There is a medicine that still puzzles me. The name of this medicine is also very special, called seven leaves and one flower. It's like fairy grass
In the 1970s, I went to high school in a place called Jiang Shan. At that time, few books were read, and it was fashionable to study engineering, science and agriculture. There is a place where Miao people gather, and there is no decent factory. Most of us are farmers. In addition, this is a newly-built high school with no teaching building. First, borrow several classrooms from a primary school as temporary high schools. I only have classes for three days a week, and the rest of the time is to go to the village near Jiang Shan to pick out the boards, purlins and bricks needed for the new school building, and I have to finish a certain amount before I can have a rest. Kind of like contracting now. Of course I'm tired. There is little oil and water, just those two meals a day. There is no meat to eat, and there is no feeling of fullness when eating. There is a restaurant opposite the school, and we go there every day to eat the new Chili fried meat. But without money, the food expenses given by the family are also careful, only enough to eat in the school cafeteria, and there is no extra money to go to the restaurant to cut down the restaurant and grow a rare tooth. I often cook in the canteen, walk into the restaurant with my rice bowl, and watch a delicious pot of fried meat with new peppers for dinner. After eating a bowl of rice, it smells delicious, and it really feels a little like looking at plums to quench your thirst.
There is a supply and marketing cooperative next door to the school, which buys all kinds of medicinal materials, snakes, pangolins, wild cats, weasels, muntjac and other wild animals. At that time we were just curious about everything. If you don't attend class for a day or finish the task of learning agriculture, you can go to the supply and marketing cooperative to play if you have nothing to do. Look at the medicinal materials purchased and the wild animals purchased. It was here that I first saw the mysterious seven leaves and one flower. That is a complete flower with seven leaves. There is only a thin purple-red stem with a circle of green leaves in the middle and upper part of the stem. I counted seven. The leaves are elliptic and lanceolate, with wavy edges, brown stalks and a golden flower at the top of the stem. Flowers are divided into an inner layer and an outer layer. The flowers in the outer layer are like leaves, and the flowers in the inner layer are linear. The rhizome has many whiskers and is shaped like a conch. This tree with seven leaves and one flower is very big and looks beautiful, like an ancient beauty, with a graceful figure and fascinating. Even the people who bought it from the supply and marketing cooperative said that such a big tree with seven leaves and one flower is rare. This spiritual object was acquired by an old Miao people who lived in Queerzhai.
Queer Village is the most remote Miao village in Jiang Shan, with rugged mountain roads and inconvenient transportation. So queer village is very mysterious to everyone, which has spawned many mysterious legends. Look at that old Miao man. He is a little different, like the old man with white beard in fairy tales, with a child's face and a hair. He smells like a saint. It is said that a flower with seven leaves and one flower likes to grow in the damp places in the deep mountains and valleys, and I am afraid that only Queer Village has it. There is a Miao classmate named Ah Jin in the class. His father is a Miao medicine master. Ah kin also knows something about Miao medicine. Ah Jin said that seven leaves and one flower are good snake medicine, and his father used it specially to treat snake bites, which is very effective. However, it is difficult to get a flower with seven leaves and one flower, because it is a medicine for treating snake venom. Generally, places with seven leaves and one flower are guarded by poisonous snakes. Seeing what he said is so mysterious, we students from the city are all a little creepy, and we are even more mysterious and curious about this grotesque flower with seven leaves and one branch. I think, if only I could find a flower with seven leaves and one branch! I also tasted the taste of envy and worship. Besides, the process of finding seven leaves and one flower must be full of adventure, which is what we yearn for at that age. Adventure is the duty of young people. What is more attractive is that seven leaves and one flower can fetch a good price in the supply and marketing cooperative, so that we can get a toothache in the hotel. In this way, looking for seven leaves and one flower became our dream at that time, a very materialized dream.
Since I have this dream and a specific goal, I feel that the boring study life has become a little colorful, with another flavor, and even makes people feel different. That thin, short and small Ah Jin is usually despised by everyone just because he knew a little about herbs at first, and besides, he claimed to dare to catch snakes. Everyone thinks that he is a little magical, and his eyes are somewhat awe-inspiring, which invisibly improves his position among his classmates. He also quietly became the master of our search for seven leaves and one flower. As long as he is free, everyone will follow Ah Chin to the supply and marketing cooperative to practice bravery. At this time, Aqin, who was originally disdainful, became a teacher admired by everyone. I think, I'm afraid that's how religion came into being, and so did the masters.
