Chapter 801 – The Rattan Shield with Long Fangs
“Bang~ bang~ bang~”
As Han Cheng got up and walked toward the window, the sound outside wasn’t very loud, but it ca in steady, rhythmic beats.
Curious and puzzled, he approached the window and peeked outside.
His eyes fell on a scene bathed in clear moonlight, with shadows of buildings and trees stretching across the ground.
The inner courtyard was quiet; nothing unusual caught his eye.
Han Cheng frowned slightly and began shifting his body slowly at the window, changing angles to see more of the courtyard.
After a while, when he reached the westernmost window and tilted his head to look east as obliquely as possible, he finally noticed sothing different.
In the moonlight, a figure stood in the courtyard, bathed in silver light, holding a large wooden board-like object, striking it repeatedly against a wooden stake planted in the ground.
With each strike, a soft bang sound echoed.
Han Cheng imdiately recognized the strangely behaving person—it was the eldest senior brother.
He was hitting the rattan shield against the stake, not with great force, but repeatedly.
Seeing this, Han Cheng couldn’t help but sigh softly and run a hand through his hair.
He understood his eldest senior brother’s feelings, and because of that understanding, he wanted to co up with a solution that could satisfy both sides.
But in reality, perfect solutions are rare. Many things require trade-offs.
If all else failed, they could decide not to reorganize the rattan shield team.
Judging by the current situation, even without the reorganization, the encountered tribes would have a hard ti gaining any real advantage in troops or equipnt.
Yet the thod he thought of was a bit unconventional.
It wasn’t that Han Cheng lacked resolve; it was that he knew his eldest senior brother would not agree to keep the rattan shield team once he realized the shields had beco sowhat obsolete for the tribe.
As one of the earliest mbers of the tribe and its leader, the eldest senior brother’s love and contributions to the tribe were unmatched, perhaps even greater than Han Cheng’s.
Han Cheng sighed silently again and did not go out to persuade his brother; speaking now would only make things awkward.
So challenges can only be overco by oneself; others can offer little assistance.
He stood there a while, then quietly returned to the kang (bed platform), lying down with his eyes open, continuing to think.
The soft bang-bang sounds outside eventually stopped, but the image of his eldest senior brother striking the wooden stake with the shield in the moonlight remained in Han Cheng’s mind.
After so ti, slightly dazed, Han Cheng’s mind suddenly lit up.
He had just realized a conceptual mistake regarding the shields!
The error was thinking of the shield solely as a defensive tool, forgetting that it could also be used to attack!
For example, his eldest senior brother was striking the stake with the shield—this was a form of attack.
The shield’s flat exterior, however, ant that even if it hit a person, the damage was far less than that of a sharp bronze spear.
So both Han Cheng and his shield-using eldest senior brother had subconsciously overlooked that the rattan shield could serve as both defense and offense.
Now that Han Cheng realized this, a long-standing problem suddenly resolved itself!
If the damage from hitting soone is too minor because the shield is too flat, why not make it less flat?
For instance, attaching several four-to-five-centiter bronze spikes to the exterior; stronger individuals could attach more spikes.
With these bronze spikes, striking an enemy with the shield…
Han Cheng shivered, imagining it.
If enough spikes were attached, hitting an enemy could leave them pierced like a sieve, water—or blood—spilling everywhere…
Thus, the rattan shield could beco both an offensive and defensive weapon!
Compared with wearing armor, the rattan shield also had an advantage.
Once connected in a formation, it could form a wall at the front of the army—a moving wall of spikes, like a hedgehog advancing.
Initially, when making the rattan shields, the Green Sparrow Tribe didn’t have armor, so the shields were made tall and wide to maximize defense.
This gave the shields their current design: the holder could bend slightly and be fully covered by the shield.
A formation of these shields is already hard to break; adding bronze spikes…
Just imagining a line of spiked shields charging the enemy made Han Cheng feel sorry for any future attackers of the Green Sparrow Tribe.
Excited, he wanted to rush out and tell his eldest senior brother imdiately, but the striking sounds had stopped, and a glance outside showed no sign of him—he had likely returned to his room to sleep.
It was late, and the next day, the autumn harvest would continue.
With heavy labor during the day, staying up at night would exhaust anyone.
For his eldest senior brother’s sake, Han Cheng decided to wait until tomorrow.
Back on the kang, he pondered over the plan, feeling relieved that a solution had appeared, and soon fell asleep.
“Divine Child… disband the rattan shield team…”
The next morning, Han Cheng had just woken up and hadn’t washed yet when his eldest senior brother approached.
Before Han Cheng could speak, he suggested disbanding the rattan shield team.
His eyes were bloodshot, and his deanor weak—clearly, he had not slept well.
If this had happened last night, Han Cheng might have felt uneasy, but now, he felt nothing.
“The rattan shield team doesn’t need to be disbanded.”
Han Cheng smiled at him.
The eldest senior brother froze, then realized… Han Cheng must have changed his mind out of concern.
However, with armor now available, the shields were no longer necessary.
Seeing this, his brother’s eyes, already red, grew even redder.
“Divine Child… it’s fine, disband it…”
His voice was determined despite the tears in his eyes.
