The Handover at Fire Creek River Mouth

After Yan led the flotilla of people away from the Green Leaf River Mouth Outpost, they traveled upstream along the Fish River. The new people on the boats were no longer as reserved as when they first boarded.

An elderly woman with gray hair sat on the railing of the boat, holding a ceramic bowl filled with water, sipping it slowly. She squinted at the scenery on both banks, her cloudy eyes gleaming. A young woman holding a child approached her and softly asked, "Grandma, have you been here before?"

The old woman shook her head, her voice a little hoarse, and said, "No, I've lived most of my life, and the farthest I've ever been is the market near the Horse Tribe. I've only ever heard about this landscape from other people before. In recent years, people have been saying that there's a large tribe upstream on the Fish River, that they live a good life and can eat their fill every day. At the time, I thought it was just bragging... I never thought that one day it would really happen, and I would be sitting on a boat here myself."

The young woman listened, looked down at the child in her arms. The child was already asleep, with rosy cheeks and a trace of drool at the corner of the mouth. She gently wiped it away, a smile appearing on her lips, "We've finally made it through. The child is growing up in the Fire Tribe; he should never go hungry again."

Several men nearby were also chatting in hushed tones. A lean, middle-aged man patted the bundle beside him and said, "Once I get there, I just want to work hard, eat my fill, dress warmly, and live in a nice house." His voice was filled with determination.

The other man grinned, revealing a set of yellow teeth, and said, "I heard that the Fire Tribe provides housing, so you'll have a place to stay when you arrive, and everything will be arranged for you."

The lean man scratched his head, somewhat disbelieving. "Really? There's no such thing as a free lunch!"

A soldier chimed in, his voice booming, "It's true! If you still don't believe it when you get there, just go and see for yourselves. Those houses over there are rows and rows of them, sturdy and warm, a hundred times better than the shacks you've built by the roadside!"

The lean man grinned, revealing a set of slightly crooked teeth, and said, "That's good! That's good!"

Yan stood at the Chuantou, listening to the conversations behind him. A slight smile appeared on his lips. He didn't turn around, but just looked at the river ahead. After traveling for many days, the fleet finally arrived at the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost.

The wharf at the Fire Creek River Mouth has been expanded considerably, and the wooden planks have been replaced with new ones, making them stable and secure underfoot. There are already quite a few people standing on the wharf, and the familiar figure at the front is none other than Jianya.

Jianya was wearing a dark blue linen robe today. The robe was new, without patches or wrinkles, and was neatly made. A hemp rope was tied around his waist, from which hung a small bronze knife. The scabbard was engraved with simple patterns. He wore a pair of animal skin boots, the boot shafts of which were polished clean and gleamed softly in the sunlight. His hair was neatly combed.

A smile graced his face, his eyes slightly narrowed. He stood there, hands behind his back, back ramrod straight, watching the massive fleet of boats slowly approaching on the river. His smile deepened with age. The fleet slowly docked, gangplanks were set up, and Yan stepped off one of the boats.

Jianya strode forward, his feet barely touching the ground, and he was in front of Yan in just a few steps. He stretched out his hands, grabbed Yan's arm, and looked him up and down. His gaze swept from Yan's face to his shoulders, then from his shoulders to his waist, and finally landed on Yan's boots, which were slightly dusty, as if he wanted to see every detail clearly.

"Yan'er! You've finally arrived! We received the message you sent back, saying your trip went very smoothly!" His voice was loud and clear, slightly hoarse with excitement. "Tell me quickly, how was the journey? Are the new clansmen adjusting well? Did anyone cause trouble? Did anyone get seasick? Five thousand people is no small number. Did anyone get lost? Did anyone stray?"

His eyes were filled with concern and urgency. Yan felt a warmth in his heart as he felt the warmth and strength of his palm as he held Yan's arm. He smiled and squeezed Jianya's hand back, giving it a slight squeeze. "Uncle Jianya, everything is fine! The pickup went very smoothly. The new tribesmen were very cooperative along the way, following instructions when boarding and disembarking. No one caused trouble, and no one got lost. Dazhuang's preparations were also very good. Everyone was gathered at the dock at the Green Leaf River Mouth Outpost, and we were able to load the boats directly upon arrival without any delay."

He turned to the side and pointed to the dock behind him. On the dock, five thousand new tribesmen were disembarking one after another. They carried bundles, led children, and helped the elderly, their faces showing a mixture of curiosity and anticipation as they looked around at the unfamiliar dock and camp.

