Going to Transport Grain

Yan led the Fire Tribe's grain transport fleet from the Fire Tribe's administrative center, the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost, and sailed downstream along the Fish River. The fleet moved quickly, propelled by the current, and the oars only needed to stroke occasionally to maintain direction. The sails billowed in the spring breeze, making a rustling sound. The trees on both banks had grown dense green leaves, which gleamed in the sunlight, turning the riverbanks into a long green barrier.

Yan stood at the Chuantou, looking at the wide river ahead. The river breeze blew in his face, carrying the unique dampness of spring. Behind him, twenty giant ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin were lined up in a row. The ships were huge and heavy, casting long shadows in the sunlight. Behind them were one hundred large ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 jin and hundreds of small ships. After sailing for ten days, that afternoon, the fleet finally arrived near the Little Valley Camp Outpost of the Valley Tribe. Daiyan stood on a large ship with a carrying capacity of 50,000 jin. When the Fire Tribe's fleet came into view, his eyes widened and his mouth involuntarily opened. He saw the twenty giant ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin, one after another, sailing out from the bend in the river.

"More again..." he murmured softly, his voice filled with a complex mix of emotions. "Last time we came there were sixteen ships, each with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin. This time there are already twenty. The Fire Tribe's shipbuilding speed is getting faster every year."

A deputy beside him also leaned over, craning his neck to look at the fleet on the river, and said in a low voice, "Chief, the Fire Tribe's fleet grows bigger every year. Compared to them, our Valley Tribe's fleet is like Xiaocao under a big tree."

Daiyan didn't reply, but glanced at it a few more times, then waved his hand and shouted to the warriors behind him, "Prepare the guide ship! Take the Fire Tribe's fleet to the other side!"

Several small boats untied their mooring lines from the dock and rowed out. The warriors on board waved their flags, signaling the Fire Tribe's fleet to follow them. Yan stood at the Chuantou, nodded when he saw the guide boats, and instructed the helmsman to adjust the course, leading the entire fleet slowly behind the guide boats towards the Valley Tribe's Valley Tribe dock on the opposite bank.

At the Valley Tribe's main dock, Quyong was already leading his men to clear the area. He was wearing a gray-brown linen robe with a hemp rope tied around his waist, straw sandals on his feet, and his trousers rolled up above his knees, revealing a section of his muscular calves. A fine layer of sweat glistened on his forehead, and his expression was focused and busy as he directed the Valley Tribe's warriors to move the debris off the dock, making enough space for the Fire Tribe's large ship to dock.

"This way! Move all the clutter over here! Move that pile of timber over there!" Quyong's voice echoed across the dock, loud and clear. "Get the gangplanks ready! Get plenty! The Fire Tribe's boats are big, so the gangplanks need to be wide and sturdy enough!"

When the Fire Tribe's fleet came into view, Quyong paused slightly. He straightened up, shaded his eyes with his hand, and squinted at the approaching ships. His lips moved slightly, as if he were silently counting something. The fleet docked, one ship after another, and the Fire Tribe warriors jumped off the ships with practiced and swift movements.

Yan stepped off the ship, and Quyong quickly stepped forward, clasped his hands in a salute, and said with a warm smile, "Young Chief Yan! Welcome, welcome! Your Fire Tribe's grain transport fleet has expanded quite a bit! I just counted, and you now have twenty ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin?"

Yan smiled, clasped his hands in return, and said, "Yes, the Fire Tribe has recently built another batch of large ships. Including the original ships, we now have thirty ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin each. I brought more than half of them with me this time, including one hundred ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 jin each, as well as quite a few smaller ships. This year, we have ordered 40 million jin of grain from the Valley Tribe. Having more ships will make transportation easier and save us from making so many trips back and forth."

Quyong shook his head upon hearing this, as if startled by the number. "Forty million jin... Only your Fire Tribe would dare to ask for so much grain at once."

He laughed heartily, patting Yan on the shoulder forcefully, and said, "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. You guys settle in first. The temporary camp is still in the same old place. Let me know if you need anything. Once you're settled, the leader will send someone to pick you up."

