Loading the Grain and the Journey Home

Early the next morning, before dawn, the Fire Tribe's temporary camp was ablaze with firelight. The campfires danced in the morning mist, their orange glow dispelling the pre-dawn darkness. Warriors emerged from their tents, and Yan followed suit. Standing at the camp entrance, he took a deep breath of the morning air. The effects of last night's alcohol had completely worn off, leaving him feeling exceptionally clear-headed. He stretched his shoulders and neck, hearing a slight cracking sound from his bones, before striding towards the dock.

On the dock, the warriors of the Fire Tribe were already busy. Bailin was standing by the dock, directing several warriors to re-erect the gangplank. When he saw Yan approaching, he raised his hand in greeting, his voice hoarse with the characteristic early morning hue. "Young Chief! Good morning! The people from the Valley Tribe haven't arrived yet, but I've already had some things cleared out of the boats, so it'll save some time when loading the grain."

Yan nodded, walked to the dock, looked at the river, and said, "The people from the Valley Tribe should be arriving soon."

As soon as Yan finished speaking, a figure appeared on the dock on the opposite bank. Leading the group was Quyong. Today, he was wearing a dark gray linen robe with a thick hemp rope tied around his waist. A small dagger was hanging from the rope. His trousers were rolled up above his knees, revealing strong and powerful calves. His hair was a little messy, but he was full of energy.

Quyong strode up to Yan, clasped his hands in a salute, and said in a loud voice, "Young Chief Yan! Good morning! The warriors of your Fire Tribe are up very early. I was just thinking you probably wouldn't be ready for a while!"

Yan returned the greeting with a fist and palm salute, and said with a smile, "Good morning, Chief Quyong. It's our work habit to get things ready first thing in the morning so we don't get flustered."

Quyong nodded, seemingly agreeing with this custom. He turned to look at the Fire Tribe warriors who were ready to receive the goods at the dock, then at the large ships moored nearby, and asked, "Young Chief Yan, we have prepared thirteen million catties of grain and stored it all in the warehouse. We are just waiting for you to load it. If there are no problems, I will take my men to transport the grain over and load it onto the ships."

His gaze lingered on Yan's face for a moment, and Yan nodded, saying, "No problem, everything is ready here. Have someone transport the grain over, and we'll load it directly onto the ship."

Quyong responded and turned to his small boat, shouting, "Go back! Get the warehouse to start transporting grain!"

The soldier responded, and soon the Valley Tribe sprang into action. One after another, oxcarts carrying grain drove from the direction of the warehouse and lined up in a long queue at the dock. The soldiers unloaded bags of grain from the carts and piled them up by the dock.

Quyong stood on the dock of the Valley Tribe, directing the soldiers to stack the grain neatly. His voice echoed in the morning light, "Stack the sacks neatly! Don't pile them too high, or they'll tip over! Handle them gently when moving them; if the sacks break and the grain spills, all our work will have been for nothing!"

The warriors of the Fire Tribe sprang into action. They lined up in a row, and the two groups worked in perfect coordination, carrying bag after bag of grain from the Valley Tribe's warehouse and loading it into the Fire Tribe's ship's hold. Jia Li followed Yan, counting the bags. He held a wooden tablet in his hand, and with each bag carried in, he used a carving knife to make a mark on the tablet, muttering, "The three hundred and twenty-first bag, the three hundred and twenty-second bag..." He drew on the tablet as he recited, his expression focused and allowing no room for error.

In two and a half days, all the grain was loaded. When the last bag of grain was sent into the hold, a soft cheer rang out on the dock. Yan stepped off the gangplank, let out a long breath, and turned to look at the large ships that were fully loaded, nodding in approval.

All that remained were some trivial matters. Shibang and Yingmu were eager to do them, arguing back and forth, neither willing to give in. Yan watched them, smiled, shook his head, and stopped arguing. He turned and walked towards the temporary camp. He fetched water, washed his face and neck, and changed into clean clothes, feeling much refreshed. When he came out of the tent, the sun had already set, and the sky was filled with orange-red clouds. Qingsui had received the news and brought ingredients.

Today she wore a light blue linen dress with a few white flowers embroidered on the hem. Her hair was tied into a long braid that hung down to her shoulders, the ends of which swayed gently in the evening breeze. She carried a wicker basket in her hand, covered with a clean linen cloth.

"I just heard you finished loading your grain, so I came over." She walked up to Yan, tilted her head slightly, and smiled. "I promised you a few days ago that I'd let you try the new dishes, and I happened to have some free time today."

Yan felt a warmth in his heart as he looked at her earnest expression. He took the basket from her hand and looked down at it. "What did you bring?"

"Fresh fish, meat, and some wild vegetables and mushrooms," Qingsui said, as she and Yan found a spot in an open area near the camp and started a fire.

