The Clothing Tribe's True Intentions

After leading the trade fleet back to the Fire Tribe management center from the Clothing Tribe, Yan didn't go back to his lodgings or check the unloading situation at the dock. Instead, he went straight to the council hall. When the fleet docked, he was still standing at the Chuantou, giving Jia Li a few instructions on the unloading order. Then he jumped off the ship and strode along the dirt road between the dock and the camp. The autumn sun had changed from the blazing midday sun to the gentle afternoon sun, casting a long, pale shadow on the dirt road in the camp, leaving a dark outline behind him. He walked at a moderate pace, but each step carried the rhythm of wanting to put the result down as soon as possible after finishing the task. His boots left shallow imprints on the dry soil with each step.

The guards at the entrance of the Fire Tribe Management Center's council hall saw him but didn't stop him. The older guard stepped aside and opened the door for him. The door hinges made a familiar low sound as they turned, like the sound of the door being opened at the same time every day. The guard nodded slightly to him, his gaze lingering on his face for a moment before moving away, as if silently confirming that he had returned safely. Yan also nodded to him, then stepped over the threshold and went inside.

The light inside the council chamber was dimmer than outside; the oil lamps hadn't been lit yet. Light streaming in through the windows slanted across the table and floor, casting streaks of light and Jianshi. Jian Shi sat in the main seat, several wooden tablets spread out on the wooden table before him, each covered in densely packed symbols and numbers, their edges worn smooth from repeated handling. He held a slender bone needle in his hand, its tip pressed against the edge of one of the tablets, as if finishing a piece of unfinished record. Hearing the door open, he looked up, the bone needle pausing in his hand before he slowly lowered it onto the table with a soft click. His gaze first fell on Yan's face, as if checking if he had gotten tanned or thinner, before shifting away to glance at the closed door behind Yan, then returning to his own with a Chenwen, expectant look.

He didn't urge him, but simply placed his palm flat on the table, leaning forward slightly to give Yan room to speak first. Yan sat down opposite him, the wooden chair making a slight creak as he sat down, as if he had settled firmly. He didn't rush to speak, but first reached for the ceramic pot on the corner of the table, poured himself a bowl of water. The pot was still warm, and the water was lukewarm, as if it had been sitting for an hour or two without completely cooling down. He picked it up and took a sip, the water sliding down his throat, moistening his parched mouth. Then he put down the bowl, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and looked up at his father.

"Father, I'm back. This trip to the Clothing Tribe Clothing Tribe went smoothly. I not only learned their true thoughts, but also expanded our trade with them."

When Jianshi heard the words "true thoughts," he leaned forward slightly, raised his right hand from the table, rested his elbow on the edge of the table, and held his palm up, as if making a silent "tell me" gesture. He didn't interrupt Yan, but just looked at him quietly, raising his chin slightly, waiting for him to continue.

Yan took another sip of water, then put the bowl back on the table, placed his hands on his knees, and began to recall the events one by one in order, "This time I went with Uncle Dazhuang. We went downstream along the Fish River, and when we arrived at the Clothing Tribe's dock, Chief Zhixia was already waiting there with the tribe's leaders. It was quite a grand affair; they were all wearing clothes made from fabric they dyed themselves, the colors much brighter than the darker shades we usually see here. Zhixia stood at the front, wearing a dark blue robe with a dark pattern embroidered around the collar. Behind her stood several children, holding ceramic plates filled with dried fruit and some local specialties, as if they had been waiting there for a long time."

When Jianshi heard the detail that "the child was holding a ceramic plate," the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, as if he were silently acknowledging the Clothing Tribe's way of hospitality.

Yan continued, "After we arrived, they didn't rush to talk about business. They arranged for food first. They really put a lot of thought into it. Some dishes were served on bamboo leaves, and there was a fish dish that they made in their own way. It tasted different from what we have here, but it was delicious. Uncle Dazhuang ate a lot and even asked for more twice. Zhixia stayed with us and didn't urge us to talk. It was as if we should eat and drink well first."

