Chapter 68 The Autumn Harvest Heads to the Harvest Grassland
Xue Gui couldn't help but think about what kind of person he used to be, whether he had a family, and whether he had relatives and friends waiting for him to return.
But no one recognized him despite his many trips.
Just when he thought his life would continue like this, Yu Yan appeared.
Hearing from the people of Caiyun Tribe that Yu Yan was a very skilled doctor, kind-hearted, knowledgeable, and intelligent, Xue Gui no longer hesitated and decided to go find Yu Yan to have her examined.
He carefully inquired about the route to the peninsula tribes, including which tribes they would pass through (as Yu Yan had mentioned when she came), and even drew a simple map on a piece of wood with charcoal.
Thinking that if he remembered this information, he wouldn't stray too far from the intended course.
At worst, we can fly until late autumn; we'll reach the peninsula tribes by then.
As for surviving in the wild, he is quite good at hunting, so he is not worried.
To express her gratitude to Xue Gui for his help to the Caiyun tribe, Zhu Yu personally told Xue Gui about Yu Yan's situation. Seeing that Xue Gui was taking notes on wooden slips, she kindly gave him a few sheets of paper.
Xue Gui had never seen this thing before and didn't know how to use it.
Zhu Yu smiled and demonstrated for him: "You can also draw on it with a charcoal pencil, but the paper is very thin, so you need to put something underneath it. Don't press too hard, or you'll tear the paper."
"This was also made by Yu Yan. He also taught us how to make paper. After a while, our tribe will have its own paper to use."
A hint of surprise flashed in Xue Gui's eyes. While she was curious about Yu Yan, she was even more eager to see him.
"Thank you." Considering that he had been living in the Caiyun tribe for more than half a year, he said to Zhu Yu, "I plan to pack my things today and set off for the Peninsula tribe tomorrow."
Zhu Yu paused for a moment: "Are you alone?"
Xue Gui nodded slightly.
Zhu Yu said, "Then why don't you come with us? We're leaving soon too."
"Um?"
"The Autumn Harvest Festival is coming up, have you forgotten?"
Xuegui suddenly realized. He was used to being alone and indeed had no expectations for the Autumn Collection Meeting.
"What does the gathering have to do with the peninsula tribes?" The two tribes are so far apart.
Zhu Yu grinned: "You don't know this, do you? We've already made arrangements with Yu Yan to attend the gathering at Harvest Grassland this year! We'll see Yu Yan and the others there!"
Liu Xiang chimed in, "Because it's far away, the people in the tribe have to set off a few days before the gathering. Xue Gui, you're perfect to come with us. You can look out for each other on the way."
Xue Gui, an orc with a terrible sense of direction, couldn't help but be tempted.
So he made an agreement with the people of the Caiyun tribe to set off together, which led to the scene of him silently flying at the back of the group.
Most of the able-bodied orcs went to the front to lead the way.
Young creatures, sub-beastmen, and the elderly can fly more easily by using the wind belts they fly in.
His position was arranged by Zhu Yu, probably because he had traveled to many places and was more experienced, so he could warn everyone in time if something happened.
At this moment, Xuegui flapped its wings, its senses instinctively paying attention to the movements around it, but its thoughts had already drifted far away.
He was a solitary orc who had never stayed with any tribal chief in recent years. Although he could support himself, he had not accumulated much in terms of resources.
Will these supplies be enough to persuade Yu Yan to treat my illness?
If not, what new supplies should he prepare?
In the afternoon, when the team stopped to rest, Xuegui was still completely confused.
He still wasn't used to crowds, so he quietly walked a little further away, leaned against a tree, took out the meat and stems he had roasted before setting off, sprinkled some salt on them, and gnawed on them by himself.
Hearing unfamiliar footsteps approaching, he swallowed what was in his mouth and slowly raised his head.
He knew this orc; in his beast form, he was a white peacock who often led other orcs on hunts.
Xue Gui's gaze swept over the large black mole on his face, her expression remaining unchanged.
Whether it's beautiful or ugly, Xuegui doesn't care.
If he had to choose, he would rather become ugly than forget the past.
"Xue Gui, I am Bai Lang," the visitor said to him.
"Hmm," Xue Gui asked calmly, "Is there something you need?"
Bai Lang scratched his head awkwardly, squatted down beside him, and faced him with the intact half of his face.