The two squatted by the fire and began to work. Qingsui took out ingredients from the basket and processed them deftly. She scaled the fish, gutted it, and rubbed it with salt and seasonings. She then skewered the meat with branches and slowly roasted it by the fire. As she worked, she chatted with Yan, saying that her father was preparing to expand the granary, that the Valley Tribe had reclaimed a new piece of land this year, and that the Clothing Tribe had sent people to exchange for a batch of good cloth. Yan sat beside them, helping to add firewood, occasionally answering a few words, but mostly listening. The firelight shone warmly on their faces, casting long shadows.

The dishes were ready. Qingsui brought out several small dishes: grilled fish, fried meat, grilled meat, cold wild vegetables, and a pot of mushroom soup. Yan picked up a piece of grilled fish. The fish skin was crispy, the inside was tender, and the seasoning was very well absorbed, with a slight spiciness and a sweet aftertaste.

"Mmm! Delicious!" Yan took two bites and nodded repeatedly. "This dish is an improvement over the last one. The fish skin is grilled just right, not burnt or charred, and the meat inside is still tender."

Upon hearing this, Qingsui's smile deepened, her eyes curving into crescents. "Really? I tried several times before I finally got the heat right. I always overcooked it before, the skin would burn while the inside was still raw..."

The two ate and chatted, their mouths greasy with food. After finishing their meal, they cleaned up the dishes and the fire together, then strolled along the riverbank to digest their food and chat. Time passed quickly, and when it was almost time to rest, they reached the entrance of the temporary camp. Yan stopped, turned around, took out a large hemp cloth bag from the tent, and handed it to Qingsui.

"These are spices I brought from the Fire Tribe. There's even more than last time; it should last you a while."

Qingsui took the cloth bag, hugged it to her arms, and felt its heavy weight. Her smile softened and warmed, "This will last a long time. We haven't even finished the last one yet, and you're giving us so much more."

Yan smiled and said, "I'll bring you more when you're done using them."

Qingsui nodded, the moonlight shining in her eyes, making them sparkle. "Then be careful on your way back tomorrow."

"Okay," Yan said.

Qingsui, clutching her cloth bag, turned and left. Her steps were light and quick. After a few steps, she turned back and waved to Yan, who waved back. She smiled, turned around, and strode quickly into the night.

Early the next morning, Yan led the Fire Tribe's grain transport fleet to prepare for departure. At the dock, Daiyue, along with the seven elders of the Valley Tribe, came to see them off. Daiyue was wearing a blue linen robe, a leather belt with bronze buckles around his waist, and animal skin boots. He had a smile on his face, and his gaze was calm and gentle. The seven elders stood behind him in a row, all dressed in their most presentable clothes.

Daiyue clasped his hands in a respectful greeting and said in a loud voice, "Young Master Yan, have a safe journey!"

Yan returned the greeting with clasped hands at the bow of the Chuantou, saying, "Daiyue, Chief Daiyue! Until we meet again!"

His gaze swept across the crowd at the dock, finally landing on Qingsui, Qingsui stood at the back of the crowd, wearing a light pink linen dress. She didn't speak, but simply nodded slightly at him.

Yan nodded to her, then turned around and shouted into the cabin, "Let's go!"

As the horn sounded, the fleet slowly left the dock, one ship after another entering the main channel and sailing upstream along the Fish River. After several days, the fleet arrived at the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost. Yan allowed the fleet to rest there briefly, where Feiyu was already waiting at the dock.

Feiyu was much darker than last year, and his skin was rougher from the river wind and sunlight, but he was more energetic than before, his back was straighter, and his gaze was more Chenwen. He was wearing a dark gray linen robe with a hemp rope tied around his waist, straw sandals on his feet, and mud on his trousers, as if he had just come from the fields.

He strode up to Yan, clasped his hands in a respectful greeting, and said, "Young Chief! You've arrived! I just received the news and came right away! Everything is fine here!"

Yan patted him on the shoulder and said, "Feiyu, you've done a great job here. I just saw that the camp has expanded quite a bit, the walls have been repaired, and a lot of fields have been reclaimed."

Upon hearing this, Feiyu smiled with a hint of pride, but his tone remained honest as he said, "Last year, I brought two thousand people from my tribe here. We've been building and working at the same time, and now the houses at the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost have been expanded considerably, many more acres of land have been reclaimed, and the dock has also been expanded, allowing more ships to dock now."

He paused, then pointed to the rows of new houses on the south side of the camp and said, "Young chief, look, those are newly built warehouses. They can store a lot of food and tools. By the end of this year, the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost will definitely be able to accommodate 10,000 tribesmen."

Yan looked in the direction he pointed and indeed saw rows of newly built wooden houses. Although they weren't large, the foundations were solid and the roofs were neatly arranged. He nodded in satisfaction. "Very good. You've worked hard here. The Big Horse River Mouth Outpost is a crucial link between the Fire Tribe and the Valley Tribe. If you guard it well, news from the north can flow smoothly, and our connection with the Valley Tribe won't be severed."

