The Fire Tribe's Display of Strength
The Fire Tribe had just finished a race against time in their busy farming season, the golden waves of rice transforming into full granaries. Immediately afterward, Jianya, Wang Yan, and Dali appeared beside the massive fleet that was about to set sail.
Their mission this time was to travel to the Fish Tribe and retrieve 100,000 jin of the 200,000 jin of traded grain. For this, they deployed a truly impressive fleet: ten newly launched 5,000-jin giant boats, fifty 2,000-jin large Muzhou, plus dozens of 500-jin Xiaozhou for communication and maneuverability. This mixed fleet was more than capable of carrying 100,000 jin of grain, but its more important purpose was perhaps "demonstration."
Two days later, at dusk, the fleet arrived at a familiar location—the confluence of the stream and the Fish River where the Pottery Salt Tribe was located. The fleet anchored in the wide waters, lit cooking fires, and prepared to spend the night. Dali was responsible for staying behind to direct the fleet on guard.
Jianya and Wang Yan, along with a small number of trusted followers and a batch of gifts, transferred to several light 500-pound Xiaozhou and traveled upstream along the stream to the Pottery Salt Tribe camp.
Their pre-arrived fast boats had already delivered the news. When Jia Li, the chief of the Pottery Salt Tribe, received the report, his initial reaction was doubt—a large fleet of ships anchored at the river mouth? At this time, who, besides the Fish Tribe, could have such a scale? But when his subordinates added tremblingly that the ships bore the markings of the Fire Tribe, and that there were even 10 large ships among them, no less than those of the Fish Tribe, Jia Li's expression instantly froze.
"The Fire Tribe? Ten large ships?!" He jumped up from his seat, his face filled with disbelief. As the chieftain of a tribe whose livelihood depended on trade, he knew all too well what this meant. It wasn't just about transportation; it was a symbol of maritime power, the hard currency of regional influence! Besides the Fish Tribe, who monopolized the downstream shipping routes and had access to these large ships, who else in the area could possess such a fleet?
After the initial shock came a surge of complex emotions: vigilance, and a lingering sense of fear. He immediately straightened his clothes and, accompanied by the tribe's high-ranking members, personally went to the small dock outside the camp to greet them.
"Brother Jianya! Nephew Yan! Welcome, welcome! Please come in!" Jia Li's smile was warmer than ever before, even carrying a hint of barely perceptible respect.
The guests and hosts were seated, and exquisite food and wine were quickly served. Jianya had gifts presented—several pieces of the Fire Tribe's latest pottery and fine animal hides. Jia Li repeatedly declined, but accepted them quickly, his heart filled with suspicion and uncertainty.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Jia Li finally couldn't contain himself and tentatively asked, "Brother Jianya, Nephew Yan, I just heard from my men that you brought several... very large ships this time? Those are quite remarkable!"
Jianya smiled slightly, his tone casual yet carrying an undeniable pride. "Chief Jia Li is well-informed. Indeed, our tribe has recently built several large ships for transport, which is adequate."
"Made by themselves?!" This time, Jia Li couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. He had originally guessed that the Fire Tribe might have bought or traded it from somewhere, just like the Fish Tribe's legend of obtaining a large ship from the distant Valley Tribe. To make it themselves? The difficulty and significance of that were completely different! It meant that the Fire Tribe possessed technology and resource integration capabilities that he couldn't even imagine!
Seeing Jia Li's shocked and speechless expression, Wang Yan added in a relaxed tone, "Yes, it took quite a while, but we finally figured it out. This trip was just a stop on the way to the Fish Tribe to bring back the grain we had ordered beforehand."
"Oh? Food... How many people in the Fire Tribe need to eat now?" Jia Li asked, quickly calculating in his mind.
Jianya didn't hide anything and frankly said, "To be honest, Chief Jia Li, thanks to the respect of our brothers and sisters from all sides who are willing to join us, the tribe now has nearly ten thousand people, young and old. With so many mouths to feed, we always run out of food, and we still have to trouble the Fish Tribe for help."
