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墨書 Inktalez
The people below were digging continuously, while Xia Muxin was enthusiastically sharing knowledge about water chestnuts. In modern times, they were still a common fruit, but they grew in water and were prone to parasites. In such an unfamiliar place, it was safer to cook them before eating.
Moreover, these water chestnuts were not something you could find in Daimiao Village or even in Kyoto; otherwise, someone would have already dug them up to taste. This area seemed to have been abandoned for a long time, which explained the abundance of water chestnuts. What lay before her was just the tip of the iceberg, and she planned to take some seeds back for planting.
It was also curious whether it was the climate or geological conditions that allowed the water chestnuts to mature only now. The terrain of Linshan County was relatively high, yet it had abundant water sources. It was evident that most of the land here was farmland with very little dry land; where there was water, fish were sure to be plentiful.
Thinking about this, Xia Muxin couldn't help but chuckle to herself.
"Ah... a snake, a snake..."
While she was lost in her thoughts, she noticed someone shouting while holding a snake about the length of their arm and waving it around.
Catching a Water Snake in such fields was quite normal, so Xia Muxin wasn't startled. But when she took a closer look, she couldn't help but burst into laughter. It seemed like whatever she thought of would come true. She quickly took out another bag, opened its mouth wide, and called out:
"Haha, big treasure, hurry and put it in here!"
Everyone's faces twitched at her words; was this really a woman? How could she not be afraid of snakes?
At the same time, they cast strange glances at Shen Muhan. The heir's perspective truly was unique and made others hesitant to agree with him.
Shen Muhan observed quietly as he took the Water Snake from the soldier's hand and walked over to Xia Muxin.
Seeing such a large eel that weighed about a pound made Xia Muxin cheer with delight. She quickly extended her bag:
"Haha, uncle, hurry up and toss it in!"
Shen Muhan furrowed his brows and shot her a glance, inwardly muttering: "Could it be another Golden Python? Finding a mate for it won't be that easy."
But he had just checked it, and this thing was not poisonous, nor did it resemble a snake. It was completely slippery, without scales, and felt strange in his palm.
"Girl, is this also edible?"
After tossing the slippery thing into the bag, Xia Muxin immediately shook the bag and then tied it up with a piece of straw. Shen Muhan watched her carefully and tentatively asked.
Once Xia Muxin finished with her hands, she looked up, smiled at him, and raised an eyebrow.
"Of course, it's a delicacy. I promise you'll never forget it after tasting it once."
Shen Muhan had great faith in Xia Muxin, especially regarding her culinary expertise. After a pause, he said, "Everyone, dig faster! Let's gather more so we can have a hearty meal tonight."
Upon hearing that there would be food again, the soldiers' eyes lit up completely, and they immediately buried their heads in their work.
They dug for an entire afternoon, and throughout that time, Xia Muxin's mouth hardly closed.
By evening, she called everyone to stop working. The mud was deep and hard to dig through; not only was it physically demanding to excavate it, but even getting out was quite strenuous. Not to mention those who had just recovered; even the trained soldiers would struggle.
At this moment, each person's face was sunburned a dark red, and they would likely shed a layer of skin by tomorrow. Their complexions were pale and weak.
Once they reached the ridge of the field, they felt as if their feet were not their own; suddenly feeling so light was quite disorienting.
"Do you feel like your feet aren't yours? Your whole body feels sore and weak? This mud hasn't been turned over for years. The weeds inside grow year after year; when the season comes, they start to wither away. Plus, with the excrement of Eels and loaches mixed in, this mud can be toxic yet also has detoxifying properties. That's why you went in bare-chested—the sludge will draw out certain toxins from your bodies. And since these leeches haven't fed for decades, the spots where you've been bitten will itch at night and may swell. However, it's good that they've drawn out the stagnant blood from your bodies; it's much quicker than using medicine."
Shen Muhan held a bag in one hand, beads of sweat as large as beans dripping down his chin. He wasn't wearing a shirt but was bare-chested while Xia Muxin held his clothes. As she spoke, they exchanged smiles occasionally—a silent understanding that made everyone around them envious.
"Miss, you really know a lot! We encountered one or two of these Water Snakes before but had no idea they were edible."