"Thank you for leading us to find saxifrage."
"You have thanked me many times."
"Hmm..." Bai Lang hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping himself.
"Just say what you have to say."
Bai Lang seemed surprised by his directness and glanced at him with slight astonishment.
"It's not a big deal, actually. I... I just wanted to ask, are you also going to see Yu Yan for treatment?"
Xue Gui had never told anyone about his amnesia or poor sense of direction, which was why Bai Lang was able to guess it.
He countered with, "Also?"
Bai Lang nodded, pointed to the other half of his face, and told him about Yu Yan's initiative to treat him.
He said emotionally, "I didn't mean to trouble Yu Yan. He is a very gentle and kind person. I am especially grateful to him."
“You’ve lived in our tribe for so long, and I’ve never seen you show any curiosity about anyone, let alone make a special trip to see him. If it’s for the things Yu Yan brought, you could have waited until we traded with him before coming to exchange with us.”
"So I guessed that you followed us to see him for medical treatment."
Xue Gui glanced at him and no longer hid anything: "Yes, you're right."
Because of the mole on his face, Bai Lang was more sensitive than others and didn't ask Xue Gui what illness she needed to see a doctor for.
He simply said kindly, "You've definitely come to the right person. Yu Yan will do her best to treat you. You've helped us so much; if you need any help, please let us know."
From Liu Xiang to Zhu Yu, and then to Bai Lang, Xue Gui sensed their genuine gratitude and desire to repay her.
With Bai Lang's positive evaluation of Yu Yan, Xue Gui's sense of alienation lessened considerably.
He remained silent for a moment, then looked at Bai Lang and said, "I do have something I'd like to ask."
Bai Lang's expression brightened: "Go ahead and ask."
"How many supplies do we need to prepare to see Yu Yan?"
Bai Lang: "I heard Lan Xiu, the young orc who came with Yu Yan, say that he doesn't collect much for treating minor illnesses. With your skills, you should be able to afford it."
Xuegui pressed on, still worried, "What if it's a serious illness?"
Bai Lang was taken aback, glanced at him with concern, and chose not to press the matter further.
“I don’t know about serious illnesses… But Yu Yan has everything she needs. I think even if you can only offer a little bit of supplies, Yu Yan will let you see them, and you can pay her back slowly later.”
Xuegui nodded, feeling half relieved.
Although he had never met Yu Yan, he had already developed feelings for her.
Bai Lang then added, "No, Yu Yan is still lacking something."
Snow returned, looking alert: "What is it?"
"He said he likes all kinds of metal ores! He also likes herbs and food seeds! Especially seeds. He specifically showed his sketchbook to the clan chief, which contained many plants that we had never seen before, and asked us to find the seeds."
"You know how to make paper, right? We just gave him two new seeds, and he taught us!"
Hope rekindled in Xuegui's heart. It's good to have something you like!
He's traveled to quite a few places; he might have seen some of the seeds he's looking for! Perhaps we could ask him to treat my illness!
With a weight lifted from her heart, Xue Gui looked at Bai Lang, a warmth passing through her deep, dark eyes.
"Thank you for telling me so much."
Bai Lang was even happier than him: "You're welcome! I'm glad I could help you."
Xue Gui: "Where is your clan leader?"
He wanted to ask Zhu Yu what kind of plants Yu Yan was looking for.
Unfortunately, before Bai Lang could answer, someone in the distant group transformed into a beast and flew into the sky, calling for everyone to continue their journey.
Zhu Yu's voice came: "Time is tight, everyone hurry up and get the team together. Let's try to reach the next tribe before it gets completely dark. Especially the little ones, keep a close eye on them."
"Yes, Chieftain," everyone replied.
Bai Lang and Xue Gui also stood up, put on their things, and transformed into their beast forms.
When they looked at each other, Xue Gui said calmly, "Let's get going."
Anyway, I'll see Yu Yan soon, so a little longer won't make a difference.
Bai Lang did a good deed and happily flew to the front of the group.
The images of Yu Yan and Xue Gui flashed through his mind, and he suddenly realized something.
Yu Yan and Xue Gui look a bit alike! Especially their deep black eyes.
For this reason alone, Yu Yan should be willing to give Xue Gui proper medical treatment!
Bai Lang was completely relieved.
...
"Achoo!" Yu Yan, who was putting salted meat into the basket, suddenly sneezed.
