Each Side's Calculations

When Horse Tribe returned to the Junfeng Horse Tribe with his men, the atmosphere in the Horse Tribe's council tent was heavy. Junfeng sat in the main seat, with several animal hide maps in front of him. To his left sat the five leaders: Chidian, Zhuiying, Taxue, Muyun, and Jiangsuo. To his right were the leaders of the five core subordinate tribes who had accompanied him on this expedition: Canglang of the White Hoof Tribe, Liefeng of the Yellow Dappled Horse Tribe, Yunti of the Piebald Horse Tribe, Kuangfeng of the Green Mane Tribe, and Zhuidian of the Black Tail Tribe.

Outside the tent, the setting sun was casting a dark red glow on the horizon. The red light shone through the skylight in the tent roof, falling on everyone's faces as if they were smeared with blood. Junfeng spoke, his voice not loud, but everyone heard him clearly.

"Everyone knows about the situation during this pursuit of the Wolf Tribe." He paused, "We lost about a hundred of our brothers."

Silence fell inside the tent.

About a hundred!

For the Horse Tribe, this was no small number. The Horse Tribe only had a little over 800 cavalrymen in total, and this loss was one-eighth of them. Moreover, every one of them was an elite soldier who had grown up on horseback. Chidian lowered his head, his eyes were a little red—more than half of those hundred-plus people were people he had personally trained. Although Junfeng did not blame him, he felt more pained than anyone else.

"The Wolf Tribe suffered a loss of about 150 men," Junfeng continued.

Canglang frowned. "One hundred and fifty against one hundred? Chief, didn't we win?"

Junfeng shook his head. "That's not how you calculate it."

He stood up, walked to the center of the tent, and glanced at everyone.

"The hundred or so we lost were the very blood of the Horse Tribe. Each of them had been fed by us, ridden our horses, and trained with us since childhood. Once they're gone, they're gone forever."

He paused, then said, "The 150 people the Wolf Tribe lost were mostly young men who had just been recruited on their northward journey. Will Xueya feel sorry for them now that they're dead?"

No one answered.

"He won't," Junfeng answered himself. "Those people are just expendable resources in his eyes. Once they die, he can just take a batch next time."

Liefeng clenched his fist. "Are we really just going to let this go? Let them plunder so many tribes and kill so many people for nothing?"

Junfeng looked at him and slowly said, "I didn't say forget it."

He walked back to the head of the table and sat down again.

"Do you remember how Xueya turned those coerced young men into warriors in just about half a month?"

Canglang thought for a moment, "By slaughtering?"

"Yes." Junfeng nodded. "By slaughtering them, by making those young and strong kill with their own hands, we'll drive them into wolves."

He paused, a chill creeping into his voice. "Those young men, just over ten days ago they were farmers tilling the fields and herding sheep, now their eyes have all changed, they kill without even blinking."

"What does this show?" he asked himself, answering his own question. "It shows that Xueya is ruthless, vicious, and clever enough. He knows how to turn a rabble into a fighting force in the shortest amount of time."

Yunti couldn't help but ask, "Chief, what exactly are you trying to say?"

Junfeng looked at him and said, "What I want to say is that the Wolf Tribe is no longer a force that our Horse Tribe can handle alone."

An uproar erupted inside the tent.

"How is that possible?" Zhuidian was the first to disbelieve. "How many of them are there? Just over a thousand. We have seven hundred cavalry, plus a thousand from the five tribes, that's seventeen thousand. How could we not be able to defeat them?"

Junfeng raised his hand, signaling him to be quiet.

"Let me finish," he explained slowly. "In terms of numbers, we do outnumber them, but war isn't about counting heads; it's about how you fight."

He picked up a stick and started drawing on the ground.

"The Wolf Tribe now occupies High Pointed Mountain. As you all know, High Pointed Mountain's terrain is easy to defend and difficult to attack. The mountain roads are steep, and cavalry simply cannot make it up. We can only rely on infantry to launch a strong attack."

He paused, then continued, "Our Horse Tribe excels at cavalry warfare. Sending us to attack mountains is like sending fish to climb trees."

The Liefeng fell silent.

The Canglang thought for a moment and said, "Then let's lure them down the mountain to fight them."

"How do we lure him out?" Junfeng countered. "Xueya isn't stupid. He just looted so much grain and livestock, enough to last him through the winter. He can simply stay in the mountains and wait until next spring to make his plans."

No one can answer that.

Junfeng continued, "Furthermore, don't forget, Xueya currently has six hundred cavalry. Although most of these cavalry are novices and cannot compare to our elite troops, they have a real six hundred horses. Even in open field battles, we will have to pay a considerable price to wipe them out."

He stood up, walked to the tent entrance, lifted the curtain, and looked at the gradually darkening sky outside.

"I've seen through Xueya." His voice was low. "I don't believe a single word of his oaths."

He turned to the crowd. "Do you really think he'll keep his promise and never come to the Horse Tribe's sphere of influence?"

The leaders of the several subordinate tribes exchanged glances.

