Chapter 64
Three people worked from dawn till dusk, tirelessly digging. It took them two and a half days to replicate the horizontal kiln, which did not belong to this world and only existed in Hua Shi’an’s mind, one to one.
A gentle breeze blew, and the small river flowed gently. The flat and open meadow above the riverbank was broken by a sudden black hole. The opening was not large, slightly larger than a manhole cover in modern society. From a distance, it looked like a trap set by a hunter in the forest.
But upon closer inspection, there was another world inside the hole.
The kiln chamber was very large. Hua Shi’an jumped down, holding onto the earthen wall, and felt that it was even a circle larger than his own tree hollow. It would not be a problem to lay a large bed and sleep in it. It was narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. The overall shape of the kiln was pear-shaped. The ground was rammed flat, and the walls of the hollow were chiseled smooth. It was remarkably similar to the cellars used to store food in the early years.
The only difference was that on the side near the riverbank, there were two holes in the corner of the ground, larger than a stone pot. No light could be seen in the holes. Upon closer inspection, there was a narrow and long passage below. This was the fire eye that Hua Shi’an had specifically asked the beastmen to dig, and it was connected to the firebox through a fire channel.
The kiln chamber was for piling up the unbaked pottery, and the firebox was for piling up dry firewood. All that was left was to light the dry firewood in the firebox, and the roaring flames would spread up the fire channel, instantly engulfing the entire kiln chamber.
The kiln chamber was a bit deep. It was easy to get down but difficult to get up. Hua Shi’an had to be helped by the two beastmen to successfully climb up to the grass, getting covered in mud.
I’ll have to make a ladder later, or I won’t even be able to put the unbaked pottery in.
He climbed out of the kiln chamber and walked straight to the river. The riverbank that came into view had also changed. Half of the 45-degree slope had been dug away, turning it into a vertical bank. The semi-circular hollow dug out directly below the bank wall was the firebox, and the open space on both sides had also been filled with mud, which could be used to pile up the dry firewood for firing the kiln.
The fire channel connecting the firebox and the fire eye was inside the kiln and could not be seen from the outside. It was just such a small passage, but it had taken them half a day.
The soil layer was too thick. It was difficult to find the right position by digging from top to bottom, so they could only dig from bottom to top. But the firebox below was too narrow for a person to crawl in and work. In the end, the two beastmen had to change back to their beast forms and dig it out with their claws.
Hard work paid off. The kiln was finally dug. After a final inspection inside and out, Hua Shi’an wiped the thin layer of sweat from his forehead, climbed up the slope, and walked towards the two panting, mud-covered beastmen.
“Well, Lord Priest, is there anything wrong with it?”
Fearing that something was wrong and they would have to rework it, Yan Qiuyu asked impatiently as soon as Hua Shi’an approached.
These two days had been too hard, even harder than turning the land before. Looking at the sweat-drenched and anxious beastman, Hua Shi’an lifted his arm, which was hanging at his side, and gave a standard thumbs-up. “There are no problems at all. It’s perfect, exactly as I imagined.”
“Woohoo!” Yan Qiuyu let out a strange cry, and his whole body visibly relaxed, his mouth grinning from ear to ear. “It’s finally done. This, this thing, oh right, a kiln. This thing is so tedious!”
Mo Huaishan did not agree with him. He touched his nose and said, “It’s not so bad.”
Yan Qiuyu tilted his head and glared at him. “Hey, you—”
“Alright,” Hua Shi’an waved his hand, a faint smile in his eyes as he praised them softly, “The structure of a kiln is complex, and it is indeed tedious to dig. You two are very capable, very impressive. I originally thought it would take five or six days, but you finished it in just over two.”
“You’ve worked hard. You’re all good. Go and wash up and rest in the camp.”
Yan Qiuyu was just complaining. As soon as Hua Shi’an praised him, he became embarrassed and lowered his head, chuckling. “I’m not that impressive. It’s what we should do.”
Mo Huaishan was also a little embarrassed and smiled, pursing his lips. “Is there anything else to do, Shi’an? It’s only past noon. It seems a bit early to rest.”
With the kiln dug, there were more things to do. But people were not machines. How could they keep working? Hua Shi’an didn’t even think about it and started walking forward. “We’ll talk about the afternoon’s business in the afternoon. Let’s go. Let’s go and wash up and rest for a while first.”
