The Eight-Million-Jin Grain Trade

The council hall of the Valley Tribe was brightly lit, and the charcoal brazier dispelled the chill of the spring night. When Fengren led Yan, Dali, Feiyu, Bailin and their group into the hall, the long wooden table was already full of people.

At the head of the table sat Daiyue, the chief of the Valley Tribe, his eyes gleaming. Although he was nearly forty, he was still vigorous and exuded an air of authority. To his left and right sat seven elders of varying ages and temperaments, all core members of the Valley Tribe's decision-making body. Below them were a dozen or so important leaders, each with a Chenwen demeanor, clearly capable of handling things independently. At this moment, everyone's attention was focused on the guests who had just entered.

"Hahaha! Young Master Yan, Leader Dali, Leader Feiyu, Leader Bailin! You must be tired from your journey, please come in!" Daiyue laughed loudly and stood up to greet them. As he stood up, the seven elders and many leaders present also stood up, with polite smiles on their faces, but the meaning behind those smiles was different for each of them.

Yan felt a slight chill in his heart, but showed no sign on his face. He quickly stepped forward, placed his right hand on his chest, and bowed slightly, performing a greeting that combined the characteristics of the Fire Tribe and the Valley Tribe: "Greetings, Chief Daiyue! Greetings, elders! Greetings, leaders! Yan of the Fire Tribe, on behalf of my father, Chief Jianshi, and all the tribesmen, sends greetings to our friends from the Valley Tribe!"

He adopted a respectful yet humble demeanor, then stepped aside to signal, and the accompanying Fire Tribe warriors immediately presented him with a large wooden box and exquisite items wrapped in animal hides.

"This is a small token of our Fire Tribe's Jianshi, Jian Shi, containing fine pottery, pickled mountain delicacies, and some medicinal herbs unique to our region. We hope Chief Daiyue and everyone else will accept this small gift with a smile," Yan introduced.

Daiyue's smile widened, and he waved his hands repeatedly, "Oh, you're too kind! Chief Jianshi Shi is too polite. The Fire Tribe has come all this way, and brought so many good things!" Despite his words, he gestured with his eyes, and immediately a servant from the Valley Tribe stepped forward to take the gifts and open them in front of everyone.

When the exquisite pottery, along with the tempting colors and unique aromas of cured meat and rare, high-quality herbs, were displayed before everyone, a murmur of amazement and admiration rippled through the hall. The eyes of several elders and leaders were drawn to them, especially those elders who were more sensitive to pottery and trade, who couldn't help but reach out and touch the delicate pottery, marveling at it.

"This pottery... is even more exquisite than the last ones!"

"The Fire Tribe's craftsmanship is truly exceptional!"

"You're too kind, too kind..." Everyone said politely, but their eyes were fixed on the gifts, clearly very satisfied.

Daiyue observed this and nodded inwardly. The young leader of the Fire Tribe was indeed thoughtful in his actions. This gift showed sincerity without flaunting wealth, perfectly showcasing the Fire Tribe's "specialty" and strength.

"Young Master Yan, everyone, please have a seat!" Daiyue warmly invited Yan, Dali, Feiyu, Bailin to sit in the guest seats near the head of the table, and arranged seats for the few confidants they brought with them at the lower end.

The long wooden table was already laden with a sumptuous feast: large chunks of golden-brown roasted meat, a whole steamed river fish, steaming broth in Tongding, various seasonal vegetables and wild fruits, and fresh goat's milk. The aroma of the food mingled with the scent of burning Mucai, filling the entire hall.

Daiyue personally introduced the core leaders present to the new guests. Yan and Dali greeted them one by one with respectful attitude. Feiyu and Bailin also quickly followed suit. Although their Fish Tribe was also a large tribe, the pressure and attention they felt in the core council hall of the Valley Tribe were significantly less than those of the Fire Tribe. The two couldn't help but marvel at the Fire Tribe's current influence once again.

The banquet officially began, and the atmosphere gradually warmed up. Daiyue clearly attached great importance to Yan, the representative of the "God of Wealth," and frequently raised his glass, inquiring about the recent situation of the Fire Tribe Fire Tribe and praising its rapid development. Yan responded appropriately, neither overly modest nor ostentatious, focusing on the integration of tribes and once again thanking the Valley Tribe for their previous food support.

