The Fire Tribe Takes Stock of Its Resources

The busy resettlement work came to an end, and the nearly nine hundred new members gradually integrated into the Fire Tribe's vast system. Although the valley was slightly crowded, it was orderly, and the winter snow covered most of the noise, giving the tribe a chance to breathe. Jianshi convened the core members for an important internal review and future planning.

The fire in the council chamber blazed brightly, dispelling the chill outside. Wang Yan, Jianya Fang, Dali, Dazhuang, and several newly promoted group leaders in charge of specific tasks gathered together.

First, Jianya and the Logistics Group in charge of storage reported on the supply reserves. When a series of numbers came out of their mouths, even those who were used to the development of the tribe couldn't help but feel a sense of security and pride.

Grain reserves:

Rice: Over 600,000 jin! This huge figure is mainly due to 400,000 jin harvested in the autumn and 200,000 jin purchased from the Fish Tribe.

• Soybeans: Several thousand kilograms, are an important source of plant protein and a raw material for future oil extraction and salt production.

• Sufficient reserves of various tubers, dried vegetables, dried fish, and dried meat.

Daily necessities:

• Fine salt: Sufficient reserves are available for daily consumption, and refining is still being carried out in secret.

Pottery: Stocks are plentiful and sufficient to meet personal use and trade needs for the next year or two.

Clothing: There are surpluses of linen and animal skin clothing, which can ensure that the tribe members stay warm through the winter.

Livestock and poultry (approximate number):

• Cattle: Approximately 300 head.

Horses: Fifty ponies, all equipped with saddles and stirrups, are undergoing intensive training.

• Dogs: Twenty well-trained Liequan and guard dogs.

• Pigs: Thousands of them, an important source of meat.

Sheep: Approximately six hundred.

• Deer: Approximately 400 (domesticated and semi-wild).

• Rabbits: Tens of thousands in stock, reproducing rapidly.

Chickens and ducks: tens of thousands each, providing a stable supply of eggs and meat.

Habitat and Defense:

The total number of various types of houses (wooden houses, semi-subterranean houses, etc.) is nearly two thousand, which basically meets the current population's housing needs, with a slight surplus.

The main structure of the earthen wall has been completed, and the defense system has taken initial shape.

Hearing about the abundant resources, everyone's faces showed relieved smiles. With these supplies, especially the mountain of 600,000 jin of grain, they could support more than 5,000 people to get through this winter and even eat until next summer's harvest. This gave the Fire Tribe the valuable confidence to deal with any emergencies and develop with peace of mind.

"Great! Excellent!" Jianshi exclaimed, slapping the table in approval. "With these, we feel much more confident! This winter, we can focus on planning for next year!"

The conversation naturally turned to future development. Wang Yan first offered suggestions regarding productivity:

"Father, uncles and aunts. Now that we have bronze tools, our manufacturing efficiency is far superior to that of the Stone Age. I suggest that next spring, we concentrate our efforts on using bronze tools to mass-produce wooden farm implements—wooden plows, harrows, hoes, seed drills, and so on. Before, we had few tools and used them very carefully, afraid of damaging them. Now it's different; we should use them freely! If they break, we can rebuild them. Only by using more efficient tools to cultivate more land can we produce more grain!"

The Farming Group immediately agreed, "Yan is right! With good tools, one person can do the work of three or five people! Next spring, our Farming Group guarantees to plant all the newly reclaimed land!"

Jianshi nodded. "That's settled! The Manufacturing Group should prioritize the production of farm tools! We have plenty of wood!"

Next is the farmland expansion plan. Although the optimal planting period for crops such as winter wheat has been missed, rice can still yield a considerable harvest if planted in the right season.

"We currently have about 3,000 mu of paddy fields," Wang Yan said, pointing to a simple map. "Next spring, taking advantage of improved farming tools, we should strive to reclaim at least another 2,000 mu! That way, by next summer, we will have at least 8,000 mu of paddy fields! At the same time, the area of vegetable gardens and bean fields must also be expanded. We must ensure the continuous growth of grain and various crop production to feed a larger population and support the development of the tribe."

This goal was ambitious, but with the application of bronze tools and sufficient manpower, everyone felt it was entirely achievable.

Then there's the shipbuilding plan, which is a long-term strategic priority.

"The Fish Tribe's large ships, capable of carrying over 5,000 jin (2,500 kg), are far more technologically complex than our existing 2,000-jin (1,000 kg) boats," Wang Yan analyzed. "But now we have bronze tools—sharper chisels, adzes, and saws, and stronger drill bits—which gives us the possibility of imitation and even improvement. I suggest establishing a dedicated large ship construction team, drawing on the best shipbuilders, to study the structure of the Fish Tribe's large ships, and attempting to build them using our bronze tools."

He set a specific goal. "Strive to build twenty large ships with a carrying capacity of over 5,000 jin by the end of next year! With such a fleet, our ability to explore the upper reaches of the Fish River will be greatly enhanced, giving us the upper hand in future transportation, trade, and even naval warfare. As for the lower reaches... it is not advisable to go there for the time being, to avoid direct conflict with the Fish Tribe. What we need most now is time to develop."

Jianshi wholeheartedly agreed, "Exactly! Our fists aren't strong enough yet, and our backbone isn't heavy enough. We should avoid the Fish Tribe's sharp edge and focus on developing ourselves! We need to build ships and explore upstream! Yan, you'll personally oversee this matter. Whatever you need, the tribe will provide full support!"

Finally, Wang Yan proposed a suggestion focused on the long-term development of the tribe's civilization: promote literacy and basic arithmetic.

"Father, our tribe has now created over three thousand hieroglyphs, which is basically sufficient for daily record-keeping, management, and knowledge transmission," Wang Yan said. "Winter brings less outdoor work, making it a good time for learning. I suggest selecting a group of bright-minded, willing-to-learn core warriors, Youth Team members, and young leaders from each group to begin systematically teaching them to recognize characters and basic arithmetic. Not everyone needs to be proficient, but at least a group should be able to read and write, and keep accounts. This is crucial for managing our increasingly large tribe, recording technical experience, and transmitting orders. Knowledge is the true foundation for the tribe's long-term strength."

This proposal was somewhat ahead of its time, but visionaries like Jianshi and Jianya immediately recognized its value. A tribe with writing, capable of effective recording and calculation, would be worlds apart from a tribe that relied entirely on oral tradition.

"Great! That's a great idea!" Jianshi looked at his son approvingly. "Let's start this winter! We'll pilot it in the inner circle and the Youth Team first! Let Yan and a few others who learn quickly start teaching! Even if it's cold and they can't do heavy work, their minds can't be idle!"