Complaints and Calculations
After seeing off Uncle Sui, the leader of the Green Grain Tribe, and Marsh Tribe (Cangbo the two tribes were not far apart, and Uncle Sui and Cangbo came to the Fish Tribe to complain after being harmed by the Wolf Tribe), Canglan, the leader of the Fish Tribe, sat in the main seat with a gloomy face. He picked up the earthenware bowl and took a sip of water. The water was warm, but his heart felt a little cold.
The image of the two leaders crying and complaining was still vivid in his mind. Uncle Sui was also tearfully recounting the tragic situation of the Wolf Tribe's Xueya and his gang extorting and stealing their grain. Cang Cangbo added fuel to the fire, and the two of them even had a hint of resentment in their words—resenting the Fish Tribe for not being tough enough, which allowed the Wolf Tribe to be so arrogant.
"Bullshit!" Canglan slammed his fist on the table and ordered Julang to bring out the tattered armor they had brought back from Wolf Fang Valley for the two to see. "Look closely! This is the wolf cubs' junk! We beat them to a pulp in Wolf Fang Valley, and this is what we captured! That bastard Xueya dares to scare you with a few pieces of old equipment we picked up from who-knows-where, equipment we lost in battle?"
When Uncle Sui and Cangbo saw that the armor and weapons Julang had taken out were indeed those of the Wolf Tribe, they realized that they had been fooled by Xueya. They were filled with regret—if they had known that Xueya of the Wolf Tribe was lying, they should have been more assertive and sent people to ask for help while defending the area. Perhaps they wouldn't have lost so much food.
What's the use of regretting it now? The food is already in the Wolf Tribe's stomach.
The two men went on and on, complaining about how difficult things were for their tribe and how afraid the Wolf Tribe would come back in the fall. Canglan patiently comforted them, promising them a preferential price when selling grain in the fall and patting his chest that if the Wolf Tribe dared to come again, he would definitely lead his men to beat them to a pulp. After much persuasion, he finally managed to send these two men, who were usually very diligent in giving gifts but panicked when faced with trouble, away.
"A bunch of idiots," Canglan muttered under his breath, rubbing his throbbing temples. But cursing aside, the matter still needed to be dealt with. The Wolf Tribe's move was vicious; they not only stole the grain but also nearly sowed discord between these smaller tribes and the Fish Tribe, ruining the Fish Tribe's reputation.
"Bring everyone who has influence in the tribe here for a meeting," he called towards the door.
Before long, the council chamber of the Fish Tribe was filled with people. There were brave leaders, elders in charge of supplies, and managers in charge of trade—all prominent figures in the tribe.
Canglan didn't beat around the bush and directly recounted the experiences of the Qinghe and Shuize tribes. He spoke in great detail, especially about the part where Xueya spread rumors that they had defeated the Fish Tribe, which he described with gritted teeth.
The moment the words were spoken, the room erupted in chaos.
"Damn it!" A burly man with a face full of scars suddenly stood up. He was one of the tribe's most formidable warriors, known for his fiery temper. "This wolf cub is asking for trouble! How dare he use our Fish Tribe's name to intimidate us? This isn't just stealing our grain, it's defecating in our faces! Chief, give me three hundred men, and I'll lead my brothers into the mountains and wipe out their lair!"
Immediately, someone poured cold water on the idea. "Taking over their lair? Easier said than done! The Wolf Tribe's lair is in High Pointed Mountain. Do you even know the way there? It's a maze of twists and turns in the mountains. What if you fail to take over their lair and end up getting yourself killed? Last time at the Pottery Salt Tribe, we didn't gain much of an advantage either. I think we should tell Qinghe and Shuize to be more careful and strengthen their defenses."
"Exactly," a relatively well-dressed elder with a bone ring on his finger began slowly. He was in charge of the tribe's internal finances and was adept at calculation. "These subordinate tribes have been secretly absorbing refugees and strengthening themselves over the past few years. Have they ever reported this to us? Now that they've been robbed, they know to come to us? If you ask me, we can 'help,' but not for free. They have to provide supplies before we send troops. This way, we get the benefits and they'll learn their lesson."
Another elderly man with gray hair shook his head, his tone worried. "We can't just think about supplies. The Wolf Tribe has tasted Tiantou this time, seizing so much grain. Their people are well-fed, and their horses are strong. Next time they come, it probably won't be just three hundred people. If we don't do anything now, what if they become powerful enough to come directly at our Fish Tribe? The cost will be even greater then."
Everyone was talking at once, arguing fiercely. Those who advocated war said they needed to maintain the dignity of the Fish Tribe, those who advocated peace said that war would result in too much loss, and those who advocated "doing business" said they should take the opportunity to make a profit.
