Sounding the Alarm

Jianshi paused, his voice deepening, "Everyone saw the grain transport ships from the Valley Tribe just now, right? They have ten of those large ships that can carry 50,000 jin of grain! And they didn't buy them; they built them themselves!"

Upon hearing this, the room fell silent, and many people showed expressions of shock. A ship weighing 50,000 jin (25,000 kg) could be built by themselves? Just thinking about it made one's heart tighten.

"It's not just the boats," Yan continued, his tone grave. "The Valley Tribe's population is probably close to 20,000. They have at least 40,000 mu of high-quality rice paddies, and vegetable fields that stretch as far as the eye can see. Just the surplus grain from rice alone amounts to several million jin each year."

"Millions of kilograms of rice... just what's left over?" Dali's eyes widened as he murmured repeatedly. The Fire Tribe had been working themselves to the bone to clear land and cultivate the land, and their annual harvest was only a little over two million kilograms. And this was all they had "left over"?

Dazhuang gasped, smacked his lips, and couldn't utter a word.

Jianshi Shi nodded and continued, "That's not the most powerful one. We heard from the Valley Tribe and Canglan that there's a super tribe called the ' Tiger Tribe ' at the very bottom of the Fish River."

"The Tiger Tribe?" Jianya frowned. "Larger than the Valley Tribe?"

"Much larger." Yan's voice was certain. "The chief of the Valley Tribe, Daiyue, said that the Tiger Tribe has at least a hundred thousand people. They not only know how to make pottery, but also how to smelt bronze, and they even produce their own salt."

A population of over 100,000! They knew how to smelt bronze, make pottery, and even produce their own salt!

Each word was like a Shitou thrown into water, stirring up huge waves in everyone's hearts. The room fell silent for a moment, broken only by the heavy breathing of some people in shock. They had thought that a tribe like the Valley Tribe, with tens of thousands of people and capable of building giant ships, was already the pinnacle of power in this land. They never imagined that there were mountains beyond mountains, and even more terrifying behemoths downstream!

Seeing the undisguised astonishment on everyone's faces, Jianshi knew the time was right. He tapped the wooden table in front of him, drawing everyone's attention back.

"Did you all hear that? Things aren't peaceful outside right now. There are plenty of powerful tribes." Jianshi's voice wasn't loud, but every word struck a chord. "The Valley Tribe is strong enough, isn't it? But they dare not relax for a moment. They're constantly on guard against the Bear Tribe downstream, and even more afraid that the Tiger Tribe might actually attack one day."

His gaze swept over the crowd, his tone turning stern. "Our Fire Tribe has certainly had a better life these past few years. Our population has increased, our food supply has grown, and we can even barter for pottery. But this is just the beginning. Compared to tribes like the Tiger Tribe, our current resources are nothing. What will the truly powerful tribes do if they find out about our superior farming methods, pottery techniques, and other secrets? Will they engage in fair trade with us like the Valley Tribe did?"

This question silenced everyone. The answer was actually quite obvious. When faced with a true difference in strength, the weak have no right to make demands.

"Therefore," Jianshi Shi said resolutely, "We must not let our guard down just because things are better now! We must seize every opportunity to make ourselves stronger! When our fists are strong, others will have to think twice before they try to harm us!"

He looked at Jianya: "Jianya, how did your trip north to exchange horses go? Did you bring back all two hundred ponies?"

A smile spread across Jianya's face as he nodded. "Brother, we brought them back, all of them. Chief Junfeng of the Horse Tribe was very agreeable and wants to do more trade with us in the future. Oh, right," he remembered something, "He also has a sworn brother Xiao Matou, who was the chief of the Horse Horn Tribe, which was wiped out by the Wolf Tribe this year. He's been wanting revenge on the Wolf Tribe. He asked me about the Wolf Tribe's activities, so I told him about the recent setback the Wolf Tribe had encountered with the Fish Tribe."

"Yes, this is useful news." Jianshi Shi nodded. "With these two hundred newly acquired horses, plus our original ones, our mobility on land has been greatly enhanced. By the way, in a few days, you should make another trip, taking some boats to the Pottery Salt Tribe, and give Jia Li a batch of the best pottery from our recent firing on credit. The Pottery Salt Tribe was just ravaged by the Wolf Tribe and is in dire need of pottery to exchange for grain and hides."

Jianya immediately agreed, "Okay, I'll get ready and go."

Then, Jianshi looked at Qingye, Dali, and Dazhuang: "How's the progress on all these things at home? How much of that 6,000 mu of new paddy fields has been cultivated? Vegetable gardens, livestock, and boat building—have all been taken care of?"

