The Beginning of Winter had arrived, and the vast lands of the north were gradually sinking into a winter of somber, hazy mist.

In the air, water vapor cooled and condensed into crystalline frost, silently blanketing the ground, hastening the leaves’ farewell and ripening the late-hanging autumn fruit on the branches.

Li Xu, shouldering a simple travel bag containing his identification, a first-aid kit, and some common medicinal herbs, set off on his journey to Qinling.

He had left Song Sisi to look after the clinic.

Before leaving, he had also informed Ding Kaifang.

Upon hearing the news, Ding Kaifang had offered to send someone to handle the matter of leasing the land, but Li Xu politely declined.

Li Xu had two reasons for this trip. First, to escape the recent clamor of reporters and onlookers and find a rare moment of peace.

Second, he wanted to handle things personally, especially the matter of planting foxtail grass in Bailingyu Village, which was best kept from prying eyes.

However, Ding Kaifang had advised Li Xu that taking the bus would be too much trouble, requiring transfers along the way.

Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory had many company cars, so Ding Kaifang specially arranged for a comfortable sedan and an experienced driver.

This time, Li Xu did not refuse.

The car sped along the smooth highway, the view outside the window gradually shifting from the gray haze of the city to the vast expanse of the countryside.

At first, the sky was overcast.

Before long, fine snowflakes began to drift down, gently brushing against the car window and leaving fleeting traces on the windshield.

The driver spoke up. "Doctor Li, it looks like we’re in for heavy snow. It probably started even earlier over in Qinling."

Sure enough, as the vehicle traveled deeper to the west, the snowfall intensified.

Heavy, goose-feather-like snowflakes fell from the sky, quickly dyeing the fields beside the road and the distant mountains a pure white.

It was as if nothing existed between heaven and earth but this boundless whiteness.

The closer they got to the Qinling Mountain Range, the more furiously the snow fell. The accumulation on the road grew thicker, and the wheels made a soft, crunching sound as they rolled over it.

Li Xu gazed out the window at the world, draped in silver and white, and a thought struck him.

’What perfect snow. It would be a waste not to collect some!’

He recalled his childhood, when his parents would collect clean snow every winter and save the water until summer.

There was no air conditioning back then.

When the summer heat came, children would easily break out in heat rash.

His parents would take out the snow water collected in winter and apply it to the skin.

The cool, refreshing sensation was a memory that remained vivid to this day.

At the same time, numerous records and applications of snow in traditional medicine surfaced in Li Xu’s mind.

According to historical research, the use of snow in ancient Dragon Country could be traced back to the Western Zhou Dynasty. Throughout its long history, snow was not only widely used by the common folk as an "inexpensive medicine" but was also recorded in many classic texts of traditional medicine.

Traditional Chinese medicine holds that "water is yin, and snow is the Ultimate Yin," and can be used to treat a variety of ailments.

The *Compendium of Materia Medica* records that "twelfth-month snow is sweet, cold, and non-toxic; it can detoxify all poisons and treat seasonal epidemics and plagues," regarding it as a precious medicinal ingredient with broad detoxifying and therapeutic properties for epidemic diseases.

The *Encyclopedia of Chinese Medicine* also states: "This substance (twelfth-month snow) has a gamey odor and is extremely cold in nature, yet it is a substance that aids Yang Qi and controls fire," pointing out that despite its intensely cold property, it can still support Yang Qi and regulate "fire" energy.

In ancient times, snow was a medicine used in the treatment of many illnesses.

For example, the Tang Dynasty’s Medicine King, Sun Simiao, included a method in his *Qian Jin Fang* for using ice and snow to "remove scars." For those with minor burns or scalds, immersing the affected area in snow water or applying a cotton cloth soaked in it could quickly reduce inflammation and pain, prevent blistering and infection, and restore the skin to its original state, with astonishingly effective results.

The Jin Dynasty physician Zhang Congzheng once used snow water to treat a patient’s eye disease.

The *Compendium of Materia Medica* records that twelfth-month snow could "be preserved and used to wash the eyes to reduce redness." For red, swollen eyes caused by excess internal "fire," washing them with twelfth-month snow water could dissipate heat, reduce swelling, and leave the eyes clear and refreshed.

In the summer, the hot, humid climate can invade the body. The combination of heat and dampness steams the skin and blocks the pores, easily causing heat rash.

Applying twelfth-month snow water can eliminate the rash and relieve itching.

The *Compendium of Materia Medica* states, "Twelfth-month snow water is sweet, cold, and non-toxic... it is especially good for treating heat rash," hence its excellent efficacy as an external treatment for heat rash in children.

The ancients also often collected snow to melt into water for bathing.

This natural snow water was believed to nourish the skin, relax the muscles, and invigorate the blood. It could also enhance the body’s resistance to disease and accelerate blood circulation, thus significantly improving one’s physical constitution and achieving the goal of strengthening the body and improving health.

Snow can also prevent frostbite.

After it snows, one can take a handful of snow and rub it back and forth between the hands. This accelerates blood circulation on the skin’s surface and enhances its resistance to cold.

This is a folk remedy that has been passed down for generations and is effective in preventing frostbite.

However, most of the time, snow is only available in winter.

But the time to use it is in summer.

So how can this precious snow water be preserved?

In other words, if you fell ill when it wasn’t winter, where would you find "snow water"?

In fact, the ancients also solved this problem.

Li Shizhen wrote in the *Compendium of Materia Medica*, "Twelfth-month snow, sealed and stored in a cool, dark place, will not spoil for decades."

One simply had to store clean snow in a sterilized wine jar on a snowy day, seal it tightly, and bury it deep underground in a cool, dry place. This would allow the snow water to be preserved for decades, ready to be used in times of illness or need.

Furthermore, snow water could be used clinically to brew certain traditional herbal decoctions. Especially for lung diseases, the Ultimate Yin nature of snow could help guide the medicine into the lung meridian, enhancing its efficacy.

The *Encyclopedia of Chinese Medicine* also records that twelfth-month snow "can be used to soak grain seeds, making them drought-resistant and pest-free; sprinkling it on mats keeps flies from landing; preserving any fruit in it prevents worms, and when sealed in a dark place it can last for several years without spoiling."

Scientific research has also confirmed that seeds soaked in snow water show a significant increase in yield, which is undoubtedly a testament to the natural active substances contained in snow.

However, with the advent of the industrial age, air and industrial pollution have increased the amount of toxic and harmful substances in the snowfall of some heavily polluted areas. This snow is no longer suitable for health purposes, and accidentally ingesting it carries the risk of illness.

But the Qinling Mountain Range, which spans for hundreds of miles, boasts a beautiful and healthy ecosystem. The snow here is much cleaner than in other places and still holds value for collection and use.

As these thoughts flashed through Li Xu’s mind, he decided to collect the winter snow.

He said to the driver, "Sir, could you please stop at the next town? I need to buy a few things."

The driver acknowledged and drove for another half hour.

After exiting the highway, he slowly pulled over in front of a small town built against a mountain.

The town was covered in heavy snow, appearing exceptionally tranquil. Thick curtains of snow hung from the eaves of every house, like something out of a fairy tale.

Li Xu got out of the car and found a general store.

He bought two large pottery jars. Their thick material and good seal made them an ideal choice for storage.

He got back in the car, and they continued their journey through the snow.

The scenery on both sides of the road grew more and more wild. Tall pines and cypresses, though bent under the weight of thick snow, remained upright and green.

In the distance, the mountains, covered in white, looked even more majestic and magnificent.

The snowflakes continued to fall softly, washing the entire world until it was spotless.