Chapter 44 The three wild ducks went out to play all by themselves!
Yu Yan is now very familiar with everyone's beast forms. With a glance, she recognized that people from the Peninsula, Mingyuan, Qingqing, and Shenhu tribes had all come.
He stepped forward with delight, and after the people had landed and transformed into human form as they were supposed to, he asked, "How did you all know I was going to lay the foundation today?"
Cangfeng, who was in front, said with a smile, "They asked, so I told them."
Jiang Kuo, the chieftain of the Mingyuan tribe, with his gray hair, laughed smugly: "Yu Yan, we're not late, are we?"
Yu Yan laughed heartily: "It's so punctual! We were just about to start."
He noticed Zhong Hai and Meng Yun behind Jiang Kuo and asked with concern, "How is Shuang Hong's leg?"
Zhong Hai replied, flattered, "I'm fully recovered! After the splint was removed, he ran around like crazy all over the place. He was so bored!"
The disassembly of the clamps was done during the charcoal-burning experiment. Yu Yan was too busy at the time; after checking Shuang Hong and finding no problems, she sent him home.
Mengyun and Zhonghai exchanged a glance and smiled as they said to Yuyan, "He wanted to come with us this time, but we were afraid he would cause trouble, so we told him you were going to our tribe soon, and he listened and stayed obediently in the tribe."
Yu Yan smiled and nodded: "It's normal for the little leopard to be lively and active. It'll be fine once his leg recovers. We'll bring him to our tribe again next time we have the chance."
Zhong Hai and Meng Yun: "Okay."
Yu Yan turned her head again and asked about the situation of the Deep Lake Tribe.
Their mouth ulcers didn't develop overnight, so naturally they can't heal so quickly.
However, with the combined effect of consistent medication and adding vegetables to every meal, their condition has improved significantly, and it is estimated that they will be able to get rid of the trouble of mouth ulcers soon.
People are in high spirits when they have good news. These handsome men from the Shenhu tribe, who used to be very "aloof", all have bright smiles and are talking more.
In addition, the lives of the Qingqing tribe have also improved a lot because of Yu Yan.
Everyone admired Yu Yan, and when they heard that he had work to do, they all rushed over, afraid that if they arrived late, the work would be taken by someone else.
Yu Yan stood and chatted with them for a while before leading them to dig the foundation.
Before digging, he explained the area to everyone: "See the part I marked with a line? Pull up the trees here, dig out the soil, and the pit will be about this deep."
He broke off several wooden sticks, bent them all to the same length, and handed them to several groups of people to standardize their "construction" procedures.
They walked around the area around the house and marked a few trees.
"Apart from the trees I marked, all the other trees need to be pulled up. As for the grass, we'll just dig up the soil and turn it over."
Everyone listened attentively and nodded to show that they had remembered.
Many people came to help, and they all turned into beastmen, so there wasn't enough room for them all. In the end, only a few beastmen suitable for digging were selected.
After transforming into their beast form, their claws become exceptionally sharp, allowing them to easily tumble over even the hardest ground.
Another group of orcs simply used their humanoid forms to uproot the trees.
Compared to tree trunks, their bodies are slender, but their strength is terrifying.
For example, in the Shenhu tribe, a person hugged a tree trunk thicker than himself and used his whole body and arms to exert force, and immediately the sound of the tree roots breaking could be heard from the ground.
He gritted his teeth, let out a cold shout, and suddenly uprooted the entire tree and threw it aside!
Yu Yan clicked her tongue in amazement. This was a strength that simply couldn't be measured by common sense.
With the help of the orcs, he and the other sub-orcs were able to have some peace and quiet for the time being.
Giant birds, tigers, wolves, and rabbits dug the pit with all their might, raising dust in the yard.
Before long, the pit began to take shape.
Yu Yan picked up her tools and led the sub-beastmen into the pit, smoothing out all sides of it.
The location he chose for building the house was indeed good; there were no depressions or depressions.
After doing all this, he had the orcs bring over stones and put slabs into the foundation to give the house better load-bearing capacity.
The selection of stone spikes is also particular. The shorter ones are about 40 to 60 centimeters long, and the longer ones are about 70 to 100 centimeters long. Those outside this range are rejected.
The pointed end of the stone nail points downwards and is driven into the soil, while the square end points upwards.
Meanwhile, he had another group of people bring over some yellow soil and gravel to use later.
As they laid the stone steps, Yu Yan instructed the beastmen: "I need to build a wall here. Lay down three rows of stone steps, alternating them."
