Visiting the Pottery Salt Tribe

A magnificent trade fleet departed from the Fire Tribe's dock, with fifty large dugout Muzhou, each capable of carrying two thousand catties, lined up in a row on the river, creating a spectacular sight. Interspersed among the fleet were dozens of Xiaozhou, each capable of carrying five hundred catties, mainly used for communication and maneuverability. The boats carried carefully selected high-quality pottery from the Fire Tribe, perfectly cured dried fish and meat, and a small amount of linen and bone tools as embellishments. This trade was led by Jianya and Wang Yan, with Dali responsible for protection and coordination, Dazhuang led elite warriors to ensure the safety of the entire fleet's voyage.

After seeing the fleet off, Jianshi felt an even heavier burden on his shoulders. He and Dabang and the others were responsible for a myriad of affairs within the Fire Tribe: the newly reclaimed thousands of acres of paddy fields and the doubled vegetable plots needed to be planted before the season; supplies needed to be produced, stored, and distributed; the resettlement, appeasement, and division of labor for the nearly one thousand newly joined members of the Bison and White Pig Tribe were still underway; the training of the Hunting Team (Defense Team) could not be relaxed for a single day, especially the newly joined warriors who urgently needed to integrate; the entire valley's defense system needed to be kept on high alert at all times; and the crucial manufacturing workshops—the secret forge, the bow-making workshop, the shipyard, etc.—had their production and secrecy work of paramount importance. Fortunately, Jianshi, with his formidable reputation for defeating the Wolf Tribe and his own powerful personal charisma, enjoyed extremely high prestige within the tribe. With him in charge, the progress of various affairs was remarkably efficient.

The fleet's objective was clear: to exchange the goods they brought for 100,000 to 200,000 catties of grain from the Fish Tribe. This was a considerable task, but Jianya and Wang Yan were both very confident.

The fleet sailed downstream at a rapid pace. After a day's journey, they arrived at the waters near the former autumn market. Gazing at the familiar riverbank in the distance, Wang Yan stood at the Chuantou and said to his companions, Jianya, Dali, and Dazhuang, "Uncles, look over there. That's the valley where the market used to be. It's a little north of the Bison and White Pig Tribe, and closer to the Pottery Salt Tribe and Fish Tribe."

He paused, then pointed towards the shore. "Now, most of the small tribes that used to operate and trade near the market have joined our Fire Tribe. From now on, this small market probably really won't be able to 'gather' anymore."

Jianya nodded. "Yes, the tribes within three to five sunset distances around our Fire Tribe have either joined us, or... those to the north either fled or were swallowed up and wiped out by the Wolf Tribe. There's no one left; it's just an empty field."

Wang Yan's eyes were fixed on the valley, a thoughtful glint in them. "That Small Gathering Valley is actually in a good location. It's quite large; I estimate there are five to ten thousand acres just suitable for paddy fields! There's even more land suitable for growing vegetables, possibly thirty to fifty thousand acres. Moreover, the terrain is easy to defend and difficult to attack, and the water source is abundant. If our Fire Tribe develops for another two years and becomes even stronger, we can definitely consider establishing a branch tribe there."

"Branch tribe point?" Dali and Dazhuang both looked over.

"Yes," Wang Yan affirmed, "It's no problem to cultivate land there and settle five to ten thousand people. More importantly, it's only a day's boat ride from our Fire Tribe, very close. Building a base there can serve two purposes: first, it can act as a bridgehead to defend against the Wolf Tribe's southward advance; second, it can better protect the secret of the Deer Tribe's copper and tin mining operations, preventing them from being discovered by someone sneaking over from the north."

Jianya stroked his beard, his eyes showing approval. "Yan, that's a good idea! Right now, all our manpower is crammed into the valley; it's not a long-term solution. Expanding outwards and establishing branches will not only increase our territory but also diversify our risks and strengthen our defenses. Once we return from this trade and the tribe has stabilized, we can plan this out properly."

The fleet continued its journey, passing the former site of the Little Stone Creek Tribe (now only ruins and charred remains). Wang Yan pointed to the confluence of the Fish River and the creek and said, "That's also a good place. Establishing a small supply depot or outpost there would not only extend the Fire Tribe's sphere of influence but also facilitate future fleet resupply, enhance logistical capabilities, and... further compress the Wolf Tribe's operational space. It's only a two-day boat trip from the Fire Tribe to here, not far at all."

This "on-site investigation" and planning process, which involved traveling and observing along the way, greatly inspired Jianya, Dali, Dazhuang, giving them a more concrete understanding of the future expansion direction of the Fire Tribe.

