Returning to Pick Up the People

After leaving the Valley Tribe's main dock, the fleet traveled upstream along the Fish River for twenty days. During these twenty days, the weather was consistently good, with no strong winds or heavy rains, and no river blockages. The fleet's journey was smooth and steady. Occasionally, they would stop at outposts along the way to rest, replenish their fresh water, and gather some fresh wild vegetables from the riverbank before continuing their journey. The ship's hold was piled high with grain, and the sacks were secured with ropes to prevent them from shifting when the ship swayed. Every few days, Yan would go down into the hold to check the condition of the grain sacks, looking for any signs of dampness. Only after confirming that there were no problems would he straighten up and walk back to the deck along the bulkhead.

Twenty days later, at noon, the fleet finally returned to the Fire Tribe's administrative center, the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost. A number of people stood on the dock, the figure at the very front naturally being Jianshi. He wore a dark blue linen robe, the collar and cuffs perfectly smooth, and a bronze-buckled leather belt around his waist, from which hung his usual short sword, its scabbard polished to a dull gleam in the afternoon sun. He wore animal-hide boots, the shafts gleaming and free of mud. Behind him stood several key leaders, including Dabang, Wu Xiong, Canglan, all dressed in their finest clothes. Many tribespeople, adults and children alike, also stood on the dock, waiting for the fleet to dock.

When the ship docked, Jianshi didn't stand still and wait. Instead, he walked a few steps along the pier and stopped at the end of the gangplank. He put his hands behind his back, stood up straight, and looked at Yan. Yan jumped off the ship, and he quickly walked up to Jianshi, clasped his hands in a salute, and stood up with a smile on his face, saying, "Father, we're back. There was no damage on the ship, and there were no problems on the way."

Jianshi reached out and patted his shoulder, his gaze lingering on Yan's face for a moment before he said, "It's good that you're back. You did a great job this time, successfully transporting back so much grain. With this grain, our tribe will have more confidence, and the people will feel much more at ease. Your mother has been talking about you these past few days, saying that you were dressed too lightly when you left last time, and she was worried you would catch a cold on the road."

Yan nodded, turned to look at the fleet behind him, and said, "The grain transport to the Valley Tribe went very smoothly this time. The grain in the Valley Tribe's warehouse was all in excellent condition; there was no stale grain, no damp grain, and every grain was plump. Twenty million catties were all loaded back without any loss, and we didn't encounter any major storms along the way."

Jianshi followed his gaze and glanced at the large ships with deep drafts, their hulls floating steadily on the water. He said to Yan, "That's good. Let's go back to the council hall first. We can eat and chat. Your mother started preparing early this morning. She heard you were arriving today and got up before dawn. She said you should have a proper meal when you come back."

The group walked towards the council hall. Yan walked beside Jianshi, Dabang and Wu Xiong walked behind, and Canglan walked at the very back. Every now and then, he would turn his head and whisper something to the person next to him, as if confirming the unloading arrangements at the dock. The warriors of the Fire Tribe began to unload the grain, carrying bags of grain off the ship and transporting them along the dock to the warehouse.

Several large tables had already been set up in the council hall, with rows of bowls and plates neatly arranged. A whole roasted lamb sat in the center, its surface glistening with golden oil, the edges slightly charred and curled up, still steaming and sizzling softly. Beside it were stewed meat, boiled fish, stir-fried wild vegetables, and several bowls of hot soup, each steaming and filling the room with their aroma.

Everyone was indeed hungry. Although there was dry food on the ship and hot meals occasionally made when we docked, it was nothing compared to this meal. The sounds of chopping food, chewing, and bowls clinking together mingled in the council hall. When everyone had almost finished eating, Jianshi put his chopsticks on the rim of his bowl, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, sat up straight, leaned back in his chair, and scanned everyone's faces before finally settling on Yan.

He spoke softly, but loud enough to quiet everyone down. "Yan'er, this time when you go to the Valley Tribe, tell everyone the details, not just about transporting grain, but also about the situation in the north."

Yan put down his chopsticks, sat up straight, and said, "This time, our grain transport to the Valley Tribe went very smoothly. Chief Daiyue of the Valley Tribe and their people cooperated very well. Quyong stayed at the dock the whole time without leaving. The grain in the granary was all fresh and dry. We checked several bags, and every grain was plump and not a single bag was moldy. There were no accidents during the loading process, and the speed was faster than expected. We originally planned to finish loading in three days, but it was actually done in a little over two and a half days. During this trip, I also received some news— the Clothing Tribe has officially seceded from the Valley Tribe and become independent. The Valley Tribe did not obstruct us or complain. Chief Daiyue only made one request: he hoped that our Fire Tribe would strengthen its military in the north so that it could provide timely assistance to the Valley Tribe when they need it."

