Chapter 217: Dawn

Words : 1349 Updated : Sep 29th, 2025

Chapter 217: Dawn Han Cheng originally planned to open the kiln the next day, but it was opened in the afternoon. It wasn't because he couldn't wait, but because he noticed through the cracks in the kiln that the firewood inside mainly had turned to ashes, and the temperature inside the kiln had also dropped. So, he decided to open it early. Han Cheng stirred the ashes in the now empty kiln with a stick, breaking apart the remnants of the firewood. Feeling helpless, he asked Hei Wa to reopen the sealed fire hole and clear away the ashes. Afterward, they brought more firewood into the kiln. Once the fire was lit again, they prepared a pile of clay with a shovel and a clay pot. After burning for a while, Han Cheng had Hei Wa seal the fire hole again with stones and pottery shards, and then he applied a thick layer of fresh clay over it, completely sealing the gaps. Once the fire hole was sealed, the fire quickly went out due to a lack of oxygen. By this time, it was getting dark, and although Han Cheng was eager to know the results, it wasn't suitable to stay outside any longer. So, he and Hei Wa went back together. The next day, after washing up with hot water heated over an early morning fire, Han Cheng tightened his clothes, put on his hat, and went out with Hei Wa. Some people who had finished washing up and had nothing else to do followed them. Tie Tou had become increasingly diligent, perhaps because of the little calf born half a month ago. Early in the morning, he and two others who often cut grass to feed the deer used wooden forks, shovels, and brooms to clean the deer pen. They piled the deer dung far from the wall to form a large heap. This dung was an excellent fertilizer and shouldn't be wasted. Han Cheng had once thought about making a hole in the wall to allow for easy disposal of the dung, but he abandoned the idea. It would be difficult to make a hole in the thick wall, compromise the wall's solidity, and pose a security risk. In his experience, thieves could use such holes to steal cattle. After clearing the pen, Tie Tou used the shovel to scatter some dry "mulch" evenly over the wet areas. Mulch was made of finely ground dry soil, crushed leaves, and trimmed grass leaves, which helped keep the pen clean and comfortable for the deer. Once these tasks were completed, Tie Tou fed the deer and three lambs before leaving the courtyard toward the kiln by the river, where many people had already gathered. After a night in the cold, the kiln had cooled down completely. Han Cheng felt a bit nervous as he had someone open the kiln, and the sight inside disappointed him again. Most of it was unburned firewood, with many pieces barely charred and some not even touched by the flames. In the central area, some pieces had been wholly reduced to ashes. After observing for a while, Han Cheng removed the ruined firewood from the kiln, stacking it by the side. Seeing Han Cheng's expression, many people refrained from speaking. They already knew that the charcoal had not been successfully produced without him saying anything. What kind of good thing was Han Cheng trying to make? Even with his abilities, he kept failing. The curiosity of the people of the Green Sparrow Tribe was piqued even more. "Haha." Han Cheng suddenly laughed as he held a piece of charred wood. This piece of charcoal, located near the center of the kiln, was much lighter than the unburned wood. Unlike regular charcoal that quickly crumbled, this piece retains its original shape. A rough analogy would be a person suddenly turning black several times over; although the color changed drastically, the previous appearance could still be discerned. Tapping it with a stick produced a clear, crisp sound. This charcoal was not much different from what Han Cheng had seen in his later years! In addition to this piece of charcoal, there were scattered pieces in the transition zone between the center and the outer parts of the kiln. Han Cheng had Hei Wa quickly retrieve them. Seeing Han Cheng's excited expression, Hei Wa and the others knew he had progressed with his task. Han Cheng felt a bit nervous as he had someone open the kiln, and the sight inside disappointed him again. Most of it was unburned firewood, with many pieces barely charred and some not even touched by the flames. In the central area, some pieces had been wholly reduced to ashes. After observing for a while, Han Cheng removed the ruined firewood from the kiln, stacking it by the side. Seeing Han Cheng's expression, many people refrained from speaking. They already knew that the charcoal had not been successfully produced without him saying anything. What kind of good thing was Han Cheng trying to make? Even with his abilities, he kept failing. The curiosity of the people of the Green Sparrow Tribe was piqued even more. "Haha." Han Cheng suddenly laughed as he held a piece of charred wood. This piece of charcoal, located near the center of the kiln, was much lighter than the unburned wood. Unlike regular charcoal that quickly crumbled, this piece retains its original shape. A rough analogy would be a person suddenly turning black several times over; although the color changed drastically, the previous appearance could still be discerned. Tapping it with a stick produced a clear, crisp sound. This charcoal was not much different from what Han Cheng had seen in his later years! In addition to this piece of charcoal, there were scattered pieces in the transition zone between the center and the outer parts of the kiln. Han Cheng had Hei Wa quickly retrieve them. Seeing Han Cheng's excited expression, Hei Wa and the others knew he had progressed with his task. They joined in the excitement, quickly removing the scattered charcoal. Han Cheng selected a few pieces that hadn't burned well and set them aside, smiling at the small amount of charcoal produced. The efficiency was abysmally low, with so much firewood yielding so little charcoal, but it was still excellent news for Han Cheng. It proved that his approach was not wrong, and he only needed to continue improving upon it in the future. Someone in the tribe informed them that breakfast was ready, so Han Cheng carried the charcoal in a small basket and returned with everyone else. After rewashing his hands with warm water, he finally began to eat. The people of the Green Sparrow Tribe were now more diligent in washing their hands than in the summer because they had discovered the benefits of keeping their hands clean in winter. Before Han Cheng's arrival, most people's hands would crack in the winter. The cracks, coupled with the dirt, made their hands unsightly and painful. Since Han Cheng had instructed them to wash their hands diligently, their hands hardly cracked in the winter anymore. Even if one- or two peoples hands got cold, it was nowhere near as bad as in previous years. Children who used to be reluctant to wash their hands in winter were now washing them very seriously after discovering this benefit. After breakfast, Han Cheng brought a fire basin and retrieved charcoal from the large jar underneath. He lit the charcoal from the basket and examined its quality. The charcoal was excellent, producing almost no smoke when burning. Because it burned slowly in a smoldering state, it lasted longer than regular firewood. Han Cheng nodded satisfactorily, skewering two chicken wings on thin sticks and grilling them over the charcoal. After they were cooked, he gave one to Shaman and kept the other for himself. Taking a bite, he found the taste delightful, devoid of the usual smoky flavor, making it much more palatable.

Chapter 217: Dawn

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