Han Cheng imdiately understood what his brother was thinking.
“No need. I’ve thought of a way to make the shields stronger, even deadly!”
The brother, who had been resolute, instantly relaxed.
“Really?”
He hesitated, a mix of surprise and doubt, before realizing his mistake.
In significant matters, the Divine Child never lies; if he said he had a plan, then there must be one.
“Of course it’s real!”
Han Cheng smiled, took his brother’s hand off his mouth, and confidently said:
“Just forge so bronze spikes, sharp at the front and thick at the back, and attach them to the rattan shield…”
The brother’s eyes lit up!
As soone experienced with rattan shields, he quickly realized how powerful a spiked shield could be!
Han Cheng, feeling satisfied watching his brother’s delighted expression, turned to wash up, leaving him to enjoy his excitent.
“Divine… Divine Child, this really works!”
“Attach bronze spikes to the shield, and I’ll charge forward…”
Usually quiet, the eldest senior brother now couldn’t stop talking.
Han Cheng scrubbed his teeth silently, while his brother excitedly listed all the potential benefits of spiked shields.
“I’m going to harvest the grain!”
After washing up, the eldest senior brother, bursting with energy, shouted and ran off like the wind.
Seeing him so invigorated, Han Cheng couldn’t help but smile.
With this matter resolved, the Green Sparrow Tribe’s autumn harvest continued, filled with the fatigue and joy of labor.
Han Cheng, rising a little late, washed up, fed the chickens, ducks, geese, and rabbits, and saw that the early risers returning from the fields carried sickles.
Breakfast was ready: thick millet porridge that could support a chopstick, paired with simple cold dishes, and half a salted egg per person—a light yet appetizing al.
After a short rest, everyone returned to the fields. Han Cheng, wearing a straw hat, joined them, heading into the promising fields of grain.
“Pfft!”
Night fell again, blanketing the land. A fuller moon appeared.
Under silver light, the eldest senior brother gripped the rattan shield fitted with “fangs” and charged at a straw man wrapped in animal hide.
The hide only slightly slowed the spikes, which pierced through.
When he pulled the shield away, onlookers crowded around, gasping at the five holes in the straw man and the cold gleam of the shield in the moonlight.
Facing such an unyielding enemy with strong offensive power could be truly disheartening.
Even so mbers of the spear team considered joining the rattan shield team.
Those in the rattan shield team, seeing the spiked shields, were eager to equip theirs imdiately.
“After the harvest, once all the grain is stored, we’ll forge more bronze spikes and attach them to all shields…”
Han Cheng’s announcent was t with howls of excitent.
Motivated by the shield upgrade, the already energetic tribe beca even more diligent, especially the rattan shield team—like they were pumped with adrenaline.
Under their efforts, the grain in the fields visibly decreased.
Threshing piles of stalks ford small hills.
The tribe’s granaries quickly filled.
When most of the grain was harvested, the newly planted peas had also matured.
Han Cheng assigned so people to harvest the new Green Sparrow peas, which he had high hopes for.
Days passed busily. After over a month, all the grain was harvested, dried, and stored.
The tribe mbers had slimd down from hard work, but the old granaries were full, and two newly built granaries were also stocked.
By winter, even the older granaries would be ready for storage.
With grain secure, people could finally relax. Only hemp harvesting remained—cut, bundled, and soaked in pits.
As soon as fieldwork ended, so wanted to build bronze tracks faster than Han Cheng himself.
He refused, instead granting the tribe a three-day break.
After over a month of continuous labor, the Green Sparrow Tribe finally had leisure ti.
So bathed outdoors or trimd long hair; others picked ripe fruits.
“Quack quack quack…”
Duck eggs collected from the wild post station had hatched.
The father rooster, now a “duck mother,” led the ducklings around the coop, pecking at food and calling softly.
When he called, the little ducklings ran toward him, like rolling fluff balls, sotis peeking out curiously.
Han Cheng hadn’t planned to let these young animals roam freely, partly because they wouldn’t understand not to relieve themselves anywhere, and partly because they might never return.
Outside, people with straw hats and gloves used bamboo knives to cut down honeycombs.
Nearby, children eagerly watched, hoping to taste so of the sweet honey.
Honey, a rare treat, was limited; a person might taste it only a few tis a year.
Seeing the children so envious, Han Cheng felt it necessary to try making a simple candy.
Even if it failed, it would just waste so fruit and ti.
In the current tribe, fruit wastage was tolerable, and Han Cheng had plenty of ti—no phones, computers, or distractions.
He decided to attempt.
So people were already peeling and washing fruit for canning.
Han Cheng, leading the tribe to its current prosperity, understood one thing: a good life doesn’t co by waiting—it cos from labor.
Even with a three-day break, many tribe mbers, after bathing and grooming, still busied themselves with work like preparing fruit for canning.
Han Cheng said, “This basin of fruit is for . Cut it into small pieces.”
The tribe mbers obeyed.
After a while, soone asked why the fruit was cut so small.
Previously, fruit for canning was only quartered. Han Cheng smiled and explained:
“This isn’t for canning. I want to try making a food called fruit candy—it’s very sweet and delicious.”
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