Chapter 18: Fresh Fragrance in the Forest
The excitement of returning from the market gradually subsided, and life in the Silvermoon Tribe returned to its usual rhythm, but there was a new vitality in the air. The sounds of hammering and talking could be heard from the newly built workshop, and in the fields, people began to experiment with growing new crops. Lin Chen's attention turned to enriching the tribe's culinary diversity.
On a fresh morning, Lin Chen found Canglan who was instructing young people to build a new storage room.
"I want to organize a special gathering team," Lin Chen suggested. "We won't be looking for staple foods, but rather for plants used as seasonings and side dishes. I noticed at the market that the diets of the various tribes are richer than ours."
Canglan dusted off his hands, his silver-gray eyes showing interest: "Seasoning plants?"
"For example, leaves can make food more fragrant, or roots can enhance flavor," Lin Chen explained. "The wild onion we discovered earlier is a good example."
Canglan immediately understood the significance of this idea. "Good idea. The hunting team recently reported that the vegetation on the southern slope of West Mountain is particularly lush. We could go there and take a look. I'll go with you today."
The gathering team was quickly formed. In addition to Lin Chen and Canglan, there was also Meiguo, who was particularly familiar with plants, Yunshan, who was always enthusiastic, and two members of the Liuhe tribe - they were familiar with aquatic plants and might provide new discoveries.
The southern slopes of West Mountain were indeed lush with vegetation, unlike the gathering areas often visited by the Silver Moon Tribe. Meiguo spotted many of the medicinal plants she often used, but Lin Chen was looking for a different type of resource.
"Look at these," Lin Chen squatted down and pointed at a bunch of slender green plants, "Smell them."
Yunshan leaned in and took a deep breath, his eyes suddenly lighting up: "What a refreshing fragrance! What is this?"
"It's a plant similar to leeks or green onions." Lin Chen carefully dug out a plant and displayed its tiny white bulb. "Both the leaves and stems are edible, raw or cooked, and they add flavor to food."
Berry came over to examine it and nodded. "We call it 'sharp grass' and occasionally use it to relieve stomach upset. I never thought it could be used as food."
Lin Chen discovered another low plant with round leaves that exuded a special fragrance: "This looks like some kind of mint. It can be used to make tea. It's refreshing and invigorating."
As we continued our exploration, a member of the Liuhe tribe called out to everyone, "Look at this! The 'red root grass' by the water. Our elders say it can be used for seasoning."
Lin Chen examined the plant with the bright red rhizome and was surprised to find it resembled a variant of ginger or chili pepper. He tasted a small piece and it indeed had a lightly spicy flavor.
"Great! This can give the food a completely different flavor!" Lin Chen said excitedly.
Although Canglan wasn't as familiar with plants as the others, his hunting instincts made him adept at spotting anomalies. In a relatively dry area, he called out to Lin Chen, "The soil here has a unique smell."
Lin Chen rushed over and found several plants with gray-green leaves. After digging them out, he found several small tubers hanging from the roots, emitting a faint garlic aroma.
"Great! This is wild garlic!" Lin Chen was overjoyed. "Both the leaves and the rhizomes can greatly enhance the taste of food."
During the collection process, Lin Chen not only looked for plants, but also paid attention to observing their growth environment, and planned to simulate these environments for cultivation near the tribe in the future.
During the lunch break, everyone shared the food they had brought. Lin Chen simply seasoned the food with some newly discovered herbs, making the aroma of the barbecue even more enticing.
"The same meat, but the taste is completely different!" Yunshan exclaimed with his mouth full.
Berry savors it carefully: "The sweetspot grass removes the fishy smell of the meat, and the redroot grass adds a unique flavor. These plants are indeed valuable."
Canglan ate a lot more than usual, and finally commented: "If you can bring these seasonings when hunting, the dry food will taste much better."
In the afternoon, they discovered several more useful plants: a seed plant similar to sesame, a leafy vegetable similar to celery, and even wild berry bushes with small but sweet and sour fruits.
The harvest that day far exceeded expectations. After returning to the tribe, Lin Chen immediately organized a small tasting event and cooked several dishes using the newly discovered seasoning plants.
After tasting the meat roasted with herbs, Elder Shi Yan's cloudy old eyes suddenly lit up: "This is the most delicious meat I have ever eaten in my entire life!"
