PCJ – Chapter 132 Going into the Mountains to Collect Herbs

Zhang Jiaohua had to go to school and return home in groups with the village children. Since it was the busy farming season, the villagers didn’t have time to pick up their children, so they took turns doing it, with each family responsible for one day.

Although the wolf king announced its return to Meizi’ao that night, no one saw any trace of the big green wolf for a long time afterward. With food abundant and wild animals in the mountains storing up for winter, the big green wolf had no trouble finding enough to eat. Only when winter arrived, and all the animals hid under the snowy blanket, would the wolf run short on food and try its luck in the village.

The people of Meizi’ao began to slowly forget about the big green wolf, and the kids started having more free time. Zhang Jiaohua continued to get up early every day to practice Meishan Zhuang Gong, having persisted for over a month and turning it into a habit. This surprised Zhang Youping and Liu Qiaoye, who initially thought he was just acting on a whim.

During this period, Zhang Jiaohua seemed to have grown taller but also thinner. Despite often having meat to eat, it wasn’t enough to meet Zhang Jiaohua’s energy needs. In his dreams, the old Taoist master often said: “To practice Meishan martial arts, one must replenish the body’s great energy consumption daily, otherwise, it’s not practice but seeking death.” Eating only meat was insufficient.

Zhang Jiaohua wanted to go into the mountains to find some medicinal herbs, but after the recent appearance of the big green wolf, Zhang Youping and Liu Qiaoye dared not let him go. They attributed his weight loss to growing taller, unaware it was due to martial arts practice.

“Mom, Master said that practicing Meishan Zhuang Gong requires more than just eating meat. When we reach the stage of refining essence into qi, eating a whole cow a day wouldn’t be enough; we need rare and precious herbs,” Zhang Jiaohua explained, trying to persuade his parents to let him gather herbs in the mountains.

“What are rare and precious herbs?” Liu Qiaoye was puzzled.

“They’re like ginseng. Eating such herbs is necessary to compensate for the daily energy loss from practice,” Zhang Jiaohua said.

“You have indeed gotten thinner, but isn’t eating more meat enough? Can you casually eat ginseng?” Liu Qiaoye was unconvinced.

“Normally, no, but Master said that for us practicing Meishan Zhuang Gong, ginseng can be eaten like carrots,” Zhang Jiaohua insisted.

“Why don’t you eat carrots like ginseng then?” Liu Qiaoye laughed.

“Mom, I’m serious,” Zhang Jiaohua pleaded, shaking his mother’s arm.

“Serious or not, you can’t go to the mountains. It’s unsafe with the big green wolf around. You’re not even big enough to be a full meal for it,” Liu Qiaoye’s decision was firm.

Feeling dejected, Zhang Jiaohua went back to his room, his spirits low.

Jin Hu and the others watched Zhang Jiaohua’s despondent state, eager to help but powerless. They couldn’t go to the mountains to gather herbs; they didn’t recognize them and feared the big green wolf more than Zhang Jiaohua did.

Sitting at his desk, holding his head in his hands, Zhang Jiaohua racked his brain for a solution.

Zhang Youping and Liu Qiaoye couldn’t keep their son by their side every day. Zhang Jiaohua finally found an opportunity when someone in the village hosted a wedding and invited them to help. Although he accompanied his parents initially, he slipped back home unnoticed.

The key was kept under the threshold. Lifting the stone, the key lay there. The lock, more symbolic than functional, didn’t pose much of a challenge. The copper lock, likely from some bygone era, was simple to pick. Inserting the key and turning it produced a crisp click, releasing the lock.

Pushing open the heavy wooden doors, Zhang Jiaohua crossed the threshold into the house.

First, he needed to set up a simple altar to invoke the gods. Placing the household deity statue below the shrine, he lit candles and incense, poured three bowls of rice wine, and burned paper money, bowing and reciting incantations: “With utmost reverence, I invoke the presence of the Meishan Master, Meishan Deity to descend upon this altar…”

After the incantation and burning of more paper money, Zhang Jiaohua continued with the invocation chant: “…Not seeking gods of temples or altars, only the true Meishan Master to descend upon this altar…”

Kneeling before the altar, holding a stack of burning paper money, he chanted loudly, “I, Zhang Jiaohua of Meizi’ao, New Field, Zhuzhu Town, Zijiang, humbly ask for the master’s protection, to return safely, unharmed, and without bloodshed. I vow to offer pork in gratitude.”

Having made this vow, he needed to fulfill it upon his safe return, or he would incur the master’s wrath.

He then cast divination sticks, obtaining three auspicious signs, indicating approval from the household deity. Only then did Zhang Jiaohua rise from the ground.

He packed a bamboo basket, took a machete, and carried many talismans. Prepared for his journey, he ventured into the mountains, lightly dressed despite the approaching winter, for practicing Meishan Martial Art had made him resistant to cold. Compared to other children bundled up, his attire seemed sparse.

In the mountains, after the leaves fell and the grass turned yellow, travel became easier. This time, the mountains were unusually quiet. With the cold, many animals were holed up, living off stored food.

With the leaves gone, finding herbs required keen eyesight. Thanks to his dreams and the old Taoist master’s guidance, Zhang Jiaohua could spot herbs among the dead foliage. Determined, he ventured deeper into the forest, an area he’d previously avoided.

In this evergreen forest, despite winter’s approach, it remained lush. Not far along, he heard the babbling of a creek. A clear stream appeared, shallow with winter’s dry season, exposing stones on the creek bed. Tiny fish swam playfully in the water.

Near water, many moisture-loving herbs grew. Zhang Jiaohua hoped to find ginseng in the shady, moist areas. His hunch was correct; he found many herbs along the creek, some he needed.

Zuan Shanbao, accompanying him, became alert, unlike its usual playful self, and guarded Zhang Jiaohua vigilantly. Jin Hu and the others spread out, with Gouwu and Xiaoshuan watching from the trees, observing the surroundings. Jin Hu, Fugui, and Mancang spread out ahead, maintaining a protective distance. Any wild animal approaching would be detected early. This drill had been practiced many times at home; Zhang Jiaohua sought herbs but not at the risk of his life.

After walking for another hour or two along the creek without finding ginseng, he began to doubt its existence in this area.

With his basket nearly full, he abandoned less important herbs, which could be collected anytime. As he felt hungry, he sat by the creek, eating some biscuits and drinking the creek’s water. He shared a piece of cured meat with Zuan Shanbao and continued upstream, occasionally checking the sun’s position to ensure he left the mountains before dark.

Just as he was about to give up, Zhang Jiaohua spotted wild ginseng under an inconspicuous pine tree. Excitedly, he hurried over, using a small hoe to dig quickly. Time was of the essence.

“Growl!”

Zuan Shanbao’s low growl warned of imminent danger.

Sure enough, Jin Hu rushed back, pulling Zhang Jiaohua, urging him to run.

Half the ginseng was already unearthed, its full form visible. Zhang Jiaohua couldn’t bear to leave it behind.

“Wait, I’ll be quick!” Zhang Jiaohua sped up his digging.

“Roar!”

A loud roar came from nearby! Bushes rustled as something huge approached!