Xu Errui went to visit the graves of his father and grandparents, while Jiang Zhi and Qiaoyun were at home organizing the everlasting lanterns and longevity lanterns that the two families ordered in the evening.
On the night of the 30th, the lights should be kept burning all night long, praying for prosperity and good health for the whole family in the coming year.
Rapeseed oil is generally used as lamp oil. Now the oil at home was originally changed in the medical shed. We don’t even have enough to eat, so naturally we are reluctant to part with it.
Jiang Zhi decided to use tung oil.
Tung oil needs to be squeezed or purchased from a special oil mill. Their current conditions do not allow them to go to the oil mill, but there is another way to solve it, which is to "boil it in water."
It is rare to extract tung oil by boiling it with water, and Jiangzhi is only occasionally seen.
First, dry the shelled tung kernels and grind them into powder, then put them into a copper pot with water and boil them over high heat. When the oil in the tung residue floats to the surface, gently decant out the oil, and finally boil the oil-water mixture. When cooked, the water vapor evaporates and all that's left is the oil.
However, the oil yield of this method was too low and it was eliminated early. Jiang Zhi also used it temporarily as an emergency.
The tung seeds picked up in winter were peeled and boiled in oil. After boiling for two days, a bamboo tube was made, which was enough for two families to cook for one night.
Pour tung oil into an earthenware bowl, put two rushes on it, and a long-lasting lamp is made.
Li Laoshi was also helping at this time. Watching Jiang Zhi conjuring up a large roll of rushes, he began to wonder: How much can such a lot of wicks sell for, and where do these rushes come from? I don’t know if Sister-in-law Jiang would tell me if I asked.
Rushes are daily necessities and are needed in every household to light lamps.
Seeing Mr. Li scratching his head and scratching his head anxiously beside him, Jiang Zhi knew that he wanted to learn.
In this era, knowledge is passed down by word of mouth. If you want to acquire more skills, you need to pass them down from father to son. The relationship between master and apprentice is not easy to pass on.
Technology is lost and stuck in its ways, which also makes social development very slow.
However, technology cannot be taught casually, character is very important.
Although Li Laoshi was a bastard who played gongs in all ten places and had him in all nine places, he had not made any big mistakes, and he had also given him some help and could teach him a few things to make a living.
But before teaching Li Laoshi, there is one more thing that needs to be asked clearly.
"Li Laoshi, where did your glutinous rice and pork come from?"
It's hard to find things now, and Zhang Juntou's medical shed will definitely not give them to him. Jiang Zhi didn't believe him when he asked Zhang Juntou to borrow money.
Li Laoshi scratched his head: "Go to the medical shed and borrow money to buy it in the town!"
Jiang Zhi's face darkened: "If you lie in front of me again, I won't leave you on the mountain anymore. I can also ask Zhang Juntou."
When he heard that he wanted to ask Zhang Juntou, Li Laoshi immediately became honest: "I said, Sister-in-law Jiang, don't be upset! I sold the medicine you mentioned, not to those outsiders... but let them go there by themselves. Dig up the roots of the yellow wattle and boil them for water.”
Jiang Zhi had previously taught him about Hua Lian Xi Xin and gave it to the refugees to treat their illnesses. Now he sold it and did not give it to anyone. He was afraid of being accused of being greedy for money, so he hid it.
Jiang Zhi was speechless. This Li Laoshi was really dishonest, but she didn't say anything. Li Laoshi at least let people dig up Huang Jing and didn't hide everything.
Seeing that Sister-in-law Jiang did not blame herself, Li Laoshi became more energetic: "There really is a drug store that collects those Asarum. I dug for three days and searched all the ditches on both sides of the official road. Hehe, I sent it to the drug store and they gave me three Money.”
Li honestly felt his lips twitch. This painted face was much more expensive than the Jiejie grass he had found before. The multi-grain noodles he bought before would be enough to last for two months.
Jiang Zhi calculated that three coins of silver was about three hundred wen. Asarum was not cheap in modern times, so it was quite reasonable.
