This Is My Primitive Tribe-Chapter 196 - 138 Winter Comes_2

In the spring, Mai Dong had managed those wax worms with Jiang Xuan and the Old Witch at the Rock Sheep Tribe, making insect bags for them.

In September, after the wax worms secreted wax, Jiang Xuan took Mai Dong to that Wax Tree Forest again to collect the insect wax from the branches.

Wax worms secrete wax in August and September, eating the leaves of the wax tree and secreting a large amount of white wax to wrap the branches.

The branches wrapped in insect wax looked like branches heavily laden with thick snow, pure white in color.

After bringing this insect wax back to the Vine Tribe, they were too busy with the fall harvest to process it, so they stored it all in the warehouse.

Now that the busy fall harvest was over and the battle with the Crow Tribe was done, Mai Dong, who had been thinking about the insect wax, came looking for Jiang Xuan.

The collected insect wax is fluffy like snowflakes and cannot be used directly.

It needs to be boiled in a pottery cauldron, removing impurities and some dead wax worm carcasses after melting, and cooling it would make the wax solidify into blocks.

Afterward, these solid blocks of insect wax are remelted and poured into bamboo tubes or other containers to make candles or for medicinal use.

Jiang Xuan quickly finished the food in his bowl and said, "I almost forgot about that insect wax if you hadn’t mentioned it. Let’s go, I’ll take you to get it."

Jiang Xuan put down his bowl, wiped his mouth, and then led Mai Dong to the warehouse where the insect wax was stored.

All the warehouses of the Vine Tribe were guarded by warriors, and ordinary people couldn’t enter without the leader or witch’s order.

Insect wax, being an important resource, was placed in the newest and largest mud-brick warehouse.

When Jiang Xuan and Mai Dong went there and asked for the insect wax, the guarding warrior opened the door immediately.

Upon entering the warehouse, the first thing in sight was the mountains of grain, things like red crystal rice packed in beast hide bags, while round potatoes and stone eggs were piled directly on a reed-covered floor.

It gave a sense of security to see these grains every time.

Jiang Xuan went to the corner of the warehouse, found four beast hide bags filled with insect wax, and said, "Insect wax is precious, let’s move it to my place for processing."

"Yes."

Mai Dong and Jiang Xuan each carried two bags of insect wax, then left the warehouse and returned to the courtyard in the bamboo forest.

Unprocessed insect wax would be quite fluffy, and after processing, it would become roughly one bag out of the four.

After bringing the insect wax into the house, Jiang Xuan took out a large three-legged pottery cauldron, cleaned it, and placed it in the hearth, adding half-a-cauldron of water.

Then, Mai Dong poured the insect wax into the cauldron until it was full.

Boiling insect wax requires patience, and Mai Dong is a very patient person.

He tended to the hearth, waiting for the water to heat, and after the insect wax began to melt, he occasionally stirred it with a stick.

The fluffy insect wax gradually melted in the hot water, with the wax floating on the top layer of water, while the worm carcasses and impurities sank to the bottom.

Once all the insect wax had melted, Mai Dong removed the fire and added cold water to the cauldron to cool it quickly.

As the water in the cauldron gradually cooled, the top layer of insect wax gradually solidified into a big block, pure white and beautiful, with a faint fragrance.

Mai Dong took out this block of insect wax, placed it on a nearby stump, then poured out the water in the cauldron, cleaning out the worm carcasses and impurities.

He then put the cauldron back into the hearth, added half a cauldron of water, and added more insect wax, continuing to boil.

Mai Dong spent two whole days boiling all four big bags of insect wax into large blocks of pure white insect wax.

The four big bags of insect wax solidified into only about one bag as expected.

Of course, its weight did not decrease much, only changing from a fluffy state to a solid state.

Boiling insect wax was a time-consuming and patience-requiring task.

Removing the impurities from the insect wax and changing it from a fluffy state to a solid puck is the first step and the most time-consuming one.

Next is to shape the insect wax into the desired form.

Jiang Xuan planned to use half of the insect wax to make candles, so he specially twisted a few fine cords to make candle wicks.

