The Journey Home and Its Rewards

The fleet traveled upstream along the Fish River, not too fast, but not too slow either. Yan stood at the Chuantou, watching the scenery on both banks slowly recede. He had traveled this route many times, but each time the scenery was different. When the fleet passed the Green Leaf River Mouth Outpost, Yan ordered the fleet to dock.

On the dock, Feiyu, Shibang, and Yingmu had already received the news and were waiting with their men. Yan jumped off the boat and landed on the dock with a dull thud.

"Young Chief, you're back!" Shibang strode forward, a simple, honest smile on his face. "Was the journey smooth?"

Yan nodded, patted Shibang on the shoulder, and said, "It went smoothly. We reached an agreement with the Horse Tribe; they won't interfere with our absorption of smaller tribes. We also reached an agreement with the Big Horse River Basin; the Maple Leaf Tribe and the Toon Tribe are both willing to join our Fire Tribe."

Upon hearing this, Shibang's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed, "That's wonderful! There's a large population in the Big Horse River Basin. If they all join our Fire Tribe, our Fire Tribe's population will increase significantly!"

Feiyu stepped forward, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Young Chief, everything is normal at the Green Leaf River Mouth Outpost; there are no major problems."

Yingmu nodded without speaking. Yan looked at the three of them and said, "Feiyu, Shibang, Yingmu, the three of you keep a close watch on the Clothing River South Bank River Mouth Outpost, Little Horse River Mouth Outpost, and Green Leaf River Mouth Outpost. These strongholds are important outposts for our Fire Tribe, and we can't afford any trouble."

He paused, thought for a moment, and then said, "After the first harvest this year, gather all the small tribes that are planning to join our Fire Tribe at the Green Leaf River Mouth Outpost. I'll go back to the Fire Tribe management center and wait for Dazhuang's grain transport fleet to return, then I'll come and pick them up. The Fire Tribe now has many large boats, so we can transport nearly five thousand people and their belongings in one trip, without having to make two trips."

Shibang patted his chest and said, "Young Chief, don't worry! Leave this to us! We'll make sure you get everyone gathered!"

Feiyu nodded and said, "We will arrange food and lodging for them, so that the people from those small tribes will have a place to stay and something to eat, and they won't be mistreated."

Yingmu said, "I will bring men to maintain order; there won't be any trouble."

Yan nodded, gave a few more instructions, and then turned and boarded the boat. The fleet continued upstream, and after ten days of travel since leaving the Horse Tribe, they finally returned to the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost.

For the past ten days, Yan has spent most of his time standing at the Chuantou, staring blankly at the river. Sometimes he is thinking about things, about the gains of this trip, and about the next steps of the Fire Tribe; other times his mind is blank, he is not thinking about anything, he just watches the river flow and listens to the wind howling.

This feeling of not thinking about anything is actually quite nice. The dock at the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost is getting closer and closer, and the figures on the dock are becoming clearer. Yan saw that there were quite a few people standing on the dock, and the familiar figure at the front was none other than his father, Jianshi.

The fleet docked, and Yan jumped off the ship, striding towards the Jianshi.

"Father, I'm back." He walked up to the Jianshi, clasped his hands in a respectful greeting.

Jianshi Shi helped him up, looking him over with concern and relief in his eyes. "It's good that you're back. Did you encounter any trouble on the way? Was everything alright?"

Yan nodded and said, "It went smoothly. The negotiations with the Clothing Tribe were successful; the negotiations with the Horse Tribe were also successful, and they won't interfere with our absorption of smaller tribes. The situation in the Big Horse River Basin went the best; the Maple Leaf Tribe and the Toon Tribe have taken the initiative to join our Fire Tribe and are even willing to help us contact other smaller tribes to join Fire Tribe."

Upon hearing this, Jianshi nodded repeatedly and said, "Good! Well done! Let's go back to the council hall. Tell me everything clearly, one point at a time, without omitting anything."

