Taking a Party to Inspect the Outposts

Yan rested well for four or five days at the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost, the management center of the Fire Tribe. During these days, he didn't care about anything. He slept until he naturally woke up during the day, had a hot meal in the kitchen, and then slowly walked around the camp, looking at familiar places and hearing familiar sounds. He rode horses, sometimes greeted people passing by, and sometimes sat by the dock staring at the river in a daze.

But the Fire Tribe still had too many things waiting for him, and he couldn't rest forever. Once he was in good condition and felt his strength returning, Yan set off with Bailin, Yingmu, and Shibang. This time, he brought a giant ship with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin, as well as several small boats. The fleet wasn't large, but it was flexible enough to easily move between various river mouths and outposts.

The autumn wind carried a chill, blowing coolly on my face. Ripples spread across the river. Yan stood at the Chuantou, watching the scenery on both banks slowly recede into the distance. He felt exceptionally calm. Over the years, he had traveled back and forth on this river countless times. He knew every section of the river, every bend, and every dock as well as the lines on his palm.

The first stop Red Flower River Mouth Outpost. The dock at the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost had been expanded considerably compared to before, and several large ships were moored there. The most eye-catching one was a giant ship with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin. The hull was brand new, and the bronze ramming head on the Chuantou was polished to a shine, clearly indicating that someone regularly maintained it.

As the ship docked, Yan led his men off the ship. Dali, having already received the news, was already waiting for them on the pier. Today, he was wearing a short black linen robe, a leather belt with a bronze buckle around his waist, and animal skin boots with mud and grass clippings on the boot tops. His face was ruddy, his eyes were bright, and he was full of energy, taking large, steady steps, each step exuding vigor.

"Yan'er! You've arrived!" Dali rushed forward, grabbed Yan's hand, and squeezed it tightly. "Come in and have a look! Our Red Flower River Mouth Outpost has expanded quite a bit recently!"

Yan smiled and nodded, then followed Dali into the camp. At the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost camp, many new wooden houses had been built. Some were for living, some for storing food. Soldiers came and went, some carrying supplies, some repairing the walls, and some training. The entire camp was orderly and full of vitality and energy.

Yan and Dali walked around the camp, looking around as they went, listening to Dali's introductions. Dali pointed to the new houses, new granaries, and newly cultivated fields, talking non-stop with a proud expression on his face, as if showing off something he had built himself.

"These newly built houses are for the new clansmen. They're big and sturdy, and they don't let in the wind in winter." Dali pounded on the wall of a wooden house, making a loud thud. "This is the newly built granary; all the autumn harvest is stored there. Over there is a newly cultivated vegetable garden; they've planted some radishes and cabbages."

Yan walked around, nodding frequently, quite satisfied with the construction progress of the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost. The two reached the dock, and Yan looked at the massive 100,000-jin (50,000 kg) vessel at the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost, smiled, and said, "Dali, I heard that lately you've been taking this 100,000-jin vessel from your stronghold around the Fish River whenever you have time, supposedly to inspect the waterways. But that's not what people are saying; they all say you're showing off."

Dali hearing this, Dali's face flushed red, as if someone had touched a sore spot. His eyes widened, and his voice rose as he urgently protested, "Who said that? Who said this was just showing off? I was inspecting the river! Familiarizing myself with the warships! It was all serious business! Look at those people, they're just spouting nonsense! I, Dali, have always done things properly, why would I show off?"

He became increasingly anxious as he spoke, his face turning from red to crimson, the veins on his forehead bulging faintly, and even his eyebrows furrowing. Yan couldn't help but laugh at his anxious appearance, waving his hand and teasingly saying, "Alright, alright, you're doing something serious, not just loafing around or showing off. I believe you. Don't worry, I was just joking."

Hearing Dali, Dali breathed a sigh of relief, the redness on his face slowly fading. He wiped his forehead and muttered, "That's more like it. When have I ever done anything improper? I was just doing my duty to the tribe, patrolling the river for everyone."

Seeing that he had recovered, Yan asked again, "How are you doing, Uncle Dali? Are you satisfied with the ship with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin at your base?"

When Dali mentioned the giant ship with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin at his base, Dali eyes lit up and his voice rose several octaves, completely forgetting that he had just been arguing about patrolling the river.

