The Situation on the Red Flower River

When Yan led the Fire Tribe's fleet to the mouth of the Red Flower River Mouth, the sight before him made him nod slightly. The Red Flower River on the west bank of the Fish River was indeed as Feiyu had said, with a considerable amount of water. The river was wider than the tributaries of the Fish River Fish River the east bank, and occasionally one could see a few cultivated fields on both banks, planted with rice and vegetables.

"This river is good," Yan said to Feiyu beside him, standing at the Chuantou. "Even during the dry season, it should be able to accommodate boats with a carrying capacity of 10,000 jin."

Feiyu nodded. "Yes, the Red Flower River has a larger water volume than the tributaries on the east bank of the Fish River. Even without dredging, boats with a carrying capacity of 10,000 catties can pass freely during the dry season."

Bailin added from the side, "Moreover, there are quite a few tribes along this river, and their population is larger than that of the Orange River."

The Fire Tribe's fleet began to sail into the Red Flower River Red Flower River, traveling upstream. The scenery on both banks constantly changed, sometimes dense forests, sometimes open grasslands, and sometimes simple thatched huts and wooden houses. Occasionally, a few women could be seen washing things by the river. When they saw the huge fleet, they were all frightened and hid in the bushes. After sailing for a while, the Fire Tribe's fleet came into view a sizable camp.

"Young Chief, that's the Flower Tribe," Feiyu said, pointing to the camp.

Yan looked around carefully. The camp was built not far from the river, surrounded by a simple wooden fence. Inside, there were at least a hundred thatched huts and wooden houses, with wisps of smoke rising from their chimneys and faint sounds of people. Several small Muzhou weighing about 500 kilograms each were moored on the dock.

"The Flower Tribe is one of the three largest tribes in the Red Flower River Basin," Feiyu explained. "It has a population of over five hundred. The other two tribes, the Big Red Tribe and the Little Red Tribe, have roughly the same population. The other tribes in the Red Flower River Basin are small tribes with between several dozen and three hundred people."

He paused, then continued, "Each of these three larger tribes has several Xiaozhou with a carrying capacity of several hundred kilograms. Before our Fish Tribe joined the Fire Tribe, if we hadn't been here for a long time, they would occasionally risk sending people to the Fish Tribe to deliver some items."

Bailin chimed in, "But their boats are small. They're fine for sailing on the Red Flower River, but if they try to cross the Fish River to reach our Fish Tribe, accidents happen all the time. It's bad enough if a small boat capsizes, but sometimes people and boats are swept away together."

Yan nodded without speaking. He looked at the camp and thought to himself, "The Red Flower River Basin has about nine thousand people. If we can absorb them all, the Fire Tribe's population will exceed one hundred thousand!"

The Fire Tribe's fleet slowly docked. On the Flower Tribe's dock, a group of people were already standing. Leading them were three middle-aged men: one was burly with a full beard, wearing animal skin clothes and carrying a Shifu at his waist; another was lean and capable with dark skin and exceptionally bright eyes; and the third was chubby with a smile on his face.

Feiyu whispered to Yan, "That burly one is Hongmao, the leader of the Big Red Tribe; that lean one is Honglian, the leader of the Little Red Tribe; and that fat one is Huaguo, the leader of the Flower Tribe."

Yan nodded, and when they jumped off the boat and arrived at the dock, the three leaders quickly came to greet them.

"Feiyu Leader! Bailin Leader!" Huaguo exclaimed with a beaming smile, "You've finally arrived! If you hadn't come, I would have risked going to your Fish Tribe with the people of the Big Red Tribe and the Little Red Tribe!"

Feiyu smiled and waved his hand.

"Chief of Huaguo, don't worry, we're here now."

Hongmao said from the side, "If you don't come soon, we'll have to risk going over there. Our harvest wasn't good last year, and we don't have much salt left."

Honglian nodded repeatedly. Feiyu cleared his throat and said earnestly, "Chiefs, there's something I need to tell you. Our Fish Tribe has now completely joined the Fire Tribe."

The three leaders were instantly stunned.

"What?" Huaguo's eyes widened.

