I Became The Chief Of A Primitive Village

Chapter 1035, Entering the Ranks of Luxury

Translator: Silavin

Ye Tu had not yet fully recovered from the impact of seeing the cement road when he heard something that left him even more astonished.

He stared at the young girl with wide, disbelieving eyes. “Did you really mean what you just said?”

“Of course I did. Where exactly did you think you’d be sleeping tonight?” Cai Cai asked.

She had no intention of taking them to the Restful Night Building just yet. She wanted them to absorb a few more shocks first, and only then would she lead them to where they were staying. The goal was to build the impact in layers, letting it deepen with every step.

“I assumed we’d spend the night somewhere outside the Tribe, or that you’d point us towards some spare Teepee to make do with,” Ye Tu said without hesitation.

It was what had always happened when they visited other Tribes for trading. Staying overnight inside another Tribe’s territory was rare, and other Tribes certainly would not allow outsiders to sleep among them. At best, they might be permitted to camp at the very edge of the Tribe, in Teepees, with a considerable number of Warriors watching their every move.

“Our Tribe doesn’t work like that. The Flame Dragon Tribe has a dedicated place for guests to stay overnight. You will, however, need to hand something over in exchange,” Cai Cai said. She turned around with complete seriousness and added, “What you’ll need to hand over are currency notes. And it’s quite obvious you don’t have any.”

The young girl was already laying the groundwork for promoting currency notes. At this point, every opportunity was to be used to bring them up.

Currency notes were not meant to circulate only within the Flame Dragon Tribe. What Su Bai envisioned was a reach that extended across the entire continent.

“What exactly are these currency notes you keep mentioning? I’ve heard the word several times now. Are they something unique to the Flame Dragon Tribe?” Ye Tu asked.

“That’s right. Something exclusive to our Tribe. No other Tribe has them. And they are exceptionally well-crafted.” Cai Cai drew everyone’s anticipation to its peak. “I’m sure once you see them, you’ll be very taken with them. Though from the look of things, none of you seem to have brought anything with you…”

She let her gaze travel over them in an appraising way. It was plainly clear they had brought no dried meat or goods of any kind.

“We have other things we can use to trade. I’m not sure whether that would be acceptable,” Ye Tu said, blinking thoughtfully. “That said, I still need to see these currency notes for myself before agreeing to anything. I can’t just take your word for it.”

“No problem at all. Once I bring you to the Central Market, you’ll see exactly what currency notes are,” Cai Cai said, quite satisfied that the fish had taken the bait.

*Step step step…*

They did not linger and set off directly towards the Central Market.

All along the way, the people from the Wild Fox Tribe kept their eyes on the cement houses and the cement road beneath their feet, as well as the carriages that rumbled past. Everything they encountered left them speechless with amazement.

Some of them even came to a complete standstill mid-step, entirely forgetting to walk, while others were so distracted they walked straight into a wall.

The Flame Dragon Tribe had overwhelmed them in every direction. It was to a degree that was simply beyond words.

Had any of them known the modern expression for it, they would have been saying it on repeat the entire way there.

“We’ve arrived at the Central Market. When you go inside, make sure to keep your eyes wide open. I think you’ll be able to spot what currency notes are for yourselves,” Cai Cai advised.

“Understood,” the people from the Wild Fox Tribe replied, every one of them nodding obediently, like well-behaved children.

The journey there had thrown one thing after another at them, and by now the way they looked at the young woman had taken on a great deal more respect. It was something that had arisen quite naturally. Not only were they impressed by the Flame Dragon Tribe itself, but they had also developed a genuine admiration for the clarity and confidence with which she had explained everything.

Without further hesitation, the group from the Wild Fox Tribe stepped inside the Central Market.

Even with the rainy season still in full swing, the Central Market was full of people moving in and out. Most were holding umbrellas as they browsed and selected goods, while those without umbrellas were clearly visitors from other Tribes.

“Your Tribe already has people from other Tribes here?” Ye Tu asked.

He was sharp enough to work it out, that those without umbrellas had to be outsiders.

The way Ye Tu saw it, no one would willingly spend a large amount of dried meat just to rent an umbrella that did not belong to them. If the umbrellas were theirs to keep after the exchange, everyone here would already have one in hand, rather than standing in the rain.

Cai Cai was entirely unconcerned about them getting rained on. She already knew they would end up renting umbrellas before long.

“Of course. You lot have taken your time getting here. The rainy season is nearly over and you’re only just arriving.” Cai Cai said with a small shrug, then continued, “Several other Tribes got here well before you. They’ve already been here for a number of days.”

She was referring to the people from the Green Vine Tribe and the Earth Tiger Tribe, who had wrapped up their negotiations with Su Bai but had not yet left.

They had reasoned that since the rainy season had not ended, there was no harm in continuing to enjoy life at the Flame Dragon Tribe a little longer. A partnership had already been agreed upon, so there was no urgency to rush back, and waiting for the rainy season to end before travelling felt like the safer option.

“I hadn’t realised so many Tribes already knew about the Flame Dragon Tribe,” Ye Tu thought to himself quietly, mentally storing the intelligence to report back to the Chieftain in full detail when he returned. The Flame Dragon Tribe was, without question, a worthwhile partner.

“What’s that thing they’re holding? How can just a few of those flat pieces exchange for so much?” Huang Ji asked.

He had just watched a middle-aged man produce two currency notes and, in the blink of an eye, walk away with a whole jar of wine.

Of course, Huang Ji had no idea that what he was looking at were currency notes and wine. Only that those flat pieces looked remarkably light and flimsy.

“You noticed that too. I just saw another man holding the same thing, and he exchanged it for something very large.” Ye Tu said immediately.

What he had seen was also a middle-aged man, though he had used his currency notes to take away a piece of ceramic, neatly packaged.

Indeed, the people of the Flame Dragon Tribe had begun buying ceramics for themselves. As living standards improved, some had accumulated wages substantial enough to stretch to such things. The buyer was evidently deeply fond of ceramics, or he would never have spent so many currency notes on a single piece.

Su Bai had placed ceramics firmly in the luxury category. Without somewhere in the region of a hundred or more, one could not hope to take a single piece home.

This had deterred many visitors, though that was precisely the effect Su Bai had been after.

If something is priced to appeal to everyone by lowering its value, it ceases to hold any real worth. If even the people making it do not regard it as precious, there is no reason for anyone else to either.

This was a matter of prestige. Su Bai’s intention was to elevate the standing of the Flame Dragon Tribe to the highest possible position.