After listening, Jianshi nodded and said, "That's for the best. The Clothing Tribe's independence went smoothly without any conflicts, which saves us from being caught in the middle. As long as the Valley Tribe understands, it's good that this matter doesn't cause any unpleasantness and damage our years of friendship."

He then asked, "What's the situation in the north? Is there any new activity from the Tiger Tribe? What did you hear from Chief Daiyue?"

Yan's gaze lingered on the table for a moment, as if rearranging the scattered information in his mind, before he spoke, "The situation in the north has changed. The Tiger Tribe has absorbed the territory and population of the Great Luwei Tribe, moving faster than we anticipated. The faction led by Elder Tongding has greatly increased in strength and now carries more weight within the Tiger Tribe. I heard that he has already publicly discussed the plan to march south in the council hall. Moreover, they have the Wolf Tribe and the Bear Tribe at their disposal, and the cooperation between the two sides will give them more tactical options than before."

He lowered his voice slightly as he said, "The chief of the Valley Tribe, Daiyue, judged that the Tiger Tribe would definitely come looking for trouble this year. He predicted that they would launch an offensive after the first harvest this year, when there would be plenty of food, the weather would be suitable, and the river level would be just right for large ships to sail."

After listening, Jianshi didn't respond immediately. He remained silent for a while, his right hand resting on the table, his fingers slowly clenching and unclenching, as if rearranging the information in his mind. Then he spoke, "This possibility is very high. Now that the Tiger Tribe has absorbed the Great Luwei Tribe's territory and population, and has more troops and supplies, they won't let these resources sit idle. The period before and after the harvest is indeed a good time to act. Since the Valley Tribe has already made its judgment, we can't just wait. We need to strengthen the strongholds and watchtowers in the north, and we can't relax the patrols on the river. When you came back, what was Feiyu's reaction? Did you tell him in person?"

Yan nodded and said, "When I came back, I had already stopped at the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost and told Feiyu about it in person. After I finished speaking, he said that the watchtower had been staffed since the beginning of spring, with full shifts for both day and night, and there were no gaps. There were also boats on duty on the river, working day and night. He said this with great certainty, not like he was just making excuses; he really had taken care of it."

Jianshi's expression relaxed slightly as he said, "That's good. Feiyu is a reliable person; since he's spoken, there's unlikely to be any problems."

He changed the subject, saying, "You passed by the Clothing Tribe on your way back, right? What did Zhixia say? Did she mention to you when she's moving?"

Yan continued, "When I came back, I stopped at the Clothing Tribe's dock. Chief Zhixia requested to join our Fire Tribe immediately. She said that they had also received some news that the Tiger Tribe was coming south, and they were uneasy. I promised her that I would rest here for two days and then take a boat to pick them up."

Jianshi thought for a moment and said, "Since the Clothing Tribe wants to join our Fire Tribe, we will definitely accept. I've also sent someone to inform Jian Jianya. They've already cleared out space, and houses and food are ready. They can settle people as soon as they arrive. In a couple of days, go to the Clothing Tribe to pick up the people and take them directly to their settlement. This time, the tribe has built more than a dozen ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin each, which are currently docked at the pier. They're all newly launched. Take some with you to pick up the people this time."

Upon hearing this, Yan's eyes visibly brightened, and he leaned forward slightly as he sat up straighter. "Then I won't have to worry about not having enough boats this time when I go to pick them up. Although there aren't too many people from the Clothing Tribe, they still have quite a lot, including their belongings and personal items. We can pick them all up in one trip, saving us the trouble of making multiple trips."

Jianshi nodded, then turned and surveyed the people sitting in the council hall. His gaze shifted from Dabang to Wu Xiong, then swept over Canglan and the other leaders. His voice was a little louder than before, as if he wanted every word to reach everyone's ears. "The Tiger Tribe could come looking for trouble at any time, so we can't let our Clothing Tribe down. We need to stockpile as much supplies as possible at each stronghold, thoroughly inspect all weapons, and improve the soldiers' rations. We can't let them train on an empty stomach. Training can't stop; we need to be prepared for any emergencies. Also, after the Yi Tribe people leave, their former homes and farmland can't be left uncultivated. Have Da Dazhuang send some people to the Clothing River to look after the crops. Large items can also be left there; we don't need to bring them all back, just take what's essential to us."

