Chapter 4: Burdock Seeds, Bamboo Mushrooms—A Bountiful Harvest!

“Cock-a-doodle-doo!”

Early the next morning, hearing the rooster crowing outside the door, Xia He swiftly rolled out of bed.

Looking at Hui Lan, still murmuring in her sleep, he carefully dressed himself, afraid of waking her.

He then went to the kitchen and took down a sickle hanging on the wall.

With no grain left at home and his stomach growling, Xia He scooped a large bowl of cool water from the jar and gulped it down to stave off hunger.

Having done all this, he readied himself, gently closed the door behind him, and stepped onto the main street.

“No matter what, I must make some gains today.”

The blood disease ravaging the town now, or the debt from previous high-interest loans, both pressed heavily on him.

Most importantly, he had promised Li Hui Lan that he would give her a better life.

Such a good wife—he did not want to let her down.

Therefore, Xia He had to come up with money!

Gradually, the sky brightened.

Breakfast stalls began to set up along the streets, their aromas mingling with rising white steam.

Neighbors and townsfolk started their daily hustle.

Passing by a steamed bun shop, a fresh batch of buns had just been taken out of the steamer.

Xia He couldn’t resist sniffing the air, pursing his lips as his mouth watered.

“Hey, isn’t that Brother He? Where’re you off to this early?”

A teasing voice rang out. Several ruffians squatted near the bun stall, greedily devouring their meat buns, oil dripping from their mouths.

Xia He looked over and recognized Song Bao, who had come to collect debts a few days prior.

Noticing the bamboo basket on Xia He’s back, Song Bao laughed with his companions,

“Up so early, going out of town to gather herbs?”

“Had breakfast yet? These steaming buns smell amazing.”

“Don’t mind him. He’s lost all his money gambling. I want to help him get it back, but he won’t have it.”

Song Bao showed no respect for Xia He and then added,

“Xia He, here’s a chance. There’s a good gambling game today. How about one more round to get your money back?”

Amid their jeers, Xia He remained silent, shook his head, and quickened his pace away from the bun shop.

He had no intention of wasting words on people like Song Bao.

Right now, he needed to conserve his strength; after all, a long mountain path awaited him.

As long as he was clear about his purpose, enduring some scorn was nothing.

Leaving the town behind, he headed south.

After about two hours, somewhat breathless, Xia He arrived at the foot of Hammer Mountain.

He gripped the sickle tightly, stepping carefully along the winding trail made by those before him, gradually entering the forest.

Using the sickle to clear the path and keeping alert to the sounds around him, he ventured deeper for another half hour.

Along the way, Xia He saw no traces of large beasts, which eased his mind.

In his ears were the chirping of insects and birdsong.

He recalled the contents of the herbal manual.

Different herbs required different environments; wandering aimlessly would be futile.

Still, searching within the vast mountain was challenging, until a faint, almost invisible line appeared before his eyes.

Shortly after passing through a dense thicket, he spotted a fuzzy green plant.

“Burdock seeds!”

Xia He’s heart leapt with joy as he hurried over.

[First-tier Herb: Burdock Seeds]

Burdock seeds are obovate, slightly flattened and curved, with a gray-brown surface speckled with purplish-black spots.

They generally grow on sunny grassy slopes near water sources, rarely found by main roads.

They can dispel wind-heat, clear the lungs, and soothe the throat, used to treat external wind-heat and coughs.

A common herb with high demand, priced reasonably: one tael (about 37.5 grams) sells for around 30 wen.

The spot was a low-lying area; without the white guiding line from his skills, Xia He would have had great difficulty locating it.

Looking around, the burdock seeds grew everywhere, thanks to a recent light rain a few days ago.

“This world really is different—herbs are classified by efficacy and rarity.”

Xia He took out his sickle and began carefully harvesting large patches of burdock seeds.

“Success!”

Gathering herbs required skill and delicacy.

If the herb’s integrity was damaged, its value would drop sharply.

[Herb Gathering (Novice)]

[Progress: 5/100]

[Effect: None]

“What? This is possible?”

Still reveling in his harvest, Xia He stared in surprise at the small words that suddenly appeared before him.

He realized that recognizing and gathering herbs could both awaken proficiency.

Could it be that any skillful task could yield benefits?

His spirits soared as he fully focused on harvesting.

Time flew by, and soon half an hour had passed.

Feeling the heavy weight of the basket on his back, Xia He wiped the sweat from his brow and rested.

[Herb Gathering (Apprentice)]

[Progress: 0/200]

[Effect: Sharp Eyes, Quick Hands, Keen Observation]

Xia He clearly felt the soreness and stiffness in his arms ease rapidly; under the blazing sun, his vision sharpened.

He could even spot burdock seeds ten meters away, hidden beneath the wild grass.

He stood, gathering the few he had missed.

He shook the bamboo basket.

“About five taels.”

Five taels—half a catty—translated to a solid 150 wen!

This harvest was undeniably abundant.

Hammer Mountain was vast; though gathering herbs wasn’t difficult, finding the right ones was challenging.

Wandering blindly like a headless fly would only result in getting lost and finding nothing.

But relying on his herbal manual, Xia He had earned 150 wen in less than half an hour!

“The day’s still young, let’s keep going!”

Without hurrying down the mountain, he tied the herbs with hemp rope, slung the basket back on his shoulders, and pressed forward.

Soon, he spotted a large bamboo grove in the distance.

Thanks to his keen observation, he quickly noticed a type of fungus growing on the bamboo stalks.

“Bamboo mushrooms—there really are some after the rain!”

Bamboo mushrooms grow on bamboo roots, also called bamboo flesh; they are both medicinal and edible.

Usually pale yellow, asymmetrical and arched, with bristly edges resembling curls.

Generally thumb-sized but can grow as large as a palm.

They clear heat, resolve phlegm, relieve stomach heat and vomiting, and calm restless fetuses.

Brewing them with lotus leaves into tea can prevent heatstroke.

A good find—one tael could fetch 25 wen.

Moreover, not only do local clinics buy them, but in the heat of summer, their fresh flavor makes them popular among wealthy cityfolk.

Xia He plunged into the bamboo grove and began picking the mushrooms.

The grove was large, and the recent rain had caused many new mushrooms to sprout.

He spent over an hour gathering, finally collecting eight taels, including several palm-sized ones.

“Smaller ones can be sold to the clinic, the large ones I might try selling in town to see if any wealthy patrons are interested.”

His first venture into the mountain brought Xia He great satisfaction.

He wanted to explore further but suddenly noticed animal tracks nearby.

Judging by their size, they belonged to pack wolves in the vicinity.

His expression tightened as he gripped the sickle firmly.

“Seems just a little deeper and there are wild beasts.”

Hammer Mountain’s biodiversity was rich: besides many herbs, there were wild rabbits, muntjacs, wolves, foxes, even black bears.

If he really encountered one, how could a mere sickle protect him?

Xia He hurriedly made his way back, resolving to craft a proper weapon before venturing again.