The Willow Vine Tribe's Direction

Yan led the Fire Tribe's fleet upstream along the Fish River for more than twenty days, finally arriving at the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost. Jianya stood at the forefront of the dock, wearing a dark gray linen robe, the hem tucked into his belt, the cuffs tightened. He had known the fleet would arrive today; a hemp rope was tied around his waist, from which hung a short knife. Behind him stood hundreds of warriors and a group of tribesmen responsible for receiving them. Some held wooden tablets, some were tidying the ropes along the boardwalk, and some turned their heads to look at the river, shielding their eyes from the light with their fingers, their gaze sweeping over the sails of the boats that were approaching the shore.

As the boat docked and the gangplank was set up, the 20,000 people from the Valley Tribe, Bean Tribe, and Bear Tribe began to disembark one after another. The crowd slowly moved along the boardwalk towards the camp. Jianya stood at the edge of the dock, his gaze shifting from the front of the group to the back. Behind him, several leaders were standing at the entrance of the camp, guiding the flow of people in different directions.

Yan stood at the edge of the dock, watching the dispersing crowds. He made sure the last group had left the dock area, then turned and walked to Jianya. Jianya was standing by the pier, watching the departing crowds. His hands were behind his back, his gaze following the flow of people. The two groups in the distance had reached their respective forks, paused briefly before merging into their respective channels. Hearing footsteps, he turned his head, his gaze lingering on Yan's face. "Yan'er," he said, "It's good that this group has arrived. The houses in the valley at headquarters are empty, and the food is ready. They can settle in as soon as they arrive. You brought quite a few people this time; the ship's waterline is much lower than usual."

Yan nodded, turning his gaze from the departing group to Jianya's face. "Uncle Jianya, I'm leaving this to you. Once they arrive, let them rest for a few days. Don't rush to assign them tasks. Wait until they're familiar with the roads before gradually dividing them up. Some are from the Valley Tribe, and some are from the Bear Tribe. Let them adapt for a few days first, so they don't make mistakes if they start working right away."

Jianya nodded without saying anything more. He raised his hand towards Yan, then turned and walked towards the camp entrance.

Yan turned and walked back to the boat along the gangplank. The fleet set sail again, heading downstream along the Fish River towards the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost. Yan stood at the Chuantou, the wind blowing across the river, carrying the coolness of early spring and the moist scent of budding Water Grass. His gaze fell on the river ahead, as if he were mentally retracing the path he had just walked, confirming that those who had disembarked had all gone to their respective forks in the river. The boat left a Shuihen on the water's surface, which was gradually covered by new ripples.

Just as the Fire Tribe was busy with the spring season, on the west bank of the lower reaches of the Fish River, next to the Tiger Tribe, the council hall of the Willow Vine Tribe was also full. The light inside was dimmer than outside; several oil lamps were already lit, casting a warm yellow glow on the walls and clearly illuminating the edges of the wooden tablets on the table. A window was slightly ajar, letting in a breeze that caused the lamp flames to flicker slightly before settling back down. Several screens woven from rattan stood against the wall, their edges worn smooth, as if repeatedly caressed by hand, each rattan surface gleaming with a warm, dark sheen that comes from being touched countless times. The Willow Vine Tribe's high-ranking members sat on both sides of the long table; some were looking down at the wooden tablets laid out before them, while others had their hands crossed on the table, their gazes fixed on the main table. In the direction of the room, someone was turning their head to whisper something to the person next to them, their voice very low. Liuren sat in the main seat, wearing a dark brown linen robe with dark stitching on the collar and cuffs, as if he had changed it specifically for today. His hair was held back with a wooden hairpin, and a few strands of white hair fell from behind his ears, shimmering in the light of the oil lamp. His hands were flat on the table, his fingers interlaced, the pads of his fingers against the knuckles of his other hand, as if using that gesture to steady his breathing. His gaze swept over the faces of everyone present, and then he spoke, his voice not loud, but loud enough for everyone in the council hall to hear. "Tiao'er, during this time you've been leading people to travel between the Greater Qing Tribe, Bean Tribe, and Valley Tribe, tell everyone about the specific situation."

