A Smooth Journey to the Big Horse River

The Clothing River Mouth is on the west bank of the Fish River, and the Big Horse River Mouth is on the east bank of the Fish River. The waterway between the two rivers is only half a day's boat ride. Going downstream along the Fish River, the boat moves quickly, the river wind whistles past your ears, and the scenery on both banks rushes by. Trees, grass, river beaches, and fields flash by like a moving painting.

Yan stood at the Chuantou of the largest ship, his hands gripping the gunwale, his gaze fixed ahead. The river wind tousled his hair, but he paid it no heed. A faint smile graced his face, but deep thought lingered in his eyes, as if he were contemplating something important.

Jia Li came out of the cabin, holding a piece of dry food in his hand, and walked to Yan's side while chewing.

"Young Chief, are you still thinking about the Big Horse River Basin?" he asked, his voice not loud, but somewhat scattered by the river breeze.

Yan nodded and said, "Yes, the tribes in the Big Horse River Basin are the focus of our trip. We've already reached an agreement with the Clothing Tribe. The next step is to see if the tribes in the Big Horse River Basin are willing to join our Fire Tribe."

Jia Li stuffed the last bite of dry rations into his mouth, chewed, swallowed, dusted off the crumbs, and then said, "I know a bit about the situation in the Big Horse River Basin. This area, located between the Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp Outpost and the Horse Tribe's sphere of influence, serves as a buffer zone between the two major powers. The Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp Outpost has been constrained by the Bear Tribe for many years and has not expanded in this direction. The Horse Tribe, on the other hand, does not want to directly border the Valley Tribe to avoid friction. In addition, the Horse Tribe's strength is limited, so they have not incorporated this territory into their own sphere of influence."

He paused, then pointed ahead and said, "So, this area is considered an independent region, not belonging to any major tribe. It governs itself and takes care of itself. The population is about 20,000, with the two largest tribes being the Maple Leaf Tribe and the Toon Tribe."

Yan turned to Jia Li and asked, "How are the Maple Leaf Tribe and the Toon Tribe doing now?"

Jia Li cleared his throat and continued, "The Maple Leaf Tribe and the Toon Tribe used to have small populations, each with only a little over a thousand people. Later, they started trading with our Fire Tribe, exchanging a lot of grain, salt, and pottery for their own use. Their lives gradually improved, and their populations increased considerably. Now, the two tribes together have about five thousand people, making them the two largest tribes in the Big Horse River Basin."

He paused, as if thinking for a moment, and then said, "These two tribes are becoming more and more familiar with and closer to our Fire Tribe."

Yan nodded, his gaze becoming more profound, and said, "Therefore, our Fire Tribe cannot successfully absorb population in the Big Horse River Basin without the help of these two tribes. If these two tribes are willing to join our Fire Tribe, it will be much easier for us to absorb population in the Big Horse River Basin."

Jia Li nodded and said, "Yes, the chief of the Maple Leaf Tribe and the chief of the Toon Tribe have a good relationship. They visit each other frequently and discuss matters together. If we can persuade both of them, it will be much easier to deal with the other small tribes in the Big Horse River Basin."

Yan listened without speaking, his gaze fixed ahead as if deep in thought. The fleet continued onward, the river flowing swiftly, the oars splashing, and the sails whistling.

Just past noon, the sun was still high overhead, and the Big Horse River Mouth was already faintly visible in the distance. A large crowd had already gathered on the dock at the Big Horse River Mouth, craning their necks to peer at the water. Some were dressed in linen, others in animal skins, and some were shirtless, their dark skin gleaming in the sunlight. When they saw the fleet of boats appearing in the distance, they immediately stirred with excitement. Some waved, some shouted, some jumped up and down; the scene was incredibly lively, like a bustling market during the New Year.

Two people stood at the front. The one on the left wore a long red linen robe that gleamed warmly in the sunlight. A hemp rope was tied around his waist, from which hung a bronze dagger. He wore straw sandals with mud clinging to the edges, clearly indicating that he had just come from the fields. He was Maple, the leader of the Maple Leaf Tribe.

The man on the right is wearing a gray linen robe, which is very clean but somewhat old, with frayed edges on the cuffs. He has a hemp rope tied around his waist, straw sandals on his feet, and a straw hat on his head with the brim pulled low, obscuring most of his face. He is Chunmu, the leader of the Toon Tribe.

