The Journey Home and Plans for the Future

Early the next morning, just as dawn was breaking, fires lit up the Fire Tribe's temporary camp. The Fire Tribe warriors were already inspecting the boats, organizing the ropes, and preparing the gangplanks. Quyong led his men to the dock, pointing out the location of the grain piles and arranging the order of loading the grain for the day. He was still wearing the same gray-brown linen robe, the collar open, revealing a coarse linen undershirt. A hemp rope was tied around his waist, from which hung a short knife. His hair was combed neater than yesterday, but his trousers were still stained with dew and mud, and his shoes made a slight squeaking sound on the wet wooden planks.

When Yan emerged from the camp, he was carrying a bowl of hot water. The bowl was made of black pottery, and steam was rising from its rim, forming a small puff of white mist in the morning light. He took a couple of sips to warm his stomach, then strode towards the dock. Today he was wearing a gray short-sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up above his elbows, his belt tightly fastened, and he had changed into thick-soled boots, which made a solid sound as he stepped on the wooden planks of the dock.

When he reached the dock, Quyong was bent over checking the seal of a bag of grain. Hearing footsteps, he straightened up, turned around, nodded to Yan, and said, "Good morning, Young Master Yan!"

Yan walked over to him, glanced at the neatly stacked piles of grain, then looked at the empty spaces in the hold, stopped, pointed towards the bow of the Chuantou, and said, "Let's try to load as much as possible today, let's fill the big ship first."

After listening, Quyong didn't ask any further questions. He nodded, turned around, and shouted to the Valley Tribe warriors behind him, his voice particularly clear in the morning air. "Did you hear me? Load the hold first! Start with the big ship! Don't mess up the order! When you're loading, walk along the ship's side, don't crowd together in the middle of the ship, blocking the hatches and no one can get anything done!"

The dock quickly sprang into action. The two groups had coordinated so many times that they no longer needed to say much. Quyong paced back and forth on the dock, his steps small but frequent. Sometimes he would squat down and pinch the knot of the sack with his fingers to make sure it wasn't loose; other times he would stand up straight, look up at the stacking in the hold, and gesture to adjust the positions. Occasionally he would stop and shout to a soldier who was moving grain, "Put those sacks closer together, the gaps are too big and they'll wobble," before continuing on his way.

As the sun slowly rose from the east, the mist on the river gradually dissipated, revealing a wide and clear surface of water. The reflections of the trees and sails on both banks were mirrored on the water. The shadows of the people on the dock grew shorter and shorter on the ground, and fine beads of sweat began to appear on their foreheads, shimmering in the morning light.

Qingsui arrived about an hour after noon. The sun was already high in the sky, and the mist on the river had completely dissipated, leaving only a clear boundary between the water and the sky. She carried a small earthenware jar in her hand, the mouth of which was tied with a clean piece of linen. Steam seeped out from the seams of the cloth. She wore a light gray linen skirt, with a few damp stains on the hem, as if left when she walked through dewy grass. The edge of the skirt was a shade darker than the rest of the skirt.

She didn't go directly to the dock, but stood on the edge of the dock for a while, avoiding the loading route. She waved to Yan when he came out of the cabin. The wave was small, and she stopped when her hand was raised to shoulder height, as if she was afraid that the noise would disturb the workers.

Yan straightened up, wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, put down what he was doing, and walked towards her, his steps quicker than usual. The soles of his boots made short, solid sounds on the wooden planks of the dock. Qingsui waited for him to reach her, then handed him the earthenware jar. The jar was still warm; even through the linen cloth, one could feel its warmth, as if it had just been taken off the fire. She spoke softly, as if she were speaking only to him, "I made ginger tea this morning, with a few dried dates in it. Drink some, don't just keep working."

Yan took the earthenware jar, its warmth touching his hands. He uncorked it, and a wisp of steam, a mixture of ginger spiciness and jujube sweetness, billowed from the opening, forming a small cloud of white mist in the cool air before being dispersed by the wind. He lowered his head and took two sips; the spiciness of the ginger slid down his throat, warming his stomach, with a hint of brown sugar sweetness in the aftertaste. He took two more sips before recorking it, holding the jar in his arms, and looking up at her with a slight smile, saying, "Delicious. The ginger is just right, and the jujube flavor has infused it."

Upon hearing this, Qingsui's eyebrows curved slightly, and the smile spread from the corners of her mouth to the depths of her eyes. She didn't say much, but glanced at him to make sure he had finished drinking before saying with relief, "Then you go ahead with your work. I'm going back now. If you're free this afternoon, you can come find me."

Having said that, she didn't linger, turning and walking back towards the camp. Her steps were light, her skirt brushing the ground as she turned, stirring up a small patch of Caoye and dust before quickly settling down. Yan stood by the dock, still holding the pottery jar, watching her walk away. His gaze lingered until she turned the corner of a wooden hut before he put the jar back beside the tent in the camp, turning back to continue his work on the dock. Eleven million catties of grain were all packed up in just over two days.

