135 Harvesting Locusts
Only after asking did they realize that they were going to get some black locusts.
After learning black locusts could be used to make shampoo, they were also very interested.
“There are a few black locust trees on the mountainside. Aunt Wang, if you’re interested, we can do it together. After we make the shampoo, we’ll share some with you.” Lin Xiaoyue said with a smile.
“Sure!” Aunt Wang immediately agreed.
Then, they stopped looking for wild vegetables and followed Lin Xiaoyue and Liu Shi.
When they got there, Aunt Wang finally knew what tree Lin Xiaoyue was talking about.
“So this thing is black locust. It looks edible, but it’s not. In the past, everyone thought that these trees were useless,” Aunt Wang said.
“Hehe, it’s not edible, but it has other uses. It can be used to wash hair and clothes. The spine is also a medicinal herb.”
“Are you talking about these spines?” Aunt Wang looked at the spines on the locust tree in disbelief.
“These things are very painful and poisonous. When Shuanzi came to the mountain when he was young, he was pricked and the swelling only subsided after a few days.”
Liu Shi and Wang Erya were also suspicious.
But they didn’t stop. While harvesting the black locusts, they also picked up some spines that fell on the ground.
“Yes, it’s poisonous, but it’s also a medicinal herb,” Lin Xiaoyue said with a smile.
“It can be used to treat ulcers, swelling, rashes and other diseases. It can be used topically and orally.”
“It’s that powerful?” Aunt Wang was surprised.
“Yes. It’s just too hard to harvest. Otherwise, I would take some with me and sell them at the pharmacy in town.”
Aunt Wang’s eyes instantly lit up.
They can be sold?
“Okay! I’ll take some back later and go to the pharmacy in town!” She immediately said.
Liu Shi looked at the spines in a different light.
There were many black locust trees in the mountain.
If this thing could really be exchanged for money, they could have extra income from selling these.
Lin Xiaoyue smiled at Aunt Wang’s words.
“Don’t get your hopes up. The pharmacy usually only accepts processed medicinal herbs. If you don’t know how to process them, they might not take them. Even if they do, it’s hard to estimate the price.” Lin Xiaoyue continued, “and this thing is not easy to deal with. If you’re not careful, you might be pricked.”
It was true that the pharmacy rarely bought unprocessed medicinal materials, but the processing of black locust spines was quite simple. If the quantity was large, they might buy them.
However, it wasn’t easy to harvest them, so it was not easy money.
After hearing Lin Xiaoyue’s words, Liu Shi lost her interest.
However, Aunt Wang’s eyes were still burning as she looked at the locust spines.
“Tsk, what’s there to be afraid of? The important thing is that we can exchange them for money,” Aunt Wang said.
Their family didn’t have much more land than the Liu family. Usually, they relied on Shuanzi’s father to work at the town’s dock to support the family.
She and Erya did not have any talent in embroidery, so they could not earn money to support the family like Liu Shi.
Seeing that Shuanzi was at the age when he should be getting married, she, as his mother, was anxious.
Lin Xiaoyue didn’t pay much attention to Aunt Wang’s words. She put down the basket, turned it over, and stood on it so that she could get the locust that was high up.
“Aiya, be careful!” When Liu Shi saw this, she quickly went over to help her.
“Hehe, it’s fine, mom!”
“The tree is too tall. I’ll go make a hook later!” Lin Xiaoyue said as she removed a locust.