Transporting the Remaining Grain

Dazhuang carried Junfeng, Chidian, and Xiao Matou from the Horse Tribe downstream along the Fish River. The boat slowly docked at the north bank of the Little Horse River Mouth estuary. Several ponies were tied to wooden stakes on the bank, grazing on the grass by the riverbank. Some swung their tails to shoo away the horses, while others glanced at the river before lowering their heads to continue grazing.

Junfeng jumped off the boat, turned around, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Dazhuang, stood up straight with a sincere look of gratitude in his eyes, and said in a clear voice in the river breeze, "Dazhuang, you've had a hard journey. I, Junfeng, keep my word. I will definitely bring people back on time after the autumn harvest and won't keep the Fire Tribe waiting."

Dazhuang stood at the Chuantou, the sunlight shining behind him, making his figure appear exceptionally tall. He returned the salute with clasped hands, his voice booming, "Chief Junfeng, rest assured, I will certainly deliver your message. Be careful on your journey back. Our Fire Tribe's fleet will come to pick you up on time after the autumn harvest. I will be waiting for you on the shore of your Horse Tribe then."

After exchanging a few more polite words, Dazhuang led the boat towards the Fire Tribe's Green Leaf River Mouth Outpost. Junfeng stood on the bank for a while before turning around and walking towards the few ponies. He walked to a chestnut horse, reached out and stroked its neck, his palm running along the mane. The horse raised its head, gave him a gentle look, and snorted softly, exhaling a warm breath.

Junfeng swung himself onto his horse, gripping the Jiangsheng with his right hand and gently patting the mane with his left, as if greeting his old buddy. The horse trotted a couple of steps, and he leaned back slightly to adjust the seat before straightening up and glancing at the dirt road ahead. Chidian and Xiao Matou also mounted their horses. Chidian's was black, and he mounted nimbly, straightening up the moment his back touched the ground. Xiao Matou rode a dappled horse, and he mounted a beat slower than Chidian because he glanced at the boats on the river before turning his gaze away and gently squeezing the horse's flanks with his legs.

The three men, accompanied by their entourage, rode along the dirt road by the river towards the Horse Tribe. After riding for a while, Xiao Matou urged his horse closer to Junfeng, turned his head, and spoke, his voice filled with urgency and anticipation. "Brother, are we really going to join the Fire Tribe after the autumn harvest? Last time you said you'd think about it some more, how come you've decided so quickly?"

As he spoke, his fingers, which were holding the Jiangsheng, repeatedly rubbed against the leather straps, his gaze fixed on Junfeng's profile, awaiting his reply.

Junfeng didn't answer immediately. He remained seated on his horse, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. His eyes lingered for a moment at the bend at the end of the dirt road. His right hand gripped the Jiangsheng, his fingers tapping them rhythmically twice. After a while, he finally spoke, "It's settled. The Fire Tribe is now powerful and developing rapidly. The Valley Tribe is very close to them, and the Clothing Tribe has also aligned itself with them. All the smaller tribes around us that could join have already joined or are preparing to join. If we don't join, we'll only be caught in the middle and eventually driven out."

He turned his head to look at Xiao Matou Head, his eyes filled with the calm of someone who had been through it all, and said, "Joining now will actually give you more opportunities to be valued. I've asked Chief Dazhuang and talked to Chief Jianshi. The Fire Tribe doesn't just scatter and swallow up the tribes that join them; they give them land, houses, work, and food. As long as you're willing to work, they won't treat you unfairly."

He withdrew his gaze and continued looking at the road ahead, "Moreover, I've inquired and found out that apart from the original Fish Tribe, no other tribe had as many people as us when they joined the Fire Tribe. Our Horse Tribe headquarters alone has several thousand people, plus our several core affiliated tribes, and those scattered small tribes around that haven't joined the Fire Tribe. After the autumn harvest, we can basically gather around 15,000 people."

His voice deepened as he continued, "Our territory isn't small either. Joining the Fire Tribe Fire Tribe strengthen them, and Fire Tribe rapid expansion means we might even be able to take revenge on the Wolf Tribe."

Upon hearing the word "revenge," Xiao Matou Head's hand tightened sharply on the Jiangsheng, his knuckles turning a pale white in the sunlight, as if someone had temporarily squeezed blood from those joints. His lips pressed together, and his previously relaxed shoulders tensed instantly. His voice lowered, as if something was stuck in his throat, or as if those two words had unleashed a string of memories buried deep in his heart. "The Wolf Tribe wiped out my original tribe, my family, my people—all died at their hands. I've been waiting for an opportunity, a chance to personally avenge them. If the Fire Tribe Fire Tribe truly grant us revenge, then I'd give my life to them."

