A Gift for the Big Horse River

The fleet sailed downstream along the Fish River. After leaving the Green Leaf River Mouth Outpost, the river widened and the current became calmer, and the scenery on both banks changed again. Yan stood at the Chuantou, looking at the vast wilderness, feeling an indescribable sense of comfort.

"Young Chief, the Big Horse River Mouth is just ahead," Jia Li said, stepping out of the cabin and pointing ahead.

Yan followed his hand and saw that, sure enough, not far ahead, the main channel of the Fish River branched off into a tributary. The water became murky, carrying the color of mud and sand. At the dock at the Big Horse River Mouth, a number of people were already standing. Maple Leaf Tribe leader Feng and Toon Tribe leader Chunmu stood at the front, both dressed in their best clothes, craning their necks to look at the river. Behind them stood dozens of leaders and tribesmen, all dressed neatly and eagerly waiting. When the Fire Tribe's fleet appeared, the dock immediately became abuzz. Some waved, some shouted, and some jumped up and down. The scene was as lively as a market during the New Year.

The fleet slowly approached the shore. Yan stepped off the ship, and Feng and Chunmu quickly stepped forward to greet him, clasping their hands in a gesture of respect.

"Young Master Yan! Welcome, welcome!" Feng's voice was loud and clear, full of energy, and his face was beaming with smiles. "We've been preparing ever since we received your message! Please come in! Please come in!"

Chunmu nodded repeatedly and said, "Young Master Yan, you've come to deliver supplies to us, right? We've prepared a receiving area at the dock to ensure there won't be any chaos!"

Yan returned the greeting with a fist and palm salute, and said with a smile, "Yes, the chief asked me to bring a batch of supplies to the various tribes in your Big Horse River Basin. This batch of supplies is a small token of the Fire Tribe's goodwill, but we hope that you can have a better time during this period."

He turned around and waved to the ship. The soldiers on board immediately began to unload supplies. Bags of grain were carried out of the hold, bundles of linen were unloaded from the deck, and jars of salt were carried out of the cargo hold. There were also pottery, tools, dried meat, herbs, and all sorts of other items. Soon, the dock was piled high with things, like small Little Mountain.

Feng and Chunmu stared wide-eyed at the supplies. Feng's mouth hung open for a long time. He walked step by step to the supplies, reached out and touched a bag of grain, then touched a bundle of burlap. His fingers trembled slightly, as if he were caressing a treasure, as if confirming that this was not a dream.

"These... these..." His voice trembled slightly, "Young Master Yan, are these supplies... all for our Big Horse River Basin?"

Yan nodded and said, "Yes, many tribes in the Big Horse River Basin are preparing to join our Fire Tribe. After the autumn harvest, you will be new members of our Fire Tribe. Since you are now part of the Fire Tribe, we will certainly not mistreat you. Although these supplies are not much, they are enough for you to last until the autumn harvest. After you move to the Fire Tribe, life will only be better than here."

Feng turned his head and looked at the supplies. His eyes were a little red. He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, as if to calm himself down. Then he turned around and looked at Yan, his eyes full of gratitude and excitement.

"Chief Yan, with these supplies, our lives will be transformed! We'll have enough food, enough salt, enough linen, and enough tools!" His voice grew louder and louder, as if addressing his people behind him, or perhaps the land itself. "The Fire Tribe is powerful and kind to Big Horse River Basin. It's our good fortune to have encountered Fire Tribe!"

Chunmu stepped forward and said, "Yes, the Fire Tribe is truly powerful. In all these years, no large tribe in our Big Horse River Basin has ever treated us so kindly, let alone sent us supplies."

Yan waved his hand and said, "These are all things we should do. Life in the Fire Tribe will only be better than here, not worse. As long as you are willing to work and follow the rules, you will all have enough to eat and wear. You won't go hungry or cold in winter. If you get sick, you will be taken care of, and if you get old, you will be cared for. This is our Fire Tribe's promise to all its members."

Feng nodded vigorously and said, "That's wonderful! This is the life our people yearn for! It's the life everyone in the Big Horse River Basin yearns for!"

He paused, as if remembering something, and said, "Chief Yan, we've been contacting other tribes in the Big Horse River Basin recently. Our Toon Tribe and Maple Leaf Tribe together have about five thousand people, and about five thousand people from tribes close to us are willing to join the Fire Tribe after our call; there are also five thousand tribes we are more familiar with, who have agreed to join the Fire Tribe after the autumn harvest after our persuasion; it is now certain that about fifteen thousand people in the Big Horse River Basin will join the Fire Tribe after the autumn harvest."

