Chapter 162

At first, the villagers did not understand how these shoes could be so much better than the straw sandals they usually wore. After all, if straw sandals got ruined walking through the mountains, it was no great heartbreak. At worst, they could just weave a new pair from dragon-beard grass. But if these sewn-together shoes got ruined, it would be a terrible waste of good material. Si Jiuyue did not offer a lengthy explanation; she simply insisted that everyone put them on first. Under her firm direction, every single person laced up a pair of rain boots, and even the donkey and horses were fitted with straw hats to keep the rain off. The moment they put on the rain boots, everyone immediately realized these cloth shoes were extraordinary. Rainwater soaked the uppers but could not get inside, and sharp thorns could not pierce through the soles. Their feet suddenly felt much more comfortable, and they no longer had to worry about getting scratched while walking. Though they started out taking cautious, tentative steps, before long they were walking as naturally as could be.