Chapter 63

Chapter 63

When Little Dumpling asked what A Huang wanted in return, A Huang only paused for a moment before an idea sparked.

He swiftly dashed back to his home, retrieved something in his mouth, and ran back to Little Dumpling: "Little Dumpling, how about I trade you this corn?"

Ah, so corn was called "jade sorghum" back then. Little Dumpling reached out to pat the little brown-eared leopard cub, then brought his hand to its fluffy mouth.

The little brown-eared leopard cub lowered its head and gently placed the corn into Little Dumpling’s hands.

"Whoa." Little Dumpling’s arms sank. He had to use both arms to hold the corn firmly.

Little Dumpling looked down. The corn silk appeared a bit dry, but the husk was still green, suggesting it had been stored for only a short time.

The little brown-eared leopard cub nuzzled its head against Little Dumpling’s arm and said, "My father picked this corn a few days ago. I saved it because I couldn't bear to eat it myself. I hope you like it..."

The corn was quite heavy. The little black lion walked over and lifted a paw to help Little Dumpling support it. With the little black lion’s assistance, Little Dumpling freed a hand to peel back the husk, revealing distinct and intact kernels inside—a fine ear of corn.

"A Huang, where did you find this?" Little Dumpling’s eyes gleamed. This corn was longer than an adult Beastman’s forearm—a special variety from the beast world.

He didn’t yet know how this "jade sorghum" would taste—whether sweet or glutinous—but simply being able to cultivate and eat it was already a great thing.

A Huang shook his head. Jade sorghum wasn't easy to find, and usually, only a few ears could be gathered. In their tribe, such rare food didn't have to be handed over to the community; whatever was found belonged to the individual.

"It’s really hard to find," A Huang explained.

Seeing the little brown-eared leopard cub shake its head, Little Dumpling felt a touch of disappointment. But in the beast world, gathering food often depended on luck, and there wasn't much to be done about it.

"Brother, could you bring me a pair of small chopsticks and a small fork?" Little Dumpling asked Bing Qiu, who was nearby.

The small fork would be Little Dumpling's gift to the little brown-eared leopard cub. He was very pleased to have acquired this rare corn and couldn't wait to take it back for Yun Lu and Uncle Chen Yue to plant.

"Sure, I'll go get them right away." Seeing Little Dumpling’s beaming face, Bing Qiu knew this corn was definitely something Little Dumpling cherished and worth the trade.

The little fluffy one blinked. When Bing Qiu returned with the chopsticks and fork, A Huang immediately shifted back to human form. He rubbed his hands on his animal skin clothes before carefully accepting the two items from Bing Qiu.

"Thank you... thank you!" A Huang grinned, revealing a gap where a canine tooth was missing.

A Huang carefully cradled the small chopsticks and fork Bing Qiu had given him. If he were in his beast form, his tail would surely be wagging with joy. Unable to contain his excitement, A Huang spun around once before hurrying off to show his treasured new utensils to his friends.

Little Dumpling smiled as he watched A Huang leave, then took the corn back to find his father.

Meanwhile, Feng Yan and Rong Shan had brought out several packages they had carried, generously allowing the Brown-eared Leopard Tribe to inspect them.

After all, Da Er and Xiao Er had already seen these items in the Mountain Water Tribe, so there was nothing to hide.

Feng Yan and Rong Shan had mainly brought pottery, bamboo products, and their homemade pepper and chili powders.

They hadn't brought items like down coats or raincoats, as these could easily be replicated by experienced Beastmen. It would be better to save those for future gatherings, where they could trade them for something more valuable—perhaps something unique or more seeds.

The Brown-eared Leopard Beastmen, however, were different. They desired everything the Mountain Water Tribe had brought, whether it was pottery or the unfamiliar seasonings.

Chief A Li didn't beat around the bush either, directly stating his tribe's intentions and leaving it up to the Mountain Water Tribe to decide how much they were willing to trade. But as the party seeking the trade, they couldn't make too many demands.

After a moment of consideration, A Li finally said, "To be honest, Chief Feng Yan, our tribe truly admires everything your tribe has brought. If you don't mind, we hope you'll be willing to trade more with us."

The deferential tone took Feng Yan and Rong Shan by surprise. There was no need to be so humble...

Moreover, if a tribal chief spoke like this, it was essentially saying, "We've shown our hand. Even if you take advantage of us, we have no choice but to accept it."

Feng Yan and Rong Shan felt that the Brown-eared Leopard Tribe was perhaps a bit too trusting. However, they hadn't come to exploit others. When discussing strategies the previous night, they had only intended to maintain basic caution.

Now that the Brown-eared Leopard chief was being so candid, there was no need for them to hold back either.

Feng Yan said, "Chief A Li, there's no need for such formality. We brought these items specifically to trade with you."

With both sides being open and honest, they showed mutual respect and saved themselves the trouble of second-guessing each other’s intentions.

"We also really like your grains and sauces, so let's trade for those," Rong Shan said, pointing to the rice and wheat stored in large jars.

In addition, rough animal hides were spread on the stone table and the ground, with various rattan baskets placed on top. These contained the vegetables and meats they had recently gathered.

Some of these items had likely been held back from distribution the previous day, specifically for today's trade. However, Little Dumpling noticed that some leafy greens still had dew on them, suggesting they had been picked early that morning.

