Factional Strife in the Tiger Tribe

Just as the Willow Vine Tribe downstream of the Fish River was contemplating their next move, the Tiger Tribe's council hall at the Fish River Mouth was bustling with activity. The afternoon sun slanted in through the windows, casting parallel bands of light across the table and illuminating the faces engaged in debate. All the oil lamps were lit, their flames casting flickering shadows on the walls, alternating with the sunlight streaming in from the windows, as if two different lights were simultaneously painting the same picture. The long table was filled with people, some with their arms crossed and leaning back in their chairs, their eyes darting back and forth between the speakers. It was as if they were measuring the gap between two sentences in their own way; some were turning their heads to whisper something to the person next to them, their voices very low, as if afraid of being heard by the person across the table, or as if they simply didn't want to interrupt the ongoing conversation; some were staring at the direction of the head of the table, as if waiting for a certain sentence to be finished before speaking, their palms resting on the edge of the table, their knuckles slightly raised, maintaining a posture ready to strike at any moment. Several open wooden tablets were placed in the center of the table, densely engraved with numbers and marks, recording the number of ships, weapons, and people added in the past few months.

Hu Zheng sat in the main seat, wearing a white linen robe with dark stitching at the collar and cuffs. The collar was neatly trimmed without a single wrinkle. His hair was held up by a jade hairpin, which gleamed warmly in the lamplight. His hands rested on the table, fingers interlaced, the pads of his fingers touching the knuckles of his other hand, as if using that gesture to steady his breathing. His gaze swept back and forth in the council chamber, as if surveying every corner, confirming that everyone was within his sight, confirming that the arguing voices were still within their respective boundaries. His lips were slightly pursed, his expression revealing no clear preference, like someone waiting for two streams of water to diverge in the same riverbed, to determine which side would slow down first, and which side's riverbed would rise first.

Tongding sat near the head seat on the left side of the long table, wearing a dark blue linen robe. The robe was thick and smooth, with dark stitching at the collar and cuffs, without a single wrinkle. His hair was neatly combed and held back with a bone hairpin, not a single stray hair falling. His hands rested on the armrests, his fingers interlaced, the pads of his fingers touching the knuckles of his other hand, as if he were using his own method to steady his words. His gaze fell on Hu Bashan, as if he were slowly pushing his words along the length of the table. His voice was not loud, but each word seemed to have been carefully crafted before being released, like winding a taut rope back onto its proper axis. "Chief Hu Bashan, you can no longer continue to massively replenish your forces to the north. You can no longer be so blatant." He paused, his gaze sweeping around the council chamber, as if to confirm that everyone was listening, "Even if you need to replenish your forces, it can only be done secretly."

His fingers paused on the armrest. "Our Great Copper Tribe fled from the north. Some of those large tribes have over a million people. If we attract their attention, it will be a catastrophe for our Tiger Tribe." He paused on "a million people," as if letting the number linger on the table a little longer. "Once they look south, it won't just be a small fleet coming to probe. Even if we abandon everything in the south, we might not be able to stop their advance."

Hu Bashan sat on the right side of the long table, wearing a black linen robe with the collar open, as if he had just returned from outside and hadn't had time to fasten it. A wide leather belt cinched his waist, from which hung a long sword, its scabbard gleaming. His arms were crossed over his chest, his chin slightly raised, his gaze fixed on the Tongding Tongding it spoke, as if trying to intercept the words with his own eyes, as if re-weighing each utterance to confirm whether their weight on the table matched their proclaimed meaning. When the Tongding finished speaking, he slammed his hand on the table, producing a short, muffled thud that made the earthenware bowl on the table jump. The rim of the bowl struck the wooden board with a crisp sound before settling back down, splashing water from the rim and leaving several dark, damp spots on the table.