Three denarii!
Jiang Zhi thought of the broken silver that the little wild boar had pulled out of Li Laoshi's body. Now he had to keep an eye on Peppa Pig, otherwise he would pick out other people's pockets again.
Jiang Zhi asked again how there was meat for sale in the town and how many medicine shops were opened.
Li said honestly: "There is only one butcher shop, but there are two medical clinics open, and there are not many people in the town."
He finished telling what happened in detail.
During the military turmoil, Lihua Town was severely damaged. All the shops and wealthy households were looted. Half a year later, it has not recovered even 10%.
In fact, Xujiacun suffered an unreasonable disaster, and the rebels usually attacked wealthy households and towns and counties.
In the remote village, even if there were rioters, they would not stay. Whenever there was any movement, the villagers would help the elderly and children to hide in the nearby mountains, and they did not lose much property.
But they were also very careful, and no outsiders were allowed in or out for more than half a year. They didn't start moving around until the government issued an order.
Xujia Village suffered a disaster because it was right next to the official road. The villagers who had not left were taken hostage and the houses were destroyed by fire. However, it was a blessing in disguise that the location of the medical shed was now chosen.
Nowadays, shops are opening one after another in the town, including medicine shops and butcher shops.
Li Laoshi thought about having a family reunion dinner with others for the first time, so he desperately searched for medicine for three days.
Braving the cold wind, I was busy from dawn to dusk, running through ditches with a radius of more than ten miles, digging out medicine and sending it to the medical center to exchange for money.
On the last day at the butcher shop, I bought a pound, and I went to the grain store to buy two pounds of glutinous rice.
Li Laoshi rubbed his hands and said, "I bought it with the medicine money. I didn't ask Zhang Juntou to borrow it, so he wouldn't lend it to me.
Sister-in-law Jiang, I don’t really want to lie to you, I just don’t want you to know that these medicines can be sold for so much money! If you knew, you would definitely get your money back. "
Jiang Zhi was speechless again.
Li Laoshi is a somewhat opportunistic and clever person who tests the edges of morality crazily every day. He is a negative example in the eyes of the world, who is greedy, sleepy, lazy, incompetent and petty.
Now I am afraid that I know that the medicine can be exchanged for money, and I still want to hide it.
Although this person is not lovable, he is also someone who cannot be bored.
People live their whole lives, floating like duckweeds, drifting with the tide, just wanting to make themselves comfortable.
When people are poor, their ambitions are short, while horses are skinny and long-haired. When they have no money, everyone is prudent and careless.
Although Li Laoshi's little thoughts are unreasonable, he is not making a big mistake by finding and selling medicines to support the scene and not harming the interests of others.
"Junior rushes are weeds by the water. They are harvested in summer and autumn, but they are gone now!"
Jiang Zhi took out a slender, soft, slightly yellow grass stem and told Li Laoshi about it.
Rushes are truly the most common plant, growing near warm water anywhere in the world.
Rush, also called wild mat grass, is a diuretic and calms the nerves. For sores on the mouth and tongue, swelling and pain in the throat, grind dry rushes into powder and blow it on the affected area.
The stem pith of rushes, which is the "flesh" after removing the outer skin, is easy to find. The only technical content is how to remove the wick.
"You only need to boil the grass stems with water, then peel off the outer skin and take out the pith inside."
Li Laoshi smiled and was filled with joy when he heard this. He had found a way to exchange for pancakes, and he could stay away from hunger again.
After saying this, Jiang Zhi added casually: "Children cry all night when they see lights at night. It is because of strong heart fire and aphthous sores. You can pull out the whole plant and boil it into medicine and boil it in water."
Li Laoshi was shocked when he heard this: "Sister-in-law Jiang, you know so much!"
It is a weed that can be seen everywhere by the water. It is useful for household purposes and can cure diseases.
Jiang Zhi actually wanted to say that rushes can also be used to weave mattresses and pillows, the method is similar to straw weaving, and rushes have a calming effect and can also help sleep.