"Also, our little one is very fond of Horned Sheep and would like to bring back some fresh ones..." Feng Yan paused at just the right moment, wearing a troubled expression.

This pause made the Brown-eared Leopard chief and elders anxious. They had been excited to hear that the Mountain Water Tribe was willing to trade all their goods, but now they grew worried. Was there some unforeseen issue?

Chief A Li and the elders exchanged glances, whispering among themselves for a moment. Then A Li stepped forward and ventured, "You want them fresh..." meaning alive, right? "How about we send a few people to help deliver live Horned Sheep to the Mountain Water Tribe?"

"Wouldn't that be too much trouble for you?" Rong Shan asked.

"Not at all, not at all. I'll have Da Er and the others deliver them for you. Da Er already knows the way, and our two tribes can foster more interaction in the future."

Chief A Li and the elders were eager for an opportunity to send tribesmen to the Mountain Water Tribe. If the two tribes could build a strong relationship, perhaps...

"Then thank you very much!" Rong Shan said with a smile.

"Don't mention it. We should be thanking you for being willing to trade such fine pottery with us," A Li said, glancing at the pottery Feng Yan and the others had brought. Though they didn't know how it was made, good quality pottery lasts longer and was well worth trading for.

Just as Little Dumpling and the other two arrived, they heard that their fathers had settled the matter of the Horned Sheep. Little Dumpling scurried over happily and hugged his father's leg.

Rong Shan picked Little Dumpling up and ruffled his hair. "Happy?"

"Yes!" Little Dumpling was definitely happy. From now on, the Mountain Water Tribe wouldn't just get to eat lamb but would also have access to sheep's milk and wool in the future!

Both sides had obtained what they wanted. Feng Yan and Rong Shan planned to take what they could carry themselves, while the rest, including the Horned Sheep, would be delivered to the Mountain Water Tribe by Da Er and the others.

Traveling with live animals would undoubtedly take more time, so Feng Yan didn't insist they rush. They set off immediately, with Feng Yan and Rong Shan leading the way.

The containers for the grains had been prepared back in the Mountain Water Tribe—bags sewn from several animal hides. Once filled with grain, Rong Shan would sew them shut to prevent any leakage.

Although Chief A Li and the elders would have liked the Mountain Water Tribe members to stay on as guests longer, they understood that the opposite party consisted of tribal leaders who needed to return home promptly after the trade.

Feng Yan and Rong Shan worked efficiently, quickly packing everything they could take with them.

Meanwhile, the Brown-eared Leopard Beastmen all vied for the opportunity to see them off.

"You must come back to play with me. We agreed on it," Xiao Er said, looking down at Little Dumpling and the other little ones. He held Little Dumpling’s small hand, swinging it sadly back and forth. Parting always came too soon, and he didn't want to let the little one go.

"Brother Xiao Er, get well soon so you can come visit me yourself," Little Dumpling said cheerfully, looking up and waving his small hand in farewell to the Brown-eared Leopard Beastmen.

"Let's go, Tuan Tuan," the little black lion said, coming over to hurry them along. His eyes were fixed on Xiao Er’s hand. If Xiao Er didn't let go of Little Dumpling soon, he would "bite" him.

Da Er knew he would be visiting the Mountain Water Tribe again soon, so he was less upset. He stepped forward and pulled Xiao Er’s hand away, saying helplessly, "Let go already. Don't hurt the little one's hand."

"Okay," Xiao Er reluctantly released Little Dumpling’s hand and waved goodbye. "Little Dumpling, I'll miss you."

The Brown-eared Leopard Beastmen watched the departing figures of the Mountain Water Tribe members, recalling the noon meal, and felt a pang of melancholy. They wondered if they would ever have the chance to taste such delicious food again in their lifetime.

"Everyone, disperse now," Chief A Li said, as Feng Yan and the others had already vanished from view.

"Yes, Chief," the crowd replied, scattering to attend to their tasks.

Chief A Li lingered for a moment, then waved to Da Er, who was about to leave, and said, "Hey, Da Er, come here for a moment."

Da Er turned around and, seeing that it was the chief calling him, briefly told Xiao Er and his family before following the chief and the elders toward the chief's tent.

Chief A Li's tent was slightly larger than the others, with several strings of bone teeth and dried grass rope ornaments hanging from the entrance. When the wind blew, they swayed gently, making soft rustling noises.

Da Er lifted the tent flap, allowing the chief and the elders to enter first before stepping in himself. The interior of the chief's tent wasn't much different from any other tribesperson's.

Da Er guessed that the chief wanted to discuss the Horned Sheep exchange, but instead, the chief began by saying, "This time, besides taking a few more people to the Mountain Water Tribe to exchange for more pottery, I want you to sound out Chief Feng Yan."

"Sound out... what exactly?" Da Er's heart stirred—could it be the same matter he and Xiao Er had been thinking about?

Chief A Li did not answer immediately but paused to think for a moment before saying, "Do you think the people of the Mountain Water Tribe would be willing to accept outsiders?"

Indeed! The chief and the elders were already considering the matter—he and Xiao Er wouldn't even need to bring it up.

Such a wonderful tribe as the Mountain Water Tribe—he knew the chief and the elders would be willing to join!

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Author's Note: Thank you, little angels, for the nutrient solution~ [Heart]