A Forest of River Mouths

After Yan led the fleet away from the Valley Tribe's main camp dock, they traveled upstream along the Fish River. The speed was slightly slower than when they were downstream, but everyone in the cabins sat comfortably. The river water in early spring was clear and plentiful after the snow melted, and the water level was slightly higher than in winter. The bottom of the boat made a continuous rustling sound as it scraped against the sandbars underwater. The sand grains pushed aside by the boat rolled into the deeper water as it passed, making a series of fine and dense sounds. The water surface broken by the Chuantou gathered into a continuous surging wave at the stern, which shimmered silvery-white in the afternoon sun, and then gradually spread into fine ripples, which were dispersed again by the oars behind.

This time, Quyong accompanied Yan. He stood beside Yan, holding onto the gunwale, his gaze fixed on the ever-expanding river ahead. He carried nothing in his hands, only occasionally tapping the edge of the gunwale lightly with his fingers. Behind him were 20,000 people from the Valley Tribe and Bean Tribe. The cabin was full of people; some leaned against the bulkheads, resting with their eyes closed, while others turned their heads to look at the fields on both banks that were turning green. Their gazes shifted from a tree on the bank that had just sprouted new buds to a field turned over at the river mouth in the distance.

When they passed the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost, Yan had the fleet dock for half a day. He led Quyong on a walk around the dock, pointing to the newly built boardwalk and a row of newly constructed wooden houses, saying that the Big Horse River Mouth was an important stronghold in the north of the Fire Tribe, and that it had been expanded last autumn. Quyong looked in the direction Yan was pointing, his gaze shifting between the newly built wooden houses and the boardwalk. He didn't speak, but simply walked a few steps along the boardwalk, bent down, and wiped the top of the nearest wooden stake with the back of his hand, examining the color of the wood at the edge of the cross-section to confirm that it had indeed been replaced last autumn. Then he straightened up, his gaze sweeping from the roof of the row of new houses to the corner of the wall, finally pausing on the newly replaced door frame. He noticed that the edges of the door frame still bore the marks of a plane. He walked along the edge of the dock for a while, then looked back at the row of newly built wooden houses, before turning his gaze back and following Yan's steps again.

As they passed the Clothing River Mouth Outpost, Yan pointed towards the shore from the bow of the Chuantou, saying that it used to be the territory of the Clothing Tribe. After the Clothing Tribe joined the Fire Tribe, it was now being rebuilt. Quyong followed his gaze and saw people unloading timber at the dock. Several warriors were squatting on the shore arranging ropes, and someone was bending down to pick out a usable log from a pile of freshly split timber and hand it to someone next to them. The timber gleamed lightly in the afternoon sun; the bark had been peeled off, revealing pale yellow wood that shone with a soft, warm hue in the light. Several logs lay scattered on the Qiantan by the shore, their edges still bearing the shallow marks of fresh sawing. He looked at them for a while, then turned to Yan and said, "I used to think that the Fire Tribe's outposts were too scattered and couldn't be managed. Now that I see it with my own eyes, I understand that you treat every river estuary outpost as your root."

The fleet only made brief stops at the two strongholds at the mouths of the Green Leaf River Mouth and the Red Flower River Mouth, allowing some of the tribesmen on board to get off and stretch their legs. They walked around the shore; some squatted by the field ridges, pressing down the clods of earth with their palms, while others simply stood still, stretching their shoulders before returning to the gangplank. Quyong stood at the edge of the dock, his gaze sweeping over the docks and camps scattered along the river, as if he were adding their outlines to his own map. As they passed the mouth of the Little Horse River Mouth, Yan pointed to a field being tilled in the distance, saying that the land there had only been cleared last winter and was being planted for the first time this year. Quyong followed his gaze and saw several people bending over, turning the soil on the ridges. Quyong walked along the boardwalk to the edge of the field, squatted down, pressed down on the soil with his palms to feel its moisture and looseness, then stood up, patted the mud off his hands, shook off the loose soil scattered in his palms, and returned to the boat.

As they passed the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost, Quyong stood at the bow of the Chuantou and looked out at the dock for a long time, his gaze slowly moving along the outline of the boardwalk and the dock, as if he were trying to identify every corner of this stronghold in his own way. He asked, "Is this your old stronghold?" Yan nodded.

As they passed the Stone Creek River Mouth, Yan pointed to a row of newly built wooden houses behind the dock and said that a batch of houses there had been expanded last year, and now they could accommodate almost twice as many people as before. Quyong followed his gaze and saw that the thatch on the roofs was of varying shades, as if it had been laid at different times. Some had been drying in the sun for several months, with the edges slightly curled up, while others were newly laid, with the light golden color unique to dry grass. In the open space in front of the houses, someone was chopping firewood. The sound of the axe falling was short and powerful, each sound carrying the crisp crack of wood splitting. The sound was particularly clear in the afternoon air. Next to them was a stack of chopped firewood, neatly arranged, as if it had been aligned by pulling a rope along the edge.

