Returning South

After Yan led the fleet away from the Valley Tribe's main dock, the fleet sailed upstream along the Fish River for several days and arrived at the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost. At the dock, Feiyu was already standing there waiting. Today he was wearing a gray-brown linen short robe. The collar and cuffs of the robe were frayed, as if it had been washed many times, but it was very clean and without stains.

The boat docked, the gangplank was set up, and Yan stepped off. He stood in front of Feiyu, and without exchanging pleasantries, said directly, "Feiyu, although the Tiger Tribe and Wolf Tribe to the north haven't made any major moves lately, you still need to keep a close eye on your stronghold at the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost. They're just temporarily resting, not really backing down. If there's an emergency like a signal fire Fish River, you need to immediately take your boat to provide support. Also, maintain regular contact with your strongholds downstream; don't let communication drop out."

Feiyu stood still, and after listening, he nodded slightly. His voice was low, but it carried a certainty that he had already mentally prepared. "Yes, Young Chief, I will pay close attention. I've arranged with the Greater Qing Tribe to communicate every few days without any gaps. If they make any moves, I'll know immediately." He shifted his gaze from Yan's face to the ships docking at the pier. The figures of the fleet moved slowly along the gunwales and decks in the afternoon sun, footsteps echoing on the wooden planks. On each ship, people were moving about, carrying their luggage and belongings. "There must be quite a few people on this fleet, right? The draft is much deeper than usual, and the hatches are packed."

Yan followed his gaze and looked over. Sunlight fell on the white sails of the fleet, casting a row of moving shadows on the river. "Yes, the 20,000 people on the fleet are mostly from the Valley Tribe. I'm taking them to the Fire Tribe's main valley to settle them. The people from the Bear Tribe who originally in these outposts can stay here for now and continue to be observed. There's no need to rush to send them back. We'll talk about it after they've adapted to the climate and lifestyle here." As he spoke, his gaze shifted from the fleet, lingering for a moment between the shadows of the trees and the walls by the dock, as if he were checking whether the outline of the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost outpost had changed since his last visit—a new sloping brace had been added to the corner of the wall, and several replaced planks along the edge of the dock's walkway—before returning his gaze to Feiyu's face. "If you're lacking any supplies, send someone to Green Leaf River Mouth Estuary in advance and have Uncle Dazhuang coordinate."

Feiyu replied, "Okay, I'll keep an eye on the Big Horse River Mouth and make sure news from the north doesn't get cut off."

Yan gave a few more instructions regarding the allocation of supplies and personnel rotation—how much firewood was prepared, and whether it would last until next spring; whether the night watch rotation schedule for the sentry towers had been arranged, and whether enough time had been left between the day and night shifts for the next shift to rest. Feiyu responded to each instruction, nodding for each one, as if nodding instead of writing, absorbing each word into his memory. Then Yan turned and walked onto the gangplank. His boots made a thumping sound as they landed on the planks. Feiyu stood on the edge of the dock, watching the fleet set sail again, the sails billowing in the afternoon sun, the hulls drawing arcs on the water, and then heading further upstream.

After a few more days of travel, the fleet arrived at the Green Leaf River Mouth Outpost. On the dock, Dazhuang and his men were already waiting. Today, he wore a dark blue linen robe with dark-edged collar and cuffs, as if he had changed specially for the welcome; the stitches were denser than usual. A bronze-buckled leather belt cinched his waist, from which hung a short knife, its scabbard polished to a dull gleam in the afternoon sun. He wore animal-hide boots, the shafts spotless and free of mud, as if specially prepared before boarding. His hands were behind his back, his back ramrod straight, his gaze fixed on the sails of the ships approaching the shore. Seeing the fleet dock, he strode forward, his boots making short, sharp thuds on the dock's wooden planks, each step carrying the crisp, efficient rhythm characteristic of a hard worker.

Yan stepped off the ship, and Dazhuang stopped in front of him. Dazhuang first looked him up and down, his gaze moving from Yan's face to his shoulders, before speaking, his voice carrying a satisfied tone after confirmation. "Yan'er, you did a great job this time. You brought 20,000 people out of the Valley Tribe, and the strength of our Fire Tribe has increased significantly. Now, the several strongholds in the north are almost connected, and there isn't a single gap." As he spoke, he slapped his thigh lightly, the force not heavy, but with a sense of decisiveness, as if using that gesture to emphasize the weight of his words.