The two stood on the dock, followed by several leaders from their respective tribes, all dressed in their most presentable clothes, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Fire Tribe's fleet. The gangplank was set up, and Yan stepped off the ship.

Feng and Chunmu quickly stepped forward, clasped their hands in a respectful greeting, and said, "Young Master Yan, welcome to the Big Horse River Basin!" Feng's voice was loud and clear. "You must be tired from your journey! Please come with me to the council hall to have something to eat and rest! We've prepared everything and are just waiting for you!"

Chunmu nodded repeatedly, his voice lower than Feng's, but he said sincerely, "Yes, Young Master Yan, we've been preparing ever since we received the news. We've slaughtered two sheep and a pig, and brought out our best fruit wine. Please do us the honor of coming and have a seat."

Yan returned the greeting with a fist and palm salute, a smile on his face, and said, "Chief Feng, Chunmu, there's no need for such formalities. I apologize for the intrusion and disturbance."

Feng waved his hands repeatedly and said, "Young Master Yan, what are you saying? We're overjoyed that you've come to our Big Horse River Basin! Please! Please come inside!"

Yan nodded, turned and said a few words to Jia Li, explaining the fleet's affairs. Then, leading Jia Li and Bailin, he followed Feng and Chunmu towards the camp. The Maple Leaf Tribe's council hall was in the center of the camp, a not-too-large but very sturdy wooden house. Stepping into the council hall, the light suddenly dimmed. Several oil lamps hung on the walls, their flames flickering, casting long and short shadows on the walls. Inside, there were several wooden tables covered with burlap, upon which were placed earthenware bowls and plates. The bowls and plates contained roasted meat, boiled fish, wild vegetables, flatbread, and several bowls of yellow liquid, emitting a faint fruity aroma.

Feng invited Yan to sit in the main seat, with Chunmu sitting next to him. Jia Li and Bailin sat in the lower seats. After Yan sat down, he gave Jia Li a wink, and Jia Li nodded, turned and walked out of the council hall. A moment later, he came in with several soldiers carrying two loads of things.

There were two carrying poles, tightly bound together with hemp rope. One end carried pottery and salt, and the other end carried several bronze daggers. The scabbards of the bronze daggers were engraved with simple patterns and gleamed under the oil lamp. They were clearly high-quality goods, not the cheap, poorly made kind.

When Feng and Chunmu saw the bronze short knives, their eyes lit up. Yan stood up, walked to the two carrying poles, opened one of them, took out a bronze short knife, and handed it to Feng.

"Chief Maple, this is a small token of the Fire Tribe's appreciation. Both the Maple Leaf Tribe and the Toon Tribe will contribute one load each."

Feng took the bronze dagger, holding it with both hands and carefully examining it. The blade was smooth and sharp, gleaming coldly under the light. He gently scraped the blade with his finger, and a trace of blood immediately seeped from his fingertip—but he felt no pain; instead, he laughed even more heartily, his mouth stretching to his ears.

"What a fine knife! What a fine knife!" His voice trembled slightly. "Young Master Yan, this... this is far too valuable! How can we possibly accept it?"

Yan waved his hand and said, "We're all brothers, no need to be so polite, this is nothing."

Chunmu also took a bronze dagger, examining it with obvious delight, his face full of smiles. "Young Chief Yan, the bronze weapons of your Fire Tribe are truly exquisite! We've seen bronze weapons before, but they were all secondhand goods bought from elsewhere, dull and ugly. Compared to your Fire Tribe's, they're like heaven and earth."

Feng carefully put away the dagger, invited everyone to take their seats, and then raised his wine bowl to toast Yan.

"Come! Chief Yan, although our tribes in the Big Horse River Basin are poor and don't have much of a good stuff, we do have some fruit wine. This wine is homemade, made with wild fruits from the mountains, and it tastes quite good. Let me offer you a bowl first! Welcome the Fire Tribe's fleet to our Big Horse River Basin!"

Yan also picked up his wine bowl, clinked it with Feng's, and drank it all in one gulp. The wine was sweet, with a faint fruity aroma. It wasn't spicy or pungent after going down his throat; instead, a warm feeling rose from his stomach and slowly spread throughout his body. Yan put down his wine bowl, picked up a piece of roasted meat, put it in his mouth, chewed it, and swallowed it. The meat was roasted well, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a perfect balance of saltiness and a smoky aroma.

"Chief Feng, your tribe has expanded considerably since then," Yan said, his voice tinged with emotion. "I just walked from the dock and saw many more wooden huts in the camp, and many more people. Even your tribesmen are generally much stronger, and their clothing and belongings are much better."