Hongmao looked on incredulously. "The entire Fish Tribe has joined the Fire Tribe?"

The Honglian was also stunned, his mouth agape, unable to utter a word.

Feiyu pointed at Yan and said solemnly, "This is Yan, the young leader of our Fire Tribe! We are here representing the Fire Tribe."

The three leaders' gazes all fell on Yan. This young man looked to be only fifteen or sixteen years old, but standing there, he exuded a calm and Chenwen aura. His eyes were calm and deep, making it impossible to see what he was thinking. Seeing their shocked and somewhat fearful expressions, Bailin quickly explained.

"Don't worry, we joined the Fire Tribe voluntarily. It's not just our Fish Tribe; the nearby Pottery Salt Tribe, Green Grain Tribe, Marsh Tribe, Beast Taming Tribe, and Hundred Crafts Tribe have all joined the Fire Tribe now."

He paused, then continued, "You've probably heard of the Wolf Tribe, right? The Wolf Tribe has been wiped out by the Fire Tribe. We decided to join the Fire Tribe because we were fed up with the harassment from the Wolf Tribe."

The three leaders breathed a slight sigh of relief upon hearing this. Of course, they had heard of the Wolf Tribe! It was a ferocious tribe that occupied the mountainside of High Pointed Mountain. Especially in recent years, they had been killing and burning everywhere, committing all sorts of evil deeds. Last year, they had even heard that they were raiding in the north. It turned out that they had been wiped out by the Fire Tribe! Huaguo took a deep breath, stepped forward, and bowed to Yan.

"So it's Chief Yan of the Fire Tribe! I've heard so much about you! Please come and rest in our Flower Tribe's council hall!"

Hongmao and Honglian quickly bowed, and Yan nodded, following them toward the Flower Tribe's camp. The Flower Tribe's camp was larger than it had been seen from the boat, with hundreds of thatched huts and wooden houses scattered across the high ground, with several paths in between. Some elderly people sat in their doorways basking in the sun, women cooked in the open space, and children ran around, curiously watching the group of strangers.

As soon as they entered the council hall, Huaguo warmly invited Yan to sit down. It was a wooden house that wasn't too big but was very sturdy. In the center of the house was a fire pit, and a bonfire was burning. Around the perimeter were several simple wooden benches covered with animal hides.

"Young Chief Yan, please have a seat!" Huaguo greeted. "Someone, bring out the best sweet fruits from our Flower Tribe!"

Several young people walked in carrying plates of fruit, including golden oranges, purplish-red wild fruits, and some fruits whose names they didn't know, all emitting a sweet fragrance. Yan picked up an orange and tasted it.

The taste was good, slightly more sour than the oranges from the Orange River, but very refreshing. He nodded and gestured to his attendant, who immediately stepped forward and presented the gifts he had brought: fifteen exquisite pieces of pottery, finely crafted. The three leaders' eyes lit up when they saw the pottery.

"This... this is..." Huaguo carefully picked up a ceramic bowl and examined it closely.

Feiyu chimed in, "These are all made by our Fire Tribe. Most of the pottery our Fish Tribe has sold in recent years comes from the Fire Tribe."

Hongmao gasped.

"Does the Fire Tribe know how to make pottery?"

Feiyu nodded. "That's right! The Fire Tribe not only knows how to make pottery, but also salt, hemp, and large ships! Those large ships you saw on the Fish River all belong to our Fire Tribe!"

The Honglian was so shocked he couldn't speak. They knew how to make pottery, salt, hemp, and build large ships...

"What kind of magical tribe is this?" Huaguo took a deep breath and asked cautiously.

"So... since you've all joined the Fire Tribe, how many people are there in the Fire Tribe now?"

Bailin picked up the conversation, smiling as he spoke.

"It's not just our tribes; all the tribes upstream of the Fish River have joined the Fire Tribe. Now the Fire Tribe has a population of about 85,000!"

Eighty-five thousand! The three leaders exchanged glances, all seeing shock in each other's eyes.

Huaguo then asked, "Did you just come from the other side of the Orange River?"

Bailin nodded. "That's right! We just came from the Orange River. The tribes in the Orange River basin are also very interested in joining the Fire Tribe. If they join, the Fire Tribe's population will reach more than 90,000!"