Upon hearing this, Yan was overjoyed and exclaimed, "Fifteen thousand people? That many?"

Chunmu nodded, a hint of pride in his voice, "Yes, we've traveled to many places, met many people, and said a lot of things lately. Our mouths are practically worn out, but the results have been good. Most tribes are willing to join the Fire Tribe. Only a few are still hesitant, but they've relented after our persuasion. We should be able to convince them by the time of the autumn harvest."

Yan nodded repeatedly, his eyes full of approval, and said, "Good! You've worked hard! I've already recommended you to the chief for commendation. After you move to the Fire Tribe, the chief will personally summon you and reward you in person!"

Upon hearing this, Feng and Chunmu blushed with excitement, clasped their hands in a gesture of respect, and their voices trembled slightly.

"Thank you, Chief Yan! Thank you, Fire Tribe!"

Feng straightened up, thought for a moment, and then said, "Young Chief Yan, there are more than 20,000 people in the Big Horse River Basin. Besides the approximately 15,000, there are several thousand more. These people are still observing and hesitating, but once our stronghold in the Big Horse River Basin is established, when they see the Fire Tribe's flag planted here and see us living a good life, they will naturally be tempted and want to join."

He looked at Yan, his gaze becoming more serious, and said, "After the autumn harvest, the Fire Tribe can build a stronghold at the Big Horse River Mouth. This will allow them to engage in trade and gather intelligence, as well as continue to gradually absorb population. With a stronghold, the Fire Tribe's power will truly be rooted in the Big Horse River Basin. No matter what the Tiger Tribe does, we will know immediately and respond promptly."

Yan nodded and said, "Your idea is excellent. I will speak to the chief about it. The Big Horse River Basin is in a very important location, connecting the Valley Tribe and Horse Tribe. It is a strategic stronghold. Building a base here is indeed very necessary for our Fire Tribe."

He chatted with the two for a while, then followed them to the council hall of the Maple Leaf Tribe. Simple food had been prepared in the council hall: grilled fish, boiled beans, wild vegetable soup, and a jar of fruit wine. Although it wasn't a lavish meal, it tasted good. Yan ate with relish, drank two bowls of soup, and ate two pieces of grilled fish.

After finishing his meal, he walked to the dock and saw that all the supplies had been unloaded and piled up on the dock. Feng and Chunmu were directing their people to move the supplies into the warehouse, carrying them bag by bag and bundle by bundle. They were busy and sweating profusely, but they all had smiles on their faces. Yan looked at those busy figures and felt an indescribable sense of peace.

He turned to Jia Li and said, "The supplies are unloaded, we should go now. We have important business to attend to at the Valley Tribe."

Jia Li nodded, turned around to arrange for the boats to set sail, and the fleet slowly left the Big Horse River Mouth, re-entered the main channel of the Fish River, and continued to travel downstream. After a few days, the fleet arrived at the Little Valley Camp Outpost of the Valley Tribe.

The dock at Little Valley Camp Outpost has been repaired. Although traces of the battle are still visible, it has been restored to its original function. Ships can dock normally, and cargo can be loaded and unloaded normally. Yan let the fleet dock, but did not disembark. He just stood at the Chuantou and looked at the dock.

At the dock, Daiyan, the person in charge of Little Valley Camp Outpost, was already waiting with his men. Today, Daiyan was wearing a gray linen robe with a hemp rope tied around his waist and straw sandals on his feet. His hair was neatly combed and held up with a wooden hairpin. He had a smile on his face, but the smile was somewhat restrained and nervous, unlike his usual casual and arrogant demeanor.

The leaders behind him stood in neat rows, as if they had rehearsed. No one looked around or whispered to each other. Their eyes were all on Yan, filled with awe, curiosity, and a complex mix of emotions that were hard to define.

Once the boat was docked, Daiyan quickly stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and bowed deeply.

"Young Master Yan! Welcome, welcome!" His voice was several octaves higher than usual, as if he were deliberately raising his voice so everyone could hear. "We were all so happy to hear you were here! Please come in! Please come in!"

Yan stood at the Chuantou, not disembarking, and nodded to Daiyan with a smile. "Chief Daiyan, no need to be so polite. I have business to attend to at headquarters to see Chief Daiyue, so I won't be disembarking. I was just passing by and wanted to say hello."

