Night fell, and the fire rose, separated by tall walls, presenting a scene of celebration and prosperity that many surrounding tribes envied.
Sections of bamboo, lit aflame, burst into flames, causing the trapped air inside the bamboo nodes to expand rapidly. The softening bamboo skin couldn't withstand the pressure from the expanding air, eventually bursting with a sound matching that of a drum.
Dark red sparks rose from the flames, shimmering like countless fireflies.
The joyous people formed circles, singing and dancing around the fire. Their laughter and cheers echoed in the night, along with the sound of firecrackers and the resounding beat of drums spreading outward from the tribe.
Eldest Senior Brother, slightly tipsy, held a drumstick, smiling as he struck the drum.
With flushed faces, they watched everything before them. With a smile like a blooming chrysanthemum, the shaman vigorously pounded his gong. They aimed to frighten away the evil beast, the Year Beast, so how could they let it disturb this enchanting scene?
This year, they planned to build another brick-and-tile house like before!
They also wanted to make things like stone rollers and stone mills.
There were also wheat seeds and seasonings like ginger, garlic, and peppercorn...
On the first day of the fifth year of the Green Sparrow Tribe, Han Cheng, with slightly reddened eyes from keeping watch, sat on the heated bed, counting on his fingers.
The brick and tile house wasn’t for his residence but as a school. The importance of knowledge was clearer to Han Cheng, who came from a later era than to anyone in this era.
The development might not be apparent in the short term, but after a long period, the tremendous potential contained within would be realized.
Education, culture, construction, and the inheritance of knowledge and history were crucial for a tribe to develop sustainably.
This was why the nation where Han Cheng lived could survive from ancient primitive times through millennia of wind and rain, becoming stronger. The fundamental reason for its vitality, which amazed the world, lay in its ability to withstand crises.
In its development, it encountered crises and faced powerful neighboring nations. Those once powerful kingdoms like the Xiongnu and the Khitan had long ceased their inheritance.
However, the nation that Han Cheng was proud of had weathered storms and has continued until now.
Because at every critical juncture, countless benevolent individuals emerged, rallying with the spirit of "Even if there are a thousand hardships ahead, I will go on." They saved the crumbling structure...
This important power is demonstrated by education and cultural inheritance, called national cohesion.
Han Cheng lived in the Green Sparrow Tribe, which gradually developed and grew under his leadership and the joint efforts of the Green Sparrow Tribe.
Through their own efforts, he and the people of the Green Sparrow Tribe gradually transformed it into its current state. He was unwilling to let its inheritance be severed in future development.
Even though it might change its name in the long-term development ahead, it would be best not to break the inheritance.
Developing productivity and increasing the cohesion of the Green Sparrow Tribe were important purposes for Han Cheng in establishing an educational institution.
To highlight the importance of education, he decided to construct a large brick-and-tile building as a school.
In addition, efforts would be made to record the history of the Green Sparrow Tribe.
It had only been five years since his arrival at Green Sparrow Tribe, and there were too many firsthand witnesses to the changes that had occurred since then. Now was the best time to record history and obtain accurate information.
Remembering history was an important support for a nation to go further into the future.
This task would be entrusted to Shi Tou, the next shaman, who Han Cheng had already led him into the field of astronomy.
Of course, the school in the Green Sparrow Tribe would not only teach philosophical matters but also survival and daily life, as the tribe had not yet reached a level where they had specialized scholars.
When the time came, he would also serve as the school's principal, combining cultural and martial aspects, which was not bad.
Being the principal was a very necessary task, and those who understood a bit about the Republic era would recognize the importance of the role......
As the head of the Green Sparrow Tribe, he had to consider many things that others in the tribe had never experienced.
He would not choose to take the well-proven path and instead would explore the winding paths. Han Cheng would not do that.
These matters would be discussed with the shaman and others, thoroughly confirmed, and then implemented step by step after the arrival of spring.
With the sounds of New Year's blessings, the first day of the fifth year of Sparrow quietly passed.
On the morning of the second day, Han Cheng convened some elders and technical backbone members of the Sparrow Tribe, including the shaman, the eldest senior brother, the second senior brother, Shang, the third senior brother, Hei Wa, Shi Tou, etc. He explained to them so they could understand the details about building the school and other matters as much as possible.
There was no objection from the crowd.
Over the years, they had always followed the guidance of the Divine Child, following in his footsteps, and the Green Sparrow Tribe had undergone unprecedented changes at a visible speed.
All these things were like what they had said, showing the correctness of following the Divine Child.
Although many did not understand what the Divine Child said this time, the final result was clear. Following the Divine Child's instructions, their tribe would become more prosperous and powerful.
Hei Wa immediately promised to burn enough tiles. Shi Tou also promised to diligently record the Sparrow Tribe's past events after completing the basic work, such as the calendar.
Climate changes, like the passage of time, left no trace, yet it could be perceived.
Unknowingly, the ice and snow had begun to melt, revealing the green grass. The frozen river surface turned into clear water, and the fish, which had been trapped all winter, joyfully leaped out of the water.
The trees planted along the riverbank and around the tribe began to sprout new buds.
Some peach and apricot trees planted the previous year already had flower buds, and some impatient ones had already bloomed, emitting a faint fragrance...