Chapter 497

As for why there are no mosquitoes in the peach orchard...

"We planted them wherever there was space along the edge of the peach orchard. This stuff is just like weeds; you don't need to manage it at all, just don't cut it down."

Mugwort repels mosquitoes, but only the smoke from burning it after it has been dried works. However, mosquitoes are a type of creature that Song Tan simply cannot tolerate, so she has fed the mugwort on the mountain plenty of spiritual energy.

We dried a lot at home before the Dragon Boat Festival, and now we light a bundle every night. Don't underestimate it just because it's only a bundle; it's quite formidable!

Those on the mountain that have been stimulated by spiritual energy give off waves of a unique, delicate fragrance from far away. Even when fresh, their mosquito-repelling effect is outstanding—it truly defies science.

However, I reckon it's only that area of the peach orchard that has no mosquitoes; it's hard to say for other places. After all, before the Dragon Boat Festival, young people from other villages came up the mountain to cut down all the mugwort to sell in the city for one yuan a bundle... Now, only the parts along the edge of the peach orchard were specifically left behind.

Thinking of this, Song Tan immediately noted down a plan to plant mugwort in her heart; in any case, this is something the family absolutely cannot do without.

She spoke so confidently, as if it were really the case.

Tang Xiaodong:... Is that so?

He thought it over, always feeling that something was not quite right.

With no mosquitoes, everyone felt exceptionally relaxed even if they just strolled around the courtyard at night.

The night breeze was still hot, blowing and making the sweat on people's bodies feel sticky. But as the day passed, the village was exceptionally quiet; apart from the chirping of insects and the occasional dog barking, there was no noise at all.

This feeling of inexplicable ease—even if you don't do anything and just empty your brain—feels very happy.

Professor Song strolled around slowly with his hands behind his back; looking at his demeanor, he was truly a scholar well-read in poetry and books.

No one knew how full he was at this moment; if he didn't lift his chin, he felt he couldn't hold it in. He didn't want to exercise anymore, so he could only desperately use more brain cells to consume calories as quickly as possible.

"No wonder people asked me to come here; they kept praising you, saying you all truly have ability... I know it now."

"If everything at home is of this quality, there's truly nothing to worry about when planting anything. Even if you just scatter some foxtail grass, what grows out will surely be exceptionally beautiful."

Don't say that; there is actually a type of rabbit-tail grass similar to foxtail grass that is quite popular as a gardening bonsai.

Song Tan shook her head: "I value practicality when planting things here. First, it must be edible; second, it must be edible; and finally, it must be sellable. No matter how good-looking foxtail grass grows, it can't enter my mouth except for building an internet-famous base."

Speaking of internet-famous bases, Professor Song perked up:

"Many rural areas now develop tourism, using farmland to create flower seas—simpler ones like rapeseed flowers, trendy ones like pink muhly grass, or planting some others... Your family has a lot of mountain land; even if you only do some on the periphery, it should bring very excellent economic benefits."

"No, no!" Song Tan waved her hands repeatedly: "If it can be practical and good-looking at the same time, of course I like it too. But if it's for the sake of looking good and wanting to attract people, there's no need; I don't like receiving these people."

An internet-famous base—how exhausting it is to maintain!

And people nowadays love to make trouble, especially in the tourism industry; the probability of encountering extreme people is too high. If someone breaks an arm or scrapes their skin later and comes to ask for compensation...

Song Tan felt irritable just thinking about it; better forget it.

The group strolled back and forth in the courtyard like zombies. Qi Lin thought for a moment: "Actually, you have a good eye for enclosing the mountain; this terrain is quite unique, and it can satisfy the various needs you have."

"The inner circle of the mountain is bowl-shaped, and the pond at the bottom has a large area. You can plant lotus roots, gorgon fruit, water caltrops, or even raise fish; it's even enough for you to create four zones."

"Whether it makes money is another matter, but it's certainly enough for the family to eat fresh."

Tang Xiaodong looked carefree, but his opinion at this moment was quite reliable:

"I don't think the duck shed on the edge of the pond is necessary—ducks are also very smart. You can build a dedicated duck shed for them on the mountain; after they get used to it, they will come back every day."

"The place where the original duck shed was, including the circle around it, often becomes a low-lying area when it rains and the water level rises, right? You can plant some plants that prefer wetlands there."

"Further up, you can directly divide it into zones and plant the crops you are interested in, plot by plot."

The inner circle can be divided into countless plots, and the outer circle can be too.

And the mountain doesn't have a sharp peak at the top; the mountaintop has sufficient sunlight during the day and a large temperature difference between day and night, which is just suitable for some plants that can accept temperature differences...

Sister Yanran, however, considered it from another aspect:

"The area is too large, and it's in the village. Even if you hire more people to manage it later, it's inevitable that some people will be jealous of your family. Enclosing the land now is very good."

Once the fence is put up, ordinary people will have to go through a lot of trouble to get in, which can invisibly save a lot of trouble.

"However, if you enclose this mountain area like this now, the area is large, and the construction cost will be high."

"It still has to be enclosed."

Song Tan was determined.

The taste of her family's things surely cannot be hidden.

The wire fence prevents not only those with malicious intent but also familiar people from reaching in and taking a couple.

Once it starts, it won't be solved by just two.

Sister Yanran nodded: "I also think this is reliable. Although the initial pressure is a bit high, many crops are fast-growing, and the cash flow is fast, so there's no need to worry so much."

"And isn't your family also making that traditional Chinese medicine, Cherokee rose fruit? I've learned about Cherokee rose fruit; if the economic benefit is high, you can completely plant a circle along the fence."

Song Tan laughed: "That's how we planted it in our chestnut orchard. At first, we used it as a protective net, but later the medicinal effect of the Cherokee rose fruit was good, and doctors from other places specifically stayed in our village clinic just to be able to acquire it as soon as possible."

"So, what is planted now is still too little; there is a plan to expand the scale."

But it's not easy to buy large seedlings.

Those who plant this now are either rose cultivation bases using it as a mother plant, or medicinal material cultivation bases—they all use improved thornless ones now.

So when autumn comes, Song Tan decided to prune and cut for propagation.

"That's fine." Professor Song nodded in agreement: "Cherokee rose fruit grows very quickly. By then, it will grow thick and climb high. Except for the inconvenience of picking, its protective ability is still very strong."

"As for inside the mountain... if you want to specifically create planting zones in some places, I suggest you plant some wolfberry, which can just enrich a category."

Wolfberry has vigorous vitality. If used purely for zoning, you don't need to worry about water, fertilizer, and various pest management later. You can completely let them grow at will, and there is no need for large-scale management...

The night breeze carried the chirping of insects, and the heat in the air gradually disappeared. Wu Lan smiled and brought out a large basin of watermelon from the house, while in the courtyard, everyone was looking at the photos taken today, imagining the beautiful scenery of the future.