Daiyan nodded repeatedly, his smile deepening, but a hint of relief lingered in his eyes. "Very well! Young Chief Yan, it's our honor that your Fire Tribe's fleet can dock at our Little Valley Camp Outpost's pier!"

He paused, looking at the Fire Tribe fleet docked at the pier. His gaze swept over the dozen or so giant ships, each with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin, and his eyes held envy, awe, and a hint of lingering fear.

A few years ago, he could still ride in a 50,000-jin (25,000 kg) heavy ship and swagger in front of the Fire Tribe, always boasting about how big and good the Valley Tribe's ships were. Now, thinking about it, it's really laughable. Now, the Fire Tribe's 100,000-jin (50,000 kg) heavy ships are launched one after another, more than a dozen of them lined up like small Little Mountain. The Valley Tribe's few 50,000-jin (25,000 kg) heavy ships are like children's toys in front of them.

Fortunately, the Fire Tribe wasn't the kind of tribe that held grudges. Fortunately, the Fire Tribe always regarded the Valley Tribe as an ally and brother. Otherwise, given his past actions, the Fire Tribe could easily have dealt him a severe blow with just a word. Thinking of this, Daiyan felt a chill run down his spine.

Yan didn't notice Daiyan's unusual behavior. Standing at the Chuantou, his gaze swept over the repaired dock, and he said, "Chief Daiyan, the dock at your Little Valley Camp Outpost has been restored quite well; it looks even sturdier than before."

Daiyan snapped out of his daze and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Yes, yes! After the last battle, we quickly repaired the dock, replaced the wooden stakes with new ones, and reinforced it. It's much stronger and more durable than before. It's so inconvenient for us without a dock. Ships have nowhere to dock, cargo has nowhere to unload, and it's difficult for people to come and go. Now that it's repaired, it's much more convenient."

Yan nodded and then asked, "What's the situation in the north lately? Any activity from the Tiger Tribe and the Bear Tribe?"

Daiyan thought for a moment and said, "Recently, the Tiger Tribe hasn't made any big moves. After suffering a loss at the Valley Tribe's hands, they seem to have quieted down considerably and haven't come looking for trouble again. The Bear Tribe Bear Tribe a boat here once, and it hovered on the water for half a day, as if testing our strength. Now, with the support of the Tiger Tribe, the Bear Tribe's naval strength has increased considerably and is stronger than before. However, seeing that our Valley Tribe's naval strength has recovered to about 80% of its original level, they confronted us for a while and then returned, not daring to make a move."

He paused, then, as if remembering something, said, "By the way, the Wolf Tribe in the north has been making some big moves lately. After the first harvest of the year, they attacked the Great Boulder Tribe Great Boulder Tribe again, causing them considerable losses. They lost a lot of territory and killed many people. Now, the Great Boulder Tribe's power is severely suppressed, and they're hiding in their lair, afraid to come out. If everything goes smoothly with the Wolf Tribe, they might be able to swallow up the Great Boulder Tribe's territory this year."

Yan frowned slightly upon hearing this. He hadn't heard the name Wolf Tribe in a long time. Ever since the Wolf Tribe was defeated by the Fire Tribe, they had been fleeing north. He never expected them to develop so quickly.

"How many people are there in the Wolf Tribe now?" Yan asked.

Daiyan thought for a moment and said, "I don't know the exact number, but I heard that they have annexed many small tribes, and they have many more warriors than before. They must have at least five or six thousand now. Moreover, their leader, Xueya, is a ruthless character with vicious methods. The Great Boulder Tribe is now being beaten so badly that they can't even raise their heads."

Yan nodded without saying anything. He was calculating in his mind that although the Wolf Tribe had a grudge against the Fire Tribe, they were currently hiding in the north, separated from the Fire Tribe by the Valley Tribe and the Bear Tribe. They could not threaten the Fire Tribe in the short term, but they could not be completely ignored.

"Okay, I understand," Yan said. "Chief Daiyan, I still need to go to the other side to find Chief Daiyue to discuss the grain trade in detail. I'll leave things here to you. If there's any movement to the north, please send someone to inform our Fire Tribe immediately."

Daiyan nodded repeatedly, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Young Master Yan, rest assured! If there's any disturbance in the north, I will send someone to inform you immediately!"

He turned around and shouted towards the dock behind him, "Someone! Send a fast boat to escort Young Master Yan and his men across the river!"

Immediately someone responded, and a small boat was untied from its mooring line at the dock and rowed over. The boat was small but very agile. It cut through the water and led the Fire Tribe's fleet toward the Valley Tribe's headquarters dock on the opposite bank.