Undercurrents and Divisions

After seeing Jianshi group off, Daiyue stood at the door of the wooden house. He caught sight of his daughter, Qingsui Sui, still standing there in the distance. His warm smile vanished instantly, his brows furrowed, and he said sternly, "Qingsui, find somewhere to stay. Don't go anywhere! I'll settle accounts with you after I've finished my business!"

Startled by her father's stern tone, Qingsui shrank back, not daring to utter a word. Head drooping, she moved to a nearby tree, twisting her fingers nervously. Her heart was in turmoil, a mixture of anxiety after causing trouble and the harrowing scene at the dock, the Chenwen, strong arms and clear eyes of the Fire Tribe boy...

Daiyue stopped looking at her and turned back into the council chamber with the seven elders. The heavy wooden door closed, shutting out the sunlight and noise from outside, and the atmosphere inside instantly became serious and subtle.

The Second Elder, Hefeng, as Daiyue's father-in-law, broke the silence first, stroking his beard, his tone filled with undisguised amazement. "I really didn't expect... such a behemoth has quietly appeared in the upper reaches of the Fish River! Tens of thousands of people... This is incredible. That Bear Tribe, which is always baring its teeth at us downstream, has only managed a little over nine thousand people after all these years of trouble!"

His words resonated with the crowd. Tens of thousands of people—in this era, that's already the size of a regional hegemon.

Fourth Elder Lin Feng snorted coldly, his face bearing his usual arrogance and disdain. "What's the use of having more people? Elder Hefeng, didn't you hear what Canglan said? Those tens of thousands of people are just a rabble who were forced to join the Wolf Tribe in recent years because they couldn't survive! They're cobbled together from scratch, how much fighting power can they possibly have? Can they compare to our Valley Tribe, which has steadily built its foundation over decades, integrating the strengths of the seven major tribes? If you ask me, having more people is actually a burden! When there's no food, they'll be the first to panic! They won't be of any help then, and might even be a scourge!"

His views represent the opinions of a segment of the conservatives who believe that the rise of the Fire Tribe is unstable and, despite its size, is not a cause for concern.

The Third Elder, Jin Ye, representing the technical faction, focused on a different aspect. He stroked the exquisite pottery jar that Jianshi had just gifted him, his eyes gleaming with shrewdness. "Whether the Fire Tribe is in chaos or not has little to do with us. The key is that they are currently lacking massive amounts of food! We have food, and they have what we need—pottery! Look at the quality and firing of this; it's not much different from the Tiger Tribe's, but the price..." He paused, a smile appearing on his lips, "The price that Canglan used to sell to us was already much cheaper than the Tiger Tribe's. Now, by trading directly with the Fire Tribe on a large scale, the price is even more favorable than before! By reselling these pottery pieces downstream of the Fish River, and even to the smaller tribes within the Tiger Tribe's sphere of influence, the profit... will be at least this much!" He held up three fingers and shook them.

Two or three times the profit! This figure made several elders present gasp slightly.

Elder Yaoshan, who had been half-closing his eyes as if resting, slowly opened them and spoke deliberately, "The Fire Tribe's rapid rise in just a few years, in my opinion, hinges on their pottery-making technique. Judging from Canglan's words, this technique... was actually developed by Jianshi's son, Yan?" A barely perceptible glint flashed in his cloudy eyes. "If only my Valley Tribe had such talent."

These words, though seemingly casual, instantly silenced the room. The elders, all astute individuals, readily grasped the underlying meaning in Yaoshan's words. He wasn't simply praising Yan; he was hinting at a possibility—since the Fire Tribe rose to power through this technology, what if the Valley Tribe possessed it, or... controlled the person who developed it?

Sixth Elder Zhiyun, the only female elder, was meticulous and had a favorable impression of Yan, who had saved Qingsui. She was the first to react and immediately frowned in opposition. "Grand Elder Yaoshan, this is inappropriate! That young Yan just saved Qingsui and has done our Valley Tribe a favor. If we use dishonorable means to control him and force him to hand over the technology, wouldn't that be repaying kindness with enmity? If this gets out, what will become of our Valley Tribe's reputation? Which tribe will dare to sincerely associate with us in the future?"

"Elder Zhiyun is right!" Daiyue's voice suddenly rose, carrying an undeniable seriousness that instantly silenced all whispers. His sharp gaze swept over the crowd, lingering for a moment on Yaoshan's face. "Elders, I urge you all not to harbor such dangerous thoughts! And do not underestimate the Fire Tribe, nor their leader, Jianshi!"