His gaze swept over Yan's shoulder, landing in the direction of the fleet. He saw the Valley Tribe members moving about in the cabins, the neatly stacked luggage, and the ship's waterline depth. Then he narrowed his eyes slightly, a smile playing on his lips, spreading from the lines around his eyes, along his cheekbones, and slowly reaching the corners of his mouth. He lowered his voice, as if wanting to speak only to Yan: "Your good news is coming soon too. I heard the Valley Tribe has already given their approval, and it'll be held next spring, right?" He paused, as if leaving a natural pause for his words, "Your Uncle Dazhuang will definitely prepare a big gift for you then."

Yan smiled, a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth. "Then thank you very much, Uncle Dazhuang. Uncle Dazhuang, let me also tell you about the recent movements and situation of the Tiger Tribe and the Wolf Tribe to the north. The three factions within the Tiger Tribe have temporarily reached a consensus and are using all their accumulated resources to improve their strength—some are building ships, some are smelting copper, and some are training soldiers. The pace is much faster than before. The Wolf Tribe is also expanding its manpower. Xueya has increased its warriors to about eight thousand and has also sent ships to patrol around the Greater Qing Tribe's dock." He paused, "You should also keep a close eye on things here. Although they haven't made any moves to push south yet, it's always good to be on guard. If the scouts downstream discover anything unusual, send a message to the management center immediately. Don't wait for me to return."

Dazhuang listened intently, his smile fading slightly, but he didn't become tense. He removed his hand from Yan's shoulder, letting it hang at his side. His gaze shifted from Yan's face to the downstream section of the river, as if he were visually tracing the possible route of the waterway. "Okay, I'll keep an eye on things here. There are already several boats patrolling the Green Leaf River Mouth estuary year-round; I'll extend their patrol routes further south. We won't find any activity until we're right at our doorstep."

Yan nodded, not lingering any longer. He turned and walked onto the gangplank, and the fleet continued upstream along the Fish River, heading towards the Fire Tribe Management Center.

For the past twenty-odd days, the fleet had been sailing upstream on the Fish River. They were more familiar with this stretch of the river than the downstream section. The trees on both banks had gradually changed from the gold of early autumn to the brown of late autumn, with most of their leaves fallen, leaving only bare branches that drew fine lines in the afternoon sky. The wind was cooler than before, and when it blew on their faces, they could feel the dryness and crispness of pre-winter, carrying the scent of dried earth and vegetation, mixed with the coolness of the river water and the musty smell emanating from the hull of the boats. The sails were billowing in the wind, the oars cut through the water, and the boats moved steadily forward on the surface. The sound of the oars was even and continuous, like someone repeatedly striking the same drumhead with the same mallet.

Yan spent most of his time standing at the Chuantou. He liked to stand there, watching the river unfold and recede in his field of vision, as if an unseen hand was slowly unfolding a long painting for them. Each section of the river had a different width and flow rate, and each bend had different tree shadows and water colors. Qingsui often stood beside him, sometimes for an entire morning without saying a word, just watching the scenery on both banks slowly recede, her gaze moving from a uniquely shaped tree on the bank to a patch of different-colored shrubs on a distant hillside, as if trying to memorize the outline of this section of the river in her own way. Sometimes she would point to an old tree on the bank that had been bent by the wind, or a patch of different-colored shrubs on a distant hillside, turn her head and say something to him, her voice low, as if those words didn't need to be loud to be heard.

Days passed on the boat. The arrangements for the new people were handled by designated people; their food and rest were monitored, so Yan didn't need to worry too much. During the day, he spent most of his time at the Chuantou, with Qingsui often beside him. Twenty-odd days—not a long time, not a short one. Those days flowed slowly by with the rise and fall of the oars and the propulsion of the current, like a stretched-out period of time, each moment unhurried, as if unfolding a section of the river at its own pace, requiring no rush. The boat continued to move forward on the water, as if turning the pages of those days one by one, each page carrying the lingering warmth of the river and the autumn sun.