As he spoke, his hand tightened on the Jiangsheng for a moment before slowly loosening. His breathing was a little heavier than before, as if he were trying to suppress the breath surging from deep within him. It took a few breaths for his breathing to return to normal.

Junfeng looked at him but didn't reply immediately. He remained seated on his horse, his gaze falling on the Xiao Matou's hand gripping the Jiangsheng tightly before shifting away. After a while, he finally spoke, "That day will come. Although the Wolf Tribe has hidden in the territory of the Great Boulder Tribe, they won't let their debts go so easily. Let's focus on doing our current tasks well and making sure we're on the right path. Once we're established, what's coming will surely come."

Chidian urged his horse closer from the other side and said, "Chief, will our core subordinate tribes and those scattered small tribes really agree to join the Fire Tribe with us? There are a few small tribes that have little contact with the Fire Tribe, and I'm worried that they may have reservations and refuse to come with us."

Junfeng nodded and said, "Yes, we've all joined the Fire Tribe, so they have no choice. Once the Fire Tribe takes over our territory, they won't be able to stay even if they want to. Besides, the conditions offered by the Fire Tribe are good enough—as long as they're willing to work and follow the rules, they'll have food, clothing, and shelter. These conditions are much more stable than their current life of hunting, farming, and herding. They won't have to worry about starving to death in winter anymore. Even if some people are hesitant, they'll follow us when they see our Horse Tribe taking the lead."

He paused for a moment and continued, "Moreover, the Fire Tribe treats everyone very well. I personally saw their warehouses and workshops, as well as their living quarters and granaries. Anyone who joins the tribe, regardless of which tribe they came from before, is provided with housing and given enough food. I believe that after seeing this, they will agree."

The three chatted for a while longer, discussing the autumn harvest, how many boats the Fire Tribe would send to pick them up, and what they should take and leave behind during the migration. Xiao Matou then asked, "Brother, what will happen to our cattle and sheep during the migration? We can't just abandon them."

Junfeng thought for a moment and said, "The Fire Tribe has large grasslands, so we can bring the cattle and sheep with us. Since they've accepted us, they won't abandon these animals."

The three horses traveled further and further along the dirt road. Just as Junfeng and his group were returning to the Horse Tribe along the dirt road, Yan, after preparing for two days at the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost, set off again with his fleet. This time, the fleet was still very large, with forty giant ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin at the front, followed by 140 large ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 jin, and then dozens of smaller ships. This time, transporting 11 million jin of grain to the Valley Tribe was more than enough; it could be loaded in one trip without having to make two trips. The time saved could be used to handle other matters.

The fleet set sail quickly, the sound of horns echoing in the morning light. The fleet sailed downstream, and a few days later, it made a brief stop at its stronghold at the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost. Feiyu was already waiting on the dock. He wore a dark gray linen robe, made last autumn and washed many times; the fabric was somewhat soft but clean. A hemp rope was tied around his waist, from which hung a short knife, its scabbard bearing several thin white marks. His trousers were rolled up above his knees, revealing strong, muscular calves. He wore straw sandals, the soles of which were covered in dry mud. His face was darker than the last time I saw him, but he was still full of energy. Seeing Yan's ship dock, he put down a roll of rope he was organizing and strode forward to greet them.

Yan stepped off the ship and, without exchanging pleasantries, went straight to the point. "Feiyu, all five thousand new tribesmen have been settled in the Fire Tribe's main valley camp. Their houses have been allocated, their food has been distributed, and they've already begun working."

Upon hearing this, Feiyu Yu's expression relaxed slightly. He nodded and said, "That's good. I've been thinking about those people these past few days. Now that they've been settled, I can rest assured."

Yan added, "The Horse Tribe has agreed to join our Fire Tribe after the autumn harvest. They will bring about 15,000 people to our Fire Tribe's main valley at that time."

He paused, his gaze lingering on Feiyu's face for a moment before saying, "You need to work hard here and prepare for the expansion of the stronghold this year. The Fire Tribe's fleet is also rapidly increasing, and they will assign you a ship with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin. Do you have enough manpower and supplies?"

Upon hearing this, Feiyu's eyes lit up. "The Horse Tribe is joining too? That's wonderful! They have a large territory and many people. Our Fire Tribe's strength will increase significantly. Young Chief, look, I plan to extend the dock here into the deeper waters so that more large ships can dock, saving half the time for loading and unloading. The camp's walls are also being reinforced, and more houses are being built. We'll try to finish building as many as possible before the autumn harvest so that new tribespeople will have a place to stay when they arrive."