"No," Junfeng answered himself. "He will definitely come again, either at the end of this year or next spring. Once he has raised his young men to adulthood and trained his cavalry, he will definitely come again."

"Then what do we do?" asked Kuangfeng.

Junfeng remained silent for a while.

"Unite." He uttered those two words slowly.

"A coalition?" Zhuidian paused, "A coalition with whom?"

Junfeng's gaze swept over everyone. "Everyone who has a grudge against the Wolf Tribe."

He walked back to the head of the table, sat down again, and began to explain his thoughts.

"The Wolf Tribe has offended many people over the years: the Fish Tribe and the Pottery Salt Tribe to the west, the Fire Tribe to the south, and the remnants of those small tribes they slaughtered. These people all hate the Wolf Tribe to the bone."

He paused, then continued, "If we can unite them to fight the Wolf Tribe together, our chances of victory will be much greater."

Canglang's eyes lit up. "You mean, like last year?"

Last autumn, when the Wolf Tribe raided westward, the Fire Tribe, together with the Fish Tribe, the Pottery Salt Tribe, and the Hundred Crafts Tribe, surrounded and annihilated the main force of the Wolf Tribe at the Yellow Leaf Camp. In that battle, almost all of the Wolf Tribe's more than 400 men were wiped out.

"Yes." Junfeng nodded. "If they could do it last year, we can do it this year too."

Liefeng thought for a moment and asked, "Then who should we send to make the contact?"

Junfeng pondered for a moment.

"I personally sent people to the Fire Tribe," he said. "When the Fire Tribe's Jianya Chieftain came here to trade for ponies, I spoke with him. This man... is not simple."

He didn't say much, but everyone understood what he meant. Someone who could be described as "not simple" by Junfeng must be extraordinary.

"As for the Fish Tribe," Junfeng continued, "Let Xiao Matou some men there. He knows the roads there and recognizes the Fish Tribe people."

Xiao Matou Head stood up. "Yes, sworn brother!"

Junfeng gestured for him to sit down and then said, "Send Tengjiao to the Pottery Salt Tribe. His tribe was wiped out, and the people of the Pottery Salt Tribe will definitely sympathize with him. Besides, the Pottery Salt Tribe and the Wolf Tribe already have a grudge!"

Tengjiao nodded emphatically, his eyes red-rimmed. Junfeng then looked at the leaders of the core subordinate tribes and said, "After you return, you must also make preparations, stockpile fodder, and train your warriors. When the time is right, we will launch a joint attack."

Canglang, Liefeng, Yunti, Kuangfeng, and Zhuidian responded in unison, "Yes!"

After the meeting, the leaders of the several subordinate tribes left, leaving only Junfeng and a few leaders in the tent. Chidian walked over and knelt down in front of Junfeng.

"Chief," his voice was hoarse, "This was my fault. Please punish me, Chief."

Junfeng looked at him and remained silent for a while.

"Get up," he said. "It's not your fault."

Chidian refused to get up. "If only I had been more careful back then, and hadn't been so reckless—"

"I told you, it wasn't your fault," Junfeng interrupted him. "In that situation, anyone would have rushed in. Xueya was too cunning; none of us expected it."

He bent down and helped Chidian up.

"If we're really talking about responsibility, I, as the leader, bear the greatest responsibility," he said. "It was I who gave the order to pursue them; it was I who let them into the valley."

Chidian raised his head, his eyes red-rimmed. "Leader..."

"Alright," Junfeng patted his shoulder, "Stop talking. Go back and take good care of your injury. Once you're fully recovered, we'll need you to lead the team next time."

Chidian nodded emphatically. After everyone had left, Junfeng stood alone in the tent, looking at the huge sheepskin map on the wall, his gaze fixed on the location of High Pointed Mountain.

"Xueya..." he murmured the name, "What exactly do you want?"

He recalled the oath Xueya had sworn in Tiger and Leopard Valley —a vow to be struck by lightning and die a horrible death. Would someone like that even care about being struck by lightning?

Junfeng shook his head. No, Xueya only believes in the sword, not in the heavens. He turned around, walked to the tent entrance, lifted the curtain, and outside, the night sky was dotted with stars. On the southern horizon, the direction of High Pointed Mountain could be vaguely seen.

"Just you wait," he muttered. "Next time we meet, I'll make you pay!"

Meanwhile, at the foot of High Pointed Mountain, a bustling scene unfolded. Xueya stood on a Jushi halfway up the mountain, overlooking the camp at the foot of the mountain. Three days ago, he had led the Wolf Tribe's forces back here.

The tribes that had been brought there— the Charcoal Fire Tribe, the Firewood Tribe, the Mole Burrow Tribe, the Firefly Marsh Tribe, the Boat People Tribe, and a dozen or so smaller tribes—had already chosen a place to set up camp near the foot of the mountain. Thousands of people were crammed together on a relatively flat slope, where they erected countless thatched huts and tents. Smoke rose from the chimneys, and the sounds of cattle and sheep filled the air, along with the aroma of food and the smell of livestock.