After another day of sailing, the fleet arrived at the confluence of the stream and the Fish River, where the Pottery Salt Tribe was located. The current was calm here, making it an ideal place to anchor. Jianya ordered the fleet to dock here and set up a temporary camp to rest.

After settling the main force, Dali and Dazhuang stayed behind to oversee the camp and keep watch, while Jianya and Wang Yan transferred to a light 500-pound small boat, carrying several trusted men and a batch of gifts (pottery and preserved goods), and sailed upstream along the stream towards the camp of the Pottery Salt Tribe.

Their visit to the Pottery Salt Tribe had three purposes: first, to inquire about the progress of their previous request to the Pottery Salt Tribe to purchase 300 dwarf horses from the northern Horse Tribe; second, to inform the Pottery Salt Tribe of the latest developments in the Wolf Tribe's attacks on the Bison and White Pig Tribe, and to remind them to strengthen their vigilance; and third, to pay a partial deposit for the dwarf horses and to entrust the Pottery Salt Tribe to sell some of the pottery and preserved goods they brought.

As the small boat slowly approached, Wang Yan noticed the changes outside the Pottery Salt Tribe's camp from afar. A large area of flat paddy fields had been reclaimed on the shore. Although the area was not large, it looked to be about 300 mu. Rice seedlings had already been planted in the fields, and they were lush and green. There were also many vegetable plots next to them, growing various vegetables. This was quite inconsistent with the Pottery Salt Tribe's consistent image of "emphasizing commerce over agriculture".

As they drew closer and could make out the outline of the camp, Wang Yan and Jianya exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes. The Pottery Salt Tribe's camp had clearly expanded considerably, with newly built wooden houses and sheds densely packed together, and the flow of people coming and going was much denser.

"This Pottery Salt Tribe... their population has increased quite a bit," Jianya said in a low voice. "It looks like there are probably a thousand people now."

Wang Yan nodded, suppressing his doubts. It seemed that the threat from the Wolf Tribe and the rise of the Fire Tribe had put pressure on all the surrounding tribes, who were all trying to strengthen themselves, and the Pottery Salt Tribe was no exception.

The small boat docked at the makeshift pier. Jia Li, the chief of the Pottery Salt Tribe, who had already received the news, had sent his trusted men to wait and greet them. The Fire Tribe was now the Pottery Salt Tribe's most important trading partner and patron, so Jia Li naturally dared not neglect them.

"Brother Jianya! Nephew Yan! Welcome, welcome!" Jia Li himself personally greeted them at the door of the largest council cabin, opening his arms warmly from afar with a broad smile on his face.

"Chief Jia Li, it's been a long time. How have you been?" Jianya and Wang Yan returned the greeting with smiles and clasped hands.

The three exchanged pleasantries as they entered the wooden house and took their seats as host and guest. After being served simple tea (a type of slightly salty leaf tea unique to the Pottery Salt Tribe), Jianya went straight to the point and asked about the ponies.

"Chief Jia Li, how's the progress on those ponies we asked you to buy from the Northern Horse Tribe? Our Fire Tribe is desperately short of draft animals and is really looking forward to them."

Upon hearing this, Jia Li's smile widened, tinged with smugness. "Brother Jianya, rest assured! Our Pottery Salt Tribe treats this as a top priority! As soon as the spring snow melted, we dispatched our most capable caravan, carrying generous gifts and sincere intentions, to the northern Horse Tribe. Just a few days ago, a fast horse brought news that the first batch of one hundred strong ponies had been successfully traded and were being escorted back to the tribe! Judging by the time, they should arrive at our Pottery Salt Tribe in two or three days at most! When that time comes, we will immediately arrange reliable personnel to safely deliver them to your Fire Tribe by land!"

Upon hearing that the first batch of one hundred horses had been successfully traded and was about to be delivered, Jianya and Wang Yan both breathed a sigh of relief. Their biggest worry was that the Wolf Tribe would sabotage or intercept the trade during the journey. Now it seemed that Xueya had just suffered a defeat and fled back to his lair, and should be unable to organize a large-scale long-range raid in the short term. Once the horses were delivered to the Pottery Salt Tribe, and then transferred to the Fire Tribe, the risk would be much lower.

"Excellent! Chief Jia Li is indeed reliable and dependable! Our Fire Tribe is extremely grateful!" Jianya said sincerely.

Next, Wang Yan took over the conversation, his expression turning serious. "Uncle Jia Li, besides the horses, we have another important message to convey to your tribe."

"Oh? Nephew Yan, please speak." Jia Li and the other high-ranking members of the Pottery Salt Tribe in the room all put away their smiles.

