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Shan proudly introduced himself to the brothers, "We, the divine messengers, arrived at the Sharp Fang Tribe last snowy season. Back then, the bastards from the Hyena Tribe occupied our territory, forcing us to hide in a cave to the south. Our leader was wounded and on the verge of death. But of course, he survived, because the divine messenger arrived. Hey, do you know the prophecy of the Sharp Fang Tribe's previous great witch? She predicted that a divine messenger would come and rescue us, and it all came true!"
Big Black and Little Black looked at each other with surprise in their eyes, and asked quickly: "Then what?"
Shan continued, "The messenger spoke differently from us, but we all understood him! He also understood us. He possessed divine power, able to make things disappear from our sight, but he could bring them back when needed. He said they were temporarily stored somewhere. He gave us delicious food and warm clothes." He showed off his linen clothes. "Look at these fine linen clothes, aren't they? This is nothing. The clothes the messenger brought are even more beautiful and sturdy!"
Xiao Hei was amazed and enviously wanted to reach out and touch Shan's clothes.
Shan dodged and said, "Stop! Your claws will get dirty on me again."
Xiaoshan looked at the other person's clean linen clothes, then looked at his own black hands, and couldn't help scratching his head in embarrassment.
Shan continued, "In addition to food and clothing, the divine messenger also provided magical medicine! He used the magic medicine to rescue our leader, then taught us how to make vine armor, gave us sharp weapons, and then sent us back to drive away those hateful hyenas!"
The two brothers listened with fascination, their envious eyes sweeping over the linen clothes and straw sandals on the mountain and the neatly arranged houses in the tribe.
It’s great! It’s great to have a divine messenger!
Looking at the Sharp Tooth Tribe, which turned out to be just as powerful as them, and then thinking about their own hometown, they both couldn't help but start to fantasize about how great it would be if an envoy of God came to their mountain tribe!
Scanning the unfamiliar faces in the tribe, Dahei pointed at them and asked, "What about those people? Did they come with the messenger of God?"
Shan took a look and curled his lips in disgust: "No, the envoy came alone, and those are the Dama tribe."
"The Dama tribe?" Dahei wanted to ask again, but Shan didn't want to talk anymore and quickly led people to the tribe: "Look at me, I'm talking to you right at the door. It's so hot in the sun. Let's go inside and talk first."
After entering the tribe with their men, Dahei and Xiaohei were startled by the herd of horses in the corner. They didn't know that these were for riding, and thought they were food stored by the Sharp Tooth Tribe.
The two men were secretly shocked by the obedient appearance of the horses. They wondered if the Sharp Fang Tribe had learned to raise animals in just one year.
The two were taken by Shan to an empty small house, which was a temporary guest room arranged by Wu Yue.
In addition to the standard doors, windows, and kang stove, the house also has wooden tables and benches, as well as ceramic bowls and pots on the table.
Shan poured two bowls of water for them and said, "You wait here for a moment, I'll go find the leader." Then he went out. For a big matter like exchanging salt, the leader usually had to come forward to negotiate the price.
Dahei and Xiaohei also knew Xiao. They didn't think it was a big deal before, but now they are worried. They sit stiffly on the long bench and don't even dare to drink the water on the table.
That water container looks so exquisite, what if it breaks?
To find the leader, Shan's first target was naturally the messenger's house. When he walked to the door and was about to call for help, he heard some strange sounds in his ears.
...in broad daylight.
His face flushed, and then he smiled mischievously. Just as he was about to put his ear to the door to listen more clearly, the door suddenly opened inward, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground.
Xiao's face darkened: "What for?"
When I climbed up the mountain, I looked up and saw that both of them were dressed neatly, and it seemed that they had not done anything excessive just now.
He suppressed his gossipy heart and was not embarrassed even though he was caught eavesdropping: "Chief, people from the mountain tribe have come to exchange salt. They are the two brothers Dahei and Xiaohei."
