Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Chapter 63: The Gourd is a Divine Object_l

Chapter 63: Chapter 63: The Gourd is a Divine Object_l

Translator: 549690339

Xiu Zhenniang took it and sniffed it, sensing a faint, refreshing fragrance. “Indeed, it’s different, there’s a slight difference in the smell.”

“Right.” Wen Yanmin put away the small golden mushroom, “This was sent by Yingbao, it’s different from the ones the Jiang Family sells. I also bought some from old man Jiang, but none of them is as effective as the ones brought by Yingbao.”

Xiu Zhenniang was surprised, “So you’re saying, the Jiang Family indeed possesses a secret ancestral remedy?”

“Yes!” Wen Yanmin nodded: “But they do not use this secret remedy to amass wealth.”

Xiu Zhenniang contemplated.

It seems that my father-in-law’s hypothesis was right, and it’s a good thing we moved here.

But how could she get that golden mushroom again?

Thinking of Yingbao, Xiu Zhenniang couldn’t help shaking her head.

She really didn’t want to be manipulative towards that child.

Wen Yanmin added: “If we receive good news from Grandfather’s eldest brother, you, Shushu, and Baobao can return to Yuzhou.”

Returning to Yuzhou, they will be able to continue enjoying the family resources and lead a life of luxury.

“Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it.” Xiu Zhenniang stood up, “The prince has been ill for many years, it won’t be cured overnight, it’s safest for us to stay here obediently.”

Although the mountain village is poor, most people are reasonable. Her two children have become more cheerful living here, happier than living in that strict household. Even her son, who was never interested in studying, has become more sensible and has even voluntarily started reading books.

Now that they have settled down, it wouldn’t hurt to stay for a few more years. She could use this time to cultivate her mind and maintain her health, so she wouldn’t have to deal with others when she goes back, avoiding unnecessary troubles.

“You’re right.”

Wen Yanmin really liked this village. She loved the endless leaves strewn on the ground in autumn and the sight of beautiful flowers everywhere in spring. She hoped to live her life in such a peaceful place without disputes, witnessing all shades of life while watching the falling leaves in autumn and admiring the flowers in spring.

Class ended at noon.

Yingbao packed her little school bag and waved goodbye to Miss Wen, bounding out of the classroom.

As soon as she exited the classroom, she saw Erni and Huzi waiting for her not far away.

Erni went up to her, held her younger sister’s hand and led her brother home.

“Yingbao, you didn’t know, we have a new student in our class. She is from West Village.”

Erni gestured towards a figure in the distance, “As soon as she arrived, she kept pestering Wen Hengyin with questions, even asked him if he is a rich man from the county town and if he could take her to the county town for a visit. She scared Wen Hengyin into avoiding talking to her.”

Yingbao glanced in the direction indicated by Erni, only to see Chen Zhao clinging on to Wen Hengyin, speaking rapidly.

Wen Hengyin was visibly irritated. He tried to break free several times but failed. Finally, he gave her a fierce push and dashed away.

Chen Zhao staggered, almost falling over. When she turned around, her eyes met Yingbao’s.

Yingbao turned her head away and said to Erni, “Ignore her from now on.”

In her past life, everyone was divided into two categories in Chen Zhao’s eyes:  those who were useful and those who were not.

As long as she felt that someone was valuable, she would do everything to please them. Once they were of no use, she would turn her back, even betray them.

Yingbao did not want her brothers and sisters to be targeted by people like this. The best way was to stay away from her and avoid any contact.

The three of them continued on their way home. On the way, they ran into several villagers, all greeting Yingbao warmly. “Yingbao, are you just getting off school?”

“Yingbao, you’re just getting home.”

“Yingbao, have you eaten yet? Do you want to drop by my house for a meal?”

Yingbao: …

She’s still just a child, there’s really no need for such formality.

Upon returning home, she heard Chunniang say, “Baobao, someone wants to buy our big gourd. What do you say, should we sell it?”

Yingbao, without any hesitation, nodded her head, “Sell! How much silver is he offering?

