We made you the chief, and now you've become the world's chief?

Chapter 163 The Eve of Civilization
"Stop!"

Once they reached the bottom of the platform, Xia Minghao gave orders to the group.

All the cart pullers dismounted from the deer, and the craftsmen also came down and took out bronze artifacts.

Everyone except Xia Minghao looked completely bewildered.

"The others gathered the limestone together and then smashed it with stones."

“Craftsmen, come with me.”

Now, Xia Minghao's task is to first establish a cement production line.

What is cement?
It's actually just quicklime mortar.

The first step, naturally, is to "cook" the limestone.

This is also the first step in the production line.

Some people started cutting down trees to build sheds, while others, led by Xia Minghao, began building earthen kilns.

With previous experience, now only a little guidance from Xia Minghao is needed to dig out a sufficiently useful earthen kiln.

Once the shed was erected and the kiln was dug, the first batch of limestone was smashed to pieces by 90% of the non-craftsmen.

First, a layer of charcoal is laid at the bottom of the kiln, then a layer of broken limestone, then a layer of firewood, then another layer of limestone, until the kiln opening.

Just then, a craftsman behind them suddenly spoke up.

"Chief, should we sprinkle another layer of soil on top?"

"Sprinkle dirt?"

Hearing this, Xia Minghao looked over in confusion.

But then the craftsman said something that sounded uncertain.

"I make pottery in Yanquan Mountain. I sprinkle soil on top so it can stay hot longer and saves charcoal."

But as soon as he said this, the craftsman suddenly remembered something and fell silent.

Xia Minghao, however, did not notice anything unusual about the craftsman; instead, his eyes lit up.

I have never taught them this method, and I don't even know it myself.

It was because charcoal had a high calorific value that they only burned wood back in the Xi tribe. After that, they used charcoal almost exclusively.

This method does indeed reduce heat loss to some extent, and unexpectedly, these craftsmen have summarized some new insights through practice.

It seems that as the Xia tribe's material foundation improved, the primitive people also developed wisdom, and intelligent people gradually emerged in the primitive era.

History is shaped by the people, and it was only when this situation arose that Xia Minghao truly saw the budding of civilization.

Moreover, this craftsman has not received much education. Once the children who received education in Yanquan Mountain grow up and engage in production practice, the Xia tribe will surely produce a great number of talented people!
"Good, very good! From now on you will be the captain of the craftsmen's team. What's your name?"

Xia Minghao's favorite thing is talented people, because as the chief of the Xia tribe, what he needs most is talented people.

The demand for talent isn't urgent now, but it will be different later; talent will be needed everywhere!
Seeing Xia Minghao's appearance, the craftsman finally stopped sweating, swallowed hard, and whispered.

“Chief, my name is Datan, and I am Daly’s uncle.”

"Dattan? Or Dali's uncle?"

Unexpectedly, they were from the Da tribe. Sure enough, primitive people who naturally transitioned to settled life developed their intelligence much faster.

Moreover, he's Dali's uncle, so if you really want to talk about it, he's practically family, being her uncle.

“Alright, Datan, think more in the future. Now you are the foreman of the craftsmen here. From now on, you can receive the same amount of meat and salt from me every month as you do from Liba.”

Upon hearing this, Datan's previous worries were instantly dispelled by joy, and he immediately looked extremely grateful.

The others wore expressions of envy, and some of the more intelligent people were already racking their brains trying to figure out if they had made any such discoveries.

However, because they don't usually have the habit of summarizing, they couldn't think of anything for the time being, but they did have the idea of ​​thinking more and using their brains more in the future.

The Xia tribe is finally starting to improve, and more and more people are beginning to have the courage to come.

At this moment, Xia Minghao felt even more acutely the rising sun of civilization shining upon the Xia tribe.

But for a moment they forgot that when chaos ends and light shines, there must also be darkness that light cannot reach.

This has been an unchanging truth since the dawn of civilization.

As he watched the chief turn away and get busy, Datan's joy gradually faded, replaced by worry.

He saved a lot of charcoal using this method, so much so that he was very afraid that Xia Minghao would ask him where the saved charcoal went.

He secretly saved all that charcoal and then traded it with others for other things.

