Undercurrents and the Journey Home

After Xueya and Yexiao Owl disappeared through the doorway, the cabin fell silent. The thick wooden door slowly closed behind them, making a low, scraping sound. Inside, Tongding sat in the main seat, his gaze still fixed on the doorway, as if savoring every word, every pause, and every exchange of glances from their conversation. He remained seated in that position for a while, then slightly turned his head to look at Tong Dachui beside him, his eyes displaying the calm composure that only a helmsman would show after calculating the course of a mission.

Tong Dachui took two steps forward and sat down on the wooden stool next to his father, leaning slightly forward with his hands on his knees. His voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement as he spoke, "Father, the Wolf Tribe is quite respectful to us. Their sincerity in coming to submit to us this time is evident; they gave us two thousand ponies without hesitation, without even blinking an eye. I've seen those horses; although their coats are mixed, their frames are sturdy, and their hooves are strong enough to withstand long journeys. With these two thousand ponies, our faction will have two thousand more cavalrymen. Combined with our existing force, our cavalry strength will be significantly increased. These two thousand cavalrymen, equipped with leather armor and bronze daggers, will be a formidable force."

Tongding nodded slightly upon hearing this. He turned his gaze away from the doorway and, after a moment, spoke in Chenwen and slow voice, "Indeed, and the Wolf Tribe is willing to follow our orders and help us handle some matters that we're not comfortable dealing with ourselves. This is more valuable than those two thousand horses. Sometimes, our Tiger Tribe's actions are too conspicuous, easily attracting gossip and giving Hu Bashan leverage. They've been watching our every move, eager to report every troop deployment to the council. But the Wolf Tribe is different—they're not originally from this area, so they don't have as many scruples when they act. No one cares what outsiders say. This time, Xueya's suggestion is very tempting. If they conquer the Great Luwei Tribe, and we take over, our faction will gain a large territory."

When he mentioned "a vast territory," he flipped his palm upwards as if supporting an unseen weight, and his gaze rose as he looked ahead, as if examining a map unfolding only in his mind. "The Great Luwei Tribe's territory is considerable, with several fertile lands along the riverbank and a large population. With this territory and population, after a period of development, our faction's strength will greatly increase. At that time, our faction's power will be directly bordering the Wolf Tribe and connected with the Bear Tribe. The warriors of these two tribes combined will number around ten thousand. Then, our faction's strength will completely crush the forces of Hu Bashan and Hu Zheng. At that time, the Tiger Tribe will basically be under our control, and there won't be so many dissenting voices in the council hall. Hu Bashan won't be able to cause any trouble."

Tong Dachui listened, his eyes growing brighter and brighter. A slight smile involuntarily crept onto his lips, which he quickly suppressed. His hands, however, were clenched into fists, resting on his knees, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force. "Father," he said, "By then, our faction will possess more than the two factions combined. What will they have to compete with us? After we conquer the Great Luwei Tribe and the Valley Tribe, we can turn our attention to the Fire Tribe. Once we've taken down both the Valley Tribe and Fire Tribe, our faction will be even stronger. At that point, it will be time for a change in leadership for the Tiger Tribe."

His voice deepened at that sentence, and his gaze became more direct. "That kid Hu Zheng is just a figurehead sitting in that position; it'll be time for him to give up his place."

Upon hearing this, Tongding didn't immediately respond. He picked up the earthenware bowl on the table, took a sip of water, and the rim of the bowl tapped against his lips with a soft sound. He put down the bowl, gently wiped the water from the corner of his mouth with his fingertip, and after a moment, he spoke, "This day won't be long. If the Wolf Tribe acts quickly, we can take over the Great Luwei Tribe's territory this year. Since they're so eager to prove their worth, they won't drag their feet. At the latest, by early next year, we can attack the Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp. Once the Little Valley Camp is taken down, the Valley Tribe will be crippled, and the rest will be much easier."

After saying that, he looked at Tong Dachui's face and calmly turned to the next matter. "Tomorrow morning, take Xueya to see Hu Zheng. Just go through the motions."

Tong Dachui sat up straight and asked, "Take him to see Hu Zheng?"

Tongding nodded and said, "Yes, firstly, to let Hu Zheng know that we've taken over another tribe, so he's aware of the situation. Secondly, we'll also inform him about the return gift of some ships to the Wolf Tribe, lest he hear about it elsewhere and think we're bypassing him in everything, giving him a reason to contact Hu Bashan. Although he can't cause much trouble now, it's better to avoid trouble if possible. We still need to do what needs to be done on the surface."

Tong Dachui thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay, I understand. I'll take them there first thing tomorrow morning."

The Tongding gestured to him and said, "Go on, get some rest. You have things to do tomorrow."

Tong Dachui stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute to his father, and turned to walk towards the door. The next morning, Tong Dachui, along with Xueya and Yexiao, walked through the camp toward Hu Zheng's residence. He walked in front, his pace neither hurried nor slow, his right hand casually resting on the hilt of the short knife at his waist. His gaze occasionally swept over the passersby and houses on both sides. From time to time, members of the Tiger Tribe passed by. When they saw Tong Dachui, some nodded slightly, some stepped aside to make way, and some whispered a few words from a few steps away. Xueya walked half a step behind Tong Dachui, his back straight and his hands hanging naturally at his sides.

