After enjoying delicious food these past few days, Jian Mo felt re-energized.
When he woke up in the morning, he was in high spirits, his steps unusually light.
He asked Wu Jiong, who was boiling water, “What do you want for breakfast? Meat patties or sausages? We also have cured meat—just need to grill it.”
Wu Jiong replied, “Grilled meat. I’m a little tired of patties and sausages.”
Jian Mo rolled up his sleeves. “Grilled meat it is. I’ll go cut some tendon grass later. Feels like we haven’t had vegetables in a couple of days; we need to balance things out.”
“I’ll go cut it,” Wu Jiong offered.
“No rush,” Jian Mo said. “Let’s wait for the snow to stop.”
As he spoke, Jian Mo looked out the window.
For days now, it had been snowing heavily. The icy wind outside froze water instantly. Even just walking around the yard was bone-chilling.
Since Jian Mo suggested waiting, Wu Jiong didn’t insist. He continued wiping down the windowsill with a cloth.
He was meticulously cleaning, but Jian Mo noticed that the hearth area was rather dirty in comparison. Unable to ignore it, he joined in to tidy up.
As he cleaned, Jian Mo suggested, “How about we build a new kitchen next to the house today? That way, we won’t have to deal with grease making the house sticky, and we won’t have to clean constantly. We could also bring out some fabrics and vases to decorate the place.”
Wu Jiong agreed. “I’ll talk to Qing Kuo and the others. We’ve got extra beast hides at home. We can trade them for some stones from the tribe.”
“Get plenty,” Jian Mo said. “I want to build a proper stove. The hearth isn’t very convenient. Every time, I have to place a stone slab over it—way too much hassle.”
Jian Mo had lived in the countryside as a child and had seen traditional stoves, so he had a rough idea of how to make one. Recreating it now shouldn’t be too hard. At worst, it would be clunky, but surely no worse than the hearth.
Besides, they could always make adjustments as needed. Since they built everything themselves, tearing it down and rebuilding was always an option.
With that in mind, Jian Mo added, “We should also see if we can forge a couple of metal pots. I’ve been observing our metal knives lately—they’re quite stable and don’t rust much. Using similar metal to make pots should work fine.”
When they smelted metal in their furnace, the temperature reached over a thousand degrees Celsius. Cooking temperatures, at most, would only be two or three hundred degrees, so there shouldn’t be any toxic substances released.
The clay pots they currently used cracked too easily. Jian Mo had been longing for a sturdy iron pot for some time.
Wu Jiong readily agreed. “Tell me how, and I’ll make it.”
“It’s simple,” Jian Mo explained. “Take a large piece of metal, forge it into a sheet, and hammer it into a bowl shape. Think of it as a small basin with handles, but made of metal so it can go directly over the fire for cooking.”
He gestured with his hands as he spoke. Seeing that Wu Jiong still seemed a bit confused, he added, “I’ll draw it on a wooden board later. Once you see it, you’ll understand.”
As they talked, Jian Mo’s hand touched something soft, likely a piece of food that had accidentally fallen while cooking the day before.
He picked it up to throw it into the wooden bucket for kitchen scraps but caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of his eye. To his surprise, it was a small piece of dough.
It must have fallen during the cake-batter mixing process. After sitting on the stone slab all day, much of its moisture had evaporated, yet it still felt soft to the touch.
Jian Mo examined the dough closely and found it had fermented into a smooth, airy texture. Gently pressing it, he could feel the trapped air escaping.
He froze in place—fermentation! How could he have forgotten about fermentation?
The air was full of natural yeast. With the sugar in the dough providing food for the yeast, it must have multiplied and fermented the dough perfectly.
Wu Jiong noticed Jian Mo suddenly go quiet and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Jian Mo held the dough in his palm and showed it to Wu Jiong. “This dough has fermented.”
Wu Jiong examined it. “Fermented?”
“Fermentation,” Jian Mo explained, “is a process where air gets incorporated into the dough. You know how the dough we knead is usually dense right? After fermentation, it’s different. The fermented dough is full of tiny air bubbles, making it soft and fluffy with a unique texture. We can use it to make different kinds of food.”
Wu Jiong’s expression showed he only half understood.
“You’ll see when I make something with it,” Jian Mo said confidently.