As they passed the Little Gathering River Mouth and the Pottery Salt River Mouth, Yan gave a detailed introduction. The Fire Tribe currently has strongholds at the mouths of the Big Horse River Mouth, Clothing River Mouth, Green Leaf River Mouth Little Horse River Mouth, Little Fish River Mouth, Red Flower River Mouth, Pottery Salt River Mouth, Stone Creek River Mouth, Shixi River, Little Gathering River Mouth, and Fire Creek River Mouth. These strongholds are the Fire Tribe's current focus of development; they are all at the confluence of various tributaries of the Fish River, with excellent locations and terrain. As long as these river mouth strongholds are developed, the Fire Tribe's strength will only grow stronger. Quyong stood at the Chuantou, his gaze slowly moving across the receding river channels and the outlines of the strongholds. He spoke in a low voice, "You've chosen excellent strongholds. I'd only heard these names before in Fengren, knew he'd been here, and knew which sections of the river these strongholds were located on, but seeing them in person is still a different feeling. The advantage of river mouths lies in controlling the confluence of waterways. By setting up strongholds in these places, you've essentially controlled the inbound and outbound routes."

Yan nodded and said, "Yes, the location of the river mouth allows us to control the river channel and connect to the inland areas. It is both offensive and defensive. In recent years, the Fire Tribe has focused its efforts on these river mouth strongholds. Production, grain storage, and troop deployment have all revolved around these points. As long as these river mouth strongholds are firmly established, the entire middle and lower reaches of the Fish River will be ours."

Quyong was silent for a moment, then tapped his fingers lightly on the gunwale before speaking, his voice lower than before. "Fengren is doing well in our Fire Tribe's main valley, isn't he? I heard he's already the deputy chief."

Yan turned his head and glanced at him, saying, "Yes, he not only got promoted to deputy leader, but he also frequently sparred with some experts from the Fire Tribe. When I went to the main valley last winter, his strength had improved a lot, and the rhythm of his staff strikes was much more stable than in the autumn. He has been sparring with different people all the time."

Quyong listened and remained silent for a while. His gaze fell on the river ahead, and when he spoke, his voice carried an undisguised envy. "If I had known, I would have asked Chief Daiyue to let me be in the first batch as well. I didn't expect that arriving early would bring so many benefits." As he spoke, he tapped his fingers lightly twice on the gunwale, as if using that gesture to replace a regret he hadn't yet uttered.

Yan smiled and said, "Don't be in a hurry. Everyone knows your strength and ability. It's only a matter of time before you're promoted to deputy leader. There are many experts in the Fire Tribe, and their training is very targeted. Your strength will improve rapidly after you go there. You can do it too. The only thing between you and him is a period of getting to know each other."

Upon hearing this, Quyong's slightly pursed lips relaxed slightly. He turned his head, his gaze lingering on Yan's face for a moment. "I can't wait to get there right now. After seeing so many strongholds along the way, I can't wait to join them."

The fleet continued upstream along the Fish River for more than twenty days. The early spring wind blew from the south, carrying the moist scent of turned earth and the crisp coolness of melted snow. The trees on both banks had sprouted new buds, their tender green shimmering in the afternoon sun, layered on the curves of the branches, as if the riverbanks were being repainted. The fleet stopped several times at the settlements along the way, each stop brief enough for some of the tribespeople in the cabins to disembark and stretch. Some squatted on the bank, scooped up handfuls of water to wash their faces, some walked back and forth along the boardwalk by the dock, and others squatted on the edge of the fields, turning over clods of earth to check their moisture level. Then they boarded the boats again and continued their journey.

That morning, the fleet finally arrived at the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost. The morning light shone from the eastern bank, casting long shadows of the people on the dock onto the planks and in the shallow water, swaying gently with the ripples. A considerable number of people were already standing on the dock. Jianya stood at the very front, wearing a long, grey linen robe with dark stitching at the collar and cuffs, the stitches denser than usual. A hemp rope was tied around his waist, from which hung a short knife. Behind him stood Qingsui and Fengren, followed by several leaders, all dressed neatly. Her gaze swept over the sails of the ships approaching the shore, one by one. Qingsui stood behind Jianya, near the edge, wearing a light green linen dress. Her hair was tied in a braid that fell to her shoulder, the end of which was tied with a light-colored string, a small section of the string hanging loosely and swaying gently in the breeze. Her gaze passed over the shoulders of the people in front of her and landed on the sails of the approaching ships. As the outlines of the bows of the Chuantou gradually became clearer, her gaze slowly moved up along the hulls and settled on Yan. She didn't wave or speak; she just stood there.

