The Solid Confidence Brought by Grain
The more than 3,000 new members of the Fire Tribe in the Valley River felt as if they had fallen into a honey pot during their time living in the Fire Tribe. The initial trepidation of leaving home and the awe of the behemoth were quickly replaced by an almost dreamlike sense of happiness and satisfaction.
There are rules, and they are clearer and stricter than they were in the Valley River. Work is mandatory, and everyone is assigned specific tasks, whether it's clearing land, planting, transporting, manufacturing, or training. However, as long as you follow the rules and work hard, the rewards are visibly generous.
They no longer lived in dilapidated shacks or caves that let in the wind and rain, but in neat, dry, and sturdy wooden houses. Although they still shared rooms for the time being, it was much safer and more comfortable. They no longer wore tattered animal skins, but were provided with simple yet warm linen clothes and straw sandals. What surprised them most was the food.
They were well-fed! As long as they completed the assigned work, they could receive a sufficient amount of fragrant rice or porridge, and every few days they could even have meat—pickled fish, dried meat, and occasionally fresh meat soup. For them, who often worried about their next meal and even had a shortage of salt in the Valley River, this was simply heavenly.
After some time, many people's sallow complexions faded, they began to gain weight, and their eyes became brighter and more serene. They eagerly learned the various new skills taught by the Fire Tribe —more efficient farming methods, simple tool making, basic weaving techniques, and even began to stumble through learning those magical "writing" symbols.
While people worked hard and lived in peace and contentment, the Fire Tribe was also accumulating strength in areas that were crucial to their fundamental power at an astonishing rate.
Exciting news came from the shipyard once again. Five more large ships, each with a carrying capacity of 5,000 jin, were successfully launched and passed all tests! This means that the Fire Tribe now possesses a total of fifteen truly large ships! This number quietly surpasses the known number of large ships in the Fish Tribe. Although there may still be a gap in sailor experience and navigation skills, in terms of hardware, the Fire Tribe is no longer lagging behind, and has even surpassed them.
In addition, twenty more large Muzhou with a carrying capacity of 2,000 jin were added, bringing the total to 100; and an astonishing two hundred small Muzhou with a carrying capacity of 500 jin were also added, which were active like schools of fish in the waters near the Fire Creek River and Fish River.
On the cavalry training ground, the carefully selected six hundred warriors have completed basic training in riding, horse control, and simple tactical coordination, and have begun to take shape as cavalry. However, there are only one hundred and fifty available ponies at present, which limits the size of the cavalry, but the core seeds have been sown. The skilled members of the Bison Tribe, who are responsible for breeding and training the horses, are full of confidence, and as long as there is time, the number of horses will gradually increase.
The livestock pens are equally thriving. Under the guidance of the Bison Tribe experts, the tribe has successfully captured and domesticated a new batch of Bison from the wild, bringing the total number of draft cattle to six hundred, greatly alleviating the increasing pressure of farming and transportation. The pig herd remains stable at several thousand head, providing the tribe with a steady supply of meat and fat. In the rabbit hutch, the number of those incredibly prolific little creatures has already exceeded ten thousand, and chickens and ducks are plentiful, with ample supplies of eggs and poultry.
As the harvest season arrives, the Fire Tribe Valley is covered in a breathtaking golden hue. The three thousand acres of newly reclaimed paddy fields, planted earliest and carefully managed, have rice ears that bow heavily, shimmering with abundant light in the sunlight.
On the day the harvest begins, the entire tribe celebrates as if it were a festival. Almost all available manpower is mobilized to participate in this race against time to harvest. Bronze sickles (a small number are distributed to key members) and more common stone and bone sickles are used together. People bend over in the golden waves of rice, sweating profusely, but their faces are filled with the most genuine joy.
Wang Yan and his Farming Group made advance estimates. Based on the growth rate and past yield experience, these 3,000 mu of new fields are expected to yield 600,000 jin of rice! This is a number that would leave anyone speechless.
"Hurry! Finish harvesting and immediately prepare the land for the next crop!" Two agricultural experts shouted as they ran along the field ridges. "The other three thousand acres that have already been cultivated must be planted at the same time! Time waits for no one!"
Harvesting, transporting, drying, and planting... the entire Fire Tribe was like a precision machine running at full speed, revolving around the core of "grain." Although everyone was exhausted, watching truckloads of golden rice being transported to the drying grounds and granaries, and seeing the harvested fields quickly leveled, irrigated, and planted with new seedlings, the sense of accomplishment from creating abundance and laying a solid foundation with their own hands dispelled all fatigue.
Once all the planned fields have completed this cycle of harvesting and sowing, the Fire Tribe's total grain output this year will reach an unprecedented level. Wang Yan's preliminary calculations show that even if they were to feed the current population of nearly ten thousand, there would still be a considerable surplus in the granaries by autumn!
With food in hand, there's no need to panic. This solid confidence, nurtured by hard work, allows the Fire Tribe's leadership to stand taller and set their sights on a more distant future.
"After our harvest," Jianshi began at a core meeting, "the Fish Tribe's summer harvest should be almost finished as well."
Wang Yan nodded. "Yes, Father. According to the agreement and their usual practice, after their own 1,500 mu of paddy fields are harvested, they should begin to trade grain with us. Our grain needs to be dried, threshed, and stored. We can take advantage of this time to send a fleet to transport our grain back."
Jianya added, "This trip will allow our new fleet to make a grand appearance. Fifteen large ships, plus enough large escort vessels, will also give the Fish Tribe a good look. Trade will continue, but we also need to make it clear that they are not the only ones who have influence on the Fish River now."
Everyone agreed. With ample food reserves and increasingly powerful naval forces, the relationship between the Fire Tribe and the Fish Tribe would gradually shift from a one-sided "purchasing" to a more equal, even slightly intimidating, "Trade."