The Need for Twenty Million Jin of Grain

When Yan, Dali, and their group arrived at the iconic council house of the Valley Tribe, accompanied by Fengren and Qingsui, the scene before them made them pause slightly.

The Valley Tribe's chief, Daiyue, was standing personally at the entrance, with seven elders—the core of the Valley Tribe's power—standing in a row behind him! This was practically the Valley Tribe's highest-level welcoming lineup!

Several thoughts raced through Yan's mind in an instant. The Valley Tribe's attitude certainly showed their extreme importance to the Fire Tribe, their "major client," but it also subtly revealed a subtle meaning—perhaps they were eager to confirm the progress of the grain transaction, perhaps they had a new assessment of the significance of cooperating with the Fire Tribe, or perhaps... Daiyue wanted to use this opportunity to demonstrate the "results" and "necessity" of the cooperation to the elders? In any case, this was both a courtesy and an invisible pressure.

Yan quickly put on a perfectly timed, flattered smile, quickened his pace, stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Chief of Daiyue! Elders! I am unworthy to trouble you all to come out and greet me personally! You are too kind!"

Daiyue laughed heartily, his voice booming like thunder. He stepped forward and warmly took Yan's arm, saying, "Young Chief Yan, what are you saying! Your Fire Tribe is now our Valley Tribe's most important friend and most honored guest! You've come from afar and must be tired from your journey, so we should welcome you! Please, please come in!" As he spoke, he also grabbed Dali beside him with his other hand, "Dali, you must be tired from your journey! Hot food has been prepared inside, let's eat and chat!"

Led by Daiyue's enthusiasm, the group filed into the spacious council hall, which was brightly lit and had water and simple appetizers laid out on a long wooden table.

The guests took their seats in order of host and guest. As soon as Yan Gang sat down, he gestured to his attendants to present the gifts they had brought.

"Chief of Daiyue, elders," Yan's voice was clear and respectful, "Before my departure, my father, Chief Jianshi, repeatedly instructed me to convey his and all the Fire Tribe tribe's greetings, and to prepare some small gifts to thank the Valley Tribe for its continued support of our Fire Tribe. These are just a few tokens of my appreciation, and I hope you will accept them with a smile."

The attendants lifted the burlap covering the baskets, and a soft gasp filled the hall. The Fire Tribe's gifts this time were far more abundant and exquisite than ever before: some simple and elegant black pottery pieces, some even adorned with concise cloud or fish patterns; several bundles of fine, high-quality burlap; perfectly preserved pickled Lutui and dried mountain delicacies, sealed in earthenware jars; and rare medicinal herbs, exuding a bitter fragrance, packed in animal skin bags. Each item demonstrated the Fire Tribe's sincerity and their current financial strength.

The seven elders' gazes were instantly drawn to the gifts. The First Elder, Yao Feng, nodded slightly, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. The Third Elder Jin Ye, was more interested in the sturdiness of the pottery, his fingers twitching unconsciously. The Fourth Elder Lin Feng, was already mentally calculating the value of these gifts, whether for resale or personal use. The other elders also mostly wore expressions of delight, already plotting how to approach Daiyue later to secure a larger share for themselves or their faction. After all, the Fire Tribe's "small gift" was a considerable fortune for them personally and for their families.

Looking at these gifts, Daiyue was slightly taken aback. The Fire Tribe was becoming increasingly generous, which was certainly a good thing. But it also indirectly proved the rapid expansion of the Fire Tribe's own strength—they had the ability to produce so many surplus high-quality items for "gift-giving."

Suppressing the complex wariness in his heart, Daiyue's smile became even brighter, "Brother Jianshi, you're too kind! We are unworthy of such a generous gift! However, since it is a token of your goodwill from Brother Jianshi and the Fire Tribe, it would be pretentious for us to refuse. On behalf of the Valley Tribe, I accept this kindness! Young Chief Yan, please be sure to thank Chief Jianshi properly when we get back!"

Upon hearing this, the elders of the Valley Tribe were worried that Daiyue would refuse the gifts. When Daiyue agreed to accept the gifts, they were finally relieved and began to praise the "generosity" of the Jianshi Shitou and the "friendship" of the Fire Tribe. The atmosphere in the hall immediately became lively.

At this point, the servants began to bring out one steaming, fragrant dish after another: a whole roasted lamb, large chunks of stewed river fish, rich meat broth, freshly steamed rice, and various seasonal wild vegetables... The banquet officially began.

As everyone ate and drank, the conversation naturally turned to business.