Canglan sat at the head of the table, listening to the arguments below, and felt increasingly annoyed. These people were only focused on their own small interests, and few of them were truly thinking about the long-term interests of the tribe.
"Alright! Stop arguing!" He raised his voice and slammed his hand on the wooden table in front of him.
The room fell silent, and everyone looked at him.
Canglan took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and said in a deep voice, "The threat from the Wolf Tribe is right before our eyes. We can't ignore it, but we need to manage it systematically. Simply intimidating them or taking their supplies won't solve the fundamental problem."
He paused, then voiced his long-considered thought, "What I mean is, our Fish Tribe needs to become stronger. Only when we are powerful enough will others not dare to provoke us, and only then will our vassal tribes truly follow us."
He leaned forward, his voice clear. "I propose that our tribe expand its population and military strength once again. Let's increase the total population from the current three thousand to four thousand. And the number of warriors should also increase from six hundred to eight hundred!"
These words were like a Dashi thrown into water, creating ripples.
"What? More people?" The elder wearing the bone ring was the first to jump up, his face flushed red. "Chief, this... this is no small matter! A thousand mouths, how much food will they consume in a year? And then there's clothing, shelter, weapons... every single one requires supplies! Last time we expanded from a little over a thousand to three thousand, and it hasn't even been that long! We haven't even recouped our investment in supplies yet!"
"Yes, Chief," another portly elder quickly chimed in. He was in charge of the tribe's warehouse and was very sensitive to supplies. "Maintaining an army is the most resource-intensive task. We currently have six hundred warriors, which is more than enough to guard our homes and maintain trade routes. The Wolf Tribe was just defeated by us in Wolf Fang Valley and is severely weakened, so they're not that scary. The Fire Tribe? They're far upstream, what threat could they pose?"
"Yes, yes, there's no need to support so many people." More people chimed in. "Those small tribes are afraid of the Wolf Tribe, let them figure it out themselves. If they really can't hold on, they'll come begging to us, and then we'll see how things go. That way, we can show our power and make them grateful, offering them gifts. Isn't that better than us supporting a whole bunch of people for nothing?"
Looking at the faces below, filled with reluctance and calculation, Canglan's anger slowly turned into helplessness. He knew that these elders and leaders all had their own agendas, and the tribe's treasury was not abundant, with many expenses actually falling on their shoulders. Getting them to contribute money to increase the tribe's public resources was difficult.
He remained silent for a moment, knowing that forcibly pushing through this proposal would only provoke greater opposition and could even cause a major rift within the tribe.
"Alright," Canglan leaned back, his tone softening with a hint of compromise, "Since everyone feels there's no need for a large-scale increase in population and military strength for the time being, then... let's put this matter aside for now."
He abruptly changed the subject, his gaze sharpening. "However, the threat from the Wolf Tribe is real, and we must also improve our own strength. If we can't increase our population and military strength, we'll focus our efforts elsewhere."
He scanned the crowd and slowly proposed another plan. "I suggest we use the tribe's savings to go to the Valley Tribe and order two... no, three large ships!"
When the topic of buying a large ship, especially one using "public savings," came up, the attitude of the crowd, who had just been vehemently opposed, subtly changed.
Large ships are different from people. Large ships are tangible objects that can be seen and touched. They can run on rivers, transport goods, and fight battles; they are real assets. Moreover, they can be purchased with the tribe's resources. Although the tribe's resources also come from everyone's contributions, it doesn't feel as painful as taking it directly from one's own pocket.
The elders exchanged glances and began to whisper among themselves.
"A large ship... that would be suitable."
"The Valley Tribe's boats are indeed excellent; they're fast and can carry a lot."
"With three new large ships, our fleet will be even more impressive, and trading will be more profitable."
"I just don't know if the tribe has enough supplies..."
Seeing that the crowd didn't immediately and vehemently oppose it as before, but instead began to weigh the pros and cons, Canglan breathed a slight sigh of relief. He knew there was hope for this. Buying ships would not only enhance their strength, but also avoid the bottomless pit of maintaining an army, making these shrewd individuals more likely to accept the offer.
"This matter concerns the tribe's foundation on the water, and requires careful discussion." Canglan did not immediately request a vote; he knew he needed time for these people to go back and consider it. "Everyone, go back and think it over. Let's discuss it again tomorrow and then we'll adjourn."
With different thoughts in mind, everyone got up and left, whispering among themselves. The topic had shifted from "Should we Wolf Tribe?" and "Should we add more people?" to "How much is the price of the boats in the Valley Tribe?" and "How much more money can we make with the new boats?"
Canglan sat alone in the increasingly empty council chamber, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table. The plan to increase population and military strength was temporarily thwarted, but the path of buying ships seemed to be open, which could be considered a gain, Canglan thought to himself.