Ten thousand people! Jia Li felt his breath catch in his throat again. The high-ranking Pottery Salt Tribe behind him exchanged bewildered glances, their gasps clearly audible. Even after days of hard work and expansion, the Pottery Salt Tribe had only just surpassed a thousand people, already considering themselves one of the larger tribes in the region. Ten thousand? What did that mean? Ten times their size! It was the scale of the legendary, dominant Valley Tribe!
Jia Li's mind was buzzing, fragments of information colliding wildly: self-built giant ships, a tribe of tens of thousands, continuous large-scale grain transactions... A clear and chilling outline gradually emerged— the Fire Tribe, this upstream neighbor who, just a few years ago, had to buy grain from the Fish Tribe at high prices and carefully maintain relations, had unknowingly grown into a behemoth capable of overturning the regional landscape! The speed of its rise and the ferocity of its expansion far exceeded his imagination, and might even have exceeded the Fish Tribe's expectations!
A wave of lingering fear washed over him like icy water, instantly seeping down his spine. Thank goodness! Thank goodness he had always maintained a friendly, even ingratiating, attitude towards the Fire Tribe, facilitating trade as much as possible. If they had been even slightly hostile back then, given the Fire Tribe's current strength and expansionist momentum, the consequences would have been unimaginable!
He instantly understood the Fire Tribe's intention in making no attempt to conceal their strength during this trip. It was both a form of frankness and a silent deterrent. Considering the Fish Tribe's high-price grain policy and subtle suppression of the Fire Tribe over the years, Jia Li thought to himself: the Fire Tribe's leadership probably doesn't have a very good impression of the Fish Tribe. The rise of the Fire Tribe will inevitably lead to a redistribution of interests and a reshuffling of power.
In a flash, Jia Li quickly adjusted his demeanor, his smile becoming more genuine and enthusiastic, and his words more humble. A powerful neighbor, far surpassing his own strength, had suddenly appeared beside him; he had no choice but to do everything in his power to befriend him.
"Brother Jianya, you're too kind! It's truly admirable that your tribe has developed to such a scale! If there's anything our Pottery Salt Tribe can do for you in the future, just let us know!" Jia Li patted his chest and assured him.
The topic naturally shifted to strengthening bilateral trade. Jianya proposed expanding the trade in pottery, salted goods, and specialty products of the Pottery Salt Tribe. Jia Li readily agreed, as the Fire Tribe's prices were always fair, far superior to those of the Fish Tribe, making this trade entirely beneficial to the Pottery Salt Tribe.
Then, Jianya asked about the progress of the miniature horse trade. Jia Li gave a wry smile, "Brother Jianya, to be honest, things haven't been peaceful around here lately. The Wolf Tribe's scouts are becoming increasingly frequent, constantly loitering around our perimeter, probably plotting something again. Our tribe is too busy strengthening our defenses to spare any capable men or teams to venture north for the trade. The two hundred horses we promised you last time... I'm afraid we'll have to wait a little longer."
Both Jianya and Wang Yan expressed their understanding and reminded the Pottery Salt Tribe to be wary of the Wolf Tribe again. They suggested strengthening ties with the Hundred Crafts and Beast Taming tribes, and that the Fire Tribe could provide support if necessary. Jianya had a batch of pottery and preserved goods unloaded from the ship and said to Jia Li, "Chief Jia Li, take these things and see if anyone in your tribe or familiar tribes wants them. After you sell them, give us the proceeds. No rush."
"Pay after delivery"—this is an immense show of trust! Jia Li was deeply moved. Compared to Canglan of the Fish Tribe, who was arrogant, calculating, and greedy, "Brother -Jianshi Shi" and his people from the Fire Tribe were incredibly kind! He thanked them repeatedly, becoming even more attentive.
Having eaten and drunk their fill, and having successfully demonstrated their strength and solidified their relationship, Jianya and Wang Yan declined Jia Li's repeated attempts to persuade them to stay, and boarded their Xiaozhou, returning to the fleet at the river mouth under the cover of night.
Standing on the deck of the giant ship, gazing at the dark waters downstream, Jianya whispered to Wang Yan, "Jia Li is a smart man; he understands. For now, things are stable here."
Wang Yan nodded. "The stronger we are, the more people will be willing to sincerely befriend us."