Chapter 35

Chapter 35: The World’s First Marketplace

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

In the center of the tribe, in the largest courtyard surrounded by a wall made from reeds and mud, Xia Ping’an met his mother, the chief of the tribe. He also had his first meal after coming to this world.

Shennong’s mother was an amiable woman who lacked an air of authority. Her gaze was kind and wise. Even in her house, she sat with her back straight. However, with the scepter in her hand and the strong female bodyguards beside her, no one dared to look down on her.

When Xia Ping’an explained his own ideas, everyone in the house stared at him with wide eyes in disbelief.

“A mutual market. What is that? Will everyone bring out their stuff for others to just take? Who would be willing to do that?” the female chief questioned. She pondered about this as she looked at Xia Ping’an.

After all, what Xia Ping’an said was something that had never been thought of before. It would take some effort for everyone to wrap their heads around the concept.

“Mother, a mutual market allows the members within our tribe to exchange items between each other. For instance, if I hunt a boar today and our family cannot finish the meat from the wild boar, it will go bad if left for long. However, if I wanted a stone knife and some firewood, I can use my oversupply of boar meat to trade for the items I want with other people.

“Someone will have extra firewood and wants to eat meat. The mason just finished polishing a stone knife and wants to have some meat. Both of them can trade their items for some of my wild boar meat!”

“Then, who will exchange with you? Are you planning on asking door-to-door with that boar meat?” Shennong’s elder sister asked.

For something that had never existed before, it was difficult for people to comprehend upon hearing such things for the first time.

“We do not need to go door-to-door to ask. We just need to find a spot in the tribe and gather those who wish to exchange their stuff. They will head over there themselves to take a look and trade their items with others. As for how they make the trade and how much they trade, that will be discussed by both parties involved. As long as both sides agree to trade, I believe everyone will be willing to do so.”

Once Xia Ping’an explained the concept in detail, the female chief very quickly understood it. Her eyes lit up, and she looked at Xia Ping’an with a pleased look. She was quite interested in Xia Ping’an’s suggestion. More importantly, his suggestion today made her realize that her son had finally grown up and could share the burden of the tribe and herself.

“I will leave the affairs of managing the tribe marketplace to you. We can give it a try. I will arrange for two people to help you. They will follow your commands. How soon can this tribe marketplace be ready?”

“We only need three days,” Xia Ping’an declared confidently.

“Alright. Then we will see the results in three days,” the female chief said. She turned around and instructed the bodyguard beside her in a low voice. In just a short while, the bodyguard brought two helpers for Xia Ping’an. The two of them would follow Xia Ping’an’s orders for the next few days.

Xia Ping’an left the house excitedly with his two helpers.

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For the following month, Xia Ping’an organized a mutual market in the tribe every five days. Each time the mutual market was organized, it brought great convenience to the lives of the tribesmen.

After successfully organizing the seventh or eighth mutual market, Xia Ping’an’s fame in the tribe skyrocketed. The number of helpers that his mother allocated to him had already grown from two to four.

With manpower, many things could easily be done.

Xia Ping’an began to bring his helpers to find clay suitable for pottery-making around the tribe. They found the clay very quickly. With clay, pottery-making was also added to Xia Ping’an’s daily schedule.

It was actually very easy to create pottery in this era. As long as they found clay, even without a kiln, they could make pottery by piling up firewood on a flat piece of land.

Pottery that was buried together with the dead that was unearthed generations later appeared to be formed by baking the clay using piled-up firewood, based on the temperature of the formed pottery. The ancient people did not have kilns at all.

Of course, Xia Ping’an would not be so crude. He brought his helpers to the hillslope and dug up a simple earth kiln that was taller than a man. They could then pile up firewood in the earth kiln and make pottery.

Xia Ping’an played with mud for a whole day, forming the clay into simple and crude plates and bowls. He was preparing the first batch of pottery. He asked his helpers to find firewood while he was at it.

Finally, Xia Ping’an placed the plates and bowls made from clay that he made into the earth kiln. He then piled up firewood and baked the pottery. Two to three hours later, his first batch of pottery was successfully completed.

A few days later, when Xia Ping’an brought his first batch of pottery to the mutual market, the entire tribe was once again in an uproar.

The bowls were perfect for holding water and storing food. They also appeared refined.

In this era where there were basically no containers, the uproar that was caused by the first batch of pottery far exceeded Xia Ping’an’s expectations.

The way the tribesmen looked at the earthenware plates and bowls made by Xia Ping’an was practically like how modern-day people looked at diamonds. Many people were willing to pay enormous prices to obtain a ceramic bowl.

With pottery, there could be a greater variety of cooking and food. Many foods and items could also have better means of storage.

Xia Ping’an discovered that just by trading away the first batch of pottery, he had become the wealthiest person in the tribe in just one day. His reputation had also risen to a whole other level.

The beginning of his Shennong saga was going well. In less than a month, Xia Ping’an accomplished two major milestones.

With his items, achievements, and reputation, people would listen to what he said. It would be much easier when he carried out the subsequent inventions and endeavors such as teaching people to plant crops.

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