Yan glanced at his hand, then looked away and said, "It's good that you know what's going on. If you need anything, just send someone back in advance. Whether you're short of manpower or materials, just tell us."

Feiyu responded but didn't say anything more. Yan glanced at him again, gave a few instructions, and turned to walk towards the boat. The fleet set sail again and continued downstream along the Fish River. The dock at the mouth of the Big Horse River Mouth became smaller and smaller behind them. The fleet continued to move forward on the wide river. That afternoon, the sun had begun to set in the west. Yan led the fleet to the vicinity of the Little Valley Camp Outpost of the Valley Tribe.

Several people stood on the dock, the one at the front being Daiyan. He was still wearing his gray linen robe, with a hemp rope tied around his waist, and holding a ceramic bowl in his hand, steam still rising from the rim. His gaze fell on the sails of the Fire Tribe fleet, showing little surprise. Yan stood at the Chuantou and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Daiyan. Daiyan also put down his bowl on the dock and returned the salute.

He straightened up, his voice carried by the river breeze. "Young Chief Yan! Your Fire Tribe's fleet has grown even stronger! From what I can see, there are probably quite a few more ships weighing 100,000 jin each! Just follow our guide ship directly to the other side; we'll discuss any needs when we get there!"

Yan nodded in response, his voice not loud, but the river wind carried it. "Thank you, Chief Daiyan!"

Several guide boats emerged from the dock of the Little Valley Camp. Warriors on board waved their flags and lined up to meet the Fire Tribe's fleet, signaling them to follow. The massive ships slowly turned in the river, then adjusted their course and followed the guide Chuantou, steadily sailing towards the Valley Tribe's main dock on the opposite bank.

At the Valley Tribe's main dock, Quyong and his men had already cleared the area. Standing by the dock, hands on his hips, he watched as the Fire Tribe's massive fleet came into view. His gaze swept over each of the giant ships, his lips moving slightly with each passing moment, as if counting something in his mind. His eyes moved back and forth between the Chuantou and sails. After finishing his count, he took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and then focused his attention back on the lead ship of the fleet.

As the boat docked, the warriors of the Fire Tribe jumped off. Quyong stepped forward to greet them, walking faster than usual. Today, he wore a gray-brown linen robe, the hem tucked into his belt, and his trousers rolled up above his knees, revealing calves splattered with mud and grass clippings. A thin layer of sweat covered his forehead, as if he had just finished other work at the dock and rushed over, his chest rising and falling slightly.

His voice was loud and clear, carrying the warmth of an old friend welcoming a distant guest. "Young Chief Yan! The Fire Tribe has even more large ships than last time! I can see from afar that there are at least forty ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin each, right? I've had the dock area cleared out so the large ships can dock directly. Your temporary camp will remain in the same old place; you can move in directly."

Yan jumped off the boat, clasped his hands in return, and said, "Thank you very much, Chief Quyong. I'm always troubling you like this."

Quyong waved his hand, waving it twice in front of him before lowering it. "What trouble! We, the Valley Tribe, are happy that you're here. The grain is all ready, and we can start loading it first thing tomorrow morning."

After exchanging a few more words, Quyong turned around to direct the boats to dock. His voice echoed across the dock as he assigned boat positions, arranged manpower for support, and told who was responsible for which section of the gangplank.

Yan was standing on the dock, about to turn around and head to the temporary camp, when he heard a familiar voice behind him.

"Inflammation!"

He turned around and saw Qingsui walking briskly down the steps by the dock. Her steps were faster than usual, and her skirt swayed gently as she walked. Today she was wearing a light blue linen dress, and her hair was tied into a loose braid that hung down to her shoulder, the end of which swayed gently as she walked. She was also carrying a ceramic plate with a piece of linen draped over its rim, as if she had been busy with something at the dock and had rushed over as soon as she heard the news, without even having time to put down what she was carrying.

She walked up to Yan and stopped, tilting her head slightly to look at him, her eyes curving into crescent moons. "I heard your fleet had arrived, so I came running. My father said you wouldn't be here for a few more days."

Yan also laughed and said, "The matter with the Fire Tribe was handled faster than expected, so I set off early to avoid being caught up with other matters later."

Qingsui nodded, then changed her tone, her voice filled with a natural eagerness, and said, "Then you have to spend some time with me after you're done this time. Don't be like last time, rushing off as soon as you finished loading the grain."

Yan looked at her, nodded, and said, "This time we're bringing large ships, and only eleven million catties of grain. It should be all loaded in a little over two days. After we finish loading the grain, I'll have a nice meal with you."