Everyone nodded, and someone whispered, "Understood." The meeting continued for a short while longer. Jianshi then inquired about the situation at each stronghold, with Yan listening attentively and occasionally adding a word or two. Once everything that needed to be said had been said, Jianshi waved his hand, signaling that everyone could disperse.

Yan stayed at the Fire Tribe's management center for two days, during which he hardly stopped. On the morning of the third day, before dawn, Yan set off with his fleet. The fleet traveled along the Fish River for several days and arrived at their Clothing River South Bank Outpost. Dazhuang was already there with his men waiting. When he saw Yan step off the boat, he quickly went to greet him. The two men's boots landed one after the other on the wooden planks of the dock, making alternating thuds.

Yan cut straight to the point. "Uncle Dazhuang, the people from the Clothing Tribe should already be making preparations, right? Have you assigned all the manpower on your side?"

Dazhuang nodded and said, "The Clothing Tribe is all ready. I sent someone over yesterday evening to check. There's a lot of stuff piled up at the dock, and everyone's gathered. They said they'd be ready to board the ship as soon as you arrive. My people are also divided up: one group is responsible for watching over the fields, and the other group is responsible for packing up the farm tools and belongings. Once you've picked them up, I'll lead people across the river to take over their fields and camp. We won't let the land lie fallow, and we won't let the things sit idle."

Yan turned and returned to the boat. The fleet slowly sailed away from the dock on the Clothing River South Bank, heading towards the dock of the Clothing Tribe Clothing Tribe the opposite bank. The dock of the Yi tribe was packed with people, men, women, and children. Their expressions varied: some were expectant, some were nervous, and some were reluctant to part. Zhixia stood at the very front of the dock, wearing a dark blue linen robe, the collar and cuffs neatly arranged. A hemp rope was tied around her waist, from which hung a short knife, its scabbard gleaming. She wore straw sandals, the soles still covered in dry sand. Her hair was held up with a copper hairpin, not a single stray hair falling. She stood there, her hands hanging at her sides, her gaze fixed on the fleet slowly approaching on the river. She didn't turn back, nor did she urge those behind her. She stood there like a wooden stake driven into the dock, steadily bearing the weight of all those waiting behind her.

The boat docked, the gangplank was set up, and the hull gently bumped against the wooden piles of the pier, producing a low thud. A slight vibration traveled along the planks to the shore. Yan stepped off the boat and walked up to Zhixia. Their eyes met briefly. Zhixia stepped forward, clasped her hands in a respectful greeting, and said crisply, "Young Master Yan, everyone is here. Everything that could be taken has been taken, and everything that couldn't be taken has been left behind. Tools and furniture are all neatly stored in the warehouse and are ready to be loaded onto the boat at any time."

Yan's gaze swept across the crowd on the dock, from left to right, then returned to Zhixia's face. "Alright, let's get on the ship now. The elderly and children go first, those with a lot of luggage can line up later. Don't push. When we get to the Fire Tribe, someone will arrange accommodations for you."

Zhixia nodded without asking any further questions. She turned and said a few words to the crowd behind her. Her voice wasn't loud, but the previously scattered crowd quickly stirred. Yan stood on the dock, watching people board the boat in batches. The number of people on the Clothing Tribe dock dwindled until the last person boarded the boat, leaving only an empty wooden plank and a few remaining wooden stakes. Some dents of varying depths remained on the open ground where miscellaneous items had been piled up. Several dogs that had been tied to the stakes were untied and brought onto the boat. The dock fell completely silent, with only the sound of the river water lapping against the stakes and the call of a bird from the distant bushes.

Yan stood at the Chuantou and waved to the shore. On the opposite bank, Dazhuang was leading his men across in small boats from the dock, preparing to take over the Clothing Tribe and camps left behind by the Yi tribe. The fleet slowly left the Clothing Tribe's dock, heading upstream along the Fish River towards the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost. The cabin was full of newcomers. Some leaned against the gunwale, looking back in the direction they had come from, their gazes fixed on the receding dock, their lips slightly pursed; some bowed their heads, tidying their bundles and tightening the straps; some had already closed their eyes as if resting, but their eyelids were still gently twitching.