The Pottery Salt Opportunity

The camp of the Pottery Salt Tribe was located on a gentle slope beside a stream. The arrangement of wooden houses and huts was more messy than that of the Fire Tribe, but it had a more bustling atmosphere of merchants coming and going. When the news spread that Chief Jia Li had secretly returned with several boats loaded with pottery he had traded with the Fire Tribe, the entire core of the tribe was shaken.

In the chieftain's slightly spacious wooden hut, decorated with fish bones and seashells on the walls and covered with several relatively intact animal hides, several elders and leaders in charge of trade, defense, and internal affairs were gathered together. A complex emotion, a mixture of excitement, disbelief, and a hint of regret, filled the air.

"Chief, you truly have... keen insight and extraordinary courage!" The "Qiandai" in charge of trade held a pottery pot made by the Fire Tribe, stroking it with obvious delight, his face beaming with joy. "The quality of this pottery is even better than those 'second-rate goods' that the Fish Tribe gave us! And the key is... the price!"

He lowered his voice, his eyes gleaming. "I've calculated it. Even with the costs of transportation, storage, and distribution, at the 'family price' the Fire Tribe gives us, our profit from reselling will be at least several times higher than if we bought from the Fish Tribe! Moreover, it seems the Fire Tribe has a considerable output. As long as we maintain good relations, this will be a steady stream of income!"

The warrior leader in charge of the tribe's defense, "Biaotou," nodded emphatically. He valued even more the connections established by the chief during this trip. "It was so worthwhile for the chief to make this trip personally! Who would have thought that the Fire Tribe would develop to such a level so quietly! The fields stretch as far as the eye can see, the houses are densely packed, the warriors are elite, and the fleet is quite large! Forming a close trade partnership with such a tribe is a solid asset for our Pottery Salt Tribe!"

Another elder looked somewhat embarrassed. He had initially disapproved of Jia Li's decision to personally travel a long distance with lavish gifts to visit that "relative in a poor mountain village" when the Wolf Tribe had just retreated and tribal affairs were numerous. He even thought that the chief was going to great lengths and tried to delay the visit with some miscellaneous tasks. Now, he realized that he was simply ignorant and short-sighted.

Jia Li sat in the main seat, his face showing the weariness of a long journey, but even more so, a smug composure. He slowly took a sip of hot water brewed with precious spices (a habit he had learned from the upper Fish Tribe), glanced at everyone, and began to speak:

"When I first announced my trip, some people probably thought I was making a mountain out of a molehill, or that the Fire Tribe wasn't worth my personal trip." His words made the elder lower his head even further. "Now, do you all understand?"

"Understood! The leader is wise!" the crowd responded in unison, completely convinced.

"Our Pottery Salt Tribe, sandwiched between the Fish Tribe and many upstream tribes, relies on our keen insight, courage, and connections," Jia Li said Chenwen. "The Fish Tribe is powerful, controlling the river's transportation and the Valley Tribe's Yuantu trade. In the past, we were at their mercy, forced to accept lower prices and have our quantities restricted—we had no choice but to accept it. But now, things are different."

He set down the ceramic cup, his fingers lightly tapping the table. "The rise of the Fire Tribe has given us a new option, a option that allows us to stand a little taller. Their pottery is one of our strengths. But this deal must be kept secret, especially from the Fish Tribe; not a single word can be leaked!"

"Yes! Don't worry, Chief!" Everyone's expressions tightened, fully aware of the implications. If the Fish Tribe found out that they had found another source of goods upstream and obtained a more favorable price, given the Fish Tribe Chief Canglan's (although he was related to Jia Li, kinship sometimes couldn't be relied upon when it came to interests) strength and desire for control, he would definitely exert pressure and might even cut off other cooperation.

"The horses and dogs the Fire Tribe wants are our first step in demonstrating our sincerity and capability," Jia Li said seriously. "This deal must be done quickly and well; there's no room for error! It's about the stability of our new alliance with the Fire Tribe, and it's also about the future influence of our Pottery Salt Tribe!"

