Chapter 183: The Tribe Holds Its First Grand Assembly

"Anything else?"

Nan Qinghuan was somewhat curious.

You ChaoJi began her performance on the ground; several pieces of wood that were originally unrelated instantly—thanks to her hands—… Is this the earliest Mao Sun Technique? I have to say, she has opened her eyes today; this method was used by the ancients to build houses without a single nail, and the beams pull against each other, making it extremely sturdy.

The principle is to use the gaps between the wood, then gently fit them together, employing physical balance to support each other, so they won't separate for centuries.

How marvelous.

"Look, the wood has become a bench; add a few legs and you can sit on it. Female of the Ying Tribe, am I impressive?"

I have to say, Nan Qinghuan was very satisfied with her technique; she is truly a talent of the Tribe.

"Girl, you really are a lively treasure."

She was about to ask Youchao Xuan how to manage without nails, but she forgot the ancestors' method. Now everything is complete; the ancestors' skills are all here, so what nails are needed? With this girl's skill, it can be as solid as a rock.

"Lively treasure? What kind of treasure is that? You still haven't told me where Youchao Xuan is?"

Nan Qinghuan, being a good friend, didn't betray Youchao Xuan, and casually pointed the direction for the girl, who then ran off. After she ran, an anxious voice came from behind.

"Omu, Ying has summoned the entire Tribe; he wants you to go now."

"Summoned the whole Tribe?"

"What is he doing?" "Omu, we all know building houses is a good thing, but if we have to leave here, I, Dashan, am the first to disagree; you should give up."

"Give up?"

Nan Qinghuan definitely didn't want to give up; building houses in the Tribe had always been her wish, and she couldn't abandon it. So she needed a win‑win solution that would keep the people from leaving their homeland while also preventing the houses from being flooded when the Rainy Season arrives.

"Yes, we won't agree to leave."

For the first time, the Tribe opposed Nan Qinghuan's proposal, and they opposed it strongly. In the past, whatever Nan Qinghuan said, they thought it was for their benefit, and gradually they came to trust her; facts also proved she was right.

But this time everyone chose to oppose her.

Nan Qinghuan naturally knew the Tribe disagreed, "Come, I'll go with you to take a look."

What she didn't expect was that the meeting place was chosen on an open field outside the Tribe, and this time there were many people—almost the entire Tribe had come.

By count, there were probably seven or eight hundred people; they had all returned after receiving Ying's orders.

When Nan Qinghuan arrived, the Tribe members shouted loudly at her, "Omu is here!"

From afar she saw Ying standing on a height, facing the sun. He stood on a protruding hillock with his feet together, wearing the clothes and shorts she had made for him. He looked wildly rugged, his long hair fluttering in the wind—a true mountain‑man image.

He looked down from his height at his own people; this was also his first time gathering the entire Tribe.

When he heard Nan Qinghuan had arrived, he lifted his eyes to her, then nodded at her, "Qinghuan, you come."

The crowd cleared a path, and Nan Qinghuan was pulled up the hillock by Ying; the two of them stood there, overlooking the Tribe below.

A dark, oppressive mass.

"Omu, we won't leave the Tribe; don't build that house anymore."

"Yes, Omu, we'll stay in the Cave; living there for decades has been fine."

"Omu, we don't even know if that house would be comfortable to live in; I think we should just not build it and focus on growing more food—that's the real business."

The speakers were those who had always believed in her; at this moment she finally understood why Ying had summoned her—to make her give up on building houses.

Nan Qinghuan took a deep breath, about to speak, when Ying shouted, "Qinghuan wants to build a house in the Tribe, but there's no suitable spot here. Youchao Xuan suggested we move elsewhere; if you agree, raise your hand."

With those words, unexpectedly… she saw Axi raise her hand. Axi wasn't tall, but when she raised her hand, she could see her immediately. Yes, only Axi supported her; even A Mu lowered her head in silence.

Axi was very uncomfortable; the pain of her eczema returned each year, so she looked forward to the safe, beautiful house that Qinghuan described.

"I want to live in a new house, in a safe place. Tribe members, we leave for better days."

"You shut up; this is the place left by our ancestors, how can we leave?"

Axi was scolded by the Tribe and looked pitiful; Nan Qinghuan bit her lip and sighed deeply. She looked up at the towering Ying; under the sun his wheat‑colored skin appeared even deeper.

His handsome features reflected in her eyes.

"Ying, I only ask you one question: do you want to build a house?"

She felt a bit regretful, as if from the start she had been trying to change them; some things must progress gradually, and she couldn't demand that the Ancient People follow her modern ways just because she was from the present. Though it was for their benefit, she still had to discuss it with them.

The Tribe members below were also right; they had never lived in houses and didn't know the benefits, only clinging to the stability of the Cave, so their words were understandable.

She understood and even supported the difficulty of leaving the homeland.

But the house must be built.

Ying's expression darkened, but he nodded firmly, "I think, even in my dreams, as long as we have a house you'll bear my offspring."

Hearing that, Nan Qinghuan couldn't help but feel like crying, "But it's hard to leave the homeland, right?"

Ying supported her; everything was fine.

Ying's eyes gradually filled with pain, and he sighed deeply, "Qinghuan, I can rely on you for anything. If I weren't the Clan Leader, I would follow you wherever you wanted to build a house. But I cannot; I am the Clan Leader of the Ying Tribe, and I must be responsible for my people. I'm sorry."

Ying actually apologized to her; he wanted to go out with her to build a house, but… there are people on his shoulders, he cannot leave.

In that instant, sunlight fell on Ying, and a faint golden glow shimmered on him. Nan Qinghuan suddenly thought the man was so tall and imposing.

She took a deep breath, the recent site‑selection scenario flashing through her mind, and said, "If I tell you I have a win‑win solution—so we don't have to relocate and can still build a new house—would you agree?"

When she said that, Ying seemed pleased. What? He suddenly grabbed her arm, "Qinghuan, what method?"

Dusk hung low, the setting sun sank.

That day was the busiest for the Ying Tribe; Nan Qinghuan, Ying, and the Tribe had agreed that they could build a house on the chosen site without relocating. She consulted Youchao Xuan and the Tribe to remodel the original site.

Indeed, she thought of a "non‑solution" that was actually a solution: raise the foundation with stones and build the house on the elevated ground. Though labor‑intensive, it would allow them to stay in the Tribe while living there. Since the people refused to build because they didn't want to leave, building right in the original Tribe would naturally make them eager, and they'd work even harder.

The Tribe members hardly knew houses, and few had ever seen one. To boost their enthusiasm for construction, she asked Youchao Xuan to draw a house plan—a simple rural cottage with a wooden structure, looking warm and unique. The design was drawn on Beast Skin and hung at the building site; seeing the house plan gave the people more vigor to work.

In ancient times there was the Foolish Old Man moving mountains; now there are even earlier Ancient People laying foundations.

She also drew a ditch drainage plan and explained to Ying how to dig channels near the site to prevent flooding when the Rainy Season arrives.

Ying listened attentively beside her; after she finished speaking, his eyes lit up with ecstatic joy, as if he wanted to grab her and plant a fierce kiss.

His Qinghuan truly is exceptionally clever.

Qinghuan, how did you come up with this method?