By noon on the second day, the last bag of grain was delivered into the ship's hold. Yan came out of the hold, stood on the dock, looked at the fully loaded ships, and then at the sun overhead. The afternoon sun was blazing, pouring down directly from above, making the wooden planks beneath his feet slightly hot. He could feel the heat even through the soles of his boots. He stood there for a while, then turned and walked towards the temporary camp.

He ate something first, then quickly washed up and changed into a clean linen robe. The robe was light gray, without any wrinkles, and the collar and cuffs were neatly trimmed. When he came out, Qingsui was already waiting at the entrance of the camp. Beside her was a wicker basket covered with a light-colored linen cloth, and she had a faint smile on her face.

"Let's go," she said, "The weather's nice today, let's go for a walk."

Yan walked beside her, and the two strolled slowly along the riverbank path outside the camp. The afternoon sun filtered through the gaps in the tree canopy, casting dappled patterns of light on the path. The wind blew beneath their feet, and the river flowed gently in the distance.

Qingsui walked slowly, pointing to the grass along the riverbank, asking what the clump of yellow-flowered wild grass was called, saying that the Luwei by the water could be used to weave mats, and that you could find a kind of small, thin-shelled river mussel under the roots of that crooked tree. Her voice was soft, as if she were sharing with the person beside her the inconspicuous but interesting things she had noticed. Yan listened, occasionally responding, sometimes stopping to bend down and glance at where she was pointing, and then following her again. They didn't say much, but that quiet companionship itself was a tacit understanding, needing no words to fill the void.

After walking for more than an hour, the two returned to the temporary camp. Qingsui prepared for dinner, her movements swift and deliberate. Yan wanted to help, but she gently stopped him with the back of her hand. "Sit down and rest. You don't need to lift a finger today." Her voice carried a gentle tone that left no room for argument, so Yan didn't insist. He sat down on a low wooden stool not far from her, watching her busy herself at the stove. The firelight illuminated her profile, making her features both soft and clear.

After dinner was prepared, the two sat by the fire to eat. A gentle evening breeze blew from the river, carrying the scent of water and grass, spreading the residual warmth of the fire. Qingsui picked up a piece of fish and placed it in Yan's bowl. As she did so, her chopsticks paused at the thickest part of the fish, as if deliberately choosing the most intact piece. She said, "This time it took a little longer than last time."

Yan nodded, put the fish in his mouth, chewed it, and swallowed it. "Hmm, the ship is bigger, and there wasn't much food this time, so it loaded quickly."

Qingsui paused for a moment, her chopsticks resting on the rim of her bowl. "When will you come next time?"

Yan thought for a moment and said, "Early next year."

Qingsui listened and didn't ask any more questions. She lowered her head, picked up another piece of fish and put it into Yan's bowl, then picked up a piece of wild vegetables for herself and ate slowly, as if she were telling the story at her own pace.

After finishing their meal, the two cleaned up the dishes and the fire together. Yan used a stick to scatter the ashes, poured half a ladle of water to extinguish the embers, and then put the dishes into a wooden basin. Night had fallen, the moon had not yet risen, and the stars twinkled densely in the sky. A few frogs croaked in the distance. The two walked for a while and then returned to the entrance of the temporary camp. Yan stopped first and stood at the camp entrance, and Qingsui stopped as well. The two stood facing each other, the night wind passing between them, carrying the scent of the distant rice paddies and the river.

Qingsui looked up at him, her voice softer than before as she spoke, "You're leaving first thing tomorrow morning?"

Yan nodded. "The grain is packed, it's time to go back. There are still things to take care of at the tribe, we can't delay any longer."

Qingsui lowered her eyes, then looked up again after a moment, meeting his gaze. "Then be careful on your way."

Her tone was flat, but the last syllable ended a little faster than the rest of her sentence.

"Okay," Yan said.

The two stood in the night for a while. The wind blew from the river, stirring Qingsui's skirt and Yan's clothes. It lasted for a while and then fell silent.

Then Qingsui turned around and walked into the camp. Her pace was the same as usual, neither faster nor slower. The torchlight at the camp gate cast a warm glow on her, and her figure walked through the light, step by step, into the distance. Yan stood at the gate for a while, watching her figure disappear among the wooden huts in the camp, and then turned and walked back to the temporary camp.

The next morning, the Fire Tribe's fleet set off. Yan stood at the Chuantou, watching the Valley Tribe's main dock grow smaller and smaller in the distance. The outlines of the wooden houses and flags on the dock were gradually blurred by the mist. He turned around, his gaze falling ahead, watching the fleet sail upstream along the Fish River.

After traveling for several days, the fleet stopped briefly at the base at the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost. Feiyu was already standing on the dock. Today, he was wearing a faded gray linen robe, the collar and cuffs frayed, but it was very clean and stained. He was a bit darker than the last time I saw him, his cheeks tanned with a deep base color, but he was still very energetic, his eyes showing a focused readiness to deal with anything. When he saw the ship dock, he put down a roll of rope he was tidying and strode over to greet it.

