Chapter 21: Planting Black Locust
Ying Kongtu soon went back, as though he really had only come over to deliver a basket of snacks.
Wen Zhongshan watched him leave, then lowered his head to look at the basket.
There were four oiled-paper packets in the basket. Apart from the pumpkin seeds he had eaten before, there were also two packets of dried pumpkin.
He gently opened one packet of dried pumpkin.
The dried pumpkin wrapped in the oiled paper was very neatly arranged. After being sun-dried, it had taken on a glossy, sauce-red color and was giving off a rich pumpkin fragrance.
Wen Zhongshan gently picked up a piece and took a bite.
In an instant, the sweet fragrance of pumpkin, the spiciness of chili, and the savory saltiness of the sauce spread through his mouth. The more he chewed, the more fragrant it became.
It was indeed very delicious.
The lingering aftertaste was long, making it hard to stop.
The flavor of natural food—especially natural food grown by a mountain god—had a special quality.
Wen Zhongshan ate one piece, then another, standing before the window as he looked at the distant mountains.
This place was wonderful, and Ying Kongtu was even better.
He liked it here.
Ying Kongtu did not know what Wen Zhongshan was thinking.
He was patrolling the mountain, and while patrolling, he was also searching for black locust trees.
Black locust was not a local tree species. At least, before he fell asleep, there had been no black locust here.
After waking, the first time he saw black locust, he had been somewhat surprised.
Later, after seeing many unfamiliar plants, he gradually got used to it.
Afterward, he often went to the library to read.
The books said that after humans entered the industrial age, due to the development of global trade and transportation, many species had also spread to all parts of the world.
Changchuan County was part of this process, and the local ecology had changed as well.
Ying Kongtu spent several months accepting and investigating this situation. Now he had accepted it well and was considering planting new plants to adjust the mountain forest.
Black locust was one of the plants he had chosen.
Black locust grew very quickly. Its leaves had a high protein content, and its flowers provided nectar. It was a rather good plant.
Most importantly, its well-developed root system contained rhizobia, which could fix nitrogen. The more it was planted, the more fertile the soil would become.
Planting black locust could shelter other plants and animals.
He had long wanted to plant a batch of black locust, but he had not been able to spare the time before, and the season had not been quite suitable either.
Now was a good season for planting trees, and he had time, so he could just put black locust planting on the schedule.
There were already many one- or two-year-old black locust seedlings on the mountain. Ying Kongtu did not need to buy saplings at all. He only needed to dig up some of the black locust seedlings growing too densely and transplant them elsewhere.
Ying Kongtu patrolled the mountain while digging out black locust seedlings along with their soil and setting them aside.
He patrolled quickly, and his speed in digging black locust seedlings was also very fast.
Before long, he had dug up more than ten black locust seedlings.
He cut a vine, tied the black locust seedlings together, and placed them in the shade of a tree, planning to carry them down together after finishing his patrol.
When Ying Kongtu came down from Qingfang Mountain after his patrol, he had dug up a total of 131 black locust saplings.
He divided the saplings into two bundles, planning to carry one bundle down first.
Halfway down the mountain with the saplings on his back, Ying Kongtu discovered a familiar figure in the mountains.
“Wen Zhongshan? Why are you here?”
“There was nothing to do today. Staying idle at home was still being idle, so I came up to look for you.” Wen Zhongshan looked at the black locust saplings on his shoulder and asked, “Need help?”
“Yes!” Ying Kongtu did not stand on ceremony with him. “I left a bundle of black locust saplings a bit farther up. Help me carry them down? That way I won’t have to make a second trip.”
“All right. Rest here for a bit, and we’ll carry them down together.”
“No need. I’ll take you up to find that bundle.” Ying Kongtu set the saplings on his shoulder aside, raised his head, and smiled at Wen Zhongshan. “Let’s go.”
A mere bundle of small saplings was nothing to non-humans like them.
Very soon, Wen Zhongshan had another bundle of black locust saplings on his back.
The two went down the mountain together.
With company on the way down, the walk felt much easier.
After descending the mountain, Ying Kongtu motioned for Wen Zhongshan to put the black locust saplings into the vehicle bed. “Later, I need to take a detour to the mountain god temple and bring the black locust saplings there as an offering.”
Wen Zhongshan had no objection at all. “I’ll go with you.”
Many people in the county had grown used to Ying Kongtu driving his farm tricycle to worship at the mountain god temple. Whenever they saw him, they still could not help looking a few extra times.
With Wen Zhongshan there too, it became even more eye-catching.
Ying Kongtu never cared about other people’s gazes. He parked the farm tricycle by the roadside, then carried the black locust saplings over his shoulder to pay respects at the mountain god temple.
Wen Zhongshan carried the other bundle.
The two piled the black locust saplings beside the mountain god temple, and Ying Kongtu skillfully bowed.
Plants could not be registered as household members. It was just that after being offered, they could absorb a bit of divine power, allowing him to bless them so they would grow more robustly.
After the offering, Ying Kongtu picked up the black locust saplings again and placed them back into the vehicle bed.
After Wen Zhongshan put down his bundle, he glanced back at the tiny mountain god temple. “Do you want to repair the mountain god temple?”
“Not for now. The appearance of the mountain god temple doesn’t have much connection to divine power. This simple, rustic appearance is quite good too.”
After Ying Kongtu finished speaking, he suddenly realized that Wen Zhongshan’s tone just now had been somewhat different. Asking whether he wanted to repair the mountain god temple had been as natural as asking whether he wanted to repair his own house. “Wait. You know I’m a mountain god?”
Knowing that he was non-human and knowing that he was a mountain god were not the same thing.