He added, "Also, you should contact the smaller tribes that didn't have time to join our Fire Tribe before. If any are willing to join, we can accept them. The Big Horse River Mouth Outpost will become an important outpost for our Fire Tribe in the future, so the more people the better."

Feiyu nodded vigorously, his expression serious. "Young Chief, rest assured. I've been keeping an eye on those smaller tribes. A few have already softened their stance. If I put in a little more effort, I should be able to reach an agreement."

Yan chatted with Feiyu for a while, asking about the winter preparations at the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost and the movements of several surrounding small tribes. After confirming that there were no unusual circumstances, he led the fleet to continue upstream. He stood at the Chuantou, watching the dock at the mouth of the Big Horse River Mouth grow smaller and smaller until it disappeared at the bend in the river.

The fleet sailed upstream on the Fish River for about twenty days before finally returning to the Fire Tribe's administrative center Little Fish River Mouth Outpost.

Yan didn't rest and went straight to the council hall. Pushing open the door, Jianshi sitting in the main seat, holding a wooden tablet in his hand, looking down at the engravings on it. His brows were slightly furrowed, as if he was thinking about something, and he only looked up when he heard footsteps.

"You're back?" Jianshi, his eyes filled with concern.

Yan sat down opposite him, picked up the earthenware pot on the table, poured a bowl of water, gulped down most of it, then wiped his mouth and began to report to his father.

"Father, the grain transport went very smoothly this time. Thirteen million catties of grain have all been loaded back. The Valley Tribe cooperated very well, and Quyong supervised the loading process the whole time; there were no mistakes."

Jianshi nodded after hearing this. "It's good that the grain transport went smoothly."

Yan continued, "The situation on the Valley Tribe's side is relatively stable for now, and the Tiger Tribe hasn't made any major moves. However, the Wolf Tribe has completely annexed the Great Boulder Tribe's territory. Chief Daiyue said that they are currently maintaining a force of about five thousand, which is more restrained than before, and they haven't continued to expand. However, he's unsure whether Xueya is truly settled or waiting for something."

Yan then spoke about the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost: "Feiyu is doing a good job there. The Big Horse River Mouth Outpost has expanded considerably since last year; houses, docks, and fields are all being expanded. He said that settling 10,000 people by the end of the year shouldn't be a problem. I also told him to keep an eye out for the surrounding small tribes and to accept any who are willing to join."

Upon hearing Jianshi, Jian Shi frowned at first, then relaxed slightly. He stroked his chin, his gaze thoughtful. "The Wolf Tribe has annexed the Great Boulder Tribe, which is a significant matter. They are still some distance from us for now, but Xueya won't remain peaceful forever. The Valley Tribe is closer to them and weaker; if the Wolf Tribe and the Bear Tribe join forces, the Valley Tribe will face immense pressure."

He paused, his voice becoming even more Chenwen: "If the Valley Tribe into chaos, food supply will be a huge problem. Although we still have enough grain in our reserves, we can't wait until the last minute to start preparing. In a few days, take a boat to the Valley Tribe again and bring back another batch of grain."

Yan nodded. "Okay. Jianya has sent over eight new ships weighing 100,000 jin each, and twenty large ships weighing 50,000 jin each have been built at the Little Fish River Mouth. Next time we go to the Valley Tribe to transport grain, I'll bring more ships and try to transport more at once."

Jianshi nodded, his gaze falling on Yan's face, and said, "As for the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost, have Feiyu speed things up. We need to turn this temporary outpost into a formal one by the end of this year. Coordinate the supplies and manpower he needs to provide them."

Yan replied, "I will arrange it."

Jianshi's voice deepened. "As for Dazhuang, I've told him to prepare to formally contact the Horse Tribe. If the Horse Tribe is willing to join our Fire Tribe, our connection to the Big Horse River Basin will be much smoother, and many things will be easier to handle. But there's no rush; let's figure out Junfeng's intentions first."

Yan nodded. "Uncle Dazhuang told me that Junfeng has been inquiring about the situation of our Fire Tribe, and his attitude has softened considerably compared to before."

Jianshi hummed in agreement, his eyes thoughtful. "If the Horse Tribe could join, things would be much easier."

The two chatted for a while longer, discussing the situation at each stronghold since the beginning of spring, the shipbuilding and land reclamation plans for this year, and the future deployment of the Fire Tribe. Jianshi gave Yan all the necessary instructions before letting him rest.

Yan stood up. "Father, I'll head back now."

Jianshi nodded. "Go ahead, you've worked hard these past few days. Get some rest tonight, we'll talk about tomorrow tomorrow."

Yan turned and walked out of the council hall.