The Fire Tribe's Great Ship Successfully Launched
After seeing off the Biaotou) of the Pottery Salt Tribe who had hurriedly departed with important news, the atmosphere in the Fire Tribe Valley did not remain oppressive for long. On the contrary, a mixture of vigilance and high spirits permeated the entire tribe.
The newly arrived hundred ponies became the tribe's new darlings. The original fifty horses were simply a drop in the ocean for the twelve hundred warriors eager to master riding skills; even taking turns to touch them was a struggle. Now, with these hundred more, although still insufficient, the shortage of ponies has been greatly alleviated.
At the specially designated training ground, Jianshi and several Hunting Team personally oversaw the selection process, initially choosing 600 warriors from 1,200 who possessed good physical coordination and were both bold and meticulous, as the first batch of cavalry talents to be cultivated. They would be divided into several small teams and, under the guidance of relatively experienced veterans (who had riding experience), would begin with the most basic tasks of feeding, brushing, and saddle-preparing horses, gradually learning to control the reins, walk slowly, trot, and eventually master basic riding and simple tactical maneuvers.
"Train hard! Once the remaining two hundred horses arrive, our force will be able to expand!" Jianshi stood at the edge of the training ground, looking at the tense but extremely focused warriors, his voice booming, "Then our Fire Tribe won't just be able to defend behind the earthen walls, we can also ride out and chase! The enemy may run fast, but the wolf cubs will run even faster!"
A burst of exhilarating roars echoed across the training ground. The hatred for the Wolf Tribe and the thirst for power drove these warriors to train with extraordinary determination.
Besides military training, the tribe's production and construction are also in full swing. The three thousand mu of newly reclaimed paddy fields, which were hastily cultivated and planted earlier, have already seen the rice seedlings turn green and grow vigorously. But the task is far from over. On another piece of land, also planned as three thousand mu, the reclamation work is entering its most intense sprint stage. Hundreds and thousands of tribesmen are working hard, and the efficiency brought by bronze tools is fully demonstrated at this moment. They must prepare this new land immediately after the first rice harvest in summer and plant the second season of rice before the season ends. Time is food, and it is the foundation of the tribe's survival and development.
Amidst their busy production and training, the Fire Tribe, under Wang Yan's guidance, quietly undertook a silent "civilization upgrade."
Through long-term observation of the lunar cycle and the sun's annual movement (determining the winter and summer solstices by observing the longest and shortest shadows cast by a pole), the Fire Tribe initially established the concept of a year divided into twelve months. Although the length of the months could not yet be precise down to the day, they could roughly divide the seasons and the order of the months. More importantly, based on their long-accumulated experience in climate and agriculture, and with Wang Yan's summarization and naming, they initially formed the prototype of twenty-four solar terms (although the names and specific times differ slightly from modern ones, the core meaning is the same). This knowledge was inscribed on wooden boards and learned and disseminated by literate core members and Youth Team, guiding the sowing, management, and harvesting of crops, enabling the Fire Tribe's agricultural production to begin moving from relying mainly on experience and intuition towards a more systematic approach.
To facilitate internal management and the exchange of goods, Wang Yan also promoted the establishment of a unified standard of weights and measures. Based on the weight of common stones and the length of common rice stalks, and referring to human body parts (such as the length of a step), he initially defined the two basic units of "jin" and "mi" and made standard stone weights and graduated wooden rulers. Although still very rudimentary, it at least provided a unified reference for the distribution of resources, tool making, and land measurement within the tribe, reducing disputes and improving efficiency.
On this day, a large crowd gathered near a specially widened and deepened dock downstream of the Fire Tribe's stream, the atmosphere both lively and tense. Almost all the high-ranking members— Jianshi, Wang Yan, Jianya, Dali, Dazhuang, and others—had gathered there. Even many ordinary tribesmen who had finished their work came upon hearing the news, crowding the bank and craning their necks to get a better look.
Today marks the launch of the Fire Tribe's first ship with a carrying capacity of 5,000 jin (approximately 2,500 kg)!
On the shore, a colossal vessel lay quietly on a specially designed slide. It was over twelve meters long and nearly four meters wide, with smooth lines. Although the wood grain was clearly visible and there were no further decorations, its heavy and solid feel was awe-inspiring to all who saw it.