"There are about 5,000 people on the ship, all from small tribes on the outskirts of the Clothing Tribe and Horse Tribe. Dazhuang said there are about 15,000 more people who will be brought over next spring. With this batch, there will be a total of 20,000 people. After these people join our Fire Tribe, our Fire Tribe's population will reach 200,000." Yan's voice Chenwen, as if he were talking about something that was already a done deal.

Jianya followed Yan's finger and looked over, his gaze slowly moving through the line of five thousand people. He saw the elderly being helped off the ship by the young people, the children looking around curiously, and the women carefully walking on the gangplank with their bundles in their arms. His gaze lingered on each person's face for a moment.

He took a deep breath, then looked back at Yan's face, his voice filled with emotion and satisfaction as he said, "Two hundred thousand... that's a huge number. In just a few years? Our Fire Tribe has grown from about two hundred people to two hundred thousand. Things we never dared to dream of before have now come true one by one."

He shook his head, but a smile played on his lips as he said, "If someone had told me a few years ago that the Fire Tribe had 200,000 people, I would have thought they were talking nonsense. Back then, I thought that if the tribe could grow to two or three thousand people, that would be the best thing ever. But look at us now, the number 200,000 is right in front of us, a real and tangible fact."

Yan nodded and said, "Yes. We are constantly developing our population and expanding our strength in order to cope with various crises. Now the Tiger Tribe is at odds with us and may attack at any time. The Wolf Tribe and the Bear Tribe in the north are not to be trifled with either. One is expanding its territory and the other is strengthening its power. Our Fire Tribe cannot stop, not even for a moment."

Upon hearing Jianya, Fang's smile faded slightly, replaced by a solemn expression. He pulled Yan Chao a few steps away from the crowd at the dock and lowered his voice, saying, "What specific news did you hear on your trip to the Valley Tribe to transport grain? How are things on the Tiger Tribe's side? What's the situation in the north? Is there anything we should be wary of?"

His brows furrowed slightly as his gaze swept across Yan's face. Yan lowered his voice, his expression turning serious, and said, "Chief Daiyue of the Valley Tribe said that the Tiger Tribe is still embroiled in internal strife this year. The Hu Bashan and the Tongding factions are locked in a fierce battle, arguing endlessly in the council hall. Even Chief Hu Zheng can't do anything about it and can only sit back and watch. For the time being, they can't muster the strength to cause us any trouble."

Jianya's brow relaxed slightly upon hearing this, but his gaze remained focused.

Yan continued, "But the situation in the north has changed. The Wolf Tribe has won several battles against the Great Boulder Tribe Great Boulder Tribe, causing them to suffer repeated defeats and lose a lot of territory. Chief Daiyue said that the Great Boulder Tribe's territory is likely to be annexed by the Wolf Tribe this year. At that time, the Wolf Tribe's strength will increase significantly, and since they are close to the Bear Tribe, they may very well unite with them."

He paused, his voice growing even lower, and said, "With the support of the Tiger Tribe, the Bear Tribe's naval strength has increased considerably. Some time ago, they went to the Valley Tribe to provoke them, trying to test Valley Tribe strength. However, the Valley Tribe's naval strength has also recovered to 80% of its original level, and they are not at a disadvantage compared to the Bear Tribe. The two sides were locked in a stalemate on the water, and the Bear Tribe, seeing that they could not gain any advantage, withdrew."

Jianya frowned again upon hearing this. He reached up and touched his chin, his fingertips slowly tracing the rough skin, as if pondering a thorny issue. After a moment, he spoke, "Next year, the Wolf Tribe and the Bear Tribe might unite. Once the Wolf Tribe has established itself in the Great Boulder Tribe, it certainly won't be content and will definitely be thinking about expanding its territory. The Bear Tribe has always wanted to take over the Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp Outpost; it's a thorn in their side. They won't feel at ease until they take it. If the two sides reach an agreement, the Valley Tribe will be nearby, so we need to be careful. If they attack from both sides, the Valley Tribe will be under immense pressure."

Yan nodded and said, "Yes, Chief Daiyue himself has realized this. He said he will send more people to monitor the movements in the north and notify us immediately of any disturbances. Moreover, our Fire Tribe is already building a stronghold at the Big Horse River Mouth. Feiyu is keeping an eye on things there and can also help them relay messages and provide early warnings."

Jianya relaxed slightly upon hearing this, his expression shifting from grave to relieved. He let out a long sigh and said, "That's good. The Valley Tribe is close to the Wolf Tribe and Bear Tribe; if they were really attacked, the pressure would be immense."

