Chapter 36

Ye Baizhi explained, “We can just build a donkey shed and tie it up securely.”

“On regular days, we’ll tether it next to the millstone so it can turn it.”

“That way, Mother and Big Brother won’t have to work so hard grinding soybeans.”

Ye Baizhi planned to produce more tofu-based products—such as tofu puffs and tofu skins—that could be dried and stored, eliminating the need to make them daily. This would also reduce the amount of labor needed.

For the past few days, her brother had barely gone out; he’d stayed home grinding soybeans and making tofu.

Fortunately, the people in the tribe were grateful and would bring back food from their foraging trips to share.

Ye Lu tied up the donkey’s legs securely using vines.

Ye Baizhi quickly began cooking vermicelli noodles.

Xue Youchen tended the firewood.

Soon, the sweet potato vermicelli was ready, its rich aroma wafting through the air.

The whole family sat down together to eat the sweet potato vermicelli.

Ye Lu and Ye Chuan had been busy all day and were already famished. Not caring about appearances, they began eating right away.

“So good—really delicious.”

“Whenever I’m away, I always look forward to coming back and eating my sister’s cooking.”

“This sweet potato vermicelli is so smooth and tender. Delicious—and the broth is great too.”

Ye Chuan couldn’t stop praising the meal. At first, he thought red-braised pork and sweet potatoes were already amazing, but he later realized that everything his sister made was so flavorful.

Each day became something to look forward to. Unlike before, when they worried about whether they’d even have food the next day, or go to bed hungry. Now, no one in the village had to go hungry anymore.

Everyone said a bowl of soy milk in the morning made their bodies feel warm and comfortable. Some of the beastmen in the tribe even drank it at night.

Over the past few days, everyone had been drinking soy milk, and some of the weaker beastmen clearly looked much healthier. With more strength, they could now help out at the mill.

Ye Baizhi looked at Xue Youchen. Catching her gaze, he immediately understood what she wanted to ask. He gave a graceful smile and said gently, “Yes, the flavor is excellent.”

Watching her daughter and son-in-law, Ye Lu felt a little more at ease. She could tell that the Snow Wolf King truly cared about her daughter—his care didn’t seem to stem from obligation alone. He must have genuine feelings for Ye Baizhi. And that was enough.

Only after she’d eaten her fill did Ye Lu speak up: “This food is simply astonishing.”

If her daughter hadn’t taught her the method, she wouldn’t have even imagined it.

“But our household’s clay jars and pots aren’t enough. Maybe we could trade some of this food at the market in exchange?”

“Otherwise, we won’t be able to store it all.”

Back then, with hunger always looming, there was no such thing as food storage. Now the house was full of food—far more than they could eat—and it was clear the jars and pots wouldn’t be enough.

Xue Youchen spoke up: “However many Mother and Big Brother need, I’ll have them delivered.”

Ye Lu quickly responded, “That won’t do.”

Though the Snow Wolf King was her daughter’s beast husband, the Rabbit Tribe and the Snow Wolf Tribe were hardly a good match. The difference in status was simply too great.

Even if the Snow Wolf King seemed to have genuine feelings for her daughter, there were still so many others in the Snow Wolf Tribe. The elders and other tribesfolk might not be so accepting of her daughter.

If they forced the Snow Wolf King to leave or secretly targeted her daughter and pressured her to leave on her own, things would become very difficult. She didn’t want her daughter to get hurt.

Over the past few days, some memories had resurfaced—fuzzy but clear enough for her to recall once naively following a beastman to the imperial city. What happened afterward had been a painful wake-up call.

So, in Ye Lu’s eyes, it was better to be independent and self-reliant rather than depend on another tribe. Even more, they couldn’t afford to allow others to mock or belittle them. Besides, troubling the Snow Wolf Tribe just for some clay jars and pots would only add burdens to her daughter.

Xue Youchen was just about to try persuading her again when Ye Baizhi casually set down her chopsticks and said, “No need to go through all that. I’ll find time for us to fire the clay pots ourselves.”

Her words left Ye Lu and Ye Chuan stunned—even Xue Youchen paused mid-action. Could one really make clay pots on their own?

Ye Chuan stared wide-eyed. “Sister, those clay jars and pots… I heard that’s a skill only a certain tribe in another region possesses. The method is their trade secret, known only to a few of their people, and it’s never shared.”

“They transport those pots through merchants and sell them at the market. We can only get them by trading goods.”

Their tribe was one of the few that even had such items. Some had only been acquired back when their mother, possessing sixth-tier strength and excellent hunting skills in her youth, traded prey and animal hides for them.

Ye Baizhi understood why they were so surprised. The culture here was still quite underdeveloped, with many skills held by only a few tribes. And those few tribes could rely on just a single craft to earn a great deal. They didn’t even need to hunt—selling these goods alone could support their entire tribe.

Ye Baizhi said, “In a few days, when we find time to fire some ourselves, you’ll see—it’s actually very simple and not troublesome at all.”

“There’s no real secret to these things.”

On the Beast Continent, ordinary tribes lived in isolation, and whatever knowledge they had was passed down from generation to generation. They had no way of learning from outside sources. It wasn’t like the post-apocalyptic world, where there was the internet, television, and countless books to learn from.

“I can’t really explain it clearly now, but once we’ve fired them in a few days, you’ll understand.”

Xue Youchen was deeply moved—his Ah Zhi never failed to surprise him.

Although the Snow Wolf Tribe lacked for nothing, most tribes in the Northern Region were still in short supply of items like these.

Ye Lu was stunned, and after a long moment, she murmured, “If… if our tribe really can fire clay jars and pots, we won’t be the same tribe anymore.”

“If we brought them to market, it would definitely cause a stir.”

Ye Baizhi replied earnestly, “Mother, our tribe isn’t strong yet.”

“A man without sin is still guilty for possessing treasure.”

“If our strength can’t keep up with the skill we possess, other tribes will come for us.”

“So once we’ve fired the jars, we’ll use them within our tribe first. Once we’re stronger as a whole, then we can take things to market to trade.”

“Or even set up a stall there.”

Ye Chuan looked puzzled. “Sister, what does ‘a man without sin is still guilty for possessing treasure’ mean?”

Ye Baizhi explained it to him. And just like that, Ye Chuan was in awe of her wisdom. Even Xue Youchen’s expression shifted. They’d both studied at the Imperial Academy, learning teachings handed down from the Beast God himself. Yet his Ah Zhi had already surpassed that knowledge.

Ye Baizhi didn’t pursue the topic any further. Fortunately, the tribe was sensible and willing to follow her guidance, so there was little worry about chaos.

After the meal, Ye Baizhi looked at Ye Chuan and said seriously, “Big Brother, Kasai is dead, and the matter with the Cat Tribe has been resolved. Xue Youchen has also brought back your gifted bone.”

“We’re planning to nurse your body for a couple of days, and then reattach your gifted bone. That way, your strength can slowly be restored.”

Upon hearing this, Ye Chuan trembled all over, barely able to believe it. “This is… really true?”

He suspected he might have misheard. The idea that he could regain his strength felt almost too good to be real.