บท 18: Chapter 18: Unexpectedly, I Raised a Little Black Dog!
At night, the ginseng traders went directly to Uncle Liu's house to buy ginseng.
Xu Hongshan followed along too.
Many people say wild ginseng is a scam.
However, the value of ginseng has continued from ancient times to the present, and the practice of collecting ginseng has always existed since ancient times; a scam cannot last that long.
Moreover, whenever any family harvests ginseng, the traders will go there the same evening to negotiate the price on-site.
These ginseng traders are people who wouldn't wake up early without the prospect of profit.
Xu Yang didn't show off that he had found ginseng.
After he returned home, he drove his van to the large pharmacy in the town.
There weren't a few pharmacies in the town.
The main business of these pharmacies was not just selling medicine, but also buying it.
They were all owned by big brands and specialized in acquiring local mountain products.
Like Tongren Hall, Guangsheng Hall, Tianyitang, Ao Dong Pharmaceutical, Harbin Pharmaceutical Factory, etc.
Xu Yang shopped around, first taking Polygonum multiflorum from one to the next, asking for prices.
The Polygonum multiflorum dug up by Xu Yang weighed 13.6 pounds when scaled, was exceptionally large, and as it was wild Polygonum multiflorum, it belonged to the rare category of Chinese herbs.
Ordinary Polygonum multiflorum might cost thirty to forty per pound; this large wild type was more expensive.
After all, wealthy people pursuing quality in their medicines were willing to pay more.
In the end, Xu Yang sold the Polygonum multiflorum to Guangsheng Hall for a total of 4500 yuan.
Seeing that they offered a high price, Xu Yang took out the ginseng to ask for prices as well.
The market price of ginseng is public and transparent. Wild Ginseng with fifth-grade leaves that is over forty years old would be worth at least ten thousand.
The pharmacists looked at the ginseng Xu Yang brought out, their faces showing surprise, and took out a magnifying glass to examine it meticulously.
"You're quite lucky, this is indeed authentic Wild Ginseng."
"Let me count the number of annulations; by the look of it, it's at least forty years old."
After looking at it a while longer, the pharmacist confirmed:
"Not only forty years, but with five annulations, it's fifty years old. Truly nice."
"It's practically about to become sentient."
The pharmacist's face was filled with excitement.
Having seen a lot of Forest Undergrowth Ginseng, upon seeing Wild Ginseng, it was inevitable to be taken with it.
This stuff is getting harder and harder to come by.
The areas where you could dig have all been exhausted, and to dig further, one would have to venture deeper into the mountains.
It's not so easy to get into the depths of Changbai Mountain.
"58 thousand, how's that?"
"The price is fair, right?" the pharmacist gave his offer.
"The market was about the same last year; I understand that."
"But now Wild Ginseng is becoming rarer, who knows what the situation will be like this year."
"I won't sell for less than 70 thousand."
Xu Yang responded.
"Nowadays, thirty-year-old Wild Ginseng sells for only 20 thousand; your asking for 70 thousand all of a sudden is too much."
"The price jump from thirty to fifty years is not just double, so let me rephrase, no less than 75 thousand, or I won't sell."
The two haggled for a while and eventually settled on a price of 75 thousand.
When Xu Yang returned home and was having dinner, he overheard his parents talking about how the ginseng harvesting team also sold their ginseng today—four in total for 46 thousand.
Each person could get two to three thousand.
Everyone was very happy.
In the village, people have low incomes, so everyone is happy to earn some money by collecting ginseng each year.
The ginseng collecting team would set out at six o'clock the next morning as usual.
This time, Xu Yang did not plan to follow them; he thought it was better to go into the mountains alone.
It was relatively safer that way.
Xu Yang planned to earn some money first. Once he had saved enough, he would start his own small farm; he couldn't rely solely on searching the mountains for produce to survive.
He had to have his own career.
His family's circumstances were ordinary, but his parents treated him very well. Xu Yang didn't want to add to his parents' financial burden, so he had to rely on himself.
Around eight o'clock that night.
