Chapter 268: Living off the Mountain
All the lotus roots that Xu Changgen harvested yesterday were piled in his yard. They had to drive a mule cart to his house to transport the lotus roots. Today, there was also an ox cart, so the three of them had to go to the town together.
When the time comes, empty the lotus roots from the ox cart first, and let Xu Changgen rush back to return the ox cart and collect the lotus roots at the same time.
Xu Wencheng and Xu Erniu went to the county town.
"The yard in the county town is the sixth house on Liuqiao Street. There is a number plate on it, so it is easy to find. Your eldest brother usually studies at the teacher's house in the morning and goes home at noon. When you arrive, you can take the mule to his place to rest." Song Yuntang instructed.
Xu Wencheng nodded, "Okay, I'll remember that."
Jiang looked worried. "Be careful on the road. No matter if you can sell all the lotus roots or not, go home early in the afternoon. If you are late, there might be wild animals in the mountains."
Xu Wencheng agreed to all of them.
"Don't worry, mother. We won't be back too late."
After saying this, he drove the mule cart out.
When Song Yuntang saw Xu Yongwang carrying a basket and heading into the mountains, he picked up the basket and went out with him, leaving Jiang alone at home to watch over the yard.
On the way, I met Xu Yongfu who was also carrying a backpack.
Xu Yongwang asked hurriedly, "Brother, are you going to the mountains too?"
Xu Yongfu smiled and said, "Chengji heard that Wencheng and his friends were collecting lotus roots, so he followed them to the lotus pond. I have nothing to do, so I want to try my luck in the mountains."
He turned and looked at Song Yuntang.
"What is my niece-in-law doing in the mountains?"
Song Yuntang smiled and said, "Uncle, I'm going to the mountains to find medicinal herbs."
"Hey!" Xu Yongfu said, "You all can't sit still. After dinner, your sister-in-law followed some other wives from the village to the mountains to dig wild vegetables. I told her that the vegetables planted in the fields have sprouted and there is no need to go looking for them because it is unsafe. But she refused to listen."
Xu Yongwang said, "Mrs. He is a good housewife. Since she has someone to keep her company, let her go. If she stays at home, we will just stare at each other."
Xu Yongfu heard it.
"That's true. When I came out, your sister-in-law said she wanted to bring Hu'er to your house for a visit. Luckily, my sister-in-law didn't come out with you."
"She is at home most of the time. Wencheng and I usually go to the mountains, and she rarely goes." Xu Yongwang said, looking back at Song Yuntang, "Girl, follow closely. You never know when snakes, rats and wild animals will suddenly appear in the mountains."
Song Yuntang nodded, "Okay."
Since they met, Xu Yongfu did not act alone.
After entering the mountain, Xu Yongwang walked in front, and he took the initiative to fall behind, letting Song Yuntang walk in the middle.
In his opinion, girls who grew up in wealthy families are timid and would probably scream in fear if a caterpillar fell from a tree.
Because Song Yuntang was there, Xu Yongwang didn't dare to go too far inside.
Unlike the two men in front and behind him who were cautious, Song Yuntang looked around as he walked, looking for medicinal herbs growing in the mountains.
The most common flower in the mountains is chrysanthemum. Whenever Song Yuntang sees it, he picks the flowers and puts them in his basket.
During the time, she also came across honeysuckle vines and stood beside them picking some for a while.
Xu Yongfu and Xu Yongwang just watched her pick flower after flower, and soon half the basket was filled.
"Niece-in-law, what are you going to do with these flowers?" Xu Yongfu asked.
Song Yuntang smiled and said, "Both chrysanthemum and honeysuckle have the effect of clearing away heat and detoxifying. Pick them and make them into dried flowers, which can be soaked in water and drunk."
It really is the case that you live off the land.
The things in the mountains of Lushan Village are much richer than those in Rongshu Village.
Afterwards, she dug three lilies in the valley, and found a small clump of Polygonatum when she climbed up a hillside.
After going around the hillside in front of them, they found a chestnut tree in the bushes on the other side. The three of them stopped and broke off a lot of branches with chestnuts hanging on them and stuffed them into the backpack.
Song Yuntang also found a grape vine not far away, with tiny purple-black wild grapes hanging on it.
I picked one and put it in my mouth, it tasted exceptionally sweet.
This time, she not only picked all the grapes, but also cut off a healthy and thick branch, intending to take it back and plant it in the yard.
Xu Yongwang took the two of them to the place where he picked persimmons last time. The late-ripening persimmons were still hanging on the tree, like small orange-red lanterns, very festive.
"Girl, stay under the tree and watch over the things. Don't run around. I'm going to pick some persimmons. Your mother said she wants to make some persimmon cakes to eat during the New Year." Xu Yongwang said.
Song Yuntang nodded, "Okay."
The persimmons that were brought to Huajianzui before were too many to be eaten, so Chen and Tao made them into persimmon cakes and hung them on the peach tree in the backyard.
After the moon sets, the leaves of the peach trees are about to fall off, and hanging some persimmons on them is particularly poetic.
Xu Yongfu also put the backpack aside.
"I'll help you."
Song Yuntang was greedy, so he stood under the tree and tasted a persimmon, and found it delicious.
But her period had not yet completely ended, so she did not dare to eat too much. After eating one, she began to put persimmons into her backpack. After a while, she filled the backpacks of Xu Yongfu and Xu Yongwang.
"Dad, uncle, the backpack can't hold it anymore."
The brothers hurriedly came down from the tree with their clothes in their pockets, put on the backpacks, and still escorted Song Yuntang home, one in front and one behind.
When they parted, Xu Yongwang looked at Xu Yongfu.
"Brother, I picked up a snake the day before yesterday. My wife said she stewed it at noon today. You can come to my house to eat snake meat after you prepare it."
Xu Yongfu nodded, "Okay, I'll come after I put the things down."
When we got home, Zhang and Hu'er hadn't left yet.
Seeing that their baskets and backpacks were full, and their pockets were full of persimmons, Zhang said hurriedly, "Wow, you picked so many things from the mountains."
Jiang hurriedly took the basket and took the persimmons from Xu Yongwang's pocket.
"I thought the recent weather is neither too hot nor too cold, which is suitable for making persimmon cakes, so I asked Yongwang to go to the mountains to pick some persimmons. Unexpectedly, Tang'er also wanted to go with us."
After greeting Zhang and Jiang with a smile, Song Yuntang found a corner of the wall that was exposed to the sun, dug a small hole, and planted the grape vines.
They also soaked the willow bark they peeled off on the road in water.
At that time, watering the place where the grape vines are transplanted will not only prevent root rot and infection, but also promote rooting.
After doing all this, she washed a large bunch of wild grapes and brought them to Zhang and Hu'er.
"Aunt, Hu'er, try some. I picked these wild grapes. They are very sweet."
Zhang smiled and picked one, peeled it and gave it to Huer to eat.
"Your uncle also went to the mountains today. Did you meet him?"
Xu Yongwang, who was not far away, said, "We met before we even entered the mountain. We have been together ever since. The eldest brother also carried a basket of persimmons back with him."
Zhang stood up.
"Well, I have to go back and take a look."
Xu Yongwang said hurriedly, "Sister-in-law, please stop working. I have told my eldest brother that we will stew snake meat at noon. I would like him to come over for dinner. We two brothers haven't had a drink for a long time. This is a good opportunity for us to have a drink. Sister-in-law and Hu'er can stay as well."
Jiang also said, "That's right, since you are here, just eat at home. I will go cook the rice first."
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