Undercurrents in the Valley Tribe

As night deepened, the torches in front of the Valley Tribe's council hall flickered in the night wind, making a soft crackling sound. Daiyue stood at the door, watching Yan and his group gradually disappear into the darkness. Qingsui followed beside Yan, the two walking side by side, their low voices occasionally audible.

Daiyue's gaze lingered on his daughter's retreating figure for a moment, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes—relief? worry? or reluctance?

He himself couldn't explain it. Yan, that young man, was indeed quite good. He was capable and had great courage. With his participation, the Fire Tribe had developed to this scale in just a few years, which was enough to show his ability. But it was precisely because he was too outstanding that Daiyue was somewhat worried.

How could he, as a father, not see through his daughter's feelings? From the first time Yan came to the Valley Tribe, Qingsui's gaze towards him was different. In their subsequent meetings, the two grew increasingly close. This time, some of his men saw them walking hand-in-hand along the dock, and he feared it was already...

Daiyue sighed. "A daughter is like a tree that grows up and can't stay at home forever." But then again, if it really works out, it might not be a bad thing for the Valley Tribe. The Fire Tribe is developing so fast, it will definitely become a major power in the future. A marriage between the two tribes can only benefit the Valley Tribe.

But he still couldn't bear to part with his only daughter... He had to wait and see. Although the Fire Tribe was developing rapidly, its foundation was still weak. The cooperation between the Valley Tribe and them was mainly about exchanging grain for pottery. How long could this relationship last? He'd wait a couple of years before deciding, since Qingsui was only 14 years old and not yet an adult!

Daiyue shook his head, temporarily setting aside these distracting thoughts. Just as he was about to turn back to the council hall, he noticed that several people were still standing behind him. None of the seven elders had left. They stood in twos and threes at the door, whispering among themselves. The torchlight shone on their faces, illuminating thoughtful expressions.

Daiyue's heart stirred, and he instantly understood why the elders hadn't left. Yan's words earlier—"Next time you come, you'll need to prepay for pottery equivalent to five million catties of grain next year"—had stirred up a huge wave in the hearts of these elders.

Five million catties of grain worth of pottery—how many good things could be exchanged for that? These old foxes are probably already planning how to split this deal. A complex mix of emotions welled up in Daiyue's heart: helplessness, vigilance, and a touch of inexplicable weariness.

But he didn't show it on his face. He turned around and said calmly, "Elders, let's go inside and talk."

The elders exchanged glances and nodded, then followed Daiyue back into the council hall. Everyone took their seats, their eyes all focused on Daiyue. Daiyue didn't speak immediately; after a while, he finally opened his mouth.

"As you all heard," his voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the silent council hall, "The young chief of the Fire Tribe said that next time they come, they will prepay our Valley Tribe with pottery equivalent to five million catties of grain."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.

"Everyone knows what pottery containing five million catties of grain means."

No one spoke, but everyone's eyes shone.

Daiyue continued, "The fact that the Fire Tribe dared to pay such a large deposit shows their sincerity in purchasing grain next year. Our Valley Tribe cannot lag behind."

He looked at the elders and said, word by word, "We must pool all our resources to ensure the smooth completion of next year's 20 million jin grain trade."

Elder Yaoshan stroked his beard and nodded slowly. "The chief is right. The Fire Tribe is sincere, and we must be sincere as well."

Second Elder Hefeng echoed, "We've made a lot of money cooperating with the Fire Tribe these past two years, and we must maintain this relationship."

Third Elder Jin Ye said in a deep voice, "It's not just about maintaining, but about deepening. Didn't Young Master Yan say that they will still have a great demand for grain in the next few years? This is a long-term, big business."

Fourth Elder Lin Feng's eyes lit up. "That's right! If we have more of these big transactions, our Valley Tribe's strength can reach a new level!"

Fifth Elder Shuize nodded in agreement, and Sixth and Seventh Elders echoed him. In an instant, the atmosphere in the council hall became lively. Daiyue looked at these elders who had just been harboring their own thoughts, but now they all spoke in unison in support of cooperating with the Fire Tribe. He secretly sighed, thinking that interests were indeed the best glue. However, he did not let this lively atmosphere last too long.

"Everyone knows how the profits from this year's eight million catties of grain were distributed," he began, steer the conversation back on track. "Forty percent was used for the tribe's daily operations, and sixty percent for weaponry, etc. However, a portion of the profits was used in advance this year to purchase bronze farming tools for cultivating the land. This part will be made up for next year from those profit shares."

The elders all nodded in agreement. This distribution plan was something they had discussed long ago. Although there were some disagreements, they eventually reached a consensus. Just then, the Fourth Elder Lin Feng, spoke up.

"Chief," his voice was low but his tone serious, "This year's distribution plan is set, but what about next year?"

He looked around at everyone and continued, "Next year's harvest will be 20 million catties of grain, more than double that of this year. How will such a large profit be divided?"

Daiyue frowned slightly but remained silent.

Lin Feng continued, "Our Valley Tribe members have worked hard this year to cultivate the fields, and they will have to work hard to grow crops next year. We can't let them work for nothing, can we? Without rewards, it's difficult for us to manage them."

As soon as he said this, others immediately agreed.

The Seventh Elder nodded. "Lin Feng is right. The clansmen should get something in return for their efforts, otherwise who will be willing to work hard next time?"

