Spices and Whispers

In the Fire Tribe's temporary camp, tents were neatly arranged, and several warriors sat around a fire, drinking hot soup from bowls, their slurping sounds rising and falling. Yan went into his tent, scooped up a handful of water from a basin on a wooden frame, and splashed it on his face. The water was a little cold, which made him shiver, but he immediately became much more awake.

He scooped up another handful of water, rubbed his face, and then dried it with a linen towel. Water droplets slid down his face and dripped onto his collar, spreading in a small patch. He looked at his reflection in the basin; his hair was a bit messy, so he combed it a few times with his fingers and straightened his collar. The water in the copper basin swayed, and the reflection swayed along with it, becoming blurry.

He was bending down to make the bed, folding the animal skin rug and fluffing the pillows, when he heard footsteps outside. The footsteps were light and rhythmic, like birds hopping, completely different from the heavy, powerful footsteps of the soldiers. Immediately afterwards, the voices of several soldiers rang out in the camp: "Miss Qingsui is here!" "Hello, Miss Qingsui!" Their tone was familiar and warm, as if they were greeting family.

Yan was overjoyed and quickly straightened up, turning to leave the tent. He saw Qingsui swaggering into the camp. She wore a light-colored linen dress, the hem swaying gently with her steps, like ripples on a lake. Her hair was tied in a simple bun, secured with a wooden hairpin, with a few stray strands falling beside her ears. She had a smile on her face, and her eyes were bright, like two stars. Behind her were two attendants, each carrying something, the contents of which were unclear.

When the warriors of the Fire Tribe saw her, they all greeted her with smiles. Some nodded, some waved, and some called out, "Girl Qingsui." Qingsui responded to each of them, smiling and nodding, as at ease as if she were walking in her own backyard. She had been here many times, and everyone knew her and treated her like one of their own.

Yan hurried to greet her, his face beaming with smiles, his eyes narrowing into slits. "Qingsui, your information network is really good; you knew I was done so quickly." His voice held a hint of surprise and excitement.

Qingsui stopped, put her hands behind her back, tilted her head slightly, and looked at him with a wide smile. "Of course, this is my territory." She blinked, her tone a mix of smugness and mischief. "I'll know immediately if anything happens. I knew as soon as you finished unloading the last batch of pottery."

Yan smiled and gestured for her to come in. "You've come at the perfect time! I just finished tidying up and was just about to come find you!" His voice was urgent, as if he was afraid she would run away.

Qingsui glanced around the camp, her gaze sweeping over the tents, the warriors, and the piles of supplies before returning to Yan's face. "I'm getting busier and busier in the tribe these days, otherwise I could have helped you out. Helped you count the supplies, check the numbers, and run errands." Her voice carried a hint of regret and helplessness, her brows slightly furrowed.

Yan shook his head and said with a smile, "This is all physical labor—moving grain, carrying pottery, loading and unloading ships—you'll be drenched in sweat. You'll be drenched in sweat too. We can handle it. Look at those soldiers, aren't they all sweating buckets?"

Qingsui pursed her lips, her eyes curving into crescents. "It's alright, as long as I can spend more time with you, being a little tired doesn't matter." Her voice was soft, as if afraid of being overheard, but her eyes were firm, as if she were saying something important. She paused, then sighed, "But I'm busy right now, and I can't get away very often. My father wants me to learn how to manage the tribe, and there are so many things to handle every day."

Yan looked at her, a warm feeling welling up inside him. This girl was always so direct and frank, saying whatever came to mind. He thought for a moment and said, "It's okay. I'm done with my work now, and you should be pretty much done too, right? Let's go for a walk, and I'll cook you a nice meal later." He paused, his eyes brightening, "I also brought you a big bag of spices this time, enough for you to use for a while. It's even bigger than the last bag, enough to last you until next spring."

Qingsui's eyes lit up instantly, like fireworks bursting in the night sky. "Really? Let me see!" She took two steps forward and reached out her hand.

