The Situation at the Fire Tribe's Outposts

Two days later, at dawn, everyone was already busy at the dock in the valley of the Fire Tribe's headquarters. Yan stood on the dock looking at the fleet in front of him: two ships with a carrying capacity of 20,000 catties each, ten ships with a carrying capacity of 10,000 catties each, plus the original ships from the Fish Tribe, totaling dozens of ships of various sizes.

This time, Yan isn't going to fight a war, but only to trade. Bringing too many ships would not only be useless but also seem ostentatious. These ships are more than enough.

Jianshi stood on the dock, followed only by Qingye and Dabang. He didn't bring many people this time. Yan was just going to trade, so there was no need for a grand ceremony like before. The Fire Tribe headquarters had just finished the autumn harvest, and everyone was busy. Saving one person was better than nothing.

Jianshi stepped forward, his gaze lingering on Yan for a moment. This son was making him more and more at ease. From last year to this year, the Fire Tribe had grown from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of people. He knew how much effort Yan had put in.

"Yan," he began, his voice low but each word clear, "This time you'll lead the fleet primarily for trade and exchange. If any of the small tribes in the tributaries of the Fish River are struggling to survive, or if they voluntarily wish to join our Fire Tribe, we can absorb them appropriately. Our Fire Tribe's current food reserves are sufficient to absorb another ten or twenty thousand people."

Yan nodded and said earnestly, "Father, don't worry, I'll act according to the situation. Those small tribes are living in hardship, and we'll help them if we can, but we can't force them; we have to get their consent first."

Jianshi nodded in satisfaction and said, "Recently, our Fire Tribe has successfully tested ten ships with a carrying capacity of 10,000 jin and two ships with a carrying capacity of 20,000 jin. Take these ships with you and make our Fire Tribe proud."

Yan smiled, his face lengthening. His father's words were interesting. He nodded and said, "Alright, we're just going on a trade trip. We don't need to bring many ships. These two 20,000-jin ships and ten 10,000-jin ships, plus the ships from the original Fish Tribe, are more than enough. Even if those small tribes want to join our Fire Tribe, I'll wait for Uncle Jianya to return with his fleet before picking them up. Picking up people from these small tribes now would take a lot of time and require many trips. It's better to wait until Jianya Fang returns with the grain. By then, we'll have more large ships, and we can haul it all in one trip."

Jianshi nodded, glanced at the sky, and saw that the sun had already peeked out from behind the mountains in the east, its golden rays spilling onto the river, making it sparkle. The morning mist was slowly dissipating, and the outlines of the distant mountains were gradually becoming clearer.

"It's getting late. You should take the fleet and set off. The sooner you go, the sooner you'll be back. After your Jianya Fang returns with the grain from the Valley Tribe, it will be your turn to go and transport grain Valley Tribe."

Yan responded and turned to board the ship. Feiyu and Bailin followed behind, both of them looking excited. They hadn't expected Yan to bring them along on this trade trip. Soon, the sound of Niujiao horns rang out, and the Fire Tribe's fleet slowly started moving, beginning to drift downstream along the Fire Creek River. The entire fleet resembled a giant dragon awakening, slowly gliding through the thin mist.

Yan stood at the Chuantou, looking at the scenery on both sides of the Fire Creek River. The Fire Creek River Middle Outpost Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost passed by one by one. The scale of these two strongholds had grown, with more wooden houses, more fields, and more people. The development of the Fire Tribe was like the river, never stopping.

Feiyu walked over and stood beside Yan, looking at the scenery on both sides of the river. He exclaimed, "Young Chief, our Fire Tribe's outposts have developed so quickly! It hasn't been long, and this place has changed so much. Just a few years ago, this area was barren land, and you couldn't even see a soul. Now, it's full of people and fields."

Yan nodded and said, "Yes, although the autumn harvest is over, look at those people, they're still busy."