Yan nodded and said, "Thank you very much, Chief Quyong. You always go to so much trouble."

Quyong waved his hand and said, "No trouble at all! Your Fire Tribe is an ally of the Valley Tribe, what's a little thing like this?"

After chatting for a few more minutes, Yan turned around to arrange the temporary camp. The warriors of the Fire Tribe worked quickly, and by the time the temporary camp was almost set up, it was getting dark. Yan had just returned to the entrance of the temporary camp and hadn't even had a chance to sit down and have a drink of water when he saw Fengren striding over from a distance.

Fengren wore a dark blue linen robe today. The robe was newly made, with the collar and cuffs neatly sewn. He wore a bronze-buckled leather belt around his waist, from which hung a bronze dagger. The scabbard was engraved with simple patterns. His hair was neatly combed and held in place with a bone hairpin. He had a smile on his face, but his gaze remained sharp.

He walked up to Yan, clasped his hands in a respectful greeting, and said, "Young Master Yan! The leader has prepared a banquet in the council hall and sent me to invite you there! Please!"

Yan nodded, turned around and called out, "Jia Li, Shibang, Yingmu! Come with me to the banquet!"

The three men walked behind Yan and stood in a row. Yan led them, following Fengren, towards the council hall of the Valley Tribe headquarters. At the entrance of the council hall, Daiyue was already waiting with the seven elders of the Valley Tribe. Today, he was wearing a brand-new blue linen robe, made of fine linen, much of better quality than his usual robe. He wore a leather belt with bronze buckles around his waist and animal skin boots, the boot shafts still a little muddy. His hair was neatly combed and held in place with a copper hairpin, gleaming with a warm, dim light in the lamplight at the entrance.

Seeing Yan approach, Daiyue strode forward, his smile spreading from the corners of his mouth to the corners of his eyes, even deepening the crow's feet around his eyes into several deep furrows. He stretched out his hands and firmly grasped Yan's hands, saying, "Young Chief Yan! You must be tired from your journey! Please come in! Please come in! The banquet is all prepared!"

Yan said, "Chief Daiyue, you're too kind. You're always so hospitable whenever you come; we feel embarrassed."

Daiyue released his hand, patted his shoulder, and said, "What do you mean by sorry? We're overjoyed that your Fire Tribe could come! If it weren't for your help last time, we don't know what would have happened to our Valley Tribe!"

As he spoke, he turned to the side and gestured for the council chamber to enter. "Please! Please come in! Qingsui people have already brought out all the dishes; we've been waiting for you!"

Yan nodded and led Jia Li, Shibang, and Yingmu into the council hall. The hall was brightly lit, bathing everything in a warm glow. Several wooden tables were pushed together to form a long table, covered with clean linen and filled with earthenware bowls and plates. A whole roasted lamb sat in the center, its surface golden and crispy, still sizzling with oil, its aroma filling the entire room. Beside it were roasted fish, stewed chicken, boiled beans, stir-fried wild vegetables, flatbread, and hot soup—a bountiful display, as if the entire Valley Tribe had brought out all the good things they could offer.

Yan sat down next to the main seat, Daiyue sat in the main seat, the seven elders sat down in order, and Jia Li, Shibang, and Yingmu sat in the lower seats.

Daiyue called out towards the back of the council hall, "Qingsui! Bring out the last dish!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Qingsui emerged from behind the council hall, a faint smile on her face. She carried a ceramic plate with several slices of roasted meat, garnished with a few vibrant green mint leaves. She walked to Yan, bent slightly, and gently placed the plate before him, her voice as soft as a breeze across water. "Young Chief Yan, please enjoy your meal. This dish is something I recently tried making, using seasonings brought from your Fire Tribe."

Yan looked up and met her gaze. The two stared at each other for a moment, like two silent rivers merging together. Qingsui's eyelashes drooped slightly for a moment, and the smile on her face became shallower and more genuine. Then she straightened up, turned around and walked back to the back of the council hall, her steps light and her skirt swaying gently.

Yan withdrew his gaze and saw Daiyue holding a wine bowl, smiling and gesturing to him.

"Come on, Young Chief Yan! Have a drink first! Welcome to the Fire Tribe's Valley Tribe!"