Qingye sorted out her thoughts and said, "Half of the new paddy fields have been opened up, about three thousand mu, and the rest will definitely be finished before the autumn harvest. The vegetable fields have also expanded a lot, and the newly reclaimed land will easily exceed ten thousand mu. The pigs, chickens, and sheep are all growing well and have a lot of offspring, enough for us to eat. As for the boats," she looked at the Manufacturing Group.

The head of the Manufacturing Group took over, his tone tinged with pride. "Chief, of the fifty 5,000-jin (2,500 kg) capacity ships we're building this year, thirty have already been launched. The remaining twenty will definitely be completed around the autumn harvest. Young Master Yan mentioned the idea of building even larger ships, and we, along with a few veteran shipwrights, have thought it through and believe we have a good plan! Next year, we'll strive to build ships with a capacity of 10,000 jin (5,000 kg)!"

Upon hearing this, Jianshi smiled and said, "We absolutely cannot slack off on shipbuilding! The Valley Tribe can already build ships weighing 50,000 jin, so we need to catch up quickly! Next year, we must have ships weighing 10,000 jin each launched! We also need to work hard to cultivate the fields. Relying solely on buying grain from outside is too risky. With our lives in someone else's hands, we can't sleep soundly!"

After saying that, he turned to Binmao and Dabang: "How did it go when you two went to those three small rivers upstream last time (Water River, Forest River, Stone River)?"

A smile appeared on his Binmao: "Chief, it went very smoothly! We brought back quite a few good hides, medicinal herbs, and some fruits and seeds that we don't have here. This time, we also brought along a few tribal leaders from the Valley River who had joined us. Coincidentally, some tribes from the Water River, Forest River, and Stone River recognized them! Seeing how well the people from the Valley River were doing in the Fire Tribe, some tribes that were having a really tough time were tempted. When we came back, there were about a thousand people gathered at each of the three rivers, wanting to ask if they could also come to our Fire Tribe."

"Oh?" Jianshi's eyes lit up, and he immediately asked, "It was all voluntary? There was no coercion, right?"

"Absolutely voluntary!" Dabang patted his chest to assure us. "We were all desperate to make a living, and we only thought of coming here because we saw that acquaintances were doing well. We followed your instructions and only told you about the Fire Tribe's rules and benefits; we didn't make any promises."

"Good! Well done!" Jianshi's face broke into a broad smile. "We brought back 850,000 jin of grain from the Valley Tribe this time, and we've ordered over 2 million jin more. The granaries are full! We can feed another 3,000 mouths! Relying solely on our own women to have babies isn't enough to grow our population! More people mean more strength, and that will give us more confidence no matter what happens in the future!"

After a moment's thought, he immediately gave the order, "Once Jianya returns from the Pottery Salt Tribe and the grain is stored and settled, you two, Binmao and Dabang, will each lead a reliable team with some grain to the Water River, Forest River, and Stone River. Bring back those tribespeople who genuinely want to join us safely!"

Binmao and the Dabang responded loudly, their expressions excited.

Finally, Jianshi brought up another important matter. "The valley in Xiaoji is in a crucial location. From there, we can keep an eye on the Wolf Tribe's lair to the north and protect the Deer Tribe. We've been saying we'd build a stronghold there, and now that we have more manpower and food, it's time to get started."

He looked at Jianya: "Jianya, after you go to the Pottery Salt Tribe, you will lead a team of two thousand tribesmen to Small Gathering Valley. Three things: First, build a stronghold that can be defended; second, keep a close watch on the Deer Tribe's ore secrets, especially the ore transport route, there can be no mistakes; third, keep a close watch on the north, if the Wolf Tribe makes any move, immediately light the beacon fires along the route to report it!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Jianya nodded emphatically. "Don't worry, brother, I will definitely manage Little Gathering Valley well and protect our Fire Tribe!"

As major tasks were assigned one by one, everyone understood the direction to follow. The initial shock and unease were gradually replaced by a sense of urgency and drive. Yes, there were so many powerful tribes outside. If the Fire Tribe wanted to live a peaceful life and protect its valuable possessions, there was no other way but to desperately become stronger.

The meeting ended, and everyone filed out, each pondering how to do their own job better.

Yan accompanied his father as they left the council chamber. "Father," Yan said softly, "Your words today have made things clear to everyone."

Jianshi gazed at the tribe and slowly exhaled. "Yan, we're the leaders, so we need to think long-term. We can't let everyone only see the meat in their bowls and forget the tigers outside the forest."

"Yes, I understand." Yan nodded, his gaze also fixed on the dark mountain shadows in the distance. He knew that his father's warning bell had rung, and another period of all-out effort for the Fire Tribe had begun.