Qin and the others had just filled their small baskets and were preparing to go back. When they saw He Jiuniang return, they didn't ask any questions and went down the mountain together.
"Second Sister-in-law, I've found something good! I'll show it to you when we get home!"
He Jiuniang seemed very excited, which made Qin Shi and the others very fascinated. However, He Jiuniang's basket was covered with a layer of leaves, so no one could see what was inside.
Yu had just finished cooking and was looking out from outside the thatched shed when she saw them return. She waved and said, "Come back and eat!"
"Sister-in-law, my third sister-in-law said she found something good in the mountains and will only show it to us when she gets back. Let's see it first before we eat!"
Qin Shi practically had her curiosity written all over her face, and even Sun Shi, who had followed her out, looked at He Jiu Niang with intense gazes, clearly urging her to speak quickly and stop keeping her in suspense.
He Jiuniang didn't intend to keep them in suspense. She put down the basket, then peeled back the leaves covering it, revealing the golden potatoes inside.
Potatoes from that era hadn't been improved yet, and they were very small, only about the size of a child's fist.
What is this?
Mrs. Sun frowned, and Mrs. Yu also asked, "Wild vegetables?"
He Jiuniang nodded: "I guess so, but this is different from ordinary wild vegetables. This is like grain; it can fill your stomach and prevent you from getting hungry easily. After all, it looks very appealing!"
Most wild vegetables are eaten for their leaves, but the leaves shrink and don't fill you up, so they can't be eaten as a staple food. But this thing that looks like a small steamed bun should be able to fill you up, right?
How do you know? Have you met him before?
Mrs. Sun looked at the small potatoes with some suspicion, not really believing that they were something to be eaten casually.
“I’ve never seen it before, but I heard people talk about it when I was a child. It seems to have been introduced from other countries, but I don’t know how it ended up in the deep mountains. I heard that it’s easy to grow and has a high yield. If we can grow it, there won’t be so many refugees in the future.”
He Jiuniang had already prepared her story, half true and half false, as long as it could convince the Lu family.
"Are you sure it's safe to eat? Could it be poisonous?"
Having lived most of her life, Madam Sun was still quite cautious.
He Jiuniang shook her head uncertainly: "I don't know, but it should be okay..."
She scratched her head somewhat guiltily and said, "How about I cook a few first and try them? If I'm sure they're not poisonous, then everyone can eat them?"
Before he could finish speaking, he was slapped by Mrs. Sun: "You really think you're Guanyin Bodhisattva?"
With so many people in the family not saying anything, she insisted on going to test the poison. What else could she be but a vengeful spirit?
He Jiuniang found it amusing, but outwardly she said with a pitiful expression, "I just thought this thing was yellowish, so it didn't look poisonous at all~"
"Those red mushrooms on the mountain don't look poisonous! Have you seen anyone who ate them and didn't end up in a terrible state?"
Sun scolded her mercilessly, which made the people around her laugh non-stop.
He Jiuniang said, "Then I'll take it and let the two horses try it first!"
"You spendthrift woman!" Madam Sun grabbed her. "Don't you know those two horses are worth much more than you? Why are you wasting them?"
Yes, a horse can sell for forty or fifty taels or more, while a person is at most worth a dozen taels.
He Jiuniang pursed her lips, realizing that she was indeed somewhat inferior to Ma Ha!
Just as He Jiuniang was about to ask what to do, Madam Sun said decisively, "I'll try!"
Everyone was shocked. Lu Guilan was the first to react, and she grabbed Sun Shi, almost crying, "Mother, there are so many of us, how can we let you try? I'll try, I'll try!"
Madam Yu and Madam Qin also chimed in, "Yes, Mother, we're letting you try it because it's auspicious for our birthdays, so we'll go and try it!"
Madam Sun looked at everyone with unusual seriousness: "No one should argue with me! I've lived most of my life, and I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice. Now that I see this whole family settled here in peace, I can finally rest easy. Besides, this thing might not even be poisonous!"
Sun thought that if this thing could really be eaten as a staple food, their group would have a new way to survive and would no longer have to worry about famine.
Then, all of this was worth it for her!
He Jiuniang: ...
Although I found it somewhat funny, I was actually deeply moved.
Sun cursed and swore at her, but then offered to test the poison herself.
Even though she knew the potatoes weren't poisonous at all, she almost couldn't resist hugging Mrs. Sun.
This little old lady really gave off a motherly vibe.
Just as they were about to speak, Lianhua returned from taking out the trash. She ran up to the adults, clenched her little fists, and looked as if she had made a major decision: "Grandma, let me try! Your family saved my life, I'm not afraid, let me repay you!"
She didn't even know what to try, but hearing the adults sound anxious and upset, she stepped forward.
Anyway, she was lucky to be alive. If she really died, it would be her bad luck. But if she survived, she could continue to repay Grandma Lu's family.
"What are you saying, little kid?"
Sun glared at her and said irritably, "You are a Qin family girl. If something happens to our Lu family, how am I supposed to explain it to your Qin family? Stop talking. Eldest daughter, go boil some water and cook these things."
Madam Sun waved her hand dismissively, telling everyone to go about their business. Then she pulled He Jiu Niang aside and quietly instructed her, "The money is in the box under my pillow. If something really happens to me..."
He Jiuniang never expected that Madam Sun would start making arrangements for her death so soon, and hurriedly interrupted, "Stop! Mother, don't tell me these things, I don't care! If something really happens to you, I'll take the dog and run away, never to come back!"
He Jiuniang deliberately teased her, making Sun Shi so angry she wanted to pinch her arm, but she still calmed down and said, "Stop fooling around, I'm serious! I know this family... Hey! Third son's wife!"
He Jiuniang turned and left before Sun Shi could finish her emotional outburst, leaving Sun Shi so angry that she chased after her with her short legs.
Just then, the children who had gone out to herd the horses with Old Man Lu returned. Thinking it was time to eat, they all sat around the pot, looking on eagerly.
After the water boiled, Yu put several washed potatoes into the pot to cook. Everyone gathered around, but they couldn't smell anything.
"Mom, what is this? Is it tasty?"
Lei looked at the pot with some interest. Although the round thing had no taste, it looked very appetizing!
"Even your mother doesn't know. Your third aunt dug it up from the mountain."
Mrs. Yu shook her head and stood in front of the children, afraid that some of them might get into trouble by sneaking food out of greed.
These were quite tender and cooked quickly. He Jiuniang said first, "Mom, let me peel them for you before you eat them!"
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