The First Stirrings of an Alliance in the Night
After Daiyue saw Yan and the others off, he returned to the council hall and discussed with the other elders the matter of trading 20 million catties of grain with the Fire Tribe next year.
Qingsui quickly caught up with Yan and Dali. Dali, a man of Dali exterior but meticulous nature, had long noticed the subtle affection between his own Yan and the young lady of the Valley Tribe, and was now even more considerate. He immediately laughed and said to Fei Feiyu, the leader of the Fish Tribe, Bailin, and several followers beside him, "Let's go, lead the way! Let's get back to camp early and see how the brothers are settled. We'll be busy tomorrow!" After saying that, without further ado, he put his arms around Feiyu and Bailin's shoulders, and with his followers, strode towards the dock, quickly leaving Yan and Qingsui behind.
Qingsui's two personal attendants were also very clever. After receiving their mistress's signal, they quietly went ahead to wait at the dock entrance.
Thus, on this not-so-long stretch of road leading to the dock camp, only Yan and Qingsui remained.
Sparse torches stood along the roadside, their grease-soaked burlap sacks swaying and burning in the night wind, casting flickering orange glows that stretched the two figures' shadows, sometimes long, sometimes short, sometimes overlapping, sometimes separating. The faint, muffled sounds of debate drifted from the distant council chamber, muffled by doors and walls, emphasizing the quiet of the path. The evening breeze, carrying the moisture of the Fish River and the fragrance of nearby vegetation, gently caressed their faces. For a moment, neither spoke; only the sound of footsteps echoed in the silence, patter, patter, the rhythm strangely synchronized.
A subtle and ambiguous atmosphere, like a quietly spreading night fog, enveloped the two of them. Qingsui could clearly hear her own heartbeat, which was much faster than usual. She secretly glanced at Yan beside her. His straight nose and tightly pursed lips were particularly clear in the flickering firelight. His eyes were fixed ahead, as if he were also deep in thought. This silence was not awkward; on the contrary, it had a strange, tacit peace.
Finally, Qingsui couldn't hold back any longer, or rather, it was her innate girlish sensitivity that made her feel the need to break the overly quiet atmosphere. She coughed lightly and said, "Yan, I never imagined... that your Fire Tribe's demand for food would be so great. This year, eight million catties wasn't enough, and next year you'll need twenty million catties... How many people would that take to eat?" She tried to use an astonished tone to mask the turmoil in her heart, "And your Fire Tribe's pottery-making skills are amazing! Can you really make that much pottery next year? Just thinking about it is incredible."
Yan was pulled back from his thoughts. Hearing Qingsui's words, he turned his head and met her bright eyes. A gentle smile appeared on his face. He did not immediately answer the questions about the details of pottery production, but instead followed her lead and explained the reasons for the demand for food.
"We arrived a few days late this time. Besides trading on a few tributaries at the very top of the Fish River, the main reason is... to receive and settle a new group of tribesmen." Yan's voice was clear and Chenwen in the night. "Qingsui, you probably can't imagine how difficult life is for many small tribes in those areas at the very top of the Fish River. Hunting is scarce, the land is barren, and what they gather is barely enough to eat. In years of famine or harsh winters, starvation and freezing to death are common occurrences. Our Fire Tribe has absorbed quite a few such tribes over the years."
He paused, his tone heavy with a sense of responsibility. "These people are living, breathing human beings. They trusted the Fire Tribe, joined us, and sought a way to survive. Since we accepted them, we are responsible for their food supply. Therefore, the demand for food has suddenly become enormous. Moreover, as far as I know, there are many other tribes struggling to survive upstream... Since our Fire Tribe has the capacity, we hope to help as many as possible. Therefore, not only next year, but probably the year after, and the year after that... our demand for food will be extremely high."
Yan's explanation, linking the enormous food demand with "saving lives" and "tribal responsibility," appeared noble and powerful, instantly dispelling any doubts Qingsui might have about whether the Fire Tribe was blindly expanding. Her eyes shone with sympathy and admiration.
"So that's how it is..." Qingsui murmured, her impression of Yan improving even more. He was not only intelligent and capable, but also seemed to possess such a broad mind and a kind heart. Then, an even more delightful thought popped into her head: as long as the Fire Tribe continued to need to buy large quantities of grain from the Valley Tribe, then Yan would definitely come often! Thinking of this, a sweet feeling welled up in her heart, and a smile involuntarily appeared on her face.
"Don't worry!" Qingsui puffed out her chest, speaking with a sense of pride, "Our Valley Tribe may not be able to boast about anything else, but we have plenty of grain! We'll definitely support you however much you need!"
Looking at her innocent and enthusiastic appearance, Yan felt a warmth in his heart, but he also had some deeper considerations. He felt that perhaps at this time, in a more private and honest way, he could reveal some things to Qingsui.
He slowed his pace and lowered his voice, his tone conveying a sense of sincerity. "Qingsui, there's actually another, more important reason why our Fire Tribe is so eager to expand, absorb population, and stockpile food."
Qingsui opened her eyes wide with curiosity. "What's the reason?"
Yan's gaze turned south, as if he could pierce through the night and see the unknown behemoth downstream of the Fish River: "I've heard many people talk about it. At the very bottom of the Fish River, near the main river, there is a very powerful and very difficult tribe to deal with— the Tiger Tribe."
Upon hearing the words "Tiger Tribe," Qingsui's smile vanished instantly, and her expression turned serious.
