The Fire Tribe's Giant Ship Nears Completion

Yan led his men away from the Horse Tribe and met up with the people on the banks of the Fish River. Then, he led the fleet upstream along the Fish River. The morning wind blew, the sails billowed and whistled, and the oars cut through the water with a splashing sound, like fish swimming. Three giant ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 catties each led the way, followed by dozens of small boats.

After more than ten days of sailing, the fleet traveled along the Fish River, stopping and starting intermittently. That afternoon, as the sun began to set, its rays softened, casting a golden glow on the river's surface. Finally, the Fire Tribe's main valley came into Yan's view. In the distance, Yan could see wisps of smoke rising from the valley, like gray snakes drifting away in the twilight. Rows and rows of wooden houses stood neatly, the fields were lush and green, the rice seedlings swaying in the wind, and herds of cattle and sheep grazed on the hillside. A warm feeling welled up in his heart.

The fleet slowly approached the shore, and Yan jumped off the ship with swift and decisive movements. Without taking a break, he strode towards the council hall of the Fire Tribe headquarters. His steps were hurried, like a gust of wind, as he was eager to report his experiences on the trip to his father and share the good news with him.

At the entrance of the Fire Tribe Tribe's headquarters council hall, two guards stood ramrod straight, bronze swords at their waists, their eyes alert. When they saw Yan approaching, they quickly clasped their hands in a salute, bowing deeply.

"Young Master, the Chief has already given instructions that you can simply walk in without announcing yourself."

Yan nodded, pushed open the wooden door, and went inside. The wooden door creaked, its sound particularly clear in the quiet air.

Inside the council chamber, Jianshi sat in the main seat, several animal hide maps spread out before him, densely depicting the distribution of the Fire Tribe's various strongholds and fields, like a spider web. He held a charcoal pencil in his hand, drawing something on the map, his brow slightly furrowed, very focused and serious. The charcoal pencil made a scratching sound on the animal hide. Hearing the sound, Jian Jianshi looked up, saw Yan, his eyes lit up, he put down the charcoal pencil, stood up, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Yan, you've been away for over twenty days. Is everything alright? Did you encounter any trouble on the road? How are things going with the Horse Tribe?" Jianshi's voice was filled with concern and anticipation.

Yan nodded, walked up to his father, clasped his hands in a respectful bow, and said, "Father, this trip went very smoothly. We didn't encounter any trouble, and the journey was uneventful. We've gathered information on the situation at Red Flower River Mouth and Little Fish River Mouth, and we've made contact with the people. Everything is ready there; we're just waiting for the boat to pick us up. We've also reached an agreement with the Horse Tribe; the cattle and horses have been reserved. Chief Junfeng was very hospitable and treated us very well. I plan to go to the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost and Little Fish River Mouth Outpost to pick up the people once Uncle Jianya's grain transport ship returns."

Jianshi nodded, patted Yan on the shoulder, and said, "Okay, you can arrange it yourself. I trust you to handle things. You don't need to ask me about everything; just do what you think is best."

Yan nodded, his voice tinged with excitement, and continued, "Father, there are three thousand people at the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost, all from small tribes in the Green Leaf River basin, affiliated tribes of the Long Leaf Tribe and Short Leaf Tribe. There are over five thousand people at the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost, all from small tribes on the Little Horse River. Among them, the Long Leaf Tribe and Short Leaf tribes on the Green Leaf River have a considerable population, totaling over two thousand. They want to join us first, but they are worried that we might have a food shortage if we absorb so many people at once, and they are uneasy, fearing that we cannot support them. They plan to come to our Fire Tribe headquarters after the autumn harvest. They want to bring more supplies, including this year's harvest and their belongings. They want to operate on the Clothing River South Bank, bringing more small tribes to join our Fire Tribe, recruiting more people, and making more contributions."

Jianshi was slightly surprised upon hearing this. His eyebrows rose, his eyes widened slightly, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly as he said, "The Long Leaf Tribe and Short Leaf Tribe haven't even joined our Fire Tribe yet, and they're already thinking about the Fire Tribe's future? Interesting. Although they have their own plans and want to bring more things and gain some status and influence within the Fire Tribe, it's still commendable. If they are indeed capable, efficient, and able to lead others and persuade other tribes to join our Fire Tribe, we can arrange a leadership position for them. We can't let those who are willing to help down."

Yan nodded, her eyes sparkling, and said, "Okay, Father, I will tell them and put their minds at ease."

Then Jianshi spoke again, his gaze becoming serious, his brows furrowing slightly, "How did your trip to the Horse Tribe go? What did Chief Junfeng say? Was the deal on the cattle and horses settled? Did you encounter any trouble?"