“Okay!” Yan Qiuyu was very enthusiastic.
The two beastmen went directly to the river. Hua Shi’an first went back to the tree hollow, got his own sheepskin scrap towel, and a few soapberries, and then leisurely walked to the river.
It was not long after the beginning of spring, and the river water was still chilly. Yan Qiuyu, as if he couldn’t feel the cold, plunged in. By the time Hua Shi’an arrived, Yan Qiuyu had already swum to the middle of the river, and only Mo Huaishan was left on the bank, scooping water to wash his body.
“Why don’t you go for a swim?” Hua Shi’an squatted beside the beastman, draped the sheepskin over his shoulder, and handed him two soapberries.
The two of them were alone, and Mo Huaishan became nervous again. He took the still-warm soapberries, pursed his lips, and tilted his head to look at Hua Shi’an. “I-I was waiting for you.”
“Oh? Waiting for me?” Hua Shi’an’s bright eyes curved slightly, and a soft laugh escaped his lips. “What were you waiting for me for? Do you have something to say to me?”
He had been interrupted by Yan Zhile last night, and that topic had not been continued.
It was a pity, but not a regret, because that was not the best time.
Hua Shi’an was undoubtedly the smartest and most outstanding sub-beastman Mo Huaishan had ever seen. But what about himself? Mo Huaishan’s eyes lifted slightly, and in Hua Shi’an’s clear eyes, he saw a clumsy-mouthed, slow-witted beastman with nothing but size and strength.
Everyone thought he was not worthy of a sub-beastman, that he was not qualified to be a sub-beastman’s mate. But he didn’t want to give up this only sub-beastman who was good to him and gave him encouragement and support when he encountered difficulties.
Mo Huaishan was more anxious than anyone. He was afraid that Hua Shi’an would be snatched away, and he didn’t want Hua Shi’an’s gaze to turn to other beastmen. But for courtship, you had to have at least one thing to offer. He had to be prepared and not wrong the sub-beastman.
He had accidentally gotten lost in thought. Hua Shi’an, who was busy washing his body beside him, was almost done. Mo Huaishan finally came to his senses. He reached out and touched Hua Shi’an’s shoulder, but when the other turned to look at him, he gently held that wet hand.
“Shi’an.”
As if Yan Qiuyu, who was swimming in the river, did not exist, Mo Huaishan, with a courage that came from who knows where, blatantly held Hua Shi’an’s hand, his gaze deep and solemn. “Can, can you wait for me a little longer? You should have what others have. I, I will work hard.”
I’ll wait for you, you’ll wait for me. It was a strange sentence, but Hua Shi’an understood.
Without any hesitation, Hua Shi’an held the beastman’s hand in return, met his uneasy gaze, and smiled and nodded. “I’ll wait, no matter how long.”
…
After washing up and returning to the camp, the three of them had become two. Mo Huaishan, who didn’t want to keep Hua Shi’an waiting for too long, had left. He actively participated in the hunt and hurried to meet up with the hunting team that was clearing the traps in the forest.
In the afternoon, Hua Shi’an planned to take a walk around and look for suitable clay or pottery clay for making unbaked pottery. It was just looking for clay. He could go by himself. He didn’t need a beastman at all. But Yan Qiuyu insisted that he was tired, his back was sore, and he was uncomfortable everywhere. He insisted on staying in the tribe and doing some light work with Hua Shi’an.
He couldn’t be driven away. What could he do? After drinking some water in the camp and resting for a while, Hua Shi’an shouldered an empty back basket, threw a hoe into it, and led the clingy Yan Qiuyu downstream.
He didn’t know if it was because of his beast form, but all rock squirrels had a bit of a chatterbox attribute. Yan Zhile was one, and Yan Qiuyu was another. They talked more than anyone else. Wherever they were, you couldn’t expect any peace and quiet.
And now, just as they had passed the kiln, Yan Qiuyu, who had been complaining about his sore back, was fully revived.
Not content with walking normally, he hurried a few steps to Hua Shi’an’s front, suddenly turned around and walked backwards, facing Hua Shi’an, and his mouth started chattering again, “Lord Priest, where are we going? With a back basket and a hoe, are we going to dig for plants? Have you found any new plants?”
There were so many questions that Hua Shi’an didn’t know which one to answer first. He was stunned for two seconds and slowly spat out one word, “Clay.”
