sjar Chapter 294 Big Tiger Scams Goods, Smells Fake Ginseng
Chapter 294 Big Tiger Scams Goods, Smells Fake Ginseng
Amidst laughter and banter, the three continued their search along the edge of the wetland, taking each step cautiously, afraid of missing any possible clues. After a round of searching, apart from the occasional startled small animal and reeds swaying in the wind, they seemed to have found no unusual signs related to wild ginseng.
A sense of doubt arose in Li Ju'an's heart, and his brows furrowed slightly. Could it be that there really were no wild ginseng in this wetland? Or had their location been wrong? He couldn't help but recall all the preparations he had made before setting off, and the longing and anticipation for the unknown now seemed to be shrouded in a thin mist, becoming blurred and unclear.
Just as he was about to give up and turn away from this wetland that evoked both anticipation and disappointment, a sudden gust of wind blew by, and there seemed to be a faint rustling from the reeds. Li Ju'an's heart tightened. He quickly turned around, his gaze fixed intently on the swaying reeds. Was it just his imagination? Or was there some unknown entity quietly hiding, waiting to be discovered?
His pace slowed unconsciously, as if drawn by some invisible force, his gaze fixed on a scene ahead. It was an inconspicuous clump of wild rice seedlings, swaying gently in the breeze, seemingly ordinary, yet it shimmered with an unusual light in his eyes.
An old saying circulates in the mountains: a hunter's sensitivity to burning seedlings is like a navigator's reliance on a lighthouse, for it often foreshadows the tracks of large prey. Beneath the burning seedlings, perhaps lies the unwitting trace left by a colossal creature.
Lu Zhiqiang, standing to the side, saw him staring intently at the clump of firewood, his eyes gleaming with barely concealed excitement and anticipation. He couldn't help but grin and tease, "Hey kid, looks like you haven't had enough wild boars yet? What, you want to experience the thrill of battling mountain beasts again?"
Li Ju'an's lips curled into a wry smile, but he secretly pondered. Lu Zhiqiang's words, though joking, were not without reason. Recalling the hardships and joys of hunting wild boars in the past, he had to admit that while wild boars were valuable, processing them was indeed time-consuming and laborious. If he could use that energy wisely and hunt more wild boars to sell at the market, he might actually make a considerable fortune.
Lu Jinyang thought about it carefully and agreed. Once the idea took hold, it spread like wildfire and was hard to stop. Lu Jinyang said, "You're right," he said slowly, his voice carrying a hint of determination, "Instead of wasting time and effort searching for that elusive club, it's more practical to be down-to-earth and hunt a few more wild boars. Perhaps this time we can not only return with a full load, but also make life more comfortable for the village."
As he spoke, Lu Jinyang could almost see the villagers sitting around the campfire, sharing their prey, their faces beaming with happiness.
Li Ju'an found it amusing and shook his head, saying, "Wild ginseng and wild boar are quite different. You have to risk your life to hunt wild boar. Who have you ever seen hunting wild boars or releasing them at the risk of their life? Everyone knows how dangerous wild boars are."
The two of them followed the dog-hunting encirclement, which naturally ensured their safety. Dog-hunting encirclement offered the highest level of safety for hunters roaming the mountains, but the downside was the strain on the dogs. Li Ju'an had lost three hunting dogs that year, weighing heavily on his mind. Thinking about it this way, he realized that roaming the mountains was indeed a profitable business.
Suddenly, the tiger sniffed the air and barked at a patch of bushes.
Beneath a lush coniferous forest, a patch of shrubs, about 60 centimeters tall, appeared. The leaves were thick and fleshy, and the red berries were quite juicy. The leaves were cylindrical or spindle-shaped with slight branching at the bottom, and the rhizomes were short and upright.
The two Lu brothers were both seasoned veterans of the mountains, spending years searching for treasures. Looking at Da Hu's smug expression, they couldn't help but exchange a smile and teased, "Li Ju'an, look, Da Hu is giving you pointers on how to dig for ginseng!"
Li Ju'an's gaze softened as he looked at the wagging tiger, a smile playing on his lips. Although he knew it was just a clever hunting dog, his reverence for the spirit of the forest made him decide to give the tiger a little "nature lesson."
He gently lifted the hoe and strode steadily toward a plant hidden beneath the bushes. With a single stroke, he precisely located the hidden roots. After a few deft digs, a wild ginseng was revealed.
Seeing this, Da Hu became even more smug, raising his little head high and twitching his nose as if to say, "See, I was right!"
Li Ju'an gently picked up the plant that had been mistaken for a treasure, deliberately brought it close to Da Hu's moist nose, and gently broke it. Instantly, a milky white sap gushed out, along with the fresh juice seeping out as the stem and leaves broke, filling the air with a unique herbal fragrance.
Li Ju'an laughed and scolded with a hint of mockery: "Big Tiger, it's fortunate that I led you into this mountain. If it were those shrewd merchants from the south who brought you here, they would probably point their fingers at you and call you a naive fool who judges people by their status. This is no precious wild ginseng, just ordinary ginseng from the soil."
Within the Xingan Mountains, towering trees and dense shrubs grow, their roots intertwined in a pleasing manner. At first glance, they do indeed bear a striking resemblance to ginseng roots when unearthed. However, upon closer inspection, the differences become as obvious as a chasm.
The plant Li Ju'an was playing with was a *Lulan*, commonly known as "earth ginseng," which stands tall and can reach over sixty centimeters in height. Its edible parts are its constantly sprouting tender stems and leaves, often served as a popular specialty vegetable in hotels. As for its fleshy roots, they are a superior tonic, considered both food and medicine, possessing remarkable effects in nourishing and strengthening the body, and replenishing vital energy.
This thing looks quite similar to pokeweed, and even bears an inexplicable resemblance to ginseng, except that it lacks ginseng's signature rhizome, and its rootlets are sparse and hard. Upon closer inspection, it is not difficult to distinguish it from the other two.
When it comes to pokeweed, this thing is no small matter. It is highly poisonous, and if ingested by mistake, it can cause vomiting, or even severe dry heaving, making one suffer greatly. When eaten, a numbing and astringent sensation will rise on the tip of the tongue, as if thousands of fine needles are gently pricking it.
Especially the white ginseng root of the pokeweed, its appearance is almost indistinguishable from wild ginseng. The outer skin is either light yellow or grayish-brown, while the inside is yellowish-white. But even so, as long as you observe carefully, you can still easily identify it.
Let's talk about the four-leaf ginseng. This plant is quite peculiar. When you break its cross-section, a white liquid gushes out, hence it has many other names such as milk ginseng, goat's milk, goat's milk seed, nipple potato, and milk potato. In different regions, people have also given it various local names, such as four-leaf, which adds a touch of rustic charm.