A Major New Deal

After three rounds of meals and five courses, the atmosphere in the council hall grew increasingly lively. The aroma of roasted meat and goat milk mingled with the laughter and conversation of the crowd, creating a rare atmosphere of relaxation and joy.

The conversation naturally revolved around their common enemy— the Wolf Tribe. Jianshi and Jia Li took turns denouncing the Wolf Tribe's greed, cruelty, and cunning. The Wolf Tribe's acts of raiding, extorting, and slaughtering smaller tribes were enough to enrage anyone with a modicum of conscience.

"Who says otherwise!" Jia Li retorted with disdain. "The time they ambushed us, it was completely out of the blue. Luckily, our tribe was prepared, otherwise they would have looted and burned all of the Pottery Salt Tribe's goods! These tribes are like poisonous vines in the mountains; once you're hooked, you can't get rid of them, and they'll harm you sooner or later!"

They cursed with gusto, and everyone at the table echoed their sentiments. The Wolf Tribe's reputation in this area was already infamous, and now they had been utterly defeated by the Fire Tribe, which was truly gratifying.

"But things are much better now," Jia Li said with a genuine smile, raising his bowl to Jianshi. "Brother -Jianshi, you fought a truly magnificent battle! The Wolf Tribe's main force has suffered heavy losses, and Xueya is seriously injured. It will definitely take him several years to recover! Our Pottery Salt Tribe can at least enjoy peace for a few more years!"

He spoke sincerely. Although the Pottery Salt Tribe was doing well thanks to its distribution business, its population was only a little over five hundred, with only about one hundred warriors. Facing fierce raiders like the Wolf Tribe, the pressure to defend themselves was immense. As the saying goes, "You can only be a thief for a thousand days, but you can't guard against thieves for a thousand days." This feeling of being on guard day and night was not pleasant. Now that the Wolf Tribe had suffered such a heavy blow, it was as if a heavy burden had been lifted from their shoulders.

"From now on, we won't have to be so worried when transporting goods between the nearby tribes," Jia Li added, his tone much more relaxed.

Jianshi nodded. "The wolf has been wounded, it should know the pain. Our Fire Tribe will also strengthen our defenses. If they don't come, fine, but if they dare to come again, we'll make sure they don't leave alive!"

The two chatted about other tribal leaders they both knew, commenting on their character and strength. Qingye also joined in, asking about her sister's (Jia Li's wife) health and the children's condition, and reminiscing about her girlhood, making the atmosphere even warmer and more harmonious. This in-law relationship, under the common enemy and the sumptuous meal before them, seemed to have been given new warmth and weight.

Seeing that the time was almost right, Jia Li put down the meat and bone in his hand, wiped his hands with a clean linen cloth, turned his gaze to Jian Jianshi, and then casually glanced at Wang Yan, asking as if it were nothing more than, "By the way, brother-in-law, I heard from Canglan, and there are some recent rumors, that the Fire Tribe can now make their own pottery? I wonder if it's true or not?"

This question was actually one of the core objectives of Jia Li's trip, as everyone present knew perfectly well. He had managed to obtain pottery from the Fish Tribe Fire Tribe distribution and had witnessed the prosperity of the Fire Tribe firsthand; how could he not know? Asking this question was merely a pretext to open the conversation and to provide both sides with a formal confirmation and a stepping stone for in-depth discussions.

Jianshi glanced at Wang Yan, and seeing his son nod slightly, he laughed heartily and readily admitted, "To be honest, brother-in-law, it's true. Our Fire Tribe has indeed mastered the art of pottery making. To be frank, the pottery kiln has played a huge role in the tribe's improvement over the past two years, allowing us to fill our stomachs and build these houses."

He made no attempt to conceal it; on the contrary, he exuded a sense of pride. In this era, possessing stable, value-creating skills is itself a symbol of strength and status.

A glint flashed in Jia Li's eyes, and his face revealed a complex expression of "just as I thought" and "deep admiration." He nodded repeatedly, "Incredible, truly incredible! No wonder! No wonder the Fire Tribe has changed so much in the past two years! This pottery is a wonderful thing; it's so much more convenient and durable than stone pots and leather bags for cooking, storing water, and storing grain! The Fish Tribe has always been holding us, the upstream tribes, hostage by trading pottery with the Valley Tribe. Now, things are much better; we have this skill ourselves!" His words were well-chosen, both praising the Fire Tribe and subtly pointing out their previous subservient position, thus bridging the gap between them.

"Yan," Jianshi looked at Wang Yan, "You know best about pottery. Talk to Uncle Jia Li about it."

Wang Yan understood, leaned forward slightly, and said in a steady and clear tone, "Uncle Jia Li, our Fire Tribe currently has several large kilns, producing about five hundred pieces of pottery of various sizes each month. About half of them are used for the tribe's own consumption and for bartering with neighboring small tribes. The rest can indeed be considered for exchanging for other resources we need."

He didn't exaggerate, but he didn't give a definitive answer either. In reality, with the increase in skilled craftsmen and improvements in techniques, there was still room for production to increase, and he planned to build a new kiln. But this number was already enough to move Jia Li. Two hundred and fifty pieces of pottery per month available for export! This output, although not comparable to the rumored massive production of the Valley Tribe, was already a significant supply force locally! More importantly, it was produced by "our own people," resulting in shorter transportation distances, lower costs, and greater control.

