Chapter 222: Joyful Days of Farming with the Tribe

Dashan was scolded by Ying and felt a bit embarrassed, so he scratched his head, "It's news from the Rongdi; his father Rong Guang died, I heard he was painfully killed alive—deserved it, who let him eat human flesh, good death."

The words made Ying's face darken, "Rong Guang that old fool is dead?"

Indeed, it was good news for them.

Rong Guang had always wanted to attack the Ying Tribe; the father and son were full of ill intent, so his death was indeed a good thing.

"He's dead, the Rongdi Tribe has halted all activities and is holding mourning rites. Ying, we can have a period of peace now. With Rong Guang dead, for the next three months Rongdi won't dare trouble us or invade us."

On the Ancient Land, tribes have a rule: when a chief dies, a mourning period of at least three months must be observed. During those three months one cannot leave the tribe; the filial son must stay, otherwise it disrespects the dead, let alone leading an expedition.

Dashan thought this was good news; at least they didn't have to worry about Rongdi attacks, so they could boldly farm. But Ying sneered, "Disturbing the tribe, huh, I've been waiting for him to come. Now he can't control himself, which is his own fault. Issue the orders, everyone work hard. In these few months we must strengthen the tribe, so that Rongdi and those other tribes can see how the Ying Tribe becomes powerful."

That day, Nan Qinghuan personally led people to tidy the fields. The fields were created by the method she asked Youchao Xuan to devise, diverting river water to turn the frequently flooded land into farmland, then clearing the weeds.

After cleaning, she had the tribe collect their waste and place it in an earthen pit, making the earliest fertilizer of primitive society; once fermented it could be used.

Under the blazing sun, she led a group of women to sow Grain Seed, and Ying led people to help Ashu and the others construct the Tulou.

Farming and building houses simultaneously, nothing was left undone.

Because Rongdi's old man died, Rongdi had no mind to trouble the tribe, and everything was very calm.

The tribe naturally was happy, having land to plant and sky to till, looking forward to the seeds they sowed bringing harvest.

But Axi squatted in the field, covering her nose, unable to bear it.

"Qinghuan, these things smell terrible; could they poison our seeds?"

Axi stood in the field, sloshing big dung while muttering.

Too stinky.

The water in the field was shallow; the mud was leveled into strip-like seed beds. Nan Qinghuan also took off her Shoes and scattered Grain Seed in the field; she had little experience, but she had seen it before.

She grew up at her grandmother's rural home, watching her grandfather and others sow Grain Seed each year; she knew how to sow, how to wait for seedlings, how to space and transplant, having seen it all, but seeing and doing are two different things.

So she also used the help of the space to spread some knowledge, such as water must not be excessive, otherwise seedlings grow poorly; too little also harms germination rate.

She studied earnestly, and the data provided by the space was very accurate.

Thus, she showcased her skills in the field.

Her long hair was coiled with bamboo sticks, her skirt lifted, her fair legs covered in mud. Hearing Axi's complaint, she felt like laughing, "Silly girl, this is the best fertilizer; after a while the green seedlings will sprout, then we'll transplant, and in a few months the whole tribe will be filled with the scent of rice, hurry up!"

Hearing her say that, Axi's eyes flashed with hope; she longed for the fragrant rice scent Qinghuan described, and at that moment she no longer felt the dung's stink.

"Then I'll sow more; I'm not afraid of the smell."

That day, the women of the tribe sowed Grain Seed in the demonstration field, following Nan Qinghuan's work. She planned that once all seedlings emerged, they would distribute them to each household for transplanting.

She was in charge of the maintenance and management, with Axi assisting her. Now they also had an extra helper, Ge Gen, who can Tunshu; he has already helped the tribe raise many wild boars, and the next step is to raise wild chickens, even more wild animals.

After an afternoon of busy work, a voice came from the field ridge—"Amu, Qinghuan, come eat."

On the ridge, Amu carried a bamboo basket to deliver food; Axi was very envious, "Amu is here, Qinghuan, you're so happy."

