Strife

Hu Zheng then looked at Hu Bashan and said, "Hu Bashan, you are stationed in the east to defend against the Wuyue Tribe. Your responsibility is heavy. There were reasons why you transferred the fleet this time. I don't blame you."

Hu Bashan also clasped his hands in a salute and said, "Thank you, Chief."

Hu Zheng nodded, his voice still calm, and said, "Let's just let this matter rest. Everyone, stop arguing and fighting. Our Tiger Tribe is facing many difficulties. To the east are the Wuyue Tribe, to the west are the Shu Tribe, and upstream there is the rapidly rising Fire Tribe. If we don't unite internally and continue arguing and fighting like this, our Tiger Tribe will collapse sooner or later and be swallowed up by others. I hope everyone will prioritize the tribe and the overall situation, put aside personal grudges, unite, and work together against external threats."

Hu Bashan and Tong Dachui both lowered their heads and remained silent, but only they knew what they were thinking. Hu Zheng looked at them and sighed inwardly.

He knew that these words were meaningless, these principles were meaningless. The conflict between Hu Bashan and Tong Dachui could not be resolved with a few words, nor could it be solved in a day or two. Their struggle would continue and last for a long time, but he was not in a hurry. He had a lifetime to take it slow.

After the Tiger Tribe's council meeting adjourned, everyone dispersed. The Great Elder, Tongding, walked in front, leaning on his bronze-tipped cane. He walked steadily and slowly, his back ramrod straight and his head held high, revealing no emotion or depth.

Tong Dachui followed behind him, his steps hurried. His face was still unpleasant, gloomy and heavy, like a dark cloud pressing down on those around him, making it hard for them to breathe. His brows were furrowed and his lips were turned down.

The father and son walked one after the other through the camp, along small paths, and past rows of wooden houses, until they arrived at the place where the Great Copper Tribe tribe often gathered. It was a small but sturdy wooden house located in the northeast corner of the camp, with a view of the river right outside. Several large willow trees were planted around the house, their branches hanging down to block the view and noise from outside. The house was very quiet.

Tongding sat down in the main seat, in a chair made of thick, round wood, with patterns carved on the back, simple and solemn. He leaned his cane against the side of the chair, placed his hands on the armrests, and tapped his fingers lightly, making a rhythmic sound.

Tong Dachui sat down beside him, and before he was even properly seated, he spoke, his voice filled with anger and resentment. "Father, although I wasn't punished this time, Hu Bashan and his Hu Bashan weren't punished either. Moreover, they didn't take the Fire Tribe Fire Tribe upstream of the Fish River seriously at all, not considering them a threat. I mentioned in the council hall that the Fire Tribe had five giant ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin, fifty large ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 jin, many small boats, bronze weapons, and well-trained warriors, but they completely dismissed it, saying that the Fire Tribe, a newly risen small tribe, couldn't possibly be that powerful!"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, his voice growing louder and louder, like thunder. His face turned bright red, like a monkey's bottom, and the veins on his forehead bulged out, wriggling under his skin like earthworms. He slammed his hand heavily on the table, and with a bang, the ceramic bowl on the table jumped up and clattered.

Tongding didn't speak immediately, but simply looked at his son with a calm, unreadable gaze, revealing neither his emotions nor his anger. After a long while, he finally spoke, "I know who Hu Bashan and his gang are, I know them better than you do. I know even better what they're afraid of."

He paused, picked up the earthenware bowl on the table, took a sip of water to moisten his throat, and then continued, "The Fire Tribe in the upper reaches of the Fish River has risen rapidly and is indeed a big problem and a big threat. But Hu Bashan and his group don't see it that way, or rather, they don't want to see it that way. They are afraid that our faction will expand its influence in the army through war, afraid that our power in the army will become stronger and stronger, and afraid that one day we will overwhelm them and swallow up their power."

He put down the ceramic bowl and continued, "Over the years, they have gradually increased their influence in the military through foreign wars."

His voice lowered, tinged with resentment and unwillingness, as he said, "Although our Great Copper Tribe has mastered bronze technology and controls the economic lifeline of the Tiger Tribe, our influence in the army has never surpassed theirs. This is reality, a cruel reality."