These originally belonged to the chief...

Flames rose from the kiln, and Xia Minghao activated the power of the wind totem, causing a powerful airflow to surge in, and the kiln began to burn fiercely.

Limestone is heated to form quicklime, a very simple chemical equation learned in middle school.

In addition to producing quicklime, it will also produce a gas, which is carbon dioxide, as everyone knows.

Looking at the firelight shining in the kiln, Xia Minghao thought of Datan's outstanding performance earlier and suddenly decided to enlighten the current group of people as well.

Perhaps this will plant the seeds of chemistry in this group of people.

Turning back to his original position, Xia Minghao picked up a piece of wood, called over the others who were crushing stones, and then lit the wood.

"Now there's a piece of wood, and it's on fire. If I put it here, what will happen to the fire? Will it grow stronger, or will it go out?"

After hearing this, everyone looked at each other.

Datan, on the other hand, seemed lost in thought and wasn't thinking at all.

In fact, most other people are the same; some are too lazy to think, while others don't know how to think.

After waiting for a long time, Xia Minghao finally heard a voice from the crowd.

"It will burn even more fiercely!"

Looking at the person who spoke, Xia Minghao asked.

"why?"

The man pondered for only a moment before immediately replying.

"Because when I cook, the fire in the stone stove will become even stronger."

This was naturally the wrong answer, but it didn't affect Xia Minghao's satisfaction.

It would be a complete fantasy to tell these primitive people that limestone decomposes to produce carbon dioxide.

Therefore, Xia Minghao never had any expectations.

I would be extremely satisfied if there were even one person who has the ability to think and the courage to give answers.

"May I have your name."

Unexpectedly, a promising talent hidden among the crowd has emerged. Naturally, I have to ask for his name and leave an impression.

"My name is Wasi."

"Wasi, he's from the Wa tribe."

Looking at Washir, Xia Minghao didn't say anything, but directly placed the torch in his hand on the air vent.

The flame went out instantly.

Everyone had already accepted Wasi's answer, because after Wasi's reminder, it seemed like the truth.

If blowing air into the stone stove can make the fire bigger, why doesn't a torch burn more vigorously when it's also being blown into the fire?

Some people have also begun to learn this way of thinking, using existing knowledge to explain non-existent knowledge, which is the leap from perceptual knowledge to rational knowledge.

When they saw results that didn't match their guesses, most people simply gave up thinking, while a very few widened their eyes and began to rack their brains.

Washir was the most shocked, even appearing somewhat dumbfounded. Seeing everyone's reaction, Xia Minghao smiled faintly and said to them.

"If anyone can give me a satisfactory answer and tell me why, then I too can be like Datan!"

Undoubtedly, material rewards are the best rewards, because they are the foundation of survival.

As soon as Xia Minghao said this, everyone was immediately motivated, and those who didn't like to think before started to think again.

A seed has been planted; now we just wait for it to take root and sprout.

Throwing away the burning wood, Xia Minghao continued burning limestone.

Meanwhile, the craftsmen were not idle either. Under Datan's leadership, they began to build sheds and new kilns.

Now that Datan has become the leader of the craftsmen and received more of his own "wages," he naturally has to do more.

Xia Minghao arranged for them to stay here and not go back with him.

The purpose was to preserve the charcoal.

Charcoal is a crucial component of cement production lines, and it cannot all be transported from the river. Therefore, it must be sourced locally to improve efficiency.

After burning a batch of limestone, Xia Minghao stopped.

Now that we have quicklime, the next step is to make a sticky lime slurry, which is actually just adding water to quicklime to form calcium hydroxide, also known as slaked lime.

However, lime mortar must be used immediately after it is made, as it is not easy to preserve. Moreover, once lime mortar is made, sand is often lacking. Without sand, it cannot be considered lime mortar, and therefore it is not real cement.

Seeing that it was already afternoon, and there was no time to finish these tasks, Xia Minghao arranged for the remaining people to return to Hebian Village first, so that they could produce real cement by tomorrow.

……

……

……

Inside Yanquan Mountain, a bustling scene unfolds.

The little saber-toothed tiger, Daju, had already grown into the size of a large dog. He was running around in the mountains, chasing after a wolf cub.

