"The day for setting sail... has finally arrived!..."
At the edge of the lush vegetable garden, Old Militia Chiwaco looked troubled, reaching into his waistband over and over. After a while, he finally pulled out a withered red chili, sniffed it at the tip of his nose, and asked bitterly.
"Old Woody, when... do we set off?"
"The orders are urgent. We'll leave at the beginning of next month!"
"Ah! Next month? I wanted to make a trip back to the Capital Region to say goodbye to my daughter and granddaughter..."
The old militia sighed again. Last year, his daughter Luwei finally gave birth to a granddaughter with that blockhead Weizti. Luwei was weak to begin with, and after giving birth, she beca even weaker, often with cold hands and feet and aching all over. In the end, it was Old Woody Cedar who took out a prescription from the Northern Tribes, personally preparing so herbs, which sowhat restored her...
Thinking of this, the old militia gritted his teeth, remained silent for a while, and simply said.
"Next month it is then! It's to go several thousand miles southward, to find the origin of the potatoes and Priest Beans, is it called Lima? And then to make contact with that 'Sun's Bowl'?..."
"Oh! That is 'Tawantinsuyu,' the land of the Sun... Old Corn, you really should learn to read. I'm at such an old age, studying every day, while you are leisurely farming..."
Cedar Shaman, squinting with a smile, grabbed Chiwaco's arm to prevent him from escaping. Then, he exhibited a mysterious look, smiling leisurely as he spoke.
"However! This ti we're not going South yet, that'll have to wait until next year... This ti we're heading North!… to my ho! My tribe, my holand is right at the Golden Bay of the Northern Continent!..."
"What! Going North? You an, the Northern support fleet?..."
The old militia was taken aback, showing a look of bewildernt. That blind man... never ntioned going North, did he? Hasn't the North already been explored, with many Kingdom Priests sent there? Why the sudden change of plans? Could it be… hmm?!...
The old militia suddenly had a realization. He looked suspiciously at the smiling Old Woody, quickly getting to the point.
"Old Woody, Cedar! Why does the Northern support fleet need to take along?... Is there any ntion of in that order to set sail?..."
"Ahem! There's my na in that order... Besides, I just wanted to return to my hotown before heading to the Southern Continent ... to say a final farewell to old acquaintances from the tribe..."
Cedar Shaman tightened his grip slightly, cheekily smiling as he spoke to Chiwaco.
"As for you... I'm here to invite you! I asked the leading Priest. He said you are soone whom His Majesty values greatly, personally appointed as the Exploration Captain! If you voluntarily request to join this batch of exploration ships heading North, naturally, there will be no issue. And if you go, he will assign you as the Deputy Captain!..."
"What! You want to volunteer to go to sea? Am I crazy?!..."
The old militia was furious, trying to turn and leave, but couldn't free his arm at all. He glared fiercely at the grinning Cedar and spat directly.
"Damn it! You Old Woody, your face is thicker than city walls! If you want to set sail back ho, just go yourself! Why drag into this?... Who knows how long this round trip will take, or even if I'll co back... I'm not going! I still have to watch this land, wait for sumr to harvest tomatoes and chili, and autumn for beans and rice!..."
"Ahem! Old Corn... Just consider this a request from your brother this one ti..."
Cedar Shaman accompanied his words with a smile, his waist slightly hunched. It was not a stance he was accustod to, and his face showed clear embarrassnt. The old militia frowned, contemplating Cedar closely for a mont, before speaking in a deep voice.
"Old Woody! What's really on your mind, pumpkin head? You insist on having join the fleet and go back with you... What exactly do you want to do?!..."
"Uh... I... actually... Oh well, let be honest..."
Cedar Shaman shook his head, looking directly into Chiwaco's eyes, sincerely requesting.
"This northward venture with the Kingdom's support fleet also has another task... it involves assigning priests everywhere, establishing the fief system, and confirming each tribe's trade and tribute... To put it simply, our Miwoke Tribes will not only accept the priests to convert to the Chief Divine but will also formally join the Kingdom of the Lake in a fiefdom manner!..."
"As for matters concerning the overseas tribes, the priests supporting the fleet along with the captain and deputy captain hold significant judgnt power... Even though I've been given so title of 'Vice President of the Seafaring Academy', which in na is equivalent to a Fourth Level Grand Priest, I very well understand that this title is actually hollow... I can only have a chance to say a few words in the Kingdom's Capital Region, as a 'model of conversion' for the tribes to see... But once I head out to sea, into the supporting fleet, my influence is virtually nonexistent..."
