The Deal
Summer brings lush vegetation.
Bai Wu’s beans are growing exceptionally well. In just over ten days, they’ve grown to knee-high, and their stalks were laden with plump, glossy green leaves.
While the leaves are still tender, Bai Wu has picked them several times to eat as vegetables.
Stir-frying the tender bean leaves with a little lard and scallions, adding just a touch of salt, creates a fresh and delicate flavor, as if savoring the essence of early summer. Even a carnivore like An could easily devour two large bowls of bean leaves in one go.
The only drawback is the high water content of the bean leaves, and the uneven heating of the earthenware pot has caused Bai Wu to burn two pots while stir-frying them.
Now, he dares not use a proper earthenware pot, resorting to using fragments to heat the beans over the fire.
The beans, growing well, require a lot of water and nutrients.
Taking advantage of a spare moment, Bai Wu mixed fermented sheep manure with ash to fertilize the beans.
“Knock, knock.”
That evening, as Bai Wu was diligently working among the bean seedlings when two knocks sounded on the wooden fence.
He looked up in surprise and saw a tall beastman standing by the fence watching him.
“Priest?” Bai Wu put down his stone hoe, straightened up, and looked at Nan Yao. “Why are you here?”
Nan Yao pushed open the fence gate and came in. “I have something to discuss with you.”
“Sit down for a moment. I’ll wash my hands and be right back.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be working? I’ll help you, we can talk as we work.”
“Um, this fertilizer is quite dirty.”
“Isn’t there a stone hoe?”
Nan Yao took the stone hoe he used for working on the bank and came over to help Bai Wu fertilize the beans.
He had been standing by the fence watching for who knows how long, and he immediately became quite skilled.
Seeing his quick movements, Bai Wu joined in the work. “What does the High Priest want to discuss with me?” he asked.
Nan Yao inquired, “Do you know I’m not just the priest of your White Bird tribe?”
Could it be related to other tribes?
Bai Wu looked surprised and nodded, gesturing for Nan Yao to continue.
Nan Yao said, “Other tribes have seen your woven cloth and are very interested. They want to ask if they can exchange for the technology.”
“Wait, do you mean—the Eagle Tribe?”
“Not just the Eagle Tribe. The Emerald Tribe, Azure Tribe, Night Cry Tribe, Red-Crowned Tribe, Long-Tailed Tribe, Flying Tribe, and Long-Legged Tribe—these eight tribes have united and want to exchange weaving technology with you.”
This was the first time Bai Wu had heard the full names of the other eight cloth-making tribes of the Bird beastman races.
“Aren’t the Feathered Tribe and the Long-Legged Tribe far away? They heard the news too?!” Bai Wu exclaimed in surprise. “News travels incredibly fast!”
“They send beastmen here every few days.”
I see.
Bai Wu nodded in understanding.
Nan Yao looked up at him and continued, “Each of the eight tribes is willing to offer fifty pieces of high-quality hide in exchange for weaving technology. I had them add a condition: they must agree to let you hunt and gather in their territories.”
Bai Wu looked up at Nan Yao, his face full of surprise.
If it were just hides, he wouldn’t care.
Mo brings back decent game every few days; their family isn’t short of hides.
The opportunity to hunt and gather in other tribes—that condition was very tempting.
He had already explored most of his tribe’s territory; he knew exactly what plants grew in each area. Wandering around within his own territory wouldn’t yield many valuable plants.
He really wanted to explore other places.
Nan Yao’s suggestion appealed to him deeply.
Bai Wu took a deep breath, gripping his stone hoe. “To be honest, this condition is very tempting—”
Nan Yao looked at him, waiting for him to continue.
“I can’t answer you now. The weaving technique concerns not only myself but also the other tribespeople. I need to ask their opinions.”
Bai Wu finished speaking, staring at Nan Yao’s face.
He was a little afraid Nan Yao would be angry.
