I Became a Medical Genius in the 80s

Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Five Hundred Years Old

”Little Tian’er is back, come in and rest for a while!” Zhang Qiao Niang laughed.

Beisitian thought for a moment she had entered the wrong house, but upon another glance, she realized this indeed was her home. Then she turned to Zhang Qiao Niang.

”Aunt Qiao is here.” Beisitian greeted.

Zhang Qiao Niang looked at Beisitian, her posture was straightened, her gaze no longer avoided people, and she didn’t speak hesitantly anymore. Indeed, people can change!

Luo Anping ran into the house, lifted the lid of the water jar, grabbed a ladle, and drank heartily.

Beisitian threw the whip into the firewood room and also entered the house. Zhang Qiao Niang moved from the kang to the bench.

”Aunt Qiao, is there something you wanted to talk to me about?” Beisitian asked.

This appearance surely meant there was something.

Zhang Qiao Niang laughed, ”Little Tian’er, I heard you’re now an embroidery woman at Bao Niang Embroidery Workshop. Aunt was also an embroidery woman, has loved embroidery since childhood. Today, I waited for you to come back just to see your embroidery pieces and to broaden my horizons!”

Beisitian thought it was something else, turns out it was this, she nodded and said, ”Sure, though I don’t have anything new right now. Maybe in a couple of days, Aunt can come over and I’ll show you. It might not be much, as I’m also continuously learning.”

Zhang Qiao Niang agreed, chatted casually a bit, and couldn’t stay. Since it was mealtime, staying longer wouldn’t be considerate, plus she had to cook at home.

After Zhang Qiao Niang left, Mrs. Qin said softly, ”You watch, within a day, the news that you’re an embroidery woman at Bao Niang Embroidery Workshop will spread throughout the village.”

Beisitian smiled, the more people know the better, then she wouldn’t have to hide. This family would definitely prosper someday, can’t remain poor forever.

Once she fully recovers, she won’t fear others spying.

After dinner, as it turned dark, for the past month and a half, they had eaten white flour buns for at least a month. People in Luo Er’s family looked healthier, and Beisitian had gained some weight on her face. Luo Anping seemed less skinny, but just white flour buns weren’t enough.

During this time, Beisitian would find some wild food or herbs while herding sheep to make simple medicinal meals to improve everyone’s health. But those things had limited effects, her spirit hadn’t fully recovered, so she planned to go to the mountains one day to see if she could find some good stuff.

The past couple of days, Beisitian prepared quite a bit of insect repellent powder and some special talisman powder for emergencies.

With these things, as long as she didn’t encounter bears, she’d be fine.

After getting ready, Beisitian informed Mrs. Qin before leaving the house, she didn’t dare say she was going to the mountains for fear Mrs. Qin wouldn’t agree.

Luo Anping was playing somewhere in the village, he’d return when it was time for herding.

Beisitian went up the mountain from the north slope while herding sheep, it’s easier to enter the mountains from there, and some hunters also use this way to enter.

The mountains on this side weren’t too steep, but further in, it was easy to get lost. So unfamiliar people wouldn’t dare to venture inside without a hunter.

Once past the north slope, technically it’s considered entering the mountains, but since it was close to the north slope, many sheep would wander there to graze. So there wasn’t much good stuff to see, though there was plenty of shepherd’s purse.

Beisitian kept going, marking her path as she walked. Although she wasn’t directionally challenged and had camped in the mountains quite a lot in her past life, mountains vary, so prudently, she made marks to find her way back.

Reaching a high slope, Beisitian stopped to rest for a while before continuing.

She heard villagers say that there were some wild Huang Qi on the mountain; if you look carefully, you can dig them up. Besides hunting, people would also dig herbs to sell in town. So she’s hoping to dig some wild Huang Qi this time.

Huang Qi is a great herb for boosting energy.

Huang Qi prefers cool places, is cold-hardy and drought-resistant, but fears heat and waterlogging. So Beisitian looked for it on grassy slopes and areas with sparse trees, as these were optimal places for Huang Qi growth.

Being purposeful in her search, plus she’s experienced, it didn’t take long for her to find some Huang Qi.

Beisitian carefully dug out the Huang Qi and put it in the basket behind her, having dug a total of three roots.

After searching a few more places, she found another three or four roots, then decided not to look for Huang Qi anymore. It would be great if she could find some wild Goji; if not, she’d buy some dried Goji at the market later, which would be good for energy and blood.

Goji isn’t considered a particularly rare herb, but Huang Qi and Goji are excellent for boosting energy and blood.

Beisitian carried the basket, which was slightly different from a backpack, as it was double-shoulder strapped and deeper, allowing for more items. A backpack was shallow and carried on one shoulder.

On her way up the mountain, Beisitian dusted insect repellent powder on herself, encountering quite a few snakes and insects, none of them poisonous. However, she generally didn’t like these soft-bodied reptiles and kept a wide berth from them.

Following the slope downwards, Beisitian arrived at a mountain valley with a creek flowing softly between rocks, being the mountain’s water source.

Walking along the rocks, the water was too shallow for fish, but judging by the stones and water flow, there might be a waterfall or lake further ahead and unknown how large.

As she walked and searched, Beisitian found quite a few herbs, all common ones that were beneficial for their current conditions.

While walking, Beisitian’s eyes suddenly flashed with delight, realizing she found something—a wild Polygonum multiflorum!

Beisitian hurried over, seeing the Polygonum multiflorum growing in the crevice between rocks.

Due to the crevice, to avoid damaging the roots while digging, she had to move the rocks aside. Fortunately, the rocks weren’t too large, and Beisitian used all her strength to push one aside.

After resting for a while, she began to carefully dig out the Polygonum multiflorum.

Nowadays, wild Polygonum multiflorum is rare; most are cultivated. A single plant can sell for a lot. Beisitian couldn’t estimate its price exactly, but wild Polygonum multiflorum is always valuable.

This Polygonum multiflorum’s age was unknown, but since the valley was rarely visited, it’s presumably decades old at least.

To determine its age, one examines the weight of its roots; the heavier, the older it is.

Not wanting to damage the roots, Beisitian spent over an hour digging out the entire plant. Once out, she was startled.

She brushed away the soil, revealing the red-brown oval root, feeling both surprise and joy.

She lifted it, estimating it weighed nearly three kilograms!

To grow such a weight, Polygonum multiflorum must be at least 400 to 500 years old; judging by the texture and weight, it must exceed 500 years!

Incredibly, she found a treasure on her first mountain trip!

Wild Polygonum multiflorum over 100 years old selling for thousands is quite normal, let alone one that’s 500 years old!