Yan also picked up his wine bowl and clinked it against Daiyue's. The earthenware bowls made a crisp sound as they touched. The two of them tilted their heads back and drank it all in one gulp. The wine was rice wine, with a faint sweetness and a slight sourness. It wasn't spicy when it went down, but a warm feeling slowly slid down their throats.

Setting down his bowl, Daiyue poured another, picked it up, and said, "This second bowl! It's a toast to the friendship between our Valley Tribe and Fire Tribe! May our two tribes remain friends for generations to come, and never be enemies!"

Everyone raised their wine bowls and shouted in unison, "Never be enemies!"

After two bowls of wine, the atmosphere became lively. People started talking and laughing loudly, toasting each other, and passing food to each other. The whole roasted lamb was broken into pieces, leaving only the skeleton; the roasted fish was eaten down to the bones; and the stewed chicken soup was poured into bowls and drunk clean, not a drop left.

Yan ate with gusto, his belly round and full. He leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh. While drinking his soup, he listened to an elder next to him talking about the Valley Tribe's estimated harvest for the year, and responded with a few words of laughter.

When everyone had almost finished eating and the dishes on the table were almost gone, Daiyue put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, sat up straight, and his gaze swept across the faces of everyone present before finally landing on Yan.

"Young Chief Yan," he began, his voice carrying a hint of seriousness, "I heard from my men that your Fire Tribe has brought quite a few more ships this time: twenty giant ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin each, one hundred large ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 jin each, and so many smaller ships. Your Fire Tribe has built quite a few large ships recently, hasn't it?"

As he spoke, he gestured with his hands, his eyes filled with sincere admiration and a hint of barely perceptible envy.

Yan put down his chopsticks, sat up straight, nodded, and said in a clear and Chenwen voice, "Yes, the Fire Tribe now has thirty ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin, and more than one hundred ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 jin. This time, I brought more than half of them to transport grain: twenty ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin, one hundred ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 jin, and one hundred ships each with a carrying capacity of 20,000 jin and 10,000 jin."

He paused, then continued, "This time we plan to transport 13 million catties of grain back. The remaining grain will be transported next time."

Upon hearing this, Daiyue took a deep breath and said, "Thirty giant ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin... Your Fire Tribe already has thirty ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin. At this rate, you'll probably surpass the Tiger Tribe this year."

He paused, his gaze serious, and said, "Your Fire Tribe's naval strength is already greater than we imagined. You don't need to worry about the food; we've almost finished preparing. This time, we have enough for you to transport 13 million catties back. I'll send Quyong to assist you in loading the ships, and we guarantee it will all be loaded within three days."

Yan nodded in thanks, saying, "Then Daiyue, Chief Daiyue. Chief Quyong is reliable and trustworthy, so we are at ease with him."

He paused, as if remembering something, and then asked in a lower voice, "By the way, what's been happening in the north lately? How's the Tiger Tribe? Have the Wolf Tribe and Bear Tribe made any new moves?"

Daiyue thought for a moment, then frowned slightly and said, "The Tiger Tribe hasn't made any major moves lately. They're still fighting amongst themselves, with the Hu Bashan and Tongding factions refusing to back down. However, I've heard that they've been trying to increase their population and strengthen their power, and they're also working hard to build ships and forge weapons. Although they haven't openly said they want to attack anyone, based on my understanding of the Tiger Tribe, they're not idle; they're holding back their efforts."

He paused, as if carefully choosing his words, and said, "The biggest changes are still happening with the Great Boulder Tribe. Last winter, after the Wolf Tribe broke through the Great Boulder Tribe's camp, they occupied all of their territory. They didn't leave the land barren; instead, they distributed it to their own affiliated tribes for cultivation, allowing them to grow crops and raise livestock. Xueya led the main force to suppress any opposition within the Great Boulder Tribe's sphere of influence, quelling all the sporadic resistance. Now, the Wolf Tribe has completely annexed the Great Boulder Tribe and has established a firm foothold. Neither the Tiger Tribe nor the Bear Tribe has intervened. I suspect they've reached some agreement with the Wolf Tribe, or agreed on some conditions. Otherwise, given the Tiger Tribe's nature, they wouldn't just stand by and watch a new power grow under their noses. The fact that they aren't interfering means the Wolf Tribe has already made contact with the Tiger Tribe."

