Crossing the River

The afternoon after the Wolf Tribe and Bear Tribe captured the Little Valley Camp Outpost, Tong Dachui of the Tiger Tribe Tiger Tribe sitting on one of their giant ships, which could carry 100,000 jin (50,000 kg) of cargo. In front of him was a piece of animal hide with a rough map and terrain drawn on it. One corner of the hide was weighed down by a Shitou, and the other corner was curled up. Hearing a noise, he looked up and saw the Tiger Tribe's messenger kneeling on one knee. With a swift and decisive movement, the messenger handed him the letter tube with both hands, palms facing up, knuckles slightly white.

Tong Dachui took the animal hide, his fingers pausing as he untied the rope. He then unfolded the hide and glanced at the engravings. His gaze swept from the first line to the last, reading it once and then again. He placed the hide on the low table in front of him, pressed his palm against its surface, and paused for a moment above the densest lines of engravings before withdrawing his hand and leaning back in his chair. His lips twitched slightly, a faint smile that hadn't fully formed, but Hu Wei, sitting beside him, had already caught that subtle change.

Hu Wei Might leaned forward slightly, his gaze shifting from Tong Dachui's face to the animal hide on the table, then back. He tapped his fingers lightly on his knee, his voice filled with expectant anticipation. "Chief Dachui, how is it? Is it news from the front? The capture of Little Valley Camp should be confirmed, right?"

Tong Dachui withdrew his hand from the animal hide, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest. His voice held a satisfied tone, as if a weight had finally been lifted from his shoulders. "The Wolf Tribe and the Bear Tribe have launched a night raid and captured the Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp Outpost. The letter was brief, but it mentioned that the two Valley Tribe ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 jin each, and the two ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 jin each from the Valley Tribe headquarters, were sunk at the Little Valley Camp Outpost dock. The remaining supplies at the Little Valley Camp Outpost are being inventoried. The casualties on both tribes are not significant."

Upon hearing this, Hu Wei's eyes lit up, and he slapped his knee with a short, crisp sound. A slight upward smirk played on his lips, as if he were trying to suppress a smile but couldn't quite manage it. His shoulders relaxed slightly, and he said, "Chief Dachui, I didn't expect the Wolf Tribe and Bear Tribe to have some skill. They actually captured the Valley Tribe's Little Valley Camp Outpost as soon as they arrived. I thought it would take them at least two or three days to take it down, but it was over in one night. It seems they've done night raids quite often; they're certainly efficient."

Tong Dachui didn't rush to reply. He reached out and rolled up the animal hide, retying it with thin hemp rope. He gently pressed his fingers on the knotted rope, as if giving the information a final confirmation. His movements were unhurried as he said, "Yes, I originally thought they would suffer significant losses even if they captured it. They have many cavalry, and siege warfare isn't their forte. A direct assault on the camp walls would result in heavy casualties, at least a thousand men lost. But they used a night raid, which was definitely the right method. The combined losses from both sides weren't much."

He paused for a moment, his gaze passing over Hu Wei's shoulder and landing on the afternoon sunlight filtering through the tent's gaps. A few tiny specks of dust floated slowly up and down in the beam of light. "However, the Valley Tribe is definitely on Jingjue now."

Upon hearing this, Hu Wei's smile faded slightly. He sat up a little straighter, moved his hands off his knees, and placed them on the edge of the table, his fingertips brushing against the wooden planks. His voice also dropped a beat, as if he were seriously considering his next move. "So, this time, should we also try to launch a night raid?"

Tong Dachui shook his head, his movements slow but firm. He pushed the animal-hide letter tube on the corner of the table further inside, shifting his gaze from Hu Wei's face to the canvas wall of the tent. "No, the Valley Tribe has suffered a great loss and is definitely on high Jingjue. They'll have more manpower at their headquarters' watchtowers than usual, and the patrol boats on the river won't stop. There will be people watching day and night. Even if we wanted to launch a night attack, it would be practically impossible. The Valley Tribe aren't stupid; they won't make the same mistake twice. This time, we must defeat the Valley Tribe head-on."

Hu Wei remained silent for a moment, his gaze lingering on Tong Dachui's face before settling on the table in front of him. He mentally reviewed Tong Dachui's words, then lowered his voice as if to bring up a less-than-ideal fact. "Although the Valley Tribe has suffered heavy losses, they still have quite a few people. If they stay and hold their ground, and the Fire Tribe's reinforcements arrive, our losses will be greater than expected if we launch a frontal assault. The situation will become quite troublesome then."

