flstandardbreds Chapter 174 Cordyceps
Chapter 174 Cordyceps
The next morning, several large horses and a carriage set off. The carriage was already quite luxurious, and now it was further padded with layers of cushions by Bai Zhi and Fu Ling. Ye Qingchen told them it wasn't necessary, but they insisted on this before allowing her to leave, leaving her with no choice. It should be noted that Ye Qingchen possessed profound internal energy, so this slight bumpy ride was nothing to her. Furthermore, she had transferred the child to a spatial nursery, so she was even less worried about what might happen to her on the journey.
After recuperating in the space yesterday, coupled with the transfer of the child and the repair of the space's water, Ye Qingchen appeared exceptionally relaxed today, her complexion much better. Lord Guan guessed that this princess didn't sound like a delicate person; she was probably a new lover, pregnant with the prince's child. Therefore, he didn't rush along the way, but strolled leisurely up the mountain, describing the scenery as he went.
Just then, Ye Qingchen curiously turned her gaze outside and was surprised to find a large patch of black fungus growing there. Overjoyed, she turned to Lord Guan beside her and asked, "Lord Guan, do you eat this kind of black fungus here?" Lord Guan frowned slightly, a look of doubt on his face, and replied, "These black things growing on catalpa trees are edible? I know nothing about that!" Ye Qingchen quickly smiled and explained, "Oh, Lord Guan, don't worry, this fungus is delicious! Why don't you have the soldiers pick some to take back and try?" Seeing her confidence, Lord Guan nodded without hesitation, "Alright, as you say, young lady." He then turned and ordered the soldiers to pick the fungus.
The soldiers sprang into action, each untying a cloth bag from their waist and deftly beginning to harvest the wood ear mushrooms. Before long, their bags were full, and the heavy bag of mushrooms was carefully placed on the carriage. Then, the group continued their journey into the mountains. As they walked, the sharp-eyed Ye Qingchen made another discovery: the hillside ahead was covered with wild mushrooms. So she asked Lord Guan again, "Lord Guan, do you eat these mushrooms here?" Lord Guan stroked his chin, thought for a moment, and said, "Hmm... we do eat mushrooms occasionally, but I really can't tell which kinds are safe to eat. Usually, only some villagers come to pick some to take home and enjoy. However, if you cook mushrooms on their own, the taste is really bland; they only bring out their delicious flavor when cooked with meat. Therefore, many villagers often sell the mushrooms they pick to those who can afford meat." Ye Qingchen said to Bai Zhi and Fu Ling, "Go pick the mushrooms under the pine and hazel trees; those mushrooms are excellent. Also, those straw mushrooms taste good; go pick some of them." Then Bai Zhi and Fu Ling picked a large bag of mushrooms and hung it on the carriage.
After walking a little further, Ye Qingchen suddenly felt a bright light before her eyes. Not far ahead, she saw a unique plant growing there. If it weren't for her sharp eyesight, she probably wouldn't have noticed its existence! Although there were already many similar things in her mysterious space, this was the first time she had ever seen such a special plant in this world.
Overjoyed, Ye Qingchen didn't even have time to say a word to anyone around her before eagerly leaping off the carriage and running towards the plant. Upon reaching it, she carefully crouched down, picked up a thin stick from the ground, and gently began to dig. Before long, as the soil was gradually cleared away, a peculiar plant was finally revealed before her eyes—it was actually a plant growing on an insect! And this extraordinary sight was none other than the legendary Cordyceps sinensis!
It's important to know that Cordyceps sinensis is a precious traditional Chinese medicine unique to the mountains of the Central Plains! Since ancient times, it has been hailed as one of the "Three Great Tonics" along with ginseng and deer antler, and it is recorded in numerous medical classics. However, because this medicinal herb is so rare and difficult to find, even experienced herb gatherers find it extremely difficult; let alone ordinary people, most of whom have never even seen such a rare thing.
According to ancient texts, Cordyceps sinensis possesses numerous miraculous effects, including tonifying the kidneys and lungs, stopping bleeding, and resolving phlegm. It is remarkably effective for symptoms such as impotence and seminal emission caused by kidney deficiency and essence depletion, lower back and knee pain, as well as chronic cough, wheezing, and hemoptysis. Furthermore, it can effectively address many intractable and difficult-to-treat diseases, making it a truly invaluable medicine!
Ye Qingchen carefully searched her surroundings, her gaze sharp and focused. Suddenly, a unique color caught her eye—it was a cordyceps! Overjoyed, she quickly squatted down to examine it closely and, after confirming it was indeed cordyceps, gently picked it and placed it into the cloth bag she carried with her.
Emboldened by her first success, Ye Qingchen continued her search. Before long, she was overjoyed to find a second, a third… Looking at the increasing number of cordyceps in her hands, her face flushed with excitement, and she couldn't help but shout to Gu Mochen, “Your Highness, come and see! We've found cordyceps!”
Hearing Ye Qingchen's excited shout, Gu Mochen, who had been busy, immediately put down what he was doing and hurried over. When he saw the bag full of cordyceps in Ye Qingchen's hand, a look of surprise and joy flashed in his eyes. He knew that although he had previously cultivated cordyceps in his own medicinal field, the quantity had always been quite limited because this precious herb was extremely difficult to grow in large quantities artificially. However, the cordyceps before him were not only plentiful but also appeared to be of very good quality.
Unable to contain his joy, Gu Mochen immediately ordered everyone to stop their current work and concentrate on digging for cordyceps. Everyone responded enthusiastically and got to work with great energy. Before long, they had dug up many more cordyceps, just like the ones Ye Qingchen had shown them. Looking at the mountain of harvest, everyone was thrilled, as if they could already foresee this considerable fortune about to be theirs.
Just as everyone was immersed in the joy of the harvest, Ye Qingchen, with her sharp eyes, suddenly made a new discovery. She pointed to a clump of grass not far away and shouted, "Look, isn't there some ginseng there?" Following the direction she was pointing, they could indeed vaguely see several plants that looked like ginseng, hidden among the weeds.
Upon hearing this, Gu Mochen hurriedly stepped forward to examine it and confirmed that it was indeed ginseng. However, judging from its appearance, it seemed to be only a few decades old. Even so, its quality was still quite rare and beautiful. So everyone worked together again to carefully dig the ginseng out of the soil and then carefully placed it into a specially prepared container for later use.
Gu Mochen said to Lord Guan, "Lord Guan, there are so many treasures on this mountain!" Lord Guan replied, "Your Highness and Princess Consort have such discerning eyes. Apart from this ginseng, I can't see anything else that qualifies as a treasure. When we return, I'll have to ask the Princess Consort to explain in detail."