He rubbed his nose and muttered under his breath, "Who's talking about me?"
Lan Xiu packed his things with him and gave him a concerned look.
Feng Gui sat under the eaves, a circular thimble on his long index finger, sewing the cloth in his hand with an iron needle.
A light rain was falling outside, the sky was gray, and the air was filled with the smell of moisture.
He also heard Yu Yan sneeze and looked up to ask, "Yu Yan, are you feeling cold?"
Yu Yan smiled and shook her head: "No, no. Although it's been raining a lot lately, it's still quite hot."
"That's good. How much did you pack? Do you need me to bring two more baskets?"
"No need for now, this is enough."
What Yu Yan and the others were carrying were supplies for the Autumn Harvest Fair.
In the past few months, he has accumulated a lot of resources by treating patients, making all sorts of new things, receiving "dividends" from the tribe, and receiving gifts from others.
Metal ores, new seeds, round pearls, and beautiful jade are all rare finds. What's piled up in the warehouse now are mostly uneaten dried wild vegetables, fruits, seafood, cured meat, and processed animal hides—common supplies.
It was the rainy season, and the dried vegetables, dried fruit, and salted meat were all showing signs of mold. The three of them couldn't use up all the animal hides, so Yu Yan decided to take them to the autumn harvest fair and exchange them for some usable items.
In addition, Yu Yan also made a batch of new soaps for this gathering, pickled sauerkraut and preserved eggs, boiled oyster sauce, fried chili oil, and so on.
Besides helping him with his work, Feng Gui also wove many straw hats and straw sandals himself.
They all tried out the three pairs of rain boots that Yu Yan made, and they were very comfortable. If it weren't for the scarcity of tung oil and the lack of sunny days, Feng Gui would have liked to make some more and take them to the market, where they would surely have been able to exchange them for a lot of supplies.
On the tribe's side, as planned, they fired pottery, glass, cement, and other materials, and also crafted a batch of metal tools.
The entire tribe was so busy that Yu Yan felt like she was celebrating the Lunar New Year.
Feng Gui finished sewing the last stitch and touched the gourd pattern printed on the fabric with his fingers.
Yu Yan said this was called a "pretext," and that it was useful.
Feng Gui showed the sign to Yu Yan and went to feed the ducks himself.
Lan Xiu glanced at the signboard and asked, "Yu Yan, there's also a gourd hanging on the door of the room where you treat patients. Does a gourd symbolize medical treatment?"
Yu Yan nodded: "Yes."
"But... why a gourd?" Lanxiu didn't understand.
Yu Yan told him the legend of "Master Hu hanging a gourd".
Although he blurred the era and spoke in a simple way, Lanxiu listened with great interest.
“…So, the gourd is used to represent healing and saving lives,” Yu Yan said quietly, implying the idea of “healing the sick and saving lives.”
Lan Xiu nodded and said seriously, "It's very interesting. No wonder the little ones all like to pester you to tell them stories."
"Haha, my explanation wasn't very engaging; it was just because it was novel." Yu Yan was very self-aware.
Lan Xiu gave him a deep look, then helped him roll up and put the signboard away.
The few days of preparation flew by, and the day of the Autumn Harvest Fair finally arrived.
The night before, many people in the tribe were unusually excited and didn't sleep well.
Yu Yan, on the other hand, took a hot bath at home and had a good, restful sleep.
The next day, while it was still completely dark, several excited shouts could be heard.
"Get up! We're going to the Harvest Grassland for a gathering today!"
"Get up, wash your face, and eat! Pack your things!"
"Is your little one still sleeping? Take him to his father and let him continue sleeping on the way!"
The excitement swept through the entire tribe like a hurricane. Yu Yan struggled for a moment with her eyes closed, but resigned herself to getting up.
Feng Gui got up a little earlier than him and was boiling water in the kitchen.
Yu Yan opened the window; the light rain outside hadn't stopped.
Amazingly, without clocks or calendars, he could smell the autumn air simply by his nose.
It was refreshing, with a touch of melancholy, and at the same time, there were signs of the fruit ripening on a large scale.
Yu Yan let out a deep breath and said happily, "Autumn has finally arrived."
After tidying up the house, locking the door, and carrying their belongings, the three of them headed to the altar square to meet.
It was still dark, but the rain had gradually stopped, and the grass, trees, and roads were all wet.
