A New Order of Power
The next morning, Jianya and Wang Yan entrusted the camp affairs to Dali and, with a team of capable guards and prepared gifts, headed towards the residence of Canglan, the leader of the Fish Tribe.
What they saw along the way made it clear to them. The warriors of the Fish Tribe no longer had the condescending and scrutinizing "welcome" of the past. Instead, they were fully armed, their eyes alert and on high alert. There were noticeably more sentries, and a tense atmosphere permeated the air. Although the warriors maintained their courtesy when they saw them pass by, their taut muscles and scrutinizing gazes showed that the shock brought by the Fire Tribe had been deeply imprinted in their hearts.
"It seems they've received our 'gift'," Jianya whispered with a smile to Wang Yan.
Wang Yan nodded. "For equal dialogue to be effective, there needs to be some memorable 'gift'."
They arrived without hindrance at the iconic, largest, and most sturdy wooden house in Canglan. The guards at the door had clearly been instructed beforehand; after bowing respectfully, they quickly led them inside.
Inside the room, almost all of Canglan and the core leaders of the Fish Tribe were present, and the atmosphere was heavy. When he saw Jianya and Wang Yan enter, Canglan stood up and forced a smile, but the smile lacked his usual composure and condescension, and instead contained a hint of undisguised complexity, shock, and deep wariness.
"Brother Jianya, Nephew Yan, you must be tired from your journey. Please have a seat." Canglan's voice was relatively steady, but his gestures lacked that casualness.
"Chief of Canglan, esteemed leaders, we apologize for disturbing you." Jianya and Wang Yan bowed calmly and took their seats as instructed, their demeanor neither humble nor arrogant.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Jianya gestured to his attendants to present the gifts they had brought. They were still the Fire Tribe's characteristic exquisite pottery and high-quality animal hides, but the quantity and quality had clearly improved. Seeing these gifts, the Fish Tribe's leaders' expressions softened slightly, and the tense atmosphere eased a little.
This time, Canglan didn't accept the gifts with the same nonchalance as before. He waved his hand and had his men bring out a return gift that had been prepared beforehand. Although it might not be as grand or rare as the Fire Tribe's, the "return gift" itself represented a change in attitude. The Fish Tribe was beginning to treat the Fire Tribe with the courtesy due to an equal ally or at least a powerful partner.
Jianya and Wang Yan, on behalf of the leader of Jianshi, expressed their gratitude. The initial awkwardness between the guests and hosts was subtly softened by the exchange of gifts and a few polite words.
The conversation quickly turned to the main topic. Jianya cut to the chase, explaining their purpose, "Chief Canglan, we've come primarily to fulfill our previous agreement and transport back the remaining 150,000 jin of grain from the 200,000 jin your tribe purchased and harvested. The tribe is waiting for the grain to be cooked; we can't afford to delay."
Upon hearing this, Canglan and several elders in charge of trade exchanged glances. According to some of their ideas from last night, they might be able to take this opportunity to "raise the price" one last time. But before they could even open their mouths to probe, Wang Yan, sitting to the side, casually picked up the conversation.
"Yes, this time we used ten newly built large ships, plus the existing ones, and finally we were able to transport the grain in one trip, saving a lot of trouble." Wang Yan's tone was relaxed, as if he were talking about a trivial matter. "Speaking of which, building these large ships really took a lot of effort, but we've finally figured it out. Our plan is to build at least thirty more this year, otherwise it won't be enough."
He paused, meeting the suddenly contracted pupils of the Fish Tribe members, and added, "Our tribe does have some large ships that are currently surplus, but these are the foundation of our tribe's strategy. My father said that we will not exchange them with others for the time being. I hope Chief Canglan and everyone else understand."
With a sudden "buzz," the minds of the Fish Tribe's leaders seemed to go blank for a brief moment.
Ten ships for this trip? Are there more? Thirty ships to be built this year?! Built by themselves?! And with surplus, but not for sale?!
