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Chapter 283 Journey to Hedong
Just as Zhang Tian expected, the copper mines in this area are not buried deep. After years of rain erosion and erosion, many of them are exposed. The quality looks okay. The proportion of copper may reach 20%, or even more. high.

The only disadvantage is that it is too far away from Taoyuan. It is unrealistic to transport the mined copper ore back. The best way is to process it locally.

Natural resources determined that this place would become the clan's most important copper production base in the future. A series of plans suddenly emerged in Zhang Tian's mind, and a blueprint for a "prehistoric copper smelting factory" gradually took shape.

There are many problems that need to be solved, and there are many front-end technologies that need to be illuminated.

The first is the manpower issue.

The Gourd Tribe is a small tribe with only about a hundred people. Due to the influence of the Sky Clan, it is now in the early stages of transitioning from fishing, hunting and gathering to farming. Due to the population and low productivity, they have very limited manpower to send out for mining. .

To take a step back, even if Da Wa intends to tighten his belt and lead his tribe to engage in the "Great Copper Smelting Movement", Zhang Tian does not intend to give him this important task.

Although they formed an alliance, their relationship was short-lived after all. It's not that they lacked trust, at least they didn't understand each other well enough.

The technology of copper smelting is the core technology of the clan, and this kind of thing should be left to the confidants.

This problem can be solved by the demolition method of later generations. A piece of land is re-planned in Taoyuan and the entire Gourd tribe can move there. The land here is expropriated by the clan, and then personnel from Taoyuan are dispatched to stay here permanently to carry out construction, excavation and construction. Mining copper.

Food and supplies are provided by the clan. To this end, it is necessary to build docks to ensure smooth water transportation. After the first batch of bronzes are made, roads can be built and wheels can be built. It is difficult to process wood into shapes and sizes with existing stone tools. Cylindrical shape, not to mention complex spoked wheels, and the road is uneven, so the wheels are useless.

As one of the oldest and most important inventions of mankind, the impact of the wheel on the progress of human civilization can be compared with the use of fire. However, compared with the history of fire use that spans more than 100 million years, the popularity of the wheel was later than the Bronze Age. There is no reason.

Zhang Tian's idea was to first make the first batch of copper tools from copper mines exposed on the surface that are relatively easy to mine, and then use these tools to dig out more ore raw materials.

Mining is only the first step. After that, there are several difficulties such as crushing, smelting, and forging. The tribesmen know nothing about this. Even Zhang Tian needs to feel the stones to cross the river.

Smelting is undoubtedly the top priority among all processes. Although the melting point of copper is lower than that of iron, it is still close to 1100 degrees. It requires building a highly airtight furnace, manufacturing blowers, ceramic crucibles, pouring molds, and continuous processing. Trial and error to determine the best copper-tin ratio... It's hard to imagine how much hardship our ancestors went through to create such a splendid bronze culture.

Zhang Tian sighed in his heart, looking back at the rocky hills at the foot of the mountain. The copper flowers leached out after the rain shined brightly in the sunset, as if they were shining with the dawn of the Bronze Age.

Da Wa followed the Sky Priest step by step. He was confused. The moment he saw those stones, the Sky Priest had a clearly ecstatic expression. Why did he just go down the mountain empty-handed without saying a word?

"Master Priest, those stones..."

"Those stones are good things, as long as you know how to use them."

"The priest knows everything and must know how to use it."

Da Wa is a cheerful person who has his intestines connected to his butthole, and he even flatters her so straightforwardly.

Zhang Tian corrected: "It's not that I know everything, but the sky knows everything. I just got guidance from the sky."

"Then does the sky give us guidance on what to do next?"

"Yes, but not now. When the time comes, I will tell you what to do."

Zhang Tian was not in a hurry to implement it.

This is a long-term plan, and there is no rush. When he returns to Taoyuan to implement the placement of the Gourd Tribe and the selection of craftsmen, it will not be too late to announce the guidance from the sky.

Now, it's time to go to Hedong for the rally.

Early the next morning, Zhang Tian led everyone back to the Giant Turtle Tribe, and then to the Dachuan Tribe by water. They passed the Taoshi Tribe on the way. It was the time of spring plowing, and they inevitably had to guide some production.

By the time they arrived at the Big Boat Tribe, a month had passed since they set out.

Jianghe warmly entertained the guests who came from afar.

The Dachuan tribe is a people on the water. They spend half of the year on the water. They may be called "water coachmen".