Upon hearing Yan's words, Qingsui's smile spread from the corners of her eyes to the corners of her mouth. She tilted her shoulder slightly, as if trying to hide her smile, but failed. With that smile, she said, "My father should have received the news by now. He will send someone to invite you to the banquet later. I'll head back now and prepare some good dishes."

After she finished speaking, she waved slightly to him, then turned and walked quickly toward the camp. Her skirt swayed gently in the wind, and her steps were light and quick. After a few steps, she looked back once more before continuing forward, and soon disappeared around the corner.

As soon as she left, Shibang and Yingmu appeared out of nowhere, flanking Yan on either side. Shibang spoke first, his voice low as if he didn't want the others on the dock to hear, but he couldn't hide the smile on his face, "Boss, your wife is so good to you. As soon as I arrived, I heard her say she was going to cook you a good meal. Don't worry, once the grain is loaded, leave everything else to us. You and your wife can meet whenever you want, eat whenever you want, and play as long as you want. We'll keep an eye on the dock for you, and Yingmu and I will keep an eye on everything on the boat."

Yingmu nodded in agreement, his voice laced with laughter, "Yes, boss, your wife is kind and hardworking. The more you two get to know each other, the closer the relationship will be between our Fire Tribe and Valley Tribe. Now that the Horse Tribe has joined our Fire Tribe, it'll be easier for both sides to visit each other. I'm really looking forward to your wedding banquet soon. Don't keep us waiting too long! The sooner you settle down, the sooner we can prepare our wedding gifts."

Yan's face immediately hardened, but his stern expression couldn't completely suppress the slight upturn of his lips. He pointed at the Shibang, then at the Yingmu: "Aren't you two too idle? The temporary camp isn't even set up yet, and the boats aren't even properly moored. You've got time to talk like this? Should I transfer you to the grain transport team so you can carry the bottommost sacks when we load the grain tomorrow?"

Shibang and Yingmu exchanged a glance, muttering "Okay, okay, we're coming," but lingered, unwilling to go far, their faces bearing that "we all understand" expression. Shibang took a couple of steps and then turned back to add, "Boss, we're just happy for you!" It wasn't until Yan raised his hand and gestured as if to pat them on the back of the head that the two quickly ran off, turning back to look after a few steps, laughing as they went, before disappearing behind the wooden posts at the dock.

Yan stood on the dock, watching them run off into the distance, then glanced again in the direction Qingsui had disappeared. He let out a soft breath, then turned and walked towards the temporary camp to check on the supplies and tent arrangements.

As dusk fell, torches were lit in the camp, and footsteps sounded from the camp gate. Fengren arrived with several men. Today, he wore a dark blue linen robe, a leather belt with a bronze buckle around his waist, and a short sword hanging from the belt with patterns engraved on its scabbard. When he reached the entrance of the Fire Tribe's temporary camp, he paused, glanced around the camp, and then clasped his hands in a fist salute to Yan, saying in Chenwen and polite voice, "Young Chief Yan, the chief has prepared a banquet in the council hall and sent me to invite you there!"

Yan stood up from outside the tent at the temporary camp and called out towards the tent behind him, "Jia Li, Shibang, Yingmu! Come with me to the feast!"

The four followed Fengren through the twilight-shrouded camp towards the council hall of the Valley Tribe headquarters. Lights were already on at the entrance, Daiyue was waiting there with the seven elders of the Valley Tribe. Seeing Yan approach, he strode forward, extended both hands, and grasped Yan's hands firmly, saying in a loud and enthusiastic voice, "Young Chief Yan! We meet again! Please come in! The banquet is ready."

Yan Hui shook Daiyue's hand and said, "Chief Daiyue, you're too kind. You're always so hospitable whenever you come. I feel bad about it."

Daiyue released his hand, turned to the side, and gestured for him to come in. "Of course! Please come in!"

Yan led the three into the council hall, which was brightly lit. The table was already set with ceramic plates and bowls. Everyone sat down in turn. Daiyue picked up his wine bowl and raised it to Yan: "Come! Drink a bowl first! Welcome the Fire Tribe's fleet to the Valley Tribe again!"

Yan also picked up his wine bowl and clinked it with his. Everyone else raised their bowls, tilted their heads back, and drank it all. The sound of the bowls clinking and swallowing filled the entire council hall.

Setting down his bowl, Daiyue poured himself another, picked it up, and, his gaze sweeping over everyone's faces, declared in an even louder voice, "The second bowl! A toast to the friendship between our two tribes!"

Everyone picked up their bowls and drank them down in one gulp. When they put the bowls down, everyone had smiles on their faces, and the atmosphere quickly became warm and lively, as if ignited by a torch.