Fearing they wouldn't understand, Yu Yan even demonstrated it herself.
“We need to put up pillars here, so we need to add more stone nails…” Yu Yan arranged the stones in a plum blossom shape.
The orcs were very clever; they remembered it after watching him demonstrate it once.
Moreover, because of their great strength, they hardly need any tools to lower the stones, and they are fast and efficient.
After the stones were laid, they were compacted with wood, and the loess and gravel were also transported back.
Yu Yan then led everyone to pick out the impurities from the soil, fetch water, mix it with mud, and pound it to make the soil fine and firm.
Then, Yu Yan led them to build the foundation by stacking layers of clay and gravel.
If you want to lay a solid foundation, you have to put in a lot of effort in this step.
The beastmen all wanted Yu Yan to build a house she was satisfied with. As they tamped the soil, they gritted their teeth, their fists and tools pounding away. Yu Yan estimated that the soil they had tamped would be so thick that she wouldn't be able to pry it off with her hands.
After the soil was compacted, stone strips were piled up on the four rings above the stacked stones, and the entire foundation was completed.
Because the tamping process was repetitive and there were too many people, Yu Yan finished the work she had originally planned to complete before dark, before the sun had even set.
The workload assigned to each person was light, and everyone barely broke a sweat, even laughing and discussing, "Laying the foundation is quite interesting."
Only Yu Yan, the "chief engineer," was running around everywhere, working up a sweat.
He wiped his sweat, took out his water pouch, gulped down a few mouthfuls, and exhaled deeply.
"The foundation is laid, thank you everyone so much for today!"
Cang Feng waved his hand: "Don't be so polite."
Jiang Kuo asked, "Is the next step to build a house?"
Yu Yan nodded: "Yes, but we need to let the foundation settle a little before building. I happen to be short of materials, so I can prepare them in the next few days."
Shuyu asked, "Do you need our help?"
Yu Yan: "Not for now."
Fan Su: "Be sure to tell us if you need anything."
Yu Yan nodded: "Yes."
Jiang Kuo glanced at the sky: "It's getting late, Yu Yan, let's head back now."
Upon hearing this, Yu Yan felt apologetic and said, "You came to help me with the work, and you're leaving without even having a sip of water?"
Jiang Kuo laughed and said, "This little bit of work isn't tiring at all. I'm not even thirsty."
Yu Yan, who had just finished drinking water, thought, "..." It's really good to have so much strength.
He continued to persuade them, "Then come back with me, and I'll pack some things for you before you leave. I have salted meat, fruit, wild vegetables... Oh right, I also made some chili sauce today, it smells delicious."
The people of the Mingyuan and Qingqing tribes had also heard about "chili peppers" and were quite curious.
However, they only asked how the chili sauce was made, without asking Yu Yan for details.
The people of the Deep Lake tribe are very resistant to this chili sauce.
Mao Li shook his head vigorously, saying, "Brother Yu Yan, I never want to eat chili peppers again in my life."
Yu Yan laughed and said, "Your mouth ulcers haven't healed yet, so I wasn't planning to give them to you guys."
Mao Li kindly reminded everyone: "...Anyway, chili peppers are terrible. They hurt your mouth terribly and don't taste good."
After hearing his words, many people in the Qingqing tribe gave up the idea of trying the chili peppers.
The Mingyuan tribe became even more curious, and Jiang Kuo immediately told Fan Su about exchanging supplies for their chili peppers.
Finally, everyone refused the things Yu Yan had given them, rested for a while, drank some water, and then said goodbye to Yu Yan and the others.
Before leaving, Jiang Kuo made an appointment with Yu Yan to meet at Mingyuan Tribe the next day.
"I'm leading you to dig lotus roots, you absolutely have to come!"
Yu Yan waved her hand: "Okay, see you tomorrow! Everyone be careful on the road!"
The orcs transformed into their animal forms and ran off towards their respective tribes.
Yu Yan watched their retreating figures, and thinking of their "disdain" for chili peppers, she smiled and shook her head.
He, Feng Gui, and Lan Xiu returned to the ginkgo tree and began preparing dinner.
Yu Yan took the animal meat out and traded it with the tribe for a fish.
He went to the water's edge, killed the fish, removed its internal organs and bones, and then carried the fish outside the thatched shed to slice it into pieces.
The main dish for dinner was boiled fish with chili peppers.
Although it lacked Sichuan peppercorns and other seasonings, and the flavor wasn't as rich and intense as what he had eaten in modern times, the fish was delicious and the chili peppers were refreshing. The group was very satisfied and praised the dish repeatedly.