His tone was resolute. "A person who can grow a small tribe of a few hundred people into one of tens of thousands in just a few years is no ordinary person. It would be impossible without ruthless methods and extraordinary wisdom! Why would they Canglan tell us these 'secrets' (population, food shortage, and source of technology) so openly? This must have been at the behest of the Jianshi leader! The fact that he dared to speak out shows that he already has the plans and confidence to deal with the worst-case scenario!"

Daiyue stood up, placed his hands on the wooden table, leaned forward, and said with piercing eyes, "If we really have ulterior motives and try to control Yan, it would be tantamount to immediately making a mortal enemy of a powerful tribe with tens of thousands of people, more than two thousand warriors, and one that is on the rise! Don't forget, there's a hungry wolf (the Bear Tribe) crouching to our north! Is it wise to make another powerful enemy at this time?"

He took a deep breath and continued, "Furthermore, even if we do manage to 'invite' Yan here, do you all think that, given his brave and Chenwen nature, he would obediently hand over the core technology? What if we're pushed to the limit and everything is destroyed? Even if we are lucky enough to obtain the technology, how long will it take from trial and error to mastery, and then to large-scale production? And during this time, can we afford the Fire Tribe's retaliation?"

Finally, he concluded emphatically. "Most importantly, the Fire Tribe came to trade with sincerity, offering benefits and profits! Furthermore, Yan saved my daughter's life! If we were to do something unjust, what would the surrounding tribes think of our Valley Tribe? This matter must not be mentioned again!"

Daiyue's words demonstrated a calm analysis of the immediate advantages and disadvantages, a consideration of the tribe's reputation and long-term interests, and the decisiveness expected of a leader. Seventh Elder Weigeng was the first to nod in agreement. "The leader is absolutely right. The Fire Tribe's appearance was sudden, their strength is unclear, and their intentions need further observation. For now, the prudent course of action is to secure this sure-fire deal and take the opportunity to learn more about their background."

The other elders, including those who had initially been somewhat interested, all nodded in agreement, no longer mentioning the dangerous idea. Yaoshan's expression remained unchanged, but his eyelids were lowered, and he said calmly, "The leader has considered everything thoroughly; it was this old man who failed to think things through."

With this potential crisis resolved, everyone's attention returned to a more practical question—who should lead this unprecedented food transport operation?

The Fifth Elder Shuize, immediately recommended his nephew, Quyong, the dock defense chief, because he was familiar with waterways and dock operations. The Third Elder Jin Ye, strongly recommended his nephew, Tongbi, who was in charge of the safekeeping and maintenance of bronze artifacts, believing him to Chenwen and reliable, and that he would have the opportunity to observe the Fire Tribe's related technologies. The other elders also had their own recommendations, and for a moment, some debate arose.

Daiyue waved his hand and made a direct decision. "This grain transport is of great importance; it's both a transaction and our first formal contact with the Fire Tribe. I intend for Fengren to lead the team. He's my personal guard captain, loyal, reliable, highly skilled, and thorough in his work. His mission is threefold: first, to ensure the safe arrival of the grain; second, to confirm the Fire Tribe's exact location and the waterway conditions; and third..." His gaze deepened, "... if the opportunity arises, to learn about the Fire Tribe's true strength and internal situation."

Fengren was Daiyue's most trusted confidant, and no one could object to this appointment, ensuring that fulfilling the leader's wishes would be the top priority on this trip. The elders discussed the specific arrangements for transportation and guards again and finally finalized the plan.

With the important matters settled and nightfall approaching, everyone was preparing to disperse when Elder Yaoshan spoke again. His voice was not loud, but it immediately tightened the atmosphere in the room once more:

"Chief, now that this grain transaction is a done deal, shouldn't we also discuss how to distribute the profits from selling these pottery pieces?" This topic is the key one that truly touches upon the core interests of each faction.

Before Daiyue could answer, the Third Elder, Jin Ye, eagerly interjected, "Elder, a good question! Our Valley Tribe's procurement of bronze weapons and tools has been stagnant for several years! Many warriors' bronze spearheads are worn down, and the craftsmen's bronze tools are severely damaged. Now is the time to replenish them! Not to mention, the Bear Tribe is eyeing us from the north! Without superior weapons, how can we deter the enemy and protect our homeland? I propose that the profits from this transaction should be used first to purchase bronze ware from the Tiger Tribe!"