Chunniang replied, “There are two people who want to buy it. One is offering ten coins, and the other is offering twelve. They are both businessmen from the town.”

Yingbao blinked, “Isn’t that a bit too little? Oh well, let’s not sell then.” The offer was much lower than she had anticipated.

Aside from the deer, these two large gourds were the most famous things in their home.

These objects had appeared at the spot where her siblings nearly drowned and had conveniently saved their lives. Many villagers believed that the gourds were gifts from the immortals. Hence, they revered the gourds as sacred objects.

In recent days, several groups of people from other villages have specially come to see the gourds. Of course, every local villager, including children, came to touch the gourds, almost wearing the skin off the two large gourds.

Even the newborn babies were held by the adults in their family to rub the gourd, saying that it would pass on the blessings sent by heaven.

Later, it became more intense. Every day, when the villagers returned from the fields, the first thing they would do was to sneak over to the Jiang Family to touch the gourd before going home with satisfaction.

On seeing this, Jiang Sanlang carried one gourd to their new house on the

South Slope while leaving the other in the old house for everyone to touch.

Alas, they had to let the villagers touch it. Even the Clan Leader, Village Head, and Master all often intentionally or unintentionally came to touch it before leaving satisfied.

“If you don’t want to sell it, don’t.” In fact, Chunniang didn’t want to sell it either. After all, this was an oddity, they were not short on money, so why sell But since the gourds were brought back by her daughter, it was best to ask her opinion first.

“Let’s eat first, ” Chunniang, lifting the bamboo cover, revealed two dishes and a soup already prepared on the table.

Cabbage with tofu, a dish of sliced salted eggs, a bowl of spinach and egg soup, and a pot of steaming white rice.

The two younger brothers also came running over, readying the stools for their mother and sister, sitting themselves down, waiting for their mother to serve the rice.

“Is Dad not coming home to eat today?” Yingbao asked as she sat down on the stool.

While serving food to the children Chunniang said, “Your dad has been called away to build a bamboo stand. There are several families in the village who want to plant golden ear fungi and they have all arranged with your father that once the fungi are available, they can start right away. Alas, our North Mountain’s mulberry trees are going to be cut down by those people.”

At this point, every household in the village was quietly going to North Mountain to cut down mulberry trees. It looked like North Mountain was going to be entirely stripped bare.

Yingbao picked up her bowl and took a couple of bites, saying, “Why do they have to use mulberry trees? We can replace them with pottery jars.”

She had tested it long ago; even with a pottery bowl, as long as the nutrients were enough, golden ear fungi could still grow.

“How can pottery jars replace them?” Chunniang was puzzled.

“Previously, mulberry wood was used because it’s dead wood, from which the golden ear fungi could absorb a small amount of nutrients. But now don’t we have wheat bran and rice hulls? If we grind these with mulberry wood dust, then steam them in a basket for two hours, let them cool and then put them into jars, we can grow golden ear fungi on them.”

Yingbao asserted, “We can reuse these several times, isn’t that better than cutting fresh mulberry trees?”

If the authorities found out that the locals were massively cutting down trees, her family would probably be the first one to get into trouble.

Therefore, they must stop the villagers from cutting down the mutlberry trees on the North Mountain.

Planting mushrooms required dead trees, not fresh ones.

“Can we really do that?” Chunniang was elated, “I’ll tell your father when he’s back. By the way, let him order two hundred pottery jars too. We will use those to plant golden ear fungi from now on.”

In the past, they had used mulberry wood as a base out of necessity because they didn’t have money and naturally tried to save where they could. But now that they had money, they could afford to buy some jars. It would just cost four or five coins each. Buying a hundred or two would only cost a few hundred coins.

While they were eating their meal, they suddenly heard someone outside shouting, “Is Jiang Sanlang home?”

“Who’s that?” Chunniang put down her bowl and chopsticks to get up and go outside.

She saw two burly men standing at the courtyard gate.

Chunniang didn’t recognize the visitors, so she asked, “What do you need from my husband?”

One of the men smiling said, “We’ve come after hearing rumors and we wanted to see your family’s gourd..”