"Chief," Yexiao approached, handing over a roasted leg of lamb, "Everything is arranged. The five medium-sized tribes are settled in the east, and the small tribes in the west. They have elected their own leaders. If there's anything, go to the leader first, and the leader will report back."

Xueya took the lamb leg, took a big bite, and chewed slowly.

Where is the grain?

"Eat as much as you want, enough for three months," Yexiao said. "Plus what they brought themselves, if they eat sparingly, it should last until next spring."

Xueya nodded.

What about the young and middle-aged men?

"They've all been brought back to the mountainside," Yexiao said. "As you instructed, they were broken up and mixed together. The veterans are training them, and they're well-fed every day. Some of them are still homesick these past few days, but they'll be fine in a while."

Xueya didn't speak. He continued chewing on his lamb leg, his eyes fixed on the campsite at the foot of the mountain. After a long while, he finally spoke.

"Any of the newcomers have any complaints?"

Yexiao thought for a moment, "There are a few. Yesterday, a kid from the Firewood Tribe tried to run away, but he was caught by the patrol."

Where are they?

"He's locked up. We're waiting for your decision."

Xueya swallowed the last bite of meat and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

"Bring it over."

Soon, a young man was brought before Xueya. He was about eighteen or nineteen years old, tall and thin, with tanned skin that looked like he had worked in the fields. At this moment, he was being forced to kneel on the ground by two Wolf Tribe warriors, trembling all over, but there was still a glint of defiance in his eyes. Xueya squatted down and looked him in the eye.

What's your name?

The young man bit his lip and remained silent.

"I'm asking you a question!" The soldier holding him slapped him on the back of the head. "The leader is asking you what your name is!"

The young man was knocked forward, his forehead hitting the ground. He raised his head, blood flowing from his eyebrow, but he still bit his lip and remained silent.

Xueya laughed.

"You have guts." He stood up. "Drag her away and kill her."

"Wait!" The young man looked up abruptly, his voice trembling, "I... I'm Chai Sheng."

Xueya stopped and turned around.

"Chai Sheng," he murmured the name slowly, "From the Firewood Tribe?"

Chai Sheng nodded.

Why run?

Chai Sheng lowered his head and remained silent for a while.

"I... I miss my mother." His voice was soft, like a child who had done something wrong. "She's only in her forties, and her legs aren't good. I don't know if she's keeping up... I'm worried about her..."

Xueya was silent for a moment, then he waved his hand.

"Take him to see his mother."

The escorting soldiers were stunned. "Chief?"

"Take him to see his mother," Xueya repeated. "Then tell her that her son is now working for the Wolf Tribe, that he has meat to eat and horses to ride, and that she can rest assured."

Chai Sheng looked up, his eyes filled with disbelief. Xueya squatted down and looked into his eyes.

"Kid, I know you're homesick." His voice was calm, but chilling. "But remember this: from the day you followed us and killed your first man, there was no turning back."

He stood up. "We'll take good care of your mother, but you, from now on, belong to the Wolf Tribe. Understand?"

Chai Sheng stared at him blankly for a long time before slowly nodding.

"Take him away." Xueya waved his hand.

Chai Sheng was taken away, and even after they had walked quite a distance, he was still looking back at Xueya with a complicated expression.

Yexiao approached and asked in a low voice, "Chief, is this alright?"

Xueya did not answer. He stood back on the Jushi, looking down at the camp at the foot of the mountain.

"Yexiao," he suddenly asked, "How do you think our trip north went?"

Yexiao thought for a moment, "It went very smoothly. We robbed many people, a lot of grain, and many horses."

"Not enough," Xueya shook his head. "Far from enough."

He pointed to the camp at the foot of the mountain. "Look, several thousand people, that seems like a lot, but the able-bodied and strong are the ones who can eat and fight. The old, weak, women and children are all a burden. We have to feed them and prevent them from running away."

He paused, then said, "But there's no other way. If you don't coerce the old ones, the young ones won't go with you; if you don't coerce the young ones, the older ones won't fight for their lives. The only option is to bring them all back."

Yexiao nodded. "So what do we do next?"

Xueya remained silent for a moment.

"Raise them," he said. "Raise them for a while, get those young and strong men up, train the cavalry well..."

He didn't finish speaking, but the Yexiao already understood.

"North?"

Xueya nodded.

"Junfeng thinks he can stop me by making a vow?" He sneered. "If I, Xueya, kept my word, I would have starved to death long ago."

He turned and walked up the mountain path.

"Pass down the order: make sure those able-bodied men train hard, have plenty of food every day, and train every day. In a few months, I want them to be even more formidable than the cavalry of the Horse Tribe."

Yexiao followed behind. "Yes."

Xueya walked for a while, then suddenly stopped.

"Oh, right," he turned around, "Keep an eye on the Fish Tribe to the west, and the Fire Tribe to the south too."

Yexiao paused, then asked, "Chief, what are you planning to do...?"

Xueya didn't answer; he simply looked westward, a cold glint in his eyes.

"Let him recover first," he said. "We'll talk about it later when he's fully recovered."

He continued uphill and soon disappeared into the night.