Hong Yan praised the fish soup made with redroot grass: "It completely masks the fishy smell, leaving only the delicious flavor!"
Even the usually reserved Berry couldn't resist eating an extra bowl of wild vegetable soup: "The sweetscented grass makes ordinary soup feel alive."
A favorite is Lin Chen's simple dip made with wild garlic and herbs, which is delicious when served with roast potatoes.
"Tomorrow I'm going to take more people to collect these herbs!" Yunshan announced excitedly, "and find even more varieties!"
That evening, Lin Chen sorted through the day's harvest in his newly built workshop, carefully preserving some plant roots for planting. Canglan quietly entered, carrying two newly carved wooden bowls.
"These are for you," Canglan said a little sheepishly, "one for fresh herbs, one for dried ones."
Lin Chen took the wooden bowls and found them beautifully carved and the perfect size for the cooking area. "Thank you, Canglan. That's so thoughtful."
Canglan leaned against the door frame and watched Lin Chen arranging the plants: "You look particularly happy today."
Lin Chen smiled: "Delicious food can bring the most direct sense of happiness. Imagine how much a steaming, fragrant stew in the cold season can warm the hearts and minds of so many people."
"You always think about others." Canglan said softly.
Lin Chen looked up and found Canglan's eyes unusually gentle. Outside the cave, moonlight shone on the newly planned herb garden area, heralding a new chapter in the Silver Moon Tribe's culinary culture.
The next day, more tribesmen joined the gathering. Surprisingly, people from different tribal backgrounds recognized different useful plants: the River Tribe knew a variety of aquatic seasoning plants, while a sub-orc from the Mountain Tribe was familiar with forest mushrooms and mosses.
Lin Chen took the opportunity to propose the establishment of a "tribal knowledge base" to systematically record the botanical knowledge of each tribe. Elder Shi Yan strongly supported this idea and allocated a cave specifically for the preservation of this knowledge.
After a week, the Silver Moon Tribe's diet had completely changed. Every meal had a new flavor, and the people even began to look forward to mealtimes. Lin Chen taught everyone how to dry and preserve herbs and how to make simple seasoning mixtures.
The most popular innovation was the "seasoning stone"—a compacted mixture of dried herbs and salt that hunting parties could carry around and use to season their food.
"This is much more convenient than carrying salt and herbs separately!" Liefeng praised it after trying it. "The barbecue we had while hunting yesterday was just as delicious as the one we had back home!"
Berries discovered the medicinal value of vanilla: "Sweet tip tea can really relieve stomach discomfort, and red root grass can warm the body and prevent colds."
Lin Chen continued his exploration. He organized a "gathering expedition" to search for new resources in more distant regions. Canglan naturally led the team to ensure safety.
This expedition was even more rewarding: they discovered a cinnamon-like bark, a numbing berry similar to Sichuan peppercorns, and even a wild honey nest - although the collection process was thrilling, the sweet harvest made it all worthwhile.
When Lin Chen used newly discovered ingredients to create more complex seasonings, the Silver Moon Tribe's dining experience reached a whole new level.
"I never thought food could be so diverse!" an old orc said with emotion. "For the first time in my life, I look forward to every meal."
After tasting the newly seasoned stew, Elder Shi Yan made a decision: "We will establish a dedicated herb garden and systematically cultivate these valuable plants. Lin Chen, you will be responsible for the guidance."
Lin Chen gladly accepted. Under his plan, the Silver Moon Tribe began its first systematic spice plant cultivation. Different areas simulated different ecological environments, planting herbs and spices collected from various regions.
On a cool evening, Lin Chen and Canglan walked side by side in the vanilla garden that was beginning to take shape, with various aromas intertwined in the air.
“This garden is like you,” Canglan said suddenly, “blending things from different backgrounds to create a more beautiful whole.”
Lin Chen felt a little warm in his heart: "Thank you, Canglan. Without your support, I would not be able to do this."
Canglan gently held Lin Chen's hand: "No matter what you want to do, I will be by your side."
As the sun sets, basking the herb garden in a golden glow, smoke rises from the tribe's cooking fires in the distance, and the air is filled with the aroma of dinner—richer and more enticing than before.
The Silver Moon Tribe's culinary revolution had only just begun, but it had already profoundly changed everyone's lives. And Lin Chen's roots in this world grew deeper with every new herb he discovered.
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