Chapter 1029: Buying People's Hearts

The Soldier carefully took the gourd and said, "Thank you, Prince."

Afterward, he took out his own bowl, poured a tiny bit of Floral Water into it, and then passed the gourd to the next person. Several of them dipped their fingers into the bowl, dabbed some Floral Water, and applied it to the places where they had been bitten. Perhaps to leave a bit more for Changle, none of them dared to pour too much; each person basically just touched a tiny bit, which was completely negligible for a body that had been bitten in many places.

Once all of Changle's guards had finished applying it and passed back the gourd, which still had more than half left, Changle pointed his hand toward the Soldiers and Laborers of the Xuanyuan Tribe: "Give them some to use as well; they have also been bitten quite badly."

The guard was not very willing: "Prince, you don't have much of this left; it must be kept for you. It cannot be given to others. We have already been bitten, and anyway, they were given food; it is only right that they get bitten, too. This is what they need to face."

Changle continued to persuade them: "Enough, you are all the same; you are all here to protect me. At a time like this, there is no need to worry about whether it is Huaxia or the Xuanyuan Tribe. Everyone use it. When we go back, we just won't go there. We won't encounter too many mosquitoes now, so don't be afraid. Besides, I have discovered some Chinaberry Trees; if we pick some leaves to keep at night, that can also repel mosquitoes."

The guard still held the gourd, unmoved: "Prince, that won't do. We must ensure your safety first."

The captain of the Xuanyuan Tribe guards also consciously said: "Changle Prince, we do not need it; we are used to it. That you can remember us is enough to make us very happy. Just as he said, we must ensure your safety."

Yulong looked at the large welts on everyone's bodies and still felt a bit unable to bear it. Moreover, he knew deeply that if one wanted others to work for them wholeheartedly and risk their lives to protect them at the most critical moments, one needed to give them enough respect and benefits at times like this.

He did not doubt the loyalty of the Huaxia Soldiers; after all, they were people of Huaxia, and everything they had was given by his father. If they died, their families could receive sufficient benefits, and they themselves could receive enough honor after death.

But the Xuanyuan Tribe was different; after all, they were only brought here in exchange for food, and the benefits were only a certain amount. They might not necessarily be willing to risk their lives for that much food, so at times like this, it was necessary to win over their hearts.

Yulong then directly asked for the guard's bowl and told the guard to pour the Floral Water into it: "I alone cannot use that much. You pour some for them and leave a little for me; that way my safety can also be guaranteed. Is that all right?"

The guard gritted his teeth, sighed, and reluctantly opened the gourd, but he took the bowl from Changle's hand and placed it into the hand of the Xuanyuan Tribe guard: "Brother, hold it steady. I will pour it for you; you must not spill it, as this is very precious."

After the guard received the bowl, he said to Changle very gratefully: "Thank you, Changle Prince! Thank you, Changle Prince!" Changle's way of not treating them differently made them very grateful. Everyone saw this scene, and at least most people's opinion of Changle improved once again.

As the sky grew dark, Changle ordered people to find a location to set up Tents and make camp. He also took the opportunity to observe and record while the plants were in their best state; if they withered any further, some characteristics might disappear.

At Changle's command, everyone immediately moved, cleared a flat area for Changle, then set up the Tent for him, lit a bonfire, and threw the branches and leaves of the Chinaberry Tree around it to repel insects.

Changle's Tent could be said to be the most luxurious of this era. It was not that large, only able to accommodate two people sleeping, and one could not even stand up inside. However, an inner layer of Hemp Cloth and a layer of Silk, plus a row of toggle buttons, made it luxurious enough, as well as windproof, and able to prevent insects from crawling in.

An outer layer of animal hide could prevent rain, ensuring the inner tent would not get wet. Although the bottom was not waterproof, at least it would not let the top feel like it was raining.

Between the inner and outer tents, there was a space. The inner tent had a net woven from Silk, used for ventilation and to prevent insects from crawling in. After the tent was set up, a fur blanket was spread out, followed by a sheet of Hemp Cloth. In the wilderness, what kind of person could enjoy such luxurious treatment?

The outdoor equipment of the Huaxia Soldiers was not that bad; they also had inner and outer tents, though the inner tent was only one layer of Hemp Cloth. However, the necessary insect-repelling and breathable features were all there. The people of the Xuanyuan Tribe originally had nothing; it was only after Huaxia provided technical support that they made them themselves. Otherwise, the tents they slept in now would still be the kind made of a few pieces of wood wrapped in animal hide, or simply built on the spot using branches and leaves, the kind that could at most block some wind.

The Huaxia Soldiers all had large tents, with three people sleeping in one. The Xuanyuan Tribe's were even more crowded because the tents were very heavy; if everyone had one, they would have no strength or space left to carry food.

Changle's tent was light; the frame was made of pure Iron, simple but sturdy. In all of Huaxia, except for those Nobles, no one could use such a tent. Mainly, they had no use for it; they rarely went on outings like Changle.

Changle stared at the water Grass on the ground. The sky was still bright, and the light was sufficient. A Soldier brought Changle a wooden board and sawed a few wooden stumps; after setting them up for Changle, it counted as a simple table.

Changle recorded these things one by one; they were all things he had never seen before, and it could be said the harvest was quite rich. There was also one that looked like it could be eaten, but it was currently in doubt. He would record it for now, try it after returning, and it would be best to ask his father. If it could really be eaten, the Xuanyuan Tribe would have one more type of food, and the Huaxia menu could also be enriched a bit.

Changle reached out to take the next type of Grass, but as soon as he took it, he felt a bit of disdain: "Who pulled up this Gujiao? Is there anyone who hasn't seen Gujiao before?"

Changle immediately threw it to the side. It was likely that because there were too many mosquitoes just now, the Soldier who went to pick the water Grass just pulled up whatever he touched. His strength was great, and he had pulled the Gujiao up by the roots.

But when he threw it away, he inadvertently saw the root of the Gujiao; it was very different, thick and large, completely unlike ordinary Gujiao. The surprised Yulong picked it up again: "Hey, why is the root of this Gujiao different? Could it be some new variety?"

However, just one plant was not very convincing; he needed to find more to prove it might be a new species. If he really found a different kind of Gujiao, the significance would be quite great. After all, Gujiao was still a relatively important food source in this era, and Huaxia had not yet given up on gathering Gujiao rice.