Yan stepped off the ship, his boots landing on the wooden planks of the dock. Without exchanging pleasantries, he looked at Feiyu and said calmly, "Feiyu, the situation in the north has changed."

Feiyu paused slightly, raised his eyes, his gaze lingered on Yan's face for a moment, then he nodded. "You speak."

Yan briefly recounted the events involving the Tiger Tribe and Wolf Tribe: the Wolf Tribe sent two thousand dwarf horses to the Tiger Tribe in exchange for a boat and promises; then, the Wolf Tribe launched a surprise attack on the Great Luwei Tribe, destroying their camp and defeating all the core and subordinate tribes that came to their aid; immediately afterward, the Tiger Tribe took over the Great Luwei Tribe 'Great Luwei Tribe territory and population, and the Wolf Tribe members were politely asked to leave. He spoke slowly, pausing for about one or two breaths between each sentence, as if giving Feiyu time to digest.

Feiyu listened quietly without interrupting. His gaze remained fixed on Yan's face, as if he were absorbing every word. After listening, he paused for a moment, then spoke, his voice lower than usual but steady. "The Big Horse River Mouth Outpost is the northernmost outpost of the Fire Tribe. I've long expected this day to come."

He pointed to the wall on the north side of the camp. "Young Chief, don't worry, I'll make preparations here. I'll send more men to watch the river, and there will be people on the watchtowers day and night."

Yan nodded and continued, "Next year, the Fire Tribe will strive to expand the population of the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost to 20,000 to 30,000, which will strengthen your forces. After the autumn harvest, once we receive the people from the Horse Tribe, we will equip the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost with a large ship with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin, and we will provide more as needed."

Feiyu's eyes lit up when he heard "a ship weighing 100,000 jin." His shoulders straightened slightly, as if the words had added a new weight to his body, making him feel more grounded. He didn't ask any further questions, only saying three words: "I'll wait."

Yan looked at him and said, "With the large ship, you can attack or defend as you please. Raise the walls, add more watchtowers, and make sure the food reserves keep up. Report any situation to the management center immediately."

Feiyu straightened up. "Young Chief, rest assured. I will definitely build up the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost. I will send word back immediately if there is any movement in the north."

Yan looked at him, reached out and patted his shoulder. "It's good that you know what you're doing."

He gave a few more instructions regarding the expansion of the dock and the reinforcement of the perimeter wall, then turned and walked back to the ship.

The fleet set sail again, traveling upstream along the Fish River. Twenty days after leaving the Valley Tribe's main dock, the fleet finally returned to the Little Fish River Mouth dock.

Some people on the dock had already spotted the fleet, and the news reached the camp. When Yan stepped off the ship, Jianshi was already waiting on the dock. He was wearing a gray-blue linen robe, his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the sails and the waterline of the fleet, as if checking the amount of food and the condition of the ships.

Yan walked towards the council hall, with Jianshi following beside him. The two entered one after the other. Jianshi did not rush to sit down. He waited until Yan sat down before slowly sitting down in the main seat, looking at Yan and waiting for him to speak.

Yan recounted the entire trip from beginning to end: the grain loading went smoothly at the Valley Tribe, Quyong cooperated well, all eleven million catties were new grain, there was no mold, and the ships were not damp. News from the Valley Tribe had also been exchanged, and the situation in the north had been confirmed.

After listening, Jianshi nodded. "The grain matter was handled smoothly. Things are also getting better and better with the Valley Tribe."

Yan continued, "The matter in the north has been confirmed with Chief Daiyue. The Wolf Tribe sent two thousand dwarf horses to the Tiger Tribe in exchange for boats, and then launched a surprise attack on the Great Luwei Tribe. They broke through the camp and crushed all the core and subordinate tribes of the Great Luwei Tribe that came to their aid. Afterwards, the Tiger Tribe took over the territory and population of the Great Luwei Tribe."

Jianshi's fingers, which had been resting on the armrest, tightened slightly upon hearing this, but his expression remained largely unchanged. "The Wolf Tribe conquered it, and the Tiger Tribe took it over. A clean and efficient move."

Yan nodded. "Chief Daiyue said that after the Tiger Tribe suffered a loss at our hands last year, they have been secretly building ships and intensifying their warrior training. Once they have absorbed the Great Luwei Tribe, they will definitely come looking for trouble."

Jianshi was silent for a moment, his gaze falling on the wood grain of the table, as if letting his thoughts trace along that line: "Next spring, we'll likely clash with the Tiger Tribe again. Their strength has increased, and we can't stand still."

He looked up at Yan: "You rest in the tribe for a few days, then go out and inspect the outposts. Check on the preparations at each outpost. The autumn harvest should be almost over. After you return, take the fleet to pick up the people of the Horse Tribe and settle them in the main valley. This will increase our population and territory."

Yan nodded. "Yes, Father."

Jianshi glanced at him again. "You've made many trips these past few months without stopping. Take a break after you get back from this inspection."

Yan responded, stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute to his father, and then turned and walked out of the council hall.