Upon hearing this, Feng's smile deepened, and the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes smoothed out.

"Speaking of which, we have to thank your Fire Tribe for this!" His voice was full of gratitude. "Since our tribe started trading with the Fire Tribe, our lives have improved day by day. Before, the tribes in our Big Horse River Basin had a tough time in the summer, but the winters were unbearable. Sometimes, a heavy snowfall would freeze or starve several people to death."

He paused, sighed, and shook his head, saying, "Since we started trading with your Fire Tribe, our lives have become much better, and our population has gradually increased. We used to have over a thousand people, but now we have over two thousand. It's not just our Maple Leaf Tribe; even the Toon Tribe has seen a significant improvement in its population."

Chunmu nodded repeatedly, echoing, "Yes, thanks to your Fire Tribe, we can live such a life. In the past, many of the elderly and children in our tribe often couldn't survive the winters; some froze to death, and some starved to death. Now, we're no longer afraid of winter, and the children have grown taller and stronger, no longer the skin and bones they used to be."

He raised his wine bowl and offered another to Yan: "Young Chief Yan, this bowl, on behalf of all the people of the Toon Tribe, is a Fire Tribe! Thank you!"

Yan also picked up his wine bowl, clinked it with Feng's, and drank it all in one gulp. After setting the bowl down, Feng spoke again, his voice tinged with a mixture of probing and anticipation. "Young Chief Yan, I heard that your Fire Tribe joined forces with the Valley Tribe a few days ago and defeated both the Tiger Tribe and the Bear Tribe? I could hardly believe it when I heard that news."

Yan nodded and said, "It's true. The Tiger Tribe and the Bear Tribe attacked the Valley Tribe without cause. Our Fire Tribe and the Valley Tribe are allies, so it's natural that we should help them. We fought a battle with the Tiger Tribe's fleet on the Fish River and repelled them."

Maple and Chunmu exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with shock, awe, and a complex mix of emotions that were hard to define.

"The Fire Tribe's strength is truly astounding!" Feng exclaimed, his voice filled with admiration. "The Tiger Tribe is the overlord of the Fish River Basin, a massive tribe of 180,000! All the tribes in our Big Horse River Basin combined only number 20,000. We're nothing but ants compared to the Tiger Tribe. For your Fire Tribe to defeat the Tiger Tribe... this is truly remarkable!"

Chunmu nodded and said, "Chief Yan, I've heard that your Fire Tribe has been recruiting people. What are the requirements for joining your Fire Tribe? Are the tribes in our Big Horse River Basin qualified to join your Fire Tribe?"

Yan was surprised that the other party had asked this question before he even explained his purpose. He was slightly pleased, but he didn't show it on his face, maintaining a calm smile. He put down his chopsticks, sat up straight, and glanced at Feng and Chunmu's faces. His voice Chenwen and unhurried as he said, "Our Fire Tribe currently has 160,000 people, and we are indeed still recruiting. No matter which tribe you come from, as long as you sincerely join our Fire Tribe, are willing to work, and are willing to abide by our Fire Tribe's rules, you will be well-fed and clothed, and you will be protected."

He paused, looked into Feng and Chunmu's eyes, and said in a more sincere tone, "Chief Feng, Chief Chunmu, if you are willing to join our Fire Tribe Fire Tribe, we would certainly welcome you."

Maple and Chunmu exchanged another glance. This time, their gazes lingered for a longer time, as if they were exchanging ideas or discussing something. The council hall fell silent, so quiet that the sound of the oil lamps burning could be heard.

After a long while, Feng turned to look at Yan, his eyes filled with determination, and said, "Young Chief Yan, most of the tribes in our Big Horse River Basin are willing to join the Fire Tribe. The Tiger Tribe suffered a loss this time, and they will definitely attack again next time. This area will definitely be affected by the war. We small tribes are sandwiched between large tribes and have no ability to protect ourselves. We can only ask others for protection."

He paused, his voice lowering slightly, and said, "We hope that after joining the Fire Tribe Fire Tribe, they will relocate our elderly, women, and children to the rear, away from the battlefield and danger. We have no other requests."

Chunmu nodded in agreement, saying, "Yes, we're used to hardship. We're not afraid of hard work or suffering. As long as our people are safe and our children can grow up, we're content. We don't care about anything else."

