Xueya's Decision
The day after the scouts of the Pottery Salt Tribe relayed the news of the Wolf Tribe tribe's large-scale attack to the Fish Tribe Wolf Tribe, Xueya of the Wolf Tribe led his men to the vicinity of the Marsh Tribe's camp. The scouts reported that the Marsh Tribe's camp was in a state of chaos. The thatched huts were empty, with the doors wide open, containing only some broken pottery shards and scattered dry grass. Several larger wooden houses were also empty, with the ashes of the hearths still on the ground, cold and devoid of warmth.
Xueya rode slowly into the camp on his black ponies. Behind him followed Yexiao, Duyan, and Shichui, along with dozens of cavalrymen, and many more soldiers and support staff, who were lined up outside the camp waiting. Xueya's gaze swept over the empty camp, his face expressionless.
But a complex mix of emotions surged within him—anger? Disappointment? Or... a vague unease? He couldn't quite put his finger on it. Yexiao Owl rode up and stopped beside him.
"Chief," Yexiao's voice was low, but every word was clear, "I had my men check carefully. The Marsh Tribe's retreat was fairly thorough; they took all the valuables—food, tools, livestock—leaving nothing behind."
He paused, then pointed to some marks on the ground and continued, "Judging from the ashes of the campfire and the moisture level of the animal dung, they've been gone for at least two days."
Two days later, Xueya frowned slightly. They had set off from High Pointed Mountain and headed west at a steady pace, hoping to catch the Marsh Tribe off guard, but they ended up missing them.
Yexiao continued, "Their evacuation was swift, purposeful, and organized; it didn't seem like a spur-of-the-moment escape, but rather as if they had been informed in advance."
He looked at Xueya, his expression somewhat grave.
"Chief, we've been discreet enough this time, but we still managed to be discovered."
Duyan spoke up resentfully from the side.
"These rats!" His one Duyan gleamed fiercely. "They run faster than rabbits! The same thing happened last year; they ran away at the slightest hint of trouble. And then they even dared to follow the Fire Tribe and retaliate against us at the Yellow Leaf Camp!"
He spat, "If they hadn't run away so fast, we would have wiped them out!"
Shichui also shouted loudly.
"Damn it!" He swung his axe at a nearby wooden stake, snapping it in two. "Dare to run? Burn their camp down! When they come back, they won't even have a place to stay!"
As he spoke, he gestured for someone to light a fire.
"Wait," Xueya spoke.
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority. Shichui paused, stopped, and looked back at him. Xueya didn't look at him, but instead looked into the distance. There, the fields of the Marsh Tribe were swaying in the wind, the heavy ears of rice bowing their heads. They would be ready for harvest in a few days.
"Those rice paddies," Xueya pointed to the field, "Were left to us by the Marsh Tribe."
Shichui's eyes lit up. "That's right! Taking this grain is much better than burning down their dilapidated sheds!"
Duyan nodded. "This rice paddy can yield at least a good amount of grain, enough to feed us for a while."
Xueya ignored them and looked at Yexiao instead.
"Who do you think tipped them off?"
Yexiao thought for a moment and said, "The most likely candidate is the Pottery Salt Tribe."
He analyzed, "The Pottery Salt Tribe and our Wolf Tribe have a blood feud, so they are definitely the most wary of our tribe. They must have heard about the few raids we carried out in the north a few months ago. Recently, our scouts have been frequently appearing in this area, so they are definitely even more Jingjue."
He paused, then continued, "Four days ago, those groups of cavalry we saw in the distance were very likely scouts from the Pottery Salt Tribe. They spotted us and immediately went back to report. The Marsh Tribe, the Beast Taming Tribe, and the Hundred Crafts Tribe are all not far from the Pottery Salt Tribe, so they would definitely inform each other when they received the news."
Xueya remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.
That makes sense.
Duyan couldn't help but ask, "Chief, what do we do now? The Marsh Tribe has run away, and the other tribes must have run away too. Did we come all this way for nothing?"
Shichui also panicked. "That's right! We can't go back empty-handed, can we?"
Xueya didn't answer. He sat on his horse, gazing at the golden rice paddies in the distance, his mind racing. The Marsh Tribe had fled, but their food supplies remained. The Beast Taming Tribe and the Hundred Crafts Tribe must have received the news as well. Could they have fled as well?
If they all ran away, then all we'll get on this trip is the grain we didn't have time to harvest. But what about the Fish Tribe?
The Fish Tribe is farther away, so they might receive the news later. Besides, they have a larger population, more confiscated grain, more women, and more livestock—the biggest piece of meat in the area. If we can get there before the Fish Tribe reacts...
A cold glint flashed in Xueya's eyes as he turned to look at the three leaders.