He paused, as if reviewing the atmosphere in his mind, before continuing, "After everyone had finished eating and put down their chopsticks, Zhixia finally spoke. She said that they planned to officially leave the Valley Tribe next year, first to become an independent tribe, and then join our Fire Tribe. She spoke without hesitation, as if she had been thinking about it for a long time and was just waiting for the right moment to say it."

Yan paused slightly at this point, as if recalling Zhixia's expression at the time. "When she said this, her gaze didn't waver, she didn't look down at the table or at the people next to her, she kept looking in the direction of me and Uncle Dazhuang, and the leaders sitting next to her also nodded, without frowning or exchanging glances, as if they had discussed it beforehand."

After listening, Jianshi didn't respond immediately. His gaze lingered on the edges of the wooden tablets on the table, as if letting the words settle in his mind. He tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table, then raised his head, his voice steady and resolute. "After we established a stronghold on the Clothing River South Bank, our exchanges and trade with the Clothing Tribe increased significantly. They know how our Fire Tribe developed step by step, and they've seen how we treat those who join us. They've certainly noticed how well their smaller tribes are doing after joining us. Plus, after we defeated the Tiger Tribe last year, they'll reconsider who is the most reliable force on the Fish River."

Yan nodded and said, "Yes, the Clothing Tribe is very independent. Although it is a semi-subordinate tribe of the Valley Tribe, it actually makes its own decisions in many matters. The Valley Tribe's management of them is very loose. They only need to hand over a certain amount of cloth and dyes every year. In recent years, after trading more with our Fire Tribe, their dependence on the Valley Tribe has become weaker. They can get many things from us and don't need to go to the Valley Tribe anymore."

He paused, twirling his finger around the rim of the water bowl in front of him, and said, "Besides, they must have heard the news that the Tiger Tribe will come south again, and they must be anxious. Under these circumstances, it's much safer to find a reliable large tribe to rely on as soon as possible, rather than staying put and waiting for others to attack before figuring out what to do."

After listening, Jianshi picked up the bowl of water in front of him, took a sip, and put it down. He then slowly circled his finger along the rim of the bowl, as if reviewing the information in his mind. "Although the Clothing Tribe is a semi-subordinate tribe of the Valley Tribe, as long as they break away from the Valley Tribe next year and become independent, they will have no connection with the Valley Tribe anymore. If they want to join our Fire Tribe later, the Valley Tribe has no reason to stop them."

Yan nodded and said, "I also asked at the time if the Valley Tribe would have any thoughts on this. Zhixia said she would make things clear to Chief Daiyue in advance so that the Valley Tribe wouldn't feel like they were being kept in the dark. She said this in a very normal tone, as if she had already thought about how to bring it up with Daiyue."

Jianshi remained silent for a while, his gaze falling on the engravings on the wooden tablets on the table, as if letting his thoughts slowly trace those lines. When he spoke, his voice was not loud, but it carried the certainty that only comes after confirmation. "The Clothing Tribe, including their core affiliated tribes, has more than ten thousand people. If they really join our Fire Tribe, our territory west of the Fish River will directly border the Valley Tribe's headquarters. Then, if anything happens to the Valley Tribe, we can get there much faster."

Yan picked up the thread and said, "Yes, after the Clothing Tribe joins, our population will increase by more than 10,000, and our territory will be larger. Moreover, the Clothing Tribe has some techniques that we are still figuring out ourselves. Their dyeing skills are better than ours; they can dye several different shades of color on linen, and the colors don't fade easily. The cloth they weave is also denser than ours; you can feel its weight in your hand. When the time comes, these techniques can be shared, and our Fire Tribe will only become stronger. We won't have to figure everything out from scratch."

