Whispers Beneath the Moon

As the sun gradually set over the Valley Tribe, the sky was dyed orange-red. Yan and Qingsui walked slowly along the Fish River, their shadows stretching long in the sunset, one in front of the other, casting long shadows on the ground. The river breeze blew, carrying moist air, and felt cool on their faces.

Qingsui then asked Yan, "Gentle? Did my father really say that about me?"

Yan nodded and said, "Really."

Qingsui couldn't hold back any longer and burst into laughter, only stopping after a while. She said, "My father was definitely just trying to fool you. Everyone in our tribe knows that. I'm not gentle at all."

Yan looked at her and said earnestly, "I think you're quite gentle."

Qingsui blushed again, lowered her head and remained silent. The two walked quietly like this, everything was so peaceful and beautiful. As they walked, Qingsui suddenly touched her stomach.

"Yan," she said, "It's been so long since I've had your cooking. You rarely come to the Valley Tribe, shouldn't you do something to show your appreciation?"

Yan smiled and said, "Alright, I'll take you to our Fire Tribe's temporary camp and cook you something delicious."

Qingsui's eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly. The two quickened their pace and headed towards the Fire Tribe's temporary camp. In the Fire Tribe's temporary camp, a campfire had already been lit, and the Fire Tribe's warriors sat around the fire in twos and threes. Some were grilling fish, some were chatting, and some were preparing for their return voyage the next day.

When they saw Yan bring Qingsui in, everyone tactfully pretended not to see her. Yan led Qingsui to his tent, where there was an open space where they could start a fire and cook.

"Qingsui, come and help me," Yan said, "And learn my skills while you're at it."

Qingsui rolled up her sleeves and said enthusiastically, "Okay! What do you need me to do?"

Yan pointed to the bucket next to him. "Just wash those ingredients first."

Qingsui squatted down and began to wash the vegetables carefully, while Yan went to start a fire. He first set up the firewood and lit it. After the fire was burning brightly, he put the rinsed rice into the pot to cook. When the rice was almost cooked, Qingsui had also finished washing the vegetables. Yan took the vegetables and began to process them.

She chopped meat, minced chicken, gutted fish... her movements were skillful and fluid, Qingsui squatted to the side, watching intently.

"Yan, who did you learn all these skills from?" she asked.

Yan smiled and said, "I figured it out myself."

Qingsui's eyes were full of admiration. Soon, all the ingredients were prepared and ready. Yan set up his special copper pot and started cooking: braised pork, braised fish, spicy stir-fried chicken, two stir-fried wild vegetables, and a soup. Soon, five dishes and a soup were ready, steaming hot and fragrant.

Qingsui watched with drooling mouth, repeatedly asking, "How is this made?"

What seasonings should I add?

Why put this one in first and that one in later?

As Yan cooked, he patiently explained, and Qingsui listened attentively, nodding from time to time. Half an hour later, the meal was ready, and the two sat down by the tent to eat.

Yan looked at the dishes, then at Jia Li, Feiyu, Bailin, and the others not far away, and said to Qingsui, "There's so much food, we can't finish it all. Let's share some with them."

Qingsui nodded. "Okay."

Yan divided a portion of each dish and had his attendants deliver it to Jia Li and the others. The two of them began to eat the rest. Qingsui picked up a piece of braised pork, put it in her mouth, and her eyes lit up.

"Delicious! So delicious!"

She ate heartily, completely disregarding her image. Yan couldn't help but laugh at the way she ate.

"Eat slowly, don't choke."

Qingsui gave a mumbled reply and continued eating. Braised pork, braised fish, spicy stir-fried chicken, stir-fried seasonal vegetables... Qingsui praised every dish. After the meal, she ate until her belly was round and sat there, not wanting to move at all.

"So full..." She patted her stomach and sighed contentedly.

Yan had finished eating and sat down next to her. The two sat quietly for a while, then Yan stood up, extended his hand, and said, "Let's go for a walk by the river to digest our food."

Qingsui took his hand, stood up, and the two left the Fire Tribe's temporary camp, walking towards the Fish River. The moonlight was very bright tonight, making the river surface appear silvery white, and the distant mountains showed a hazy outline under the moonlight. The two held hands and walked slowly. Qingsui touched her stomach, feeling a little full.

"Yan, your cooking is so delicious," she said. "I wish you could stay here a little longer, then I could eat your cooking every day."

Yan looked at her, feeling a pang of guilt.

"I'd like to stay longer," he said, "But our Fire Tribe has recently taken in quite a few new people, and they'll only feel more at ease if we get this food back as soon as possible."

He paused for a moment, then said, "If I have time in the future, I will definitely stay here for a few more days."

Qingsui asked, "How long will that take?"

Yan thought for a moment and said, "It will probably take some time. Our Fire Tribe will be recruiting more people in the next year or two, so we'll be very busy."

Qingsui looked at him in surprise.

"Didn't you say yesterday that your Fire Tribe already has over 80,000 people? Are you really going to continue recruiting?"

Yan nodded.

"Although there are already more than 80,000 people, it's still not enough."

He gazed at the distant river and spoke slowly.

"The Tiger Tribe, located at the very bottom of the Fish River, has a population of over 100,000. They also possess numerous large ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin. There is still a significant gap in strength between our Fire Tribe and their Tiger Tribe."

He turned his head and looked at Qingsui.

"Although we are far apart, in order to deal with various potential threats, our Fire Tribe has already agreed to increase our population to at least 150,000 in the next few years."

Qingsui gasped.

"150,000!"