"Satisfied! Satisfied! Of course I'm satisfied! This ship is really great! It has a large carrying capacity, is quite fast, and has strong defensive capabilities; minor bumps and knocks can't damage it at all."

He got more and more excited as he spoke, pointing to the bronze ramming head at the bow of the Chuantou and saying to Yan, "This bronze ramming head is really Dazhuang. Ever since we got this boat, Dazhuang hasn't dared to come to our Red Flower River Mouth Outpost to show off anymore. Before, he would just sail around in his boat, and his smugness made me angry. Now it's my turn to patrol the river. Last time I sailed over there, I deliberately slowed down when I turned around so they could see me clearly."

As he spoke, he burst into laughter, the sound echoing across the dock and drawing the attention of the soldiers nearby. Yan was also amused. "That's great, Uncle Dali. Next year we'll have even more ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin. We plan to add another forty giant ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin next year. By then, every outpost at the mouth of the Fish River will have its own large ship."

Yan looked at Dali with a serious expression and said, "Work hard here, and next year Father might add a giant ship with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin to your Red Flower River Mouth Outpost. Then you'll have two big ships, and no one will dare to stop you on the Fish River."

Dali hearing this, Dali's eyes widened in surprise. His mouth opened and closed repeatedly before he finally managed to find his voice and exclaimed, "Really? They can really add a giant ship with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin to our base? That's fantastic!"

He rubbed his hands together excitedly, spun around halfway, then returned, grabbed Yan's shoulders, and said in a voice filled with urgency and excitement, "When you get back, you must tell Big Brother, tell the Chief, that I Dali guarantee that the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost will definitely do well next year! We'll strive to expand to 30,000 people! And the grain production will reach the level of 30,000 people! We absolutely won't let him down! We absolutely won't bring shame to the tribe!"

Yan was shaken a few times by his shoulder, then patted his hand with a smile, signaling him to let go. "If you say that, my father will definitely be very happy. The Red Flower River Mouth Outpost is an important outpost in the west of our Fire Tribe. You've been doing a great job here, and everyone has seen that."

The two walked along the riverbank for a while longer. Yan asked about the autumn harvest at the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost. Dali said that this year's harvest was good, 20% more than last year. The warehouse was already full, and they were building a new granary. Yan also asked about the preparations for winter. Dali said that firewood was sufficient, thick clothes had been distributed, and the new tribespeople had been settled. They had even given extra animal hides to the elderly and children.

Yan Yi listened attentively, nodded, and then chatted for a few more minutes about the situation in the Valley Tribe, Bear Tribe, Wolf Tribe, and Tiger Tribe. He lowered his voice and said, "Uncle Dali, there won't be any major disturbances in the north this year. The Tiger Tribe is still fighting amongst themselves and can't attend to us, but the Wolf Tribe is gaining momentum. The Great Boulder Tribe won't last much longer. The Bear Tribe has also been acting very aggressively lately. Relying on the Tiger Tribe's support, they have a few more boats on the water and dare to loiter near the Valley Tribe's gate. You all need to keep an eye on things here. If any outsiders come from the west, pay close attention."

Dali's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, but he quickly regained his composure and nodded vigorously, saying, "Don't worry, I'm keeping an eye on things here. I won't let any outsiders sneak in unnoticed."

He invited Yan to stay for lunch. The meal wasn't lavish, but it was substantial, including grilled fish, stewed beans, and hot soup. Yan nodded as he ate, and Dali added another bowl of soup for him. After finishing the meal, Yan saw that it was almost time, so he bid farewell to Dali and boarded the boat with his men, leaving the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost.

The fleet continued its journey along the Fish River. Over the next few days, Yan led his men to inspect the strongholds at the Stone Creek River Mouth Outpost, the Pottery Salt River Mouth Outpost, the Shuize, Hundred Crafts, Qinghe, and the Beast Taming strongholds. He also made a special trip to the stronghold near High Pointed Mountain.

Yan spent an hour or two at each stronghold, listening to reports, checking supplies, and inquiring about the situation. Sometimes he would squat down to touch the grain sacks to see if the grain was dry; sometimes he would go into the houses to check if the walls were drafty; sometimes he would squat by the hearth to see if there was enough firewood. He didn't overlook any detail, and he had to personally confirm every item of supplies. These were the guarantee for the tribe to get through the winter, and they couldn't be taken lightly. Only after confirming that the preparations for winter were in place did Yan leave with peace of mind.

