plumnovel Chapter 39 An Unexpected Joy
Chapter 39 An Unexpected Joy
Wang Zhihuan got up, brushed the grass clippings off his clothes, and was about to continue searching for medicine on the hillside when a soft rustling sound suddenly came from the bushes behind him.
The sound was faint, not the rustling of leaves in the wind, but clearly the movement of something alive through the grass. He gripped his stick tighter, tiptoed, and parted the thorns to peer inside—
A gray hare crouched under the tree roots, its long ears standing straight up, its nose twitching constantly, alert to any movement around it. Its fur was glossy, and its body was plump, weighing at least three or four pounds.
In the early years of the Zhenguan era, people's livelihoods had just recovered from the war. Ordinary families rarely ate meat throughout the year, and even wealthy families did not often eat wild game.
The hare sensed the movement and tried to flee with a kick of its hind legs. Wang Zhi reacted quickly, thrusting his stick forward and pinning down the hare's hind legs.
The rabbit struggled and kicked with all its might, almost slipping from his grasp. He simply bent down, pinned the rabbit down, and grabbed it by the scruff of its neck.
The rabbit kicked wildly with its four legs, scratching several red marks on his arm with its hind legs, but it couldn't break free in the end.
He took out a hemp rope, quickly tied the rabbit's four legs together, threw it into the bamboo basket, and then closed the basket and tied it securely.
The bamboo basket thrashed and shook for a while before gradually quieting down.
Wang Zhihuan looked at the bamboo basket, brushed the dirt off his hands, and unconsciously smiled.
This was an unexpected bonus. The meat of wild rabbit is firm and low in fat, making it a rare and delicious dish whether braised or roasted.
He rinsed the scratches on his arms with the stream water and continued searching for medicinal herbs along the road.
That day, they were incredibly lucky, finding a large patch of sand ginseng on a sunny hillside. Their bamboo basket grew heavier, and estimating they'd gathered enough herbs to last for a while, they turned and headed down the mountain.
As we approached the foot of the mountain, we passed an old pine tree. Beneath it grew a patch of short, wild grass with round, serrated leaves and stems covered in fine down.
He crouched down to examine it closely, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes—it was fritillaria cirrhosa.
This was yet another unexpected gain.
Fritillaria cirrhosa can moisten the lungs and resolve phlegm. When used in combination with Ophiopogon japonicus and Adenophora stricta, it will have a better cough-relieving effect.
He carefully dug it up by the roots. The bulb was white, tender, and round, shaped like a garlic clove, and looked excellent.
This trip into the mountains yielded far more than expected. The bottom of the bamboo basket was lined with Ophiopogon japonicus, the middle with Adenophora stricta, and on top were Fritillaria cirrhosa and wild rabbit.
As we descended the mountain, the occasional gentle kicking of a rabbit could be heard from inside the bamboo basket, adding a touch of life to the journey home.
By the time we got back to the farm, the sun had already passed noon.
Ah Huang was the first to run out, circling around his feet, its tail wagging incessantly.
Xiao Hei followed behind, quietly rubbing against his trouser leg.
Ah Huang smelled the unfamiliar scent in the bamboo basket, perked up its ears, and barked softly twice at the opening of the basket.
"Don't worry, you'll get your share later." Wang Zhihuan patted the basket lid with a smile.
He placed the bamboo basket on the stone table, drew well water to wash his hands and face, and the cool water washed away the sweat and dust, making him feel refreshed.
Then they began to prepare the medicinal herbs.
Growing Ophiopogon japonicus requires the most effort, as all the soil on the roots must be thoroughly cleaned.
He moved a small stool and sat under the shade of the jujube tree, placed a basin of clean water on it, first rubbed off the loose soil, and then gently scraped off the outer skin with a knife.
The pressure must be just right; scraping too hard will damage the skin, while scraping too shallowly will not clean it properly.
Having watched my grandfather do it countless times in my past life, I became so familiar with it that it was natural for me to do it myself.
The processed Ophiopogon japonicus is white and round, and when spread out on a bamboo tray, each grain is smooth and plump.
Grey jumped onto the stone table, sniffed the bamboo tray, but showed no interest, so it simply lay down and watched him work.
