If the two tribes merged, the people who would benefit most would naturally be the people of the Tang Tribe. The Han Tribe would benefit as well, since they would gain more than eighty thousand people for free. The only ones whose interests would be sacrificed were the various clan patriarchs of the Tang Tribe.
But that was not important. The two tribes were bound to merge sooner or later; dragging things out would not solve the problem. Just look at the neighboring Xin Tribe. Whether in population, grain, or even military strength, it was more powerful than the Tang Tribe—and had it not still fallen beneath the Han Tribe's heel?
By now, both Tang Ji and Tang Yao had seen through Luo Chong's ambition. Any tribe or population he discovered had only two choices: join him or be destroyed. If the Tang Tribe refused to join, its upper ranks would simply be wiped out before the rest was forcibly absorbed into the Han Tribe. Rather than end up in that state, it was better to take the initiative from the beginning. At the very least, they could use the Tang Tribe's own value to obtain some benefits.
Thinking of this, Tang Ji suddenly stopped and said to Tang Yao,
"Joining the Han Tribe isn't a problem, and neither is your marriage to Chieftain Han. The common people will only be happy about it; none of them will object. The only possible trouble will come from those clan patriarchs.
"Getting their support will probably be difficult. That will depend on Chieftain Han's attitude. Does Luo Chong intend to conquer them by force, or is he willing to give them some benefits and privileges in exchange for their acceptance?
"Yao Yao, how do you think Luo Chong will choose?" Tang Ji