The Situation in the Fire Tribe's Main Base Area

Yan led the fleet of boats to pick up the people upstream along the Fish River, stopping and starting along the way. The giant ship weighing 100,000 catties was at the very front, with its Chuantou raised high. Behind it were dozens of large ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 catties each, and many smaller boats of all sizes. The cabins of the boats were filled with the newly arrived clansmen, a dark mass, like a black cloud.

When these new members of the tribe saw the Fire Tribe's colossal ship, weighing 100,000 jin (approximately 50,000 kg), their eyes widened and mouths gaped open, as if they had witnessed something unbelievable. Some rubbed their eyes, thinking they were seeing things; others pinched their thighs, thinking they were dreaming. Once aboard, sitting in the cabin, touching the smooth planks, gazing at the enormous sails, and listening to the howling wind, they completely accepted their decision to join the Fire Tribe, as if they had received a reassuring pill. Such a large ship was something their ancestors had never seen before, something they never even dared to dream of. How much skill, strength, and wealth did the Fire Tribe possess to build such a massive ship?

Yan led the flotilla upstream along the Fish River, stopping frequently, sailing during the day and resting at night. During this time, the food provided to the new tribespeople was the same as that of the Fire Tribe. Although this food was quite ordinary for the current members of the Fire Tribe, it was considered a luxury for these four thousand new tribespeople, like a festival or a grand celebration. In their previous tribe, they rarely ate meat throughout the year. When they didn't hunt large prey, they sometimes made do with wild vegetables, tree bark, and grass roots. Even the original tribal chief didn't eat and drink like this every day. The chief's food was only slightly more than others, and it wasn't much better.

After several hearty meals, the new members of the tribe regained their color, their eyes shone, they spoke with more confidence, and their backs straightened. They gathered in the cabin, leaning against the gunwale, whispering amongst themselves, their voices barely audible, their faces full of smiles, their eyes sparkling, their hearts filled with growing anticipation for life after joining the Fire Tribe.

Some people said, "The food in the Fire Tribe is really delicious, better than what we used to eat during holidays. Back then, we only ate until we were half full."

Some people said, "Yes, we can eat our fill every day, and there's meat in every meal. We never dared to dream of such a life before."

Some people said, "Our lives will definitely be better once we get to the Fire Tribe."

When Yan led his fleet past the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost, the management center of the Fire Tribe, these new tribesmen were utterly shocked, as if frozen in place. From afar, they saw rows and rows of wooden houses along the riverbank, neat and orderly. Dozens of boats of all sizes were moored at the dock, bustling with people, like a lively market or festival. In the distance, vast fields stretched as far as the eye could see, one after another, with herds of cattle and sheep grazing on the hillsides.

Someone couldn't help but ask, "Which tribe is this? How come it's so big? It's much bigger than ours!"

A deep voice replied from the side, "I heard this used to be the territory of the Fish Tribe, an old and established tribe in this area."

Another warrior who had already joined the Fire Tribe said smugly, "Didn't the Fish Tribe join the Fire Tribe a long time ago? You're so out of touch! This is now the Fire Tribe Fire Tribe's administrative center, its largest stronghold, and its Fire Tribe center."

The questioner stared wide-eyed, speechless for a long time. They knew the Fish Tribe; it was an established tribe in the area, with several thousand people and a renowned reputation. They never expected even the Fish Tribe to join the Fire Tribe. The Fire Tribe had several river mouth strongholds like the Little Fish River Mouth, Red Flower River Mouth, Pottery Salt River Mouth Estuary, Stone Creek River Mouth, and Little Gathering River Mouth —this was just one of the largest. They had only vaguely heard that the Fire Tribe had over a hundred thousand people; seeing it in person was still incredibly shocking. These new tribespeople took a long time to process this news. They looked at each other, mouths agape, eyes wide, unable to utter a word for a long time.

The fleet continued its journey, with Yan leading it upstream along the Fish River, passing the strongholds at the mouths of the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost, Pottery Salt River Mouth Outpost, Stone Creek River Mouth Outpost, Little Gathering River Mouth Outpost, and Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost. These new tribespeople, seeing each bustling and prosperous stronghold, had become numb to it all, no longer reacting with the same astonishment or shouting as before.

They sat in the cabin, leaning against the gunwale, looking at the scenery on both banks, at the wooden houses, the fields, the cattle and sheep, and the boats. They had only one thought in their minds: the Fire Tribe is so big, so powerful, and so rich. Joining the Fire Tribe was definitely the right choice.