“Dig for clay? The back basket is for carrying clay?” Yan Qiuyu raised an eyebrow, loosened his grip on the back strap, and pointed to the grass at his feet. “Isn’t there clay everywhere here? Why do we have to go so far?”
Although he was a bit talkative, he was asking a serious question. Hua Shi’an gently kicked the grass with the tip of his foot and said casually, “This clay is not suitable. I’m looking for a soft, fine clay with few sand particles and high viscosity.”
Thinking that pottery clay could also be found around the rocky mountains, Hua Shi’an added, “By the way, have you seen any around the rocky mountains before? A yellowish-brown or grayish-white, relatively special clay, not quite the same as what we usually see.”
“Now that you mention it…” Yan Qiuyu stroked his chin and thought for a moment, then clapped his hands. “I have! I’ve really seen it. It’s that grayish-white clod of clay. It’s very smooth to the touch and breaks when it falls on the ground.”
Grayish-white, and breaks when it falls. It fit the characteristics of pottery clay.
Hua Shi’an quickly asked, “Where did you see it?”
Yan Qiuyu: “On the cliff.”
He had gotten excited for nothing. Hua Shi’an’s face changed in a second. “Well, forget I asked.”
“Don’t. I’m very good at climbing mountains. I even got the honey down. I can get the clay down too. If you want it, I’ll go up the mountain and get it.” Yan Qiuyu patted his chest and said.
Hua Shi’an shook his head. “Clay is much heavier than honey. It’s too much trouble to carry a back basket of clay up and down the mountain. Besides, that kind of pottery clay is not hard to find. There will be some by the river. Let’s look for it first.”
“Alright, if we really can’t find it, I’ll go up the mountain and get it.” Yan Qiuyu nodded like a chick pecking at rice and then asked again, “Lord Priest, what are you looking for that kind of clay for? And that kiln, I haven’t asked yet. What are we digging that thing for?”
Hua Shi’an looked at the riverbank and explained unhurriedly, “Digging a kiln and looking for pottery clay are actually for the same thing—firing pottery. I know you’re going to ask what pottery is. Pottery is a vessel made from pottery clay, shaped, and then fired in a kiln.”
“We can fire many things, such as pots for cooking, bowls for eating, cups for drinking, or jars and pots for holding water. Of course, these are not things that can be made casually. The actual production is still very difficult.”
Yan Qiuyu was confused. “But the things you mentioned, doesn’t the tribe already have them? We use stone pots for cooking, bamboo tubes for eating and drinking soup, and bamboo tubes for holding water. These are very useful.”
“Are they? Pottery is even more useful.” Hua Shi’an chuckled softly. “A pottery pot is light. A pottery pot the same size as a stone pot can be carried with one hand. And it conducts heat quickly, so cooking is also fast. In the time it takes to boil a pot of water in a stone pot, you can boil three pots in a pottery pot.”
“Is it really that magical?” Yan Qiuyu’s interest was piqued.
Hua Shi’an: “It is. You’ll know when we fire it. Otherwise, why would I go through all this trouble?”
“But, but you said pottery is made of clay. Won’t it be not very sturdy?”
“Clay is indeed not sturdy, but after being fired in a kiln, the clay becomes pottery. Not only is it waterproof, but it’s also sturdy and durable. Of course, you can’t just throw it on the ground.”
“I understand!” Yan Qiuyu nodded vigorously, turned around to walk properly, and his pace obviously quickened. “Let’s hurry up and find it, hurry up and fire it. I really want to see what the pottery you’re talking about looks like, Lord Priest.”
Hua Shi’an grunted in acknowledgment and followed the beastman’s pace.
He was finally quiet, but he hadn’t gone far before Yan Qiuyu couldn’t hold it in any longer. He deliberately cleared his throat and made a little noise. “Lord Priest, I, I have another question.”
Hua Shi’an didn’t take it seriously and said without lifting his head, “Ask.”
The boisterous beastman’s ear tips were slightly red. He seemed to be staring at the ground, but his peripheral vision was always on Hua Shi’an’s side profile. He seemed extremely nervous. He inhaled and exhaled, his breathing heavy. After a long time, he slowly spoke, “Lord Priest, I, I’ll be of age when the weather gets warmer. If you’re looking for a mate, can… can you consider me?”
Hua Shi’an almost thought he had misheard and suddenly looked up. “Huh?!”