"Them? Fine, I'll be right there." Xiao nodded, then gave him a vengeful kick. "If you dare eavesdrop again, I'll make you clean the toilet."
Shan chuckled and ran away.
Wu Yue wiped the remaining water stains on his face and neck, then jumped off the kang: "I'll go take a look too."
Last time I exchanged soapberries with the Dama tribe. I wonder if this highland tribe has brought any good things.
Dahei and Xiaohei didn't have to wait long before they saw the familiar leader Xiao and a stranger behind him.
After only a year, Xiao's appearance hadn't changed much, except for a stronger build and a more mature face. However, the feeling he gave off had changed, especially when those cold eyes swept over him, making one feel a little bit of fear in their hearts.
These are eyes that can only be honed through fighting, and fighting with others.
"Big Black and Little Black, long time no see." Xiao nodded to them and introduced the person behind him, "This is my tribe's divine messenger, Wu Yue."
Divine messenger! Dahei and Xiaohei had originally thought that the stranger was just an ordinary tribesman, but when they heard that it was the Divine Messenger, they quickly stood up and greeted him respectfully, while secretly sizing him up.
Compared with the tall and strong leader, the messenger of God appeared shorter and thinner, wearing clothes similar to Shan's, but brighter and better looking.
His face is also very handsome, his skin is whiter and finer than most people's. At this moment, he is smiling and looks very friendly.
"Guests from the Gaoshan tribe, welcome," Wu Yue said. As Shan had said, it was a strange language they had never heard before, but the brothers understood him perfectly.
The two brothers secretly exclaimed in amazement, it was indeed a messenger from God!
After the pleasantries, the four of them sat down at the table. Xiao unceremoniously checked the goods brought by the two brothers, while Wu Yue, for some reason, kept secretly observing Xiao Hei.
In a large bundle of fur, most of it was sheepskin, and not the common goat. Wu Yue looked at the fur on the sheepskin and found it looked a bit like sheepskin. The fur was very long and dense. Of course, it was not as exaggerated as that of modern sheep.
"There are really a lot of wooly sheep near your tribe. Every year, a lot of their skins are exchanged for salt." Xiao flipped through the list and sighed casually.
"Yes, yes. There are few other prey, but there are many long-wool sheep, hehe." Dahei continued, and took out a small sheepskin package, "These are the herbs that Xia Dawu wants."
Wu Yue curiously opened it and took a look. Inside were some dried plants, seeds, leaves, etc. He flipped through it casually and saw a few familiar pieces. He picked them up and smelled them. They smelled like Sichuan peppercorns.
He smiled, picked up the leaf and asked Dahei, "Does your tribe only use the leaves of this plant, or does it also use the fruit?"
Sichuan pepper leaves do have certain medicinal uses, but the fruit is naturally more effective and easier to preserve. It doesn't make sense for this highland tribe not to use Sichuan pepper but only the leaves.
Dahei was stunned and stammered, unable to say anything.
Of course, their tribe would use the fruit of this plant. Eating a little when you have a stomachache or vomiting will make you feel much better, but your mouth will feel uncomfortable after eating it.
Although the fruit has better medicinal effects, the witch does not allow the fruit to be traded. After all, it contains seeds. If someone grows the seeds, who will exchange with them?
Seeing him like that, Wu Yue understood. He also understood that it was normal to keep good things to oneself.
But it’s just the peppercorns, he will definitely not let them go.
In addition to furs and medicines, the two also brought some dried meat, which was not well preserved and was a bit damp.
After Xiao looked at everything, he started to find fault: "This jerky doesn't look like it will last long. It's soaked in water. If we don't eat it quickly within a few days, it will go bad."
In the past, these dried meats would have been just enough to relieve the urgent need and allow the hunting team to eat enough so they could go out and look for prey. But now, they really have no shortage of food.
Even meat that has been processed for preservation makes for more delicious sausages, and tough jerky is not very popular.