That morning, the fleet finally arrived at the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost dock. A number of people were already standing on the dock, with Jianya at the front. Today he wore a long, greyish-blue linen robe, the collar and cuffs neatly sewn, the edges without a single burr, as if he had changed specially for the welcome. A hemp rope was tied around his waist, from which hung a short knife, its scabbard gleaming. He wore straw sandals, the edges of which were covered in dry mud, the weaving marks on the soles still clearly visible, as if he had just walked along the ridges of fields. His hands were behind his back, his back ramrod straight, his gaze fixed on the sails of the Chuantou approaching the Chuantou, looking from bow to stern and back again, as if he were visually counting the number of ships and the draft of each vessel. Seeing the fleet dock, he took a few steps towards the edge of the dock, his boots making short, thumping sounds on the wooden planks.

The ship docked, the gangplank was set up, and Yan stepped off. Jianya approached him, his gaze lingering on Yan's face for a moment, as if checking his condition during the journey, before moving over his shoulder to the Valley Tribe members disembarking. His gaze followed the gangplank for a short distance, as if estimating the length and number of people in the groups, before returning to his own view. "Yan'er, there are quite a few people from the Valley Tribe this time. I counted the figures in the cabins at the dock; there are probably more than ten thousand, right?"

Yan nodded. "Yes, I've brought 20,000 people here to settle down. The Valley Tribe is already prepared, and their people can move in as soon as they arrive. A group of people from the Bean Tribe also came earlier; they've been on the ship for a few days and are in good condition."

Jianya nodded, his gaze shifting from the fleet, and his voice steady. "No problem. We've now opened the Fire Tribe's main valley, the Fire Creek River Middle Outpost, and the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost, capable of accommodating around 40,000 new tribespeople at a time. Next year when you go to fetch people, feel free to bring as many as you like; I can accommodate them all. You won't have to make repeated trips, and you can use the time saved for other things."

Yan's gaze lingered on Jianya's face for a moment. "Okay, that way I can save myself two trips. When I go to pick up the rest of the people next spring, I'll have the messenger inform you in advance."

Jianya's gaze lingered on Yan's face for a moment. When he spoke, his voice was softer than before, as if shifting from official business to a more intimate tone. "Yan'er, I've heard about your marriage to Qingsui, the chief of the Valley Tribe. I will personally attend your wedding next year and bring a generous gift." As he spoke, he patted Yan's shoulder lightly, with a gentle touch but carrying the earnestness characteristic of an elder. "Don't forget to send me a message beforehand so I can prepare."

Yan smiled, the smile starting at the corner of his mouth and slowly extending to the corner of his eyes, "Then thank you very much, Uncle Jianya." His voice became more formal as he turned, "I'll also tell you about the situation in the Tiger Tribe and Wolf Tribe to the north. The three factions within the Tiger Tribe have temporarily reached a consensus and are using all their accumulated resources to improve their strength—shipbuilding, copper smelting, and training soldiers, and the pace is much faster than before. The Wolf Tribe is also expanding its manpower; Xueya has increased its warriors to about eight thousand and has also sent ships to patrol around the Greater Qing Tribe's dock. I've already settled a thousand warriors and some warships in the Greater Qing Tribe, so there shouldn't be any problems in the short term. But the scouts here must remain vigilant; we can't let our guard down just because things are temporarily quiet in the north."

Jianya listened intently, without interrupting. He only frowned slightly when Yan mentioned "eight thousand," as if weighing the words on a familiar scale in his mind to confirm their weight matched his expectations. He waited until Yan finished before nodding, lowering his hand from Yan's shoulder to his side, his knuckles slightly clenching and then relaxing. "I understand. I'll keep an eye on this area; they won't sneak up unnoticed. I'll add another watchtower at the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost; the observation angle will perfectly cover that bend in the downstream river channel—it wasn't visible from the previous position."

Yan chatted with him for a few more minutes about the details of the new tribespeople's resettlement and the handover arrangements for the boats. Then he turned around and walked onto the boat along the gangplank. Jianya stood on the edge of the dock, watching the fleet set sail again, continuing upstream along the Fish River, heading towards the Fire Tribe Management Center.