Jianshi's gaze lingered on Yan's face for a moment, as if to confirm that he had said everything he needed to say, before he spoke, "As long as our Fire Tribe Fire Tribe to develop steadily, our strength will far surpass that of the Tiger Tribe. At that time, it won't be them coming to cause us trouble, but rather we can take the initiative to attack them. That day is not far off."

He didn't linger on the topic for long, as if the words had already been said and didn't need further confirmation. He changed the subject, tapping his finger on the table, and said, "There's one more thing. Next year, our Fire Tribe Management Center will also have the capacity to build giant ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin. However, our output here is only half that of Jianya's. The technology is already up to par; it's just a matter of manpower and space. The shipyard is expanding, and we're training craftsmen, but we can't rush it. We have to take it one step at a time."

Upon hearing this news, Yan sat up slightly and said, "It's already quite good to have any production at all. As long as we continue to expand and increase the scale, the production will only increase. Jianya Fang's workshop didn't become what it is today overnight; it expanded gradually. We started a little later, but as long as we don't stop, we'll catch up eventually."

Jianshi nodded, reached for a wooden tablet on the corner of the table, glanced at the engravings on it, and put it back, saying, "After the Horse Tribe joined us, they brought a lot of cattle and horses. I've already distributed them to various strongholds. With these livestock, the efficiency of cultivating new fields is much faster than before. The oxen pull the plow in front, and the people support it from behind. At this rate, our Fire Tribe's grain production will increase significantly next year, and we'll be able to store even more grain."

Yan nodded and said, "With more grain, we have more confidence and a stronger ability to cope with various risks. No matter what happens from the north next year, we won't panic as long as we have grain in hand."

After he finished speaking, the council chamber fell silent for a moment. The wind outside seeped in through the crack in the door, causing the oil lamp flame to flicker slightly before settling back down. Jianshi's gaze lingered on Yan's face for a while, carrying a deeper meaning, as if he were carefully choosing his words or confirming something. He laid his fingers flat on the table and then spoke, his voice softer and his pace slower than before.

"Yan'er, you're eighteen this year. Many people in the tribe start getting married at fifteen. You should start thinking about this at your age."

As he said this, he raised his right hand and gently pressed his palm on the table, as if adding a small pause to his sentence: "I know you're close to Qingsui from the Valley Tribe. If you're interested in this, I'll find an opportunity to mention it to Daiyue."

Upon hearing this, Yan paused mid-air, as if gently deflected by the words. He glanced down at the rim of the bowl, then placed it back on the table, his movements slower than usual, the bottom of the bowl barely making a sound. He remained silent for a moment, then looked up, meeting his father's gaze, and said, "Thank you, Father. I want to wait until the tribe is more stable, at least until we've dealt with the Tiger Tribe's situation next year. The situation in the north isn't entirely clear yet, and I don't want to be distracted at this time."

Jianshi's gaze lingered on Yan's face for a moment, as if judging whether the answer was genuinely out of consideration or just an excuse. He didn't press further, but simply nodded slightly, his voice returning to its usual warmth. "Alright, you're all grown up now, and you've always been very opinionated. You can decide this yourself."

He picked up the water bowl again, took a sip, put it down, and then spoke in his usual rhythm, "You're aware of the situation with the Clothing Tribe. Continue to keep an eye on the follow-up contacts. Don't Clothing Tribe to give them a deadline, but don't let Clothing Tribe think that our Fire Tribe isn't taking it seriously."

Yan stood up, pushed his chair back half a step, making a short scraping sound on the wooden floor, and said, "Okay, Father, I'll go back and rest now."

He clasped his hands in a fist salute to his father, then turned and walked out of the council hall. He stood on the steps outside the Clothing Tribe, took a deep breath, and felt that all the words and thoughts he had brought back from the Yi tribe had finally been put into their proper place. The wind blew from the surface of the Fish River, carrying the dryness unique to autumn. He cast his gaze to the distant horizon, then strode toward his residence.