Return and Plans

After leaving the Valley Tribe's main dock, Yan led the Fire Tribe's grain transport fleet upstream along the Fish River for a full twenty days. During these twenty days, Yan spent most of his time standing at the Chuantou, while the warriors took turns rowing. No one complained of being tired or slacking off; everyone worked silently. The boats were loaded to the brim with grain, and the draft was deep. Everyone knew that this grain was the Fire Tribe's guarantee for getting through the winter, and not a single grain could be missing, and not a single bag could be lost.

Yan would sometimes row with the soldiers, sometimes sit in the cabin reading the wooden tablets, and sometimes stand at the bow of the Chuantou in a daze, thinking about all sorts of things. Twenty days passed quickly. At noon that day, the sun was high in the sky. Yan was standing at the Chuantou, squinting at the river ahead, when he saw a familiar outline appear in the distance.

That was the dock at the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost, the management center of the Fire Tribe. There were already quite a few people standing on the dock, a dark mass of people. They had received the news in advance and had all come out to greet them. The familiar figure at the front was none other than his father, Jianshi. Yan smiled as the fleet slowly docked, the gangplank was set up, and Yan stepped off the ship.

Jianshi strode forward, looked Yan up and down, his eyes filled with satisfaction and pride, and said, "Yan, you're back! You've worked hard!"

His voice was loud and clear, tinged with excitement. "I heard that everything went very smoothly for you this time. The 20 million catties of grain we ordered from the Valley Tribe this year have all been transported back! You sent a ship back a couple of days ago saying that the Valley Tribe will provide our Fire Tribe with an additional 10 million catties of grain this year, and another 40 million catties next year? Is that true?"

Yan nodded, a smile on his face, and said, "It's true, Father. Let's unload the grain first and let the soldiers rest. Then I'll explain everything to you in detail."

Jianshi nodded repeatedly, patted Yan on the shoulder, and said, "Good, good! No rush! It's good that the people are back, and the food is back! It's windy outside, let's go back to the council hall and eat and talk!"

He turned around, waved to the leaders behind him, and said, "Let's go! Back to the council hall! Have someone bring out all the good food! Let's all have a good meal today!"

With a cheer, the crowd followed Jianshi and Yan towards the council hall of the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost. Several wooden tables had already been set up in the council hall, covered with burlap and filled with ceramic bowls and plates. A whole roasted lamb was placed in the center, sizzling with oil and exuding a fragrant aroma. Beside it were stewed chicken, boiled fish, stir-fried wild vegetables, flatbread, and hot soup, all piled high with food.

Everyone sat down in turn. Jianshi sat in the main seat, Yan sat to his right, and the other leaders were also seated, each with a smile on their face, craning their necks to look at the dishes on the table, like a group of children waiting for dinner.

Jianshi picked up his wine bowl, stood up, looked around, and said in a loud voice, "Come! Drink a bowl first! Welcome back to our fleet! Welcome back to our warriors!"

Everyone picked up their wine bowls, stood up, clinked them together with Jianshi from a distance, and then drank them down in one gulp. The wine was strong, burning as it went down their throats, but everyone felt warm inside.

Jianshi put down his bowl, picked up his chopsticks again, waved to everyone, and said, "Eat! Eat up! Don't be shy! Everyone has worked hard these past few days, so eat as much as you want today! There's plenty!"

Everyone ate without ceremony, picking up their chopsticks and eating, some picking up food, some scooping soup, some tearing meat, their mouths bulging with oil and their cheeks full. When everyone had almost finished eating, Yan put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, turned to Jianshi, and began to report on the details of the trip, "Father, when we passed through the mouth of the Big Horse River Mouth with supplies, the leaders of the Maple Leaf Tribe and the Toon Tribe told me that they have recently contacted many tribes in the Big Horse River Basin, and they can confirm that about 15,000 people will join our Fire Tribe after the autumn harvest."

Upon hearing Jianshi, Jian Shi's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed happily, "Fifteen thousand people? That's quite a lot! More than we expected!"

Yan nodded and said, "There are still several thousand people who are either too far away or too remote, or they are not familiar with our Fire Tribe and are still hesitant. The leaders of the Maple Leaf Tribe and the Toon Tribe said that those people have not yet made up their minds, but as long as the Fire Tribe establishes its stronghold in the Big Horse River Basin, they will naturally be moved when they see our Fire Tribe's flag planted there and see everyone living a good life."

