Besides this reason, another reason Han Cheng sent the trade team to transport limestone was that as the tribe’s land continued to expand, fertilizer became increasingly scarce.
Apart from fermented manure, wood ash was the tribe’s best fertilizer, so Han Cheng was somewhat reluctant to use it.
Another reason was that soil cement made from wood ash was less effective than soil cement mixed with white lime and sand.
After the trade team left, besides food supplies, what they brought the most this time were bronze axes, ropes, and sickles.
Also, unlike their previous routes, this time they first followed the small river in front of the Green Sparrow Tribe downstream. After meeting a tributary on the south side of the gradually widening river, they then followed this tributary heading south.
This tributary led to where limestone was abundant…
After seeing off the trade team, Han Cheng led little Pea, who was still a bit wobbly on his feet, toward the vegetable garden.
Pea was almost two years old now and could say many short phrases, especially “daddy” and “mommy,” which he pronounced very clearly.
Listening to Pea’s childish “daddy” calls, Han Cheng couldn’t help but smile broadly—after all, this was what he had “exchanged” for by saying “daddy” repeatedly before…
In the vegetable garden, the cabbages that were forcibly wrapped at the top had already sprouted stalks from the center, with tiny flower buds growing on top, resembling rapeseed flowers.
But after years of artificial selection and cultivation, these cabbages were very different from regular rapeseed, at least much bigger in size and better in taste.
If this trend continued, Han Cheng believed he could live to see the day when he could eat good cabbages.
Not far from the cabbages, a patch of radishes had also sprouted stalks; some were impatient and had already bloomed white flowers.
Cabbage and radishes were the best winter vegetables.
Once both were successfully cultivated, in early winter, they could pickle big jars of cabbage and radish strips to eat with millet porridge. Just thinking about it made one’s heart feel warm and satisfied…
While Han Cheng crouched by the garden, drooling as he dreamed of the future, not too far from the Green Sparrow Tribe, the leader of the Sheep Tribe was also dreaming happily of the future.
At this moment, the Sheep Tribe leader looked even younger than before.
Of course, there were reasons: one, they obtained pottery jars from the Green Sparrow Tribe, allowing them to eat warm and stomach-friendly meals in winter.
Two, inspired by the Green Sparrow Tribe, they no longer killed all the sheep they hunted in late autumn at once, but ate and killed them gradually.
This move immediately prevented many people from experiencing stomach problems in winter.
Not only did fewer people die, but the people also looked more energetic.
The Sheep Tribe leader stood on a rock, holding a sharpened stick weapon with a rope tied at the top.
In front of him was a flock of sheep grazing.
There were many sheep — a remarkable achievement after years of effort, and the fundamental reason behind the leader’s radiant smile.
Around the sheep, some Sheep Tribe members stood scattered, mostly holding similar stick weapons as the leader.
Within this large circle they formed, the sheep lowered their heads and obediently grazed.
Some were a bit unruly, but those were mostly tied up with ropes by the tribe members.
As the sheep herd grew, fewer tribe members went hunting than before.
Because with these sheep, they could get mutton anytime.
Of course, they couldn’t live only on mutton; although the tribe now had a good number of sheep, eating only mutton wouldn’t last long.
Wild vegetables and fruits were still necessary supplements.
But no matter what, the Sheep Tribe’s life was already much better than before.
Moreover, with increased food availability, the tribe’s newborns increased and survived at a significantly higher rate.
For example, last year, the tribe’s newborn survivors exceeded the total of the previous two years combined.
Whenever the leader thought of this, his face lit up with a beaming smile.
Because if things continued , the tribe would grow larger and wealthier.
Thinking of this, he often recalled his earlier plan to raid the Divine Child and the scene of the Bone Tribe attacking the Green Sparrow Tribe not far away.
Years had passed, and every time the Sheep Tribe leader remembered, he still felt very fortunate.
If he had left any slower that time, he would have been the one to die. Now, that kind of life was impossible.
When recalling that wealthy and strong tribe, he no longer lost his happiness over it.
Because this tribe developed too fast!
So fast that he couldn’t feel any envy.
Maybe the Sheep Tribe leader’s current mindset could be described as numb from the many blows received at the Green Sparrow Tribe.
Now, he only cared about his tribe’s tremendous progress compared to before, not the widening gap between his efforts and the Green Sparrow Tribe.
This is often the case: people are different, and sometimes those differences are significant, which must be accepted.
Except for a tiny minority, in any area you compare, you’ll always find someone better.
If you only focus on the gap between yourself and others, you’ll often feel frustrated.
“Comparing yourself to others will only make you angry” — that’s the truth.
Sometimes, you need to turn your gaze inward and assess whether you have improved compared to before — that’s the best way to measure progress.
After several days of travel, the Green Sparrow Tribe’s trade team finally arrived at a place abundant with limestone.
After arriving, they didn’t immediately start mining; instead, they went to a nearby tribe.