Yan felt a warmth in his heart upon hearing this. He looked at Feng and Chunmu, his eyes filled with sincerity and gratitude, and said, "Alright! No problem! Don't worry, our Fire Tribe will make proper arrangements. Your elderly and children will be settled in safe places with food, clothing, and shelter. Your warriors, if they are willing to fight, can join our Fire Tribe's army; if they don't want to fight, they can farm, fish, or work—anything is fine. As long as you're willing to work, you won't go hungry or cold."

Upon hearing this, Feng and Chunmu smiled with relief. Feng picked up his wine bowl and offered another to Yan: "Young Chief Yan, with your words, we are relieved! Our Maple Leaf Tribe is willing to join the Fire Tribe!"

Chunmu also raised his wine bowl. "Our Toon Tribe is also willing to join the Fire Tribe!"

The three earthenware bowls clinked together, making a crisp sound, splashing Shuihua and leaving a few damp spots on the table. The three men simultaneously tilted their heads back and drank it all in one gulp. Setting down their bowls, Yan looked at Feng and Chunmu and said, "Chief Feng, Chief Chunmu, if the Fire Tribe is willing to absorb other tribes in the Big Horse River Basin, would you be willing to help make the connections? You've lived here for so long; you know the situation here much better than we do. You should know which tribes are willing to join and which are still hesitating."

Feng nodded and said without hesitation, "Yes! Of course! Leave it to us. In the meantime, we'll visit various tribes, talk to them, and persuade them to join the Fire Tribe. After the autumn harvest, once we've collected all the grain, we'll lead everyone to migrate to the Fire Tribe."

Chunmu nodded and said, "Yes, there are still quite a few small tribes in the Big Horse River Basin, totaling more than 10,000 people. They have long heard of the Fire Tribe's reputation, but they have never had the opportunity to make contact. They don't know if the Fire Tribe would be willing to take them in. If we go and negotiate, they will definitely agree; nine times out of ten, they will agree."

Upon hearing this, Yan was overjoyed and said, "That's wonderful! Chief Feng, Chief Chunmu, don't worry. As long as you handle this matter well, I will personally speak to my father on your behalf! You have made such a great contribution to the Fire Tribe; the Fire Tribe will never forget you!"

Upon hearing this, Feng and Chunmu waved their hands repeatedly, but their smiles grew even brighter. "Young Master Yan, you're too kind! This is what we should do! Now that we've decided to join the Fire Tribe, we naturally want to contribute to its Fire Tribe!"

"Yes, from now on we're all family, no need for formalities! Your Fire Tribe's affairs are our affairs!"

Yan picked up his wine bowl and offered another bowl to the two men. The three chatted for a while longer, and then Yan asked Jia Li to bring out some bronze weapons and salt to leave in the Maple Leaf Tribe.

"Keep these bronze weapons and salt for now. You'll be contacting other tribes during this time. Having some valuable items will make things easier to negotiate and get things done," Yan said to Feng and Chunmu, pointing to the items.

Feng and Chunmu's eyes lit up when they saw the bronze weapons and salt. They couldn't stop thanking Yan, wishing they could rip their hearts out to him. The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Yan led his fleet away from the Big Horse River Mouth. Feng and Chunmu, along with the tribal leaders, stood on the dock to see them off, craning their necks and waving as they watched the fleet sail away.

Yan stood at the Chuantou, turned around and waved to the dock. The fleet sailed into the main channel of the Fish River and went upstream. Jia Li walked to Yan's side, his face beaming with joy.

"Young Chief, the matter in the Big Horse River Basin is going even more smoothly than we expected. The two largest tribes, Maple Leaf Tribe and Toon Tribe, have both agreed to join our Fire Tribe and are even willing to help us contact other tribes. After the autumn harvest, the Big Horse River Basin will bring at least 15,000 people to our Fire Tribe."

Yan nodded and said, "Yes, it went more smoothly than expected. With the population from the Big Horse River Basin, our Fire Tribe's population will exceed 180,000, which is about the same as the Tiger Tribe's."

He paused, then continued, "Next up is the Horse Tribe."

Jia Li nodded and said, "Junfeng, the chief of the Horse Tribe, is a shrewd and capable man. He has a good impression of our Fire Tribe, but he is still observing and hesitating. This time when we go, we must have a good talk with him and let him see the strength and sincerity of our Fire Tribe."

Yan remained silent as the fleet continued its journey, the scenery on both banks constantly changing—trees, fields, and hills flashing past.