Holding the small piece of fermented dough, Jian Mo added, “I’ll use this as a starter to ferment more dough. Tonight, we’ll have steamed buns.”
Wu Jiong had never heard of such food but was intrigued by the idea. “Alright, I’ll help.”
“No need,” Jian Mo said. “You can help season some meat later. Tonight, we’ll have meat-stuffed buns.”
Eager to get started, Jian Mo washed his hands, scooped out some flour, and kneaded a fresh batch of dough. Then he mixed the little piece of fermented dough into it.
He covered the dough with a clean cloth and placed it by the hearth to ferment slowly.
The yeast in the small starter dough wasn’t much, so the fermentation would take longer than usual. It should be ready by the afternoon.
Even so, Jian Mo couldn’t resist checking on it frequently.
Over time, the dough became plump and white. Pressing it gently with a finger left a dent, and it was clearly becoming soft and elastic.
Jian Mo spent the entire day at home, doing small crafts while keeping an eye on the dough as it fermented.
By the afternoon, he prepared the seasoned meat in advance and set it aside to cool.
Finally, evening came, and the dough had tripled in size, looking perfect.
Jian Mo pinched off a small piece of the dough and mixed it with fresh flour to make a new starter. This starter, rich in yeast, was set aside in a dry place to ferment further.
With the starter saved, Jian Mo placed the rest of the dough on a clean stone slab and kneaded it to release some of the air. Then he rolled it into long strips, pinched off small portions, and flattened them into round discs. He filled each one with the seasoned meat, folding and sealing them into buns.
Jian Mo worked enthusiastically, not needing Wu Jiong to step in. Wu Jiong helped out by handing over tools and watched as Jian Mo transformed the dough into plump, white buns as if by magic.
“Are they ready to eat now?” Wu Jiong asked.
“Not yet,” Jian Mo replied. “They need to be steamed first.”
“I’ll get the pot ready and boil the water,” Wu Jiong said.
Steaming buns didn’t require much technique, and Wu Jiong quickly finished steaming the first batch.
The first basket held eight buns, each larger than a fist, white and plump. The tops had absorbed the oil from the seasoned meat filling, leaving an enticing caramel-brown glaze.
Though they didn’t have soy sauce, the glaze was made with caramelized sugar and shellfish powder, creating a salty-sweet, umami flavor.
Even if the seasoning wasn’t entirely authentic, the carefully crafted buns looked incredibly appetizing.
Jian Mo didn’t bother waiting for them to cool. He grabbed one for Wu Jiong and another for himself. “Quick, quick, try it! These are called buns. They’re a specialty food where I’m from. Although they’re made with flour like cake, the texture is completely different.”
As he spoke, Jian Mo gently tore a bun in half.
Flour was so precious that he had used it sparingly. As a result, the buns had thin skins and were generously filled. Inside, the seasoned meat was a mix of lean and fatty, and as he pulled the bun apart, rich juices glistened and slowly oozed out.
Jian Mo took a big bite.
The soft, slightly sweet bun paired perfectly with the savory and fragrant meat filling, creating an unbeatable combination.
He knew it—the unbeatable trio of starch, fat, and protein was guaranteed to taste amazing.
Blowing on the steaming bun, Jian Mo asked, “How is it? Didn’t I tell you? Aren’t these buns absolutely delicious?”
Wu Jiong nodded. “Mmm, I can taste the pepper-flower powder and big-leaf garlic powder. The meat is so aromatic.”
“Exactly! These spices really bring out the flavor,” Jian Mo agreed enthusiastically. “Come on, eat them while they’re hot. I don’t think we can finish all the buns I made today, so I’ll steam them all and save some for tomorrow. That way, we can just reheat them and save the hassle.”
Wu Jiong glanced at the buns. “They’re like sausages—something that keeps well.”
Jian Mo laughed. “More or less. In this weather, they’ll last ten days or even half a month. Not that they’ll last that long—I could eat these for three meals a day. They’ll be gone in two days.”
Wu Jiong let out a rare sigh. “We really need to get that land tilled as soon as possible. Waiting any longer is unbearable.”
Jian Mo laughed heartily. “There’s no choice; we have to wait for the weather to clear.”
Finally, after days of anticipation, the rain and snow stopped, and much of the snow on the ground melted away.