Glehnia littoralis is much easier to prepare; simply wash it, slice it, and then dry it in the sun.
Instead of using a kitchen knife, he took a small copper knife that Cheng Chumo had helped him make. The blade was thin and sharp, and the ginseng slices he cut were even and neat. When laid on a bamboo tray, they shimmered with a light jade color in the sunlight.
The simplest way to prepare fritillaria cirrhosa is to wash it clean, spread it out to dry, and then crush it when needed.
The three kinds of medicinal herbs filled all four bamboo trays and were laid out to dry at the foot of the courtyard wall.
The sunlight slowly dried away the moisture, and a faint, bitter medicinal fragrance filled the air. It wasn't the stale, musty smell of a pharmacy, but rather a fresh, moist scent of freshly gathered herbs from the mountains and fields, which felt comforting and pleasant to breathe in.
Hua Hua and Hui Hui found the smell of the medicine too strong, so they scurried up the jujube tree. Ah Huang came over, sniffed it several times, sneezed twice, and obediently retreated to lie down under the jujube tree.
Wang Zhihuan squatted between the bamboo trays, turning over the medicinal herbs from time to time to ensure they were dried evenly in the sun.
The wild rabbit tied under the stone table occasionally kicked its leg lightly. He was just about to deal with it after finishing the medicinal herbs when he suddenly heard the soft sound of a donkey walking outside the courtyard.
"Pretty guy! Pretty guy!"
The rhinoceros's clear, crisp voice pierced through the courtyard wall, filled with joy.
"Sizi's here! She brought candied fruit! Big Sister said Guoguo went into the mountains to gather herbs, so she came to check if he'd been carried off by any big insects!"
The courtyard gate was gently pushed open, and three-and-a-half-year-old Xiao Sizi, dressed in a light green ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), skipped and hopped into the courtyard.
Her pale yellow embroidered shoes shimmered across the dappled sunlight, her two little tufts of hair bobbed as she ran, and she held the oil paper package high in her little hands, as if afraid the dog would snatch it away.
Ah Huang wagged its tail and came closer. Si Zi dodged its licking while giggling, "Ah Huang, don't lick me! I have lotion on my face, and if you lick it off, Big Sister will scold me!"
Chang Le followed slowly in, wearing a light blue soft silk dress, her jet-black hair loosely tied up with only a jade hairpin. She had shed her usual dignified demeanor and gained a touch of elegant languor.
Sunlight fell on her brows and eyes, making her face look gentle, but there was a hint of weariness in her eyes, probably because she had been entangled in worldly affairs lately and had not been able to rest.
As soon as she entered the courtyard, her gaze fell on the bamboo trays at the base of the wall. The bamboo trays were neatly arranged on all four sides, and the bitter fragrance of medicine wafted over with the wind.
Looking at Wang Zhihuan again, his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, his hands were covered in mud and medicine stains, but his expression was calm and composed.
"Has Young Master Wang just returned from the mountains?" Chang Le bowed slightly, her tone gentle.
"I've been back for less than half an hour." Wang Zhihuan got up and wiped the dirt off his hands. "You've come at the perfect time, my wife. If you had been any later, I would have had to pack up the bamboo trays."
"Sizi, you need to help!" The little girl put the candied fruit on the stone table, rolled up her sleeves, and was about to rush towards the bamboo tray when Chang Le gently pulled her back.
"Sizi, behave yourself. There's a proper way to dry the herbs. Don't cause trouble for your husband."
"It's alright, let her take a look." Wang Zhihuan beckoned Sizi over and pointed to the bamboo tray, explaining in detail, "These round, white ones are Ophiopogon japonicus, those that look like small garlic cloves are Fritillaria cirrhosa, and the sliced ones are Adenophora stricta. They're all for your mother to regulate her body."
Sizi tilted her head, stretched out her fingertip and gently touched the Ophiopogon japonicus, then quickly withdrew it, her eyes sparkling: "So white, like the sugar pills Sizi eats."
"It's more nourishing than sugar pills. Has your mother's cough and wheezing improved after drinking this herbal tea for so long?"
Every time Wang Zhihuan spoke to Sizi, his voice was extremely gentle. Anyone would become gentle with such an adorable creature.