Yan followed his father into the council hall of the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost and sat down in a chair. Jianshi sat in the main seat, looking at Yan with expectant eyes. Yan picked up the ceramic bowl on the table, took a sip of water to moisten his throat, and then spoke.

He recounted the entire journey from beginning to end: first, he went to the Clothing Tribe, met Zhixia, discussed trade, and obtained the Clothing Tribe's consent; then he went to the Big Horse River Basin, met Feng and Chunmu, and the Maple Leaf Tribe and Toon Tribe voluntarily requested to join the Fire Tribe; finally, he went to the Horse Tribe, met Junfeng, Junfeng agreed that the Fire Tribe could absorb independent small tribes, as long as the core subordinate tribes of the Horse Tribe were not touched. Jianshi listened very carefully, nodding from time to time and occasionally asking a few questions.

After Yan finished speaking, Jianshi remained silent for a while before saying, "You did a good job this time. The Clothing Tribe and the Horse Tribe are both pragmatic; they know our Fire Tribe is powerful and dare not offend us. The Maple Leaf Tribe and the Toon Tribe in the Big Horse River Basin are an unexpected bonus; they voluntarily joined our Fire Tribe, saving us a lot of trouble."

He paused, thought for a moment, and then said, "Once Dazhuang's grain transport fleet returns, the first harvest of the year will be complete. You will take the fleet directly to the Green Leaf River Mouth Outpost and bring those five thousand people back to the Fire Tribe's main valley for resettlement. This is a major event and cannot be delayed."

Yan nodded and said, "Yes, Father. This time when I came back from the Horse Tribe, I also got a lot of furs, herbs, and beef tendons—all good stuff."

Jianshi nodded repeatedly, saying, "Good! Good! These things are indeed useful. Have Jia Li take inventory, register them in the warehouse, and make sure they're not mixed up or lost."

The father and son chatted for a while longer before Yan got up and left the council hall. For the next period of time, the entire Fire Tribe was busy with farm work. The first harvest season had arrived, and the millet in the fields was golden yellow, with heavy ears of grain bending the backs.

The villagers, carrying stone and bronze sickles, bent over in the fields cutting millet. The sun beat down fiercely, and sweat streamed down their faces, dripping onto the ground and seeping into the soil. But no one complained of being tired or suffering; everyone wore smiles, because this year's harvest was better than last year's. The ears of millet were fuller, and the grains were more plump. Everyone knew in their hearts that they would not go hungry this winter.

Yan led his men down to the field. He wore a gray linen robe with a hemp rope around his waist and straw sandals on his feet. He bent over, holding a bronze sickle, and cut the millet piece by piece. With each stroke of the sickle, the millet fell down in neat rows. Sweat streamed down his face and dripped into the soil. He wiped it with his sleeve and continued to bend over.

A young soldier standing nearby, seeing him personally harvesting the rice, felt a little embarrassed and said, "Young commander, we can do these chores; you don't need to go to the field yourself."

Yan looked up at him, smiled, and said, "I'm also from the Fire Tribe. Why can't I work in the fields? Everyone's working, so I can't just sit idle. Besides, harvesting grain isn't tiring; it's much easier than fighting a war."

The soldier laughed along with him, then stopped talking and continued cutting the millet.

Yan likes this feeling of working. He doesn't have to think too much or rack his brains. He just needs to bend down, grip the sickle, and cut the ground piece by piece. When he gets tired, he can straighten up and catch his breath. When he's thirsty, he can drink some water. When he's hungry, he can eat some dry rations. The sun is shining, the wind is blowing, and sweat is flowing, but he feels exceptionally at ease.

That evening, Yan was working in the field when Jia Li walked briskly over from the dock with a smile on his face.

"Young Chief! Young Chief! Dazhuang's grain transport fleet is back!"

Yan straightened up, put down the sickle, and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. "You're back? The grain has all been brought back?"

