Emerging from Wolf Valley, Chen Qingqing felt utterly weak, her legs trembling uncontrollably, each step feeling like walking on cotton.
Recalling what had just happened, I was still shaken, but unwilling to let it end there.
Such a large ginseng king is a priceless treasure that is hard to come by.
But the huge black python was guarding the spot, making it impossible to attack. If one were to risk it, one would surely perish in its belly...
As the saying goes, fortune favors the bold.
We must find a way to lure that giant black python away before we can start digging for ginseng.
But how can we lure the python away?
Should we lure it with a chicken?
No, my family is too poor to afford chickens.
She shook her head, dismissing the idea.
Something that doesn't cost money and can make pythons leave obediently.
Sulfur is good, but there's nowhere to get it!
Suddenly, a light shone in his eyes: snake incense! That's it! He could make his own incense and use it to scare away or stun the big black python.
The ingredients needed to make incense are very simple, and most of them can be found in the fields. She collected them as she walked back.
They quickly collected aconite and wild eggplant flowers, which they then combined with mugwort, toad venom, and other ingredients to make a sedative.
As long as the black snake smells the incense it makes, it won't collapse.
With a solution for dealing with the black python, Chen Qingqing felt much more at ease.
As long as we find that ginseng king, we'll never have to worry about not being able to feed our parents properly...
Early the next morning.
On the simple table were four bowls of thin, watery wild vegetable porridge.
A faint worry lingered on Chen Zhanshan's face. The family's food supplies were dwindling, and there was simply no work to be done in town.
The two acres of sandy land they were allocated didn't grow a single crop. If things continued like this, the whole family would starve to death.
Lin was also frowning. Yesterday, she secretly went to Dahe Village.
I thought I could borrow some rice to tide me over for a while.
But her parents, eldest brother, and second brother treated her like she was a plague, not even giving her a kind look.
I thought that telling my parents about Qingya and the separation from my family would evoke pity in them, but instead I was met with disdain.
The eldest brother even said that Qingya would have to get married sooner or later. Nowadays, the dowry for an average family is ten taels of silver. If someone is willing to give fifty taels of silver and she still doesn't get married, then he's a complete idiot.
Her second brother also spoke coldly, scolding her for always being stingy when she went back to her parents' home over the years, and saying that from now on he would never give her a single grain of food...
Looking at the wild vegetable porridge in front of her, Chen Qingqing honestly couldn't bring herself to drink it.
But if I didn't eat, I would starve to death, so I forced myself to eat a few bites.
She didn't plan to tell her parents about finding the ginseng. Firstly, she was afraid they would worry, and secondly, the fewer people who knew about it, the better, so that the news wouldn't leak out and someone else would get there first.
She planned to go up the mountain to collect some more medicinal herbs, since the black python was too big, and it would be good to make more incense just in case.
What if too little of any of the medicinal herbs was added, and the medicine wasn't potent enough to stun the black snake? What if it woke up halfway through digging up the ginseng? Wouldn't that scare someone to death...?
After breakfast, Chen Qingqing led Chen Han to collect medicinal herbs.
"Sister, why are you picking these wild grasses?" Chen Han asked, puzzled.
Chen Qingqing smiled mysteriously, "Sister, it works."
"Is this edible?"
"Of course not, these herbs are all poisonous. You must remember that, you can't eat them indiscriminately. Wash your hands thoroughly later, okay?"
"I know, but what exactly do you need this for?" Chen Han asked curiously, determined to get to the bottom of it.
Telling him that smoking a python would definitely scare him, Chen Qingqing thought for a moment and casually said, "There are too many mosquitoes at night in our house. I'll make some incense and light it at night so the mosquitoes won't bite you."
"Really?"
"Of course it's true. Let's try to fill this basket before we go home, okay?"
Chen Han nodded, "Okay."
It was nearing noon.
Lin was washing the freshly dug wild vegetables when she saw Chen Qingqing had gathered a full basket of wormwood, and she was somewhat puzzled.
"Qing girl, what are you going to do with all this grass? You can't eat it."
Chen Han couldn't help but chuckle, "Mom, you're just like me, you don't know anything."
Mrs. Lin was a little confused. "There are so many wild grasses on the mountain. I've never seen anyone gathering them before!"
Chen Qingqing smiled and explained, "Mom, there are too many mosquitoes at night, so I wanted to make some incense."
"Oh, I see. Let me help you. Will this thing work?"
“It works. These are herbs that can repel poisonous insects.” After saying that, Chen Qingqing turned to Chen Han beside her and asked, “Xiao Han, do you know where I can catch toads?”
"Sis, there are plenty of those things. There's a stinky puddle by the river with lots of them. I can catch more than ten in a minute."
"Okay, let's go catch some later."
Chen Han was taken aback. "Sis, toads don't taste good, only frogs are edible."
Chen Qingqing patted his little head. "I'm not catching toads to eat, I'm catching them to use as incense."
"Oh, I see."
Chen Han was a little disappointed, and Chen Qingqing was also very sad. She used to read novels where the female protagonists who transmigrated always had either a cheat code or a virtual shop.
Separating the family means you can enjoy big meals with your loved ones.
Whether it's selling ice jelly, spicy hot pot, or making soap or candles, you can make money no matter what.
But why is it so difficult for her?
You can't do anything without capital!
Now we can only pin our hopes on that ginseng king...
Several days have passed in the blink of an eye.
Chen Qingqing has been drying the herbs these past few days and has already crushed and ground them into powder.
She glanced at the toads, estimating they'd be completely dry in another day; she could just grind them into powder tomorrow.
Then mix it with the ground herbs, wrap it in Xuan paper, and the incense is ready.
Everything is ready now, except for the ginseng harvest...
The yard next door.
Old Mrs. Chen was initially confident in her approach, but gradually she became restless and began to have doubts.
What's going on? Five days have passed and there's still no movement. Is the boss really going to be stubborn and refuse to listen to me?
If they don't back down, things will get complicated.
That butcher Li is not someone to be trifled with. He won't let this go easily. If I can't hand over the person, he'll definitely come and make a scene at my door.
But these days, seeing the eldest brother leaving early and returning late, he has visibly lost a lot of weight and looks listless all day long, so he must not be making any money.
That brat has brought back a lot of wormwood these past few days, and she's been drying it in the yard. She's probably out of food and planning to eat grass to survive.
Even livestock wouldn't eat that stuff, how could a person swallow it? I reckon in two or three days, that family will have to come begging me.
When that time comes, they'll have no choice but to obediently marry Qing'er off to him!
With this thought in mind, all my previous concerns and worries vanished...
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