"Duyan," he began, "What do you think? Should we just wipe out the Pottery Salt Tribe this time?"
The Duyan was taken aback for a moment, then a glint of excitement flashed in his eyes.
"Destroy them! Of course, destroy them!" he shouted. "That Jia Li from the Pottery Salt Tribe is no good! Last year, they joined Fire Tribe with the Huo tribe to ambush and kill our main force at the Yellow Leaf Camp! This time, our strength has greatly increased, let's just wipe them out in one fell swoop!"
Shichui got excited too.
"Yes! Wipe them out! Kill them all and loot everything!"
Yexiao frowned.
"Chief," he began, a hint of hesitation in his voice, "Now that the Pottery Salt Tribe has received the news, they must have already taken precautions. They originally had three hundred warriors. With the retreat of the Marsh Tribe, their number exceeds five hundred. If the Beast Taming Tribe also retreats, they could have over seven hundred warriors. And if the Hundred Crafts Tribe goes as well, they will have even more."
He looked at Xueya and said seriously, "Moreover, the Pottery Salt Tribe's camp has been fortified. They reinforced it last year, and it's definitely even stronger this year. If they hide inside and don't come out, it will be difficult for us to take it down in a day or two."
He paused, then continued, "Our main purpose in coming out this time is to plunder food and supplies. The Pottery Salt Tribe definitely doesn't have as much food as the Fish Tribe. Their camp is difficult to attack, and even if we take it, we won't be able to plunder much. It's better to go to the Fish Tribe first. They have more food, more people, and more livestock there. We can come back and deal with the Pottery Salt Tribe when we are stronger."
Xueya listened and nodded silently. Yexiao was right. The Pottery Salt Tribe was a tough nut to crack, and even if they managed to take it down, they wouldn't get much meat. It would be better to go to the Fish Tribe first, where the real meat was. He raised his head and looked west, towards the direction of the Fish Tribe.
"Pass down the order," he said decisively.
The three leaders straightened their backs.
"Duyan, you take one hundred infantrymen, ten cavalrymen, and five hundred support personnel, and stay here." Xueya pointed to the rice paddy. "Harvest all of this rice; don't waste a single grain."
Duyan hesitated for a moment. "Chief, should I stay?"
"Yes." Xueya looked at him. "I trust you to get things done. Collect all this grain within five days, then have the logistics personnel transport it back to High Pointed Mountain. Can you do that?"
Duyan puffed out his chest. "Yes!"
"Alright." Xueya nodded, then looked at Yexiao. "Yexiao, you take forty cavalrymen, divide them into four groups: one to the Hundred Crafts Tribe, one to the Beast Taming Tribe, one to the Pottery Salt Tribe, and one to the Fire Tribe's Stone Creek River Mouth Outpost."
He paused, then continued, "Go and scout the situation. See how those tribes are doing now, whether anyone is coming this way. If you find anything unusual, come back and report immediately."
Yexiao nodded. "Understood!"
Xueya looked at Shichui one last time.
"Shichui, you take the rest of the men and come with me."
Shichui's eyes lit up. "Where to?"
A cold smile crept across Xueya's lips.
"Go to the Fish Tribe."
He raised his riding whip and pointed west.
"There's plenty of grain, lots of women, and herds of livestock! Brothers, charge with me!"
"Rush!"
The surrounding Wolf Tribe warriors shouted in unison, their voices deafening, filled with excitement, greed, and a bloodthirsty thirst. Duyan stayed behind and began directing the harvest of rice. More than five hundred support personnel, armed with stone sickles and bone knives, surged into the golden rice field, cutting, bundling, and loading the rice, working with great enthusiasm.
Yexiao led forty cavalrymen, divided into four groups, and galloped off in different directions.
Xueya led the remaining troops—more than seven hundred warriors, including more than five hundred cavalry—in a grand procession toward the Fish Tribe. The sound of hooves thundered, and dust filled the air. In the procession, Shichui rode a tall, chestnut-colored pony, his face flushed with excitement.
"Chief!" He rode up alongside Xueya, "How should we fight this time against the Fish Tribe?"
Xueya glanced at him and said calmly, "We'll talk about it when we get there."
Shichui Hammer grinned. "Alright! No matter how the fight goes, I'll be the first one to charge!"
Xueya didn't reply; he looked ahead, silently making plans in his mind.
The Fish Tribe, numbering 4,500, with approximately 900 warriors, received the news later than the Marsh Tribe and are likely still in disarray. If we could launch a surprise attack before they were ready...
A cold glint flashed in Xueya's eyes. Soon, in two more days, they'd reach the Fish Tribe's camp. Then...
He tightened his grip on the Jiangsheng, a cruel smile playing on his lips, as the Wolf Tribe's caravan sped up behind him.