Yan continued, "Our Fire Tribe has a shallow foundation. Suddenly acquiring some skills (such as pottery) is like a child carrying a treasure walking in the Huangye. If we don't make ourselves strong as soon as possible, we might not even be able to protect ourselves if we are targeted by such a giant beast in the future. Therefore, we are desperately accumulating food and increasing our population, not to invade anyone, but first and foremost to survive and protect our people and the life we already have."
He looked at Qingsui with sincere eyes. "Moreover, our Fire Tribe has always believed that the Valley Tribe is our most reliable and respectable neighbor and partner. Our two tribes, one accumulating strength upstream and the other prosperous and powerful in the middle reaches, if we can form a strong alliance, Jijiao each other and jointly dealing with threats from downstream (Tiger Tribe) or other directions, that is the way to long-term peace and stability."
Qingsui was deeply moved. Yan's words resonated with her, revealing the deepest hidden pain and strategic dilemma of the Valley Tribe over the years.
"Yan, you're absolutely right!" Qingsui couldn't help but grab Yan's arm, saying urgently, "Our Valley Tribe has had plenty of grain and boats these past few years, but life hasn't been easy! The Tiger Tribe is like a Dashi weighing on our hearts. Although they're temporarily tied down by other tribes on the main river and are internally divided, everyone knows that once they have the time or a unified vision, they'll definitely set their sights on the middle and upper reaches! And that Bear Tribe..." She bit her lip, her face showing resentment, "... like a vicious dog, staring intently at our Little Valley Camp on the other side. Whenever our Valley Tribe tries to recruit more people and strengthen its military, the Bear Tribe will inexplicably have a lot more bronze weapons! Father and several elders have long suspected that the Tiger Tribe is secretly supporting the Bear Tribe, using them to restrain and wear us down! Forcing us to endure the Bear Tribe's harassment while having to spend a lot of money to buy more bronze from the Tiger Tribe to maintain the balance! It's not that we don't want to recruit more people, it's that we're afraid that recruiting too many and making too much noise will only arouse the Tiger Tribe's early vigilance and suppression!"
Qingsui's words were incredibly informative, and they enlightened Yan. He realized that the Valley Tribe's decision not to absorb a large number of people, but instead to frantically purchase bronze artifacts and build ships, stemmed from a deep-seated sense of helplessness and strategic considerations! The shadow of the Tiger Tribe not only loomed over the Fire Tribe, but also held a firm grip on the Valley Tribe's lifeline!
"I see..." Yan nodded slowly, gaining a deeper understanding of the Valley Tribe's situation and a stronger sense of the necessity and urgency of an alliance between the two tribes. "If our two tribes can cooperate sincerely, we will no longer be facing the Tiger Tribe alone, but will have a solid backing."
He solemnly said to Qingsui, "I didn't formally propose this alliance idea to Chief Daiyue at the banquet today because our large-scale trade has only just begun, and the foundation of trust needs more concrete actions to solidify. Proposing it rashly might seem abrupt and may not gain the approval of all the high-ranking Valley Tribe. I plan to wait until the successful completion of this year's eight million jin, and even next year's twenty million jin, of grain transactions, when our interests are more deeply intertwined and our trust is stronger, before our Fire Tribe formally proposes an alliance to the Valley Tribe and discusses the specific terms of the alliance."
Qingsui was overjoyed and nodded vigorously, patting her chest to assure him, "Yan, don't worry! I'll take care of this! I'll find a chance to talk to Father when I get back! This alliance is incredibly beneficial to both tribes. It will allow us to fight against the Tiger Tribe's threat together and also free our Valley Tribe from the predicament of being jointly controlled by the Bear Tribe and Tiger Tribe! Father will be very happy and interested when he finds out! He's been worrying about these things a lot these past few years!"
Having received a definite promise from Qingsui, his "insider," Yan felt much more at ease. He knew that conveying this intention through Qingsui was more natural and easier for Daiyue to accept than if he made the request directly himself.
The two chatted more and more congenially, as if they had found a common secret and a grand goal. The distance between them unconsciously shrank in the night, and before they knew it, they had reached the vicinity of the dock. The campfires and lights of the Fire Tribe's temporary camp were clearly visible, and the sounds of people could be faintly heard.
Qingsui stopped and looked at Yan with some reluctance. "Then... you'll start the handover and loading tomorrow, right? You must be very busy."
Yan nodded and estimated, "The transaction volume and transportation volume this time both exceed one million catties, reaching 1.5 million catties. The delivery volume of pottery is even larger. Although we are skilled in cooperating with the Valley Tribe, it will be difficult to complete everything in one morning. I estimate that I will be able to free up some time before tomorrow afternoon at the earliest."
Qingsui's eyes lit up. "Then... if you're free tomorrow afternoon, I'd like to take you for a walk around the area? There are a few scenic spots around our Valley Tribe, and we also have gardens where we cultivate flowers, plants, and fruit trees. You haven't been there yet."
Seeing the expectant look in her eyes, Yan smiled and agreed, "Okay. If things go smoothly tomorrow afternoon, I'll come to see you."
"It's a deal!" Qingsui smiled happily, the moonlight and firelight reflecting on her face, making her look radiant and beautiful.
The two chatted quietly for a few more minutes at the edge of the camp. It wasn't until Qingsui's attendant urged her softly from a short distance away that she reluctantly waved goodbye, turned around, and disappeared on the road leading to the main headquarters of the Valley Tribe.