The way of practicing bravery is so terrible that I feel creepy now. But I was possessed at that time, and somehow I had such great courage. Supply and marketing cooperatives bought a lot of snakes. Ah Kin taught us to practice bravery simply by putting his hand into the snake cage and letting it bite and entangle, of course, a non-toxic snake. Ah Kin said that seven leaves and one flower were guarded by snakes. Only by learning to catch snakes can we hope to find seven leaves and one flower. If you want to catch snakes, you must not be afraid of them first. What Ah Kin said is very reasonable and logical. This guy is very philosophical and persuasive. He can also set an example and take the lead in demonstrating. As soon as he entered the supply and marketing cooperative, he chose a non-toxic snake cage and put his hand in it first. Those snakes who were locked in cages and lost their freedom scrambled to entangle his hand and bite everywhere. Although non-toxic, every snake is fierce after being locked up for so long. But Ah Kin was not afraid, kept his face unchanged and even smiled. He doesn't know if his heart has stopped beating, so he is a master. Let everyone admire this. Seeing Ah Kin so brave and fearless, everyone became bold and slowly put their hands into the snake cage. The first time I touched a snake, I still felt a little empty. As soon as I met the cold snake, I quickly withdrew. After this time and again, I have the confidence not to see such a thing. Just like Ah Kin, he closed his eyes, crossed his chest and put his hand into the snake cage for the snake to bite. There is a tingling feeling of coldness. Later, I could take the snake out of the cage and let it haunt me, just like a Jianghu artist playing with a snake. This is how courage grows day by day. Thanks to Ah Kin, without him, I'm afraid we would still live in the dark terror of being afraid of snakes. Up to now, I am very grateful to Ah Jin. She is a very dedicated teacher. There are not many such masters now.
Among us students who come from the city to study in Jiang Shan, Wu Shan is the bravest and the fastest and best. Later, even A Jin admired him a little. Wu Shan has also become a master who is not a master, but also a face for our classmates in the city. In fact, Wu Shan, like Aqin, has some awesome supernatural kung fu. He also knows a thing or two about herbs and folk remedies. His purse is untouchable, and it is full of small reptiles such as Hittite quadrupeds and geckos. It is strange that these horrible little things listen to him very much and never bite him. However, Wu Shan is very conservative and unwilling to teach others, unlike Ah Kin, who is so self-exposed, so charitable and so warm-hearted. This is where he is inferior to Ah Kin.
After practicing for a while, everyone felt that it was no longer interesting to catch snakes in snake cages, and everyone was eager to try. They all want to catch those snakes that have not lost their freedom in the wild, which is very exciting and can also test their courage and skills in catching snakes. Natural and real poisonous snakes, we dare not practice or catch them. We are all afraid that if something happens, it won't be fun and we won't be able to eat. Only Ah Kin and Wu Shan dare. They are masters. Like all old masters, it is understandable that he left one hand to catch snakes. Otherwise, all the disciples will become masters, and the world will be in chaos. With our repeated encouragement, Ah Jin finally agreed to take us to the mountain to catch snakes. But Ah Kin was careless and meticulous, so he chose a few brave and agile people to go up the mountain with him to catch snakes. This is of great significance for carrying out pilot projects and catching typical snakes, which is very characteristic of that era. At that time, there were endless examples everywhere, typical guides We are all familiar with this set, but Aqin can learn and use it flexibly. Only this, we can't compare with it. Master is a master after all, and he thinks more carefully than we do. Not if you don't admire him!
