Returning to the Valley Tribe
The scale of the Valley Tribe's eastern shore camp surprised the Fire Tribe members who were seeing it for the first time. Looking into the distance, the houses stretched out in a continuous line, and the sounds of people could be faintly heard. The scale was probably as many as 6,000 people. The dock here was also more orderly and grand than that of the Fish Tribe, and there were large ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 catties.
The messenger boats sent by the Fire Tribe had already arrived, informing Daiyue, the leader of the Valley Tribe, of the fleet's size and purpose, and presenting many gifts. Therefore, when the massive joint fleet appeared on the downstream river, the Valley Tribe was clearly prepared.
On the east bank of the camp, a giant ship emerged from the dock! The ship was as large as a mountain and had a deep draft. It was the pride of the Valley Tribe, a large ship with a carrying capacity of up to 50,000 catties. Several guard boats followed beside it. The giant ship slowly sailed in, carrying an imposing presence that could not be ignored.
Yan and Dali stood at the Chuantou, watching the enormous creature approach. Even though they were mentally prepared, they still felt a sense of oppression. Their Fire Tribe's largest ship had a carrying capacity of only 5,000 catties, which was more than ten times smaller than the giant ship. It was like a child standing next to a giant. The entire fleet slowed down considerably to maintain a safe distance.
The giant ship stopped at a safe distance, and a loud voice came from across the water. "Is that the Fire Tribe's fleet coming from the other side?"
Yan looked up and saw a burly, resolute-faced middle-aged man standing at the bow of the giant ship. He was Daiyan Yan, the younger brother of Daiyue, the leader of the Valley Tribe, and the garrison leader of the eastern shore camp.
Yan took a deep breath, a smile spreading across his face, and replied in as clear and loud a voice as possible, "Indeed! Yan and Dali of the Fire Tribe have come with their fleet, and we apologize for disturbing Daiyan!"
Daiyan surveyed the sizable joint fleet from afar, his gaze lingering for a moment on the fully loaded cargo ships, before calling out loudly, "Young Master Yan, Dali! No need for formalities! My elder brother has received the news, and arrangements have been made at the dock. Just follow the guide ship I've sent to the headquarters dock on the other side!"
"Then thank you very much, Leader Daiyan, for your assistance!" Yan bowed in thanks.
Soon, two more small boats sailed out from the camp on the east bank. The people on board used flag signals to guide the combined fleet to turn and head towards the more prosperous and densely populated Valley Tribe headquarters area on the other side of the river.
Daiyan didn't follow. He stood at the Chuantou the giant ship, watching the fleet from upstream slowly sail away, his expression somewhat complicated. The goods piled high on the ship and covered with straw curtains were, without a doubt, mostly pottery. This Fire Tribe... was truly rolling in wealth. He had heard his elder brother Daiyue mention that the Fire Tribe's population was probably now no less than that of the Valley Tribe, and its rise was astonishing, all thanks to their pottery skills and shrewd trade.
"However... they are quite sensible." Daiyan muttered to himself, a smile playing on his lips. Every time the Fire Tribe came, they were courteous and generous with their gifts. More importantly, the large quantity of high-quality pottery they brought allowed the Valley Tribe to resell it and make a fortune. The Valley Tribe had replaced all their old and worn-out bronze tools with new ones during this wave of profits. His elder brother had specifically instructed him not to make things difficult for them, and of course, Daiyan wouldn't turn down such a benefactor.
But... thinking of the young leader of the Fire Tribe named "Yan" whom he had just met, so young yet so composed and Chenwen in his actions, and hearing that the Fire Tribe's pottery-making skills were all related to him... Daiyan shook his head, putting aside his distracting thoughts, and ordered the giant ship to continue patrolling along the river. Each tribe has its own destiny, Valley Tribe, guarding this trade hub in the middle and lower reaches of the Fish River, is also thriving.
Led by the guide boat, the joint fleet successfully arrived at the dock of the Valley Tribe on the opposite bank. This dock was much busier than the one at the East Bank camp, with more boats moored. Among them, six giant ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 jin, similar to Daiyan's, could even be seen, but they did not seem to be carrying any cargo, as if they were used for deterrence or ceremony.
The person in charge of the dock defense and dispatch was a leader of the Valley Tribe named Quyong. He was a lean and sharp-eyed man. He had obviously received instructions in advance and was waiting at the dock with a team of disciplined warriors holding bronze spears. He shouted loudly from afar.
"Friends of the Fire Tribe and the Fish Tribe, you've had a long journey! The berths are ready, please follow me!" Quyong spoke crisply and decisively, directing his men to guide the ships to their designated berths one by one.
There was a relatively flat open space near the dock, which was usually used for temporary camping by traveling caravans. At Quyong's suggestion, Yan and Dali decided to set up a temporary camp there for most of the people on the ship, leaving only the necessary personnel on the ship to guard it.
The fleet was large, and settling it in took considerable effort. Yan was busy directing his men to divide the area, set up tents, and arrange supplies, working up a sweat.
Just then, a lithe figure slipped over from the direction of the dock, quietly circled behind Yan, and, taking him by surprise, suddenly reached out and covered his eyes with both hands, deliberately changing her voice to a slightly coquettish tone. "Guess who I am?"