Feiyu followed his gaze and saw people indeed busy in the fields in the distance. Some were turning the soil, some were burning stubble, and some were repairing irrigation ditches. He exclaimed, "Everyone is so enthusiastic, they can't stay idle at all. If this continues, the area of paddy fields in our Fire Tribe will increase significantly next year. By then, even if we don't buy grain from the Valley Tribe, the grain that our Fire Tribe grows itself will be enough to feed us."

Bailin also walked over and stood next to Feiyu. Hearing this, he nodded repeatedly and said, "Yes, as long as the number of people in our Fire Tribe doesn't increase too much next year, we might even have a lot of food left over."

Looking at the busy figures in the distance, Yan slowly said, "Yes, starting next year, our Fire Tribe will have a surplus of grain. But we can't be careless. We still need to do what the Valley Tribe did and stockpile more grain to guard against risks. After all, anything can happen, and who knows what the harvest will be like in the future? The more grain we store, the more at ease we'll feel."

Feiyu and Bailin both nodded in agreement. The three of them stood at the Chuantou, looking at the scenery on both banks, and remained silent for a while. The fleet continued to move forward and stopped Little Gathering River Mouth Outpost. On the dock, several leaders who had already received the news came to greet them.

The leader was a man in his forties with tanned skin and calloused hands, clearly someone who worked in the fields year-round. He quickly walked up to Yan, clasped his hands in a salute, and bowed.

"Young Chief, you've arrived!"

Yan jumped off the boat, smiling and nodding, "How's your autumn harvest going? Is it going smoothly?"

The man grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, and said, "It went very smoothly! This year, the weather here has been favorable, and we harvested nearly two hundred catties of grain per mu. Now our warehouses are full of grain!" He pointed to the newly built granaries in the distance, his face full of pride.

Yan looked in the direction he was pointing. The stronghold's several large granaries were neatly arranged, with piles of golden grain that hadn't yet been stored at the entrance, gleaming in the sunlight.

"Okay." Yan patted him on the shoulder. "You've worked hard."

The man scratched his head and chuckled, "What are we working so hard for? We have food to eat now, so we're not worried. Young chief, would you like to go in and take a look?"

Yan shook his head and said, "We're not going in. We still have a long way to go. You guys keep up the good work. When Uncle Jianya returns with the grain, we'll bring you some more supplies."

The man nodded repeatedly and stayed at the dock talking with Yan. Soon after, Yan led his fleet onward. He watched Yan leave with his fleet before turning back. The same was true at the Stone Creek River Mouth Outpost. The leaders all had smiles on their faces and spoke with more confidence. The autumn harvest was going well and the grain reserves were plentiful. Who wouldn't be happy? Yan didn't stay long. He led his fleet to pause briefly before continuing on his way.

As evening approached, the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost came into view. Yan could see a group of people standing on the dock from afar. The one in the lead was a burly man with broad shoulders and a thick waist, standing out conspicuously in the crowd. It was Dali. He was wearing a linen short jacket with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his thick forearms. Yan had already sent a large Muzhou with a carrying capacity of two thousand catties to deliver the message in advance. Dali must have received the news and come to the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost dock to wait.

The Fire Tribe's fleet slowly approached the shore. Dali forward to greet them, his face beaming with smiles, his eyes narrowed into slits.

"Yan! You've finally arrived!" He grabbed Yan's hand and shook it vigorously. "Knowing you were coming, I specially had the ingredients prepared. You have no idea how much we've been eating here, the same old stuff every day. Our mouths are practically watering. It's been so long since we've had anything delicious cooked by you."

Yan laughed, amused by his eagerness. "Alright, I'll go show off my skills right away."

He jumped off the boat and followed Dali into the camp. As he walked, he looked around. The Red Flower River Mouth Outpost was much larger than when he last came. There were at least a thousand neat wooden houses in the camp. The roads were wide enough for two oxcarts to walk side by side. In the distance, large fields had been plowed and were waiting to be sown next spring. Further away, people were building irrigation canals.

