Buying More Draft Cattle from the Horse Tribe

The dozens of the Fire Tribe warriors that Yan led were all elites of the Fire Tribe. They were lightly armed and without armor. Although each of them carried a load of supplies, they had great stamina and moved very fast. By the evening of the second day after they set off, they had reached the vicinity of the Horse Tribe's camp.

The Horse Tribe's camp was a large camp built on a gentle slope, capable of housing at least several thousand people. Smoke rose from the camp, making it look especially warm and cozy in the twilight.

"We're almost there!" Feiyu said, pointing to the Horse Tribe's camp ahead.

Yan nodded and was about to quicken his pace when several horsemen suddenly appeared ahead. The men galloped towards him, their hooves clattering rapidly. The leader dismounted and clasped his hands in a salute.

"Young Master Yan! Our leader sent me to pick you up!"

Yan recognized the Horse Tribe scouts as the ones they had met before and smiled, nodding, "Thank you for your hard work."

The leader mounted his horse and led the way. Yan and his group quickened their pace and headed towards the entrance of the Horse Tribe's camp. A group of people were already standing at the camp entrance, and the one in the lead was none other than the Horse Tribe's chief, Junfeng.

His eyes gleamed with shrewdness. Behind Junfeng stood the high-ranking leaders of the Horse Tribe, including Chidian, Taxue, Zhuiying, Muyun, Jiangsuo. Seeing Yan approach, Junfeng quickly stepped forward, beaming, and said, "Young Chief Yan! You are a rare guest in our Horse Tribe!"

Yan clasped his hands in a respectful greeting. "Chief Junfeng, you're too kind. Our Fire Tribe is here for trade; we apologize for the intrusion."

Junfeng waved his hand and laughed heartily, "Not at all! Our Horse Tribe is more than happy to welcome your Fire Tribe!"

He took Yan's hand and led him towards the Horse Tribe's camp.

"You must be tired from your journey! I've already arranged for a dinner to be prepared in the council chamber. Please go and rest for a bit and have some hot food!"

Yan nodded and followed him inside. The camp was filled with wooden huts and tents. Some members of the Horse Tribe looked at the group of strangers with curiosity and whispered among themselves. When they entered the council hall, Junfeng warmly invited Yan to sit down.

This was a fairly large wooden house, smaller than the Fire Tribe's council hall, but still spacious. A hearth was dug in the center of the house, and a roaring bonfire was burning. Several wooden benches were placed around the perimeter, covered with animal hides. After Yan sat down, he waved his hand, and his attendants immediately presented gifts: a dozen exquisite pottery pieces and a bag of snow-white coarse salt. Junfeng took the pottery, his eyes lighting up.

"Good stuff! Really good stuff!" He stroked the exquisite pottery with great affection, then opened the bag of coarse salt, picked up a bit to taste, and nodded repeatedly.

"The Fire Tribe is so generous! They always bring so many good things when they come!"

He looked at Yan, his enthusiasm even more genuine.

"Young Master Yan, you must come often in the future!"

Yan smiled and nodded.

"Must."

Junfeng waved his hand, and people brought out food and drinks: roasted mutton, stewed beef, mare's milk, goat's milk, wine, wild vegetable soup... The table was full of food and drinks, and everyone quickly began to eat and drink. Feiyu was an old acquaintance of the Horse Tribe and chatted enthusiastically with Chidian and Taxue.

"Feiyu, how is your Fish Tribe doing now?" Chidian asked.

Feiyu laughed and said, "Our Fish Tribe has joined the Fire Tribe, and now I belong to the Fire Tribe."

Chidian exclaimed, "Your Fish Tribe made the right choice by joining the Fire Tribe. The Fire Tribe is a major tribe now."

Feiyu nodded. "Yes, the Fire Tribe now has more than 80,000 people, and more than a dozen outposts outside. Since our Fish Tribe joined the Fire Tribe, life has been much better than before."

Chidian gasped in shock. More than 80,000 people! The Horse Tribe had expanded rapidly in recent years, but only had a little over 5,000. The Fire Tribe's population was more than ten times that of their Horse Tribe! Junfeng listened from the side, also deeply shocked. When Jianya came to trade at the end of last year, he said that the Fire Tribe's population was already more than 80,000. Now, hearing Feiyu say it in person, he still found it unbelievable.

He raised his wine bowl and said to Yan, "Young Chief Yan, the Wolf Tribe is no good! They used to cause trouble around our Horse Tribe, and last year they massacred, plundered, and coerced our affiliated Horse Tribe in our vicinity. Our Horse Tribe suffered a considerable loss at their hands last year."

He paused, a flash of hatred crossing his eyes.

"Thank goodness your Fire Tribe wiped them out! Otherwise, they would have been a menace sooner or later!"

Yan clinked glasses with him, took a sip, and said, "Chief Junfeng, our purpose in coming to the Horse Tribe trade is also to inquire about the movements of the hundred or so remnants of the Wolf Tribe. After all, the Xueya of the Wolf Tribe are fierce and cunning. Although not many people escaped this time, we still need to be careful."

Junfeng nodded, put down his wine bowl, and said, "You're right, Xueya is extremely cunning and treacherous!"

He paused, then continued, "Recently, my sworn brother, Xiao Matou, has been leading about two hundred people in pursuit of them. As you know, my sworn brother's Horse Horn Tribe was wiped out by Xueya Fang's men. He hates Xueya to the bone and is working very hard to investigate."

He looked at Yan and said seriously, "The last time we discovered traces of Xueya and his men was eight days ago. According to the news my sworn brother sent back, Xueya led his remaining troops to hide in the mountains Big Horse River. That area is within the territory of the Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp Outpost. We can't pursue them too far, lest it cause misunderstandings."

