, Erchun agreed. He started to renovate the house. I said I would come to see and help, but she refused, saying that women should be more reserved and that if they rushed to do so, the man would look down on them. That’s why I didn’t come.”
Yang Chunyan thought of what Zhou Huaian said and said with a smile, "When you came yesterday, Erchun must have been very happy to see you, right?"
"I don't think he's happy!" Yang Hui wrinkled her nose. "His mother was quite happy, and she even ran to tell Uncle Xu that she came to see him. It was really pitiful to see him hanging on to his last breath like that."
Yang Chunyan recalled what the old people in the village used to say: when they get old they don’t ask for anything but to die quickly, and they must not lie paralyzed in bed, which would not only make them uncomfortable but also add burden to their children!
At that time, I often thought that they were paralyzed in bed and had their children to rely on, and I still had to trouble Jiaming and Xiaoqian...
She sighed, "If it doesn't work, let's go to the hospital!"
Yang Hui said with a sad look, "Early this morning, Erchun went to the brigade and saw the barefoot doctor there, so he called him over to take a look, intending to send Uncle Xu to the hospital. The doctor opened Uncle Xu's eyelids and took a look, and said that it would only take a few days, so he asked Erchun and the others to prepare."
Yang Chunyan: "If Uncle Xu really leaves, I'm afraid you two will have to do your business in advance."
"His mother told me that if Uncle Xu really passed away, Erchun and I would have to hold our engagement party within a hundred days. If we didn't get married within a hundred days, we would have to wait three years before doing so."
"What does Erchun mean?"
"Erchun told me that the family belongs to both of us, so it's better to get married sooner rather than later. I'm a little undecided, so I wanted to discuss it with you." Yang Hui looked at her, "Yan'er, do you agree to get engaged and hold a wedding banquet together within 100 days, or wait for three years?"
You came to see Uncle Xu despite your mother's objection. Haven't you already made your choice? Why are you asking me what to do?
Yang Chunyan: "I can't make the decision for you. I can only tell you what we think of Erchun. Huai'an said he is a promising man, a good person, and has no bad habits. He is a good person, it depends on your choice."
Yang Hui twirled the corner of her clothes, "I know Erchun is a good person, but I'm a little scared when I think about the wedding banquet within a hundred days!"
Yang Chunyan smiled and said, "Are you afraid of getting married, or are you afraid that your mother will not agree?"
Yang Hui nodded, "All of them!"
Yang Chunyan comforted him, "Don't be afraid. As long as you have made up your mind, let Erchun go with you to face your mother's place."
Yang Hui nodded and said, "Yes, let Erchun tell her." Then she stood up and said, "Yan'er, I'll go to Erchun's house first. His family is busy preparing things for Uncle Xu's funeral."
"Okay!" Yang Chunyan stood up and walked her out. When she saw her brisk steps walking away, she turned around and went back to the yard.
I was bored with nothing to do, so I just found some old clothes, took them apart, and cooked some paste to make some cloth shells to make small shoes for the children.
After straightening the cloth, spread it on the eight-immortals table. Use a brush dipped in paste to evenly brush it on the old cloth. Spread it layer by layer. After it dries, the cloth shell is ready.
In the afternoon, Zhang Xiuxiang came to tell her that after Zhou Jiakang drank the herb, he stopped having diarrhea in the afternoon, and she also said that she would get some back to dry and keep.
Yang Chunyan asked her to wait a little longer, as the herb would be most effective when it blooms.
At dusk, Zhou Huaian and his companion went down the mountain and brought back a dozen turtledoves, a few pheasants and rabbits. The two wooden barrels they brought were each filled with half a barrel of honey combs.
Zhou Yiding took some wild animals and went home. After Zhou Huaian and the old man cleaned up the turtledoves, Yang Chunyan stewed half of the mushrooms and roasted the chestnuts.
After dinner, the old man cleaned up the pheasants and rabbits, and Zhou Huaian found some gauze, spread it on the wooden barrel and began to filter the honey.
Winter honey is much thicker than summer honey and autumn honey. Gauze is spread on the wooden barrel, and the squeezed honey is not filtered for a long time.
Zhou Huaian lifted the gauze and slowly squeezed it down. The thick honey slowly seeped down, and the room was filled with the refreshing scent of nectar and medicine.
Place the remaining honeycombs on the gauze and let them seep down slowly until all the honey flows into the bucket. (End of this chapter)
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