The village of Dashui was adjacent to Camel Peak Mountain.
Previously, wolves roamed here, and villagers dared not venture into the mountains to hunt or gather dried goods.
Therefore, the ecological environment of the mountain forest remained unspoiled and well-preserved.
Yun Xiaobao, riding on his father's shoulders, was curious about everything.
Yun Daman, carrying a machete, led the way.
"Big Brother, do you still remember the wild apples and hazelnuts we picked in the mountains when we first moved to Dashui Village?" Yun Erman suddenly asked.
At that time, their family was extremely poor, destitute.
As long as the brothers ventured into the mountains, they were guaranteed to encounter surprises.
Old Man Yun had even witnessed two large stags kill each other, their heads bloody from the fight.
Yun Daman chuckled foolishly, "How could I forget? These are all thanks to our little sister's blessings from afar."
Without Little Sweet Treasure, their family would have starved to death on the road while fleeing famine...
Now, their family's life was getting better and better. Jinhe had been admitted as a scholar, and Jinshan was about to start school.
Guihua was pregnant, their parents were in good health, and Xiaobao was growing up strong.
Everything was inseparable from their sister's help.
They couldn't quite explain how she helped.
Anyway, besides material satisfaction, their family had enjoyed continuous good fortune for years.
This was more effective than burning incense and praying to Buddha.
Great figures like Prefect Chen and Governor Qin frequently visited the Yun family for tea.
Which village's common folk could often see such high-ranking officials?
"Daddy, Uncle, there are mushrooms!" Yun Xiaobao pointed forward and exclaimed.
Pushing aside a patch of mugwort, they saw dense clusters of pine mushrooms growing under a pine forest.
They had grayish-brown caps and poked their heads out of the soft, decaying humus...
These mushrooms, when dried, could be stewed with poultry, especially a small free-range chicken, making it incredibly fragrant and delicious.
They could also be stir-fried with dried beans, stir-fried with pork belly, or used in soups, definitely a top-tier dish for a farming family.
"Wow, there are quite a lot!"
Yun Erman placed Xiaobao on the ground and rolled up his sleeves. "If we dry these, they'll sell for seven or eight hundred wen!"
Now that Jinshan was also going to school, he had to save money for his son's tuition.
It wouldn't do to ask his mother for money.
The county yamen's salary was only three hundred wen a month, and after expenses, it was barely enough.
Moreover, they hadn't split the family yet, so any money earned had to be managed by their mother...
Yun Daman spread open a sack and casually picked two mushrooms, tossing them in.
He was efficient and diligent. Whether it was farming, hunting, or gathering wild goods in the mountains, Yun Daman was skilled at everything.
Yun Erman wiped the sweat from his brow, unhooked his water flask from his waist, and offered it to Yun Daman. "Big Brother, have a drink!"
"No, I'm not thirsty!" Yun Daman continued working.
"Big Brother, I... I want to talk to you about something."
Yun Erman rubbed the water flask with his hand, a hint of difficulty and helplessness on his handsome face.
Yun Daman paused his mushroom picking and asked curiously, "Second Brother, what's wrong with you today? You're speaking so hesitantly?"
"Big Brother, I don't want to work at the county yamen! You... you go instead!" Yun Erman confessed directly.
"What's wrong, you think the salary is too low?" Yun Daman asked.
Three hundred wen a month was actually quite a lot for an ordinary family in Dashui Village.
For a thrifty family, one tael of silver was enough for the entire family, old and young, for a whole year.
As long as there was food to eat and they didn't starve, other things could be managed.
Yun Erman shook his head, his face filled with bitterness. "That's not it."
He casually plucked a sour berry, stripped off the leaves, and chewed on the stem.
A sour taste filled his mouth, like a sip of aged vinegar.
This wild plant was a 'small snack' for farmers and also a wild medicinal herb.
It had the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, and treating diarrhea...
"Then what is it?" Yun Daman also plucked one and chewed on the leaves.
Yun Erman sighed, pulled Yun Xiaobao, who was hopping around on the ground, closer, and patted the dust off his backside.
"Big Brother, you've seen it too. Cui Rong has been blabbering around the village all day, saying she's an official's wife."
"She doesn't even respect Father and Mother anymore. In the future, won't she become even more outrageous and cause trouble?"
He was just a minor yamen runner in the county yamen, not some important official.
When he left the village this morning, everyone came to see him off, congratulating him and giving him gifts.
He felt too embarrassed to face them.
Moreover, on his first day of reporting, Prefect Chen gave him leave.
If people didn't know better, they'd think he'd been sent back...
"I'm not going either!" Yun Daman refused.
Guihua was pregnant, and he wanted to stay by his wife's side to take care of her.
Besides, the family had over fifty mu of land. He couldn't just abandon his duties and become a yamen runner.
This year, there wasn't enough rain. The crops were either drought-stricken or withered.
He couldn't bear to see his father carrying buckets of water to the fields.
"Big Brother!" Yun Erman stood up and said seriously, "Jinhe is currently studying in the county town. If he achieves success in the imperial examinations, he will have a great future."
"It would also bring him honor if Big Brother worked at the county yamen!"
"With Prefect Chen's connection, Jinhe's path will become smoother in the future."
"My Jinshan doesn't seem like the studious type. Letting him learn a few characters at the academy is enough."
"But we absolutely cannot let it delay Jinhe."
Yun Daman's expression was shocked.
He hadn't expected Erman to think so far ahead.
Aside from Liu Cui Rong's reasons, he had even considered Jinhe's future.
Yun Daman turned his face aside and murmured, "Then I won't go either!"
He knew that Erman intended to give him the opportunity.
Although working at the county yamen was leisurely and earned him the admiration and support of the villagers.
He couldn't abandon his entire family and fifty mu of land right now.
Yun Erman: "..."
Alas, if he doesn't go, he doesn't go!
He knew his big brother's temper well; he was as stubborn as an ox.
Yun Xiaobao had already gathered a large pile of mushrooms by this time.
Seeing that his uncle and father had fallen silent, he grinned, "I'll cook mushroom soup for little aunt!"
The two brothers snapped back to attention and exchanged a smile.
Yes, pick mushrooms and make soup for their sister.
This pine forest also grew a lot of sow thistle. When ripe, it would bloom with clusters of small yellow flowers.
It was a herb that cleared heat and reduced fire.
This wild vegetable could be blanched and eaten with sauce, used to make dumplings, or chopped up to feed pigs or chickens and ducks.
Yun Erman cut half a sack with a sickle.
The weather had been hot recently, and people in the family tended to get angry. He planned to take it back and make dumplings.
Just then, Yun Xiaobao sniffed the air and exclaimed, "It smells so good! What is that scent?"
This aroma wasn't like the scent of wild fruits.
Instead, it carried a unique fragrance of grass and wood.
It was rich and dense, particularly pungent in the humid mountain forest.
Yun Daman was stunned and looked around. "This isn't pine scent either!"
Yun Erman was also surprised and took a few steps forward.
"The smell seems to be coming from the back of the mountain..."