Yu Yan also took out his freshly ground chili sauce, broke off a piece of steamed stem, scooped up the bright red chili sauce with chopsticks, and spread it on the surface of the stem.
He bit off a piece of the stem, chewed it with relish, and exclaimed how satisfying it was.
“Father, Lanxiu, you should try some too. These tubers were so dry before, they didn’t even have a hint of sweetness. They’re especially delicious with chili sauce.”
Feng Gui and Lan Xiu tried his method, and it was indeed delicious!
“With chili sauce, the stems taste much better,” Feng Gui praised. “And it’s very convenient. When we go out to collect them, we can take a few stems with us and some chili sauce. When we get hungry, we can take them out and have a bite. It doesn’t take up much space and it’s not troublesome.”
Yu Yan nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes, that's what I think too."
Thinking about tomorrow's itinerary, Lanxiu asked, "When we go to Mingyuan tribe to dig lotus roots, should we bring some chili sauce too?"
Yu Yan said, "I'll bring it! I'll have Jiang Kuo and the others bring over a ceramic pot. I'll stir-fry lotus root shoots with chili sauce. Ah, just thinking about it makes my mouth water." Her mouth was practically watering.
Feng Gui: "Yu Yan, it's quite a long way. Let Lan Xiu go with you; I won't go."
Why don't you go?
"There's a lot of work to do at home..."
“That doesn’t mean we can’t get out for half a day. After I got up this morning, I fed the sheep, milked them, and had Xin Yu and the others help us turn over the vegetables that needed drying. I’ll also ask the patrolling beastmen to watch over the fields. You can come with us.”
"Well...you young people are going out to have fun, so I guess I won't go?"
Yu Yan pouted: "You talk like you're that old. There are plenty of people your age in the tribe who haven't found a partner yet."
"We've been spinning thread, weaving cloth, making pottery, farming, and burning charcoal for so many days. We need to relax a bit."
"You're coming with us anyway. We're a family, and we can't leave anyone out!"
Lan Xiu swallowed what was in his mouth, his icy blue eyes fixed intently on him.
"One family"... those three words sound so nice.
Feng Gui couldn't persuade Yu Yan, so he finally agreed.
The next day, when they were about to set off, Yu Yan and Lan Xiu, for the first time ever, waited for Feng Gui under the tree.
Yu Yanchao Lanxiu beckoned with her finger, and after he came closer, she whispered in his ear, "My father-in-law is upstairs trying on clothes, and he even took out his jewelry to wear. The last time he was this serious was probably at the Autumn Collection Fair."
Lan Xiu smiled but didn't say anything.
Yu Yan added, "I doubt he'll even dress up for the Autumn Collection."
After all, back then, I was still a fool, and it was already very difficult for Feng Gui to support the two of them.
Lan Xiu: "This year's Autumn Collection Fair is expected to be very lively."
Yu Yan: "I'm really looking forward to it too!"
There are four major festivals in the Beast World: Hunting Festival (late autumn), Full Moon Festival (midwinter), Spring Awakening Festival (beginning of spring), and Autumn Harvest Festival (beginning of autumn).
The first three festivals were celebrated separately by each tribe.
The autumn harvest festival features a grand gathering.
At that time, each of the surrounding tribes will bring their best goods to the grasslands and trade with others.
The tribal chiefs would also dress up solemnly and worship the beast god together.
Young, beauty-conscious orcs and sub-orcs, needless to say, valued this highly.
Many couples met at the Autumn Harvest Fair.
It's midsummer now, and judging by the time, there are still a few months to go. Yu Yan already wants to go to the market to play.
"Yu Yan, Lan Xiu, I'm here." Feng Gui's voice came.
Yu Yan turned her head and saw that Feng Gui was wearing a light blue, sleeveless shirt-like top and black pants. He also wore a piece of colored stone jewelry on his neck and wrist.
He is good-looking and has a rosy complexion; this combination is eye-catching.
Yu Yan chuckled, making Feng Gui feel embarrassed.
Is that strange?
"How could that be? My father-in-law is so handsome!"
Feng Gui smiled. He hadn't left the tribe in a long time; the last time he went out was as a bird-type sub-beastman, running errands for someone else.
If someone told him in the spring that he could have no worries about food, wear nice clothes, and go out for fun, he certainly wouldn't believe it.
Now, thanks to Yu Yan, all of these things have come true.
After sprouting wings and flying into the sky, he gazed at the horizon with emotion, silently calling out his partner's name: Ruihua, can you see? My baby and I are doing very well now.