Nan Yao’s expression remained unchanged. “Okay. When can you ask them?”
Bai Wu breathed a sigh of relief. “I might need three days to consider.”
“Then I’ll come back to ask you in three days.”
Nan Yao helped fertilize all the bean seedlings before leaving.
Bai Wu tried to persuade him to stay for dinner, but couldn’t.
An returned carrying food and saw Bai Wu sitting on a wooden stump with a blade of grass dangling from his mouth lost in thought. He asked curiously, “Didn’t you go gathering today?”
Bai Wu replied absentmindedly, “I wanted to fertilize the beans, so I came back early.
“I brought back some delicious mushrooms, see how you cook them…” An started to say, then suddenly sniffed the air. “Why does it smell like a strange beastman? Who’s here? Could it be another beastman who’s taken a liking to you?”
“The Priest.”
“Who?! Wait, why is the Priest here to see you? Has something changed? He forbids you from building a house on that hill?”
“The other bird beastman tribes want to exchange the weaving techniques with us, and they asked the Priest to inquire about it.”
“Huh?” An looked bewildered. “What do you mean?”
Bai Wu patiently explained, “It means that besides our White Bird tribe, the other eight tribes—the Eagle Tribe, the Emerald Tribe, the Azure Tribe, etc.—all want to exchange the weaving techniques with us.”
“Then let’s exchange them! Our bird beastman tribes are our brothers.”
“It’s not that simple. Although we’re brother tribes, exchanging our weaving techniques with other tribes might affect ours. For example, the White Silk Fruit—if other tribes don’t want it, our tribesmen can easily exchange a few things for a huge amount.”
An blinked, nodding as if he understood. “So you’re not planning to teach them weaving?”
Bai Wu said, “I will teach them, but the tribe might have other considerations. I need to ask the chief first.”
“Then go ask him. When I flew back just now, I saw him skinning animals in front of his nest.”
“I’ll go tonight. I’ll talk to father and ask for his opinion first.”
Mo and Chuan returned that evening and heard the news; their reactions were similar to An’s.
Mo said, “We’re all brother tribes, the chieftain shouldn’t object.”
Chuan asked, “Wu, what do you think?”
Bai Wu said, “I also think it’s good to benefit everyone. If possible, I’d like to spread the weaving technique.”
Mo said, “The chieftain shouldn’t object. Go tell the chieftain, and then tell the priest you’re willing.”
“I’ll go talk to the chieftain now.”
“Do you want your father to come with you?”
“No need. I’ve dealt with the chieftain so many times, and he hasn’t done anything to me. Dad, I’m going!”
When Bai Wu went to find Chief Ya, he specially brought a can of goat’s milk.
Ya’s dad, Mu, was spinning thread by the fire pit.
Seeing him approach, Mu smiled and pulled up a wooden stool for him to sit down. “Wu, you’ve come to see Ya?”
“I’ve come to discuss something with the chieftain. Mu, here’s some goat milk for you; I’ll help you spin thread.”
“Why did you bring us goat milk again? You should keep it for yourselves.”
“We have plenty at home. Where’s the chieftain? When will he be back?”
“He’s on patrol. Sit for a while; he should be here soon. Here are some soft, fragrant fruits; try some. Ya just picked them today.”
After thanking Mu, Bai Wu sat by the fire and helped him loosen the white fluff so he could spin thread.
Mu was very gentle, and Bai Wu chatted with him quite pleasantly. When Ya returned, Bai Wu still felt like the conversation hadn’t ended.
Ya had just led the tribe’s guards on a patrol outside the tribe. He had just finished bathing down below and came up; water droplets were still dripping down his muscular physique.
Seeing Bai Wu, he stopped five or six steps away. “You wanted to see me?”
Bai Wu stood up and went straight to the point: “The High Priest saw me this afternoon, saying that the Eagle Tribe and eight other tribes want to exchange weaving techniques with me. I’ve come to ask for the tribe’s opinion.”
