I use myths to create immortality

Chapter 4 4: Raising Insects to Make a Living

"Unfortunately, I only know this common herb." Weighing the snake blood orchid which weighed about one or two taels, Ji Yuan had thoughts in his mind.

[Wolong Ridge] stretches for thousands of miles, with steep and strange peaks, deep valleys and dense forests that are countless, and there are many kinds of precious medicinal herbs and timber.

However, the insects in the sac are not very powerful when they are just beginning to grow. They are OK against small animals, but if they encounter large beasts with thick skin and flesh, such as bears, tigers, and leopards, their bites alone are not enough to stop them.

Currently, Ji Yuan only dares to wander around the edge of the mountains.

These common medicinal herbs in marginal areas have all been searched and picked by the villagers of Shiliting.

The discovery of this [Snake Blood Orchid] was entirely due to the search efforts of insects.

Unless you can learn some techniques to identify herbs and combine them with insect searches, it will be easy to get rich.

"My body is young and weak, and my insects have not yet grown up. Even if I can use this to control wealth, it is just like a child carrying gold in the market. It will surely be lost by others, and I need to plan carefully."

Ji Yuan collected all the fed insects, picked up the snake blood orchid, and walked home.

With a rare treasure like the [Centipede Bee Bag], you can more than protect yourself. There are at least dozens of ways and means to get rich.

Including collecting herbs, looking for rare woods, hunting, looking for exotic small animals, etc.

Regardless of that, Ji Yuan and Qin Yueru's current identities, status, and strength are too weak to have the ability to control wealth.

This requires careful planning, while training real "centipedes" to increase their strength, and slowly earning a living.

"Don't be too anxious. First, help my sister-in-law solve the entanglement between Wu Dagui and me. Then, I can slowly think about food and clothing, and learn to read and write."

The country folk are like ants.

Reading and learning to read are the best ways to understand the world. It is extremely important as it concerns the future.

Ji Yuan puts it first.

"Erwa, are you okay?" As soon as they arrived home, Qin Yueru rushed over and hugged Ji Yuan, full of worry.

"I have insects to protect me, nothing can happen, don't worry, sister-in-law." Ji Yuan struggled to break free from the embrace.

"There are bears and other ferocious beasts in the mountains. What good are your few insects?"

"Huh? This is the snake blood orchid! Where did you find it?"

"On the side of the road, seen with insects."

"Not only can you collect the insects, but you can also control them?" Qin Yueru widened her eyes in surprise.

Ji Yuan nodded: "It's a pity that I don't know other herbs and woods, otherwise I should be able to find more."

Qin Yueru was stunned for a long time after hearing this, and then she reacted and quickly pulled Ji Yuan into the house and locked the door.

Looking at Ji Yuan's calm face, her eyes flashed with a sparkling light and a hint of worry.

"You... Erwa, I don't know how you know these skills."

"But don't show off this ability in front of others, and don't tell others about it so easily."

"If you reveal it, your life might be in danger. Remember?"

Qin Yueru certainly knew what this meant, and she also knew the many dangers that might arise if this matter were revealed.

She was worried that Ji Yuan was too young, and once he acquired some special powers and magical skills, he would not be able to help showing off to others; this would put them in danger.

"Well, sister-in-law, has anyone from the Wu family come to see you today?"

"Just now, Aunt Wu came again with a few servants and brought these clothes, cloth, and some grains, saying they were betrothal gifts." Qin Yueru pointed to three wooden boxes in the corner.

"Oh?"

Ji Yuan opened the three mahogany boxes, checked them out, and couldn't help but chuckle: "Great, great, I was just worried about having no money to spend, Wu Dagui really knows how to pick the right time."

There was a complete set of brand new bright red wedding dress, veil, lining, and white socks and embroidered shoes.

One piece of dark blue silk cloth; one dou (12 jin) of each of the five grains including rice, millet, sorghum, wheat, and beans; and one string of currency (1,000 coins).

These items are indeed a bit luxurious as a dowry, even if it is just to take a concubine.

"What's good about that? Aunt Wu said she will come to pick up the bride tomorrow morning." Qin Yueru's face turned distressed.

"Don't worry, sister-in-law. I'll go to Wu's house in Qingtang Township now and make a pair of pants first." Ji Yuan said, and put the money directly into his arms.

Anyway, it would be a waste if I didn't use it. I could just use it to buy a set of suitable clothes, and give the rest to the old doctor in Qingtang Township as tuition so that I can learn some knowledge about the writing and herbs of this world.