Wu Jiong spoke with the tribe members, and everyone decided to take advantage of the good weather to start tilling the land.
The decision to clear the land had been discussed in a prior meeting.
This year marked the He’an Tribe’s first serious attempt at farming. No one knew how successful it would be, so they decided not to overextend themselves. The plan was to clear a small section of land on the opposite riverbank for communal use, while the remaining riverside plots would be divided among the tribe on a first-come, first-served basis.
As the tribe leader, Wu Jiong wanted to clear his family’s plot first, but he restrained himself and joined the others in working on the communal land.
Having previously cleared land on the mountain, they had some experience and assumed clearing the riverside land wouldn’t be too difficult.
However, the impatient beastmen and sub-beastmen of the tribe felt the effort wasn’t worth it.
Clearing land meant removing the grass and trees, then digging out the roots, stumps, and rocks beneath.
The riverside soil was rich and fertile, which meant it was also densely overgrown. Just digging up the roots was exhausting for everyone.
“I never knew grassroots could grow so deep! Look at this—it’s longer than I am in human form!”
“This is killing me. When we used to dig for tubers, we’d just cut through any roots we found. Now we have to dig up the whole thing!”
“There are so many stones underground, too. I just hit a rock twice with my hoe, and now the blade’s all dented.”
“Brother Jian Mo, can’t I use my beast claws to dig? They’d be way more effective than this hoe.”
Jian Mo had been listening to their chatter silently. When someone called out to him, he straightened up and answered seriously, “It’s best not to use your claws. If they get damaged, they could get infected, and your paws might hurt for days.”
The beastman who asked sighed. “But using this hoe to dig bit by bit is way too slow.”
The beastmen and sub-beastmen of the tribe weren’t exactly patient workers. On foraging trips, most of their time was spent traveling, not doing repetitive tasks. Now, being stuck digging for hours was testing their limits.
Many of them began to grumble and consider giving up:
“Forget it. I don’t want to plant crops anymore. Next year, I’ll just stick to hunting and foraging. It’s way easier.”
“Same here. We’re working ourselves to death tilling this land, and the crops probably won’t even last a few meals. Hunting and gathering is simpler.”
“Yeah, besides, I’m terrible at cooking. Even if we grow good stuff, I wouldn’t be able to make it taste good. Better not to bother.”
Initially, more than half the tribe was eager to try farming. But after seeing how hard clearing the land was, most gave up.
They decided to stick with hunting and gathering. After all, except during winter, food was abundant in the wild during the other three seasons. It was easy enough to fill their bellies without farming.
Despite their complaints, no one blamed Jian Mo. They even went out of their way to reassure him, saying it wasn’t about farming being a bad idea—it was just that they were too lazy to commit.
Jian Mo responded with a good-natured smile, agreeing readily.
Previously, there hadn’t been enough riverside land to go around, and Jian Mo had even considered clearing terraced fields on the mountain. Now, with so many people giving up on farming, there was plenty of land for everyone who still wanted to plant.
Jian Mo and Wu Jiong selected the flattest, most fertile plots to work on. While the first year of farming would be challenging, things would definitely get easier in the future.
Jian Mo estimated that, with his and Wu Jiong’s combined effort, they could clear the land in ten to fifteen days.
Wu Jiong, strong and efficient, was naturally skilled at physical labor. Jian Mo, while less capable, was still a young man in his prime and confident he could manage the work.
But when they started clearing, they were surprised to find the tribe members coming to help.
Touched and surprised, Jian Mo asked, “I thought you all didn’t have the patience for farming?”
Ban Ming grinned. “Farming is a hassle. There’s so much to do after clearing the land. But helping out for a day or two is no big deal. If we all pitch in, it’ll get done quickly.”
Ah Hu added, “We’ve been idle anyway. Might as well come help and get a little exercise, Brother Jian Mo.”
Xi Lu chuckled. “We’re just here to learn how to clear land.”
He Feng, a child nearby, popped out and shouted, “Playing with mud!”
Jian Mo finally noticed that the children had also come along. Quickly, he turned to them, calling out to the little ones who were busy carrying grassroots and rocks to pile them up. “Hey, don’t carry the stones in your mouths! The dirt on the ground is filthy.”