Liutiao sat to his father's right, wearing a dark gray linen robe with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his strong forearms. A light-colored old scar, as if left by something, looked like it had healed long ago, leaving only a thin line slightly lighter than the surrounding skin. His hair was tied back with a leather cord, a few strands falling from his ears and brushing his cheekbones when he occasionally tilted his head. Hearing his father's words, he stood up, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to the assembled leaders, and his palms clasped together with a short, crisp sound. He spoke in a loud voice, "This time I went to the Greater Qing Tribe personally, while the Bean Tribe and Valley Tribe sent people. Let me tell you what I saw with my own eyes first—in the Greater Qing Tribe, Qingshi has officially joined the Fire Tribe. There are five ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin docked at the Greater Qing Tribe's pier, and warriors are helping with drills. Those ships aren't just there for show; I saw several of them testing sails on the river. The sails are very stable in the wind, and the turning is smooth, much better than the old ships of the Tiger Tribe. Qingshi told me personally that the Fire Tribe's shipyard builds new ships faster than any other tribe he has ever seen."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the council hall, and continued, "Furthermore, what I've learned through my inquiries—the Fire Tribe's strength is rapidly increasing. They've already defeated the Tiger Tribe, the overlord of the Fish River, twice in a row. Qingshi Shi of the Greater Qing Tribe told me personally that the Fire Tribe has one or two hundred ships with a carrying capacity of 100,000 jin each, and their population exceeds 300,000. Now, almost all the tribes in the middle and upper reaches of the Fish River have joined the Fire Tribe. The Fire Tribe's shipbuilding technology has probably surpassed that of the Tiger Tribe. The Tiger Tribe, having been defeated twice by the Fire Tribe, has stopped its internal strife. I've heard that the Tiger Tribe is now focused on improving its military, building ships and bronze weapons on a massive scale, and is also annexing other small tribes everywhere, even going to the Long River to capture people."

As soon as Liutiao finished speaking, the council chamber erupted in a cacophony of voices. Some leaned back in their chairs, their gazes fixed on the edges of the wooden tablets on the table, as if processing the information in their own way; others turned to whisper something to the person next to them, their voices muffled by the murmur of the conversation, as if confirming the reliability of the rumors; someone placed their bowl back on the table, the bottom making a soft thud on the wooden board. A leader sitting against the wall flipped the wooden tablet over and over again, as if confirming that the number hadn't changed with the flipping. Tenggen sat opposite at the long table, leaning forward slightly, as if trying to shorten the distance between himself and the words. His palms opened and closed on the table, as if weighing the true weight of the information, his fingertips slowly tracing the grain of the wood, as if using touch to replace thought. The person next to him turned his head and glanced at Liutiao twice, as if confirming that he had just mentioned the same number.

Sitting across the long table, Tenggen spoke first. He was stocky with broad shoulders, wearing a grayish-white linen robe with frayed edges at the collar and cuffs, as if it had been worn for many years but was still very clean. He placed his palms flat on the table and spoke in a low voice, but with the earnestness that came from having thought things through several times, "The Fire Tribe's technology is indeed impressive. They can not only make pottery, but also bronze weapons and high-quality white salt and linen. With so many technologies, it's hard for them not to be powerful. I've heard that their salt is whiter than the Tiger Tribe Tiger Tribe's, and their cloth is denser. Once a tribe like that establishes itself, it's very difficult to suppress them."

Sitting next to him, Jingci in. He wore a dark linen robe with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing his muscular forearms. His voice was lower than Jingci's, but each word seemed to have been carefully crafted before being uttered. "Their shipbuilding technology has probably surpassed that of the Tiger Tribe. The Tiger Tribe's accumulated ships over the years were defeated twice by the Fire Tribe, which shows that the Fire Tribe not only has more people, but also knows better how to utilize them, and their shipbuilding speed is much faster. I heard from those who came back that the Fire Tribe's shipyards have been almost constantly under construction."

Qingteng sat at the other end of the long table, wearing a dark green linen robe, the color appearing even deeper under the oil lamplight. His gaze swept across the council chamber before he spoke, his voice low but carrying a certainty that had been anticipated. "The Tiger Tribe has been defeated twice in a row by the Fire Tribe, and their internal strife has ceased. I've heard that the Tiger Tribe is now focused on improving their military. They're not only building ships and bronze weapons on a massive scale, but they're also annexing other smaller tribes. I've even heard they've gone to the other side of the Long River to capture people. Recently, they've also been trying to recruit our Willow Vine Tribe. The messenger who came last time spoke with a harsher tone than before, as if he was already impatient."

The noise in the council chamber gradually subsided. Some people raised their gazes from the table to the direction of the head of the table, some lowered their hands from their laps and placed them flat on the table, and some made a short, sharp creaking sound as they adjusted their posture. Liuren sat in the head of the table, listening to the words. His fingers paused on the table, as if he were gathering each word into its proper place, making sure they were all in their rightful place. Then he spoke, his voice not loud, but with a calmness that came from careful consideration. He ran his fingers around the edge of the table before speaking, "The Tiger Tribe has indeed been provoked recently and is trying every means to increase its strength. Recently, the Tiger Tribe's pressure on our Willow Vine Tribe has become increasingly severe. They have come three times already, each time more aggressive than the last. The first time, they sent someone to deliver a message, saying that we should send supplies regularly; the second time, they sent a small team of warriors, ostensibly for 'patrol,' but those people stayed on our border for much longer than last time; the third time, they came directly with a message saying that if we do not respond, they will send troops."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the council chamber, before continuing, "Although I've been trying my best to negotiate, I estimate I can't hold out much longer. The deadline they've given us is narrowing. If we don't make a statement soon, the Tiger Tribe might very well send troops to force us. Tribes like ours joining the Tiger Tribe are in a very difficult situation. Previously, our status within the Tiger Tribe was low; we did most of the hard and dirty work. If we go to war with the Fire Tribe, we'll be among the first to fall. The Tiger Tribe won't leave us behind; they'll wear us down on the first front."