Xu Yang was alone in the yard.
Just then, the gate to the courtyard was pushed open—it was Big Yellow returning from a stroll outside.
In the mountain village, the dogs are raised freely; usually, the gates are not locked when people are around, so Big Yellow could come and go as he pleased.
There used to be dog thieves, but the only way into the village was a mountain road, and some elderly people would watch at the village entrance, so the thieves' vans didn't dare to come in, and there was no need to worry about the safety of the dogs.
"Big Yellow, come here, it's time to eat."
Xu Yang called out to Big Yellow.
The usually lively Big Yellow, who would come running at the mention of food, seemed somewhat restrained for some reason today.
It hung its head low, lifted its eyes, and looked at Xu Yang as if it had done something wrong.
Then, it glanced toward the outside of the door as though calling out for something.
"What's wrong?"
Xu Yang asked with a smile.
Big Yellow pushed the gate open slightly and slowly walked in first.
Then, it turned its head as if it was waiting for something.
Xu Yang stood up and looked outside the door.
Next, he saw a little black dog struggling to climb over the threshold and then tumbling into the yard.
The threshold of Xu Yang's home wasn't very high, but the little black dog was so small that it needed to climb in.
It looked about three months old, likely just weaned.
"Where did this little dog come from?"
Xu Yang immediately walked over, but Big Yellow wagged its tail at Xu Yang with a smile, somewhat ingratiatingly.
Xu Yang finally realized that this was Big Yellow wanting him to take in the little black dog.
The little black dog was adorably clumsy, its coat pitch black except for the white fur on its chest and white paws, making it very appealing. Its scientific name was 'Black Clouds over Snow.'
From above, it looked almost like a little black bear, dark and slick.
Its limbs were exceptionally sturdy, and its body was solid and chubby.
"Is this your son?"
"How did you bring him over?"
Xu Yang squatted down, picked up the little black dog, and looked puzzled.
Big Yellow wagged its tail at Xu Yang, showing agreement.
Xu Yang pushed open the gate, stepped out, and took another look outside.
He saw another big black dog, surrounded by four small dogs, looking in their direction.
The four little dogs were about the same size as the little black dog but varied in color.
Xu Yang immediately understood and turned to Big Yellow to inquire,
"Is that your wife and kids? We can't raise so many at once; do you want me to raise one?"
Big Yellow wagged its tail quickly and continued to smile ingratiatingly.
Xu Yang took a closer look at the little black dog.
Very robust.
"Smart, choosing the strongest one. This little black has a really good body."
Having grown up in the mountains, Xu Yang knew very well about the pasture dogs in the mountain villages. You can tell a person's future by the age of three and a dog's potential by three months.
The little black dog indeed had a fine body, well-developed muscles, good proportions of head and body, and sturdy legs.
When Xu Yang held it, it didn't struggle.
"Alright, I'll keep you."
Xu Yang put down the little black dog and led it back into the yard.
The little black dog followed, bouncing and jumping.
This guy was quick to recognize his master.
And he knew that by following Xu Yang, he'd get to eat meat.
The dog mother outside the yard saw Little Black follow Xu Yang inside and turned to lead the other puppies away.
She probably brought the puppy over because she had no other choice.
This was good; it was as if she had found Little Black a nice family.
Animals have such sentiments; cats and dogs both do.
If a kind person feeds a stray cat, and that cat has kittens it can't raise, it will bring its kittens to the kind person.
Moreover, it usually picks the prettiest one.
In the cat mother's heart, finding a kind home for her kitten is the best thing she can do for her child.
It was the same for the mother of the little black dog.
Seeing that Xu Yang had taken Little Black inside, she was reassured and immediately continued her wanderings with her other puppies.
Life in the mountains was always full of surprises and delights.
Xu Yang returned to the yard, fed the little black dog a bottle of milk, and gave Big Yellow some leftover meat.
The little black dog and Big Yellow slept in the same kennel; there was enough space.
Then, feeling tired himself, Xu Yang washed up and went back to his room to rest.
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