The Sixth Elder also spoke up, "Moreover, those new fields cultivated next year will become our fixed output. This income should be considered long-term and cannot be distributed all at once."

The Second Elder stroked his beard, lost in thought, while the First Elder, Yaoshan, remained expressionless, his thoughts unreadable. But the Third Elder Jin Ye, suddenly stood up.

"I disagree!" His voice was so loud that it startled everyone.

He walked to the center of the council hall, looked at Lin Feng, and his eyes were filled with anger.

"Lin Feng, I don't object to what you're saying, but do you know what the situation is like now?"

Lin Feng was taken aback. "What's going on?"

Jin Ye took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "The Bear Tribe has been harassing our Little Valley Camp more and more frequently lately. Their tribe has grown to ten thousand people, and the warriors they recently dispatched are equipped with a large number of bronze weapons!"

An uproar erupted in the council chamber.

Bronze weapons?

"The tribe's population has increased to ten thousand?"

Where did all those bronze weapons come from?

Jin Ye raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, and continued, "I suspect that these bronze weapons were secretly funded by the Tiger Tribe. Since the Tiger Tribe couldn't deal with us themselves, they instigated the Bear Tribe to cause trouble."

He looked at Daiyue: "Chief, elders, the situation is very serious. If the Bear Tribe really attacks, can our Little Valley Camp hold out?"

No one spoke. Although Little Valley Camp had increased to eight thousand men, only about sixteen hundred were truly capable fighters. The Bear Tribe, with ten thousand men, had at least two thousand warriors, and now they were heavily equipped with bronze weapons. If a battle were to break out...

Jin Ye continued, "Therefore, I suggest that most of the profits from next year's 20 million jin of grain be used to purchase bronze weapons to enhance our military strength! We must first suppress the Bear Tribe and ensure the safety of Little Valley Camp. Otherwise, once Little Valley Camp Outpost is lost, what will we use to grow grain on the east bank of the Fish River? What will we use to trade with the Fire Tribe?"

That made sense, but Lin Feng disagreed.

"Jin Ye, you're right, but you can't just use all the profits to buy weapons, can you?" He stood up, retorting sharply, "The tribespeople also have to work, they also need to eat, you can't let them work for free!"

"I didn't say they'd work for free!" Jin Ye glared at him. "What I meant was, let's ensure the tribe's production safety first, then talk about distribution. What's the use of distributing more if we can't even guarantee the tribe's safety?"

The two argued back and forth, their words growing increasingly heated. Some of the other elders supported Jin Ye, some supported Lin Feng, some remained silent, and some tried to mediate between the two sides. The council hall was in complete chaos. Daiyue sat in the main seat, saying nothing. He looked at the elders, their faces flushed from arguing, and a deep weariness welled up in his heart. Over the years, he had racked his brains trying to balance the interests of all parties.

The First Elder, Yaoshan, appears fair on the surface, but secretly cultivates his own power. The Fourth Elder, Lin Feng, claims to care about the tribe, but in reality, the "benefits" distributed to him end up as favors. The Third Elder, Jin Ye, is genuinely concerned about the tribe, but his methods are too radical. He is always thinking about expanding the army and buying weapons, without considering where the money will come from.

There are also the Second Elder Hefeng, the Fifth Elder Shuize, the Sixth Elder, the Seventh Elder... Each of them has their own plans and their own ulterior motives.

His leadership was like walking a tightrope; one wrong step and he would fall, either to his death or be pulled down by his subordinates.

"Enough!"

Daiyue suddenly spoke, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable authority. The council hall fell silent instantly, and everyone looked at him. Daiyue stood up, walked to the center of the council hall, and slowly swept his gaze over everyone.

"We'll talk about next year next year." His voice was calm, but tinged with coldness. "What we need to do now is to cultivate the land well, ensure the grain is grown successfully, and guarantee the smooth completion of next year's grain trade. We'll discuss the rest later."

The elders looked at each other, and no one dared to speak.

Daiyue waved his hand. "Everyone, disperse. It's getting late, go back and rest."

Everyone rose and filed out. Daiyue stood in the center of the council hall, watching their figures disappear into the night, a complex expression on his face. He knew that today's argument was just the beginning; next year, the year after, and many more troubles awaited him, especially from the Tiger Tribe...

He recalled what Jin Ye had just said: the Tiger Tribe couldn't spare the resources themselves, so they armed the Bear Tribe with bronze weapons and sent them to cause trouble. What did that mean?

This shows that the Tiger Tribe has already taken notice of the Valley Tribe. Although they can't attend to it now, they will one day be able to. At that time, what will the Valley Tribe use to resist?

"Rely on these elders who are only concerned with vying for power and profit?" Daiyue gave a bitter smile, shook his head, walked back to his seat, and slowly sat down. After a long time, he raised his head and looked at the dark night sky outside the door.

"Yan..." he murmured the name.

The young leader of the Fire Tribe, the young man who has captured Qingsui's heart—perhaps it's time to find an opportunity to have a good talk with him, to discuss the Valley Tribe's situation, the Fire Tribe's thoughts, and... future military alliance cooperation.

Daiyue stood up and walked out of the council hall. The night breeze carried the damp scent of the river. He took a deep breath and headed towards his residence. Behind him, the torches in the council hall gradually went out, but the troubles facing the Valley Tribe had only just begun.