Ya looked surprised. “The High Priest came personally to ask?”
Bai Wu nodded.
Cliff hesitated, “Do you want to trade?”
Bai Wu nodded again, explaining, “Each tribe has its own territory. Even if they weave cloth, they won’t compete with us for the White Silk Fruit. Besides, the weaving technique isn’t complicated; they can figure it out by taking apart a couple of pieces of cloth.”
“Did the High Priest say what you’d get in return if we trade?”
“Yes, each tribe gives me fifty high-quality hides and allows me to hunt and gather in their territories.”
“That’s a good deal.”
“The latter was secured for me by the High Priest.”
Cliff smiled. “Then trade if you want.”
Bai Wu was surprised. “You agree?”
“Of course, this is the technology you came up with yourself; we fully respect your decision.”
It seems this young chieftain isn’t too stubborn.
Bai Wu breathed a sigh of relief and nodded to Ya, “Thank you.”
“No, the tribe should thank you,” Ya said gently, “thank you for being willing to consider the tribe’s needs.”
“I’m also a member of the tribe, so of course I have to think of our tribe first.” Bai Wu looked up at the moon, “It’s getting late, I’ll head back now.”
“I’ll see you off.”
Seeing Bai Wu was about to leave, Mu grabbed a few soft, fragrant fruits and insisted on stuffing them into his arms, “This year’s soft, fragrant fruits are very sweet, take some back for your dad and the others to try.”
Bai Wu couldn’t refuse and had to accept them with a smile.
Bai Wu told Nan Yao that he was willing to exchange weaving techniques.
Nan Yao said he understood and made an appointment with him, saying he would bring various tribes to him to learn weaving techniques.
Bai Wu had no objections at all.
On the appointed day, at midday, Bai Wu was watering the Jiji grass by his nest when he suddenly heard a commotion behind him.
He instinctively turned around to look.
Ya appeared accompanied by a large group of people.
At the head of the group was the tall, long-legged priest, followed by a multitude of people of various skin colors and attire.
Bai Wu immediately recognized them as the various tribes who had come to learn weaving as arranged. He put down his clay spoon and went to greet them.
Ya introduced them to him.
These were all the tribal chiefs.
Among them, the chiefs of the Emerald Tribe and the Feathered Tribe were sub-beastmen.
Bai Wu’s heart skipped a beat as he looked at the two strikingly different sub-beastman chiefs, one tall and one petite.
He had always thought that sub-beastmen were protected figures in this era.
He hadn’t expected that sub-beastmen could be chiefs.
“Wu,” Ya called to him, introducing him to the others.
Bai Wu snapped out of his reverie and smiled at everyone.
The tribal chiefs exchanged pleasantries and handed over the hides they had brought to Bai Wu.
Each tribe gave Bai Wu fifty hides, totaling four hundred hides from the eight tribes.
These were all processed hides, each one thick and soft.
Bai Wu tried to put the hides into his and An’s nest, but there wasn’t enough room. He ended up putting some into his two fathers’ nests to barely fit them all.
Since the tribal chiefs had come from afar, Bai Wu didn’t waste any words.
After receiving the hides, he took out a wooden frame he had prepared beforehand and began teaching the chiefs how to weave.
“Weaving isn’t difficult; practice makes perfect. I’ll start by explaining the weaving tools. These tools can be reused once made, making it much more convenient than simple hand weaving.”
Bai Wu became serious.
The tribal chiefs surrounded him, their eyes glued to his movements, and their expressions earnest.
The lesson lasted the entire afternoon.
Both Bai Wu and the chiefs found it very enjoyable.
The chiefs bombarded Bai Wu with questions, demanding a clear understanding of every step of the weaving process.
Bai Wu shared his knowledge generously, not only telling them how not to weave but also explaining the rationale behind each method, and even offering insights into the construction of large-scale looms.