Hu Zheng's dwelling was slightly smaller than Tongding's wooden house, but still larger than the houses of the surrounding ordinary clansmen. The thatched roof was neatly laid out, with no excess straw hanging down. Although the pillars on both sides of the door frame were not carved, they were smoothed and had no burrs to the touch. Two young leaders stood at the door, one on the left and one on the right, with short knives at their waists and their bodies standing straight. When they saw Tong Dachui approaching, they nodded slightly, and one of them raised his hand and pushed open the door with a crisp and clean movement.

Hu Zheng was sitting in the main seat in the room. Several wooden tablets were laid out on the wooden table in front of him, engraved with fine symbols and numbers. He was wearing a white linen robe. The robe was made of fine fabric, but the collar and cuffs were worn, indicating that he had worn it for some time. His hair was held back with a wooden hairpin, the tip of which was worn shiny. He looked thinner than last year, and there was a faint layer of dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn't been getting enough sleep recently.

Hearing footsteps and the door being pushed open, he looked up, his gaze first landing on Tong Dachui's face. He paused for a breath or two, then looked past Tong Dachui to the two men behind him. Between Xueya and Yexiao, his gaze lingered for a moment on Xueya's scarred face, as if trying to discern something, before returning his gaze to Tong Dachui. His voice was steady and polite as he said, "Chief Dachui, what urgent matter brings you here so early in the morning?"

Tong Dachui walked into the house and stopped about five steps away from Hu Zheng. He clasped his hands in a salute and said, "Chief, yesterday the Xueya chief of the Wolf Tribe brought two thousand dwarf horses to submit to our Tiger Tribe. The Grand Elder has already accepted them. Today, I specially sent him over to meet you, so that you can get to know them."

After listening, Hu Zheng remained silent. His gaze lingered on Tong Dachui's face for a moment before slowly shifting to Xueya. He looked Xueya to his hands, then to the short sword at his waist, and finally back to his eyes. His expression didn't change much, but the index finger of his right hand, gripping the bone needle, twitched slightly, as if giving himself a moment to process the movement. Then he spoke, "The Wolf Tribe? The same Wolf Tribe that wiped out the Great Boulder Tribe last year?"

Xueya stepped forward, clasped his hands in a salute, and bowed slightly—not a large one, but enough to express his respect. His voice was neither too loud nor too soft as he said, "Indeed, Xueya of the Wolf Tribe greets the chieftain. Our Wolf Tribe is willing to submit to the Tiger Tribe Tiger Tribe obey their commands. This time, we have brought two thousand dwarf horses as a token of our sincerity in submitting to the Tiger Tribe."

Hu Zheng listened, his gaze lingering on Xueya for a couple of breaths. He pressed his finger on the edge of the wooden tablet, then released it. After a moment, he nodded slightly, the corner of his mouth relaxing slightly as he said, "Two thousand ponies, that's quite a show of sincerity. Since the Grand Elder has already accepted it, then accept it. I understand about your allegiance to the Tiger Tribe."

After saying this, he shifted his gaze from Xueya to Tong Dachui, his tone as calm as ever. "Dachui Leader, is there anything else?"

Tong Dachui clasped his hands in a fist salute and replied, "Chief, the Grand Elder's idea is that we should also give a few ships to the Wolf Tribe to facilitate their travel. This matter also needs to be brought to your attention, Chief."

After listening, Hu Zheng picked up the ceramic bowl on the table, lowered his head, and took a sip of water. The rim of the bowl paused at his lips, and his gaze lingered on Tong Dachui's face for a moment before he said, "Since it's for the Wolf Tribe, then go and do it. You don't need to ask me about things that the Grand Elder has decided."

He placed the ceramic bowl back on the table, his fingers not immediately loosening their grip. His gaze did not fall on the Tong Dachui, but rather on the edges of the wooden tablets in front of him, as if he had already finished speaking and given the appropriate response.

Tong Dachui clasped his hands in a fist and said "Yes," then turned around and winked at Xueya and Yexiao. The three of them walked out of the house one by one, and the door slowly closed behind them, making a slight scraping sound.

Hu Zheng sat alone in the room, his gaze fixed on the wooden tablet in front of him. He picked up the bone needle again with his right hand, the tip pressed against the surface of the tablet, but he didn't move for a while, just sitting there. The light from outside shone through the cracks in the window, casting a thin, long ray of light on his profile. After a long time, he moved his fingers, gently flipped the wooden tablet over, placed it on the table, then stood up, walked to the window, and glanced outside.

The courtyard was empty. Tong Dachui and his men had already gone far away. The Tiger Tribe's dock was much larger and busier than the Bear Tribe Bear Tribe's. Tong Dachui pointed to the two large ships moored there and said, "These two are large ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 jin. The hulls are made of old wood, and the bottoms are coated with tung oil, so they won't easily rot in the water. The hulls have been thickened, so they can withstand collisions and won't crack easily. The small boats next to them are also for you. After you get back, you can reinforce the hulls yourselves, and then you can use them."