Jia Li nodded, his voice filled with excitement, "It's all back! Boatloads of grain, loaded to the brim!"

Yan smiled upon hearing this, handed the sickle to a soldier next to him, and walked towards the dock. On the dock, Dazhuang's fleet of ships were docking one after another, unloading cargo. Bags of grain were being unloaded from the ships and piled on the dock. Soldiers carried sacks back and forth, their steps hurried.

Dazhuang jumped off the largest boat and, seeing Yan approaching, strode up to him, saying, "Yan! We're back! The Valley Tribe cooperated very well; loading the boats was quick and didn't delay anything!"

Yan patted Dazhuang on the shoulder, his eyes full of approval, and said, "You've worked hard. How's the situation with the Valley Tribe? Have the Tiger Tribe and Bear Tribe caused any more trouble?"

Dazhuang shook his head and said, "No, things are peaceful over in the Valley Tribe. Neither the Tiger Tribe nor the Bear Tribe has come again. Chief Daiyue asked me to convey his gratitude to the Fire Tribe for their support, and that he would properly thank them after the autumn harvest. He also said that the Tiger Tribe hasn't been making any moves lately, and they're probably still resting and won't be coming again anytime soon."

Yan nodded, relieved, and said, "That's good. This is the busy farming season, so let's focus on harvesting the grain first. We can discuss other matters after the autumn harvest."

Dazhuang nodded and turned to direct the unloading. The grain took two whole days to unload. Jianshi personally led the team to count and store it, counting bag by bag and recording each item. He was so busy that his feet barely touched the ground, but the smile on his face never stopped.

After all the grain was stored, Yan began preparing to depart for the Green Leaf River Mouth Outpost. He instructed Jia Li to prepare a fleet of ships: ten giant ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin, dozens of large ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 jin, and many small ships, all empty and ready to carry people. He also instructed the logistics department to prepare sufficient supplies for the new recruits to eat and use on the road.

Two days later, the fleet set off from the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost. Yan and Dazhuang traveled together. When they arrived at the Green Leaf River Mouth Outpost, Dazhuang stayed behind while Yan continued to lead the fleet and people towards the Fire Tribe's main valley.

Upon arriving at the Green Leaf River Mouth Outpost, Feiyu, Shibang, and Yingmu had already gathered everyone together. The dock was packed with people, men, women, and children. Their faces showed anticipation, unease, tension, and excitement. They stared wide-eyed and gaped as they looked at the Fire Tribe's massive fleet, chattering amongst themselves.

"My God, these ships are huge! They're dozens of times bigger than the biggest ship in our tribe!"

"The Fire Tribe is indeed powerful! No wonder they were able to defeat the Tiger Tribe!"

"From now on, we're part of the Fire Tribe! I heard that the Fire Tribe has plenty to eat every day and doesn't freeze in winter, is that true?"

"Of course it's true! My cousin's wife's brother lives in the Fire Tribe, and he says life Fire Tribe is great!"

Yan jumped off the boat and walked to the front of the crowd. When the crowd saw him, they fell silent, their eyes fixed on him with curiosity, awe, and anticipation.

Yan clasped his hands in a respectful greeting and said in a loud voice, "Everyone! Welcome to the Fire Tribe! From today onwards, you are all members of the Fire Tribe! We, the Fire Tribe, will ensure that as long as you are willing to work and not slack off, you will have enough to eat, warm clothes, and a place to live. We will not let anyone go hungry, cold, or be bullied!"

The crowd fell silent for a moment, then erupted in deafening cheers.

"Well!"

Yan raised his hand and gestured for everyone to quiet down. "Everyone, line up and get on the boat! Don't push, one at a time! The elderly and children go first!"

Organized by Feiyu, Shibang, and Yingmu, the new tribesmen formed several long lines and began to board the boats. The Fire Tribe's boats were large and numerous, more than enough to hold these several thousand people. Once on board, the new tribesmen looked around, touching this and that, finding everything new and intriguing.

