The Great Luwei Tribe's Response
After the envoys from the Great Boulder Tribe left the camp, they traveled north by boat along the Fish River. The Great Luwei Tribe's camp was surrounded by continuous swamps and Qiantan, Fengmao Water Grass and teeming with fish and shrimp, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. The camp was very large, even larger than that of the Great Boulder Tribe, with rows and rows of wooden houses and thatched huts densely packed together, capable of housing at least tens of thousands of people. Tall wooden fences stood around the camp, and deep moats were dug outside the fences, filled with water. Fish were raised in the water, and lotus roots were grown. Lotus flowers bloomed in summer, and lotus roots were harvested in autumn. The camp was bustling with activity, filled with the sounds of cooking fires and the sounds of people, a scene of prosperity, like a small town.
The envoy from the Great Boulder Tribe was led to the entrance of the council hall. After being informed, he was led inside. The council hall was very large, even more spacious than that of the Great Boulder Tribe, and could seat over a hundred people. The firewood in the hearth was burning brightly, crackling and sputtering, making the room warm and cozy, dispelling the chill of late autumn. Luwei mats hung on the walls, painted with exquisite patterns of figures, animals, flowers, and birds, lifelike and vivid. Thick animal hides covered the floor, soft and yielding underfoot, like walking on clouds.
Lusheng, the chief of the Great Luwei Tribe, sat in the main seat. He was lean and wiry, with shrewd, fox-like eyes that darted around as if he were scrutinizing something or plotting something. He wore an exquisite linen robe embroidered with Luwei patterns, and a leather belt around his waist with a piece of jade hanging from it. The jade was bluish-green and shone with a warm light in the firelight. His hair was neatly combed and held in place with a wooden hairpin, not a single strand out of place.
The messenger from the Great Boulder Tribe stepped forward, clasped his hands in a respectful greeting, and said swiftly and decisively, "Chief Lusheng, I am a messenger from the Great Boulder Tribe. Our chief sent me with a message; there is something important to report."
Lusheng nodded, signaling him to continue. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and slowly put it down.
The envoy from the Great Boulder Tribe took a deep breath and spoke slowly, his voice hoarse, as if he had sand in his mouth and his throat was about to burst into flames. He said, "Chief Lusheng, the Wolf Tribe now has two thousand warriors, all of them cavalry. They are as swift as the wind, faster than rabbits. This time, they wiped out two of our Great Boulder Tribe's core subordinate tribes, the Great Heishi and the Black Wood Tribe, each with more than two thousand men, totaling more than four thousand. They also ambushed and killed nearly five hundred of our Great Boulder Tribe's main force. Our Shishan chief led his troops in pursuit but fell into an ambush and suffered heavy losses. Even our Shi Ya chief was killed in battle."
Upon hearing this, Lusheng's eyes widened in disbelief, his mouth gaped open for a long time, and his jaw nearly dropped to the ground. His face was filled with shock and disbelief, as if he had heard a fairy tale. He suddenly stood up, knocking over his chair with a loud crash that was particularly jarring in the quiet council hall.
"What did you say? The Wolf Tribe has grown to two thousand people? All of them are cavalry? And they wiped out two of your core subordinate tribes of Great Rock? And they eliminated nearly five hundred of your men?" His voice was high-pitched and sharp, like someone had stepped on his tail, or like fingernails scratching a stone slab, echoing in the room and making the windows rattle.
The envoy nodded, his expression grave, his brow furrowed. "Yes, Chief Lusheng," he said, "We didn't expect the Wolf Tribe's strength to grow so quickly. When they first arrived a few months ago, they only had about a hundred people, like a pack of stray dogs, driven away by the Valley Tribe, slinking away, not daring to even lift their heads. In just a few months, their warriors have grown to over two thousand, a twenty-fold increase, like magic."
He paused and continued, "They looted a lot of supplies this time. They're hiding in Stone Ridge Mountain now. Stone Ridge Mountain is easy to defend and difficult to attack. The mountain roads are steep, like they were cut by a knife. There's only one narrow path leading up. Our people can't fight their way up or take it down. We can only watch helplessly. Next year, when the Wolf Tribe runs out of food and supplies, they'll definitely come down the mountain again to loot, steal food, and steal women."
He paused, then raised his voice slightly, sounding somewhat urgent, "We need to be prepared. If the Wolf Tribe causes trouble again next year, our chief wants to invite you to join us in attacking Wolf Tribe. Our Great Boulder Tribe plans to recruit 5,000 more people, increasing our population to around 15,000. We also plan to purchase some bronze weapons from the Tiger Tribe to arm our warriors. If we join forces, how could we possibly be afraid of defeating the Wolf Tribe?"
Lusheng sat down, his fingers tapping lightly on the table. His brows were furrowed, forming a knot, and deep lines were etched on his forehead. He remained silent for a long while. The room was so quiet that the crackling of the firewood in the hearth and the rustling of the Luwei in the wind outside the window could be heard.
"This Wolf Tribe is ruthless and brutal. Not long ago, they wiped out many of my affiliated tribes, killed many of our people, and robbed us of a lot of things. Our Great Luwei Tribe was just about to go and cause trouble for the Wolf Tribe, but we didn't expect you to suffer the consequences first."
