Chapter 052: Defense Works

After understanding the source of the peanuts, Luo Chong silently nodded to himself. Peanuts, which grow underground and look rather unremarkable above ground, were an important agricultural find that he could have easily overlooked. Luo Chong was fortunate indeed; without the peculiar circumstances that brought the peanuts to his attention through the Black Rat Tribe, he might never have recognized their significance.

Luo Chong made a show of tasting a peanut and expressed his satisfaction to Rat the Great, informing him that peanuts could indeed be traded for pottery, but only if they were whole and undamaged. He had noticed some peanuts in the sack were already broken or had shed their skins, which was fine for eating but unsuitable for seeds.

Luo Chong instructed his people to bring a large basket used for chestnuts and told Rat the Great that a basket full of intact, shelled peanuts could be exchanged for a pottery bowl. Overjoyed by Luo Chong's seemingly generous offer, Rat the Great eagerly agreed to bring more the next time.

In the end, Rat the Great left with the large basket, a pot, and a bowl, plus a wooden spoon as a gift from Luo Chong. The Black Rat delegates hurriedly departed, their survival through the night in the forest and their journey back of little concern to Luo Chong, who was focused on securing more peanuts and strengthening his tribe's manpower and defenses.

Speaking of defenses, the recent close call with the Black Rat Tribe had been a wake-up call for Luo Chong. He had been planning a city with a robust defensive wall, but such a construction would take time. Meanwhile, they needed a quicker, temporary defense solution to fill the gap.

Luo Chong had the idea to use the large stockpile of bricks that had been accumulated over the months of brick firing. These bricks were intended for building the city in the spring, but in the meantime, they could be used to construct a provisional wall.

The very next day, Luo Chong rallied all the adults, announcing a temporary halt to education in favor of building the wall—much to the joy of the tribespeople who preferred physical labor over learning.

Using rope, Luo Chong marked out a large square perimeter around the cave entrance, with one side open where the cave was. This would form a three-sided enclosure. He left a two-meter-wide gate on the east side and included the animal pens within the enclosure.

The gate was fashioned from a tall barricade known as a cheval de frise, consisting of sharp stakes pointing outward, discouraging even the most formidable creatures like the tribe's elephants from attempting to breach it. The task of constructing this barrier was entrusted to Big Tree, Wood Barrel, and Wood Swine.

For the wall itself, Luo Chong decided on a simple stacked brick structure without mortar. By pouring water over the completed walls, the freezing temperatures would naturally cement the bricks together. This method was quick and effective, and importantly, it did not permanently alter the bricks, which could be reused for the city construction once thawed in the spring.

The entire adult population of the tribe worked together, utilizing their carts and tools to rapidly raise the height of the walls. The physical activity and the visible progress on the defensive structure brought a sense of security and communal purpose to the Han Tribe.

In contrast, back at the Black Rat Tribe, Rat the Great was busy explaining the features and benefits of the pottery and the peanuts to the tribe's shaman. The new methods of cooking and storage demonstrated by Luo Chong promised significant improvements in their quality of life, making Rat the Great hopeful about future trades.

The idea of fortifying their settlement had also struck a chord with Rat the Great. Inspired by Luo Chong's initiative, he considered similar protective measures for his own tribe, though they lacked the resources and knowledge of the Han Tribe. For now, the focus was on utilizing their new acquisitions—pottery and peanuts—to better their living conditions and prepare for future interactions, potentially beneficial, with their newfound neighbors.