He immediately began assigning tasks:

"Qiandai, immediately take stock of the pottery we brought back this time. Select the finest and most practical pieces and store them separately as 'hard currency' for our future transactions. As for the rest, release them cautiously and in batches through the old channels. The price... can be slightly lower than the Fish Tribe's goods, but don't attract too much attention."

"Yes!"

"Biaotou, select twenty of your most reliable warriors and prepare three fast boats. This journey to the Horse Tribe is long, and the tribes along the way are complex. Although there are familiar routes, please be extremely careful and avoid any unexpected complications. The escort mission is entrusted to you."

The Biaotou bodyguard/escort) clasped his hands in a fist and accepted the order, "Rest assured, leader! I will definitely bring the horse back safely!"

Jia Li nodded, then looked at his most trusted and capable assistant, "Yuantu": "Yuantu, you'll go to the Horse Tribe with the Biaotou Horse Tribe before. This time, besides trading pottery for horses, you also need to keep a close eye on the current situation of the Horse Tribe and find out news from the grasslands further northwest. Remember, we need healthy, well-trained ponies—fifty in total, not one less! The Fire Tribe is pressing us hard; we need to get the horses into their hands before the first snowfall!"

"Understood! I will not fail you!" Yuantu young man's face was full of energy.

After arranging the horse trade, Jia Li stood up. "As for the Liequan from the Beast Taming Tribe... I'll go there myself."

The group was somewhat surprised. The Beast Taming Tribe were relatively close and had a closer relationship (they had just fought side by side), so sending a capable leader should have been enough.

Seeing everyone's confusion, Jia Li explained, "Last time, we were fortunate to have the timely assistance of Muye Beast Taming Tribe's chieftain, Muye, in defeating the Beast Taming Tribe Wolf Tribe, as well as the support from the Hundred Crafts Tribe. We must acknowledge this favor and deepen it further. My personal visit with generous gifts to express our gratitude will better demonstrate our sincerity and respect. Moreover..."

He paused, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes. "Dogs are different from deer and sheep; they are difficult to tame and are the bread and butter of the Beast Taming Tribe. Trading twenty excellent adult dogs at once is no small matter. I'll be more confident if I personally negotiate with the chief of the Muye. It's also a good opportunity to reconnect with the Hundred Crafts Tribe and solidify our little circle."

Everyone suddenly understood and nodded repeatedly. The leader's consideration was indeed thorough.

"During my absence, all matters, large and small, in the tribe have been decided through discussions among the elders. If any issues remain unresolved, send someone to the Beast Taming Tribe to find me immediately," Jia Li concluded. "Remember, this connection with the Fire Tribe is one of the keys to our tribe's future rise and fall. The trade of horses and dogs must succeed; failure is not an option!"

"Yes, sir!"

After the meeting dispersed, the Pottery and Salt Tribe immediately began to operate efficiently. Qianbao led people into the warehouse and began to carefully select pottery; the escort leader and Yuandiu gathered people to inspect the ships and prepare supplies for the long journey; Jiali asked his wife to prepare a generous thank you gift, including some novel food and exquisite pottery exchanged from the Fire Tribe, as well as their tribe's own reserves of coarse salt and fine furs.

A few days later, the two teams set off almost at the same time. Darthead and Yuandu took several fast boats and carefully selected pottery cargo, and headed against a tributary towards the edge of the grassland where the horse tribe was located. Jia Li took several followers and a boat full of thank-you gifts and some pottery, and sailed to the animal taming tribe that was closer and closer.

A river breeze blew Jia Li stood at the Chuantou, gazing at the familiar scenery on both banks, his heart filled with unprecedented confidence and anticipation.

Having dealt with the Fish Tribe for many years, he always felt a stifling sense of dependence. The appearance of the Fire Tribe was like a ray of sunshine tearing through the clouds, showing him another possibility—a more equal and promising partner, and a new trade route that could gradually free him from single-source dependence.

"Brother -Jianshi, nephew Yan... you must hold on," Jia Li murmured to himself. "As long as your Fire Tribe continues to prosper, our Pottery Salt Tribe may also usher in a true day of resurgence!"

This transaction was not only for the Fire Tribe, but also a major gamble for the Pottery Salt Tribe's future. Jia Li knew he had to go all out.