Yan nodded. "Yes, at least 150,000!"

It took Qingsui a while to recover from her shock.

"I didn't expect your Fire Tribe to have such lofty ambitions," she said. "To become a great tribe like the Tiger Tribe."

She looked at Yan with eyes full of admiration.

"I remember you said that a few years ago your tribe was a small group of about two hundred people, right?"

Yan nodded. "Yes."

He gazed into the distance, his tone calm.

"It is precisely because we were originally a small tribe that we understand even more what strength means to a tribe. Our Fire Tribe now knows how to make pottery and salt, technologies that are extremely rare in the Fish River Basin. If our tribe didn't have strength, we wouldn't be able to protect these things."

He looked at Qingsui and said earnestly.

"That's why our Fire Tribe has absorbed a large number of people in recent years to increase our strength."

Qingsui nodded, indicating her understanding.

Yan continued, "With a larger population, we need more food. Although our Fire Tribe has been extensively cultivating land in recent years, we still have a significant food shortage. If our Fire Tribe continues to absorb new people, we will need to purchase large quantities of food from outside."

He looked at Qingsui with a smile in his eyes.

"Your Valley Tribe has a large surplus of grain every year, making you the perfect partner for our Fire Tribe. In the coming years, we will continue to purchase large quantities of grain from your tribe."

Qingsui smiled.

"You've come to the right place by coming to our tribe to buy grain," she said. "Our Valley Tribe may not be good at other things, but we have a considerable surplus of grain every year. If you need grain, come and get it."

She paused, then lowered her voice and said, "I heard from other high-ranking members of the tribe that our Valley Tribe has made a fortune these past two years by trading grain for your pottery! Now they'd love to sell you more grain every year."

Yan smiled too.

"A trade between the two tribes is beneficial to both sides. Our Fire Tribe is also eager to buy more grain from the Valley Tribe."

Qingsui looked at him, a hint of reluctance in her eyes.

"It looks like your Fire Tribe will be very busy these next two years. When will you come to the Valley Tribe next time?"

Yan thought for a moment.

"When I return this time, I will take my fleet to trade on the west bank of the Fish River. I don't know when I'll be able to come back again."

He looked at Qingsui and said, "If you have time, you can come and visit our Fire Tribe with Chief Fengren."

Qingsui's eyes lit up.

"Okay, okay!"

But in the blink of an eye, she wilted again.

"Sigh..." she sighed, "I also want to visit the Fire Tribe, but recently, after my father tasted the dishes I learned from you, he basically asks me to add one or two dishes to his repertoire every day. Now, not only do I have to learn tribe management from him every day, but I also have to cook for him!"

She looked at Yan pitifully and said, "He probably won't let me go out to play for a while."

Yan was somewhat surprised, not expecting that the leader of Daiyue also loved food so much.

"Okay," he said. "Then come visit the Fire Tribe again sometime later, and I'll come to the Valley Tribe to see you when I have time."

Qingsui nodded and said seriously, "You have to keep your word! You must come visit me when you have time, cook me delicious food, and bring me lots of spices!"

Yan smiled and said, "Definitely!"

The two continued walking. Under the moonlight, the river flowed quietly. Suddenly, Yan remembered something.

"Qingsui, has there been serious conflict between your Valley Tribe and the nearby Bear Tribe recently?"

Qingsui thought for a moment and said, "Although the Bear Tribe has made some unusual moves in the past two years, they have basically been suppressed by our Valley Tribe. If there are no unexpected events this year, the conflict will still be kept within a controllable range."

She looked at Yan and said seriously, "The Bear Tribe will not have a significant impact on our Valley Tribe's food production, nor will it affect our assistance to the Fire Tribe in transporting food."

Yan nodded, feeling slightly relieved.

He added, "Our Wolf Tribe has been wiped out, but their leader, Xueya, is still hiding between your Little Valley Camp Outpost and the Horse Tribe with about a hundred remaining soldiers. You should be especially careful, particularly when the harvest is almost complete."

Qingsui nodded. "I will keep an eye on it, and I will talk to my father about it again when I have the chance."

Yan then inquired about the tribes downstream of the Fish River.

Are you familiar with the lower reaches of the Fish River? What are the sizes and distributions of those tribes?

Qingsui shook her head.

"I haven't been working for my father for very long, so I only have a vague understanding of many things," she said somewhat embarrassedly. "I don't know the specifics very well yet."

Yan nodded, chatted for a bit and then didn't ask any more questions. Soon, the moon rose higher and higher, and the night grew deeper and deeper. Before they knew it, the two had arrived at the entrance of the Fire Tribe's temporary camp, and Yan stopped.

"Qingsui, you should go back now. You need to get up early tomorrow to see me off."

Qingsui nodded, her eyes filled with reluctance. Qingsui was silent for a moment, then looked up and said, "Take care on your journey, and don't tire yourself out too much when you get back."

Yan nodded. "Okay, you too."

The two looked at each other for a while, then Qingsui let go of her hand, turned and walked towards the direction of the Valley Tribe. After a few steps, she looked back again. Yan was still standing there, waving at her. She waved back, then turned and walked away quickly. Under the moonlight, her figure grew farther and farther away, finally disappearing into the night. Yan stood at the entrance of the camp, motionless for a long time.

Only after Qingsui's figure was completely out of sight did he turn around and walk back to his tent in the camp. Yan lay down, staring at the tent ceiling. In his mind, Qingsui's smile and her words, "Next time, you must stay for a few more days," were still there. As Qingsui thought about these things, he slowly closed his eyes.