In just one short afternoon, they were utterly impressed by Xia Muxin, completely overturning their previous grievances. They were eager to follow her lead in learning, as it seemed she could elaborate on anything in the world, even a small blade of grass by the roadside. She could not only tell its origin but also describe its taste and uses—what could be eaten, what could not, what could be consumed raw, and what should not. Following her guidance, they realized that what they lacked was not food, but energy and confidence.
Upon returning to the camp, Xia Muxin asked everyone about the Xiaoyuye Knife, requesting that they bring out whatever they had.
As members of the military, many had their own unique skills, and there were numerous talents among them that had yet to be discovered. At this moment, everyone had finished their training and was gathered in groups to rest or discuss something. When Xia Muxin made her move, everyone pulled out their Xiaoyuye Knives. They were curious to see the large bags filled with knives they had brought.
Xia Muxin collected over thirty Xiaoyuye Knives and then instructed someone to bring out a large Wooden Basin from the kitchen. She also had others take down the horseshoes for cleaning and prepared over thirty bamboo boards along with some small nails.
Once everything was ready, she had the Eel poured into the large Wooden Basin. This basin was quite large, having been used for boiling earlier that day.
The Eel filled nearly a whole basin; it took two Wooden Basins to contain it all. After pouring it in, she immediately instructed someone to add water—salty water—to help them expel the mud from their gills more quickly. Instead of teaching them how to skin the Eel right away, she called over Shen Muhan, who had just changed his clothes.
"Uncle, are there many plants behind us? Are there edible wild vegetables?"
They felt like trapped grasshoppers—unable to enter or exit. If they sat idly by, they would only consume their resources until there was nothing left. It was better to use this time to do what needed to be done rather than waste it.
Shen Muhan glanced at where Xia Muxin was pointing. They didn’t know much about Linshan County; all they knew was that it was an abandoned town that wasn’t very large. They were unaware of how it had fallen into disrepair. Thus, he felt concerned about Xia Muxin's question. Although this girl was bold, he did not agree with such reckless adventures. He paused before saying:
"There’s a forest not far from here, dense with trees and covered in vines. Once you go inside, it’s like being blindfolded—you can’t tell which way is which and might struggle to find an exit. It’s getting late; it’s better not to go now. They should have found plenty of wild vegetables this afternoon; I think we can make it through tonight."
Xia Muxin understood he was worried for her safety and didn’t push back. She had only asked casually. After he finished speaking, she nodded and went to check on the wild vegetables in the kitchen.
"Oh no! This is definitely a spider bite! The spider must have been as big as my palm! Look at that leg—it’s all blackened! How can it possibly heal?"
Indeed, there were quite a few wild vegetables in the kitchen as Shen Muhan had said; dinner would barely suffice for them tonight. Just as she was about to call someone over to help wash them, she heard a commotion nearby. Frowning slightly, she walked toward the sound and found an ordinary tent. Not paying much attention, she stepped inside.
Her arrival surprised everyone inside; they stared at her with wide eyes in astonishment. It appeared that most were injured and disheveled. She noticed one person whose entire lower leg was blackened and swollen like an elephant's limb; he seemed to be unconscious with his eyes tightly shut and mouth slightly open as he breathed weakly.
She approached him and pressed on his wound, causing dark blood to flow out immediately. The sound of gasps filled the air behind her, but she paid no mind and turned to ask the others:
"You said his leg was bitten by a spider, and that spider was as big as a palm."
As soon as she finished speaking, an injured soldier chimed in:
"Yes, miss, it happened while we were foraging for wild vegetables in the afternoon. That spider was incredible; it shot a silk thread all the way to the treetops. We couldn't even catch it if we tried."
Xia Muxin listened intently, picturing the spider in her mind. After the soldier finished, she paused for a moment before asking:
"Is his injury life-threatening?"
"Uh... The General just came to check on him and even applied some medicine, but he didn't say much."
Just as the soldier finished speaking, Xia Muxin dashed out, colliding directly into Shen Muhan's arms.
Seeing her disheveled appearance, Shen Muhan's gaze darkened slightly, and he spoke with a serious tone:
"Muxin, this is a place for injured soldiers to rest and recuperate. Most of the time, they aren't wearing clothes. You shouldn't be coming in and out like this as a young lady."
"Alright, Uncle, I have something important to discuss with you. Besides, I won't be staying here forever. Even if they're undressed, they can't compare to you."
- End of Chapter -
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