Every word struck Canglan and the others like a heavy hammer blow. If seeing ten giant ships yesterday was shocking, then hearing Wang Yan's nonchalant words now was a blatant display of intimidation and absolute confidence in their technological prowess!
Canglan's last shred of hope and the thought of raising the price were completely extinguished. He had originally only wanted to tentatively raise the price, but now... he was even starting to consider whether to deliver the grain quickly at the normal market price, or even slightly lower, to avoid any unforeseen complications!
The speed of the Fire Tribe's rise and its technological breakthroughs have completely exceeded the Fish Tribe's understanding and control. The secrets and power they possess are unfathomable. Now, it's not a question of whether the Fish Tribe wants to strangle the Fire Tribe, but rather that the Fish Tribe is beginning to worry that this increasingly powerful tiger, the Fire Tribe, might have some designs on their Fish Tribe!
Seeing the undisguised shock, fear, and even a fleeting panic on the faces of the Fish Tribe's leaders, Jianya knew the time was right. Following the strategy he had agreed upon with Jianshi and Wang Yan before setting off, he gave them a way out while also making his stance clear.
"Chief Canglan, rest assured," Jianya said sincerely. "Our Fire Tribe always keeps its promises. The previously agreed-upon transactions will proceed according to the agreed prices and conditions, and we will never cause your tribe any trouble. As for future transactions, whether it be grain or other goods, we will proceed according to normal market prices, ensuring fair trade. Of course, if your tribe is willing to continue its efforts to help us procure grain from the Valley Tribe, our Fire Tribe will certainly not shortchange our friends for their hard work."
These words not only clarified that the transaction would remain unchanged, dispelling any possibility of the other party reneging on the contract or raising the price, but also left room for future cooperation. At the same time, they implied that the Fire Tribe might not rely on the Fish Tribe's intermediary "normal market prices" in the future. The combination of soft and hard tactics was handled with perfect tact.
Then, Wang Yan seemingly casually brought up the idea of expanding bilateral trade, and "incidentally" inquired about more specific details of the downstream Valley Tribe, revealing the Fire Tribe's intention to personally explore the area after autumn.
Canglan's feelings were incredibly complex at this moment. He knew that the "information barrier" and "ship route barrier" in the lower reaches of the Fish River had become virtually useless after the Fire Tribe gained the ability to build their own giant ships, and they couldn't stop them anymore. He vaguely revealed a little bit of irrelevant information, and mostly used excuses like "you'll know when you get there," not wanting to offend the Fire Tribe, nor wanting to easily hand over the core intelligence he possessed.
Jianya and Wang Yan knew perfectly well what was going on, but they didn't insist. After all, the boat was in their hands, and they had to find their own way.
What could have been a meeting filled with probing, confrontation, or even gunfire ended in a relatively peaceful, even slightly "friendly," manner, thanks to the Fire Tribe's absolute display of strength and its commitment to keeping its promises. Suppressing his Canglan thoughts, Canglan ordered a lavish banquet to be prepared. After all, the Fish Tribe still profited handsomely from this grain transaction.
Amidst the feasting and drinking, the mindset of the Fish Tribe's leaders was subtly shifting. Their initial shock and apprehension were gradually replaced by a pragmatic assessment. The Fire Tribe had already grown powerful, and its development trajectory and potential vaguely resembled the legendary Valley Tribe, a colossal power. Making an enemy of such a rapidly rising neighbor was clearly unwise. At least for now, maintaining a facade of friendship, engaging in profitable trade, and simultaneously strengthening themselves were the most realistic options for the Fish Tribe.
After finishing their meal, Jianya and Wang Yan took their leave. Stepping out of the wooden house, the sun shone brightly. They knew that although the struggle would never cease, at least from this day forward, on this Fish River, the Fire Tribe had gained a new starting point—one on equal footing with the Fish Tribe, and even subtly gaining the upper hand.