Honeysuckle
“Isn’t this honeysuckle?” she wondered out loud. In modern times, she had seen this kind of flower when she climbed mountains. Her fellow villagers said that it was honeysuckle, and they would pick it in spring to sell it for money.
“What flower? Isn’t this just an ordinary wild flower?” Jian Rong was puzzled.
Jian Qingqing explained, “This is called honeysuckle. It’s a type of medicinal herb. It has many uses.”
Jian Rong was shocked. “Is this really a medicinal herb? Do we actually have medicinal herbs on this mountain? This name is quite interesting, and it sounds expensive!”
Jian Qingqing had some ideas in her mind. The people in this village were very poor and did not have any extra income. If they could dig out some treasures from the mountain, it would also help them live a better life.
“Xiao Rong, why don’t you ask the owner of the medicine shop tomorrow to see if they accept it? If they do, ask the villagers to come to collect these flowers.”
“Ah? These are grown everywhere on the mountain. Would the people in the medicine shop still pay for them?”
Jian Qingqing smiled, “Then aren’t the mushrooms you sell grown everywhere? There are so many people who pay for them.”
Jian Rong thought about it and it made sense. Just as he was about to agree, he thought of the man from the medicine store. He said embarrassedly, “Sister Qingqing, can I ask the other doctors? The man from the medicine store is too fierce. I don’t dare to ask.”
Hearing what he said, Jian Qingqing was also curious. “Is he really that fierce?”
Jian Rong nodded crazily. “It’s true!”
His grandmother’s health was not good. After he earned money, he hired a doctor to treat his grandmother, so he went to the medicinal herb store to get medicine.
There was only one medicinal herb store in Shifeng County, the Ji Shan Hall. The medicinal herb store attendant was very tall and spoke very loudly. Every time, Jian Rong would directly hand a paper slip to him, not daring to speak to him.
“Alright, I’ll go ask tomorrow.”
Jian Rong said embarrassedly, “Thank you, Sister Qingqing.”
“No problem.”
Jian Qingqing folded a long vine and prepared to ask the medicine shop tomorrow.
As they walked, Jian Qingqing saw another tree with leaves that looked like citrus leaves. She called out to Jian Rong who was picking mushrooms. “Xiao Rong, is this a lemon tree?”
Jian Rong thought she had found another treasure, so he walked over and saw that it was something he already knew. He was disappointed, but he still said patiently, “This is called a citron tree. The fruit it grows is very sour and can not be eaten.”
That would be a lemon tree. When Jian Rong mentioned citron, the memory of the original owner appeared in Jian Qingqing’s mind. It looked like a lemon.
In ancient times, lemons were called citron, but they were not as big and juicy as modern lemons after generations of cultivation. At this time, citron was usually smaller, the meat was dry, and it was so sour that it was bitter. In modern times, some places would marinate this wild lemon that had not been cultivated into a sauce. It was also very delicious.
Speaking of lemons, Jian Qingqing thought of lemon boneless chicken feet and duck feet. The taste was really superb. She was almost drooling. Maybe when it matured, she could try to make it.
However, the citron had just bloomed. It would only mature in August or September. There was still a long way to go.
Jian Qingqing noted down the location of this citron tree and also let Jian Rong and a bunch of little kids remember it.
“Have you all memorized it? When the fruit ripens, remember to call me to pick it. I’ll make delicious food for you.”
Speaking of food, everyone was very attentive.
“Okay, we will remember!”
“Sister Qingqing, can this kind of fruit really be eaten? There are a few by the roadside in the village. If you want to pick it, you don’t have to go to the mountains to do so.”
“When the time comes, you will see for yourself when I make food for you. Oh, where in the village do they have them? How come I don’t remember?”