Yan stood at the Chuantou of the largest ship, watching the last person board, and waved to the shore.

"Set off!"

As the horn sounded, the fleet slowly left the dock, one ship after another entering the main river channel and sailing upstream along the Fish River. After more than ten days, the fleet arrived at the Fire Tribe's Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost that morning.

The Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost is the gateway to the Fire Tribe's main valley. The Fire Creek River is not deep enough for large ships to enter; they can only dock at the pier at the river mouth outpost.

At the dock, Jianya had already received the news and was waiting with his men. Yan jumped off the ship, but before he could speak, his gaze was drawn to the several large ships moored at the dock.

Five brand-new, massive ships, each with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin, were neatly moored on the dock. Yan's eyes lit up immediately. He strode over, walked to the ships, reached out, and touched the hull. The planks were smooth, thick, and cool to the touch.

"Uncle Jianya!" Yan turned around, his voice tinged with excitement. "You guys are really amazing! You've built five more giant ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin each in this short period of time!"

Jianya walked over and stood next to Yan, a smile on his face, but a hint of weariness and pride lurked deep in his eyes.

"Yes, these five ships were only recently launched. Ever since you brought back some parts of the Tiger Tribe's ship from the Valley Tribe, our shipbuilders have been studying and figuring it out. The Tiger Tribe's shipbuilding technology is indeed unique, and there are many things we can learn from them. We've adopted their strengths, improved some processes, and now our efficiency and quality are both higher than before."

He paused, looking at the ships with a look of deep emotion, and said, "By the time you return from transporting grain from the Valley Tribe, the remaining five giant ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin each will be completed. At that time, our shipbuilding plan for this year's 100,000-jin-capacity giant ships will be finished ahead of schedule!"

Upon hearing this, Yan was overjoyed and exclaimed, "That's wonderful! With these ships, our Fire Tribe's naval strength will be further enhanced! Even if the Tiger Tribe comes in full force, we won't be afraid!"

Jianya nodded and said, "We have to thank you for bringing back some parts from the Tiger Tribe's ship from the Valley Tribe last time. We studied them, absorbed the technology, and applied it to our ships. Sure enough, our shipbuilding efficiency is higher, and the quality of our ships is also better."

Yan nodded, his eyes filled with emotion, and said, "I didn't expect the results to be so good and so fast. At the time, I just thought that the ship had research value, but I never imagined it would bring such a big improvement to our shipbuilding technology."

Jianya smiled and said, "Of course. Our Fire Tribe has achieved what it has today through this kind of gradual accumulation and learning. We learn a little today, improve a little tomorrow, and further enhance ourselves the day after. Over time, we can achieve a qualitative change through quantitative accumulation."

The two chatted for a while longer, discussing the progress of shipbuilding and the shipbuilding plans for the next few months. Around noon, Jianya grabbed Yan's hand and said, "Don't just focus on the ship. I've had lunch prepared. Come and have something to eat and rest."

Yan nodded and followed Jianya toward the camp. The lunch wasn't lavish, but it was hearty. Jianya kept putting food on Yan's plate, picking up a piece of fish and then a piece of chicken, saying, "Eat more. You must have had a hard journey; you've lost a lot of weight."

Yan smiled and agreed without refusing, eating heartily. Not long after the meal, the small boats indeed returned from the Fire Tribe's main valley. He turned around, clasped his hands in a salute to Jianya, and said, "Uncle Jianya, I'll leave things here to you. I'm going back to the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost first; there are still many things waiting for me to handle there."

Jianya nodded and said, "Go, be careful on the road. Once things are settled in the valley at headquarters, I'll send someone to deliver a message to you."

Yan nodded, turned and boarded his boat. The fleet sailed downstream along the Fish River, moving much faster than on the way there. A few days later, the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost was already in sight.