War Clouds Suddenly Gather

In the council hall of the Valley Tribe headquarters, the firewood in the hearth was burning brightly, making the room warm and cozy, almost drowsy. Several animal skin maps hung on the wall, with the Valley Tribe's fields and outposts drawn in charcoal, densely packed like the roots of a large tree.

Daiyue sat in the main seat, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. The seven elders of the Valley Tribe sat below, each with a serious expression. Qingsui sat in the corner, holding a wooden board in her hand, occasionally looking up at her father, then lowering her head to write and draw.

"The Fire Tribe has truly taken great care of our Valley Tribe, treating us like family. They knew our Valley Tribe needed bronze weapons, and at the end of last year, they prepaid us for the Valley Tribe. The Fire Tribe has been so kind and sincere to us, so our Valley Tribe Valley Tribe must reciprocate. We can't let them think we're being unreasonable. This year, our Valley Tribe must ensure that we supply the Fire Tribe with 20 million catties of grain, not a single grain less, not a single bag missing."

He paused, looked at the Second Elder Hefeng, and continued with a mixture of inquiry and expectation in his eyes, "Elder Hefeng, how is the spring planting in our Valley Tribe this year? Have all the paddy fields been planted? How are the rice seedlings growing? Are there any difficulties?"

The Second Elder Hefeng Feng, stood up, walked to the center of the council hall, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Chief, our spring planting this year went very smoothly. The heavens were kind to us; there was neither drought nor flood. We started tilling the land and repairing irrigation ditches last autumn, and everyone worked day and night after spring began, thankfully without missing the planting season. By now, we have planted rice seedlings in all the paddy fields of the Valley Tribe. This year, the population of our Valley Tribe has increased significantly, absorbing many smaller tribes. Our Valley Tribe Valley Tribe now has over 30,000 people, and we expect to reach around 40,000 by the end of the year. However, we have more than enough food. The granaries are now full. After deducting reserves, our Valley Tribe expects to have over 20 million jin of grain left to sell to the Fire Tribe this year. We can fully supply the 20 million jin of grain that the Fire Tribe tribe ordered from our Valley Tribe Valley Tribe this year, with more than enough. Chief, rest assured."

Daiyue nodded, a satisfied smile spreading across his face, the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes smoothing out. He said happily, "That's good. Now that our Valley Tribe has the bronze weapons from the Fire Tribe, our warriors are better equipped and their strength has greatly increased. This year, the Bear Tribe will be completely suppressed by our Valley Tribe, unable to turn the tide, like a duck being held down in water. There shouldn't be any problems with our grain planting this year. Everyone can focus on planting and harvesting with peace of mind."

Just as Daiyue and the seven elders were discussing spring plowing, a crisis was quietly approaching in Little Valley Camp, far to the north, like dark clouds obscuring the sun, like the calm before a storm.

Tong Dachui of the Tiger Tribe and Xiong Lie of the Bear Tribe had already led their joint fleet to a place not far from the dock of the Little Valley Camp Outpost. Three giant ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 catties each were at the front, followed by nearly twenty ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 catties each, and dozens of smaller boats. The fleet was densely packed and stretched as far as the eye could see. The fleet was mighty and full of murderous intent, and even the water birds on the river were frightened and flew away.

The patrol boats of the Valley Tribe were the first to spot the massive fleet. The lookout saw a dark mass on the river. He rubbed his eyes, looked more closely, and his face turned deathly pale. His lips trembled, and his legs went weak.

"Enemy attack!" he shouted, his voice distorted, becoming high-pitched and shrill.

The soldiers on the three patrol boats immediately tensed up, their hearts pounding in their throats. They were just ordinary patrol boats, each with only a dozen or so soldiers. How could they possibly be a match for this massive fleet? The captain of one of the patrol boats gritted his teeth and braced himself to approach, wanting to ask the other side where they came from, whether they were just passing by or had come specifically to the Valley Tribe.

"Who are you? What business do you have here? This is the territory of the Valley Tribe! You can't go any further!" The captain stood at the Chuantou, cupping his hands to his mouth, and shouted loudly, his voice echoing across the river.

The answer he received was a deafening crash— the Tiger Tribe's large ship rammed into him, capsizing the Valley Tribe's patrol boat like a leaf. Warriors fell into the water, struggling in the icy Fish River. Some were struck on the head by oars, bleeding profusely; some had their feet entangled in ropes and were dragged in the water; some were trapped under the overturned ship, struggling desperately. Their screams and cries for help mingled together, echoing across the Fish River.

The other two patrol boats turned pale with fright upon seeing this. Knowing that the other party was up to no good, they immediately sounded their horns as a warning. The deep and long horn sound echoed across the Fish River, carrying far and wide.