Around noon that day, Yan led his fleet to the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost. From afar, Yan saw a man standing on the dock, lean and ramrod straight. Who else could it be but Jianya? He wore a linen robe, blue in color, which shimmered softly in the sunlight. A bronze sword was slung at his waist. Behind him stood several leaders, each one spirited and alert, with bronze weapons at their waists and wary eyes.

The Fire Tribe's boats with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin and 50,000 jin were too deep to enter the Fire Creek River and could only dock at the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost. These new tribesmen would be taken directly to the Fire Tribe's main valley by boats with a carrying capacity of less than 20,000 jin and settled there. Jianya had already made arrangements. Small boats came one by one, and some new tribesmen disembarked and transferred to small boats, heading upstream along the Fire Creek River towards the main valley.

When Jianya saw Yan disembark from the ship at the dock, he quickly went to greet him with a big smile. He grabbed Yan's hand and shook it vigorously, saying, "Yan'er, you've brought several thousand more people to join the tribe this time. That's a great achievement!" Jianya's voice was full of praise.

Yan shook his head modestly and said, "Uncle Jianya, it's all thanks to Uncle Dazhuang and everyone else. He made all the arrangements and gathered everyone together. I just ran errands and picked people up."

Jianya patted his shoulder and said, "Yan'er, you're too modest. Every time you go to pick up people, the casualty rate is the lowest. You always manage to do this, which shows you've put in the effort, thought things through, and put in the work. We've all seen it and know it. You must be tired and hungry after traveling for several days by boat. Come with me to the council hall at the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost to have something to eat and rest. We can talk while we eat."

Yan nodded and followed Jianya towards the council hall. The group passed through the camp and walked along the stone path toward the council hall. Food was already laid out on the low table in the council hall, steaming hot: grilled fish, stewed meat, wild vegetable soup, hot rice, and several jars of fruit wine.

After everyone sat down, a few more dishes and several more jars of wine were added. Everyone was a bit hungry, so they started eating and drinking heartily. By the time everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, the dishes on the table were almost empty, and several jars of wine had been consumed. Everyone's faces were flushed and their bellies were round.

Yan put down his chopsticks and said, "Uncle Jianya, I didn't expect you to pick me up at the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost dock this time. I thought I would only see you at the dock in the main valley!"

Jianya put down his wine bowl and said with a smile, "I've thought about your suggestion to Dali develop the river mouth stronghold, and after careful consideration, I think it's excellent. I'm currently in charge of a large area, Fire Creek River Middle Outpost, the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost Little Gathering River Mouth Outpost mouth stronghold, the Small Gathering Valley Outpost Bison Outpost stronghold, the Blue Sheep Outpost, the White Pig Outpost, and the Deer Tribe Mining Area Outpost. I'm basically stationed at the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost now. Water transport is convenient here, making travel very quick, and the development potential is great. The area is spacious, flat, and the soil is fertile. I plan to focus on developing the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost and the Little Gathering River Mouth Outpost, allocating manpower and resources to these areas. Of course, I won't neglect the main valley and the Deer Tribe mining area strongholds either; I'll still manage what needs to be managed, oversee what needs to be overseen, and make necessary trips."

Jianya is one of the Fire Tribe's strongest strategists. He's quick-witted, resourceful, and efficient. Although there are many outposts here, Jianya manages them very well. Not only is Jianya exceptionally intelligent and quick-thinking, but his management skills are also top-notch in the Fire Tribe. He knows how to use people, manage affairs, and coordinate effectively. Otherwise, Jianshi wouldn't have entrusted such a large area to Jianya. So many outposts and tens of thousands of people are no joke; the pressure is immense. Jianya's management skills far surpass those of Dali and Dazhuang. Now, many people are assisting Jianya, and recently, many capable individuals selected from the new tribespeople have helped him share the burden. Jianya can handle most things here. Only a few unsure matters require sending someone to the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost to consult with Jianshi Jianshi, asking the chief to make a decision.

Yan's voice carried a hint of admiration and respect, along with a touch of envy, as he said, "Uncle Jianya, you're truly amazing. You've managed such a large area and so many outposts so well. If Uncle Dali and Uncle Dazhuang were here, it certainly wouldn't be this easy for them. They would have been overwhelmed and completely flustered."

Jianya waved his hand and said with a smile, "Actually, it wasn't easy at first either. There were so many things to do every day, and people were always looking for me. I was busy from morning till night, barely having time to breathe. It's only recently that I've recruited a group of talented people to help me, which has helped me share a lot of the workload, so I've started to feel a bit more relaxed and can finally catch my breath and eat on time. But I still can't get away now. There are just too many things to do, and I can't be away for long. Next spring, our Fire Tribe will be transporting grain to the Valley Tribe, and we'll need you to make that trip again. I really can't leave right now. I'll send someone to talk to my elder brother and ask him to make arrangements and decide on things as soon as possible."

