Independence

In the council hall of the Valley Tribe headquarters, the light was dimmer than usual. It was a cloudy day with low-hanging clouds. Daiyue sat in the main seat, holding a ceramic bowl. The water in the bowl was no longer hot, and he had been holding it for a while, the surface of the water remaining perfectly still. He didn't drink from it, but simply held it in his palm, occasionally turning the rim and letting his fingers glide back and forth across the rough ceramic surface. His fingertips slowly caressed the fine particles left after the clay was fired—a thoughtless action, as if he were finding a place for his hands to rest. Today he wore a dark blue linen robe, with dark stitches along the collar and cuffs, the stitches fine and even. His hair was held back with a bone hairpin. His expression was unreadable, his gaze sometimes falling on the wooden tablets laid out on the table, sometimes sweeping across the table towards the doorway.

Three days ago, when the news arrived that Zhixia, the chief of the Yi Clothing Tribe, was coming in person, he was standing on the dock inspecting the newly arrived bundles of hemp cloth. The messenger jumped off the boat, ran a few steps to him, and handed him the wooden tablet. He took it, looked down at the engravings on it, his gaze lingering on the edge of the tablet for a moment, and then handed it to his attendant beside him. He didn't say much, only instructing that the council hall be prepared in advance and that the kitchen be prepared with more food than usual. Although the Clothing Tribe was a semi-subordinate tribe of the Valley Tribe, Zhixia usually only sent a few leaders from the Clothing Tribe to come when there was something going on, occasionally sending a young leader to deliver a message. Such a personal visit was probably less than once a year. She would only bring people over to sit and chat when the Valley Tribe had a major celebration or gathering. This year, there was no particular reason, but Zhixia suddenly said she was coming. Daiyue didn't think much of it at the time, but it had already left an impression on him.

Now, Zhixia sat opposite him. Today, she wore a deep purple linen robe, the fabric of which they had dyed themselves. The color was even and deep, gleaming with a calm luster in the grayish-white light. The collar was embroidered with a circle of dark red patterns, the stitches fine and the lines smooth. It was clear that this was a treasured garment, not something she wore casually. Her hair was coiled at the back of her head and held in place with a copper hairpin. The hairpin head was carved with a Little Flower, the edges of the petals polished very thin. She sat very upright, her hands resting flat on her knees, palms down against the fabric. Her back was not against the chair back, her waist was straight, and her gaze did not avoid him, looking directly at Daiyue, without impatience or retreat.

The two had already exchanged pleasantries. Daiyue asked her if she was tired from the journey, saying that spring had come early this year and the river was rising faster than usual, so the journey should be smooth. Zhixia said that she had indeed encountered no storms along the way; the river was wide and the water was clear, even the Shitou at the bottom of the Qiantan near the shore were visible. Daiyue then asked how the dyeing and weaving of the Clothing Tribe was going this year, and whether the dyes were easy to find. Zhixia said that several kinds of plants harvested last autumn, dried and ground, produced colors that were even more vibrant than the year before, and a batch of new cloth had been dyed, but hadn't been delivered yet. The two answered each other's questions in steady voices.

After finishing one round of tea, a faint ring of water from the rim of the cup remained on the table. Daiyue put down the ceramic bowl, its bottom making a soft clinking sound. His gaze lingered on Zhixia's face for a moment before he spoke directly, "Chief Zhixia, you've come all this way for more than just to talk about the harvest. Please speak frankly."

Zhixia raised her head, looked at Daiyue, and said calmly, "Chief Daiyue, I have indeed come here today to discuss important matters with the Valley Tribe. On behalf of the Clothing Tribe, I am preparing to formally separate from the Valley Tribe and become an independent tribe."

Her voice wasn't loud, and it fell into the quiet corners of the council hall like a pebble thrown into deep water, ripples spreading out in circles without making a sound, but the surface of the water would never be the same again. Daiyue sat upright in the main seat, his expression unchanged, but the fingers gripping the rim of the bowl tightened slightly, his knuckles turning white, and then he relaxed.

He remained silent for a while, his gaze first falling on Zhixia's face, then shifting to the carvings on the wooden tablets on the table, as if letting the words linger in his mind to confirm he hadn't misheard. Then he raised his head, his voice lower than before, and said, "Why would Chief Zhixia have such an idea? Is this your own idea, or the idea of the entire Clothing Tribe?"

Zhixia's gaze remained fixed on him, her voice still steady as she said, "This is my decision, and it's the decision of the entire Clothing Tribe. This decision wasn't made on a whim; we've been thinking about it for a while. I've discussed it with the higher-ups in the tribe, and no one has objected."