With a basket on her back, Yu Yan flew towards the Mingyuan tribe, carried by the wind whipped up by the wind.
The tiger that Lan Xiu had transformed into ran on the ground at a very fast speed.
Just past mid-morning, the three of them arrived at the territory of the Mingyuan tribe.
The Mingyuan tribe is located southwest of the peninsula tribes, where the temperature and humidity are higher.
As she flew, Yu Yan saw many plants and wild animals that were different from those of the peninsula tribes.
Although the Mingyuan tribe does not have a sea, it has many lakes and abundant water resources, which have created a beautiful landscape.
Along the way, the mountains were majestic and the lakes vast, a truly breathtaking sight.
After flying for a while in the territory of the Mingyuan tribe, a group of wolf-beastmen came running from the front, and the gray wolf at the head was Jiang Kuo.
"Yu Yan, Lan Xiu, Feng Gui, you're here!" Big Wolf said, tilting his head back.
Several wolves behind him stretched their necks and howled excitedly in welcome.
This behavior is contagious; soon, Yu Yan heard wolf howls coming from all directions.
The sub-beastman and the cub sat on the beastman's back, waving continuously at Yu Yan and the others.
One of the adorable little ones with blond hair kept bouncing around on Zhong Hai's body.
"Brother Yu Yan! Brother Yu Yan!"
Yu Yan recognized Shuang Hong and nodded with a smile in response.
"Chief Jiang Kuo, shall we go dig lotus roots now?" Yu Yan asked, hovering in the sky.
Jiang Kuo: "It's up to you guys. Do you want to come and sit in our tribe for a while, or do you want to go dig directly?"
Yu Yan: "Let's just go dig!"
“Come with us.”
Big wolves, big leopards, and big foxes led the way for Yu Yan and the others.
About half an hour later, they arrived at the edge of a vast swamp.
Even from a distance, Yu Yan could see layers upon layers of green lotus leaves and blooming pink lotus flowers swaying in the wind on the water's surface.
The air is filled with the fresh fragrance of lotus flowers.
He and Feng Gui landed on the ground, retracted their wings, and Lan Xiu also transformed into human form. The three of them went forward together.
Jiang Kuo and the others also transformed into human form, pointing to the lotus flowers in the lake and saying, "This is it. Wait a moment, let's run around the area a couple of times, just in case there are wild animals hiding in the grass."
Yu Yan: "Okay, thank you, Chief Jiang Kuo."
You're too kind.
Jiang Kuo counted a few people, and Lan Xiu took the initiative to step forward. Together with them, they transformed into beast forms and ran around in and out of the lake, startling flocks of birds.
Yu Yan was patiently waiting on the shore when she suddenly heard a familiar "quack" sound.
Where did that duck quacking come from?
He looked closely and saw that a flock of wild ducks had indeed taken flight from the grass.
These wild ducks had black feathers on their bodies, but green feathers on their heads. They were larger than the geese he had seen in modern times, with powerful wings and a stocky build.
Thinking of the taste of duck meat, Yu Yan said to Lan Xiu, "Lan Xiu, could you help me hunt a few birds with green feathers on their heads?"
Lan Xiu: "Okay."
With a swift movement of its thick front paws, it pinned down a wild duck.
With another swing, he pinned down another one!
Seeing this, Jiang Kuo and the others also started chasing the wild ducks.
Before long, everyone returned carrying two or three wild ducks.
The wild ducks quacked, thrashed about with their claws, and twisted their necks, trying to peck at their hands.
Unfortunately, their wings were being held tightly at the base, so they did zero damage to the orcs.
Mengyun, holding Shuanghong's hand, stood beside Yuyan and said, "Do you want to eat a mallard? The young birds are okay, but the adult birds' meat is very tough and has a very strong bird smell. Even if we stew it with the roots of our hands, we can't get rid of the smell."
Shuanghong pinched her nose and said, "Yes, yes, mallards don't taste good, but their eggs are delicious!"
He stared intently at the meadow by the lake and exclaimed excitedly, "There must be lots of bird eggs here! Brother Yu Yan, let me go and find some for you to eat!"
Yu Yan thought of the taste of duck eggs and, unsurprisingly, felt a craving.
He ruffled Shuanghong's blond hair and said, "No rush. We can collect bird eggs while we're digging for lotus roots."
He was more concerned about something else: "Mengyun, do the mallards incubate their eggs this season?"
Mengyun nodded: "Yes."
Yu Yan's eyes lit up. Incubating eggs...that means there are ducklings!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