Yan nodded, turned, and went into the tent. He rummaged through a corner and found a bulging animal skin bag, tied with hemp rope. He picked it up and weighed it in his hand; it was heavy, weighing at least several dozen kilograms. He had brought this specially from the Fire Tribe; it contained several kinds of spices, all dried and ground, with a rich aroma. He walked out of the tent and handed the bag to Qingsui.

Qingsui took it, and her hands felt a sudden heaviness, almost dropping it. She quickly hugged it to her chest, her eyes wide and her mouth agape, unable to close it for a long time. "This... this is too heavy! It must weigh dozens of kilograms, right?" She weighed it in her hands, her face beaming with joy, as if she had found some treasure.

Yan nodded. "It'll be enough for you for a while. Use it sparingly, it can last until next year."

Qingsui handed the bag to the attendant behind her. The attendant almost dropped it, staggering before regaining his balance. Qingsui turned around, looking at Yan with eyes full of gratitude. "Thank you, Yan. You always bring me nice things; I don't know how to thank you enough."

Yan waved his hand and said with a smile, "It's nothing. I'm glad you like it. Your cooking is delicious, and I'm lucky to have it too."

Qingsui smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. Suddenly remembering something, her smile faded, and her expression became serious. "Oh, right, Yan, my father wants to see you. I'll take you to see him first, and then we can go play, okay?" Her tone carried a hint of apology, as if afraid of upsetting Yan.

Yan nodded, his expression turning serious. "Alright. Then let's go see Chief Daiyue first." He paused, turned to look at the camp, gave a few instructions to a soldier beside him, asking him to tell Jia Li where he was going, and then followed Qingsui outside.

The two walked out of the camp side by side, heading towards the council hall of the Valley Tribe. Their attendants followed behind, keeping a distance.

Yan walked to Qingsui's left, his pace neither too fast nor too slow, matching her rhythm. He thought for a moment and then asked, "Qingsui, what aspects did your father want to discuss with me? Do you know?" His voice carried a hint of curiosity and a touch of probing.

Qingsui tilted her head and thought for a moment, then slowed her pace. Her brows furrowed slightly, as if she were considering something. After a while, she raised her head, looked at Yan, and lowered her voice, as if afraid of being overheard. "Yan, I have a question for you, and you must tell me honestly." Her eyes were serious, and her expression was earnest.

Yan looked at her and nodded. "Ask away."

Qingsui bit her lip, as if organizing her thoughts or gathering her courage. "Is your tribe already capable of manufacturing bronze artifacts?" Her voice was soft, but every word was clear.

Yan didn't answer immediately. He glanced at Qingsui, then looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. He wasn't surprised Qingsui asked the question. Daiyue could guess, and so could the others in the Valley Tribe. The Fire Tribe's shipbuilding speed was so fast, the planks so smooth, and the seams so tight; it would be impossible to do this without a large number of bronze tools. These things could be kept secret for a while, but not forever.

"Yes." He nodded, his voice calm, as if he were remarking on the pleasant weather. "The Fire Tribe can now manufacture bronze artifacts, and their production volume is quite high."

Qingsui's eyes widened, her mouth opened, and she didn't say anything for a long time. Her footsteps stopped and she stood there, as if someone had cast a restraining spell. After a while, she came back to her senses, took a deep breath, and showed an expression of admiration on her face. "You Fire Tribe are so powerful. You can make salt, make pottery, weave, build ships, and now you can even make bronzes." She shook her head, her tone full of emotion, "We, the Valley Tribe, don't know any of these things, and we all rely on growing and selling food. You are good, you can do everything."

Yan smiled but didn't reply.

Qingsui continued, "My father probably wanted to talk to you about this. He wants to trade some bronze artifacts with you, I guess." She paused, looking at Yan with a hint of expectation in her eyes, "Will you agree?"

Yan thought for a moment and nodded. "I was just about to talk to Chief Daiyue. The Fire Tribe and the Valley Tribe have always been friends. It's only right for friends to help each other."

A smile spread across Qingsui's face, a sincere and radiant smile, like the sunshine. "That's good. Let's go, don't keep my father waiting."

The two quickened their pace and headed towards the council chamber.