Tong Dachui nodded and said, "Yes, Father, the combined strength of the three brothers, Hu Bashan, Hu Zhenshan, and Hu Dingshan, is already quite formidable. With the support of leaders like Hu Ben and Hu Yi, their influence in the army is now comparable to ours. There are also many leaders in the tribe who remain neutral, neither siding with nor offending either side. As long as we don't find fault with them, it will be extremely difficult for us to take action against them. It's like a tiger trying to eat a hedgehog—we don't know where to begin."

Tongding sneered, "If it weren't for the fact that we control most of the army here, and if we didn't also control most of the tribe's economy and personnel, these three brothers would have jumped up long ago and torn off all pretense of civility. The reason they're still holding back and pretending to sit in the same council hall with us is because they know that if they really turn against us, they won't gain anything and will pay a heavy price."

Tong Dachui nodded, thought for a moment, and then said, "Father, there's one more thing. That kid Hu Zheng has become increasingly unruly these past few years. When he first took over, he listened to everything we said and did whatever we told him to do, like a puppet on a string. Now that he's grown up and his wings have hardened, he's started to have his own ideas and has begun to disobey us."

His voice turned angry as he said, "Over the years, he has often not stood on our side, always trying to maintain a balance, like trying to smooth things over. Behind the scenes, he has been constantly trying to win over neutral people, little by little, one by one. Now his strength is second only to our two factions."

He paused, gritted his teeth, and said with resentment, "Doesn't he realize that if it weren't for our Dali support in helping him secure his position as leader, he wouldn't be where he is today! When his father, Hu Qingtian, died, he was only five years old, he didn't understand anything, he couldn't do anything. It was us who supported him from behind, we who shielded him from the front, that prevented him from being crippled by Hu Bashan and his gang! Now, he's all grown up, he wants to fly away, he wants to kick us aside!"

The Tongding, upon hearing this, did not get angry; instead, it smiled, but its eyes concealed deep calculations and schemes.

"You don't need to worry about that. I'm aware of Hu Zheng's little tricks. I know exactly how many people he's won over, what he's given them, and who he's talked to."

He picked up the earthenware bowl, took another sip of water, and continued, "Whether he's trying to maintain a balance or winning people over, it might not be a bad thing for us. By not siding with either side and not offending either, it means he won't completely side with Hu Bashan Hu Bashan. As long as he doesn't side with them, we still have a chance."

He looked at the Tong Dachui, his gaze now carrying a hint of sternness and admonition, and said:

"Therefore, for now, don't provoke or target him. Give him face when necessary, and respect him when appropriate. Let him feel that our faction can cooperate and coexist. After we defeat Hu Bashan and his gang, we can deal with him slowly."

Although still somewhat resentful, Tong Dachui nodded and agreed, "Yes, Father, I will listen to you."

Tongding nodded in satisfaction and said, "What we need to do now is to continuously strengthen our own power. In recent years, we have already won over those we could and attacked those we could within the Tiger Tribe. It's very difficult to extract more strength from within; we can't dig any more out. Therefore, we must now turn our attention to the outside. The Bear Tribe is our target. They suffered a loss in the Valley Tribe this time, losing a large amount of resources. They must be resentful and want to find an opportunity for revenge. We can use this to our advantage, giving them more support and assistance, making them a thorn in our side in the middle reaches of the Fish River, a thorn driven into the hearts of the Valley Tribe and Fire Tribe."

Tong Dachui nodded, his eyes filled with admiration, and said, "Father is right. Although the Bear Tribe is not large, its location is excellent, in the middle reaches of the Fish River. If we can firmly grasp the Bear Tribe, it's like putting a knife between the Valley Tribe and the Fire Tribe, allowing us to stab them at any time."

Tongding continued, "The Willow Vine Tribe and the Great Luwei Tribe, which border our Tiger Tribe, are also targets for our development. Although these two tribes are not large, their locations are very important. If we can absorb these two tribes, the military strength directly controlled by our Great Copper Tribe will greatly increase. The population will increase, food will increase, resources will increase—everything will increase. At that time, the military strength of our Great Copper Tribe will surpass that of the three brothers, Hu Bashan, and Tiger Town Mountain, by a large margin. After defeating those three brothers, the Tiger Tribe will be under the control of our Great Copper Tribe. Hu Bashan, Hu Zhenshan, and Hu Dingshan will all have to step aside and listen to us!"