The first time we caught a snake in the wild, except Ah Kin and Wu Shan, we were all a little guilty and afraid. It is a lie to say that you are not afraid. A wild snake is not a snake in a cage. It's right there waiting for you to catch it, and you have nowhere to run. Snakes in the wild can sneak, drill, and fight back, and it is not so clear that they are toxic and non-toxic. Unlike snakes in cages of supply and marketing cooperatives, non-toxic and toxic ones are in their own cages, which is easy to identify. Snakes in the wild come and go quickly, so you have no time to recognize them in your spare time! It's no use calling mom when you meet a poisonous snake. Not bad. The first time we caught a snake in the wild, there was no such accident because we didn't catch it. We just watched Ah Kin and Wu Shan catch them. They each caught a cauliflower snake, each weighing two Jin. Get two dollars from the supply and marketing cooperative, and everyone will go to the restaurant for a good meal in a sumptuous meal, full of oil. At this time, everyone realized that snakes can also sell money, which is easier than finding seven leaves and one flower! With this way of making money, can't we often go to restaurants to try the new Chili fried meat? At this thought, everyone was very excited, and everyone thought that Ah Kin was great. He led us on this road of great food. Since then, we have been catching snakes in the wild whenever we have time. Later, even snakes were afraid of their own shadows when they saw us. As soon as they smell our coquettish smell, they flee everywhere, making it rare to see snakes near Jiang Shan. During that time, our faces were rosy and moist, our mouths were shiny and our bodies were full of vitality, all because of snakes. This is our bank.
Catching snakes has given us great pleasure and tangible benefits, which has made us taste the sweetness, nourished our body and mind, and made our eyes brighter and brighter. Because according to the folk saying, eating snake gall can clear fire, drive away poison and improve eyesight, we are convinced of this, and we all ate a few snake gall. Maybe it's psychological. Eating snake gall makes my eyes cool. Like being washed by a pure mountain spring, my eyes brighten, the words on the blackboard are more clear than before, and the books and texts are more clear than before. Let alone look at people, it's like wearing a magnifying glass, and even the pores three meters away from a person's face can be clearly seen. You can also see Miao Jia Depa (girl) who is on her way to the sideline a mile away wearing flowered clothes and an umbrella, which is very eye-catching. Nevertheless, the dream of finding seven leaves and one flower still haunts each of us at any time, like an eagle flying in the sky, flying in front of our eyes every day, making us sleepless at night. Therefore, we all look forward to realizing this dream as soon as possible. Take that beautiful flower home as soon as possible. Everything we are doing now is actually the foreshadowing and preparation for realizing this dream, and it is also an essential process to find seven leaves and one flower. None of us expected that a very accidental accident shattered our dream of finding seven leaves and one flower. The cause is still catching snakes. I'm afraid this is also an act of god. That day, Wu Shan quietly called Shangshengsheng, and two people went to Damapo to catch snakes alone. Before going up the mountain, they saw a snake on the side of the mountain. Their eyes are green with joy. They thought they were going to the bank to withdraw money again and began to chase.
But this time they were unlucky. The snake runs around in the wild just like playing hide-and-seek with them. They chased for a long time, but they didn't even see the snake clearly. The snake got into a crack in the field, leaving only one tail. Wu Shan and Ah Sheng came running, grabbed the tail in time and pulled it out. It is said that once a snake has drilled a hole, it can never be pulled out. That was a weird day. Wu Shan and Sheng Duan pull out snakes and ghosts. Before they could catch it, the snake's neck suddenly swelled up. It turned out that it was the king of bulging neck (cobra) or Wu Shan, who was quick-sighted and knowledgeable, tore up life and flew away. The swollen neck king chased after them. Wu Shan is experienced, so don't run to places with turf, because snakes slip faster than people; Run where there are sharp rocks and mud, and finally get rid of the pursuit of the neck expanding king. When they ran into the school, sweating and pale, they were just seen by the teacher. When asked, Wu Shan kept silent, the teacher turned pale with fear, and Wu Shan and Shengsheng were scared to death. If you want to be bitten by the swollen neck king, you really want to die. Since then, the school has strictly stipulated that it is not allowed to catch snakes again, not to go out casually, and not to go to Queerzhai, a place where birds can go. Our dream of finding seven leaves and a flower is over. Although we didn't find seven leaves and one flower in the end, we had a dream and a happy youth because of seven leaves and one flower. We will never forget the process and experience of this search. Because of dreams, our life will be rich and colorful.
Looking for a flower with seven leaves is my eternal dream.