Jia Li's heart began to race uncontrollably. Two hundred and fifty pieces a month! Even if he only took a portion, the profit would be considerable! Moreover, he had seen the quality of the Fire Tribe's pottery; it was no worse than the ones the Fish Tribe had traded for from the Valley Tribe!

He suppressed his excitement and tried to keep his voice steady. "Great! Great! With such output from the Fire Tribe, life in this area will be much better from now on! I wonder... what is the Fire Tribe mainly looking to exchange for? Grain? Fur? Or...?"

Wang Yan had been waiting for this very sentence. He had already discussed it with his father, Jianya, and others. The Fire Tribe was now basically self-sufficient in food, and could also obtain fur and meat through hunting and animal husbandry. What they lacked most at this stage were some "special resources" that could improve production efficiency, strengthen their military power, or have strategic value.

"Uncle Jia Li," Wang Yan began directly, "We've heard that about a dozen sunsets' journey from the Pottery Salt Tribe, there's a ' Horse Tribe ' of over three thousand people. They are extremely skilled at domesticating livestock, especially a type of 'dwarf horse' that is small in size but has great endurance and is suitable for carrying loads and riding in the mountains. It's their specialty?"

Jia Li was taken aback, not expecting the Fire Tribe to be concerned about this. He thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "There is such a Horse Tribe, on the edge of the grasslands further northeast of the Fish Tribe. They are indeed skilled at raising horses. I've seen those ponies before; although they aren't fast, they are very stable on mountain roads and when carrying loads, and they are quite strong. So, you want these?"

"Exactly." Wang Yan nodded and continued, "Furthermore, we've also heard that in the Beast Taming Tribe (one of the tribes that previously joined forces with the Pottery Salt Tribe to fight against the Wolf Tribe), they've tamed a type of dog with a keen sense of smell, alertness, and loyalty, which is ideal for helping with hunting, guarding camps, and even keeping watch for enemies?"

"The Liequan of the Beast Taming Tribe?" Jia Li reacted even faster this time, vaguely understanding the Fire Tribe's intentions. "Their dogs are quite famous, excellent at tracking prey and very good at guarding homes. You want..."

"That's good." Wang Yan met Jia Li's gaze, his tone solemn. "Our Fire Tribe wants to use pottery, through your channels and connections, Uncle Jia Li, to exchange for a batch of miniature horses and well-trained dogs."

He stated the specific quantity directly. "We hope to first exchange for fifty ponies, and twenty excellent adult Liequan or guard dogs."

"Fifty ponies? Twenty dogs?" Jia Li gasped slightly. This was no small amount! While the ponies of the Horse Tribe weren't the most prized breed, fifty of them were still a significant transaction. The dogs of the Beast Taming Tribe were their prized possessions, and getting twenty at once would likely require some effort.

But then he thought again, what would the Fire Tribe be willing to exchange for? A continuous supply of high-quality pottery! This deal was worthwhile! Moreover, helping the Fire Tribe in this way would undoubtedly bring the two sides closer together and strengthen their bond.

Thinking of this, Jia Li's face broke into a hearty smile again, and he waved his hand. "Haha! I thought it was something difficult! It's just horses and dogs, right? Leave it to me! I know the Horse Tribe's horseman chief, and the Beast Taming Tribe's Muye —we even fought the Wolf Tribe together a few days ago! We're on good terms! As long as the pottery you provide is substantial and of good quality, fifty horses and twenty dogs—I, Jia Li, will find a way to get them for you!"

Upon hearing this, Jianshi, Jianya, Dali, and the others all wore joyful smiles. If they could acquire these horses and dogs, the Fire Tribe's transportation, mobility, and surveillance capabilities would be greatly enhanced! Whether for transporting supplies, relaying messages, expanding hunting grounds, or strengthening tribal defenses, they would be of immeasurable value!

"Great! Brother-in-law, you're so generous!" Jianshi happily raised his bowl again. "Then I'll leave this to you, brother-in-law! Don't worry about the pottery; I guarantee it's all top-quality! As for how to transport it..." He looked at Wang Yan.

Wang Yan interjected, "Uncle Jia Li, we can use boats to secretly transport the pottery directly to the dock of the Pottery Salt Tribe, or to a safe place you specify for delivery. This will save you the trouble of transporting it by land, and it will be faster and safer. Once the horses and dogs are ready, we can also send a fleet of boats and people familiar with livestock to pick them up."

Water transport—that's precisely the Fire Tribe's new fleet's advantage! Jia Li's eyes lit up even more. If they could transport everything directly to his territory by boat, that would be perfect! It would save time and effort, and avoid the various risks associated with land transport (although the Wolf Tribe's threat has been greatly reduced, it's not entirely gone).

"Brilliant! This is a great idea!" Jia Li exclaimed, slapping the table in approval. "It's settled then! I'll send someone to contact the Horse Tribe and the Beast Taming Tribe as soon as I get back! You guys prepare the pottery too. Let's get this done as quickly as possible!"

It's a deal!

It's a deal!

Two earthenware bowls filled with goat's milk collided heavily in mid-air, producing a crisp sound. A deal of great significance to both parties was easily finalized at this banquet.

The Fire Tribe traded its pottery for strategic resources that could enhance its overall strength; while the Pottery Salt Tribe, Jia Li, gained a stable, high-quality, and easily transportable source of pottery, further consolidating its position in the regional trade network and forging a stronger bond of interests with its powerful neighbor.