Yan smiled and said, "My business trip to the Horse Tribe went very smoothly. I reserved a thousand cattle and a thousand ponies there, and we agreed to trade around the autumn harvest. We'll exchange the goods on the spot, no delays or debts. Chief Junfeng was very hospitable and provided excellent hospitality, with plenty of food and drink."

Jianshi nodded and said, "Our Fire Tribe's population has increased significantly, now exceeding 120,000. We need a large number of cattle and horses to cultivate more land and transport goods. The more cattle we have, the more land we can cultivate; the more horses we have, the faster we can transport goods. Cattle and horses are both valuable, and the more the better. Our Fire Tribe welcomes all comers."

Yan continued, his voice tinged with emotion, "This time, Chief Junfeng actually refused to agree to our Fire Tribe buying their cattle and horses at a high price. I offered to raise the price, but he waved his hand repeatedly, saying it wasn't necessary. They're willing to trade with us at the price we've always paid, the original price, without raising it by a single cent. They only hope that our Fire Tribe can provide convenience and assistance to their Horse Tribe when needed. They also know about the Wolf Tribe's rampage in the north, and they're a little afraid of retaliation from the Wolf Tribe, fearing that if the Wolf Tribe becomes too powerful, they might actually attack."

Jianshi thought for a moment and then said, "The Horse Tribe probably sees that our Fire Tribe is growing stronger, with a population of over 100,000, hundreds of ships, and tens of thousands of warriors. They're afraid to sell cattle and horses to us at high prices anymore, for fear of offending our Fire Tribe Fire Tribe and upsetting us. They're also worried that the Wolf Tribe, now powerful, will cause trouble for the Horse Tribe. So they want to maintain good relations with our Fire Tribe, to have a backup plan, so they can have someone to rely on when things get tough."

Yan nodded and said, "That should be the case. Moreover, Chief Junfeng hasn't talked to us about our Fire Tribe absorbing the surrounding small tribes at all. They haven't said a word. Their stance means they've tacitly approved of our absorption of the small tribes. They've chosen to turn a blind eye and not interfere."

Jianshi nodded and said, "That should be the case. We don't need to worry about that. Our Fire Tribe is absorbing those independent small tribes, which has nothing to do with their Horse Tribe. These small tribes are not affiliated with their Horse Tribe Horse Tribe and do not obey their orders. Our Fire Tribe is not undermining their Horse Tribe. It's all voluntary now. Those who are willing will take the bait. Our Fire Tribe will not force anyone."

Then Jianshi spoke up again, "Your return is perfectly timed. It's a perfect coincidence! Our Fire Tribe's 100,000-jin carrying capacity ship will be completed tomorrow and launched. The shipbuilding workshop is working day and night, three shifts a day, two nights a week. Dabang has already passed the news to Dali. Judging by the time, Dali should arrive at our Fire Tribe headquarters tonight. Then we'll go to the dock at the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost early tomorrow morning to check on the test run of this 100,000-jin carrying capacity ship, to see how fast it is, how stable it is, how well it performs, and how sturdy it is. If everything goes smoothly, our Fire Tribe will also have a 100,000-jin Fire Tribe capacity ship, and we can practically roam freely on the Fish River!"

Yan was so excited that his eyes widened like saucers, and his mouth gaped open for a long time before he finally spoke, "So fast? I thought I'd have to wait a while, but it's so quick! I've come back just in time for this wonderful thing!"

Jianshi nodded and said with a smile, "Yes, and we recently successfully tested five ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 jin each. Now our Fire Tribe has forty ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 jin each."

Yan said, "Then our Fire Tribe's naval strength has greatly increased. With forty ships each with a carrying capacity of 50,000 jin, plus one ship with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin, who would dare to underestimate us when this fleet sails onto the Fish River? Even the Tiger Tribe would have to think twice."

The two chatted for a while longer, discussing the situation at the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost, the expansion of the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost, the attitude of the Horse Tribe, the movements of the Wolf Tribe, and the grain trade of the Valley Tribe. Then, Jianshi looked at the sky; the sun had already set, dusk was falling, and only a dark red remained on the horizon. In the distance, the barking of dogs could be heard, one after another.

"It's getting late, let's go eat first. You must be tired from the journey, having been on the boat for over ten days. You deserve a rest. Eat something and get some rest early today, because we have to get up early tomorrow to Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost to watch the launch of the massive ship with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin."

Yan nodded and followed his father out of the council hall. The father and son walked side by side, their shadows stretching long in the twilight.