When Mr. Gu returned from the Li Zheng family, the Gu Family began to prepare dinner. As expected by Gu Chengyu, Mr. Gu heard many sarcastic remarks on his way there.
"Dad! Are we going to pick honeysuckle today?" With so many people going up the mountain now, if we go too, won’t honeysuckle be exposed? At the very least, if they pick this year, we might not need to worry next year. Gu Chengyu never intended to hold onto honeysuckle forever.
"Let’s wait and see! If there are fewer people, we’ll sneak up the mountain. If there are still many people, then we’ll have to wait until tomorrow!" Mr. Gu was also worried. Delaying a day could an so flowers might wilt!
"Dad! I want to teach everyone literacy. Can you make so sandboards for us? Knowing how to read, it’ll be easier to find a job!" Gu Chengyu spoke while handing a bun to Gu Chenglian, who had a large appetite and wasn’t filled with just two buns per al.
Mr. Gu pondered for a mont, "I know the benefits of literacy. Do whatever you think is best! As long as it doesn’t hinder your own progress. I’ll make sandboards for you tomorrow, and let the boys in the family learn."
"Dad! I want my second sister and Da Ya to learn too." Gu Chengyu believed that girls should also learn to read and write, as it would earn them respect post-marriage.
Da Ya looked up at Gu Chengyu upon hearing this. Er Ya also beca excited and asked Mrs. Fang across the table, "Mom! Can we learn to read letters too?"
Seeing Er Ya so happy, He pursed her lips—what’s the use for girls to learn literacy? They would still marry into farming families eventually. But since it doesn’t cost any Silver and allows the second son and third son to learn too, she was naturally willing.
"Xiao Bao! Why should girls learn this? It’s useless and will take away ti from the chores." Mrs. Lv was concerned about who would do the household work if Da Ya and others learned too.
"Mom! I only teach them after I’ve finished my own work. It’ll be getting dark then, so it wouldn’t interfere with chores." Gu Chengyu refused to let his mother block their path.
"Grandma! We and elder sister promise not to neglect the chores. We’re not like Little Uncle aiming for exams; we just want to learn a couple of characters." Er Ya imdiately spoke up, fearing the plan might fail.
"Hmph! Ambition isn’t small, wanting to read and write, as girls. But I tell you, you cannot hinder Xiao Bao’s studies. If you can’t learn on your own, you won’t be allowed to ask Xiao Bao after that ti, only when teaching literacy." Mrs. Lv knew her husband would be displeased if she disagreed. She didn’t want them to pester Xiao Bao, affecting his studies.
Mr. Gu agreed after hearing this, "Fine! If we’re teaching, then everyone will learn. However, what your grandma said makes sense. If you don’t understand sothing, you can ask during teaching ti, and we’ll set a ti limit. Half an hour a day, no more than that. After the ti has passed, no more questions. If sothing cos up, then that day won’t have lessons." Lastly, Mr. Gu finalized the decision.
After dinner, Mr. Gu went around the village and saw people coming back from the mountain. Along the way, there was a lot of grumbling and cursing, obviously from those digging on the outskirts who couldn’t find ginseng. But the Gu Family did find it, causing envy and dissatisfaction.
Mr. Gu instructed everyone to grab the burlap sacks and go up the mountain in batches. To speed things up, he even had the young children of the Gu Family go to the mountain first to collect the flowers.
Despite Mr. Gu’s opposition, Gu Chengyu went too.
Actually, Gu Chengyu couldn’t offer much help but had more important matters to attend to.
The Gu family’s grandchildren were the first to arrive and started picking so. When it was almost dark, the little ones would return first, leaving the rest for the adults to pick. With many people, it wouldn’t take long.
"Xiao Bao! Don’t run around this ti! Last ti you scared dad so bad!" Mr. Gu rembered Gu Chengyu running wildly around the mountain last ti; although he caught a rabbit, it was still frightening!
"Dad! I promise not to run around this ti." Gu Chengyu had already observed that so rotting wood was inside, where he planned to place the rotting wood he put into a space last ti, hoping it wouldn’t be visible. Unsure how many mushrooms had grown on it and whether these Dayan Dynasty mushrooms were valuable.
Mr. Gu frequently glanced at Gu Chengyu and felt reassured when he saw Gu Chengyu seriously picking flowers.
After a while, Gu Chengyu told Er Ya beside him he was tired and wanted a short rest, not far, just ahead.
Er Ya looked ahead and saw clear visibility, no overgrown weeds, just so decaying wood, nodded, and paid no mind.
Gu Chengyu walked forward, seized a mont when nobody was watching, and threw mushrooms and the rotting wood from the space onto the open ground ahead. He tossed out five or six sections in total, and upon casually scanning them, discovered the mushrooms on the wood were growing densely, completely covering the rotting wood.
Gu Chengyu felt jubilant; the space really was efficient! If dried, it would weigh around ten pounds. Moreover, after rain, they would grow again.
"Xiao Bao! Don’t run off; co back here! If you want to rest, rest on that big rock over there; there are many snakes in the mountains." Mr. Gu saw his son was not where he was originally, and fortunately, he could still see him ahead; otherwise, he’d be worried. With this in mind, he felt it safer to keep him close. Next ti, he wouldn’t allow him to go up the mountain.
"Dad! Look, so many mushrooms! Let’s harvest them; we can sell them for good money!" Gu Chengyu pulled Mr. Gu, who wanted to drag him away, pointing at the rotting wood.
"What are mushrooms? And these black things? These can’t be eaten. I rember soone picked them, and after eating them, they got poisoned!" Mr. Gu was frightened of picking poison plants upon hearing Gu Chengyu’s intent.
"Poisoning? That must be because they didn’t dry the mushrooms. Freshly picked mushrooms cannot be eaten directly, and they must have eaten a lot; otherwise, why would it be so severe? Dad! Don’t worry!" Gu Chengyu reassured him and glanced at the busy Da Ya and others behind, lowering his voice, "Dad! This is a secret from the person I dread of. I already picked so and dried them at the back of the house, and when we return, I’ll have mom cook them for us to taste."
Upon hearing the Dayan Dynasty people didn’t know how to eat mushrooms, Gu Chengyu saw it as a chance. He planned to take dried mushrooms from space into town tomorrow to test it.
These mushrooms are best eaten fresh, but being the first to try sothing new while others haven’t yet, he’d beco the one who dares. He believed the innkeeper wouldn’t pass up this opportunity.
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