The ship docked, the gangplank was set up, and Yan stepped off the ship. Jianya took two steps forward to greet him, his gaze lingering on Yan's face for a moment before he said, "Yan'er, you've brought quite a few people this time. I counted the figures in the cabin from the dock."

Yan also returned the salute with clasped hands. "Yes, we brought 20,000 people this time. The task this year is not easy. The Greater Qing Tribe still has about 35,000 people, the Valley Tribe and Bean Tribe still have about 10,000 people, and the Bear Tribe's 20,000 people have not yet been settled. If the negotiations with the Willow Vine Tribe go smoothly, there are still tens of thousands more to be settled."

Jianya nodded and said, "We can easily accommodate 40,000 people at the same time. While the number of people you mentioned who haven't been accommodated is a bit large, with proper allocation, we can accommodate them all this year. The Fire Tribe headquarters in the valley, the Fire Creek River Middle Outpost, and the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost will open simultaneously, avoiding overcrowding. Each outpost will have dedicated personnel for reception and registration, ensuring everyone knows where to go upon arrival. As for the 20,000 people you accommodated in the headquarters valley last year, I plan to distribute them to the various outposts during this period. After they leave, there will be 20,000 more available for accommodation. You can arrange it accordingly."

Upon hearing this, Yan's expression visibly relaxed, and he exclaimed happily, "That's wonderful! I feel relieved to hear Uncle Jianya say that, and I have more confidence now."

Jianya turned to the side and pointed to a row of ships moored at the dock, saying, "These twenty ships at the dock, each with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin, are newly built. Take them with you when you go back and distribute them. I plan to settle the 20,000 men you brought at the Fire Creek River Middle Outpost and the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost. This way, they won't all be crammed into one place, and there will be more room on both sides. I've already had empty houses cleared out at the Fire Creek River Middle Outpost, and the warehouses at the Fire Creek River Mouth outpost have also been vacated."

Yan nodded and said, "Alright, thank you very much, Uncle Jianya. I'll have these 20,000 men disembark right away. Once you've made the arrangements here, I'll take the fleet back to report."

Jianya nodded, raised his hand to the people behind him, his palm paused in mid-air for a moment, and the dock quickly began to bustle with activity.

When Quyong stepped off the ship, he stood on the dock for a moment before walking through the crowd towards where Fengren was standing. Fengren was standing on the edge of the dock, watching the dispersing crowd. His gaze moved from the front of the line to the middle, and then back to the back. Quyong stopped in front of him, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Brother Fengren, I've heard from Leader Yan that you're now a deputy leader, and your strength has improved considerably." His voice carried a hint of envy, as if confirming something, and his gaze remained fixed on Fengren.

Fengren returned the greeting with a fist salute. "Brother Quyong, don't be envious. With your abilities, reaching my current level is only a matter of time. The training ground here is bigger than you think, and there are people specifically assigned to guide you. You won't be left waiting in vain." As he spoke, his gaze lingered on Quyong's face for a moment, then he turned to the side, gesturing for Quyong to follow him towards the camp. The sound of their footsteps echoed as their boots crunched on the compacted mud.

Yan stood on the dock for a while, watching 20,000 tribesmen disembark one after another. The flow of people was faster than expected, with no congestion and no one lingering at the forks in the road. Then he turned around and walked towards where Qingsui was standing. She was standing on the side of the crowd, her hands clasped in front of her. When she saw him approaching, her gaze first fell on him, paused for a moment, and then she straightened up. He walked up to her, paused a few steps away, and then he said, "Chief Daiyue said that after all the tribesmen have joined the Fire Tribe, we can set a date for our wedding." He said, "Just follow the tribe's rules." His gaze lingered on her eyes as he spoke, and Qingsui's face flushed slightly. The blush started at her cheekbones and spread along the curve of her cheek, appearing particularly distinct in the afternoon sunlight, as if a warm light seeped from beneath her skin, spreading out in a short arc along the contours of her cheekbones. She lowered her head, then raised it again, her voice softer than before, but each word seemed to be carefully chosen before uttering. "You set the time, I'm fine with anything, as long as Father agrees."

Yan stood before her, not in a hurry to leave. He looked at her, then nodded, his voice steadying, "Okay, we'll settle things after the next run."

The crowd on the dock was still moving. Yan confirmed that the last few rows of people had left the gangplank, then he turned around, clasped his hands in a fist salute towards Jianya, and said, "Uncle Jianya, I'll be going now. The fleet needs to get back to Little Fish River Mouth to report, so we can't stay here for too long."

Jianya stood a few steps away and nodded to him. "Go ahead, just walk carefully on the way, they're waiting for you to come back."

Qingsui stood to the side, saying nothing, but she looked at him as if she were storing the words she hadn't yet spoken in her eyes, to be reopened when the fleet docked again. Yan turned and walked onto the ship along the gangplank. The fleet slowly left the dock, re-entered the main channel, and headed towards the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost.