Aboard the Boat to Admire the Moon

On the morning of the third day after Yan arrived at the headquarters of the Valley Tribe, before dawn, the temporary camp of the Fire Tribe was already bustling with activity. Yan also got up early to make arrangements. He got dressed, walked out of his tent, and took a walk around the temporary camp of the Fire Tribe. After asking if everything was normal last night, he felt relieved.

By the time Yan had finished arranging everything, the sky was beginning to lighten. Yesterday, Yan had already handed over the equivalent of the ten million catties of grain ordered for next year to the Valley Tribe. Today, all that was left was to count and load the remaining half of the grain onto the ship. Together with yesterday's grain, there would be a total of five million catties. Once loaded, they could return to the Fire Tribe.

The Valley Tribe's leader Fengren, and Second Elder Hefeng, arrived early today, even earlier than yesterday. Although the Fire Tribe had already received their deposit for next year, they still needed to show sincerity and cooperate fully with the Fire Tribe in transporting grain. They couldn't let the Fire Tribe think that the Valley Tribe had taken their goods and then abandoned them, nor could they let the Fire Tribe think that the Valley Tribe was unrighteous. Moreover, Yan had already agreed to the Valley Tribe's request for an advance on next year's bronze weapons, promising to give them the bronze weapons first next year so that the Valley Tribe Valley Tribe could get them as soon as possible and arm several warriors to defend against the Bear Tribe.

Yan clasped his hands in a respectful greeting, and Hefeng and Fengren quickly returned the gesture. Hefeng said with a smile, "Young Chief Yan, good morning! After you finish loading the remaining grain today, your Fire Tribe will be able to return home sooner."

Yan smiled and said, "Yes, the sooner we finish loading, the sooner we can go back to the Fire Tribe. Our people are waiting for the food; they're all back in the tribe hoping for it." After a few brief pleasantries, the two groups got to work.

Today's work on both sides was very simple: to count the remaining grain and load it onto the ship. To increase efficiency, Yan divided the Fire Tribe's manpower into ten teams, each responsible for a specific area, to simultaneously count the grain and load it onto the ship. With all ten teams working at the same time, efficiency was greatly improved, several times faster than before. The Fire Tribe warriors stood by the ship, directing the loading, gesturing with their hands and shouting, "This way," "That way," "Be gentle," "Slow down," "Don't drop it!" The Valley Tribe people carried the grain sacks, walked across the gangplank, and stacked the grain into the ship's hold, the sacks piled up neatly.

By the afternoon, all five million catties of grain had been loaded onto the Fire Tribe's ships, filling the hold to the brim. Only some finishing touches remained. Yingmu and Shibang kept urging Yan to rest, saying they could handle things here.

Yingmu said, "Boss, you should go and rest. We've got your back covered here, so nothing will go wrong. Don't worry."

Shibang also said, "Yeah, boss, you've been busy for two days straight, you've been working non-stop. It's time for you to rest. Leave the rest to us, you should get some rest."

Seeing that everything was basically alright, Yan returned to the Fire Tribe's temporary camp to wash up. He filled a basin with water, splashed it on his face, and the cool water made him shiver, but it immediately made him feel much more awake. He scooped up some more water and rubbed his face, neck, and hands, then dried himself with a burlap towel. Water droplets slid down his face, dripping onto his collar and spreading out in a small patch, feeling cool and refreshing. He looked at his reflection in the copper basin; his hair was a bit messy, so he combed it a few times with his fingers, straightened his collar, and patted his sleeves.

After a quick wash, he went to the cooking area. The skilled cook who accompanied him had already finished the preparations. Yan rolled up his sleeves, put on his white linen apron, and tied it around his waist. He took a deep breath and started cooking. Soon, a sumptuous meal was ready.

Yan Gang finished preparing the meal, and Qingsui also finished her work, so they arrived at the Fire Tribe's temporary camp. Today, she was wearing a light-colored linen dress with several Little Flower embroidered on the hem. The petals were pink, and the leaves were green, all very lifelike. Her hair was tied into a simple bun, secured with a wooden hairpin, with a few stray strands falling beside her ears, gleaming in the firelight like golden threads. A faint smile graced her face, and her eyes sparkled like two gems.

Seeing the delicious food Yan had prepared, Qingsui leaned forward to smell it, took a deep breath, and her eyes lit up. Her Qingsui exclaimed, "It smells so good! Even better than yesterday! Yan, your cooking is getting better and better; your skills have improved!"

The two quickly began to eat heartily. Qingsui ate with gusto, without any restraint. They only stopped when they were full, their bellies round like bulging frogs. They both burped from time to time. Qingsui rubbed her belly and sighed contentedly.

Now that they were both free, the grain was packed, the bronze weapons had been handed over, and the supplies had been inventoried. Yan was leaving tomorrow, so after dinner, they took a walk along the banks of the Fish River Fish River to digest their food. They strolled slowly along the riverbank, naturally holding hands, their fingers interlocked, palms pressed together, warm and reassuring. Neither of them spoke, enjoying the rare tranquility, listening to the rushing river, the rustling of leaves in the wind, and the chirping of insects in the distance.

After walking for a while, Qingsui suddenly suggested going to see the Fire Tribe's massive ship with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin. "Yan, I haven't been on that ship yet. Can I go up and take a look? I want to stand on that ship and look at the moon."

Yan nodded and said with a smile, "Of course, let's go, I'll take you there now."

Although the ship was already loaded with grain, the sacks were stacked neatly like small Little Mountain, but passageways were left on top so that one could walk smoothly without bumping into the grain or the sacks. Soon, Qingsui, led by Yan, arrived at the Fire Tribe's ship, which had a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin. The ship was huge, like a Little Mountain, with a wide deck that could accommodate several oxcarts side by side. Standing on it was as stable as standing on flat ground, without swaying or rocking. Qingsui stood on the deck, looking around at the distant river, the scenery on both banks, and the moon in the sky, sighing repeatedly.

"This is the first time I've ever seen such a big ship. I'd only heard my father and other elders mention it before. They visited the Tiger Tribe Tiger Tribe when they were young and saw their massive ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin. They told us how big and imposing those ships were, like houses floating on water. We were all skeptical. Now your Fire Tribe also has ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin. I've seen it with my own eyes and I know that ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin are really that big. Your Fire Tribe is truly amazing! You are all incredible!"

Yan said, "In the future, our Fire Tribe will have more and more boats with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin. When that happens, I'll take you on a trip on the Fish River Fish River so you can have a good time and enjoy the beautiful scenery on both sides."

Qingsui nodded happily and said, "Okay, Yan, you have to keep your word! Don't lie to me! Don't forget about it when you get busy!"

Yan nodded solemnly, as if swearing an oath to the heavens. "I promise I'll keep my word. I'll take you on a ride on the Fish River to play to your heart's content. You can go wherever you want, and play for as long as you want."

Then Yan spoke up, "Our Fire Tribe built so many large ships for two reasons: firstly, to facilitate our own transportation; and secondly, to defend against the Tiger Tribe at the very bottom of the Fish River. After all, our Fire Tribe Fire Tribe possesses a great deal of technology. If we sell all our products, the Tiger Tribe's business will definitely be affected, and they will certainly try to find ways to deal with the Fire Tribe. That's why our Fire Tribe has been trying various methods to rapidly improve our strength over the Fire Tribe. I didn't tell you this before, so I hope you won't blame me."

Qingsui shook her head, her gaze gentle, and said, "I won't blame you. This is a top secret of your Fire Tribe. No one would spread it around. Your Fire Tribe's higher-ups must have made an agreement long ago that these things can't be said to outsiders. I understand, and I don't blame you."

Yan nodded, relieved, and said, "Yes, our Fire Tribe had an agreement long ago that we couldn't tell anyone. Thank you for your understanding and consideration."

Then Qingsui chatted with Yan about the Wolf Tribe. Her brows furrowed slightly, forming a small knot, and she said with some worry, "The Wolf Tribe caused a lot of trouble in the lower reaches of the Fish River a while ago, like mad dogs. They wiped out two core subordinate tribes of the Great Boulder Tribe, killing many people and stealing a lot of food. Now the Great Boulder Tribe only has two core subordinate tribes left. Although the Great Boulder Tribe has absorbed some people and recovered some strength, these newly absorbed people are probably not very combat-effective. Although the Great Boulder Tribe Great Boulder Tribe now has more people than the Wolf Tribe, if a war really breaks out again, the Great Boulder Tribe tribe is no match for the Wolf Tribe. The Wolf Tribe has now raised its warrior force to over three thousand, and each warrior is equipped with a horse; they are now cavalry, swift as the wind, able to attack and retreat at will. The Wolf Tribe has also plundered a large amount of supplies, enough to last for a while. However, the Wolf Tribe isn't engaged in production; it's estimated that around the autumn harvest, when everyone's crops are ripe, the Wolf Tribe will come out to plunder again. The Great Boulder Tribe's strength has greatly diminished; they've even used their previously stored supplies to buy bronze artifacts from the Tiger Tribe. If the Great Boulder Tribe continues like this, it probably won't last long. Sooner or later, the Great Rock will be swallowed up by the Wolf Tribe."

Yan nodded, his gaze grave, and said, "The Wolf Tribe is ferocious and cunning. The Great Boulder Tribe alone is probably no match for the Wolf Tribe. If the Great Boulder Tribe can unite with other tribes to resist the Wolf Tribe, there might still be a chance for things to turn around."

Qingsui sighed and shook her head, saying, "The relationship between the Great Rock and the Great Luwei is so-so. It probably won't be so easy for them to unite and fight the Wolf Tribe now."

Then the two changed the subject and chatted for a while before standing at the Chuantou to admire the moon. The weather had been fine these past few days, with no clouds in the sky and a clear blue expanse. The moon was big and round, and its light shone on the river, making the water sparkle. The distant mountains showed a hazy outline under the moonlight, like a traditional Chinese ink painting.

Time spent together always seems too short, and happy times always fly by. Before they knew it, the moon was already high in the sky. The two chatted for a while longer, talking about the interesting things in the Valley Tribe, the Fire Tribe's new ship, their future plans, and their childhood memories. Then, Yan led Qingsui off the ship, and the two said goodbye at the entrance of the Fire Tribe's temporary camp.

Qingsui stood at the door, looking at Yan with eyes full of reluctance, and said, "Yan, get some rest. You have to get up early tomorrow to travel, so don't overwork yourself. I'll come to see you off tomorrow morning."

Yan nodded, feeling a warm glow in her heart, and said, "Okay, you should go back and get some rest too. See you tomorrow."

Qingsui waved and turned to leave.