Chapter 176: The Holy Mother

Regarding the issue of the Fish Pond, these new tribespeople were full of incomprehension; clearly, there was such a large river outside, so why go to the trouble of building such a Fish Pond?

Baifeng had not expected that the Dahe would actually change its course after the Fish Pond was built; otherwise, Baifeng felt there would have been no need to build this Fish Pond, but now that it had already been dug and was operating normally, it was impossible to tear it down again, and Baifeng also intended to try setting up a mulberry-dike fish pond.

While strolling to the chicken coop, Baifeng realized he seemed to have forgotten Changxu; at this moment, Changxu was outside, not knowing whether to follow the skilled Slaves or the Free Persons, so he could only stand to the side, feeling lost and at a loss for what to do.

After one season of breeding, the number of chickens in the Baifeng Tribe had reached nearly three hundred; if they hadn't clipped their wings and let them roam freely, they really couldn't afford to raise so many chickens, as they consumed far too much grain, and the tribespeople had to go to the Dahu every few days to gather many field snails and the like to feed the chickens just to maintain their normal growth.

Looking at the large open space next to the vegetable garden and the many chickens fluttering about, Baifeng decided to hand this area over to Changxu to manage, letting him cultivate a type of bird that could deliver messages, whether it be pigeons or falcons or something similar; in any case, he had to cultivate at least one type within two to three years.

He had the tribespeople who came out with him run off to summon Changxu; upon receiving the notice, Changxu finally let out a sigh of relief—the Tribal Chief had not abandoned him after all. He had been standing there like he was sitting on pins and needles, not knowing what to do, and now he hurried to follow the tribespeople who had called him, staying close and never leaving their side, while also truly seeing the internal situation of the Baifeng Tribe for the first time.

The Changxu who had followed over, upon seeing the chickens running and jumping everywhere in the chicken coop and flapping their wings, had his shock written all over his face; he had not expected that Tribal Chief Baifeng could also communicate with birds, and perhaps even be much better at it than he was, because he seemed unable to summon so many birds to one place at the same time.

Baifeng pointed to the chicken coop and told Changxu that since he could communicate with birds, this place would be handed over to him to manage from now on; there would be other tribespeople to help him prepare food for these chickens, and he only needed to keep an eye on their health and breeding status.

"Besides this, I also require you to find one or several types of birds, the kind that can recognize their nests and are affectionate toward people, and they must be able to travel back and forth between two places. I have told you this before; this is your most important task. I want you to accomplish this within two to three winters and summers. Of course, I will also provide you with a direction—for example, pigeons; it will be much simpler for you to domesticate them."

"Pigeons?" Changxu nodded thoughtfully, considering the task from Baifeng accepted.

The place here was big enough, and Baifeng intended to build a small, independent house here for Changxu, which could be considered special treatment for him, and he also wanted to build a birdhouse area here for him to raise birds.

After touring this place, there were other places to visit, especially the kiln factories, where he also had to let the tribespeople see the creative ability and basic construction ability of the Baifeng Tribe that far exceeded this era.

However, before leaving, Baifeng looked at those few chickens that were almost too fat to walk, and he let the tribespeople go in and catch a few for him to kill and eat that evening; they couldn't just keep raising them for nothing. To let them breed offspring, he hadn't even eaten a single egg, and now it was time for them to repay him with their meat.

Seeing the Soldiers who had climbed into the chicken coop to catch the chickens, Changxu was so anxious that he stomped his feet on the spot and shouted loudly, telling those chickens to run away quickly. Everyone in the Baifeng Tribe looked at Changxu in disbelief; did this kid have something wrong with his brain?

In Changxu's view, these birds were beautiful creatures and should be his friends, perhaps even more important than his own tribespeople, but in Baifeng's view, they were just animals raised for meat; if they had other uses, it wasn't that they couldn't be eaten, but Baifeng's purpose in raising them was precisely to eat them.

"Baifeng Tribe Soldiers, don't pay any attention, keep catching them, catch a few more." Changxu even wanted to rush over to stop them, but was kicked to the ground by Baifeng.

"Is there any room for you to speak here? What qualifications do you have to point fingers here?" Baifeng glared at Changxu, who was lying on the ground.

Changxu scrambled up and begged Baifeng: "But they are so beautiful, why must you eat them? There are so many fish in the river, why not eat them instead of birds? The Baifeng Tribe isn't lacking this bit of meat, are they?"

"Because Laozi feels like it."

Baifeng now felt a bit of disgust toward Changxu again; the destruction of his tribe was inseparable from having a brain-dead Tribal Chief like him.

"I think the fish in the river are more beautiful and cuter than these birds, so I want to eat birds—is there a problem with that? I feed them grain and meat, isn't it just so I can eat their meat? Do you think I have some other reason?"

Changxu was choked into silence and could only stare anxiously at the chicken coop, his eyes filled with sorrow.

After the tribespeople caught a few chickens by hand, Changxu suddenly threw himself at Baifeng's feet and said in a threatening tone: "If you don't let these chickens go, I won't domesticate the birds you want for you anymore. Anyway, even if you raise them, you'll only use them for meat."

Baifeng smiled; it seemed he hadn't hit anyone for a long time. Now, even someone like a stray dog who had just shed his status as a Slave dared to threaten him. If he didn't give him a good lesson, how could he continue to be the Tribal Chief in the future?

Baifeng gave a look to the Soldier at his side, signaling him to go get the long whip kept with the bears. Ever since the tribespeople had become more diligent and the tribe more prosperous, not only Baifeng but even the bears no longer hit people, usually at most just scolding them. Now, the whip was probably about to rot; it seemed these newcomers still needed a good lesson.

Baifeng not only wanted to eat them, but he also had the Soldier slaughter the chicken right in front of Changxu. Changxu cried his heart out on the ground; he didn't know if he had cried this sadly when his own tribe was destroyed.

The whip was soon brought over. Baifeng gave it a tug and found it was still sturdy. Changxu also sensed that something was wrong and began to stifle his crying.

Baifeng didn't say much; he directly raised the whip and lashed it onto Changxu's back. The crying he had just stifled grew louder again. Baifeng wasn't satisfied, lashing him seven or eight times in a row until blood began to seep out from Changxu's body, and only then did Baifeng stop.

"What qualifications do you have to make demands of me here? Do you think you are still the Tribal Chief of your tribe? Don't forget, you are a Slave; even your status as a Free Person was given by me."

"As long as I want to, I can cut off your head at any time. And don't think that this is something only you can do; if I couldn't communicate, where would these chickens have come from?"