After listening, Tong Dachui didn't answer immediately. He stood up, his chair shifting slightly behind him with a short, sharp creak. He turned around, his voice neither loud nor soft, as if he were talking about something he had rehearsed many times in his mind. "Don't worry about the losses. I plan to have the Wolf Tribe and Bear Tribe warriors lead the charge. They have a large force, and when they attack the Valley Tribe's main camp, they'll be at the forefront, wearing down the Valley Tribe Tribe's defenses. When the Valley Tribe sees so many people outside the camp walls, their arrows will be aimed at the front lines first. Once they're nearly exhausted, the Tiger Tribe's reinforcements will arrive, and then we'll all press forward together."

He reached for another wooden tablet on the table, glanced at the numbers engraved on it, then put it back, lightly running his fingertip along the engraving on the edge of the tablet. "I plan to hand over all the supplies here at the Little Valley Camp Outpost to them. Anyway, these supplies aren't ours, and we'd have to assign people to guard them if we kept them. Let them have them first, and they'll be more willing to work. We can then supervise from behind, and they won't be able to shirk their duties. As long as we surround the Valley Tribe's Valley Tribe and deplete their strength, we can easily take over the Valley Tribe's headquarters camp."

He paused, turned to look at Hu Wei, and his voice became clearer. "Pass down the order to have the fleet speed up towards the Valley Tribe. Also, send a small boat to Hu Ya, instructing him to lead the army to continue their journey from behind. There's no need for him to rush to join us. Let us surround the Valley Tribe and weaken their forces first, then Hu Ya can launch the final attack from land!"

Hu Wei nodded, asked no further questions, and sent people to do their work. Two days later, on the morning of the next day, the Tiger Tribe's fleet arrived first at the Little Valley Camp Outpost. The fleet lined up along the river, with more than twenty giant ships, each with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin, arranged in two rows. Some of the sails had been lowered, but the remaining sails were still slightly billowing in the wind, allowing the ships to be steadily moored in the waters near the dock. The ripples created when the bows broke the surface of the water slowly spread into parallel Shuihen after the Chuantou reached the shore, lapping against the wooden piles by the dock and making a continuous and rhythmic sound. One wave after another rose, as if the river was repeatedly confirming whether the ships had come to a safe stop.

Xueya and Xiong Lie, along with their respective tribal leaders, were already waiting at the dock of the Little Valley Camp Outpost. The two stood side by side, with Xueya on the riverside, hands on his hips, his gaze fixed on the giant ships that were docking. His lips were slightly pursed. Today, he was wearing a clean, dark gray linen robe, the collar and cuffs tightly bound, and a wide animal skin belt around his waist. The scabbard of the short knife hanging on the belt had been wiped clean, with a few traces of oil still remaining on the edge. He had also changed his boots; the bloodstains on the boot tops had been cleaned, leaving only a few faint dark marks that were almost invisible unless you looked closely.

Xiong Lie stood beside him, arms crossed, fingers tapping lightly on his elbows. His gaze swept from Chuantou to stern and Chuantou again, as if he were counting the number of ships in the fleet. His lips moved slightly, as if he were counting something in a low voice. His face showed a mixture of anticipation and nervousness, like someone who had been waiting for a long time and finally heard footsteps outside the door.

Tong Dachui stepped off the largest ship, wearing a dark blue-black leather armor. The armor plates gleamed dimly in the sunlight, each edge perfectly pressed, without any burrs. A long sword hung at his waist, the scabbard's edge polished to a shine, revealing the dark wood grain inside. His steps were unhurried, each step landing precisely on the center of the gangplank. When he reached the dock, the sound of his boots hitting the planks maintained the same rhythm as his previous steps. Xueya and Xiong Lie simultaneously clasped their hands in salute to him, their movements almost synchronized, the two palms making two almost overlapping crisp sounds as they closed.

Tong Dachui stopped in front of the two men, his gaze lingering on Xueya's face for a moment before shifting to Xiong Lie's, as if confirming with his own eyes that both were present and in good condition. He spoke first, his voice carrying a satisfied tone and a certainty of confirmation. "Your two tribes did a good job this time. You took the Little Valley Camp Outpost so easily, much faster than I expected. I thought it would take you at least a few days to take it down, but it was over in one night."