His voice was excited, clearly indicating that he had been looking forward to this for a long time.

"I object!" Fourth Elder Lin Feng immediately retorted loudly. He was in charge of hunting in the mountains and forests, and valued the tribe's immediate "benefits." "In previous years, we tightened our belts, exchanging vast amounts of grain and furs for those ridiculously expensive bronze artifacts. We even invested huge sums of resources to build those large ships that we wouldn't need anytime soon! Everyone knows what kind of lives the ordinary tribespeople lived during those years! It's only in recent years, after we finally stopped all that, that everyone's lives have become a little easier, and we have some surplus grain in our granaries. Are we going to repeat the same mistakes? I strongly oppose using all the profits to fill that bottomless pit! The Bear Tribe is already under our control; our current strength is sufficient to handle them!"

Lin Feng's opposition was immediately supported by Elder Yaoshan. Yaoshan was in charge of sacrifices and some internal affairs. His family's power was deeply entrenched, and he preferred to keep the wealth within the tribe to consolidate his own faction's interests and influence, rather than investing it in an "arms race" that might not yield immediate returns and would only enhance the leader's authority.

For a time, the "strong army faction" (represented by Jin Ye and Weigeng, and whose leader Daiyue also favored) who supported the purchase of bronzes clashed with the "people's wealth faction" (represented by Lin Feng and Yaoshan) who opposed it. The arguments grew louder and the atmosphere became intense again. The other elders, such as Hefeng, Zhiyun, and Xiaoze, remained neutral for the time being, observing the winds of change.

Looking at the familiar scene of conflict before him, Daiyue felt a deep sense of weariness and helplessness. He knew all too well the importance of replenishing the bronze ware and restarting shipbuilding. He understood better than anyone the immense potential threat posed by the Tiger Tribe downstream! It was a super tribe with hundreds of thousands of inhabitants, true masters of bronze smelting technology, and an insatiable desire for expansion. However, in recent decades, the Tiger Tribe had been preoccupied with wars on the eastern and western fronts against other major tribes, as well as internal strife, leaving them little time to focus on the upper reaches of the Fish River. Once internal stability was restored, tribes like the Valley Tribe would inevitably become its targets.

The reason why the Valley Tribe has been relatively stable in recent years is partly because it took advantage of the window of opportunity when the Tiger Tribe was preoccupied with other matters, and partly because Daiyue's father and he himself spared no expense in accumulating bronze weapons and developing a navy (large ships), which barely built a defensive line that made the Tiger Tribe feel that "it's a bit too difficult to take on, so it's better to solve other problems first."

However, many people in the tribe, especially the elders and members who had never witnessed the Tiger Tribe's fleet blotting out the sky or who harbored illusions and lacked a sense of crisis, gradually became numb to the threat "far away" and focused more on the immediate distribution of benefits. A few years ago, it was precisely because of strong internal opposition that he was forced to suspend the large-scale bronze procurement and shipbuilding plan. But in recent years, the threat from the Bear Tribe has suddenly increased, forcing him to reconsider buying bronze from the Tiger Tribe at high prices.

"Enough!" Daiyue suddenly raised his voice, interrupting the increasingly heated argument. His face was calm, but his eyes revealed an undeniable authority.

"How to distribute the profits is a matter of great importance and cannot be decided in a short time. It is already late, and all the elders have worked hard. Let us go back and rest first, and discuss this matter later." He adopted a delaying tactic; forcing a vote now would likely cause even greater division.

Seeing this, the elders who were arguing had no choice but to suppress their emotions for the time being. They looked at each other, got up and took their leave. Yaoshan gave Daiyue a deep look, said nothing more, and left in a huff.

Soon, only Daiyue remained in the vast council chamber. He walked outside, gazing at the tribe, fields, and the ever-flowing Fish River gradually shrouded in twilight, silently reflecting on the day's events. The trade with the Fire Tribe had opened a new chapter, bringing immense opportunities, but like Jushi thrown into water, it had also stirred up deeper undercurrents. Internal conflicts within the tribe, disagreements about the future, distant threats, nearby rivals... everything required him to carefully balance and deal with.

"Strength... I still need even greater strength," he muttered to himself. Only with absolute power could he suppress all dissenting voices, control his own destiny, and lead the Valley Tribe further in this watery realm where danger and opportunity coexist.