He paused, thought for a moment, and then said, "The chief of the Maple Leaf Tribe suggested that we build a stronghold at the Big Horse River Mouth. This way, we can continue to absorb people, make it easier to gather information from the north, and also serve as a connection point between our Fire Tribe and the Valley Tribe. I think he makes a good point."

After listening, Jianshi pondered for a moment and then said, "Fifteen thousand people, that's a good number. We can absorb the other few thousand people in the Big Horse River Basin slowly; there's no rush."

He looked up at Yan, a thoughtful expression in his eyes, and said, "As for building a base at the Big Horse River Mouth, I think it's a good idea. Although the Horse Tribe is between us and the Big Horse River, we can build the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost first, with fewer people and a smaller scale, focusing on trade and communication. We can expand it gradually as needed. If the Horse Tribe is willing to join our Fire Tribe next year, we will increase the scale; if they are not willing to join our Fire Tribe, we can use that base as a foundation to slowly infiltrate."

After he finished speaking, the leaders in the council chamber nodded in agreement.

"The chief is right, the stronghold can be built first, it doesn't need to be too big."

"The Big Horse River Mouth is in a good location, close to the Valley Tribe, which will make it convenient to provide support in the future."

"We can also send people to be stationed there permanently to gather information from the north. If the Tiger Tribe makes any moves, our Fire Tribe will know immediately."

After discussing it for a while, everyone agreed to build a base at the Big Horse River Mouth after the autumn harvest.

After everyone quieted down a bit, Yan spoke again, "This time, Daiyue, the leader of the Valley Tribe, also promised to provide us with an additional ten million catties of grain this year, and also agreed with me to reach a trade of forty million catties of grain next year. I think they probably want to pay back the supplies they owe our Fire Tribe as soon as possible."

Jianshi nodded and said, "The fact that they did this shows that the Valley Tribe genuinely wants to cooperate with us. Since they have shown their sincerity, we cannot treat them unfairly. Next time we go, we can bring more supplies and exchange them for furs and medicinal herbs."

Yan added, "This time, Chief Daiyue received news from the northern spies that after Tong Dachui of the Tiger Tribe returned to the Tiger Tribe, he didn't persuade them to unite in attacking us. Instead, he caused another round of infighting within the Tiger Tribe Tiger Tribe. The faction led by Hu Bashan and the faction led by Tong Dachui are still pulling each other down, and neither side can gain the upper hand. I estimate they won't be using force against us this year, so we can focus on developing our territory."

Upon hearing this, Jianshi smiled with relief and said, "That's good! We've already completed our plans to build 100,000-jin and 50,000-jin cargo ships this year. Even if the Tiger Tribe comes with all its might, our Fire Tribe won't be afraid!"

He paused, his voice lowering slightly, and said, "However, the Tiger Tribe is, after all, the old overlord of the Fish River Basin, with deep roots and solid foundations. Before we have an overwhelming advantage, we shouldn't take the initiative to attack them. If they don't come looking for trouble, we can focus on developing in peace. The stronger we are, the more confident we will be in the future."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Yan continued, "With the support of the Tiger Tribe, the Bear Tribe's water strength has reached 80% of the original Valley Tribe's. Some time ago, they even went to provoke the Valley Tribe, but after seeing that the Valley Tribe's water strength had also recovered to 80%, they felt they couldn't gain any advantage and withdrew after a standoff."

Upon hearing Jianshi, Jian Shi frowned slightly and said, "The Bear Tribe has gained the support of the Tiger Tribe, and their strength on the water has increased considerably, which is a problem. However, the Valley Tribe is also quite strong now, and neither side can completely defeat the other, so there shouldn't be any major incidents for the time being."

Yan nodded and said, "And then there's the Wolf Tribe. Their strength is growing rapidly. This year, the Great Boulder Tribe suffered several losses at the hands of the Wolf Tribe, with many people dying and losing a lot of territory. Now, the Great Boulder Tribe's influence has plummeted. Many of the smaller outlying tribes that used to rely on them are running away, leaving, or scattering. The Great Boulder Tribe can only cower in its core territory now, suppressed by the Wolf Tribe and unable to raise its head."