"Tongding man, don't think I don't know what you're thinking!" His voice rose a chord above the Tongding, as if trying to drown out the lingering echoes, or perhaps to fill the brief gap created by the sound of the bowl's rim. "Aren't you just jealous because you see our progress is going well and our strength has increased so much? The super tribes to the north are far from our Tiger Tribe! We can add a hundred thousand or so more, and no one will care. They have their own things to do!" He tapped his fingers on the table a few times, as if using that gesture to emphasize each word, his knuckles striking the wooden board with a continuous, rhythmic tapping, like tapping the same pattern across the wood's grain. "We've only moved a few points across such a large area on the Long River, and you're already this nervous? Are you afraid of the large tribes to the north, or are you afraid our faction will outnumber you?"

As he spoke, the leaders sitting beside him straightened up slightly, as if responding to the force of his words with their posture. Some withdrew their hands from the edge of the table, some shifted their bodies forward from their chairs, and some glanced at Hu Bashan, as if to confirm how long he would continue. Hu Zheng's gaze shifted quickly between the two, but he didn't speak, simply staring at his fingers resting on the table, as if using that moment of silence to allow his words to settle.

Tongding didn't reply immediately. He glanced at the tabletop where Hu Bashan had slammed his hand, as if confirming the tremor had subsided; the Shuihen at the edges were slowly spreading, gradually being absorbed into the wood's grain. Then he spoke, his voice lower than before, but still steady, as if he had weighed his words on his own scales to ensure they didn't exceed his expectations. "Hu Bashan, don't be disrespectful. I'm a generation older than you, and I'm speaking for the sake of the Tiger Tribe." He paused, as if finding a more solid footing for his next sentence, his gaze shifting from Hu Bashan's face to the wooden tablets spread out in the center of the table. "We're already in a standoff with the Fire Tribe. Provoking the hostility of other major tribes will only further scatter our forces. We're already busy enough with the Fire Tribe; we don't have the extra strength to deal with any potential disturbances from the north."

He lifted his gaze from the wooden tablet and swept it around the council chamber. "With your reckless recruitment of manpower, even if those mega-tribes with millions of people don't care, there are quite a few tribes with over a hundred thousand people on the Long River. They won't stand idly by as we slowly erode their borders. Once they unite, it won't be a matter of dealing with just the Fire Tribe." His voice lowered slightly. "I think the best solution is to take down the Willow Vine Tribe first. It's right next to us; taking it will directly replenish our population and territory without having to take such a long detour or take such great risks. Moreover, the Willow Vine Tribe has its own defense system; if we can take over completely, we can directly reinforce our southern defenses."

When Hu Bashan heard the words "Willow Vine Tribe," a smile crept onto his lips, as if he had known Tongding would mention this name. He leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms in front of his abdomen, and said with an air of knowing full well, "Tongding, I knew you were jealous of our growing strength and eager to annex the Willow Vine Tribe." As he spoke, several leaders beside him nodded slightly, as if using that gesture to add weight to their positions, as if adding footnotes to Hu Bashan's words.

"I'm telling you, I'll do exactly what you want." His voice lowered slightly, but remained clear, like bending a taut line back to its original angle. "The Willow Vine Tribe is right next to our Tiger Tribe; we can annex them whenever we want. They can't escape." As he spoke, his fingers crossed in front of his abdomen, his thumb slowly rubbing against the knuckles of his other hand, as if using that gesture to steady the length of his next sentence. "As for the north, if we don't hurry, replenishing the population will be even more troublesome. Those small tribes on the Long River won't stay put waiting for us to capture them; they'll run away, they'll retreat further north." He raised his head, his gaze sweeping around the council hall. "I suggest we continue to concentrate our efforts on absorbing the population from the north. Replenishing the population first, then we can turn our attention back to the Willow Vine Tribe. It's not like it's grown legs and can run away."