Xueya walked along the boardwalk to the two large ships and stopped. He first stood to the side of the Chuantou, looking from the Chuantou to Chuantou stern and back again. Then he reached out and placed his palm on the gunwale, his fingertips slowly gliding across the wooden planks, feeling the smooth and thick texture. He tapped the planks twice with his fingers, producing a dull thud. He then bent down, leaning against the plank with one hand to peer at the ship's hull, his gaze lingering for a moment on the ribs and joints.

After straightening up, he turned to Tong Dachui and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Chief Dachui, and please thank the Elder on my behalf. These two large ships are enough for us. It will be much more convenient for the Wolf Tribe to come to the Tiger Tribe in the future. I will definitely do my best to fulfill my promise yesterday. In the future, if the Elder has any instructions, just tell the Wolf Tribe directly."

Seeing his serious expression, Tong Dachui's expression relaxed slightly, but his tone remained blunt. "Just keep that in mind. The Grand Elder said that as long as things are handled well, you'll reap the rewards. As for the Great Luwei Tribe, get things done quickly and efficiently, the sooner the better."

Xueya responded, "Don't worry, Chief Dachui, we'll get ready as soon as we get back. We'll send you a message in advance when we're ready." Tong Dachui nodded, gave a few more instructions about the ship's details, and then walked away without looking back, quickly disappearing from the dock towards the camp.

Not long after Tong Dachui left, Xiong Lie approached from a distance. Today, he wore a dark 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 smile graced his face as he walked to Xueya's side, stopping beside the two new ships. He put his hands behind his back, glanced at the two large ships a couple of times, then turned back to Xueya, his voice warm and familiar. "Chief Xueya, congratulations! These two ships look quite nice. With ships now, it will be much more convenient for your Wolf Tribe to travel back and forth."

Xueya turned around and returned the greeting with a fist and palm salute, saying, "Xiong Lie is too kind. The Grand Elder has already told us that we will cooperate with you to eliminate the Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp Outpost by early next year at the latest. At that time, your Bear Tribe's territory will greatly increase. I am the one who should congratulate you."

As he spoke, his gaze lingered on Xiong Lie's face for a moment, as if observing the other's reaction upon hearing the words "Little Valley Camp." Upon hearing "Little Valley Camp," the corners of Xiong Lie Lie's mouth curved into a deeper smile. He reached out and patted Xueya's shoulder lightly, but with a warm, intimate touch. "We'll need your Wolf Tribe's help a lot then. Your Wolf Tribe's cavalry is formidable, and we have boats on the water. With coordinated efforts, even the strongest Valley Tribe won't be able to hold out. With their small force, guarding both the camp and the river, where will they find the manpower?"

Xueya nodded in agreement, "Of course, of course. Now that our Wolf Tribe has submitted to the Tiger Tribe, whatever the Tiger Tribe arranges is our business. When Chief Xiong Lie gives the order, we will definitely be there and won't miss the opportunity."

He paused, his gaze darkening slightly, before continuing, "However, Chief Xiong Lie, I'd like to ask, have there been any new developments from the Valley Tribe recently? They've become very close to the Fire Tribe, and the Fire Tribe's fleet is growing larger. We need to find out all these things before we make our move, lest we discover they've been prepared all along when the fighting starts."

Upon hearing this, Xiong Lie's smile faded slightly, but quickly returned. "The Valley Tribe is relatively stable recently. Although the Fire Tribe's fleet is large, they are far away, and even if they wanted to provide support, it wouldn't take them three to five days to arrive. As long as we act quickly enough and take over the Little Valley Camp before they can react, with the Tiger Tribe backing us up, the Fire Tribe can only watch helplessly."

Xueya nodded slightly and said, "That's good."

The two stood on the dock and chatted for a while, confirming their upcoming arrangements. Afterward, they each boarded their own ships. Xiong Lie led his men back to his ship, Xueya and Yexiao also led their men to load the supplies they had brought onto the new ship. After checking the sturdiness of the sails and cabins and confirming that there were no problems, they cast off and set sail. The two large ships, each with a carrying capacity of 50,000 jin, and a small boat slowly left the Tiger Tribe's dock. The sails were raised, and the Tiger Tribe's dock gradually became smaller behind them, the rooftops of the tall wooden houses growing farther and farther away. Xueya stood at the Chuantou, his hands gripping the gunwale. He maintained that posture, his gaze fixed on the open river ahead. Yexiao came out of the cabin and stood beside him. The two were silent for a moment.

Yexiao spoke first, "Chief, this trip wasn't in vain after all. We traded two thousand horses for two large ships with a carrying capacity of fifty thousand catties each, and an identity."

Xueya kept looking ahead, and after a while he spoke, "It's not time to settle the score yet; this matter has only just begun."

The Yexiao didn't press further, but simply nodded and turned its gaze to the distant river.