A large crowd had already gathered in the square, carrying torches. Upon seeing Yu Yan, they all greeted her warmly.
"Yu Yan, you're here! Have you had breakfast?"
Yu Yan smiled and said, "I haven't eaten. I can't eat this early."
Yin Qing: "Haha, we haven't eaten yet either. We'll eat on the way."
Senbo: "I want to wait until the harvest grasslands to eat it, maybe I can trade it for some delicious food from other tribes."
Everyone excitedly shared what great things they had brought.
By the firelight, Yu Yan saw that they were all dressed up beautifully and wearing a lot of accessories, among which glass jewelry and metal knives at their waists were the "standard equipment" for everyone.
Compared to them, Yu Yan's attire was much more understated; only her clothes were made by Feng Guixin.
After everyone had gathered, Cangfeng led them in a solemn sacrifice to the Beast God.
"Alright, pack your things, little one, get on your back, let's go!" Cangfeng said loudly.
"Let's go! Let's go!!"
In the misty sky, everyone's eyes sparkled.
Birds, beasts, and people carried their belongings and their relatives and friends, flying around the procession.
Lan Xiu, an orc who couldn't fly, ran swiftly across the land.
Yu Yan wanted to save her energy, so she chose to sit on his head, since his back was full of things.
Feng Gui was too embarrassed to sit with Yu Yan, so he flew around in the group.
An orc whipped up a gust of wind, and he flew effortlessly, even chatting with his companions.
Everyone expressed their envy when they talked about the house they lived in.
"During the rainy season, the bird's nest gets damp and musty, and I really don't want to live there anymore."
"The clothes I washed wouldn't dry even after hanging in the bird's nest for days, so I had no choice but to take out the animal skins and wear them."
“Feng Gui, your house is still the best. It’s so spacious, and you can even use a charcoal brazier to dry your clothes.”
Feng Gui felt proud and reassured everyone: "It'll be soon. Yu Yan brought back so much timber, we can exchange it for another batch at the market. Once the rainy season is over, your houses will be ready to be built."
Xuefei sat on Moye's back, turned her head and said, "Yes, at least we won't have to freeze this winter."
The first rays of the rising sun broke through the mist, gradually illuminating the horizon.
Full of hope, they flew toward the light that belonged to them.
Qiu Ze was awakened by the sounds of everyone chatting and singing. He rubbed his sleepy eyes with his chubby little hands, looked around, and then realized that he was lying in his father's arms.
And he and his adoptive father were both on their father's back! In heaven!
"Wow—" Qiu Ze kicked off the animal skin covering him and exclaimed in surprise, "Father, Uncle, we've already gone out!!"
Xuefei laughed and hugged him, "Yeah, I made you so tired this morning and you didn't even wake up."
Qiu Ze rarely had the opportunity to travel this far, so she nestled in his arms, her eyes glued to him, unwilling to blink.
What attracted him more than the magnificent scenery were the people running around on the ground in all directions.
Their animal forms include giant pythons, black wolves, leopards, rabbits, deer, white tigers...
Every orc's running posture was wild and powerful, resolutely heading towards the bountiful grassland.
Qiu Ze recognized many "familiar faces" and excitedly pointed them out to Xue Fei, who affectionately patted his little head.
Below, Yu Yan sat comfortably between Lan Xiu's two ears.
The white tiger's thick, large ears would occasionally twitch, making his heart itch with excitement.
"Lanxiu..." he called out in a very soft voice.
"Um?"
Can I touch your ears?
"..."
"Can't I?" Yu Yan looked at his ears twitching even more and felt a little disappointed.
“…Yes.” Lan Xiu paused. “You don’t need to ask next time.”
Hehe! Yu Yan was immediately delighted, moved to one ear, hugged him tightly, and gave him a good rub with both hands.
Holidays are great! He loves holidays!!!
Many people in the peninsula tribe can fly, so they were among the first of the surrounding tribes to arrive at the harvest grasslands.
However, many tribes closer to the grasslands arrived earlier and even found a spot on the grasslands to set up "stalls".
The grassland stretches as far as the eye can see, and the gentle breeze stirs up layers of green waves on the lush grass, filling the air with the sweet scent of fresh grass.
Yu Yan jumped off Lan Xiu's back and looked into the distance, trying to see if the people from the highlands, clouds, mountains and other tribes had arrived.
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