The expansion of the Green Sparrow Tribe’s walls and the growing population made it clear that simple drainage ditches were no longer sufficient. This led Han Cheng to think of a more efficient solution—ceramic pipes, which were much quicker and easier to install compared to stonework.
For Heiwa, who was already capable of crafting large clay vats, making interconnecting ceramic pipes was not too difficult. After Han Cheng explained his requirements and sketched out some diagrams on the ground, Heiwa quickly understood and set to work happily.
As the Deer Lord mounted the young doe with increasing frequency, signaling the change of seasons, the weather gradually warmed.
Another spring rain fell, scattering withered petals across the ground.
The rapeseed plants had just begun to grow taller, still too early to bloom into a sea of golden yellow.
In the freshly plowed and harrowed fields, people were already guiding deer-drawn seed drills, planting early millet. Tiny grains tumbled through the seed compartments, carrying the simplest hopes of the Green Sparrow Tribe’s people as they nestled into the moist earth.
Further away, others worked tirelessly, wielding hoes and bronze shovels to clear new land.
There was no choice—expanding the settlement meant encroaching on existing farmland.
To ensure the tribe’s cultivated land did not decrease, they had to intensify their agricultural efforts even further.
The construction of these walls had to be finalized before any further work could proceed.
The Shaman, deeply involved in the process, had been envisioning the grand structures depicted in the blueprint. At first, he grew increasingly excited as he worked.
However, when they finally finished marking the perimeter, his enthusiasm faded because a vast amount of farmland had been enclosed within the boundaries.
Fertile fields were being claimed for construction—how much grain would they lose in a year from this?
Han Cheng wasn’t thrilled about it either. The Green Sparrow Tribe’s total farmland was not abundant to begin with.
Suddenly enclosing so much good land just for buildings felt like a waste.
"We can still grow crops here," Han Cheng said after some thought, smiling at Shaman, Shitou, and Lame.
At those words, their eyes immediately lit up—only to cloud over with doubt quickly.
But the blueprint had made it clear: this area was slated for houses, pens, and various structures. How could they still farm here?
Han Cheng chuckled at their confusion.
Yes, construction was planned, but none of these buildings would be finished overnight.
For example, just building the outer walls alone would take nearly a full year.
In the meantime, the vast space between the old and new walls could still be used for farming.
There was more than enough time to harvest at least one crop of millet and beans.
Even after the walls were completed, the pig pens and granaries would be built gradually.
That meant the enclosed land could still be farmed for another two years or so.
With this buffer period, the newly cultivated fields would quickly compensate for the loss of farmland, preventing any drop in the tribe’s food supply.
Hearing this, the Shaman and the others, who had been distressed over losing so much fertile land, immediately brightened.
Of course! These structures wouldn’t all appear overnight. As long as pathways were left open, most of the land could still be farmed in the meantime.
How had they not thought of such a simple solution?
As the days passed, the millet seeds sprouted, swaying in the spring breeze.
The clay dug from the earth had been shaped into ceramic pipes, and their numbers continued to grow.
The rapeseed plants gradually grew taller, bursting into brilliant golden blossoms. The buzzing bees of the Green Sparrow Tribe eagerly flocked over, drawn by the sweet nectar.
Pollen turned into honey, and fallen petals gave way to long, slender seed pods.
With Han Cheng’s command, the long-anticipated moment finally arrived. Tietou and the others, eager to experience the thrill of harvesting crops with bronze sickles, rushed down to the fields without hesitation.
The gleaming bronze sickles swung swiftly through the air, cutting down row after row of golden rapeseed.
In less than ten days, the entire process—from harvesting to threshing and cleaning—was completed. Even the harvested rapeseed fields were swiftly plowed and replanted with late-season millet and beans.
For the Green Sparrow Tribe, who had already been through an autumn harvest before, this small-scale operation was almost effortless.
Meanwhile, Dou, Huang Guo, and others from the former Huang Guo Tribe watched in awe. As they observed fresh green sprouts emerging from the soil, a realization dawned upon them.
No wonder the tribe had been willing to trade precious salt and pottery for seeds and stones.
The very things they had once dismissed as insignificant had now proven to be incredibly valuable through this process!
They didn’t even need to hunt anymore—with just these fields, the entire tribe could be fed!
They had all eaten millet before and knew its pleasant taste, but why was the tribe also planting so many of those beans—the ones that always made their stomachs feel uncomfortably bloated?
Recalling their past experiences with overeating soybeans, Huang Guo and the others instinctively pressed their hands against their stomachs...
Of course, there was bound to be a difference between a blueprint and the final construction.
However, the effect of Han Cheng’s carefully drawn plans was undeniable.
Everyone in the Green Sparrow Tribe who had seen the designs was eager to bring them to life as soon as possible.
This enthusiasm fueled an incredibly productive spring planting season. Compared to previous years, significantly more land was cultivated, yet it took far less time to complete.
Naturally, the widespread use of bronze farming tools played a crucial role in this efficiency.
With a few bamboo stalks crackling in the fire, Han Cheng grabbed a bronze shovel, dug out a square block of soil, and loudly declared the official start of the Green Sparrow Tribe’s expansion project.
The tribe members, already assigned their respective tasks, cheered with excitement and immediately threw themselves into building the new walls.
Compared to when they first started, the Green Sparrow Tribe’s population had grown significantly.
Even with people still allocated to other duties, once the spring planting was completed, over a hundred workers—sometimes as many as 150—could be dedicated to wall construction.
With a larger workforce and improved tools, progress remained steady despite the new walls being much larger than the old ones.
As the Green Sparrow Tribe worked fervently to expand their settlement, in the north, Shu Pi and his men set out on their journey...