Other elders and leaders joined the conversation, discussing everything from farming techniques to sights along the river and news from distant tribes. Dali didn't talk much, but when he did, his words were always substantial. Feiyu and Bailin also introduced the local customs and products of the Fish Tribe, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

Daiyue's face was full of smiles, but deep in his eyes, there was a trace of thought that was hard to detect. He took advantage of the intervals between eating and drinking to glance at the First Elder Yao Feng and the Fourth Elder Lin Feng. Yao Feng was eating slowly and methodically, with no expression on his face; Lin Feng was smiling and talking quietly with a leader sitting next to him, but his eyes kept glancing at Yan.

Daiyue knew that the two large-scale grain transactions last year had brought the Valley Tribe a huge amount of pottery, and the profits from reselling it were astonishing. He overruled the objections of the eldest elder Yao Feng and the fourth elder Lin Feng, and used these profits to replace almost all the bronze tools and weapons in the tribe that had been used for many years and were in serious condition with new ones, which raised the tribe's overall productivity and military strength to a new level. This was certainly a good thing, but it also touched the interests of some people.

When Fengren returned from transporting grain from the Fire Tribe, bringing news that the Fire Tribe might increase its grain purchases this year, Daiyue was overjoyed. More trade meant more profits, which could further solidify his decisions and strengthen the tribe's power. However, he also knew that if the Fire Tribe's demand was truly substantial, how to utilize the resulting huge profits would inevitably spark internal debate. Recently, the Bear Tribe downstream of the Fish River seemed somewhat restless, and Daiyue felt that strengthening military preparedness was necessary, but the others in the Valley Tribe didn't share his view!

Suppressing the turmoil in his heart, Daiyue continued to warmly greet the guests. When the meal was nearly finished, and seeing that the time was right, Yan put down his bone cup, cleared his throat, and faced Daiyue, his expression becoming more solemn. "Chief Daiyue, friends from the Valley Tribe, our Fire Tribe has come from afar this time primarily to fulfill last year's agreement to transport one million catties of grain. All the pottery we have for the trade has arrived at the dock, and we are ready to hand over the goods at any time, just waiting for the Valley Tribe to be prepared."

The hall fell silent for a moment as everyone's eyes turned to him.

Daiyue Yue laughed heartily, his voice booming. "Young Chief Yan, rest assured! We will not shortchange you on the grain we promised your Fire Tribe! It's all prepared and stored in the warehouse. We can begin delivery and loading tomorrow morning! To ensure the grain is transported back smoothly, I plan to send Chief Fengren with our Valley Tribe's fleet to assist you in transporting the grain."

Yan's face showed genuine joy, and he cupped his hands, saying, "That's wonderful! Daiyue, Chief Daiyue! Our Fire Tribe will definitely not shortchange the brothers on their food and hardship during the transport journey, and we will ensure everyone is satisfied."

"Of course, of course!" Daiyue waved his hand, then asked casually, "By the way, Chief Yan, I heard from Fengren last time that your tribe still seems to have a great need for grain? Do you have any plans for this year?"

"That's exactly what I was waiting for!" Yan Xin made up his mind, and at the opportune moment, a look of "gratitude" and "frankness" appeared on his face as he said, "To be honest, Chief Daiyue, that's exactly right. Last winter, the area upstream was not peaceful. That Wolf Tribe came out again and wreaked havoc, harming many small tribes. Many small tribes could no longer survive, so they brought their families to seek refuge with our Fire Tribe. We... could not stand by and watch them die, so we took in several thousand people one after another."

"Several thousand people?" Daiyue raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. The other high-ranking Valley Tribe present also showed surprise. Receiving several thousand hungry mouths was no small matter, especially given the scarcity of food. The Fire Tribe's audacity... and strength seemed to be greater than expected.

Yan sighed and continued, "The population has increased, but the food shortage has become even greater. We can't fill the gap in the short term by relying solely on our own land reclamation. Therefore, after discussing it with my uncles and elders in the tribe, we believe that we must rely on wealthy and reliable friends like the Valley Tribe to get through this difficult year. I wonder... how much food can the Valley Tribe provide us this year?"