"Uncle Dali, you and your men have done a great job building the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost here," Yan praised sincerely.

Dali chuckled, a smug look on his face, and said, "Of course! More than five thousand people have been working for months. How could it not be good? Look at those wooden houses; they were all built according to the headquarters' design. They're very sturdy. And those fields are all newly cultivated. Next year, when we plant rice, the harvest will definitely be good."

The two walked and talked, and soon arrived at the kitchen. The kitchen at the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost was newly built and very large, even more spacious than the kitchens at other strongholds of the Fire Tribe. There were dozens of stoves, cutting boards, water tanks, and spice racks, everything was there. The ingredients had already been washed and chopped and piled on the cutting boards—fish, meat, and vegetables, all neatly arranged. Next to them was a jar of fruit wine, the mud seal still intact, obviously newly brewed.

Yan rolled up his sleeves and got to work. He first cleaned the fish, cut it into sections, and marinated it with salt. Then he picked up a piece of meat, cut it into chunks, and stir-fried it in a wok. The stove was roaring, the iron wok was sizzling, and the aroma soon wafted out. Feiyu and Bailin assisted him, handing over seasonings, watching the heat, and tasting the flavors, all busy and happy.

Dali moved a chair to the kitchen doorway, crossed his legs, and, smelling the aroma, his mouth was practically watering. He said, "Yan, your cooking is getting better and better. Just from the smell, I know it's delicious."

While cooking, Yan said, "Uncle Dali, you've worked hard here. Once things are stable at the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost, I'll have my father find you a better place."

Dali waved his hand and said seriously, "What's there to change? The Red Flower River Mouth Outpost is quite good. Although the food is a bit lacking, I feel good watching this place grow from nothing to something, from wasteland to fertile fields. Besides, it's close to the Green Leaf River, so I can get advance notice of any small tribes that want to join our Fire Tribe."

Yan nodded and said nothing more. Dali was a man who never made demands; he would go wherever he was told and do whatever he was told. The Fire Tribe's rapid development was largely due to people like him.

Braised fish, stewed pork, stir-fried vegetables, and other dishes were served one by one. Dali sat at the table, staring at the dishes with wide eyes. When all the dishes were served, he was the first to pick up his chopsticks, took a piece of braised pork, put it in his mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and his eyes lit up.

"Delicious!" he mumbled, picking up another piece, his cheeks bulging like a hamster.

The other leaders also picked up their chopsticks, eating with gusto and praising the food.

"Young Chief, your skills are absolutely superb!"

"A hundred times better than our cooks here!"

"If I could eat this every day, I wouldn't go anywhere else!"

Yan sat to the side, watching them eat with a smile on his face. He only spoke after everyone had almost finished eating.

"Uncle Dali, is everything alright at the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost?"

Dali put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, picked up the soup bowl and took a big gulp before sighing contentedly, "Everything else here is fine, except the food isn't as good as what we have at the Fire Tribe headquarters."

Yan smiled and said, "You don't need to worry about that. Recently, two more culinary experts have emerged from our Fire Tribe. Uncle Jianya took one with him, and I've asked the other to come to the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost to help you. You'll be hosting banquets for some tribal leaders on the west bank of the Fish River in the future, and how can you manage without a culinary expert?"

Dali slapped his thigh, almost knocking over the soup bowl, and exclaimed excitedly, "That's wonderful! You don't know, recently, some tribes from the Green Leaf River Basin have come here to trade, and quite a few small tribes want to join our Fire Tribe!"

Yan's heart stirred. He put down the bowl in his hand and looked at Dali seriously, asking, "Are there some small tribes in the Green Leaf River Basin that want to join our Fire Tribe? How many people are there exactly?"