Tong Dachui listened with fervor, his eyes sparkling, and said, "Father, you have such a brilliant plan! I admire you!"

Tongding waved his hand and said, "Don't rush to praise me. The road ahead is long, and there's still a lot to do. You need to send more people to the Bear Tribe, contact them more, and give them more support. I will also send more people to the Willow Vine Tribe and the Great Luwei Tribe to make contact and win them over. These are all delicate tasks, and we can't rush them; we have to take it slowly."

Tong Dachui nodded and said, "Father, rest assured, I will definitely do a good job in handling the matter you entrusted to me, and I will never let you down!"

The Tongding nodded, waved its hand, and said, "Go and do your work."

Tong Dachui turned and left the wooden house. His footsteps gradually faded away and finally disappeared behind the willow tree. Tongding sat alone in the house, lost in thought. More than a hundred years ago, the Great Copper Tribe fled south from the north and sought refuge with the Tiger Tribe. At that time, they were just a group of refugees, ragged and emaciated, like a pack of stray dogs, like a group of homeless orphans.

The Tiger Tribe took them in, gave them food, shelter, and a way to survive. They repaid the Tiger Tribe with bronze technology, helping the Tiger Tribe grow from a medium-sized tribe of a few thousand people into the hegemon of the Fish River Basin, and then into a behemoth of 180,000 people.

But now, the conflict between them and the Tiger Tribe is getting deeper and more irreconcilable. The Tiger Tribe says that their Great Copper Tribe are outsiders, refugees, and parasites who eat for free.

They say the Tiger Tribe is ungrateful and betrays its people. Who is right and who is wrong? Who is good and who is bad? Tongding doesn't know, and he's too lazy to think about it. He only knows that in this dog-eat-dog world, there is no right or wrong, no good or bad, only strength and fists.

Whoever has the bigger fist is right, whoever is stronger is right. He took a deep breath, stood up with his cane, and slowly walked out of the wooden house. The willow branches swayed gently in the wind, like green curtains. Tongding squinted at the sun in the sky, and then walked towards his dwelling.

While Tongding and Tong Dachui were plotting in the wooden hut, the three brothers Hu Bashan, Hu Zhenshan, and Hu Dingshan, along with the two leaders Hu Ben and Hu Yi, were also discussing matters at their meeting point. Their meeting point was in the southwest corner of the camp, a wooden hut built of thick round logs, which was larger and simpler than Tongding's hut. There were no trees planted around the hut, and it was bare. One could see the camp in the distance at a glance. Two warriors with spears stood at the door, burly and with sharp eyes, like two guardian deities.

Several animal skins hung on the wall: tiger skin, bear skin, and Bison. These were all trophies from Hu Bashan's hunting over the years, each one from a hunt he had personally taken, and each one with a story.

Hu Bashan sat in the main seat, in a wide and large chair carved from a single piece of wood. He sat there with an air of authority, his hands on the armrests, his back ramrod straight, a smug smile on his face, his lips upturned, and his eyes narrowed into slits, like a victorious general.

Hu Zhenshan sat to his right with a smile on his face. Hu Dingshan sat to his left, sitting quietly and not saying much, just listening, occasionally nodding or shaking his head. Hu Ben and Hu Yi sat below him. Both of them were leaders of the Tiger Tribe, members of the Great Tiger Tribe, and direct descendants of Hu Bashan and Hu Zhenshan.

Hu Zhenshan said to Hu Bashan, "Brother, you're truly amazing! This time, Tongding Ding wanted his son, Tong Dachui, to transfer our western troops to fight in the Valley Tribe. He wanted to seize my military power and weaken my influence in the western army. As soon as I sensed something was wrong, I quickly sent you a message, asking you to find a solution in the east. Sure enough, you led your men to cause trouble in the east, clashing with the Wuyue Tribe. They had no choice but to hand over most of their troops, and they couldn't find any fault with it or say a word."

He chuckled and continued, "That old man with the Tongding thinks he's so clever, that we don't know what he's up to. He doesn't even realize how many years we've been in the Tiger Tribe, what storms haven't we weathered, what conspiracies haven't we encountered? His little tricks might fool others, but they won't fool us!"

Hu Bashan laughed loudly and arrogantly, the laughter echoing throughout the room.

