A Walk in the Moonlight
Qingsui had walked this road from the Valley Tribe Council Hall to the Fire Tribe's temporary camp many times, but each time she walked it, the feeling was different. Sometimes it was during the day, and the sunlight shone on the road, making it feel warm underfoot. Sometimes it was at dusk, and the setting sun dyed the whole road golden red, as if it were covered with a layer of gold. Sometimes it was at night, and the starlight shone down, casting long shadows, like two people dancing.
The leaves on both sides of the road had begun to fall, some swirling in the air before gently landing on the ground. Qingsui stepped on the fallen leaves, making a rustling sound, as soft as walking on cotton. She walked slowly, with small steps, as if afraid of missing something if she walked too fast. Yan walked to her left, also not fast, matching her pace, occasionally glancing at her with a smile on his lips.
"Yan, you and my father had a good chat, didn't you?" Qingsui turned her head to look at him, her eyes bright like two stars.
Yan nodded and said, "Yes, how did you know?"
Qingsui smiled, a hint of smugness and playfulness in her smile, and said, "Of course I know! As soon as you left the council hall, you were all smiles, your mouth was practically stretched to your ears. You must have had a great chat!" She reached out and tapped Yan's cheek with her finger, then withdrew it, like a mischievous kitten.
Yan touched his face, smiled, and said, "You're very observant."
Qingsui raised her chin slightly, like a proud little peacock, and said, "Of course, I've observed everything about you very carefully." Her voice was very soft, as if afraid of being blown away by the wind, but her eyes were very serious, not like she was joking.
Yan felt a warmth in his heart. He didn't say anything, but simply reached out and took her hand. Qingsui's hand was soft and cool, like a piece of warm jade. He squeezed it tighter, transferring his warmth to her.
Qingsui didn't pull away; instead, she gripped her hand tighter. The two walked slowly hand in hand, neither of them speaking. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground like a flowing painting.
After a while, Qingsui spoke first, "You've reached a lot of consensus this time, haven't you?" Her voice was filled with curiosity and anticipation.
Yan nodded, his smile fading and his expression turning serious. He said, "Yes, the Fire Tribe and the Valley Tribe have now begun developing a military cooperation relationship. From now on, the two tribes will be allies and will look after each other in case of trouble."
Qingsui's eyes lit up, and she said, "Really? That's wonderful! Our Valley Tribe has been all alone for years, without any allies. The Tiger Tribe and Bear Tribe to the north are difficult to get along with, and there aren't any decent tribes around here." She paused, her voice tinged with emotion, "Now that we have the Fire Tribe as a powerful ally, we feel much more at ease."
Yan gripped her hand tightly and said, "Our Fire Tribe's bronze artifacts will be secretly traded to your Valley Tribe at a preferential price. The price will be cheaper than the Tiger Tribe's Tiger Tribe, and the quality will be better. We, the Fire Tribe, will supply you with whatever quantity you need."
Qingsui nodded, her expression turning serious, and asked, "What about next year's grain trade?"
Yan said, "For next year's grain trade, we plan to use 60% bronze artifacts and 40% coarse salt as the settlement. However, the bronze settlement will be conducted in secret and cannot be known to outsiders." He paused, looking at Qingsui, "I have already mentioned it to Chief Daiyue, and you will be in charge of the bronze settlement. Are you willing?"
Qingsui paused for a moment, her steps faltering. She looked at Yan, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, followed by a flicker of joy. She asked, "Me? You want me to be in charge of delivering the bronze artifacts?" Her voice carried a hint of disbelief.
Yan nodded and said, "Yes, you are meticulous, conscientious, and reliable. You are also the daughter of the Daiyue chief. You are the most suitable person to take charge of this."
Qingsui bit her lip, a determined glint in her eyes, and said, "Okay, I'll keep it a secret. No one will know, not even the people of our tribe. What they shouldn't know, they won't know."
Yan smiled and said, "I believe you."
The two continued walking forward. Qingsui's steps became much lighter, as if she had unloaded a heavy burden. Soon, they arrived at the Fire Tribe's temporary camp.
In the camp, the fire at the cooking station was already lit, wisps of smoke rose, and the air was filled with the aroma of food. Several soldiers sat around the fire, some chatting, some sharpening their knives, and some mending their clothes. When they saw Yan and Qingsui return, they greeted them with smiles and then tactfully walked away.
Yan led Qingsui to the cooking area, rolled up his sleeves, and began to get busy. He took the ingredients he had brought from his attendant—fresh fish, meat, vegetables, and spices he had brought himself. He first cleaned the fish, scaling it, removing the innards, cutting it into sections, and marinating it with salt. Then he cut the meat into chunks and stir-fried it in a wok. The stove was roaring, the iron wok was sizzling, and the aroma soon wafted out.
