Chapter 29: Rebellion

"Feng Yu, what do you think?" After listening to Lu Li's account, Qi Yue turned to ask Feng Yu. After all, this concerned her own tribe; though she was deeply disappointed in them, she did not want her newly found friends to come to any harm.

"Qi Yue, you decide. I will follow your lead. Don't forget, we have already bonded, which means we are one," Feng Yu said, gripping her hands and looking straight into her eyes with solemnity.

"Feng Yu, I understand. I still have friends in the tribe whom I cannot abandon, so I intend to cooperate with them," Qi Yue nodded, touched by his support.

"Very well! Let's go back and prepare lunch. After eating, Hu Yue and I will go hunting. You must stay with Chi Er, Lu Li, and Bao Xue'er, and be sure to stay safe," Feng Yu cautioned, still uneasy.

"I know. Lu Li, please ensure you bring enough herbs for colds, fevers, and diarrhea. We might have to spend the night on the mountain, and since we cannot bring furs, some of the weaker females and children might fall ill. As soon as we arrive, have the older beastmen gather firewood. It would also be best to bring some holy water; if anyone feels unwell, a sip or two might help," Qi Yue suggested after some thought. Since the plan was hers, she didn't want any harm to come to the females and cubs.

"I will make sure everything is prepared. You should go back and get ready now," Lu Li urged them to leave.

Watching them walk away, Lu Li felt a surge of gratitude toward Qi Yue. Even in such a crisis, she was still offering advice and thinking so thoroughly for others. How could such a wonderful female be so misunderstood? Why was it that, apart from Shi De, no other beastmen in the tribe had pursued her? And why did so many of the other females dislike her? It felt as if she had been completely isolated.

Today's series of events was truly baffling. It was hard to believe that this chain of events was all triggered by a nineteen-year-old orphan. She was at the eye of the storm and had been hurt the most. How could those people be so cruel? Was there really such deep-seated hatred? Was it truly just because of a competition over a male? Was it really worth it? Could they not have used honorable methods instead?

Who doesn't admire a beautiful female? When beastmen choose a mate, the first thing they notice is her appearance. Because of this, Qi Yue had been the secret goddess in the hearts of many single males in the tribe, though they only dared to look from afar. When Qi Yue turned seventeen, her beauty became even more striking; it was from that time on that Hu Li'er began to find her an eyesore, targeting her at every turn and spreading malicious rumors behind her back. Eventually, many young females of similar age began to distance themselves from her.

Because of this, Qi Yue became increasingly reserved, rarely leaving her courtyard. Gradually, her contact with other tribesmen dwindled. This led some beastmen to dislike her personality, while others stayed away because their sisters warned them not to associate with her. Others still were told by their parents to pursue different females to avoid provoking the Chief’s daughter. As for Shi De, he was purely superficial; his own strength was formidable in the Lu Yu region, so he had claimed her during the mating ceremony just as she reached adulthood.

Hu Li'er had also developed a crush on Shi De during that same ceremony. Just as she was thinking of ways to make him pursue her, he chose another female—and the one she despised the most, at that. She could not swallow such an insult; it was like a fish bone stuck in her throat. During those days, she sulked at home, consumed by agitation. As the day of Qi Yue’s adulthood approached, her temperament grew increasingly volatile. Finally, after the two bonded, she went to her mother and demanded that she find a way to make Qi Yue suffer, no matter the cost.

When Hu Jia received her daughter's tearful complaints, she was shocked; she hadn't expected her daughter to set her sights on Shi De, especially since the bonding ceremony had already taken place that morning. Although she also disliked Qi Yue, she did not want to disregard tribal rules. However, faced with Hu Li'er's threats of suicide—and given that she was her only daughter—she felt forced to resort to such a desperate and risky measure.

Unexpectedly, Qi Yue returned in a coma and gave birth to an egg a year later, which was how Hu Li'er found her opening. In reality, Hu Li'er's feelings for Shi De were not all that deep; they were driven mostly by a competitive spirit and a refusal to lose.

Everything played out as the five elders and the witch doctor had anticipated. The only thing the elders had not expected was the sheer number of rebels—over four hundred, including all the top ten finishers from the tribe's hunting contest.

"You! All of you..." the Grand Elder pointed at the group, "Why are you betraying the tribe?"

"Who says we are betraying the tribe? We are simply supporting Chief Hu Wei," Hu Xing retorted.

"Supporting Hu Wei? Then why not just vote for him when the new Chief is elected in a few days?" Hu Man asked in return.

"Why should we wait? Are you going to strip Hu Wei of his position just because of one female?" Hu Jin protested.

"Very well! You want to know why? I will tell you: First, during Hu Wei's tenure, incidents of harm to females and cubs occurred, and he bears responsibility for his failure to supervise. Second, the primary culprit is his own relative, and he failed in his duty to discipline her. Third, when choosing a Chief, if they have a partner, the character of that partner is also taken into account. Had we known what kind of person Hu Jia was, the tribe would never have included Hu Wei as a candidate," the Grand Elder, Shi Yue, announced the charges against Hu Wei.

"Is that all? I do not accept this! I have served the tribe diligently and conscientiously since becoming Chief, working myself to the bone for our people," Hu Wei argued, feeling unjustly treated.

"Is this the result of your 'diligent' service? A fractured tribe and broken hearts?" The Grand Elder gestured toward the rebels.

"That is because you forced our hands! Why strip me of my position just for the sake of Qi Yue? Besides, my appointment was approved by the Beast God!" Hu Wei refused to believe his position could be revoked so easily.

"Approved by the Beast God?" The Grand Elder took a small leather pouch from the Fifth Elder and threw it onto the ground. "Then tell me, what is this?"

Hu Wei knelt and opened the leather. Seeing the two small black shards and some clay fragments inside, Hu Jia’s eyes flickered.

"What is this? Just some clay pieces," Hu Wei looked at the Grand Elder in confusion.

"These are the witch doctor's divination tools, which were tampered with ten years ago, before you took office. This means the result of the divination that led to your election was falsified," Shi Yue finished, and a roar of shock erupted from the beasts.

"That's impossible! I didn't do that!" Hu Wei shouted.

"If you didn't, perhaps you should ask your dear partner what she has to say," Hu Man said, looking at Hu Jia’s shifting gaze with resentment.

Hu Wei turned to Hu Jia and demanded, "Is this true? Tell me the truth!"

"I did it for you! Otherwise, do you think you could have become Chief back then?!" Hu Jia snapped, indignant that Hu Wei dared to question her instead of showing gratitude.

"I fear it wasn't just to make Hu Wei Chief, was it?" Bao Si sneered.