Yan nodded and said, "Okay, Uncle Jianya, if you're busy here, I'll make a trip to the Valley Tribe next spring. You can focus on your own business for now. Leave the grain transport to the Valley Tribe next spring to me, don't worry."

Then, with a hint of seriousness, confidence, and smugness in his Jianya voice, he said, "Go back and tell my elder brother that we've almost finished preparing the shipbuilding materials. By next spring, we'll be able to produce four ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin each. Adding to the Fire Tribe's current 100,000-jin ship, our Fire Tribe will have five 100,000-jin ships by next spring. The Fire Tribe's plan to build 100,000-jin ships next year will definitely be completed ahead of schedule, not delayed until the end of the year. Tell my elder brother and the others not to worry."

Yan's eyes sparkled with joy as he said, "Okay, Uncle Jianya, with your words, everyone feels reassured and can sleep well tonight. By the way, next spring I will bring more than 5,000 people from Uncle Dazhuang's place to live here at the Fire Tribe headquarters. You need to make preparations in advance. Houses, food, and clothes must all be prepared in full. We can't let anyone come without a place to stay or food."

Jianya patted his chest, making a loud thud, and nodded, saying, "Alright, we can easily accommodate several thousand people here. There are enough houses, enough food, and enough clothes. We won't let them suffer any injustices as soon as they arrive. Now that our Fire Tribe's influence has shifted a bit further north, right?"

Yan nodded and said, "Yes, I recently suggested to Father that we build a stronghold on the Clothing River South Bank and another on the north bank of the Little Horse River Mouth. This way, the sphere of influence of our Fire Tribe can be moved a little further north."

Jianya nodded and said, "That's a good idea. Building outposts in these two places will strengthen our trade and exchanges with the Clothing Tribe and Horse Tribe to the north. They can also serve as outposts, so we can know about any movements in the north sooner, and prepare and defend ourselves earlier."

The two then chatted for a while about Dali and Dazhuang, discussing their recent situations and the detailed plans for the Fire Tribe next year. After that, Yan led the fleet downstream along the Fish River back to the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost.

Three days later, Yan returned to the Fire Tribe's management center, the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost. Without taking a break, he went straight to the council hall to report to his father, Jianshi. Jianshi was the only one busy in the council hall that day, with several animal hide maps spread out in front of him and a charcoal pencil in his hand, drawing something on the maps with a slight frown on his brow, very focused. When Jianshi heard the Jianshi, he looked up, saw Yan, put down the charcoal pencil, and smiled.

Yan walked over, sat down next to the Jianshi, and gave a detailed account of the reunion: how many people were picked up, what happened on the way, the mood of the new tribesmen, and the arrangements made by Jianya.

Jianshi listened, nodding occasionally and saying, "Good, good, good."

After Yan finished speaking, Jianshi Shi asked, "How are Jianya's arrangements for taking people to the Fire Tribe headquarters? Have the new tribespeople been settled in? Are there any difficulties?"

Yan nodded and said, "Everything went smoothly. Uncle Jianya made excellent arrangements. As soon as the boat arrived at the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost, the people were picked up. The houses were distributed, the food was given out, and the clothes were provided. Uncle Jianya managed that place very well."

With a hint of relief and satisfaction in his eyes, Jianshi said, "I put Jianya in charge of that area not entirely because he's my brother, but also because he's capable of managing it well, controlling the outposts, and Jianya the people. He has the ability, the capability, and the brains. What else did Jianya say? Is there anything he wants you to relay to me?"

Yan said, "Uncle Jianya said that by next spring, the Fire Tribe will be able to increase its number of ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin to five. Our plan to manufacture ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin will be completed ahead of schedule next year. He asked me to tell you this so you can rest assured."

Jianshi smiled and nodded in satisfaction, saying, "That's good. I'm relieved to hear that. I trust Jianya to get things done."

Yan continued, "Also, I've already spoken with Uncle Jianya. Next spring, we'll be taking a few thousand more people from Dazhuang's place to live in their main valley. Uncle Jianya also said that he probably won't be able to leave next spring, and I might have to make a trip to the Valley Tribe to transport grain."

Jianshi nodded and said, "It seems Jianya is managing over there, so we don't need to worry about him. Next spring, you'll be the first to go and transport grain to the Valley Tribe. It'll be hard work, but there's nothing else for now. Go and get some rest. You've been running around for several days and you must be tired. Go back and get a good night's sleep."

Yan nodded in agreement, stood up, clasped his hands in a salute, turned and walked out of the council hall to go back and rest.