Dali was standing nearby, had already spotted the newcomer. Upon seeing that it was Qingsui, the only daughter of the Valley Tribe chief, he grinned mischievously and wisely shooed away the Fire Tribe warriors who were still looking for a spectacle, sending them off to their work.
The visitor was Qingsui, the only daughter of Daiyue, the chief of the Valley Tribe. Ever since the last time Qingsui rode a horse in the Qingsui Valley Tribe and her horse was frightened, Yan had bravely rescued her. Yan had left a deep impression on Qing Sui, and in the following days, she became even more dependent on him. In the months after Yan left, Qingsui's longing for him did not fade with time; on the contrary, she missed him even more.
Last year, just before winter, Jianya led the Fire Tribe's fleet to the Valley Tribe to transport grain. Qingsui didn't see Yan and was quite disappointed for a while. However, she had heard Jianya mention that the Fire Tribe's ships would come to the Valley Tribe to transport grain. As soon as spring arrived, Qingsui made arrangements with the dockworkers, instructing them to send someone to inform her whenever the Fire Tribe's fleet arrived. That's why Qingsui arrived so quickly this time!
Caught off guard by the "attack," Yan Leng was startled at first, then caught a whiff of a familiar, faint scent mixed with the aroma of grass and sunshine. His tense muscles instantly relaxed, and he feigned confusion, asking, "Hmm? Let me guess... is it a lost little pig?"
"You're the little pig!" Qingsui immediately let go of his hand, turned to face Yan, put her hands on her hips, puffed out her cheeks, and glared at him pretending to be angry. "Yan! You're swearing! I'm not talking to you anymore!" After not seeing her for several months, the girl seemed to have grown taller and her face was even more beautiful. At this moment, her puffed-up face made her look particularly lively.
Yan laughed and stopped teasing her, "Alright, alright, just kidding, don't be angry." As he spoke, he magically pulled a small bag carefully wrapped in soft animal hide from his robes and handed it to Qingsui, "Here, I brought this especially for you this time."
Qingsui's eyes lit up. She snatched the small bag and quickly opened it. Inside were various dried spices and seasonings, neatly packaged and categorized. Some she recognized, some Yan had given her before, and some she had never seen before. The rich aroma wafted into her nostrils.
"Hmph! That's more like it!" Qingsui retorted, but her eyes were full of joy. "I've already tried so many of the crops you had Uncle Fengren take back last time, and Father said they were delicious! It's just that there wasn't enough, and they were all used up in just a few days. You're so stingy, you didn't even give me more! All that effort I put into getting you so many seeds last time was for nothing!" She was referring to the last time Yan visited, when he showed interest in some of the crops she described, and Qingsui used her "privilege" to collect a lot of seeds from the Valley Tribe's storehouses and farmers to give to Yan.
Yan spread his hands, protesting, "My dear Miss Qingsui, you've wronged me! These spices are rare even in our Fire Tribe. Many of them are obtained by sending people to distant places upstream of the Fish River to trade for or find them. The production is very low now. I myself am reluctant to eat much of it! This pack is my 'secret stash' that I've been saving for a long time."
Hearing this, Qingsui's slight resentment vanished instantly, replaced by a feeling of embarrassment, wondering if she had been too greedy. She carefully rewrapped the spice packet, clutched it to her chest, and a bright smile bloomed on her face, "That's more like it! At least you have some conscience!"
The two were chatting animatedly, sharing their experiences over the past few months apart (mainly Qingsui was talking, while Yan Hanxiao listened), when a Chenwen voice interrupted.
"Young Chief Yan, Miss Qingsui." The newcomer was Feng Ren, the chieftain of the Valley Tribe and Fengren 'Daiyue most trusted confidant. He wore a warm smile, first nodding slightly to Qingsui, then said to Yan, "Young Chief Yan, you must be tired from your journey. Our chief was delighted to learn of your fleet's arrival and has prepared the finest food in the council hall to entertain you all. We cordially invite Young Chief Yan, your fellow chieftains, and our friends from the Fish Tribe to join us."
Yan immediately dropped his relaxed demeanor from when he was joking with Qingsui, displaying the Chenwen befitting his status. He cupped his hands and smiled, saying, "We are truly sorry that Chief Fengren came to invite us personally. Chief Daiyue is too kind. We will make some preparations and then head over to bother you."
He turned and called over Dali, who was arranging camp affairs not far away, as well as the two leaders of the Fish Tribe, Flying Feiyu and Bailin. He also selected a few shrewd and capable confidants who accompanied him. The group tidied themselves up and, carrying the gifts they had prepared beforehand—more generous than the ones given to Daiyan —including some specially fired fine pottery, some top-quality cured meat, and rare medicinal herbs, left the bustling temporary camp at the dock with Fengren and the still cheerful Qingsui, heading towards the central wooden council hall of the Valley Tribe headquarters, the tallest building representing the core of the Valley Tribe's power.
The prosperity of the Valley Tribe left a deeper impression on the Fire Tribe members. The roads were smooth, the houses were well-arranged, and the people were relatively neatly dressed with few signs of malnutrition, indicating their wealth. Some of the elite warriors even carried weapons that faintly reflected the metallic luster of bronze. Yan secretly pondered that this transaction might offer more than just grain; it might also provide an opportunity to learn more.
As we approached the council hall of the Valley Tribe, the warm glow of fire and the aroma of food wafted from within as we reached the entrance.