Difficult negotiations
As he heard Jianshi's proposed list of exchanges, the smile on Canglan's face faded slightly. The Fish Tribe chief tapped his fingers lightly against the stone tabletop, making soft knocking sounds. Silence settled over the stone house for a moment, broken only by the faint bustle of the tribe outside.
"Brother-in-law Jianshi," Canglan began slowly, his tone no longer as casual as before, "you have quite an appetite..."
He analyzed Jianshi's demands one by one:
"Four baskets of rice seed? Do you know that those seeds are enough to plant dozens of mu of paddies? Our tribe painstakingly cultivated and selected them. Giving you that much would affect our harvest next year."
"A large boat?" Canglan shook his head, his tone firm enough to cut nails and sever iron. "Impossible. Large boats are the foundation of our Fish Tribe's foothold on the river, the lifeblood of our fishing and transport, and symbols of military strength besides. Strategic resources are never traded away."
"As for five boatbuilders and five farmers?" He smiled and gave Jianshi an appraising look. "These people are precious assets of our tribe, with essential skills in their hands. Taking ten people at once-brother-in-law, you're trying to dig out my foundations."
Jianshi's expression did not change; he had clearly anticipated this. "Brother-in-law, our Fire Tribe came with sincerity this time," he said in a low voice. "We're willing to exchange ninety percent of all the pottery we brought for these things." He paused, then added, "You've seen the quality of this pottery yourself. It's far from ordinary. Whether you use it yourselves or trade it to tribes farther away, its value is considerable."
Canglan's eyes flickered; he was clearly deeply tempted by the pottery. Though prosperous, the Fish Tribe had no particular skill in pottery-making and depended on outside supplies. In both craftsmanship and quantity, this batch of Fire Tribe pottery would be enough to trade for more goods at the coming Great Autumn Market. He could even use it to obtain scarcer supplies from large tribes farther away.
He pondered for a long time, rapidly weighing the advantages and disadvantages. Finally, he proposed a compromise:
"I want eighty percent of the pottery. As for the seeds, I can only give you two baskets. That's already the greatest concession I can make, and it's enough for you to try growing rice."
"No large boat, but I can give you two sturdy Xiaozhou, along with two tribesmen who know how to build and repair them. With those men and boats, fishing and transporting goods upstream will be much easier for you."
"I can only give you two rice farmers. They'll teach you how to prepare the land, raise seedlings, transplant them, and manage the paddies. Whether you can grow a crop will depend on your own abilities."
Canglan leaned forward slightly, fixing Jianshi with a sharp gaze. "Besides that, I have one more condition-this time next year, your Fire Tribe must deliver another batch of pottery of the same quantity and quality as this one!"
This condition was extremely harsh, effectively drawing on future production to pay for the present trade. But it also revealed something: Canglan thought highly of the Fire Tribe's pottery-making potential, enough to invest essential skills and skilled people in it for the long term.
Jianshi calculated rapidly. Not getting a large boat was a disappointment, but two Xiaozhou and boatbuilders were already an unexpected gain, solving the Fire Tribe's problem of having no means of water transport. Though the quantities of rice seed and farmers had been halved, having a start meant having a foundation from which to explore and expand on their own. As for the condition of delivering more pottery next year, the pressure was enormous, but it was not impossible to fulfill. After all, the pottery-making techniques were in their own hands.
More importantly, he saw the yielding behind Canglan's attitude. If this trade went through, it would open a channel for deeper exchanges with the Fish Tribe, perhaps allowing more cooperation in the future.
Wang Yan listened quietly nearby, nervous about his father's decision as well. He knew this was already the best result they could secure for now. The Fish Tribe would never easily let its essential techniques spread outside; obtaining even introductory boatbuilding and rice-growing techniques was already a tremendous breakthrough.
Jianshi exchanged a glance with Dali beside him, then looked at Wang Yan. Seeing Wang Yan nod slightly, he felt reassured.
"Agreed!" Jianshi slapped his thigh hard, his voice ringing out. "We'll do as you say, brother-in-law! Eighty percent of the pottery for two baskets of seed, two Xiaozhou, two boatbuilders, and two farmers! At next year's autumn market, I, Jianshi, will deliver the same amount of pottery again!"
"Decisive!" A smile returned to Canglan's face; he was clearly very satisfied with the result as well. He stood and gave Jianshi another strong embrace. "Brother-in-law, I knew you hadn't misjudged the person! With you leading it, the Fire Tribe is bound to prosper! Our two tribes should visit each other more often from now on!"
The tense atmosphere of negotiation was swept away, replaced by the ease and joy of having reached an important agreement. Canglan warmly invited Jianshi and the others to stay for a meal, ordering his tribesmen to prepare a lavish fish feast and even bringing out some wild fruit they rarely had a chance to eat.
The atmosphere over the meal was harmonious. Canglan asked detailed questions about the Fire Tribe's recent circumstances, expressing great interest in its ability to produce pottery and the fabric called "hemp cloth." Jianshi answered cautiously, saying only that they had been lucky and found suitable soil and plants.
Wang Yan focused more of his attention on those two boatbuilders and farmers who would soon be leaving with them. Canglan had summoned them to join the meal, and they seemed somewhat reserved, but their eyes held an unassuming sincerity and the focus of craftspeople. Wang Yan took the initiative to speak with them, asking about the key points of building Xiaozhou and the crucial seasons for growing rice, silently committing this knowledge to memory.
At this meal, what they ate was food, what they discussed was the future, and what they laid down was a new pattern of relations between the Fire Tribe and the strongest tribe in the region.
When Jianshi and his party left the Fish Tribe's central area with their agreement and returned to camp, the setting sun had already dyed the river gold. Though they had paid an enormous price, what they had gained in exchange was the spark for the Fire Tribe to advance toward an agricultural civilization and gain an initial grasp of waterborne technology.
"Father, we succeeded." Wang Yan looked at his father, excitement in his voice.
Jianshi gazed at the shimmering river and the two Xiaozhou that would soon belong to them, then nodded firmly. "Yes, we succeeded. But this is only the beginning. With these seeds and people, along with our own efforts, the Fire Tribe will surely have large boats of its own and ten thousand mu of fertile fields.