He paused, his voice becoming more serious, and said, "If everything goes smoothly for the Wolf Tribe, they will annex the Great Boulder Tribe this year. To gain a foothold there, they will definitely side with the Tiger Tribe. At that time, if the Tiger Tribe sends the Wolf Tribe and the Bear Tribe to harass the Valley Tribe together, our grain trade may be affected."

Jianshi frowned slightly upon hearing this, pondered for a moment, and then said, "If the Bear Tribe and the Wolf Tribe unite, the Valley Tribe will have a hard time dealing with them. In that case, how will the Valley Tribe have 40 million catties of grain left over to sell to us next year?"

He looked at Yan, his gaze becoming more serious, and said, "Next time you go, you should remind the Valley Tribe to take precautions in advance. This year was a little better, but next year the Valley Tribe really needs to be more careful. It would be best to have them set up more outposts and send out more patrols along the border."

Yan nodded and said, "Okay, Father, I will talk to Chief Daiyue properly next time I go there."

Next, Yan told everyone about the Wuyue Tribe to the east of the Tiger Tribe and the Shu Tribe to the west, "These two large tribes each have a population of over 100,000. They also possess technologies such as bronze production and salt making. However, the Valley Tribe doesn't know much about them. They only know that the Gu tribe frequently clashes with the Tiger Tribe, and the two sides have been fighting for many years. I don't know the specifics."

He thought for a moment, then said, "However, Chief Daiyue mentioned that further north of the Tiger Tribe, there is an even larger tribe with a larger population, a larger territory, and more advanced technology, but he doesn't know exactly what it's like."

After listening, Jianshi remained silent for a while before speaking, "This world is vast, and there are many things we don't know. However, we don't need to rush. Let's take it one step at a time, do the things in front of us well, and walk steadily on the path we're on. The Fire Tribe has come this far because of taking one step at a time."

He stood up, looked around, and raised his voice, saying, "Everyone has worked hard these past few days! But we can't let our guard down! After the autumn harvest, we still have a lot to do! We need to pick up people from the Big Horse River Basin, build outposts, and transport grain from the Valley Tribe. Everyone, take a rest and adjust, then get back to work!"

Everyone stood up, clasped their hands in salute, and said, "Yes, leader!"

Jianshi's gaze fell on Yan, and he said, "Yan, during this time, go and inspect the various strongholds in the vicinity, check on everyone's situation, and visit the strongholds such as Green Leaf River Mouth and Little Horse River Mouth. After the autumn harvest, you will lead the fleet to the Big Horse River Basin to pick up people."

Yan nodded and said, "Yes, Father."

"Furthermore," Jianshi added, "You also need to discuss and plan the construction of the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost with everyone in advance. You need to have a clear idea of how many people, how many supplies, and how much time are needed. After your inspection, make a list so we can prepare in advance."

Yan replied, "Okay, I'll think about it while I'm on my rounds."

Jianshi Shi encouraged everyone present, saying things like "Keep up the good work" and "Don't slack off." After chatting for a while, everyone gradually left the council hall and went their separate ways.

When Yan walked out of the council hall, the sky was already turning west. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the camp, turning everything golden. On the distant dock, the soldiers were still busy unloading bags of grain from the ships and piling them into the warehouse. Yan stood at the entrance of the council hall, took a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled.

A breeze blew across the river, carrying the coolness of the water and the scent of grass and trees. He felt much more relaxed. He turned around and saw Jia Li walking over from the side, holding several wooden tablets covered with densely packed symbols.

"Young Chief, these are the accounts for this trip. The amount of grain, the goods exchanged, and the time spent are all recorded here. Please take a look and see if there are any problems."

Yan took the wooden tablet and read it line by line. The handwriting was neat and the records were detailed, with every stroke clear and without omission. He nodded and returned the tablet to Jia Li, saying, "No problem, thank you for your hard work."

Jia Li smiled and said, "It's no trouble at all. I'll get back to work now; there are still a few ships' worth of supplies to check."

Yan nodded. Jia Li turned and left. Yan stood there for a while, watching the sunset slowly sink and the clouds on the horizon turn from golden to orange-red. Then he turned around and walked towards his residence. There were still things to do tomorrow, but at least tonight, he could get a good night's sleep.