Harvest and Confidence
After the people of the Pottery Salt Tribe left, the barking of dogs gradually blended into the daily life of the Fire Tribe Valley. However, the most vibrant rhythm in the valley remained the training and construction.
On the training ground of the Hunting Reserve Team, shouts and commands filled the air. New and veteran members, mixed together, practiced Shimao Thrust, shield (simple rattan shield) parries, Shichui throwing, and the most basic marching drills under the strict supervision of their instructors. Sweat soaked through their hemp clothing or animal hides, but each person's eyes shone with a determination to excel and a desire to become stronger. Well-fed, energetic, and hopeful days fueled their extraordinary dedication to training.
The Youth Team has grown to over three hundred members. They are divided into several squads and, under the guidance of young instructors such as Shibang and Yingmu, are undergoing more basic physical training, weapons familiarization, and discipline development. Their youthful yet resounding shouts echo along one side of the valley; they are the future hope of the Fire Tribe.
At the newly built shipyard by the river, massive logs selected for the project were gradually hollowed out and shaped by skilled craftsmen using axes and fire. One after another, brand-new, large Muzhou, each with a carrying capacity exceeding two thousand kilograms, were beginning to take shape. Their hulls were repeatedly coated with tung oil, gleaming a deep brown luster in the sunlight. The fleet had quietly grown to fifty vessels! This increasingly powerful maritime force was not only a guarantee for transportation and trade, but also a potential mobile maritime military force.
The earthen walls surrounding the settlement, through the labor of countless hands, continue to extend and thicken towards the mountain ridges on both sides. Like a sturdy arm, it embraces the ever-expanding core area of the valley, giving the people an unparalleled sense of security.
However, as summer turned into autumn, the Fire Tribe's focus began to shift quietly. In addition to the smells of sweat and sawdust, the air was filled with the unique, heavy fragrance of ripening grains.
Wang Yan devoted almost all his energy to the preparations for the autumn harvest. Grain was the lifeblood of the tribe, the foundation for the more than 3,000 people to get through the winter safely and continue to develop in the coming year, and also the greatest reassurance for the new tribe members to return home.
He led skilled farmers, along with a group of crafty carpenters and stonemasons, to work busily in the fields and in the newly built workshops.
Along the field ridges, new types of wooden farm tools appeared: long-handled wooden plows, which were more ergonomic and pulled by oxen or manpower, were several times more efficient at turning the soil than the original stone plows; wide-toothed wooden rakes were used to level paddy fields and dry land; and lightweight and durable wooden Chutou and weighted stone hoes were used for weeding and cultivating.
Near the drying ground and warehouse, several novel items attracted everyone's attention.
Wooden threshing machine: A simple machine with a foot pedal and a rotating drum. Rice ears are put in, and the drum is rotated by foot pedal, which quickly knocks the grains off the rice ears. It is much more efficient and labor-saving than the traditional method of beating with a wooden stick or slamming on a stone slab, and it can better keep the grains intact.
Rice huller: A tool used to remove the husks (brown rice) from paddy rice. Although its structure is relatively simple, it is much more efficient and produces better results than simply pounding with a mortar and pestle.
Wooden windmill: This was designed by Wang Yan based on the simple windmill principle he remembered. It is used to winnow away light impurities such as chaff and straw from grains. When the autumn wind blows, the blades turn and can lift the mixed grains high, separating them naturally with the help of wind power, which greatly saves the labor of manual screening.
Most striking are the wooden waterwheels erected along the stream. The huge wheels turn slowly with the help of the water flow, and through a simple transmission device, they can lift the stream water into a higher aqueduct to irrigate the higher dry land, or supplement the water supply to some paddy fields during the dry season. Although the structure is primitive and the efficiency is limited, it is undoubtedly a major advancement in the Fire Tribe's water conservancy projects and mechanical applications.
Meanwhile, rows of new, more robust granaries with better waterproof and rodent-proof properties were being built near the inner side of the earthen walls. The number and capacity of the granaries had increased several times over compared to the past, all in preparation for the upcoming, unprecedented Fengshou.
When the autumn sun paints the valley in a golden-red hue, the most important and joyful busy time of the year for the Fire Tribe arrives—the autumn harvest!
In the fields, golden rice stalks drooped heavily. Bean crops were also ripening one after another. Almost everyone the tribe could muster was involved in this race against time to harvest.
People were divided into groups and worked together: experienced farmers directed the able-bodied men to harvest the rice with newly made sickles (improved stone or bone knives); women and children followed closely behind, bundling the harvested rice ears and transporting them to the drying ground; on the drying ground, some operated threshing machines to thresh the grain, some pushed winnowing fans to remove impurities, and some used wooden shovels to turn over the golden grains to dry; strong men were responsible for carrying bags of the dried and winnowed grain into the newly built, dry and well-ventilated granaries.
The selection of superior seeds was equally meticulous. The agricultural team's best members personally led the most careful group to meticulously select the rice seeds with the fullest grains and purest color, storing them separately in a special seed bank. These seeds represented the hope for Fengshou harvest next year, and no carelessness was allowed.
The entire valley, from morning till night, was immersed in a bustling atmosphere of enthusiasm, order, and a sense of accomplishment. Sweat streamed down their bronze skin, and smiles bloomed on every simple face. The air was filled with the fragrance of new rice and the joy of harvest.
When the last batch of grain was stored, an unprecedented sense of security and pride welled up in the hearts of every member of the Fire Tribe.
Especially the newcomers to the tribe. Most of them came from small tribes struggling to make ends meet. They had never seen such a spectacular Fengshou. They had never imagined that the granaries would be so full. Looking at the seemingly endless granaries, filled with the warm fragrance of grain, many people's eyes welled up with tears, and they were too excited to speak.
"Following the Fire Tribe... it really... it really guarantees you a full stomach!"
"So much food... We won't go hungry this winter!"
"If only my parents were still alive... I could see this..."
They spoke in hushed tones, their words filled with relief, gratitude, and boundless anticipation for the future. Their initial decision to leave their homeland and join the Fire Tribe might have been driven by necessity and fear, but now, looking at the tangible, mountain-like provisions, all their anxieties and doubts vanished. This choice was absolutely right! This tribe was worthy of their loyalty and sweat!
Wang Yan and Jianshi stood on high ground, looking at the people in the valley who were becoming more stable and hopeful because of the Fengshou, and smiled at each other.
With food in hand, people's hearts are united. With this solid material foundation, the Fire Tribe, a large ship that has already taken shape, can carry more than 3,000 people to a future full of challenges but also full of opportunities.