Although the wolf cub had grown to the size of a medium-sized dog, it was no match for the big orange dog.

He was tackled to the ground in a few moments, letting out a series of pitiful screams.

The orange still retains some of the hunting instincts that its deceased mother taught it, but because it has been domesticated for a period of time, it is not really hunting, but just playing.

After catching the poor wolf cub and pinning it down, it opened its tiger mouth, revealing two increasingly sharp teeth, but instead of locking its throat, it began to lick it with its tongue.

The barbs on the wolf cub's tongue stung from the licking, but it dared not resist and could only howl in pain.

"Big Orange! Come here!"

Suddenly a voice came, which made the big orange tiger tremble. It then let go of the wolf cub, got up ingratiatingly, walked to the scolding Xia, and rubbed its head against Xia's body.

“These will help the chief. You can’t hurt them, do you hear me?”

Xia gently patted the orange cat's head with her little hand, but seeing its pitiful appearance, she couldn't bear to pat it any further and instead took the orange cat back to her room.

Now, Shia no longer lives in a brick house, but in a stone house.

This benefit did not come from Xia Minghao, but from Xifa.

Now that everyone knew that Shia was now the chief's woman, Shifa felt that she should let her daughter live in a better house.

So they gathered a lot of red salt, found stonemasons from the Da clan to make the stone, and built this house.

Thus, the house where Shia lived became the first stone house in Salt Spring Mountain, but not the only one.

After the first stone house was built, the second one was immediately started, and it was Darly's mother, Dam, who advocated for its construction.

Compared to Shia's house, Dali's stone house was much rougher.

The reason was that Dam, who was used to privileges, did not pay the stonemasons at all, but instead ordered them to do so.

At this moment, Dali sat alone in the stone house, sulking to herself.

This feeling of frustration started a month ago.

The reason, of course, is Shia's identity.

She was now the chief's woman.

This feeling intensified over time. Not only did he feel that he received half the respect from the Xia tribe, but in reality, Da Ju also went to see Xia every day instead of staying by his side as before.

After finishing her meal, Dali walked out of the stone house, deciding to clear her head.

Just then, they saw Shia returning home with the big orange cat.

A feeling of jealousy instantly arose in my heart.

Suddenly, a burst of laughter reached her ears. Dali turned her head and saw that it was coming from a woman who was weaving.

Among them was a woman she knew, E.

Seeing E's happy expression, Dali felt a nameless anger rising within her.

Why is this wild woman, once picked up by her father Damon and taken to his tribe, so happy?!

But I...

In an instant, Dali felt that she was not even as good as this wild woman.

Then he remembered what his mother, Dam, had said: E's younger brother, Chi, was always doing things that affected his father and caused losses to his family's interests.

As Dali grew angrier by the thought, an idea suddenly popped into her head.

As she approached E, Dali said, "The chief won't let you continue doing this. You have to come and work for me."

The women who were weaving heard Dali's voice and stopped talking. Instead, they followed Dali's gaze to E.

E looked at Dali in surprise. Her past experience in the Da tribe made her hesitant to question anything, so she simply nodded.

The other women looked at E as she left, their faces showing reluctance.

But it was all in vain; E'er, as docile as a sheep, followed behind Dali.

Even after it was completely dark, the women were still discussing the matter.

But the next day, everyone went back to their normal work.

E began to serve Dali's daily needs, becoming Dali's alter ego. In this way, Dali regained a sense of privilege and superiority, as well as relief from loneliness.

Everything is changing imperceptibly...

……

……

……

Xia Minghao hadn't had insomnia in a long time, but he didn't sleep well tonight.

This was also the first time in history that he had taken on the duty of keeping watch.

Sitting in front of the fire, thinking about today's scene, Xia Minghao felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't figure it out.

It was certainly a good thing that their Xia tribe was moving towards civilization, but they also felt a vague sense of unease.

"Chief, it's too dark, you should go back."

"Oh it's all right."

Upon hearing the reminder from the night watchman who was changing shifts, Xia Minghao simply gave a perfunctory reply.

Looking towards the horizon, it was indeed quite dark.

The night before dawn is often this dark.

(End of this chapter)