"Why do you need so much money to make pants? Besides, you can save a lot of money if you take a piece of blue silk that is four or five feet long." Qin Yueru did not object.

Ji Yuan shook his head: "The blue silk is good material, sister-in-law can sell it and exchange it for money."

In this world, cloth, brocade, silk, and satin are hard currencies that are harder than money.

This blue silk is not considered high-quality silk, but a piece of it is worth more than five strings of money. Ordinary people can't afford to wear this kind of material. It can be said to be the most precious item in this betrothal gift.

As for the five grains, they were not worth much and were merely a local custom during marriages in Lingyang County.

If we take into account the twenty yuan betrothal gift given to Old Man Qin, Wu Dagui was really generous.

"Okay, I'll go with you, and sell the silk for money."

Even though Qin Yueru knew that Ji Yuan had the unique ability to control insects, she was still a little worried about him.

After all, the Wu family is not a kind family. Even though they are generous with the bride price and seem to have taken care of everything, this is based on the premise that Qin Yueru is willing to submit.

Wu Dagui relied on his position as Qingtang Youjiao (village official) for more than ten years, and under the pretext of official corvée laws, he used threats or coercion to seize a large amount of wealth from the village every year.

Then, by means of lending and other means, he bought up almost half of Qingtang Township's mountains, land, and farmland from the people, and turned these people into his own tenants.

He is rich and powerful, and now almost no one in Qingtang Township dares to offend him easily.

Qin Yueru thought that it would be best if Ji Yuan could really help her get rid of Wu Dagui's entanglement.

If not, she would do everything she could to keep Ji Yuan safe as a reward to the Ji family.

Ji Yuan did not object, nodded and said, "It's getting late, let's go now, sister-in-law, come with me."

……

Shiliting is not far from Qingtang Township, and it can be reached by walking five or six miles on a flat road.

Ting was the basic administrative unit of the State of Chen. Ten li made up a Ting, ten Tings made up a Xiang, ten Xiangs made up a County, and ten Yis made up a Commandery.

Compared with Shiliting, which has only twenty households, Qingtang Township seems to be much more densely populated.

There is a market in the village, a main street about ten feet wide, with earthen walls and green tiles. There are about seven or eight hundred households and many vendors. There are inns, shops, stalls and merchants on both sides of the street.

It was afternoon and the streets were still crowded with people.

In the most prosperous area, a large courtyard with gray bricks and green tiles is extremely conspicuous, covering an area of ​​no less than several acres. There are lights and decorations in front of the door, and you can faintly hear the sounds of celebration inside.

Qin Yueru led Ji Yuan to the front of the compound.

Compared to before, Ji Yuan finally changed into a brown coarse cloth dress and put on pants.

With his hair tied in a bun with bamboo branches, he looked very clean and tidy despite his young age. He walked slowly and had quite a bit of elegance.

This was the first time in this life that he had his own clothes, although they were still a little too big for him.

I have been to Qingtang Township more than once, but this is the first time for Wu Jia Ji Yuan to come here.

"I am Qin Yueru from the Ji family of Shili Pavilion. Go and tell Wu Dagui that I want to see him."

There were two servants in blue at the door. They saw a beautiful young woman leading a child and were about to flirt with them, but when they heard this, they were startled and said quickly, "It turns out that it is the Seventh Madam. Come on, please go into the inner room and sit down first."

If she gets married, Qin Yueru will be Wu Dagui's seventh concubine.

"No need, ask him to come out, I have something to say to him." Qin Yueru shook her head.

"This..." The two servants hesitated for a moment, but finally did not dare to neglect it: "Please wait for a moment, Madam Qi. I will go and report it right away."

After the two servants went in to report, Qin Yueru looked at the wealthy family in front of her with a look of fear and worry on her face, and asked in a low voice: "Erwa, I did what you said, what are you going to do?"

"Don't worry, I have to see Wu Dagui first before I can treat him." Ji Yuan said in a low voice.

After a while, heavy and hurried footsteps were heard in the yard. The voice came before the person arrived: "My wife! Why did you come here suddenly? Do you want to come and recognize the house first? Hahaha..."

The laughter was hoarse.

Immediately afterwards, a short and fat middle-aged man wearing a black brocade robe, with gray hair and a wrinkled face strode out of the door.

(End of this chapter)