The little spotted cat, Ban Jiu, meowed loudly, “Meow! We’re not afraid of dirt!”
Zhou Dao barked enthusiastically, “Woof! Neither are we!”
Jian Mo, using his hands, gently pushed the fluffy little ones back a bit. “Even so, it’s not good for you. Just help carry the grass away, that’s enough.”
“Got it!” Ban Jiu replied with gusto.
The riverside became lively, with everyone pitching in. Once others in the tribe realized what was happening, they brought tools and joined the effort to help.
Jian Mo had initially estimated that it would take a long time to clear all the land. But in less than three days, all the plots he had planned to cultivate were fully cleared.
In fact, some areas he hadn’t planned on using were also cleared by the enthusiastic younger tribe members who got carried away with the work.
Jian Mo was deeply moved and could only express his gratitude by inviting everyone to a meal.
At the end of the day, Qing Kuo suggested, “It’s been a while since we had a communal celebration. Why not hold a bonfire party? Once spring arrives, the tribe will be too busy to relax like this.”
Jian Mo had no objections. Not only did he provide meat for everyone, but he also brought out snow pearl wine. The snow pearl fruits in their backyard had grown abundantly, and the harvests from subsequent batches had all been turned into wine.
Seeing the snow pearl wine, Qing Kuo suddenly remembered something. “Didn’t your family brew some Mien Fruit wine too? How’s that coming along?”
At the mention of it, Jian Mo sighed. “The flavor is developing nicely, and it hasn’t gone bad, but the fermentation is incredibly slow. It’s still in progress.”
Qing Kuo consoled him, “Didn’t you say that good things are worth the wait? If it ferments well in the end, who cares if it takes a little longer?”
“That’s true,” Jian Mo replied. “I think it might be the low temperature or perhaps the yeast isn’t quite right, which is why the fermentation is so slow.”
Even among yeast types, there were many varieties. Using an unsuitable strain could lead to sluggish fermentation. Jian Mo considered himself lucky it was fermenting at all.
Qing Kuo, brushing past the unfamiliar technical terms, said, “Let me know when it’s ready. I’m curious to try the distilled wine you talked about.”
Jian Mo assured him, “Don’t worry. I’ll probably need your help when it’s time.”
With the land cleared and the soil ridges built, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong began adding base fertilizer.
The fertilizer they used consisted of wood ash and fermented manure from Chirpy and the Tou Tou Beasts.
Families in the tribe who planned to plant crops also came over to help and learn.
Applying fertilizer wasn’t difficult; it just needed to be mixed evenly with the soil. The challenge was in gathering enough fertilizer.
Jian Mo told Qing Kuo and a few others, “If you need fertilizer, feel free to use Chirpy’s manure. But it’s better to use the fermented manure I’ve prepared; otherwise, it might damage the roots.”
Qing Kuo nodded and remarked, “Chirpy eats so much and produces so much waste. Finally, it’s useful for something.”
Jian Mo laughed. “Exactly! If it couldn’t be used, I’d have no idea where to put it all next year. Leaving it around would seriously pollute the environment.”
For a while, Jian Mo had even considered teaching Chirpy to use the forest like the beastmen in the tribe, who instinctively buried their waste like cats and dogs. But that didn’t work for Chirpy.
Every day, Jian Mo had to clean up after Chirpy, which was exhausting.
Fortunately, now that farming was underway, this issue could finally be managed better.
Qing Kuo asked, “Once we’re done fertilizing, can we plant the seeds right away?”
Jian Mo replied, “That depends on the type of plant. Crops like wooden-root, hair-root, and certain herbs can handle the cold. We can start planting their seeds and let them germinate slowly. But for plants that aren’t cold-tolerant, we’ll need to wait for warmer weather.”
After thinking for a moment, Jian Mo added, “Regardless, it’s best to cover the soil with a layer of straw to protect the new sprouts from freezing. That’s how we do it where I’m from.”
If they had plastic sheeting, they could use that. But in its absence, a simple layer of straw would work well to shield the crops and boost yields.
Everyone nodded in agreement. Ye Luo, standing nearby, commented, “I never realized there was so much to farming.”
“It’s a learning process,” Jian Mo said. “We’ll gain experience over time. There’s a lot I don’t know either, so we’ll have to figure things out together.”