"They think I don't know about their little tricks? How laughable! Just now they were loudly proclaiming the threat of the Fire Tribe in the council hall, saying that the Fire Tribe Fire Tribe has five giant ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin, fifty large ships with the Fire Tribe capacity of 50,000 jin, many small boats, bronze weapons, and well-trained warriors. What are they trying to do by saying all Fire Tribe? Aren't they just trying to scare us and get us to agree to send troops upstream to the Fire Tribe?"

He scoffed, "No way! The Fire Tribe just a newly risen tribe. How powerful can it be? They can manufacture bronze ware and build massive ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin. Don't the Shu Tribe Shu Tribe Wu-Yue Wuyue Tribe have hundreds of thousands of people? Don't they have bronze weapons? Don't they have giant ships? We've been fighting the Shu Tribe and Wu -Wuyue Tribe Wuyue Tribe for so many years, and we haven't seen them cause any major upheavals or wipe out the Tiger Tribe! What is the Fire Tribe? Does it even deserve our main force to deal with?"

Hu Dingshan chimed in, "Yes, elder brother is right. Tongding and his group want to expand their influence in the army through war, to completely seize our military power, and to kick the three of us brothers out of the army. We must not fall into their trap, we must not fall for their scheme!"

Hu Bashan nodded, his gaze turning serious. Looking at his two younger brothers, he said solemnly, "Don't worry, brothers. As long as the three of us work together, this old man with the Tongding can't do anything to us. He's been operating in the Tiger Tribe for decades; he's deeply entrenched and powerful. But we're not pushovers either!"

He paused, his voice lowering slightly, tinged with wariness, and said, "However, we still need to be careful of this old Tongding man; he's quite cunning."

Hu Zhenshan nodded, his smile fading and replaced by a more serious expression. He said, "We do need to be careful. This old man with the Tongding has been constantly winning over neutral leaders, attacking those who oppose him, eliminating dissidents, and installing his cronies over the years. I've heard that they've also been using their influence to continuously support the vassal tribes outside, winning their hearts and minds and expanding their influence. Now their faction's influence in the Fish River Basin is growing, and many small tribes are willing to submit to them, listen to their words, and be mindful of their moods."

Hu Bashan frowned and said, "This is indeed a problem. If we let Old Man Tongding win over all those small tribes, our influence in the Fish River Basin will be greatly weakened, and our status within the tribes will also be affected."

He thought for a moment, then looked up at Hu Zhenshan and Hu Dingshan, and said, "We need to pay more attention to this area and send more people to visit those small tribes. We can't let that old man Tongding get all the benefits."

Hu Zhenshan nodded and said, "Brother is right. I'll arrange for people to do it when I get back, and visit those small tribes more often."

Hu Dingshan nodded, and Hu Bashan nodded in satisfaction, saying, "Alright, that's enough for today. Everyone go back and get on with your own business. Do what you're supposed to do. I don't need to tell you. But remember, no matter what happens, the three of us brothers must be of one mind and stand together."

Hu Zhenshan and Hu Dingshan also stood up, clasped their hands in a salute, and said, "Don't worry, brother, we've got it."

Hu Ben and Hu Yi also stood up, clasped their hands in a salute, Hu Bashan nodded and waved his hand, saying, "Go."

The group filed out and dispersed. Hu Bashan led Hu Ben eastward toward the eastern camp. Hu Zhenshan led Hu Yi westward toward the western camp. Hu Dingshan led his men northward toward the northern camp. They each went in their own direction, busy with their own affairs. But they all knew in their hearts that this struggle had only just begun, and the road ahead was long and arduous.

At the Tiger Tribe's dock, the fleet of ships was quietly moored, one after another, neatly arranged. The soldiers on board were busy, some repairing sails, some tidying ropes, and some wiping weapons. Their movements were skilled and quick, clearly those of well-trained veterans.

Hu Zheng stood on the dock, looking at the river with a distant gaze. Behind him stood several young leaders, all newcomers he had recruited over the years—loyal, capable, and energetic.

"Chief, Tong Dachui suffered a defeat in the Valley Tribe this time, and the Great Elder's faction has suffered a significant blow. Should we take this opportunity to do something?" a young chieftain asked in a low voice.

Hu Zheng shook his head, his gaze calm, and said, "No rush, let them fight. The fiercer their battle, the more advantageous it is for us."