More than 90,000! Huaguo felt her head buzzing. The entire Red Flower River Basin only had about 9,000 people. If the tribes in the Orange River Basin also joined the Fire Tribe, then the Fire Tribe's population would be ten times the total population of their Red Flower River Basin!

Hongmao asked cautiously, "You've come here this time... for more than just trade, haven't you?"

The Feiyu smiled.

"Hongmao leader is clever. We've come not just for trade, but also to recruit more people in the Red Flower River basin."

He looked at the three leaders and said earnestly, "If you are interested in joining the Fire Tribe, we would be very happy to welcome you."

The Honglian hesitated for a moment, then asked, "With so many people in your Fire Tribe now, is there enough food to feed you?"

Yan put down the fruit in his hand and said, "Don't worry, everyone. Our Fire Tribe currently has more than a dozen outposts outside, producing a lot of grain every year. Moreover, we will purchase 40 million catties of grain from the Valley Tribe in the next two years!"

He paused, then pointed in the direction of the river. "Those large ships you saw on the Fish River are specifically for transporting grain to the Valley Tribe."

Feiyu added, "Don't worry, after joining the Fire Tribe, as long as you follow the rules and are willing to work, you won't go hungry."

Bailin pointed at the people he had brought and said, "Look at the people we brought, do they look like they haven't eaten enough?"

The three leaders looked at the warriors of the Fire Tribe. They were all full of energy, with rosy complexions and strong bodies. Compared with their tribe's sallow and thin people, they were like heaven and earth. Huaguo's heart stirred.

He began, "Then... can we send someone to check on the Fire Tribe first?"

Yan smiled and nodded.

"Of course, when we return, you can Fire Tribe with us. The tribes in the Orange River basin have also sent people to visit the Fire Tribe headquarters, so we can all go back together then."

Then Feiyu and Bailin gave a detailed account of their life in the Fire Tribe: they had food, clothing, and shelter; the children could learn skills; the sick were treated; and the elderly were cared for...

The three leaders listened with their eyes growing brighter and brighter.

Hongmao couldn't help but say, "From what you've said, joining the Fire Tribe does seem like a good idea."

Honglian nodded, "Your life in the Fire Tribe is much better than ours now!"

Huaguo pondered for a moment, then looked up at Yan.

"Chief Yan, in the meantime, could we contact the other small tribes in the Red Flower River basin? Perhaps we could have them send representatives to visit the Fire Tribe as well?"

Yan nodded. "Of course."

He paused, then said, "You mentioned you needed salt. I brought quite a bit with me this time, and I can trade with you at a low price first. I'll also give you the best prices for other supplies."

He waved his hand, and his entourage brought in the supplies they had brought: loads of coarse salt, bundles of hemp cloth, pieces of pottery, cured meat, straw sandals...

The three leaders were dazzled by the sight.

Huaguo nodded repeatedly. "Young Chief Yan, rest assured! We will definitely offer these small tribes the most favorable price, and we will also discuss with them the possibility of them joining the Fire Tribe!"

Yan nodded in satisfaction, chatted with them for a while longer, and then got up to take his leave. The three leaders escorted him to the dock, where the Fire Tribe's fleet was already ready to depart. Yan boarded the ship and looked back at them.

"Chief Huaguo Fruit, Chief Hongmao, Chief Honglian, we'll come pick you up on our return journey."

The three responded in unison, "Okay! We'll wait!"

The Fire Tribe's fleet slowly started moving, heading towards the Fish River along the Red Flower River. On the bank, the three chieftains stood there, motionless for a long time.

Huaguo murmured, "The Fire Tribe... is truly powerful."

Hongmao nodded. "Yeah, if we could join, our lives would be much easier."

The Honglian said, "Then let's get ready and wait for them to come back and pick us up."

The three exchanged glances, each seeing anticipation in the other's eyes. The Fire Tribe's fleet sailed out of the Red Flower River and merged into the wide Fish River. Yan stood at the Chuantou, looking ahead. Their next destination was the Green Leaf River on the west bank of the Fish River.