Dali thought for a moment, then counted on his fingers, "Not counting the two large tribes, the Long Leaf Tribe and Short Leaf Tribe, just the smaller tribes that want to join our Fire Tribe alone number four or five thousand. In the Green Leaf River basin, only the Long Leaf Tribe and Short Leaf Tribe can barely make ends meet; the other tribes are just getting by. They've heard that things are better here in our Fire Tribe, so they've become interested. Especially after you led your fleet there last time, the tribal leaders went back and spread the word, and many people are tempted."

Yan nodded. Four or five thousand people. It seems the Fire Tribe's population is about to increase again.

"My father sent me out here mainly for trade and exchange. Your Red Flower River area is close to the Green Leaf River basin, so I will suggest that my father reserve more supplies at the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost to facilitate your trade."

He nodded Dali, a smile on his face, and said, "That's perfect. Those small tribes lack salt, pottery, cloth, everything. Our goods are good, and the prices are reasonable. They're fighting over them. Last time, a chieftain from a small tribe brought several fine animal hides to exchange for salt. After the exchange, he kept thanking us, saying that our goods were much better than what they used to exchange for, and the prices were much cheaper."

Yan then inquired about the construction progress of the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost. Dali stood up, walked to the door, pointed outside, and said, "Look, the camp at the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost is now complete, with over a thousand wooden houses, and it can still be expanded. The brothers are working with great enthusiasm, getting up before dawn every day to work. The fields here are also being Dali cultivated. Next spring, we estimate we can plant 5,000 mu of rice, and the second season should be able to plant 10,000 mu. By then, this place will be self-sufficient."

Yan looked in the direction he was pointing. The camp was brightly lit, with many people moving about. He could hear laughter and chatter coming from afar. Some people were chatting around the fire, some were sharpening tools, and some were mending fishing nets. In the distance, the outline of the fields was faintly visible in the twilight. The freshly turned soil gleamed darkly in the moonlight. Five thousand acres, ten thousand acres—this is how the Fire Tribe's grain was accumulated, acre by acre.

"Okay." He patted Dali on the shoulder, his tone sincere, "Uncle Dali, you've worked hard here."

Dali grinned, his smile especially warm in the firelight, and said, "What hardship have we endured? We're happy to see our Fire Tribe grow stronger day by day! You didn't see it, but when we first arrived this place was just wasteland, the grass was taller than a person. And now? We have houses, land, and people. In another two years, this will be a big settlement."

Yan chatted with Dali for a while, asking in detail about the situation of the small tribes in the Green Leaf River Basin. He noted which tribes wanted to join, which were still observing, which were having the hardest time, and which had the best conditions. Dali, in Dali spirits, described the personalities of the tribal leaders, the size of the tribes, and their special products.

"Uncle Dali, you go and contact those smaller tribes that want to join our Fire Tribe. Once Uncle Jianya returns with his fleet, I'll send a ship to pick them up. In the meantime, you can also talk to them and let them prepare."

Dali patted his chest and assured him, "Don't worry, leave these to me. I know all the chiefs of those small tribes by heart; it'll be a piece of cake."

The next morning, before dawn, Yan got up. He stood on the dock, looking at the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost in the morning light. A thin mist shrouded the river, and people in the camp were already up and moving around. Smoke rose from the chimneys, and the sound of roosters crowing came from afar. A new day had begun.

Feiyu and Bailin were already on the ship, checking the mooring lines and sails. Seeing Yan approach, the two quickly came forward and said, "Young Chief, we are all ready and can depart at any time."

Yan nodded, then turned to look at Dali, Dali was standing on the dock with several leaders behind him, all there to see him off.

"Uncle Dali, I'm leaving the affairs of the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost to you."

He patted his chest Dali and said, "You can go without worry."

Yan smiled and said, "Okay, we'll be going now."

He turned and boarded the boat. The sound of the Niujiao rang out, and the fleet slowly started moving, sailing out of the Red Flower River Mouth and continuing downstream.