"But Chiwaco, you're different! Although you don't have an official position, you have the favor of Your Majesty and you have the achievents of two sea voyages... In the seafaring fleet, you're like a glorious old turtle; even if you don't like to move, there'll still be sea birds landing on you... So, I want to ask you to go north with ! So that when the Miwoke Tribes establish a fief, you can help diate between the fleet and the tribes..."
"Ah! Old buddy... If it weren't for the future of the tribes, I wouldn't have set aside my pride to co find you... Whether to go or not is up to you to decide... If you don't want to go, I can understand. After all, going to sea carries its risks..."
After saying these words, the Cedar Shaman took a long breath, as if releasing a heavy burden, feeling relieved. He let go of Chiwaco's hand, simply watching the old militia, waiting for his response.
"..."
The old militia remained silent, with his expression changing, clearly hesitating a lot. He lowered his head, avoiding the Cedar Shaman's expectant eyes, and after a long silence, he took out a shriveled chili, taking two deep puffs. Then, he glared angrily, looking at the old face of the Cedar Shaman, and lashed out, directly spitting on his counterpart's face.
"You damned old Woody! I must owe you in my fate! If it weren't for you concocting dicine for my daughter, if it weren't for your desperate pleading, which softened my heart... Even if you beat to death with your pine stick, I wouldn't accompany you to sea!..."
"You damned old man! Your face is thicker than tree bark! A round trip of over ten thousand miles, at least a year drifting at sea, practically costing my old life!... And you want to shalessly speak up for your tribes on the fleet, you'd be better off selling my life to you outright!"
"I must have... had yellow mud clogging my eyes, crashing into your cedar... Am I supposed to carry a hoe and bring seeds, and then go to your tribe to plow the field for you?..."
"Ah! Ahaha!..."
Cedar Shaman was scolded thoroughly, his face covered in spit. But gradually, his old face broke into a smile, and he straightened up. He rubbed his hands vigorously and responded happily.
"Old Corn, you're like an old mole from the North, a true master of farming... If you're willing to teach the tribe farming, I'd be more than happy to welco it! I'll prepare and pack all these crop seeds for you!... "
"Ah! I spit! You shaless old...!"
"Old Corn, I'm really glad you're willing to help !"
The Cedar Shaman laughed joyfully. He blinked, looking at the wrinkled old comrade in front of him, and said sincerely.
"Rest assured! You're the master of farming, and I'm the master of herbs. Many of my dicines are left in the tribe... When I return to my holand, I'll take out the tribe's treasured Deer dicine and Bear dicine to properly nourish you!... I've got experience, my dicine is very effective, I guarantee you'll be fine!... Old Corn, I'll arrange for you in the tribes to ensure you leave a legacy in the North..."
"Ah? What Deer dicine, Bear dicine? What guarantee I'll be fine? You senile catbird, what nonsense are you spouting now?..."
Chiwaco's old face twitched, sowhat guiltily scolding harshly.
"Enough with that nonsense! Help prepare so more body-nurturing herbs... for my daughter..."
"Rest assured! My Deer dicine and Bear dicine, just need to tweak the formula a bit, and they're suitable for both n and won!..."
Cedar Shaman patted his chest, full of confidence. Then he thought for a mont, grasped Chiwaco's hand again, and solemnly pledged.
"Chiwaco! With the Great Spirit as witness, I will accompany you to the Southern Continent, regardless of life and death danger!... Even if pursued by a pack of wolves, I'll carry you out alive! Even if the ship sinks, I'll carry you to the shore... Of course, if there's a storm at sea, then I'm powerless, and we'll just be swept into the sea together..."
"And if we're able to return alive... I will work with you using our experiences to write a book, a Shaman Heritage Book of farming and herbs... You narrate, I'll write!..."
"What writing a book... you... can you even write those fancy words?..."
"Of course! I've already learned quite a bit, it's not hard for ... The elder black bear gains wisdom, growing smarter over ti!"
Cedar Shaman smiled slightly, quoting a Northern proverb likening himself to a black bear. Then, at the edge of the vibrant fields, he lifted Chiwaco's hand high like a black bear, loudly proclaiming.
"That will be my Shaman Heritage... passed down to the descendants of my tribe, and also to your family's descendants! The na of that book will be... 'The Natural Spirit of Cedars and Chiwaco'!..."
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