He paused, looked at Yan, and said with a more serious and determined look in his eyes, "The Tiger Tribe suffered a considerable loss at the hands of our Fire Tribe last time, and they certainly won't let it go so easily. They are accumulating strength and waiting for an opportunity. Our Fire Tribe must continue to increase its population and expand its strength. Population is the source of soldiers, land is the granary, and ships and weapons are our fists."

Yan listened, his eyes filled with anticipation and eagerness, and asked, "Uncle Jianya, what are our plans for shipbuilding next year? We've already achieved our goal of twenty ships this year, how big do we plan to be next year?"

Jianya thought for a moment, then gestured with his fingers and said, "Next year, we expect to be able to build forty giant ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin each. The shipbuilding workshop has expanded its workforce, and this year we've also transferred a batch of young craftsmen from various outposts. We've also trained quite a few apprentices, so the number of capable workers is double that of last year. As for materials, we have a good stockpile of timber, enough for our needs. Barring any major unforeseen circumstances, forty ships should be no problem."

Yan's eyes lit up instantly, like two lit oil lamps, and his voice rose several decibels. "Forty ships? Adding that to the twenty we already have, our Fire Tribe will have sixty giant ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin next year! At that time, even the Tiger Tribe won't dare to easily engage us on the water in the entire Fish River! They only have about twenty ships in total, and we can easily overtake them to sixty!"

Seeing his excited expression, Jianya smiled, his eyes filled with satisfaction and emotion. He patted Yan on the shoulder and said, "That's why I said we need to continue expanding our population and strength. With enough people, we can build more ships, cultivate more land, and produce more resources. The Fire Tribe is now technologically on par with the Tiger Tribe, and even faster at shipbuilding. As long as we proceed steadily and step by step, in a year or two, we can shift from a passive defense to an active offense against the Tiger Tribe."

He paused, his voice becoming serious as he said, "I will also speak to my elder brother about this matter. While you are fighting, trading, and fetching people at the front, we must keep up from behind and not hold you back. While you are risking your lives outside, we will build more ships, cultivate more fields, and store more grain at home, so that the Fire Tribe can get better and better."

Yan nodded heavily and said, "Okay, Uncle Jianya. I'll report to my father about producing forty 100,000-jin cargo ships next year when I get back. He'll definitely be very happy to hear the news, and he might even drink a couple more bowls of wine tonight to celebrate."

Jianya chuckled and said, "Alright, I'll wait for your news. If you're happy, big brother, next time you come, I'll prepare some good wine and food, and we'll have a good drink together."

He glanced at the dock again; the five thousand new tribesmen had almost all disembarked, and their belongings had been unloaded and piled up on the open ground of the dock.

"Alright, you've had a long journey." Jianya released Yan's hand, took a half step back, and looked at him seriously. "I won't keep you this time. When you get back, tell your brother that everything is going smoothly here and he doesn't need to worry. When you come back next time and aren't busy, we'll catch up, chat, and have a drink."

Yan nodded, clasped his hands in a deep bow, and said, "Okay, Uncle Jianya. Take care of yourself, don't overwork yourself, rest when you need to, and don't try to carry everything on your own."

Jianya -hand salute, a gentle smile on his face. "Take care too. Be careful on your journey."

Yan turned around and walked onto his boat. The gangplank swayed slightly beneath his feet, but he walked steadily, step by step, as if he were walking on solid ground.

He stood at the Chuantou and waved to the dock. Jianya also waved and stood on the dock, watching the fleet slowly depart.

One ship after another departed the dock, sails billowing in the wind, whistling and roaring. Oars sliced through the water, splashing Shuihua and leaving white Shuihen like silver tails trailing behind the ships.

Yan stood at the Chuantou, watching the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost grow smaller and smaller, farther and farther away, until it finally disappeared at the bend in the river.

The fleet traveled for three days.

On the afternoon of the third day, sunlight shone through the clouds onto the river, creating a shimmering effect. The dock at Little Fish River Mouth Outpost finally came into view. A number of people were already standing on the dock, and the familiar figure at the front was none other than his father, Jianshi.

As the boat docked, Jianshi stepped off. Jian Shi strode up to him, grabbed his hand, and smiled broadly, his eyes filled with satisfaction.

"You're back? Was the journey smooth?" Jianshi's voice was filled with urgency and concern.

Yan nodded, smiling as he shook his father's hand in return, "Successfully. All five thousand people have been brought back. Small boats have been arranged for their transfer at the Fire Creek River Mouth, and they should all be settled in the headquarters valley within the next couple of days."

Jianshi nodded repeatedly and patted Yan's arm forcefully. "Good! Good! It's a blessing for our Fire Tribe Fire Tribe that those people can join us!"

He took Yan's hand and walked towards the council hall.