Dahei recalled the herd of horses he had just seen. Knowing they had plenty of food, he chuckled and said, "This dried meat isn't very well preserved, but look at this woolly sheep hide. It's truly a treasure. Spreading it in a tent... or house during the snowy season would be so comfortable!"
Although the people of the Sharp Tooth tribe live in houses, these houses appear to be made of stone and are still cold during the ice and snow season.
Xiao sneered and pointed at the kang connected to the stove. "Tsk, we're not living in a tent anymore. This room is plenty warm. See that stove? If you light a fire, the kang will heat up too. Even without anything on it, it won't be cold."
Dahei was stunned and immediately became anxious. If these things could not be exchanged for enough salt, then everyone in the tribe...
"But," Xiao said again, "I can't blame you. You don't know that the Sharp Fang Tribe doesn't need these things. This time, I'll exchange them for you at the previous price. But next year..."
He pointed to the Sichuan pepper leaves that Wu Yue was very concerned about: "Next year, you must bring some good things, such as the fruit of this thing."
Dahei felt bitter in his heart, pursed his lips, and was about to agree when he was interrupted by Wu Yue.
Wu Yue secretly kicked Xiao and said gently, "What are you talking about, Chief? It's not easy for them to come all this way. We are brothers who have known each other for a long time. We can also use the fur and dried meat. Don't be so mean."
Xiao looked at him doubtfully. Didn’t Yue want the fruit of that plant?
Wu Yue patted him soothingly under the table and said to the brothers with a smile, "Don't listen to him. We will exchange these for salt at the previous price. You can exchange them with these in the future. We don't ask for anything else."
The two brothers were so moved that they thanked Wu Yue repeatedly.
Just as Shan said, this messenger of God is really a very, very good person!
"Then you guys take a rest first. Someone will bring the salt over later. It's a rare trip for you, so stay for two more days this time." Wu Yue greeted them with a smile as he put the things into the space in front of the two brothers.
The two men nodded repeatedly. They also wanted to take a closer look at the Sharp Tooth Tribe so that they could go back and brag to their fellow tribesmen.
It was not until he and Xiao walked out of the house that Wu Yue put away the polite smile on his face, took out a piece of long-wool sheepskin from the space, and stroked it thoughtfully.
"Xiao, have we ever hunted long-wool sheep?" he asked the person walking beside him.
Xiao nodded and then shook his head. "There haven't been any in recent years, but there was a small group around the tribe when I was a kid. These animals are too weak, and they were hunted down by us and carnivores in just a few years."
Wu Yue nodded and thought about it.
The Sharp Teeth Tribe's hunting team brought back a wide variety of prey, both large and small. After all, the ecological chain is complete: where there is grass, there are herbivores, and where there are herbivores, there are carnivores.
It doesn't make sense that an area would only have the most herbivorous long-wool sheep, with very few other animals. Furthermore, Xiao said this animal was very weak, so it would logically attract many carnivorous beasts, which would soon eat this creature to extinction.
"Xiao, does the mountain tribe exchange a lot of these skins every year?" he asked again.
Xiao nodded. "A lot. When I was little, they would trade this kind of skin for salt. It's very warm and welcome."
Is it possible that the hunting has continued for so many years and the population is still endless?
Wu Yue had a guess in his mind: since the Dama tribe could domesticate horses, why couldn't other tribes domesticate other animals? If it was human intervention in breeding, then sheepskin would naturally be available every year.
Suspected domesticated animals, peppercorns, and things on that little black guy's body.
This mountain tribe has so many good things!
After he finished asking his questions, Xiao also had a question: "Don't you want the seeds of that plant? Why don't you let them exchange them next year?"
Because I can't wait.
Wu Yue smiled mysteriously: "I won't tell you this first. I'll tell you after I find out more."
If what Xiao Hei had was consistent with his guess, then they would have to go to the mountain tribe as soon as possible.
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