They are accustomed to living by the water, and they are also keen to travel along the river, explore places they have never been to, and interact with the indigenous people in various places.

In the words of Jiang He: “Wherever the water flows, we will go!”

The Dayan tribe is the only one among the tribes in Hexi that has not tried farming. Jiang He said that the lifestyle of settling in a certain place for a long time is not suitable for them. The men of the Dayan tribe will never stop exploring!
But there is one technology that the large ship tribe has learned and applied, and used it thoroughly: wine making.

Adventurous and romantic people generally find it difficult to resist the temptation of alcohol.

This is especially true for this ethnic group with restless genes flowing in their blood. Every day that they cannot go out is a betrayal of life, but since the introduction of alcohol, the days of being trapped on land do not seem so difficult.

Jiang He took out the fine wine from his collection to entertain the Sky Priest and the Wizard. He was still so good, and he became tipsy after three cups, but his addiction was as strong as ever, pouring cup after cup into his stomach.

He staggered up to the Sky Priest, belched and said, "Priest, you know...do you know why I want to go to the Star Tribe again?"

Zhang Tian frowned slightly due to the smell of alcohol spit out by the other party. He pulled away a little and said casually: "Because you miss that adventurous journey and the days spent in the Star Tribe?"

"No! No!"

Jiang He suddenly sat up straight and said seriously: "I want to go to the end of Sky Lake and take a look! People from the Star Tribe say there is no end to Sky Lake, but I don't believe it! I must go to the end of Sky Lake to take a look!"

Zhang and Lin were a little shocked by his high-pitched tone, and then they couldn't help but stand in awe.

With the current shipbuilding technology, the best we can do is sail in coastal waters. Going to the distant sea is almost the same as risking death. Jiang He must also know that sailing in unfamiliar waters is extremely risky, let alone the so-called endless sky lake.

Jiang He didn't care, he was old, he was not afraid of death, and dying without regrets was his only wish. If he failed and died in the boundless sky lake, that would be good, very good.

In this era, the vast majority of people live in mediocrity and struggle all their lives for three meals a day. There are very few people with ideals, and even fewer people who can implement their ideals and are even willing to sacrifice their lives for them.

However, it is precisely because of the existence of these rare people that civilization can develop and progress.

Zhang Tian was a little moved, but did not persuade him to turn back with any words that ruined the atmosphere. He just raised his glass and said, "You will get your wish, and the sky bless you!"...

Everyone stayed in the Dachuan tribe for a while, waiting for the spring flood caused by the melting of ice and snow to pass, before packing up and setting off on the road again.

The men of the Big Boat Tribe were impatient. They brought the most abundant cargo in history and first went down the north-south river, and then rushed to the east of the river through the east-west branch.

The boat tribe has traveled this waterway many times, and is as familiar with the hydrology along the way as it is with its own right hand.

The gathering in Hedong is held by the tribes in Hedong to imitate the autumn gathering in Hexi. It is held in summer and staggered with the gathering in Hexi.

After years of fighting, the tribes in Hedong finally determined the boundaries of their respective territories and ushered in a period of peace.

In order to make the peace era last for a long time, the wise people of each tribe decided to follow the example of Hexi, which has always been harmonious, and hold gatherings. On the one hand, they can exchange materials and exchange what they have, and on the other hand, they can also seek help from other tribes in case of disputes. Help, solving through mediation, has a bit of the meaning of the "United Nations" in later generations.

Like the gathering in Hexi, the gathering in Hedong was also held in the middle of all the tribes to facilitate the participation of all tribes.

But whether it is a gathering in the west of the river or a gathering in the east of the river, the Dachuan tribe is the farthest one. From the perspective of the Taoyuan people, it is very hard to run both ways, but the men of the Dachuan tribe enjoy it.

There are two kinds of boats in the big boat tribe. One is a manned boat, which is mostly made of wood and reeds. The other is a cargo boat, or a skin raft. The intact skins of cows and sheep whose internal organs have been eviscerated are inflated and then put together and put on the shelves. The wooden rafts are then tied with small ropes and tied into a whole.

The carrying capacity of this kind of raft is much larger than that of ordinary rafts and reed boats. It is also safer and can transport more goods.

The experienced boatmen at the helm were able to handle both waves and steady waves. They supported the raft through the turbulent waves, crossed the dangerous shoals, and drove the boat out of the speedboat. It really felt like "a reed is like nothing, and a vast expanse of land is at a loss."