He then found many sections of bamboo tubes to use as candle molds.

Mai Dong found a two-handled pottery jar, cleaned it, and placed it in the hearth.

Once the pottery jar was heated, Mai Dong broke a big block of wax and put it into the jar.

"Sizzle sizzle sizzle..."

As the temperature increased, the block of insect wax in the pottery jar gradually melted into liquid wax oil.

Mai Dong wrapped something around the jar’s handles and lifted it up.

Jiang Xuan picked up a bamboo tube in his left hand and pinched a fine cord with his right hand, hanging it in the middle of the bamboo tube.

"Careful, Leader, I’m going to pour it."

Mai Dong held the jar and slowly poured wax oil into the bamboo tube until it was almost full.

Jiang Xuan took the bamboo tube and walked to the pool outside, immersing most of the tube in water to aid cooling.

By now, winter was approaching, the water was particularly cold, and the wax in the bamboo quickly solidified, with the string fixed in the middle as the candle wick.

Finally, he brought the bamboo tube back into the house, immersed it in hot water, and once the bamboo tube was warmed, the wax sticking to it melted; Jiang Xuan easily tipped out the thick candle.

"Done."

Jiang Xuan looked at the round, thick candle, feeling full of accomplishment; this was the first candle he had personally participated in making!

Afterward, they used the same method to make fifteen large candles from half of the insect wax.

"The Wax Tree Forest is too far away, and without tending those wax worms, we couldn’t get more insect wax to make candles."

Mai Dong was disappointed with this year’s insect wax production; to him, it was a great loss.

"It’s okay, the wax trees we planted on the nearby mountains have already taken root. Once winter passes, we can transplant more wax trees. In a few years, there will be a vast Wax Tree Forest there."

"By then, we’ll bring the wax worm eggs over, and eventually, our Vine Tribe territory will also produce insect wax."

"In the future, you will be responsible for managing those wax trees and wax worms."

Upon hearing Jiang Xuan’s words, Mai Dong’s eyes brightened, and he felt excited.

"Leader, I will definitely manage the wax trees and wax worms well to produce more insect wax for the tribe!"

Jiang Xuan smiled, nodding, and patted Mai Dong on the shoulder, "I believe in you!"

Receiving the leader’s affirmation, Mai Dong felt energized and more motivated for work.

For the remaining half of the insect wax, they also used bamboo tubes as molds to make cylindrical pieces, but without putting cords inside.

This insect wax would be used for medicinal purposes, needing only a small piece cut by a stone knife and ground into powder when needed.

After finishing with the insect wax, Mai Dong finally felt relieved of a burden.

"Leader, since the work is done, I’ll take my leave."

"Wait a moment."

Mai Dong turned back, "Leader, is there more work for me to do?"

Jiang Xuan took out a smaller candle and said, "This is for you."

"This... it’s too precious..."

Mai Dong dared not take it, knowing the wax candles were highly valuable, even in the Rock Sheep Tribe, only witches and leaders could use them, and others would only get insect wax powder when injured to stop bleeding.

"Take it; without you, the Vine Tribe wouldn’t have so much insect wax; this is well deserved."

Jiang Xuan stuffed the candle into Mai Dong’s arms.

Moved to the point of tears, Mai Dong wanted to say something, but couldn’t find the words.

Jiang Xuan smiled, patting his shoulder, "The Vine Tribe does not short-change those who contribute to the tribe."

Mai Dong nodded vigorously, then held the candle made of insect wax tightly against his chest.

"You can go now."

"Thank you, Leader."

Mai Dong sincerely thanked Jiang Xuan, then turned to leave.

From this moment on, he finally felt a true sense of belonging to the Vine Tribe and developed admiration for Jiang Xuan.

Indeed, who wouldn’t like such a leader?

A few days after finishing with the insect wax, it snowed in the Southern Wilderness.

Snowflakes gently fell from the sky, covering the ground.

After a heavy snowfall, all things were dormant. Whether humans or animals, they hardly went out, quietly waiting for the arrival of spring once more.

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