Chapter 20: Gift of the Earth
Before the joy of their new home had faded, the Silvermoon Tribe faced a new challenge: their stored food was being consumed faster than expected. Although they had ample potato reserves, the monotony of a single food item was beginning to set in, and the people were eager for more diverse sources of nutrition.
One crisp morning, Lin Chen decided to organize a long-distance gathering expedition to explore the unexplored valleys west of the tribe. Canglan was naturally accompanying them, along with Berry, who had a keen intuition about plants, and Yunshan, who was always enthusiastic.
"Legend has it that the land in the West Valley is fertile, but there's always the danger of rockfall, so few people go there," Canglan explained as he led the way. "But the rainy season isn't heavy this year, so it should be safer."
As the team walked along the winding path, Lin Chen noticed that the vegetation here was significantly different from that around the tribe. The trees were taller and the understory plants were more diverse.
"Look at these vines!" Yunshan suddenly exclaimed, pointing to a climbing plant. "The leaves are shaped like strange hands."
Berry stepped forward to examine it, frowning slightly. "I've never seen a plant like this before. Be careful, unfamiliar plants may be poisonous."
Lin Chen squatted down to observe carefully. The vines bore pod-like fruits, some already ripe and cracked open, revealing the plump beans inside. He carefully plucked a pod and gently broke it open, revealing the plump yellow bean.
"This looks like some kind of bean." Lin Chen said cautiously, "Let me do a simple test."
He followed the method of identifying edible plants in the wild, gently rubbing the beans against the inside of his wrist and waiting a moment to observe the skin's reaction. There was no redness or stinging.
"The preliminary judgment is that it is safe, but further testing is needed." Lin Chen carefully collected some pod samples.
Continuing on, they discovered several more plants that looked like they were edible: a lump-shaped plant with thick roots, a shrub full of small berries, and even several tall trees with nuts hanging on them.
During the lunch break, Lin Chen carefully processed the newly discovered beans, soaking them in clean water first, then taking out a small portion and boiling it - a common method to reduce potential toxicity.
The unique aroma of the boiling beans drew curious onlookers. Lin Chen smeared a small amount of bean paste on the inside of his arm and tested the reaction again.
"It should be safe." After waiting for enough time, Lin Chen judged, "But I'll try it first."
Canglan immediately stopped him: "It's too dangerous! Let me try."
Lin Chen shook his head: "I understand the characteristics of plants better and know what symptoms to pay attention to." He ignored the dissuasion and carefully tasted a small mouthful of the cooked bean paste.
Everyone held their breath. A few minutes later, Lin Chen smiled. "It tastes good, like chestnuts and beans. I don't feel any discomfort at the moment."
Everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief. Meiguo said seriously, "Let's wait and see. Some plant toxins take longer to take effect."
In the afternoon, Lin Chen continued his careful experiments while the team collected more samples of the beans. To their surprise, they found a large patch of these vines, laden with pods, a bountiful harvest.
After returning to the tribe, Lin Chen didn't immediately announce his discovery, but continued to observe his body's reaction. After a full day passed without any discomfort, he was convinced that the beans were safe to eat.
The next day, Lin Chen showed everyone his new discovery in the central square. He had already made several foods with beans: boiled beans, bean paste, and even tried baking them into bean cakes.
"This bean is rich in nutrients, can be stored for a long time, and tastes great," Lin Chen introduced to the crowd. "I call it 'Earth Abundant Beans' because it is a bountiful gift from the earth."
Elder Shi Yan carefully tasted the bean paste, and his eyes suddenly lit up: "It has a dense texture and a strong sense of fullness! This is indeed a good discovery!"
Everyone took turns tasting it and praised it. Hong Yan was particularly interested: "If we can collect and plant it in large quantities, it will be an important food source in the cold season!"
However, not everyone took to it immediately: some elderly people were wary of unfamiliar food, while children were less interested in the earthy bean flavor.
Lin Chen had already prepared something. He brought out another dish—a flatbread made with Difeng bean paste, potatoes, and herbs, sprinkled with a little salt and wild sesame seeds.
This time, even the pickiest kids asked for a second piece. The new dish, mixing familiar ingredients, successfully allayed everyone's concerns.
A large-scale harvest of ground beans was immediately launched. To everyone's surprise, the ground beans in the west valley were extremely abundant, enough to feed the entire tribe for several months.
But Lin Chen noticed a problem: collecting Difeng beans takes a lot of time, the vines are entangled and difficult to untie, and the efficiency of collecting pods is low.
That night, Lin Chen was in the workshop researching and improving his harvesting methods. When Canglan came, he saw him lost in thought over a pile of bean pods and vines.
"Do you need help?" Canglan asked softly, handing over a cup of hot vanilla tea.
Lin Chen looked up and smiled: "I'm thinking about how to improve the collection efficiency. Manually peeling the pods is too time-consuming."
Canglan observed for a while and suddenly said, "When we hunt, we use special tools to remove the fur. Perhaps a similar principle can be used here."
This remark enlightened Lin Chen. He immediately began to draw a design: a wooden comb with teeth that could catch the bean pods and remove them with a gentle pull.
The two worked overnight to create a prototype tool and tested it the next morning. The results were surprisingly good—the acquisition speed increased several times!
Berry saw this and sighed, "We never thought of making special tools for gathering. We always used the same stone knife for everything."
The discovery of the bean not only brought a new food but also sparked a wave of tool innovation. Over the next few days, various specialized tools were invented: shellers, grinding discs, bean sifting baskets...
The most popular one is the "bean grinding set" designed by Lin Chen: two round stone plates with a hole in the middle. By turning the upper stone plate, the beans can be ground into fine powder.
The advent of soy flour opened up new culinary possibilities. Lin Chen demonstrated how to use it to make noodles, pancakes, and various snacks, elevating the Silver Moon Tribe's culinary culture to new heights.
Before the cold season arrived, the Silver Moon Tribe had already stockpiled a large amount of Difeng beans. What reassured the elders most was that Difeng beans were extremely durable and could be preserved throughout the cold season without spoiling as long as they were kept dry.
On a cold evening, the entire tribe shared a heartwarming soup made with ground bean flour. After the meal, Elder Shi Yan officially announced, "From today on, ground bean flour will become one of the official staple foods of the Silver Moon Tribe. Every warm season, we will make special arrangements for the harvesting and planting of ground bean flour."
After dinner, Lin Chen and Canglan inspected the granary side by side. Looking at the overflowing lockers, Canglan whispered, "Because of you, there will be no more hunger and fear this winter."
Lin Chen looked at the children playing outside the warehouse and said, "Difeng Beans is just the beginning. I believe this land holds even more hidden gifts, waiting for us to discover."
Under the moonlight, two figures continued their patrol, discussing tomorrow's exploration plan. Inside the warm house, the members of the Silver Moon Tribe enjoyed the satisfaction of a full stomach, filled with unprecedented confidence for the coming winter season.
The gifts of the earth not only fill their bellies, but also nourish hope and courage. In this pristine and abundant world, Lin Chen and his tribe are moving step by step towards a more stable and prosperous future.
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