The sounds in the council chamber gradually subsided, as if someone were slowly closing a window that had been repeatedly pushed and pulled. The subtle friction sounds were receding, from the edge of the table to the crack in the door, from the leaders against the wall to the head of the table in the center. Hu Zheng sat in the head seat, his gaze shifting from Hu Bashan to the Tongding, then from the Tongding to the open wooden tablets on the table. It was as if he were mentally reviewing the two passages he had just heard, tracing their edges to ensure they didn't extend beyond the tabletop. Then he spoke, his voice not loud, but loud enough for everyone in the council chamber to hear. Qing: "Chief Hu Bashan is right. We can annex the Willow Vine Tribe at any time; we just need to send more people to supervise them." He paused, his gaze lingering on Hu Bashan's face for a moment, as if confirming that his words had been accepted. "Of course, Elder Tongding's suggestion is also correct—it's best to keep a low profile when we replenish our manpower on the Long River. Hu Bashan, you should keep a low profile for now, don't make too much of a commotion, and don't let the people to the north notice our movements. If possible, suspend the large-scale northward advance until we have a clearer outcome with the Willow Vine Tribe in the south."

His gaze shifted from Hu Bashan to the Tongding, then back to the center of the table. "However, the conversion of the Tiger Tribe's resources into weaponry cannot stop. Everyone needs to speed things up. Ships must continue to be built, weapons must continue to be made, and soldiers must continue to be trained. Fire Tribe won't wait for us to be ready before making our move. We can slow down on the northern ones, and keep an eye on the Willow Vine Tribe in the south, but the hammering in the docks must not stop."

A moment of silence fell over the council chamber. That brief silence seemed to gather all the previous sounds together, smoothing out the edge of the table that had been struck twice, ensuring there were no sharp corners or jagged edges. Tongding's gaze lingered on Hu Zheng's face, as if confirming the boundaries of his words, ensuring they followed a fixed direction like the lines on the table. Then he nodded slightly, a small gesture, but enough for those beside him to see. "Alright. The matter in the north can be postponed, but we must keep a close eye on the Willow Vine Tribe. If they show any signs of moving towards the Fire Tribe, we cannot wait. Whether it's day or night, as soon as we confirm they've made contact with the Fire Tribe Fire Tribe, we must intercept their fleet before they arrive."

Hu Bashan sat opposite him, his fingers pausing briefly on his knees, his fingertips brushing against the fabric of his trousers, as if using that fleeting touch to confirm he was still in place. Then he spoke, his voice lower than before, as if a string had been loosened halfway. "We'll keep a low profile in the north. But you can't drag this out too long with the Willow Vine Tribe. If you're going to keep an eye on them, you need to do it properly, not just send a few people to patrol the border and call it a day. You need to see if they have new boats at their docks, if their camps are being fortified, and if their people are packing their belongings to prepare for migration. If you discover any unusual activity, report it immediately, don't wait until their boats have all sailed away before sending people to chase them."

Hu Zheng's gaze shifted back and forth between the two men, then he nodded slightly, flattening his hand on the table as if to smooth out a discussed plan, ensuring it wouldn't spring back from any loose corners before leaving. "That's settled then. Proceed discreetly with the northern affairs, and send people to keep an eye on the Willow Vine Tribe. Accelerate the resource conversion process; it can't stop." As he spoke, his gaze swept across the council chamber, as if to confirm everyone had heard the final arrangement. "Dismissed."

Everyone stood up, some still whispering amongst themselves. The sounds drifted over intermittently. Hu Bashan was the first to rise, his chair making a short creak behind him. He then turned and walked toward the door.

Tongding didn't rush to get up. He remained seated, his gaze fixed on the wooden tablets spread out on the table. His fingers paused on the armrest, the fingertips slowly tracing the edge of the wood. Then, he slowly rose, his movements slower than usual, as if to include the phrase "We need to keep a close eye on the Willow Vine Tribe" in his step. As he reached the door, he turned his head, his gaze lingering on Hu Zheng's direction for a moment. Then, he stepped over the threshold and walked along the corridor towards his quarters.

Hu Zheng remained seated in the main seat. Most of the people in the council hall had already left, leaving only a few leaders who were still tidying up the wooden tablets and pottery bowls. Some were neatly stacking the wooden tablets scattered on the corner of the table, some were stacking the empty pottery bowls on the tray, and some were bending down to wipe the few water stains on the ground with a cloth, leaving a few short wet streaks as the cloth swept across the table.