He paused, then added, "However, after the Wolf Tribe annexed the Great Boulder Tribe, they seem to have toned down their behavior considerably. They're not as brutal as before. They've stopped burning, killing, and looting everywhere, and they've stopped expanding their forces. The information my men gathered indicates that Xueya now only maintains a force of about five thousand."

Yan listened, remained silent for a moment, his brows furrowed slightly, and he said thoughtfully, "After the Wolf Tribe annexed the Great Boulder Tribe, they didn't continue to expand; instead, they restrained themselves. This isn't like Xueya's style. He used to act without considering the consequences. Now that he knows to be more cautious, either someone is reminding him behind the scenes, or he's waiting for the right opportunity."

He looked at Daiyue, his tone becoming more serious, and said, "Then your Valley Tribe still needs to pay close attention to the movements of the Wolf Tribe and the Bear Tribe. They may appear quiet on the surface, but they might be plotting something behind the scenes. The Bear Tribe has been keeping an eye on your Little Valley Camp, and the Wolf Tribe now has territory and food. If the two tribes join forces to attack your Valley Tribe, you will be under a lot of pressure."

Daiyue nodded, his gaze grave, and said, "You're right. I've already sent several more groups of people to keep an eye on the north, and I've also placed people at the Bear Tribe's dock. I'll know immediately if there's any unusual activity."

The two chatted for a while longer, discussing the details of the grain trade between the two tribes this year, the construction of the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost, and the situation on the Clothing Tribe and Horse Tribe' sides. Daiyue talked about the Valley Tribe's expansion plan for this year, and Yan also talked about the Fire Tribe's upcoming arrangements. Before they knew it, the night had deepened, and the voices in the council hall gradually quieted down, with some people leaning back in their chairs and dozing off.

Yan stood up, clasped his hands in a salute to Daiyue, and said, "Chief Daiyue, it's getting late, I'll take my leave now. We'll start loading the grain first thing tomorrow morning and try to finish within three days, so as not to delay you any longer."

Daiyue also stood up, clasped his hands in return, and said, "Alright, Young Master Yan, go back and rest early. Don't worry about loading the grain; I've already spoken to Quyong, and he will fully cooperate with you."

He turned to look towards the door. "Qingsui, see Young Master Yan out."

Qingsui emerged from a small door at the back of the council hall, her steps light and quick. She walked to Yan's side, smiled slightly, and said softly, "Young Master Yan, please."

The two walked out of the council hall one after the other. The night breeze outside was cool and refreshing. The moon hung in the sky, round and big, illuminating the entire camp. The two walked side by side along the path, their pace neither hurried nor slow.

"Yan," Qingsui spoke first, her voice soft, "Your Fire Tribe is getting stronger and stronger. I was in the back of the council hall just now, and I heard my father say that you brought twenty ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin each. You didn't have this many last time you came."

Yan turned his head and glanced at her, saying, "Yes, the Fire Tribe's shipbuilding workshop has been working non-stop, constantly rushing to complete projects. With more ships, transporting grain will be easier, and other things will also be more convenient."

Qingsui nodded, remained silent for a moment, and after taking a few steps, she seemed to muster her courage before speaking softly again, "So how long will you be staying here this time?"

"We'll leave as soon as the grain is loaded," Yan said. "Thirteen million catties of grain will take two or three days to load onto the ship. We can't delay any longer."

Upon hearing this, Qingsui lowered her eyes slightly, then raised them again after a moment, her voice a little softer than before. "Before you leave... can I come see you? I have a new dish that I haven't made for you to try yet."

Yan looked into her eyes; the moonlight reflected in her pupils like two Xiaoxing. He nodded and said, "Okay, I'll be waiting for you that afternoon after the grain is loaded."

Qingsui's lips curled up slightly, the smile was faint but genuine. She didn't say anything more, but slowed her pace. The two walked side by side, hand in hand, towards the Fire Tribe's temporary camp.