Daiyue quickly calculated in his mind. After the initial surprise, he was overjoyed. Shortage of food? Shortage of food is good! The more food the Fire Tribe lacks, the more dependent it will be on the Valley Tribe, the larger the trade volume will be, and the more profit the Valley Tribe can earn! He suppressed his excitement and showed a thoughtful expression. His gaze swept over the elders, especially lingering on Yao Feng and Lin Feng's faces.

Yao Feng remained expressionless, while Lin Feng's eyes flickered, as if he were rapidly calculating something.

After a moment, Daiyue seemed to have made up his mind and said loudly, "Chief Yan, you've been frank. Our Valley Tribe can't be stingy either. Based on our Valley Tribe's accumulated grain reserves over the years and our estimated new grain harvest this year, providing six million catties of grain to the Fire Tribe this year shouldn't be a problem, provided it doesn't affect our own needs!"

Six million catties! This number left the Feiyu and Bailin of the Fish Tribe present speechless with astonishment. The Valley Tribe's resources were indeed profound.

Yan's face lit up with joy, but he wasn't satisfied. He pressed on, "What if... our Fire Tribe needs even more? Like... eight million catties?" As he threw out this number, his heart raced slightly. Eight million catties was almost several times the amount traded last year!

"Eight million catties?" Daiyue's pupils shrank slightly, and the elders couldn't help but whisper among themselves. The First Elder Yao Feng, finally raised his eyes and looked at Yan with a deep gaze. The Fourth Elder Lin Feng, frowned slightly and tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

Daiyue didn't answer immediately, but looked at Yan seriously. "Eight million catties... that's no small amount. Even though our Valley Tribe has vast land and abundant grain, we still need careful planning, and may even need to expand the planting area to ensure it. Young Chief Yan, can your Fire Tribe's pottery production keep up?"

Yan straightened his back, his tone firm and confident. "Chief Daiyue, rest assured! To meet potential demand, our Fire Tribe began expanding our kilns and training artisans last year. Our current pottery production is already more than double what it was last year! If necessary, without compromising quality, we are confident and capable of increasing production several times over! As long as the raw materials are supplied, we absolutely guarantee to provide the pottery needed for eight million catties of grain on time, in good quality, and in the required quantity!"

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable determination. These words weren't just addressed to Daiyue, but also to all the high-ranking Valley Tribe present— the Fire Tribe has the strength and determination to undertake large-scale trade!

A glint flashed in Daiyue's eyes, and he slapped his thigh. "Excellent! That's spirited! Young Leader Yan, at such a young age, is even more heroic than Leader Jianshi! I, Daiyue, admire you!"

He turned to the elders, raising his voice slightly. "Elders, you've all heard that! The Fire Tribe showing great sincerity and has the strength to back it up! Eight million catties of grain—while a considerable challenge—is entirely achievable with proper planning! This is not only helping our friends, but also a golden opportunity to strengthen our Valley Tribe's own trade capabilities! The Bear Tribe has been rather unsettled lately, and we need ample supplies to reinforce our defenses! If this deal goes through, the profits will be substantial, perfectly offsetting our military expenditures!"

The other elders, upon hearing these words, did not say much and remained silent for the time being.

Daiyue understood; he knew this was a signal of tacit approval from the elders, and the remaining distribution of benefits could be discussed later. He immediately laughed heartily and said, "It's settled then! Young Chief Yan, our Valley Tribe will prepare eight million catties of grain for your Fire Tribe this year!"

He looked intently at Yan: "As for transportation, you don't need to worry too much. As long as the Bear Tribe doesn't actually attack, our Valley Tribe's fleet can assist you in transporting the grain, ensuring that these eight million catties of grain arrive safely!"

A Dashi lifted from Yan's heart, and immense joy welled up within him. He immediately stood up, picked up a cup of goat's milk, and said loudly, "Chief Daiyue! Elders and leaders! The Fire Tribe is deeply grateful for the help from the Valley Tribe! I raise a toast to you all! May the friendship between the Fire Tribe and the Valley Tribe, like the waters of the Fish River, flow forever! May our trade this year be a complete success!"

"Good!"

"Cheers!"

Wishing you a successful transaction!

Daiyue and the elders and leaders raised their glasses in response, Dali, Feiyu, and Bailin also stood up excitedly, bringing the atmosphere in the hall to a climax.