Standing at the Chuantou, Xiong Lie watched as the Valley Tribe 'Valley Tribe patrol boat was capsized and their warriors struggled in the water. Hearing the sound of the bull horn, Xiong Lie felt a mixture of tension and excitement. He turned to the Tiger Tribe's leader, Tong Dachui, and asked in a voice tinged with nervousness, excitement, and a hint of flattery, "Chief Dachui, the Valley Tribe's patrol boat has spotted us. They've even sounded the bull horn; they must be warning us. What should we do next? A direct assault or a siege? Should we attack their dock first or their camp?"

Tong Dachui glared and shouted at the messenger on the ship, "Order the fleet to speed up and head towards the Little Valley Camp of the Valley Tribe! Everyone, full speed ahead, don't stop! Anyone who lags behind will be court-martialed!"

The messenger immediately waved the flag to convey the order, and the fleet sped up, the oars rowed more swiftly, Shuihua splashed everywhere like streaks of white lightning.

Tong Dachui turned his head to look at Xiong Lie, his gaze carrying a mixture of command, contempt, and impatience. His lips curled down, as if he were looking at a disobedient child. He said, "Chief Xiong Lie, didn't you say that your Bear Tribe has recently been suppressed by the Valley Tribe? Today I'll help you destroy the Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp, remove this thorn in your side, and vent your anger! Today, your Bear Tribe also needs to contribute; you can't just sit back and reap the benefits, you can't just follow behind and eat the meat."

Upon hearing the words of the Tiger Tribe's Tong Dachui, Xiong Lie's face flushed crimson, like a pig's liver, and his eyes shone brightly. He pounded his chest, the sound like a drumbeat, until his chest was red from the pounding, and shouted back, "Dachui, rest assured! Our Bear Tribe will fight to the death today and will never back down! With the Tiger Tribe's help and your large ships holding the line, our Bear Tribe has nothing to fear from the Valley Tribe! We will definitely take down the Little Valley Camp today and seize all their grain, salt, and cloth!"

After listening, Tong Dachui nodded in satisfaction, a slight sneer appearing on his lips. He waved his hand, and the fleet accelerated, charging menacingly towards the Little Valley Camp of the Gu Valley Tribe.

At the Little Valley Camp Outpost, Daiyan was inspecting the spring planting progress in the fields outside the camp. He was wearing a long linen robe, blue in color, with a bronze sword at his waist. Several leaders followed behind him, each with weapons at their waist, looking very spirited. He squatted by the edge of the field, looked around, nodded, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face. The rice seedlings at the Little Valley Camp Outpost had already been planted, lush and green, growing well. Spring planting at the Little Valley Camp was now basically complete. Daiyan only needed to check on things occasionally; he usually spent his time at the camp handling affairs, drinking, and eating meat.

Just as he was about to head back, he suddenly heard the rapid sound of hooves in the distance, growing closer and louder. He looked up and saw a scout galloping towards him. The horse was covered in sweat, and the rider's face was covered in dust, his clothes soaked and clinging to his body. Daiyan's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition welled up inside him. He knew at once that this was not a good thing; something big was about to happen at the camp.

Sure enough, as soon as the scout approached Daiyan, he dismounted and practically tumbled to him, his legs giving way and Daiyan nearly collapsed to his knees. His face was deathly pale, devoid of any color, his lips trembled, and his voice was hoarse as he cried out, "Chief Daiyan, something terrible has happened! A large fleet of ships has suddenly appeared downstream on the Fish River, a dark mass stretching as far as the eye can see! Our patrol boats were rammed and capsized as soon as they got close, and all the brothers on board have fallen into the water, their fate unknown! The remaining patrol boats have already sounded the alarm, even the horns have been blown. This massive fleet is heading menacingly towards our Little Valley Camp, and they're up to no good!"

Upon hearing this, Daiyan's face changed instantly. His heart pounded as if it would leap out of his chest, his throat went dry, and his palms were sweaty. He forced himself to remain calm, gritted his teeth, and asked in a trembling voice, "How large is this fleet? What flags are they flying? Which tribe are they from? Where are they now?"

The scout, panting heavily, his chest heaving, wiped the sweat from his face. Sweat mixed with dust, leaving dark streaks on his skin. His voice, hoarse and almost inaudible, replied, "This fleet is enormous! There are three large ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin each! Nearly twenty ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 jin each, and behind them, ships with carrying capacities of 10,000 jin each and 5,000 jin each—a dense, uncountable mass! They're flying the flags of the Tiger Tribe and the Bear Tribe! Judging by the time, they're almost at the dock near our Little Valley Camp!"

