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“No, no, no,” Xun Yuanbai vigorously shook his head, his nose slightly reddening. He added, “It’s not that I look down on them.”
“Are you truly willing to give these items to me?” Xun Yuanbai questioned.
“Of course,” Jiang Mixia replied, somewhat puzzled. “I promised to give them to Master Xun . It wouldn’t be right to go back on my word, would it?”
Seeing Xun Yuanbai’s eyes widen like brass bells and his excitement while observing the plants, Jiang Mixia grew even more curious. “Is there something wrong with these gifts?”
“Well, there’s nothing wrong per se…” Xun Yuanbai sniffed. “They are just too precious.”
“Precious?” Jiang Mixia became even more perplexed. “These are just random plants dug up from the mountains…”
“You may not be familiar with their medicinal properties. Even if you brought ordinary doctors from the county or the capital, they might not recognize these plants. But rest assured, they are all top-quality goods!” Xun Yuanbai pointed to a thin, delicate plant with pale yellow flowers. Its leaves appeared wrinkled and low to the ground. “This is Frost Soul Grass. Despite its unremarkable appearance, it is a valuable medicinal herb that can counteract various poisons. Drying these flowers and placing them in a sachet to wear can protect you from all manner of toxins, deterring snakes, insects, and pests.”
“The Frost Soul Grass is extremely delicate. It mostly thrives in deep mountain streams. It will perish in unclean water, with too much sunlight, without sun exposure, during droughts, or floods. It’s challenging to cultivate, and bringing it out of the mountains is incredibly difficult,” Xun Yuanbai explained.
“Is it really that complicated?” Song Jingyun scratched his head. “But I’ve dug up plenty. Look…”
Following Song Jingyun’s gesture, Xun Yuanbai spotted a row of Frost Soul Grass along the wall. Despite their slender and delicate appearance with wrinkled leaves, the plants looked vibrant and healthy when grouped together.
Xun Yuanbai’s eyes gleamed as he observed the plants.
A single fresh Frost Soul Grass was already hard to come by, yet here, Song Jingyun had managed to cultivate so many! Not to mention the nearby White Mist Yin-Yang Grass, the Dan Feng Mountain Sparkling Flowers, and other equally valuable herbs.
This was no ordinary rural courtyard; it was more like an apothecary filled with priceless treasures!
Xun Yuanbai’s excitement was palpable as he explored the courtyard, and Jiang Youcheng couldn’t help but take a step back, clutching the stem of a Purple Gold Luster Pearl in his hand, unable to release his grip.
“Dear me,” Jiang Youcheng’s voice trembled slightly. “Shouldn’t we refrain from feeding these plants to the chickens from now on?”
“Seems that way,” Madam Liu nodded earnestly.
These plants in the courtyard had been dug up by Jiang Mixia and Song Jingyun from the mountains. Naturally, Jiang Youcheng and Liu Shi had always assumed them to be just wild grass and flowers. Sometimes, when they grew too abundantly, they would pluck some and sprinkle them in the chicken coop for the chickens to peck at.
Unexpectedly, these wild plants and flowers turned out to be so valuable.
In the future, they couldn’t be used as chicken feed anymore. They now needed proper care, as the flora in their half-yard could possibly be worth a small fortune in the town.
Jiang Youcheng and Liu Shi made up their minds and whispered to each other about how to care for these plants in the future.
Equally astonished were Jiang Mixia and Song Jingyun.
While previously astonished by her husband finding pearls in clams, mistaking attractive plants for ginseng, or setting simple traps that caught wild boars…
Jiang Mixia had grown somewhat accustomed to her husband’s good fortune. Therefore, after a brief shock, she returned to her usual composure.
On the other hand, Song Jingyun couldn’t help but scratch his head.
“If these wild plants are medicinal herbs, can we directly cook them?” he inquired.
“Medicinal herbs need to be processed before use,” Xun Yuanbai explained. “Directly boiling them might weaken their effectiveness or alter their taste.”
“The taste isn’t good?” Song Jingyun thought that anything edible couldn’t taste bad.
He remembered the medicines he had taken for colds before and found their taste quite pleasant. The pure and strong aftertaste lingered in his memory.
Song Jingyun hesitated about plucking a few herbs from the courtyard to stew and drink later.
Observing her husband‘s intentions, Jiang Mixia playfully patted his shoulder. “Remember, all medicine has its risks. Even though these are detoxifying herbs, your healthy body doesn’t necessarily need them.”
“Just a small sip…” Song Jingyun whispered.
Jiang Mixia, alarmed, interjected, “Not even a sip!”
Seeing his wife’s fierce expression, Song Jingyun could only respond with a meek “Oh” and lower his head.
Meanwhile, Xun Yuanbai swiftly gathered the herbs.
Speed was essential. These were medicinal herbs, capable of treating ailments and saving lives. In his hands, they could potentially be transformed into elixirs of longevity. However, if left in the hands of young sir…
Being casually planted in the courtyard for aesthetic purposes was one thing, but the thought of them being plucked and tasted at whim was another matter altogether.
What a waste of valuable resources!
Xun Yuanbai almost wished he could transport the entire half of the courtyard to Deyin Temple.
Even though the old mule could be annoying at times, he still treated these plants with more care than young sir and madam.
However, these items were meant as a gift from Song Jingyun and Jiang Mixia, and Xun Yuanbai felt reluctant to take too much. Moreover, Song Jingyun seemed quite eager to taste the herbs once brewed, and with each plant Xun Yuanbai dug up, he could sense a slight chill creeping up his spine…
Stealing from a person with such strong luck, or rather, snatching from their mouths, made him hesitant, even as a celestial master capable of understanding things beyond ordinary comprehension.
After intense internal struggle, Xun Yuanbai dared only to dig up five herbs that he might need soon and had them sent to Deyin Temple by the young servant accompanying him.
He then requested to stay at Jiang Mixia’s house for a few days.
Of course, he wouldn’t stay for free. During his time there, he would help prepare remedies for headaches, fevers, bruises, and cuts—medicines in pill form and powders.
After all, spending a few extra days with young sir might bring him some good fortune, considering how much information he had shared had likely taken a toll on him.
There were enough rooms in the house for him to stay, and adding one more person at mealtimes wouldn’t be a hassle. Plus, Xun Yuanbai could assist in making everyday remedies.