Artemisia was greatly shocked.

She hesitated before asking, "Is it because... you're not feeling well?"

She stared intently at the chieftain's face. She had only been away from the tribe for less than half a day, yet the chieftain's complexion was exactly the same as she had seen the night before. His blood and energy were abundant, his complexion rosy, and he showed no signs of injury or fatigue.

The clan chief raised his hand and gently tapped the top of the mugwort plant.

The chieftain said, "I've had enough of being the chieftain. I want to leave the Jiang tribe for a while and see the scenery nearby."

"That sacrificial feast..."

The clan chief glanced at her and said, "I'll teach you how to do it now. If you forget later, just call me back to preside over the ceremony."

Mugwort has nothing to say.

The clan chief said, "Then it's settled. I will abdicate at tonight's banquet and formally pass the position of clan chief of the Jiang clan to you."

The mugwort responded softly.

She stared longingly at the older woman, then the clan chief gently patted her head. Her hair, which had been shaved short at her coming-of-age ceremony, grew back like weeds, and the clan chief casually crushed a small piece of congealed blood.

The somewhat drowsy mugwort began its busy afternoon.

She first learned from the clan chief how to perform rituals to the gods, and then she had to learn the prayers, songs, and dances for praying to the gods. Just memorizing the procedures was giving Ai Cao a huge headache, and she wished she could use her phone to write down the steps in a memo.

Fortunately, the clan chief didn't expect to teach Ai Cao everything in just one afternoon.

It took her half a month to learn it back then. Now, Ai Cao is learning faster than she did back then, so she can't help but press Ai Cao even tighter to see where her limit is.

In the evening, the women and men of the Jiang tribe would bring large quantities of meat, fruit, and wine to the territory of the Ji tribe.

The women built a bonfire on the ground, which had been washed with water but still bore traces of blood.

The men of the Jiang ethnic group grilled meat over a fire with natural expressions, piling large chunks of meat into their bowls.

The women of the Ji tribe stood to one side.

They were not given permission and did not know where they should sit. With no fighting going on, they could not naturally stand with the Jiang women.

The dizzy mugwort and the Jiang clan chief walked over together.

Ai Cao smiled and called to the Ji women, "Who among you is in charge?"

The women of the Ji clan looked at each other in bewilderment.

After a moment, an exceptionally strong woman stepped forward and said, "I am the strongest, so I shall be in charge."

Ai Cao smiled, her eyes crinkling. She said to the woman, "I'll show you where you'll be sitting tonight."

She left in a flurry with the woman.

The remaining Ji women watched them leave with envy.

A woman who was on good terms with the Jiang tribe slapped her thigh and said, "Let's go too!"

The women, enlightened by her words, all followed her.

As the group found their seats, Ai Cao Gang explained the rules of tonight's banquet to the strong woman.

She didn't go into details, only mentioning a few points that needed special attention. The strong woman also spoke of some Ji tribe customs, and surprisingly, there weren't many differences between the two groups.

Ai Cao was even more satisfied.

She finished giving her instructions and was about to leave when the strong woman gently tugged at her sleeve: "You don't know what will happen to us afterward..."

“You will have seats at the banquet tonight,” said Ai Cao.

With her promise, the strong woman was no longer so nervous. She smiled, bowed to the artemisia, and went to join her tribe.

Ai Cao turned and glanced at them. The strong woman was indeed the most formidable of the group, and the other women all believed her.

With this small trial, Ai Cao felt more confident about her plan.

The sky was getting dark.

The campfire burned brightly under the gradually brightening starry sky.

Apart from the central campfire, three other campfires were lit in a triangular shape around it. In front of the central campfire, there was an even smaller campfire specifically built for throwing tortoise shells.

The men of the Jiang tribe walked among the women. They brought new food and meat, and took away empty bowls.

The atmosphere was just right.

The chief of the Jiang tribe and Ai Cao walked slowly to the most intensely burning bonfire in the center.

The clan chief raised his hand, then slowly lowered it. The women at the banquet lowered their voices, watching the clan chief with curiosity.

The clan chief said, "I will pass on the position of clan chief of the Jiang clan to Jiang Ai."

After she finished speaking, she took off the beautiful feather ornament that was tied around her waist and hung it around Ai Cao's neck.

Artemisia argyi drooped her eyes and stared at the feather decoration for a few seconds.

There will never again be a little boy with bright eyes, always there to mend her clothes, surrounding her.

But so what?

She never needed a specific person to mend her clothes.

The mugwort smiled.

She looked into the chieftain's eyes and said, "Yes."

The women of the Jiang tribe cheered loudly.

Once their joy subsided, Ai Cao—who had become the chieftain of the Jiang clan—raised her hand.

The women's voices were silenced once again.

They looked at their daughters and relatives with joy.

Artemisia said, "My mothers, my relatives. I believe you have all seen the women of the Ji tribe."

The women of the Jiang tribe whispered among themselves.

They had indeed seen the group of restrained women and knew something about their identities.

Although they looked down on those who betrayed their clansmen, the thought that the Ji clan's patriarch was that man added a touch of sympathy to their probing gazes.

“By Mother Goddess,” said Artemisia, “Mother Goddess will give you new names.”

She took the tortoise shell from her pocket and held it high. Every woman at the banquet could see it—and knew what the mugwort was going to do.

Artemisia threw the tortoise shell into the campfire.

After a brief crackling sound, the campfire was extinguished. Under the women's watchful eyes, she took out the tortoise shell.

Artemisia brushed away the ash from the tortoise shell and carefully deciphered the character.

She said, "Bi".

"The Bi tribe will walk alongside the Jiang tribe!" she exclaimed.

The women who had received their new surnames cheered quietly.

They didn't dare to talk too much or eat too much at the banquet.

But things are different now.

They received a new surname from the Mother Goddess.

They were no longer women of the Ji tribe, but women of the Bi tribe.

Their past was forgiven by the Mother Goddess.

Today, they, like the women of the Jiang tribe, are a group blessed by the Mother Goddess.

They also share the same clan leader—

Jiang Ai.

Artemisia smiled, displaying the marks on the tortoise shell to every woman around her.

The women of the Jiang tribe stood up first.

They came to the Bi ethnic women and embraced them warmly.

The Bi ethnic women were embraced, looking bewildered.

They hadn't interacted with such energetic women for far too long. They had thought their hearts were dead, but they were brought back to life by these enthusiastic hugs and cheers.

They looked at Jiang Ai.

They wanted to remember her face and place her in the same position as the Mother Goddess.

because……

She was the "god" who reached out and saved them.