Xiong Lie spoke first, his voice carrying a suppressed but not entirely concealed smugness. He lowered his fingers from his arm, letting them hang at his sides, and leaned forward slightly, as if to bring his words closer to the Tong Dachui: "This is all thanks to Chief Tongchui Hammer. If it weren't for those large ships with a carrying capacity of 50,000 jin, we wouldn't have been able to suppress the Valley Tribe's naval strength on the water, preventing them from coming to support us. If it weren't for the Tiger Tribe backing us up this time, we wouldn't have dared to launch a full-scale attack on the Little Valley Camp Outpost. Now that the Little Valley Camp has been captured, I've already organized the portion that the Tiger Tribe is entitled to at the camp, and it's in that separate shed on the east side of the warehouse. I'll have someone take your people there to hand it over later."

Tong Dachui glanced at him, his gaze lingering on his face for a moment, as if accepting his words. He nodded slightly, a small gesture, but enough for Xiong Lie to see. Then he changed his tone, his voice becoming more formal, as if transitioning from a relaxed conversation to the next steps. "I am very satisfied with your operation this time. Next, I plan to launch an attack on the Valley Tribe's headquarters. The supplies at the Little Valley Camp Outpost can be divided between your two tribes. The army I brought this time will take a few more days to arrive. You must perform well in the attack on the Valley Tribe's headquarters camp these next few days. Don't worry, as long as you capture the Valley Tribe's headquarters camp, there will be rewards later. You will all get your share of the benefits."

Upon hearing this, both Xueya and Xiong Lie's expressions shifted slightly. Xueya's lips twitched up slightly before he suppressed it, as if a word had welled up in his mouth but was held back. Xiong Lie's fingers clenched and unclenched at his side. He glanced at Xueya, and the two exchanged a brief look, lasting only a breath or two, but enough for them to understand that they had heard the same words and had the same reaction.

Xueya spoke first, "Don't worry, Chief Tongchui, we'll go and gather men to prepare for crossing the river."

He didn't say much, turned around and walked towards his own group. Xiong Lie also clasped his fists at Tong Dachui, then followed Xueya for a few steps. The two walked side by side towards the back of the camp, talking in hushed tones.

That afternoon, the armies of the Wolf Tribe and the Bear Tribe began to board boats and cross the river. The Tiger Tribe's fleet had already positioned itself, with more than twenty giant boats, each with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin, and dozens of large boats, each with a carrying capacity of 50,000 jin, lined up in several rows on the river, leaving gaps between them for smaller boats to pass through. The Wolf Tribe's cavalry boarded first, their horses being led along the gangplanks. Some horses snorted restlessly, their hooves clattering rapidly on the planks, but were calmed down by the riders who gently patted their necks. The warriors, carrying bows and quivers, with leather armor and short swords slung over their shoulders, lined up in rows on both sides of the boats. No one spoke; only the sounds of footsteps on the planks, the hooves of horses, and the occasional short commands mingled together. Some squatted at the stern to check the ropes securing their quivers, while others adjusted their stance by holding onto the gunwale. All the sounds were amplified by the continuous wind on the river.

They chose a section of the river far from the main Valley Tribe to cross. That section had a gentle current, a flat riverbed extending to the banks, and open plains on both sides, free of dense forests and high slopes—ideal for troop deployment. The Tiger Tribe's large boats were the first to reach the shore, their Chuantou scraping against the sand with a low, grinding sound, their hulls rustling as they rubbed against the sand. The boats tilted slightly before regaining their balance. The vanguard disembarked and advanced towards the shore, forming an arc-shaped defensive line along the edge of the riverbank. Subsequent boats arrived one after another, and soldiers disembarked in batches, assembling in formation on the riverbank and deploying according to pre-assigned positions.

Back at the Valley Tribe's headquarters, the sentries on the watchtower had long since spotted the commotion on the river. After the message was relayed, Daiyue led several leaders to the watchtower near the riverbank. As he ascended, he held onto the wooden railing, each step firm and steady, the steps creaking evenly beneath his feet. When he reached the top of the watchtower, he leaned on the railing, his gaze fixed on the expanding shadow on the opposite bank, slowly stretching across the river towards their location.

He watched for a while without speaking. Quyong behind him was also watching, his hands gripping the railing, his knuckles slightly white. Fengren stood further back, his gaze shifting from the river to Daiyue's profile before turning back to the river.

Daiyue lowered his hand from the wooden railing, turned, and walked down from the watchtower. His steps were neither fast nor slow. When he reached the bottom of the tower, he didn't turn back. He only said one sentence to Quyong, who was coming to greet him. His voice wasn't loud, but it was still clear in the wind on the riverbank. "Send men to continue raising the camp's walls, move all the unused timber over there, and have Fengren divide the soldiers into three shifts for rotation. Concentrate the arrows behind the battlements, and prepare for a desperate battle!"