She paused, then continued, "Chief Daiyue should know the situation in the north better than I do. After the Tiger Tribe suffered a loss here last time, they haven't stopped their actions. Moreover, news came from last autumn that Elder Tongding's faction has overpowered the other two factions. Now, they call the shots in the south of the Tiger Tribe. They swallowed the Great Luwei Tribe and expanded their territory. Our Clothing Tribe is sandwiched between the two major tribes, and our strength is limited. If we stay here and fight it out, the consequences are unpredictable."

She paused, pressed her fingers lightly on her knee, and continued, "We don't want to wait until a real war breaks out to make a choice, because by then we might not have the chance anymore. So we plan to first break away from the Valley Tribe and become an independent tribe, and then join the Fire Tribe as an independent tribe."

When Daiyue heard the words "Fire Tribe," his gaze visibly shifted. He leaned forward slightly, as if to confirm he hadn't misheard, and then asked, "You're planning to join the Fire Tribe?"

Zhixia nodded, the gesture was light but firm, and said, "Yes, right now, the only tribe on the Fish River that can directly confront the Tiger Tribe is the Fire Tribe. Our Clothing Tribe has been trading with the Fire Tribe for several years, so this isn't our first time dealing with them. We know how they treat tribes that join them. Their rules and ways of doing things are much more reliable than the rumors we've heard before. They keep their word, and they won't go back on their promises. Rather than staying put and waiting for the Tiger Tribe to attack, it's better to make a choice while we still have the option."

She paused slightly before continuing, "Of course, our Clothing Tribe is well aware that the Valley Tribe has taken good care of us over the years. Therefore, we will not leave empty-handed this time. We plan to donate one thousand bronze weapons and one thousand sets of leather armor to the Valley Tribe as a token of our gratitude for their care and protection over the years. I know that your Valley Tribe also needs these items."

After listening, Daiyue did not respond immediately. He remained silent for a while, his gaze falling on the engravings on the wooden tablets on the table, as if letting the words run through his mind again, scrutinizing every detail. Only then did he raise his head to look at Zhixia. His voice was not loud when he spoke, but the lingering shock from before was gone. "Chief Zhixia, this matter is no small matter for the Valley Tribe. I need to discuss it with the tribe's seven elders before I can give you an answer."

Zhixia didn't show any surprise, only nodding slightly to indicate that she understood the procedure. She stood up and then bowed slightly to Daiyue, saying, "I understand. Then please discuss it with the elders, Chief Daiyue. I can wait in the side hall. I'm not in a hurry; you can talk at your leisure."

Daiyue also stood up, beckoned to the attendant at the door, and instructed him to take Zhixia to a side hall next to the council hall to rest. He also told the kitchen to send over a pot of hot tea and several dishes of dried fruit. After Zhixia followed the attendant out of the council hall, he stood there, watching the door close behind Zhixia, and turned to the guard at the door, saying, "Go and invite all seven elders here. Tell them there is something important and they need to come immediately."

The news spread quickly, and within half an hour, the seven elders of the Valley Tribe arrived at the council hall one after another. The elders' expressions varied as they entered. Some were still wearing their work clothes, with their sleeves rolled up and their exposed forearms covered in mud, as if they had come directly from the fields. Others were dressed neatly in their robes, but their hair was still a bit disheveled, as if they had dropped what they were doing and rushed over without having time to tidy themselves up. Some were even holding a wooden tablet in their hands, which they placed on the corner of the table when they entered.

Daiyue sat in the main seat. After the last person was seated, he glanced at everyone present, and without exchanging pleasantries, he said directly, "Zhixia, the leader of the Clothing Tribe, just came to see me. She said they are planning to break away from the Valley Tribe, become independent, and then join the Fire Tribe."

A moment of silence fell over the council chamber, lasting for about three or four breaths. Then, the elders reacted almost simultaneously. Daiyue continued without pausing, "Zhixia said that their decision wasn't impulsive; they've been thinking about it for some time. Their reason is that the situation in the north is unstable, and the Tiger Tribe will attack again sooner or later. They feel they can't withstand it. They want to become independent first and then join the Fire Tribe. Furthermore, they said they won't leave empty-handed and are willing to give us a thousand bronze weapons and a thousand sets of leather armor as a token of gratitude for our care over the years."