“When I said I wanted to find a place to vacation, a friend who knew your identity recommended this place.”
“Then didn’t you recognize me the first time we met?”
“No. He only said there was a mountain god here. I guessed it later.”
Ying Kongtu glanced at him. “That friend of yours gave too much information. You filtered it out from there.”
Wen Zhongshan smiled. “What about you? When did you know I was non-human?”
“Also the first time we met.” Ying Kongtu reminded him, “Don’t forget, I’m the mountain god here. At the time, I even asked what your purpose was in coming to this small county.”
“I remember now. I thought you were only making polite conversation.”
“I don’t make polite conversation with ordinary people.”
“Then we’re even?”
“Fine. We’re even.”
Wen Zhongshan smiled and extended a hand to shake Ying Kongtu’s hand.
Ying Kongtu was driving the tricycle. The moment he let go with one hand, the tricycle immediately veered slightly.
Ying Kongtu said, “Hey! Don’t disturb the driver while driving!”
Wen Zhongshan laughed there.
After knowing each other’s identities, the two became even more relaxed in their interactions.
When going up the mountain to plant black locust, Ying Kongtu deliberately dragged along Wen Zhongshan, this strong laborer.
This fellow was tall, long-legged, strong, and very capable of enduring hardship. He was an excellent worker.
Ying Kongtu brought him up the mountain and gradually filled in the black locust saplings.
There were many open spaces on the mountain. Originally, trees had grown there, but now, because of various reasons, they had disappeared.
Weeds and shrubs occupied the open spaces, and no new trees had grown for the time being.
So Ying Kongtu planted black locust.
The two spent several days replanting many places. The appearance of the mountain forest was quietly and slowly being renewed.
There were still many black locust saplings at Ying Kongtu’s home.
One evening, Wen Zhongshan returned with Ying Kongtu, both carrying hoes. Looking at the neatly bundled black locust saplings beneath the eaves, he asked, “Do these black locust saplings have another use?”
“More or less. They’ll also be planted on the mountain, but I’m going to plant a small black locust forest and use it as a mother forest. I want to see whether I can select an excellent black locust suited to our local area.”
“Start planting tomorrow?”
“Yes. Tomorrow, we’ll go plant them in a new place.”
The next day, Ying Kongtu took Wen Zhongshan and carried the black locust saplings to the summit of Wuchuan Mountain.
There were basically no tall trees at the summit, but there were quite a few shrubs. Now, much bracken had grown, basically covering the barren land.
Ying Kongtu pointed ahead. “This place actually used to be forest too. Now it has degraded, leaving only shrubs and weeds. A lot of soil has also been lost, and it has become relatively barren. Apart from some plants that can tolerate poor soil, other plants can’t grow here anymore.”
“That’s quite a pity.”
“Yes. That’s why I plan to plant a patch of black locust first. In a few years, if the black locust grows well, the small local climate improves, and the soil becomes fertile, I’ll slowly plant other trees.”
Wen Zhongshan looked around. The deep blue sky was high and distant, and the white clouds were dazzlingly bright.
The mountain wind blew over, bringing a trace of coolness.
At the foot of the mountain, the small county town lay peacefully in the sunlight.
Beside him, Ying Kongtu was choosing empty spaces to plant black locust. Wen Zhongshan turned his head to look at him.
He was slightly bent over. Even in such a relaxed posture, he did not look loose or sloppy. Instead, he had a different kind of graceful elegance.
Wen Zhongshan looked at him, and his heart seemed to swell full, filled with a particular peace.
Those feelings of confusion and anxiety seemed like morning mist, vanishing without him knowing when.
“This is really nice.”
“What is?”
“Working little by little like this to make the mountain forest better feels very solid.”
Ying Kongtu understood and looked into the distance with him. “It does. There are many things to do, but there is hope in my heart.”
After the two finished planting the black locust, they slowly went down the mountain.
Before they reached the foot of the mountain, they saw someone standing beside the tricycle, looking as though he was waiting for them.
Xing Chang, who was waiting by the tricycle, also spotted them and waved from afar. “Kongtu—I have good news for you—”
“What good news?”
“Someone is selling mountains—selling Bibai Mountain and Gongshen Mountain—”
Someone was selling mountains?!
Ying Kongtu quickened his pace, leaping down the mountain in a few strides and running to Xing Chang’s side. “Bibai Mountain and Gongshen Mountain?!”
“Yes!” Xing Chang was equally excited. “Didn’t I say before that there was some progress? The mountains that person wants to sell are these two! Both mountains used to be your territory, right? Now you can contract them back!”
Ying Kongtu nodded hard. “Yes, they were both my territory!”
Wen Zhongshan followed behind. “Kongtu, do you want to buy back all your previous mountains?”
“If I can, of course!” Ying Kongtu said without hesitation, then added, “For now, it’s only these two.”
Xing Chang glanced at Wen Zhongshan, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
Ying Kongtu took the initiative to introduce him. “My friend, Wen Zhongshan. He knows my identity.”
Xing Chang shook hands with Wen Zhongshan and asked hesitantly, “A friend you’ve known for a long time?”
He probably wanted to ask whether Wen Zhongshan was also non-human.
Ying Kongtu only said, “Some remain strangers even with white hair; some are old friends from the first meeting. Even if we haven’t known each other long, we can still be good friends.”
“Hahaha, I knew it.” Xing Chang’s attention turned back to Bibai Mountain and Gongshen Mountain, and he said excitedly, “I’ll show you the sale information the seller released. Take a look first, then consider the purchase.”
“I’ll buy them!” Ying Kongtu said firmly. “No matter what, I will buy the mountains back. Recovering my territory holds great significance for me.”