Dashan was working and had no time to make food for her; Axi felt even more envious.

Nan Qinghuan quickly pulled her over to Amu's side, smiling at the basket, "Amu, what delicious dish did you make today?"

Amu, seeing her covered in mud, felt sorry, reached out to smooth her long hair and dab her face, "Qinghuan, look, your face is all mud; this kind of farming seems very hard?"

In Amu's red basket was a bowl of chicken soup and two sweet potatoes; the lunch looked good.

Axi, seeing the lunch, was very envious, "So fragrant, Amu, you're really good to Qinghuan."

Nan Qinghuan saw Axi's craving, "Here, I'll give you a bit."

"How can I accept this? We've already split the family, I…"

"Silly girl, Dashan has no time to make food for you; you're working on an empty stomach? Here, don't be shy, take it."

Nan Qinghuan was generous, giving Axi one sweet potato and half a bowl of soup; Axi devoured it ravenously, looking famished.

Nan Qinghuan ate slowly, saying while eating, "Work harder; when the autumn harvest comes, this place will be filled with the scent of rice, and then I'll make white rice for you all to eat."

"White rice?"

Axi, while gnawing the sweet potato and pondering the taste of white rice, swallowed a bite and asked, "Qinghuan, what does rice taste like? Is it as sweet as sweet potato?"

The setting sun left only a field of golden light.

Ding—dong!

Suddenly, within the space, a system chimed, "Host, for your achievements in constructing the ancient, Ultimate Space is now opened, please wait."

Beep—beep—beep… Soon, the space allowed retrieval of the most advanced rice technology, which made Nan Qinghuan overjoyed.

She almost jumped out of her skin.

"Great! Super Rice is about to emerge in this ancient age."

Her sudden words left Amu and Axi stunned; Axi thought she was rambling, "Qinghuan, what are you talking about? Super Rice—what is Super Rice?"

As the space deepened, she could obtain the most advanced Growth Liquid, altering the ancient rice's weak genes to create Super Rice.

Her emotions were intense; she couldn't explain what Super Rice was to them. She set the bowl down, stood up, barefoot, standing on the Ancient Land, and seemed to see the Grain Seed here breaking its shell, sprouting roots, and finally growing into rice taller than sorghum.

Super Rice.

"Cooling under the crops is Yuan Grandpa's dream, and also mine."

"Yuan Grandpa, Qinghuan, who is this?"

The sky grew darker, the setting sun leaving only a lingering glow on the ground.

Because the space's retrieval was limited, she couldn't obtain modern film to cover the seedlings, but the weather was fine, and with Growth Liquid's help, in less than a month the seedlings could be divided.

As night fell, Nan Qinghuan led the women back home; everyone was interested, confident about rice cultivation, and found the farming quite enjoyable.

Although they had never eaten white rice, Nan Qinghuan's words became reality; she said that if they had treasure white as snow they would get Salt, she said to clothe everyone and they got Hemp Robe, she said to give everyone clean houses and they got Tulou, so… Nan Qinghuan to them is Oum, and even more a Goddess, the most honored female of the Ying Tribe.

After everyone returned, Nan Qinghuan, when no one was around, went back into the space, retrieved the Growth Liquid, sneaked it back and exchanged it for water in the field, sprinkling it all over.

She couldn't let anyone know about this, lest it draw criticism; after completing it she climbed out of the field to return, but then saw… the setting sun, and Ying rushing toward her with a Spear.

He was already tall, and the sunset made his silhouette appear even more slender.

Ying

Qinghuan, why are you still in the field?

Ying went back, saw that Qinghuan wasn't home, and ran to look for her; fortunately she was fine.

He was very anxious, fearing that she might be in danger.

He strode forward, dropped his Spear, and grabbed her in a tight embrace; his body was covered in sweat, and even his Hemp Robe was soaked through.

Nan Qinghuan, covered in mud, hurriedly tried to push him away—what was wrong with this man? "First let me go, what's the matter?"