As he spoke, his gaze shifted from the Tenggen to the Jingci, then to the Qingteng, as if simultaneously conveying his words to them, confirming that they were all receiving the same signal. Across the long table, Tenggen's fingers paused on the surface, his fingertips tracing the grain of the wood, neither moving away nor applying pressure, as if waiting for the last syllable of his sentence to fall completely. Jingci's lips pursed slightly, his fingers resting on his knee. Qingteng's gaze fell on the glow of the oil lamps on the table, as if using that moment of silence to confirm what he had heard, before he raised his gaze and fixed it on Liuren.

After her father finished speaking, Liutiao spoke again, her voice more steady than before, as if she were taking a piece of advice that had been sitting on the table for a while and slowly pushing it across the length of the table. "Father, let's join the Fire Tribe. Qingshi from the Greater Qing Tribe is a huge fan of the Fire Tribe, saying that the Fire Tribe offers excellent treatment, a good life, and a very good leader. He says that the Fire Tribe treats all new tribes equally, providing food, land, and housing in advance, so that people won't have to wait after arriving. If we lead our tribe to join the Fire Tribe, at least our people won't be sacrificed in vain. Qingshi said that the people from the Valley Tribe went to the Fire Tribe and saw their granaries and camps; the granaries were full, the houses were warm, and people had work to do."

He then went on to explain in detail Fire Tribe Fire Tribe. When he mentioned that the Fire Tribe would directly grant new tribal leaders the position of council leader, Tenggen's fingers, which had been resting on the edge of the table, twitched slightly. When he mentioned that core subordinate tribal leaders could enjoy the same treatment as council leaders, Jingci's gaze lifted from the table, lingered on Liutiao's face, and then looked away, as if trying to memorize those words as well. When he mentioned that other leaders would be granted the title of reserve leader, and that outstanding performance could lead to direct promotion to official leader, Tengzhao, who was sitting against the wall, sat up straighter, as if trying to memorize those words as well. He shifted his body forward, as if trying to get his ears closer to those words.

Liuren listened, his fingers pausing on the table. His gaze swept across each person's face, as if confirming their expression matched his expectations— Tenggen's brow was relaxed, Jingci's lips weren't pursed, Qingteng's gaze was steady, and Tengzhao's posture was forward. Then he spoke, his voice low but carrying the weight of a decision carefully considered, like placing a repeatedly weighed Shitou back in its rightful place. "As you've all heard from Liutiao, the Fire Tribe offers very good treatment, much better than the Tiger Tribe. They've already established a foothold in the north, and their population and ships are increasing, as confirmed by the news Liutiao brought back. I plan to send Liutiao with men to speak with the Fire Tribe's higher-ups in person. If they reach an agreement, we'll decide—to join the Fire Tribe."

He paused for a moment and said, "If we can accomplish this before the Tiger Tribe oppresses us, our people won't have to be dragged into this great war, and we won't have to make a decision when the Tiger Tribe's fleet arrives. At that time, even if the Tiger Tribe wants to take action, they will have to consider the Fire Tribe's response."

The leaders exchanged glances. Tenggen nodded first, raising his hand from the table and lowering it again, as if to bring that movement to the ground as well. Jingci followed suit, nodding slightly, his fingers pausing on his knee as if to confirm that his action had been synchronized with the words. Qingteng also nodded, a small nod, but enough for those sitting next to him to see. His gaze lingered on Liuren's face for a moment before looking away, as if to confirm that his nod had been received in that direction. Tengzhao leaned back in his chair, looking in Liuren's direction, paused for a moment, and then nodded, withdrawing his hand from the edge of the table and placing it back on his knee.

Liuren's gaze swept across the faces of those who nodded, then landed on Liutiao and said, "Get ready, take a few people, and set off as soon as possible. First, go to the Greater Qing Tribe and find Qingya. Ask him to pass on a message to the Fire Tribe, saying that our Willow Vine Tribe wants to send someone over for face-to-face talks. If you encounter the Fire Tribe's fleet at the dock there, state your purpose on the spot. There's no need to turn back. We can't wait any longer; the sooner the better."

Liutiao stood up and said, "Yes, Father, I'll set off in the next couple of days. I'll bring a few people familiar with the route with me, so we won't be delayed on the way."