Even though they had already learned how to swim, the Taoyuan people were still frightened.

Occasionally, the boat capsizes, but it doesn't matter. All the gentlemen present are white stripes in the waves, ah, no, black stripes in the waves. Their swimming skills are even better than rowing!

Of course, he is also a good fisherman. Since he learned a better method of weaving fishing nets, the fishing efficiency of the big boatmen has been improved to a higher level, saving a lot of effort!
When people pass by the tribes along the way, they even save on fishing. They can have a full meal and a good sleep.

There are no residents in the east of Hedong who don't know about the Dachuan Tribe, and because they are far away and there are no disputes, the local natives treat the Dachuan Tribe even more kindly than their immediate neighbors.

Especially in the past two years, the Big Boat Tribe has become rich overnight. It has suddenly acquired many unheard-of novelty gadgets. They are all very practical and good things, which are dizzying!
It is easy to go from frugality to luxury, but it is difficult to go from luxury to frugality. After enjoying a superior material life, the people of Hedong can never go back.After the beginning of spring, they looked forward to the arrival of the Dachuan Tribe every day. Although they did not eat the slurry in the pot, they all welcomed it with enthusiasm.

People soon discovered that there were many unfamiliar faces mixed into the fleet. Although some new people would come every time, there were never so many as this time!Moreover, these people looked quite old, and there was a woman among them who was tall, thin, and flat, as if a snake had become a spirit, and she didn't look like a newcomer at all!
Jiang He said loudly: "They come from a distant land, and these goods belong to them!"

Then he pointed at Zhang and Lin respectively and introduced:

"This is the Sky Priest!"

"This is the wizard!"

Zhang Tian was too lazy to beep and directly called Lin Yu to open the door.

The ancients described a beautiful lady as having lotuses growing at every step, and Lin Yu walking as a forest growing at every step. With every step she took, trees sprung up behind her, as if they were gathering for her, as majestic as she wanted.

People from Hedong had never seen such a scene before. Their hands and legs were numb and they immediately fell to the ground and screamed "Long Live the Mountain".

Even people from Hexi who have seen miracles are amazed. No matter how many times they see this scene, they are still frightening and they can't help but want to kowtow and worship.

Although this routine is simple and crude, it is effective.

After showing the miracles and then preaching the teachings of the sky, you get twice the result with half the effort, and you hardly need to waste any words.

The people of Hedong rushed into the embrace of the sky and contributed to Zhang Tian's small goal of [-] faith points.

However, doing so will lead to a result: the admiration of Hedong people will be projected on Lin Yu, not Zhang Tian.

Of course, Zhang Tian didn't care. He and Lin Yu had already been on the same page, admiring everyone the same regardless of each other.

But this caused something unexpected for the two of them.

That night, the miracles during the day were known to everyone, and at the same time, the wizard's reputation was also spread.

The people from Hedong obviously thought that calling him "Master Wizard" was not enough. When they met the Master Wizard afterwards, they all said "Sir Snake Girl" with great respect, which made Zhang Tian and Lin Yu look confused.

Lin Yu couldn't help but ask: "Why the snake girl?"

The Hedong people answered seriously: "It's a snake girl, not a snake girl."

"what?"

Jiang He on the side quickly explained: "She is a goddess, not a snake girl. The accent of the people in Hedong is different from ours. In their language, the pronunciations of snake and god are similar. I was quite confused when I first came here, but I got used to it. good……"

Zhang and Lin suddenly realized that they looked at each other subconsciously, knowing that they wanted to be together.

Coincidence?Or is this the origin of Nuwa's human head and snake body?

What the two didn't know was that the misunderstanding caused by the accent inspired the people of Hedong. They thought that the goddess was tall and thin, so she was the incarnation of a snake, and the pronunciations of snake and god were similar. There must be some connection!
After the news spread, it became more and more distorted. In the end, even the people of Hedong couldn't tell whether it was the snake girl or the goddess.

Zhang Tian followed the same method and brought all the tribes along the way under Tian Tian's command one by one, without any soldiers or even any effort.

Lin Yu naturally took the greatest credit. In addition, thanks to Jiang He's introduction, the people in Hedong let down their guard from the beginning. If they came alone, it would never be so smooth.

As we walked and stopped, more and more people came with us.The temperature increased day by day, and when summer came, the group finally arrived at the meeting place in Hedong.

(End of this chapter)