He paused, then continued, "If Xueya and his men haven't crossed the Big Horse River south recently, my sworn brother and his group will be returning with their men soon."

Yan nodded, feeling slightly relieved. Xueya was on the Big Horse River, with basically no room for development. The Horse Tribe was on high alert against them, and with his limited strength, he couldn't cause any trouble for the time being.

"Chief Junfeng," Yan asked again, "Have you contacted the Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp Outpost? What is their attitude?"

Junfeng thought for a moment and said, "Although Daiyan looks down on Xueya and his group, he is still on guard. Xueya has about a hundred men over there, so it's probably not going to be easy for them to develop. As long as we keep squeezing their living space, they won't be able to develop in this area."

Yan nodded in agreement, feeling relieved. It was good that Xueya hadn't caused any trouble. The Fire Tribe Fire Tribe needed time to develop. If they were given another year or two, even if the Tiger Tribe brought all its troops, the Fire Tribe wouldn't be afraid. After a few rounds of drinks and several dishes, Yan began to get down to business.

"Chief Junfeng, our Fire Tribe still has a great need for oxen. Could you find a way to get us more? Even if the price is double what it used to be, it's fine!"

Junfeng's eyes lit up. Twice the price! This was a great deal!

He immediately patted his chest and assured, "Young Master Yan, rest assured! Even if we have to buy cattle from the subordinate tribes of the Horse Tribe, or from the outer tribes of our Horse Tribe, I will still manage to gather a thousand head for your Fire Tribe!"

Yan was overjoyed. "Then thank you very much, Chief Junfeng!"

Junfeng waved his hand, then said with some difficulty, "However, these oxen will have to be delivered to you in two batches. Our Horse Tribe can only gather five hundred head in a short time."

Yan nodded. "We understand. When will the first batch be ready?"

Junfeng thought for a moment and said, "You can come here to trade the first batch of 500 oxen a month from now. The second batch will have to wait until after the autumn harvest."

Yan nodded. "Okay! It's settled then!"

He added, "We brought some pottery and salt this time, hoping to exchange them for some furs and mountain products to take back."

Junfeng nodded repeatedly. "No problem, no problem! How much do you need? We have as much as you want!"

The deal was quickly finalized. Yan's coarse salt and pottery were exchanged for a considerable amount of furs and mountain goods from the Horse Tribe. Junfeng was all smiles. That night, Yan rested at the Horse Tribe.

The next morning, before dawn, Yan got up and had a simple breakfast. He then led Feiyu and dozens of warriors from the Fire Tribe, carrying the furs and mountain goods they had traded with the Horse Tribe, and embarked on their return journey. When the sun was setting the next day, they returned to the east bank of the Fish River. Bailin was guarding the boat with his men. When he saw Yan return, he quickly went to greet him.

"Young leader! You're back?"

Yan nodded. "You're back. Are you all ready?"

Bailin said, "We're ready! We can set off anytime!"

Yan waved his hand. "Let's go! We're heading back to the Red Flower River!"

The fleet slowly started and sailed upstream along the Fish River. Nine days later, the mouth of the Red Flower River Mouth came into view in the distance. From afar, Yan could see a group of people standing at the river mouth, at least a hundred people, crowded together in a dark mass. The Fire Tribe's fleet slowly approached the shore, and the crowd on the shore stirred. The three leaders, Huaguo, Hongmao, and Honglian, stepped out from the crowd and quickly came to greet them.

"Young Master Yan!" Huaguo exclaimed with a beaming smile, "You're back!"

Yan jumped off the boat, nodding with a smile.

"You're back. Are you all ready here?"

Huaguo nodded repeatedly. "We're ready! Our Red Flower River region has sent more than thirty people to go with you to the Fire Tribe!"

Hongmao chimed in, "Chief Yan, our people all want to visit the Fire Tribe. Is your Fire Tribe really that great?"

Yan laughed, "Whether it's good or not, you'll see for yourselves."

Honglian leaned closer and asked cautiously, "Young Chief Yan, if we go to the Fire Tribe, will we really be able to eat our fill?"

Yan looked at him and said earnestly, "As long as you follow the rules and are willing to work, you won't go hungry."

The Honglian face nodded, her eyes full of anticipation.

Yan waved his hand. "Get on the ship!"

More than thirty representatives from the Red Flower River basin boarded the Fire Tribe's boats. The Fire Tribe's fleet continued upstream along the Fish River. After sailing for several more days, they arrived at the mouth of the Orange River. On the other side of the Orange River, Dajutou and Xiaojutou were waiting with dozens of representatives. When they saw Yan return, they hurriedly came to greet him.

"Young Master Yan! We're ready!"

Yan nodded. "Okay, let's get on the boat!"

Dozens more people boarded the boat, and the fleet, fully loaded with these representatives from the Orange River and Red Flower River, continued upstream. A few days later, the Fire Tribe's headquarters valley came into view, and the Fire Tribe's headquarters dock was crowded with people.

Jianshi, along with the high-ranking members of the Fire Tribe and countless ordinary tribesmen, were waiting there. The Fire Tribe's fleet slowly docked, and the tribal representatives disembarked. Looking at everything before them—tall wooden houses, endless fields, herds of cattle and sheep, and countless chickens and ducks—they were all stunned.

"Is this the Fire Tribe?" someone murmured.

"My God..." an old man rubbed his eyes, "I've lived my whole life and never seen such a beautiful place..."

"If I had known it would be this good, I would have come right away!" a young man said excitedly.

Yan stood before them, smiling, and said, "Welcome to the Fire Tribe Fire Tribe. If you wish to join, this is your home."

Those people stared at him blankly, and then, without anyone noticing, they all knelt down.

"Thank you, Fire Tribe!"

"Thank you, Young Master Yan!"