Conflict
"Empty-handed?" "I was carrying a hoe," Zhou Wulang retorted. "I let you run ahead." Who told you to turn back and argue with people? "Didn't you see how many of them there were?"
Man Bao sat aside, turning her head from one person to another, thoroughly entertained.
Old Zhou frowned, not finding it amusing. He raised his hand and patted his thigh, signaling his two sons to calm down before asking, "Why were they chasing you? Do they know about us digging for Fuling in the mountains?"
"They don't know," Zhou Sirlong affirmed. "I asked them." They envy us for foraging wild mushrooms in the mountains.
Otherwise, why would he stupidly turn back to argue with someone?
He glanced disdainfully at Zhou Wulang, feeling that he belonged to the category of those who are so unintelligent that they do not even comprehend why they get beaten up.
"The second brother sells vegetables in the county town." Someone from Dali Village must have seen him. He sells wild mushrooms for 20 wen per jin, which is even more expensive than meat. Once word spread, someone must have informed them about us foraging on their mountain, which led them to chase us.
In truth, they didn't find wild mushrooms every day. The main reason was their rapid growth and quick decay.
After yesterday's rain, mushrooms are likely to sprout today. If no one found them within a couple of days, they would wilt on their own.
Even if they are found, older mushrooms are not as tasty.
Second Brother sold them at a high price, demanding quality, and wouldn't accept inferior mushrooms in the county town.
Those wealthy families were very particular.
Their family was large, and they had extensive experience in this area, especially Zhou Sirlong. No one among the brothers could match his skill in foraging.
Man Bao, who occasionally had adventures, might have caught up with him.
But her pursuits were different. She explored unfamiliar things, relying on her extensive knowledge.
Only a few people from Qili Village ventured into town. They knew the Zhous grew vegetables, but they had no idea how much money they earned.
Let alone other businesses.
So there was no jealousy, and even if there were, they wouldn't resort to such actions.
But Dalishan was different. Just a village away, they had even fought before. Who would care about your face?
So they chased them.
Old Zhou became furious and knocked his pipe several times. But after simmering, he gritted his teeth. "Don't go to the mountains again." "We didn't find Fuling, did we?"
"We didn't find Fuling, but we found wild mushrooms," Zhou Sirlong hurriedly said. "Father, I can't say I find ten or eight jin every day, but as long as we go deeper, finding four or five jin is no problem." Five jin of wild mushrooms are worth a hundred wen.
Zhou Sirlong was now very good at arithmetic, quickly calculating, "That's at least a hundred wen per day." In a month, that's three paychecks. How much land do we need to farm just to match that?
Old Zhou shot him a glance. "Forget it." Do you think I'm illiterate? Can you make the heavens rain mushrooms every day?
Zhou Sirlong bowed his head.
Though Old Zhou also lamented the losses, he remained rational. He snorted, "Harvest season is near." Even if there are mushrooms, we won't find any now. Arguing with others at this time only adds to our troubles at home.
Zhou Sirlong was dissatisfied. "So, we'll just let this go?"
Old Zhou remained silent, but his stance was clear.
Both Zhou Sirlong and Zhou Wulang were angry. Both of them behaved like children playing with their peers in the village, brimming with youthful energy. Of course, they couldn't swallow this insult.
But they feared their father. Despite their dissatisfaction, they dared not say anything or privately confront the people of Dali Village.
Because fighting would definitely involve their brothers, and once three or more are involved, it would be nearly impossible to keep it from their father.
The two sighed and walked to the next courtyard.
Old Zhou instructed their relative, "Go to your mother's and get some medicinal wine." Rub it on the fourth brother. It didn't rain today, and there won't be mushrooms tomorrow either. Let him go into the mountains with his older brothers and bring back some good mountain mud.
Man Bao had already slipped into the house behind Zhou Sirlong, curious. "Fourth Brother, did you really not find Fuling?"
"No," Zhou Sirlong said, not in a good mood. "We turned over every pine stump in the mountains, but didn't find a single Fuling."
Man Bao pondered, "Could it be that the growing conditions are not suitable for pine stumps?"
Zhou Sirlong glanced at her sideways. "Isn't it said to be the essence or spirit of pine trees?"
"Yes," Man Bao blinked. "But it's not from pine stumps."
Zhou Sirlong sighed.
The siblings looked at each other for a while. Zhou Sirlong wanted to pinch her, but Man Bao slipped away to the door.
Zhou Sirlong wished he could lie down and let out a long sigh. "Do you know how much money we have lost recently?" The other day, Second Brother took the remaining Fuling to Master Zheng. It was eleven jin and seven coins. He exchanged them for nine hundred and twenty coins. If we could find Fuling these days…"
Zhou Sirlong was almost drooling.
Man Bao leaned against the door, saying, "This is impossible." Do you think medicinal herbs are similar to Chinese cabbage? We have been searching for Eucommia ulmoides for two years, and so far, we have only found five trees.
Man Bao said, "It's not grown at home, and you can use as much as you want."
Originally regretful, Zhou Sirlong listened to this for a moment. Tilting his head, he said, "Yeah, why can't we plant it ourselves, just like ginger."
Man Bao asked, "Do you have land?"
Zhou Sirlong suddenly fell silent.
The fields allocated by the government had strict rules regarding what could be planted. Rice and wheat were the most suitable crops, but some fields were unsuitable for growing crops like beans or sesame seeds. If you plant watermelon and vegetables, they will simply be ignored. But if you dare to plant other things on your own, you're encroaching on fertile fields, which is a serious matter.
Among other things that can be grown, yams, including ginger, are also edible, even if they just meet the standard.
But the thing with Eucommia ulmoides is obviously not like yam.
The two siblings pondered over this point, and they couldn't help but feel that they wanted to inform these two individuals that Eucommia ulmoides is not something you want to cultivate; it can thrive on its own. Have you mastered the planting techniques?
Now, even the scientists at the Encyclopedia Museum have not cultivated Eucommia ulmoides. So, where does your confidence in your siblings to grow Eucommia ulmoides come from?
Do you know how to grow Eucommia ulmoides?
Anyway, they don't know.