After a simple dinner, Bai Wu lit a fire and demonstrated dyeing techniques to the chiefs.
He also told them that anything with color could be used to dye cloth.
This whole process took the entire afternoon and half the evening.
By the time Bai Wu finished teaching, the sky was filled with stars.
Ya led the chiefs to the village’s guest quarters to rest, and Bai Wu accompanied them.
The chiefs’ attitude towards Bai Wu was ten times more enthusiastic.
The petite sub-beastman chieftain of the Emerald Tribe tugged at Bai Wu’s arm, pleading reluctantly, “Wu, why don’t you sleep with me? We can chat tonight; I have to go back early tomorrow morning.”
The sub-beastman chieftain of the Feathered Tribe also warmly invited, “It would be nice if the three of us slept together. When will you come to our territory, Wu? I’ll tell you about our land.”
Several beastman chieftains listened nearby, wanting to chime in, but being of different genders, they were at a loss for words.
“Wu has been busy all day; how can he sleep well with you all? Let him go back and rest properly, and we can chat another time.”
“Yes, Juan Er, you’ve been flying for two days; you need to recover.”
“How about we go back a little later tomorrow and chat a bit more?”
Bai Wu smiled and politely declined, “Thank you for your kindness, chieftains, but I haven’t been gathering for several days; I have to go tomorrow.”
His attitude was gentle yet firm.
The Tribe chiefs winked at Ya, signaling for him to speak on their behalf.
Ya, however, kept his eyes fixed straight ahead, seemingly oblivious.
The chiefs had no choice but to step in themselves.
“Wu, when I get back tomorrow, I’ll have my tribesmen send you some food. Thank you so much this time.”
“I’ll also have my tribesmen send some of our special fist-shaped fruit to thank you for your dyeing techniques.”
“Yes, yes, we have lots of fish there. I’ll have my tribesmen send you two baskets of dried fish.”
“Our tribe doesn’t have any special foods, but we have many handsome beastmen. Why don’t you come visit our tribe, Wu? We can have the beastmen show you around our territory.”
Ya, hearing Cui Ming mention beastmen, interrupted, “Wu has been tired all day. Let him go back and rest. His fathers and brother are waiting for him.”
“Ya, go and tell them that Wu can stay with us.”
“No.” Ya refused decisively, “Cui Ming, don’t try to take my tribe’s sub-beastmen! Unless he wants to go himself.”
The tribal chiefs walked forward noisily.
Bai Wu stood in the middle, listening to their conversation with a polite smile on his face.
The group reached the foot of the mountain. Nan Yao, walking ahead, turned back to Bai Wu and said, “That’s enough. You can go back and rest now.”
After speaking, he looked at the others, “The rest of you should also go and rest. When Wu has time, I’ll take him to patrol your respective territories.”
Nan Yao’s decision was final, and everyone fell silent, bidding farewell to Bai Wu.
Bai Wu didn’t know what Nan Yao had discussed with the Tribe leaders.
The Tribe leaders left their tribes early the next morning, returning to their respective territories.
Bai Wu breathed a sigh of relief.
An was very interested in strangers. After the chieftains left, he said dejectedly, “I thought they’d stay a few more days.”
“If they stay a few more days, who will entertain them?”
“Wu, don’t you like them?”
“I do.” Bai Wu looked at the thick animal hides piled on the haystack. “Liking them doesn’t necessarily mean they have to stay.”
An followed his gaze. “So many hides! The beastmen might hunt their whole lives and still not get that many. What do you plan to do with them?”
“Ask Shi Chao to make two large wooden chests and put the hides in them. Ask around in the tribe if anyone wants hides; they can trade them for resources—meat, lambs, fruit, anything, as long as the value is roughly equal to the value of the cloth.”
“Oh, I’ll ask for you.”
“Don’t be discouraged. How about double-skin milk pudding this morning? I’ll top it with a thick layer of black fruit jam, how about that?”
“I think that’s a good idea!”