He paused, raised his voice slightly, and continued, "Don't worry, if the Wolf Tribe dares to cause trouble next year, our Great Luwei Tribe will definitely join forces with your Great Boulder Tribe to punish those villains of the Wolf Tribe, drive them out of our territory, kill them all without leaving a single survivor, and let them know who the boss is in this place."
Upon hearing Lusheng, the chief of the Great Luwei Tribe, make his assurance, the envoy nodded in satisfaction, clasped his hands in farewell, and turned to leave. His steps were much lighter, as if a heavy burden had been lifted, and a smile appeared on his face.
After the envoy from the Great Boulder Tribe left, Lusheng sat in the main seat, remaining motionless for a long time. His brows were furrowed, and his gaze was distant, as if he were looking into the distance or pondering something. He summoned Lujian, the first warrior of the Great Luwei Tribe, along with various leaders and elders, to discuss the matter together.
Soon, the council hall was filled with people. The First Elder sat to Lusheng's left, his hair completely white, as white as snow, his face deeply lined like a cracked riverbed, his hands withered and thin, veins bulging. The Second Elder sat to his right, lean and wiry, with shrewd eyes like a fox, a goatee, and long, slender fingers. The Third Elder sat below him, a woman in her forties, still charming, with fair skin and bright eyes, wearing a linen robe and a colorful belt around her waist. There were also several leaders, armed with Lujian, Luqiang, reed knives, Ludao shields, Ludun Lugong, and Lusheng, each a veteran of countless battles, covered in scars.
Lusheng spoke, his voice Chenwen and tinged with seriousness. "I didn't expect the Wolf Tribe to grow so quickly. In just a few months, they've grown from a hundred or so to two thousand, a twenty-fold increase. Even a long-established tribe like Great Rock has suffered heavy losses at the hands of the Wolf Tribe. It seems the Wolf Tribe is very resourceful. Their leader, Xueya, is no ordinary person; he's a ruthless and formidable figure."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, and continued, "The Wolf Tribe doesn't grow crops, doesn't cultivate grain, doesn't raise livestock, has no stable source of income, doesn't engage in production, only plunder. Once their food and supplies are depleted, they will definitely come out to raid again next year. They are a common threat to everyone in this area, and no one can stand aside."
His voice rose slightly, tinged with worry and anxiety, as he said, "If we let this go unchecked, the Wolf Tribe will become even stronger after defeating the Great Boulder Tribe. They will definitely come looking for trouble with our Great Luwei Tribe. At that point, we won't be able to hide, we won't be able to fight them, and we won't be able to run away. That's why I agreed to the Great Boulder Tribe's request to jointly attack the Wolf Tribe next year. With our two tribes joining forces, the Wolf Tribe will definitely be no match for us."
The elder nodded, stroking his beard, his fingers trembling slightly, and said in an old but Chenwen voice, "I didn't expect the Wolf Tribe to be so powerful. They managed to fight their way all the way from the south, escape from the Valley Tribe's territory to here, and develop such a large force in just a few months. If they had attacked our Great Luwei Tribe Great Luwei Tribe this time, we would probably have suffered a great loss as well. Great Rock is no weaker than us, and even they suffered losses. Our losses might not be any less than theirs."
Lujian stood up, walked to the center of the council hall, clasped his hands in a salute, and declared in a crisp, clear voice, "If the Wolf Tribe causes trouble next year, Chief, please let me lead the troops! I will make the Wolf Tribe pay! I will cut off Xueya's head! I will make them pay for their crimes in blood!"
Lusheng nodded, his eyes filled with approval and trust, and said, "Good. The Wolf Tribe is becoming increasingly difficult to deal with. Next year, they'll likely continue to expand their strength, growing to three or four thousand, like a snowball rolling downhill. The Great Boulder Tribe is also expanding its manpower, purchasing bronze weapons, and strengthening its power. I plan to recruit two thousand people as well, increasing our Great Luwei Tribe's population to twelve thousand and our warriors to around two thousand five hundred. At the same time, we'll also have our affiliated tribes recruit some people to expand their strength."
He paused, his voice becoming stern, and said, "Furthermore, we must instruct them to strengthen their vigilance. Next year, we must set up checkpoints at the crossroads, with men guarding them day and night. We must also establish watchtowers on the hilltops, with men keeping watch and patrolling day and night. Any disturbance must be reported immediately so that if the Wolf Tribe comes to our side next year, we can react promptly and send troops in time. We cannot be like Great Rock, arriving only after the enemy has finished fighting, or chasing after them only after they have fled far away. In addition, we must strengthen the training of our soldiers and purchase some bronze weapons from the Tiger Tribe to arm our warriors. With good weapons, we can win battles, and with good weapons, we can reduce casualties."
Everyone present nodded in agreement, and their voices grew louder and more excited as they chimed in.
"Yes! Expand the army! Buy weapons! Train! Maintain vigilance!"
"Increase training! Increase vigilance! We can't let the Wolf Tribe bully us anymore!"
"We can't let the Wolf Tribe wreak havoc anymore! Kill them! Destroy them!"
They chatted for a while longer before slowly leaving. The sounds of footsteps and voices gradually faded away, and the council hall fell silent.