Daiyue put down his bone cup and said casually, "Chief Yan, Dali, I heard from the docks that your fleet this time is much larger? I was so worried about you two or three months ago when you went back! I've been thinking about our grand plan to transport eight million catties of grain! I was afraid something might go wrong and delay your Fire Tribe's supplies. Now that I see you have more ships, I can finally feel a little more at ease!"

His words were half true and half false, expressing both "concern" and a hint of urging and slight dissatisfaction with the Fire Tribe's "delay," while simultaneously steer the conversation to the core issue.

Yan immediately put down the goat milk in his hand, his face showing just the right amount of apology and solemnity. "Chief Daiyue, elders, I am truly sorry to have troubled you all. There were indeed reasons for this delay. After returning, we immediately organized a fleet to venture deep into the upper reaches of the Fish River and several important tributaries. On the one hand, it was to establish trade relations with tribes further afield, and on the other hand... it was also to properly settle some new tribesmen who were willing to join the Fire Tribe for common development. The journey was long and the affairs were complicated, and the round trip took more than two months. Once this matter was settled, we dared not delay for a moment, immediately loaded the goods, and rushed here at full speed. We hope that Chief Daiyue and elders will understand."

He first explained the reason for the delay (which was reasonable and hinted at the expansion of the Fire Tribe's influence and population growth), then smoothly picked up where Daiyue left off, saying, "As for the ships, as Chief Daiyue has seen, in order to cope with this year's heavy grain transport task, our Fire Tribe's shipbuilding workshops have been working day and night to build a batch of ships with a carrying capacity of 5,000 jin. To be honest, our goal is to increase the number of 5,000-jin ships to one hundred and the number of 2,000-jin Muzhou to two hundred this year. Moreover..."

He paused briefly, his gaze sweeping across the faces of the assembled leaders of the Valley Tribe, before clearly stating, "Our craftsmen are working tirelessly to develop a ship capable of carrying 10,000 jin (5,000 kg) of cargo! I believe that before long, our Fire Tribe will also have its own larger ships, better suited for long-distance, heavy-load transport. At that time, our transport capacity to the Valley Tribe on a single trip will be able to reach another level. Of course, the transport of this year's eight million jin (4,000 kg) of grain will, in any case, be inseparable from the Dali support and assistance of the Valley Tribe!"

This statement is packed with information. First, it clearly states that the Fire Tribe is building ships at an alarming rate, with a specific goal (one hundred ships weighing five thousand catties each, two hundred ships weighing two thousand catties each). Second, it unveils a plan for "ten-thousand-catty ships," which, although still just a "plan," is enough to demonstrate the Fire Tribe's technological ambition. Finally, it reiterates its reliance on the Valley Tribe's assistance, giving them ample face.

As expected, the Valley Tribe members listened with varying expressions. Several elders exchanged glances, shocked by the Fire Tribe's shipbuilding speed and technological ambition. The Fourth Elder, Lin Feng, was quickly calculating whether the Valley Tribe's transportation revenue would increase or decrease after the Fire Tribe's transportation capacity was improved.

Daiyue was also shocked. A ship weighing tens of thousands of kilograms! The Fire Tribe was moving faster and bigger than he had imagined! This was no longer a simple "trade partner," but a force that was rapidly rising in all aspects and was likely to have a significant voice in the Fish River Basin in the future! But at present, the rise of the Fire Tribe was closely tied to the interests of the Valley Tribe —they needed food, and the Valley Tribe needed the profits from pottery. Cooperation remained the main theme.

He quickly composed himself and laughed loudly, "Good! With our two families working together, this year's eight million catties of grain will definitely be traded smoothly! Rest assured, as long as the Bear Tribe behaves itself, our Valley Tribe's fleet will fully cooperate!"

He then changed the subject, asking a question that was of great concern to everyone in the Valley Tribe: "Chief Yan, there's something I'm hesitant to ask. After this year's eight million catties of grain trade, how much will the Fire Tribe need for grain next year? We want to know so that our Valley Tribe can have a better understanding of whether to continue expanding planting or maintain the status quo. After all, expanding the planting area and mobilizing manpower is no small matter."

This is a crucial issue, as it relates to the future agricultural production plans and profit expectations of the Valley Tribe. All eyes are on Yan.

Before coming, Yan had repeatedly discussed this matter with his father and the tribe's high-ranking officials. The Fire Tribe's population had increased dramatically, and its food reserves were weak. The demand for food would only increase in the coming years. Moreover, Wang Yan's soul deeply understood the importance of "stockpiling grain." Even if they couldn't finish eating it all at once, storing the grain would help them cope with uncertain risks in the future. Therefore, the Fire Tribe's policy was: as long as the Valley Tribe could grow it, the Fire Tribe would try to buy it and pay with pottery and other materials.