The council room fell silent for a moment before the Second Elder, Hefeng, spoke first. His voice wasn't loud, but it was clear, as if he had considered his position before speaking, "The Clothing Tribe's relationship with the Valley Tribe has always been semi-subordinate, with a high degree of independence. The Valley Tribe has never really interfered in their internal affairs. Now that they want to break away, it's simply cutting off the thread that was connecting them before. We can't stop them, even if we try."

Fourth Elder Lin Feng continued, "Moreover, their close ties with the Fire Tribe have been going on for quite some time. In recent years, their trade with the Fire Tribe has grown significantly, while their interactions with us have become increasingly less frequent. The fact that they were willing to leave behind weapons and leather armor before leaving is already a great concession to the Valley Tribe. If they had left without leaving anything, there was nothing we could have done."

Elder Yaoshan remained silent, sitting with his hands clasped in front of his abdomen. His gaze lingered on the age-old carvings on the table, as if mentally reviewing the entire incident. After about ten breaths, he raised his head, his voice low but carrying a measured weight. "Even if the Clothing Tribe doesn't leave, they can't help us much. They don't have many people, and their warriors' fighting strength is limited. In a real battle, they might not be of much assistance. Moreover, after the Clothing Tribe leaves and joins the Fire Tribe, the Fire Tribe's territory west of the Fish River will border ours. If the Tiger Tribe really attacks, the Fire Tribe can come to our aid from the west much faster. For us, this might not be a bad thing, but rather a good thing."

After listening to the Grand Elder's words, Daiyue neither nodded immediately nor objected. He tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice, as if using his own rhythm to gather everyone's words together, ensuring each sentence landed in its proper place. Then he spoke, "So, does everyone mean they agree to the Clothing Tribe's independence?"

The elders exchanged glances. The Second Elder nodded first, followed by the Fourth Elder, and then the other elders nodded in agreement. Finally, the First Elder Yaoshan, nodded slightly. "I agree."

After everyone, including Daiyue, had settled their reactions, they sat up slightly, as if summarizing the opinions on the table one last time, and then stood up and said, "Then it's settled. I'll go and talk to Chief Zhixia."

He went out and pushed open the door to the side hall. The light inside was even dimmer than in the council hall. The branches of the old tree outside the window blocked most of the light. Zhixia was sitting at the low table in the side hall, with a bowl of hot tea that hadn't been touched in front of her. The surface of the tea was as calm as a small mirror. Next to her was a ceramic plate with dried fruit, which hadn't been moved either. A few dried fruits were still in the same position as when they were first placed there. When she heard the door open, she looked up and her gaze calmly fell on Daiyue's face.

Daiyue walked to the opposite side and stood there without sitting down. His hands hung at his sides, and he spoke in a steady voice, "Chief Zhixia, the Valley Tribe agrees to the Clothing Tribe's independence. We accept the conditions you just mentioned."

After listening, Zhixia stood up. Her movements were steady and she didn't sway. She then gave Daiyue a slight bow in return, saying, "Daiyue, Chief Daiyue. I will send someone to prepare the weapons and leather armor. You can send someone to pick them up."

Daiyue nodded and said, "The Valley Tribe will send a ship to accompany you back; they can transport you directly back."

Zhixia didn't say anything more, nodded, and turned to walk towards the door. When she reached the door, she turned back, as if considering her words. Her gaze lingered on Daiyue's face for a moment, and then she said, "Chief Daiyue, the Valley Tribe is currently located between the Tiger Tribe and the Fire Tribe. The Tiger Tribe is to the north, and the Fire Tribe is to the south. You have already made enemies with the Tiger Tribe. Haven't you considered joining the Fire Tribe?"

Daiyue stood at the entrance of the side hall, looking at Zhixia without answering. Zhixia didn't wait for his reply; she nodded to Daiyue, then turned and walked out of the side hall, heading towards the dock of the Gu tribe's Valley Tribe along the corridor. Daiyue stood at the entrance of the side hall, neither following nor turning away. The door of the side hall was half-open, and the wind outside seeped in through the crack, drawing a thin band of light on the blue brick floor in front of him, which slowly narrowed as the clouds moved. He stood there for a moment, as if repeating the words he had just spoken in his mind, then slowly exhaled, his shoulders slightly relaxed, and then he turned and walked back to the council hall.

At the dock, Zhixia had already boarded the boat she had come from. She stood at the stern and nodded slightly to Fengren, who was seeing her off at the dock. Fengren also nodded back to her, then turned around and led the Valley Tribe's fleet to follow behind, sailing upstream along the Fish River towards the Clothing Tribe.