"Just recently," Wang Yan said in a deep voice, "the Xueya of the Wolf Tribe, with about four hundred men, launched a surprise attack on the Bison Tribe and the White Pig Tribe. Most of the two tribes' food supplies were looted, and their camps... were completely burned down. The Bison Tribe suffered particularly heavy losses."

A collective gasp filled the room. Four hundred people! The camp burned down! This was even more brutal than when they extorted the Pottery Salt Tribe last time.

Wang Yan continued, "Fortunately, our Fire Tribe arrived in time after receiving the call for help. With the cooperation of the warriors from the Bison and White Pig Tribe, we repelled the Wolf Tribe, killing more than eighty of them on the spot. However, Xueya escaped with the main force, and their core strength was not fatally damaged."

His gaze swept over Jia Li and the others. "Xueya is cruel and vengeful, and his actions are becoming increasingly unscrupulous. His recent setback in the south makes it hard to guarantee he won't turn his attention to other wealthy tribes. Your tribe is renowned for trade, rich in resources, and has a large population. It's not too far from Wolf's Den, and you also have a grudge against them... Chief Jia Li, gentlemen, you must be wary!"

These words struck like a Jushi thrown into water, causing the leaders of the Pottery Salt Tribe to feel a chill in their hearts and their faces to change color. They were well aware of the Wolf Tribe's fearsome reputation, but they hadn't expected them to be able to deploy four hundred men at once, and with such ruthless methods. Shocked, they were also secretly relieved: it was thanks to their leader, Jia Li, for his foresight in recently spending a great deal of money to absorb many smaller tribes to expand the population, and investing heavily in purchasing superior weapons and leather armor from the Hundred Crafts Tribe, the Fish Tribe, and even further afield, to strengthen the training and equipment of their warriors. Otherwise, with the tribe's original strength, facing four hundred Wolf Tribe warriors, their fate would likely have been far worse than that of the Bison and White Pig Tribe.

"Thank you for the reminder, Nephew Yan! This news is extremely important!" Jia Li wiped non-existent cold sweat from his forehead, still feeling lingering fear. "The threat from the Wolf Tribe is indeed imminent! Our Pottery Salt Tribe... although we have nearly two hundred well-trained warriors, we are still at a disadvantage against the Wolf Tribe, which may have more than five hundred warriors."

He glanced at the equally worried high-ranking officials around him and decisively said, "The most urgent task is to strengthen ties with the Hundred Crafts, Beast Taming, and especially the Fish Tribe! We must band together to cope with the threat from the Wolf Tribe! Furthermore, food is becoming scarce, and continuing to absorb a large number of people is probably beyond our capacity, but our defensive fortifications must be reinforced!"

For their own safety, Jia Li told Jianya and Wang Yan that after completing the transaction of this batch of one hundred ponies, the Pottery Salt Tribe would temporarily suspend its large-scale horse-buying campaign to the northern Horse Tribe. Firstly, the risks of the journey had increased, and secondly, the tribe needed to concentrate its resources and energy on dealing with the current crisis.

Jianya and Wang Yan fully understood. Wang Yan said, "Chief Jia Li has considered everything carefully; safety comes first. As for purchasing horses, it's not too late to do so after your tribe has weathered this crisis."

As he spoke, Wang Yan gestured for his attendant to place a leather package he had brought on the table and open it. Inside were dozens of pieces of fine pottery and specialties from the Fire Tribe. "This is a small token of our Fire Tribe's appreciation. We also have a deposit from our Fire Tribe to purchase the next batch of miniature horses, which we've sent to you. We'll keep it for now and use it when the time is right. Additionally, we have some pottery and preserved goods that we'd also appreciate your help in selling."

Seeing the Fire Tribe's trust in them, even willing to deposit the deposit in advance, Jia Li and the leaders of the Pottery Salt Tribe were deeply moved and repeatedly expressed their gratitude. This was not just a business transaction, but a demonstration of trust.

The two sides briefly exchanged views on matters such as defending against the Wolf Tribe and exchanging intelligence. Afterwards, Jia Li hosted a banquet for Jianya and Wang Yan's group. Although the banquet was not extravagant, it was enough to show their sincerity. After the meal, Jianya and Wang Yan did not linger, declined Jia Li's offer to stay, and returned to the fleet camp on the riverbank by small boat.

They knew that a more important task lay ahead—the grain trade with the Fish Tribe was the most important part of their journey. The fleet set sail again, heading straight for the wider waters downstream and their more powerful neighbor— the Fish Tribe.