Qingsui squatted to the side, resting her chin on her hands, watching Yan busy himself. Her eyes were fixed on Yan's hands as he chopped vegetables, put them in the pot, and stir-fried them. His movements were skillful, as if he were performing some kind of art.
"Yan, you look so beautiful when you cook," she said suddenly, her voice very soft, as if talking to herself.
Yan was stir-frying when he heard her words. He paused for a moment, almost dropping the spatula into the pan. He turned his head and glanced at Qingsui, only to find her resting her chin on her hand, her eyes sparkling like two stars. Yan blushed slightly and quickly turned his head back to continue stir-frying.
"Don't talk nonsense." His voice was a little tense, not as natural as usual.
Qingsui smiled, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons, and said, "I'm not making this up, it's true."
Yan ignored her and focused on cooking. Before long, braised fish, stewed pork, stir-fried vegetables, and mushroom soup were served one by one. The dishes looked and smelled delicious, making one's mouth water just by looking at them.
Qingsui sat at the table, staring intently at the dishes. When all the dishes were served, she was the first to pick up her chopsticks, took a piece of braised pork, and put it in her mouth. After chewing a couple of times, her eyes lit up.
"Delicious!" she mumbled, picking up another piece.
Yan sat opposite her, watching her eat with a smile on his face. He didn't eat much; he spent most of his time watching her. Qingsui ate with her mouth full of oil, her cheeks bulging like a little hamster. She wasn't reserved at all, eating meat and drinking soup in big gulps, eating more than Yan.
"Eat slowly, don't choke." Yan handed over a bowl of soup.
Qingsui took the soup, took a big gulp, and sighed contentedly, "It's so delicious. Every time you come, I can eat something delicious. Now that you're gone, I won't be able to eat it anymore." There was a hint of regret in her voice.
Yan smiled and said, "I'll make it for you again next time you come."
Qingsui nodded and continued eating. She ate until her belly was round and full, then leaned back in her chair, not wanting to move at all.
She patted her stomach, sighed contentedly, and said, "I'm so full. Your cooking is a hundred times better than the cooks in our tribe."
Yan cleared away the dishes and walked over to her, saying, "Let's go for a walk and digest our food."
Qingsui nodded, took his hand and stood up. The two walked out of the camp and headed towards the bank of the Fish River. The sky gradually darkened, and the moon rose from behind the mountains. It was round and big, like a silver plate. The moonlight shone on the river, making the water sparkle like countless pieces of silver dancing. The night breeze carried the moist scent of the river and the fragrance of the soil from the distant fields.
The two walked slowly, hand in hand. The moonlight shone on them, casting long shadows that overlapped and then separated, then overlapped again. Qingsui walked slowly, and Yan followed suit. Neither of them spoke, but simply walked quietly, enjoying this rare tranquility.
After walking for a while, Qingsui finally spoke, "Yan, what do you think will happen to us in the future?" Her voice was very soft, as if she was afraid of disturbing something.
Yan thought for a moment and said, "We will get better and better. The Fire Tribe and the Valley Tribe have become allies, helping and supporting each other. After a while, the Tiger Tribe will have to think twice before trying to bully us again."
Qingsui nodded without speaking. She lowered her head and looked at the road beneath her feet. The moonlight made the road surface appear white, like a layer of frost. Yan looked at the sky. The moon had risen high, and the starlight had dimmed. The night wind blew by, carrying a chill. He was afraid that Qingsui would catch a cold.
"It's getting late, you should go back and rest too." He stopped and turned to look at Qingsui.
Qingsui stopped and looked up at him. The moonlight shone on her face, making her skin as white as porcelain and her eyes as bright as stars. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she swallowed it back.
"You should get some rest too," she finally said, her voice tinged with reluctance. "You have to get up early tomorrow, don't overwork yourself."
Yan nodded and said, "Yes, you are too."
The two stared at each other for a while, neither moving. The moonlight shone on them like a thin veil.
Qingsui released her grip, turned, and walked towards the direction of the Valley Tribe. After a few steps, she turned back and called out loudly, "Yan, I'll see you off tomorrow morning when you leave."
Yan smiled and said, "Okay, I'll wait for you."
Qingsui smiled, turned and walked away quickly. Her figure grew smaller and smaller until it disappeared into the night. Yan stood at the camp gate, looking in that direction until it was completely out of sight before turning back to the camp.