Facing the gazes of the crowd, Yan smiled candidly and confidently, saying, "Chief Daiyue, elders, to be honest, our Fire Tribe has only recently risen to prominence, and our food reserves are very limited. With new members constantly joining the tribe, our demand for food will likely not decrease in the next few years, but only increase."

He raised his voice slightly and said clearly, "Our pottery production has already reached a considerable scale. As long as the raw material supply is sufficient, production can continue to increase. Therefore, our attitude towards the grain from the Valley Tribe is: the more the better!"

He paused, then dropped a figure that made all the high-ranking Valley Tribe hold their breath. "If the Valley Tribe has the capacity to continue cultivating more fertile land and Dashui planting area, then even if you can offer 20 million catties of grain to our Fire Tribe next year, we are fully capable of and willing to buy it all!"

"Twenty... twenty million catties?!" an elder exclaimed in shock, nearly dropping the bone cup in his hand. Everyone else stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with disbelief. Even Daiyue was stunned by the number. This year's eight million catties was already an unprecedentedly large transaction; twenty million catties next year? This was simply... an astronomical figure! Could the Fire Tribe's pottery production really reach such a terrifying level? Where did they get so many raw materials and artisans?

Yan anticipated their reaction, and when the Fire Tribe's leadership discussed the matter, they decided to take this opportunity to fully demonstrate the Fire Tribe's production potential and "sincerity," thereby completely dispelling the Valley Tribe's concerns about "market saturation" or "the Fire Tribe's insufficient payment capacity."

Faced with the shock and doubt of the crowd, Yan remained calm and continued, "You may find it hard to believe, but to show our sincerity, we have brought enough pottery to pay for three million catties of grain."

He looked at Daiyue, his tone sincere and firm. "Chief Daiyue, our plan is to first transport 1.5 million catties of grain back. The remaining pottery, along with the pottery equivalent to the 1 million catties of grain we prepaid last time, can all be left in the Valley Tribe as advance payment for subsequent transactions, or used to offset the various costs and labor expenses incurred by the Valley Tribe in assisting with transportation. In this way, the Valley Tribe can receive tangible goods in advance to trade and profit, and also see the determination and ability of our Fire Tribe to fulfill its promises. I wonder what Chief Daiyue and the elders think?"

The proposal to ship a portion first, leaving a huge "advance payment," struck the hearts of the Valley Tribe members like another heavy hammer blow. After the initial shock came overwhelming joy and excitement! The Fire Tribe was betting real money (pottery) on this! This not only demonstrated their powerful production capacity but also showed their sincerity and strength in long-term, large-scale cooperation! The promise of 20 million catties no longer seemed like a pipe dream.

Daiyue took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and slammed his hand on the table (the sound wasn't loud, but it was enough to express his determination), his eyes gleaming. "Excellent! Excellent Fire Tribe! Excellent Young Chief Yan! Honest! Magnanimous! Powerful! Sincere! I, Daiyue, am completely convinced today!"

He picked up the goat's milk in front of him and said loudly, "Since the Fire Tribe has such courage and strength, how can my Valley Tribe be timid and hesitant! Next year, as long as conditions permit, we will do our best to expand planting and strive to provide more food for the Fire Tribe! As for this year's transportation, leave it to us! Come, let's drink to the unbreakable friendship between our two tribes and to the even greater cooperation next year!"

"Cheers!" Everyone in the hall, regardless of their thoughts, was moved by the huge potential profits and Huo's sincerity, and raised their glasses in response. Even the First Elder Yao Feng, who had some doubts, and the shrewd Fourth Elder Lin Feng, who was good at scheming, showed genuine smiles on their faces. The "advance payment" left by the Fire Tribe was a real benefit!

The ensuing banquet reached an unprecedented climax, with both sides engaging in more in-depth exchanges on details such as the specific handover process, transportation arrangements, ship allocation, and supplies along the way. Everything proceeded in a friendly and pragmatic atmosphere.

After the banquet, Daiyue personally escorted Yan, Dali, and the others to the entrance of the council hall; it was already dark.

Qingsui stepped forward at the opportune moment and said to her father, "Father, it's getting dark. I'll go and see Yan and the others back to camp."

Daiyue glanced at his daughter, then at Yan, a knowing look flashing in his eyes. He smiled and waved, "Go on, go on, come back soon."

Qingsui blushed slightly, responded, and accompanied Yan, Dali, and the others towards the temporary camp at the dock.