Afterwards, he visited the Little Horse River Mouth Outpost, the Green Leaf River Mouth Outpost, the Clothing River South Bank Outpost, and the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost. The Little Horse River Mouth Outpost was much larger than last year, with some new wooden houses and granaries, and a large area of new farmland. The person in charge said that the Little Horse River Mouth Outpost could reach a scale of 10,000 people next year and was under construction.

The Green Leaf River Mouth Outpost, which was mainly under Dazhuang's command, was larger and more bustling. When Dazhuang Zhuang saw Yan arrive again, he greeted him with a smile and personally showed him around. The dock at the Green Leaf River Mouth Outpost outpost had been greatly expanded, and there were many more ships docked there than before. Dazhuang said, "Next year, the Green Leaf River Estuary Green Leaf River Mouth Outpost will reach a scale of more than 20,000 people, and we will be able to be self-sufficient in food, without having to rely on headquarters for supplies."

The Clothing River South Bank Outpost is newly built, but its development speed is astonishing. The camp's perimeter wall is already completed, several ships are docked at the pier, and winter crops have been planted in the newly reclaimed fields. The person in charge said that the Clothing River South Bank Outpost will have no problem reaching a scale of 10,000 people next year, and construction is being accelerated to try to finish building the remaining houses before winter.

Feiyu was in charge of the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost. When he saw Yan arrive, he hurriedly went to greet him, his face tanned red and dark with a smile. The walls of the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost had been completely reinforced, the docks had been repaired, and some of the newly built wooden houses were already inhabited. Feiyu said, "Young Chief, everything is going smoothly here. Expanding the population to 10,000 next year will not be a problem. I have also made contact with the people of the Valley Tribe, and we can exchange information frequently. I can know about any developments in the north immediately."

Yan spent the longest time at the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost, carefully inspecting the construction progress and chatting with Feiyu for a long time to confirm that communication with the Valley Tribe was going smoothly before returning with peace of mind. After inspecting these outposts, Yan returned to the Fire Tribe's management center, the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost, with Bailin, Yingmu, and Shibang.

Without resting, he went straight to the council hall, where Jianshi was sitting and looking at a wooden tablet covered with dense records. He was holding a thin bone needle and adding something to the tablet as he read. When he saw Yan walk in, he put down the bone needle, looked up from the tablet, and focused his gaze on Yan's face with concern and inquiry.

"You're back? What did you see while you were away?"

Yan sat down opposite him, picked up the earthenware pot on the table, poured a bowl of water, took a big gulp, then wiped the wetness from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve and said, "Father, I've looked at them all. I've been to Red Flower River Mouth, Stone Creek River Mouth, Pottery Salt River Mouth, Shuize, Hundred Crafts, Qinghe, the Beast Taming, and the stronghold over High Pointed Mountain. I've also visited the strongholds at Little Horse River Mouth, Green Leaf River Mouth, the Clothing River South Bank, and Big Horse River Mouth Estuary."

"The winter supplies at each outpost are well prepared. There are ample reserves of food, firewood, thick clothing, animal hides, and salt, enough to last through the winter. The camps have also been reinforced, the houses are airtight, the granaries are waterproof, and the livestock pens have been repaired. The leaders of each outpost assured me that there were no problems, and I personally confirmed this when I went to check. There are no major hidden dangers."

"The construction of the outposts is also progressing well. Dazhuang said that the Green Leaf River Mouth Outpost will reach a scale of 20,000 people next year, and the Xiaoma Clothing River South Bank River Mouth Outpost will also reach about 10,000 people next year. Feiyu said that the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost will expand to 10,000 people next year, and also said that they have already made contact with the Valley Tribe, so they can know about any developments in the north as soon as possible."

Upon hearing Jianshi, Jian Shi smiled with satisfaction, the wrinkles around his eyes smoothing out slightly. He pushed the wooden tablet in front of him aside, placed his hands crossed on the table, leaned back slightly, and said with approval and relief in his eyes, "Good, all the strongholds are ready, and the winter supplies are well stockpiled. I'm relieved to hear that."

He paused, his voice softening slightly, and said, "You've worked hard too, running around for so many days without stopping. Your mother, Qingye, knew you were coming back today and prepared your favorite stewed chicken. Go back and rest first, we can talk about it tomorrow."

Yan nodded, stood up, and said, "Okay, Father, I'll head back now."