After a smile, Shen Xiaoyan considered whether to make various flavored mooncakes to sell, but just thinking about it, she immediately dismissed the idea.
Not only because making mooncakes was troublesome, but also because it was only a day and a half until the Mid-Autumn Festival, so not many could be sold even if they were made.
Compared to making mooncakes, she actually wanted to go up the mountain more.
Didn't people say that mountains are natural treasures, just waiting for people to explore them?
Autumn had arrived, and all sorts of wild crops in the mountains should be ripe. She wanted to take a look around and hopefully pick some.
Shen Xiaoyan told Zheng Wei her idea, and Zheng Wei did not refuse.
Firstly, he hadn't been up the mountain for a very long time and wanted to see what was there. Secondly, Shen Xiaoyan's skills had already achieved some success, and with her divine strength, she could protect herself in the mountains.
So, after breakfast the next day, they prepared their things and headed straight for Baiyun Peak.
This time, not only Shen Xiaoyan, Zheng Wei, and Shen Xiaoming went up the mountain, but also Wu Dagang and Liang Shi's son, Bai Yan.
Wu Dagang and Bai Yan had come to play with Shen Xiaoming the afternoon before. When they heard that Shen Xiaoming and the others were going up the mountain the next day, they specifically asked Shen Xiaoyan and Zheng Wei to take them along.
Shen Xiaoyan did not refuse directly, but asked them to get their parents' permission.
So, this morning, she saw the two of them arrive with their mothers.
Pan Shi and Liang Shi apologized for troubling Shen Xiaoyan and Zheng Wei and warned their children not to be naughty or run around, to listen well to Shen Xiaoyan and Zheng Wei, and then they peacefully handed their children over to Shen Xiaoyan.
Shen Xiaoyan felt that this was not because the two mothers were careless and didn't care about their children's safety, but because they were already accustomed to it.
They were accustomed to the village children running around in the mountains and by the rivers. They themselves had grown up wild.
All five of them carried bamboo baskets on their backs, with steamed buns and sickles inside. Shen Xiaoyan also put some cloth bags in her own basket, in case they found any mountain goods to pack.
The weather was good today, with a gentle breeze that was very comfortable.
The group chatted and laughed, and the walk did not feel tiring. When they reached Baiyun Peak, they felt that not much time had passed.
After passing through the woods at the foot of the mountain, they entered the outer perimeter of Baiyun Peak.
Although it was not yet late autumn, many leaves had already fallen, and the trees were becoming sparse.
As they walked forward, they saw several chestnut trees after about a hundred meters.
The three children were very excited and quickly walked to the chestnut trees.
Shen Xiaoyan, however, stood still. She looked up carefully at the chestnut trees, which were tall and robust, appearing to be quite old.
The burr balls on the trees had all turned yellow, some of them had split open, revealing the chestnuts inside, while others were still hanging intact.
Shen Xiaoyan walked a few steps forward, picked up a burr ball that had fallen to the ground and split open, carefully took out the chestnut, being careful not to get pricked by the burrs.
The chestnut was very small, clearly a Northern chestnut.
Shen Xiaoyan had loved candied chestnuts in her previous life and had studied them carefully.
Southern chestnuts were larger and more suitable for cooking, but Northern chestnuts were smaller and more suitable for roasting.
Looking at the chestnut trees in front of her, Shen Xiaoyan was very happy. If she could bring these back, they would have enough to eat for several years.
Zheng Wei also noticed that Shen Xiaoyan was very happy, so he asked, "Do you like them?"
"Yes, candied chestnuts are delicious," Shen Xiaoyan nodded with a smile.
Hearing this, Zheng Wei stopped talking and strode forward, telling Shen Xiaoming and the other two children to step back and stand with Shen Xiaoyan.
The three children didn't understand what Zheng Wei intended to do, but they obediently retreated and stood beside Shen Xiaoyan.
Zheng Wei, with his agile physique, leaped up the tree.
He stood on a branch, stabilized himself, hugged the branches with both hands, and began to shake them vigorously.
With his actions, the burr balls hanging on the branches fell one after another, making soft thuds as they hit the ground.
Zheng Wei did the same, and in a short time, he had shaken all the chestnut trees. Those that were too firmly attached and didn't fall directly were knocked down by him using the branches.
After Zheng Wei landed back on the ground, Shen Xiaoyan and the others stepped forward.
Shen Xiaoming and the other two children squatted on the ground and began to put the burr balls into their bamboo baskets. Shen Xiaoyan wanted to say something to Zheng Wei, but seeing this, she turned to the three children and said:
"Be careful, don't get your hands pricked."
"Got it," the three replied in unison, without looking up.
Interrupted by this, Shen Xiaoyan forgot what she had originally wanted to say. She squatted down and joined Shen Xiaoming and the others.
At this moment, she also breathed a sigh of relief, thankfully she had brought cloth bags, otherwise, with just these bamboo baskets, what could they pack?
Even so, they couldn't pack it all in one trip. Shen Xiaoyan first filled two cloth bags and then said to Zheng Wei, "See who among us two will go back first to take these two bags back, and then bring the handcart from home."
The handcart was not large, but it could be easily pushed up the mountain, and it would be perfect for carrying these chestnuts.
Zheng Wei reached out and picked up the two cloth bags of chestnuts. "I'll go. You stay here and keep an eye on them. I'll be back soon."
"Okay, good," Shen Xiaoyan agreed.
Zheng Wei carried one cloth bag in each hand and walked back.
Each cloth bag weighed at least 200 jin, but judging by Zheng Wei's appearance, it was as if it weighed only 20 jin, and he carried them away with ease.
Regarding this, Shen Xiaoyan had to marvel at his divine strength. She, who had cheated, could only sigh at his natural advantages.
Shen Xiaoyan and the children quickly filled the bamboo baskets and the remaining two cloth bags. Seeing that Zheng Wei had not returned yet, they began to peel off the burrs from the chestnuts and put them on the ground, placing the chestnuts into the cloth bags.
When Zheng Wei returned with the handcart, they had already peeled half a cloth bag.
Of course, this was mainly due to Shen Xiaoyan's strength.
What seemed like a sturdy shell to Shen Xiaoming and the other two children, to Shen Xiaoyan, it only required a gentle pull to tear it apart.
Zheng Wei brought dozens of cloth bags, which had been bought in advance. In Shen Xiaoyan's words, it was better to be prepared, and indeed, they were useful now.
This small handcart could not carry much. If too much was loaded, it would be difficult to push, and coupled with the rough road, the speed would be reduced.
So, the group quickly loaded five bags and tied them to the handcart with rope. Zheng Wei pushed the cart down the mountain again.
Shen Xiaoyan and the others continued to fill the cloth bags with burrs. Once a bag was full, they tied it up and waited for Zheng Wei to return to load it.
Zheng Wei made seven round trips, transporting a total of 35 cloth bags before finally bringing all the chestnuts back.
After Zheng Wei pushed the last five bags of chestnuts down the mountain, Shen Xiaoyan straightened her back and let out a long sigh.
It was then that she noticed that Shen Xiaoming and the other children all had flushed faces, with sweat dripping from their foreheads.