Upon hearing the scout's words, Daiyan felt a buzzing in his head, his vision went black, and he saw stars. He stumbled back three steps, his legs buckling as if he were a noodle, and he almost collapsed to the ground. Fortunately, his trusted aide reacted quickly and caught his arm, preventing him from making a fool of himself in public. His face was deathly pale, devoid of any color, and his lips trembled. He couldn't speak for a long time, as if something was blocking his throat.

The Tiger Tribe, a large tribe at the very bottom of the Fish River, with over 100,000 people and more than 30,000 warriors, large and numerous boats, and a strong and well-equipped army, why would they come here? The Bear Tribe, their old enemy, although recently suppressed by their Valley Tribe, is a different story if the Tiger Tribe and the Bear Tribe join forces.

It took Daiyan a while to recover. As if waking from a dream, he suddenly sat up and shouted at the scout in a high-pitched voice, "Go to the dock right now and have someone move the three large ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 catties each from the Little Valley Camp to the Valley Tribe's main dock immediately! Don't dawdle! Hurry!"

The scout hesitated, his mouth opening as if to say something, Daiyan waved his hand, interrupting him. His voice was urgent and stern. "We can't worry about that now! Get the big ship away first. It's our lifeline, our Valley Tribe's only support on the water. We can't let it fall into enemy hands! Go now! It'll be too late if we don't!"

The scout nodded quickly, turned and ran, mounted his horse and galloped away, soon disappearing into the dust.

Daiyan turned to the people around him and said urgently, "Let's go back to camp! Gather our men and prepare to resist! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!"

After saying that, he hurriedly mounted his horse, moving several times faster than usual. He spurred the horse and galloped towards the Little Valley Camp. The horse ran as fast as an arrow, and the leaders behind him also mounted their horses and followed him at full speed.

Daiyan spoke with great righteousness, appearing ready to live and die with Little Valley Camp. In reality, however, he was preoccupied with the treasures he had amassed at Little Valley Camp —the finest items he had collected over the years: exquisite pottery, superior bronzes, snow-white salt, bundles of hemp cloth, and several rare objects he had bought at high prices from the Tiger Tribe. These were things Daiyan had painstakingly accumulated over the years; they were his lifeblood, his most precious possessions, more important than his own life. Even if it cost him his life, he would take these treasures with him. He couldn't afford to lose a single important and valuable item. As he rode his horse, he calculated which items were the most valuable, which were the easiest to carry, and which he could do without. His mind raced.

When Daiyan arrived at Little Valley Camp, the dock was in complete chaos. Soldiers were running around like headless flies. Some were running into the camp, some were shouting, some were crying, some were cursing, some were looking for their weapons, and some were looking for their families. There were cries, shouts, and footsteps everywhere. It was a mess, like hell.

Ignoring all that, Daiyan led dozens of his trusted men straight to his residence. He pushed open the wooden door, rushed inside, and moved several times faster than usual. He bent over, rummaging through chests and cabinets, beginning to pack his treasures. As he packed, he urged his men, his voice urgent and shrill. "Hurry! Don't dawdle! Don't drop anything! Those things are valuable!"

On the dock, the clamor of battle cries grew closer and louder. Daiyan knew that the attackers had reached the dock of Little Valley Camp. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, which dripped down his face and onto the ground. He didn't bother to wipe it away and quickened his pace.

While ordering his men to assemble, he also had his men continue packing up their treasures. Soon, more than a thousand warriors from the Valley Tribe had assembled in the center of the camp. Most of these warriors were equipped with bronze weapons. Daiyan stood on high ground, watching his warriors assemble, their morale still high, and there were still quite a few of them. He breathed a slight sigh of relief, and his heartbeat slowed down a bit.

The Tiger Tribe and Bear Tribe came by boat. He was no match for them on the water; his boats were smaller, fewer, and less sturdy. But he had so many warriors on land, so he wasn't afraid of them. He believed that his elder Daiyue at the Valley Tribe headquarters had received the news and knew that something had happened at the Little Valley Camp. He thought they would react quickly and send troops to rescue him.

"Brothers!" Daiyan shouted, his voice echoing throughout the camp, making everyone's ears ring. "The Tiger Tribe and Bear Tribe are attacking, but they are strong on the water. On land, our Valley Tribe is not afraid of them! We have bronze weapons and thousands of warriors. As long as we hold the camp, we can wait for reinforcements from our main force! Anyone who dares to retreat will be killed without mercy!"

The warriors of the Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp shouted in unison, their voices deafening. They raised their weapons, brandishing them and yelling, their morale slightly boosted, no longer as panicked as before.