Chapter 763 — Cao Gen Stands Upright!
Daya and the others were stunned, and Cao Gen and the others were equally shocked.
They never expected that at such a ti, the Divine Child would suddenly announce sothing like this.
It should be known that previously, the tribe’s process for freeing slaves had always been rigorous. Over the years, very few people had escaped slavery to beco citizens of the tribe.
But now, the Divine Child suddenly read out a long list of nas, announcing that these people would have their slave status revoked and beco citizens of the tribe. Among that long list was Cao Gen’s na, which naturally shocked him into a daze!
“…These people, over the past few years, have devoted themselves wholeheartedly to contributing to the tribe, without complaints or dissatisfaction. Therefore, I hereby announce that their slave status is abolished, and they are granted the status of second-level citizens of the Green Sparrow tribe!”
Han Cheng spoke these comndatory words full of passion.
For so reason, in such a solemn occasion, Han Cheng’s mind kept flashing back to scenes of a primary school principal speaking from the podium.
Especially the old principal’s sowhat shiny head — the result of excessive intelligence — swayed constantly before Han Cheng’s eyes, so much so that as he spoke, he couldn’t help but reach up and rub his own head twice.
“Now, I invite those who have contributed to the tribe to co on stage in order!”
Holding a horn made from bark, Han Cheng loudly called out to the crowd.
The previously assigned Heiwa, Tietou, Liang, and others ca forward and guided the fifty nad slaves to the stage one by one.
At the sa ti, five won from the primitive tribe, their hair tied up, appeared from behind and stepped onto the stage.
Each woman held a tray covered with a red cloth.
They were dressed uniformly, with red sashes slanting across their shoulders, each sash bearing characters that knowledgeable people in the Green Sparrow tribe could recognize.
“Rites?”
Shitou, sitting in the front, who was undoubtedly well-educated in the Green Sparrow tribe, uttered these two characters and stared thoughtfully at the prominent character “礼” (rites).
Yes, purely thoughtful.
He was pondering why the Divine Child had these two characters written on the red sash, and what they ant.
After a while of pondering without much understanding, Shitou shifted his attention from the raised “礼” character and began observing the attire of the won. ṙÅƝɵᛒĚꞨ
They wore matching clothes, their hair tied up, with so red dye on their faces used for cloth dying, and the sash slanting over their shoulders — altogether looking quite pleasing.
The only regret Shitou felt was that these won looked too thin and weak.
If strong, beautiful won like Zhuang or Ruhua — recognized by the tribe as the most attractive — had worn such attire and appeared on such an occasion, it would have been even more perfect…
As Shitou regretted this, the fifty nad people, guided by Heiwa and others, had already reached the stage.
Because the stage space was limited, only five people could co up at a ti, while the others waited below with excitent.
The crowd below was excited, but those on the stage were even more so. Cao Gen, lucky to be the first in line, nearly fell when stepping up.
It was the respected Divine Child who reached out to steady him, making Cao Gen both moved and excited.
What made him even more thrilled was that after helping him stand steady, the Divine Child shook his hand vigorously several tis.
This handshake, carrying anings of welco and friendship, was well known to Cao Gen from his years living in the tribe.
He had envied others receiving such treatnt from the Divine Child before, never expecting that today, the Divine Child would treat him the sa way!
The Divine Child’s hand was warm and soft to hold…
After the heartfelt handshake, the Divine Child turned and lifted the red cloth covering the tray held by a beautifully dressed female primitive woman.
Underneath, ten wooden plaques tied with strings were revealed.
Upon seeing these wooden plaques, Cao Gen’s eyes went wide.
These were symbols of second-level citizenship in the tribe! With this wooden plaque, he was no longer a slave but a citizen, allowed to live in the inner courtyard in spacious and bright houses…
Han Cheng solemnly took the identity plaque with Cao Gen’s na, held the string with both hands, and hung it around Cao Gen’s neck.
At this mont, Cao Gen was as docile as a little lamb, bowing his body and lowering his head, waiting for the respected Divine Child to hang this precious plaque on him.
Once the ID was worn around his neck, Cao Gen reached out to hold the plaque, gazing at the spreading-winged green sparrow carved on it and the characters “草根” (Cao Gen) written on the front. His eyes instantly blurred with tears.
He was no longer a slave! He was a citizen of the tribe! His hard work over the years hadn’t been in vain; the Divine Child and others had seen it all…
Cao Gen wiped his tears hard with the back of his hand, but it only caused more to fall.
He loosened his tight grip on the plaque and stood up straight.
With a smile on his face and tears in his eyes, looking through the blurry tears at the many people in the plaza watching him, he no longer felt fear.
His previously bowed head was now held high, because he felt this was his proudest and most dignified mont!
At this ti, the eldest senior brother also stood up from his chair, walked to one side of the stage, and picked up a drumstick. Each ti Han Cheng hung an identity plaque on soone, the eldest senior brother would strike the drum with force.
The kindly-faced shaman personally led those wearing their ID plaques off the stage to wait nearby…
The ceremony for abolishing slave status and becoming citizens of the Green Sparrow tribe continued.
Those like Daya and other semi-farming tribe slaves who had never experienced such a thing before watched dumbfounded.
Whether it was the venue’s arrangent, the solemnity of the Divine Child and others, the drumbeats seemingly striking the heart, the ceremony’s content, or the sight of those proudly wearing the plaques—heads held high, smiling and crying—everything gave them an overwhelming shock.
The dissatisfaction accumulated from repeatedly hauling stones in the snow faded away without a trace during the ceremony.
Daya’s eyes were wide open, full of envy and amazent, wishing he could rush out now to keep hauling stones with even more vigor…
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