For the Huo Fire Tribe craftsmen, who had already mastered bronze tools, mortise and tenon joints, and even simple bronze nail fixing techniques, assembling the hull frame was no longer an insurmountable hurdle. The real bottleneck lay in waterproofing and sealing the bottom of the ship. No matter how tight the joints between the giant logs were, leaks were inevitable when soaked in water.
To solve this problem, Wang Yan racked his brains. He vaguely remembered an ancient traditional ship seam filler technique of "tung oil, lime, and hemp fibers," but he had no idea about the specific proportions and methods. He led the most experienced shipbuilders and experimented countless times. They boiled tung oil (by pressing the fruit from tung trees found in the nearby mountains), calcined limestone to obtain quicklime and then slaked it, crushed fine hemp rope into hemp fibers... They mixed different proportions, applied them for testing, and observed the waterproof effect and durability.
Failure after failure, the dock piled high with all sorts of oddly shaped experimental materials and mixtures emitting strange odors. Finally, not long ago, they found the optimal ratio and construction method: quicklime, crushed fine hemp rope fibers, and boiled tung oil were mixed in a specific ratio, repeatedly pounded and stirred into a highly viscous and resilient paste, which was then filled into the gaps between the ship planks and compacted and smoothed with a special bronze scraper. Once completely dry, it was as hard as stone, yet possessed a certain degree of elasticity, adapting well to the thermal expansion and contraction of the wood, and had excellent waterproofing properties!
Having solved this core problem, the construction of the first large ship progressed rapidly. From air drying to the final installation of the masts (although suitable canvas was not yet available, the structure was reserved first), and the laying of some decks... today, this giant ship, embodying the highest wisdom and the hard work of the Fire Tribe's craftsmen, is finally about to embark on its first sea trial.
"Let's begin!" Jianshi looked at the giant ship, took a deep breath, and gave the order in a deep voice.
Dozens of strong men, under the direction of the Fumu, used thick ropes to pull the logs on the slide. "Heave-ho! Heave-ho!" With the synchronized shouts, the heavy hull slowly slid, the Chuantou touching the water first, splashing up a large Shuihua, and then the entire hull smoothly slid into the water and floated up! The first step was a success! The first cheers erupted from the shore.
Next came the crucial stability test. A dozen of the best swimmers and warriors boarded the large ship, focusing on its port and starboard sides, and vigorously rocked it, even deliberately pressing it to one side to try and tilt it. However, the ship remained as stable as a mountain in the water, like a giant roly-poly toy. No matter how much people struggled, it only swayed and quickly regained its balance, showing no sign of capsizing!
The exquisite hull design and reasonable weight distribution were perfectly validated at this moment!
The cheers on the shore grew even louder, and many people jumped up excitedly. Jian Shi finally loosened his Jianshi fists, and a genuine smile appeared on his face. Wang Yan let out a long sigh of relief, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He knew this was just the beginning.
"Over the next few days, closely monitor the hull for any signs of water seepage!" a leader of the Manufacturing Group shouted from the ship, his voice trembling with excitement. "As long as it doesn't leak, our first large ship will be a success!"
"Bravo!" Jianshi's voice echoed along the riverbank. "All you shipbuilding brothers, you have done a great service! The tribe will not forget you!"
Looking at the giant ship in the water, representing a leap forward in the Fire Tribe's shipbuilding technology, Jianshi and Wang Yan were filled with excitement. With the experience of the first successful ship, the subsequent mass production would no longer be a dream. When the Fire Tribe had ten, twenty, or even more of these five-thousand-jin ships, the Fish Tribe's eight large ships would have a significantly reduced deterrent effect on the water.
"Once we have more boats than the Fish Tribe, and they're better than the Fish Tribe's," Wang Yan whispered to Jianshi, his gaze fixed on the vast downstream Fish River, "the Fish Tribe won't dare to blockade the waterways so easily anymore, and they won't dare to demand exorbitant prices. At that time, we can contact, trade with, and learn about the Valley Tribe downstream, and even more tribes in the wider world."
Jianshi patted his son's shoulder heavily, his eyes filled with anticipation and determination for the future. "That day will come! And it won't be long! This ship marks the beginning of our Fire Tribe's journey to the great river!"