A Warning and Preparations

During the days that Yan and a small portion of the Fire Tribe's fleet remained at the Greater Qing Tribe's dock, they were not idle. After Bailin led the majority of the ships to send away the 15,000 people of the Greater Qing Tribe, Yan began to deal with the hidden dangers left by the Wolf Tribe in this area. He first had Qingshi Shi send men to keep watch on the riverbank near the dock to see if the Wolf Tribe's navy had been active in the vicinity recently. Qingshi Shi's men returned after less than two days, saying that several of the Wolf Tribe's ships were still anchored in the small bay on the opposite bank of the river. There weren't many people on board, but the ships remained anchored there, as if waiting for some news. The ships did not raise their sails, and their hulls swayed gently with the waves. Occasionally, someone would come out of the cabin, stand on the deck, glance in this direction, and then retreat back inside. After hearing this, Yan didn't say much, only instructing Qingshi to continue sending men to keep watch, and then sent a fast boat to deliver a message to the Bear Tribe and the Bean Tribe. The message was simple: Yingmu and Shibang should each lead a naval force to meet at the mouth of the Greater Qing Tribe's river.

A few days later, Yingmu and Shibang arrived at the Greater Qing Tribe's dock with their respective fleets. Yingmu stood at the Chuantou, wearing a dark gray linen robe, a bronze-buckled leather belt around his waist, and animal-skin boots with mud from the riverbank clinging to the tops. He looked more lean and wiry than when they last met, his shoulders more defined, as if he had been working hard in the Bear Tribe. He jumped off the boat and walked to Yan, clasped his hands in a salute, and made a short, crisp sound as his palms closed, "Boss, we've arrived. We came as soon as we received your letter, without any delay on the way. Bear Tribe..." "I've left a deputy to keep an eye on things Bear Tribe there; there won't be any problems." Shibang followed behind him, wearing a dark blue linen robe with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his muscular forearms, which bore several light-colored old scars. He was even more robust than Yingmu, standing on the dock like a firmly planted wooden stake. He also clasped his hands in a salute, his voice booming with the exhilaration of someone summoned to battle. "Boss, those Wolf Tribe people are causing trouble again? How do we fight this time? My men are ready, and the ships have all been inspected and are ready to move at any time."

Yan didn't answer immediately. He led the two to the edge of the dock, pointed to the direction of the small bay on the opposite bank of the river, and briefly explained the situation. Several boats of the Wolf Tribe were moored there, and they would occasionally send small boats to circle around the vicinity of the Greater Qing Tribe's dock. Although they hadn't taken any action yet, the very existence of those boats was a threat. The Willow Vine Tribe's migration required a relatively safe environment. If the Wolf Tribe's navy was still loitering on the river, there would be an added layer of uncertainty on their migration route.

After listening, Yingmu nodded and tapped his finger lightly on the gunwale. "Boss, I understand. You want to eliminate their navy first, cutting off their source of trouble on the river. Without boats, they can't control that part of the river."

Yan nodded, his gaze shifting from the direction of the small bay to the Yingmu face. "Yes, without a navy, the Wolf Tribe loses its mobility on the river. No matter how many cavalry they have on land, they can't cross without boats. If we take out their navy first, it will take them much longer to cross from the other side."

Shibang listened from the side, slapped his thigh with his palm, making a short, crisp sound, "Then let's get to it. My men are ready, and the boat has been inspected and is ready to move at any time."

That afternoon, the three naval forces of the Fire Tribe joined together and advanced along the river towards the small bay belonging to the Wolf Tribe. Yan stood at the Chuantou of the first ship, his gaze fixed on the gradually clearing silhouette of the ships ahead. The Wolf Tribe's ships were anchored in the bay, their sails furled, their hulls gently rocking with the ripples. There weren't many people on board; a few were walking on the deck, and a few others sat on the gunwale, as if waiting for some news. Their ships were small—several 50,000-jin (25,000 kg) boats plus some smaller fast boats—scattered on the surface of the bay like a handful of pebbles casually tossed there.

As the Fire Tribe's fleet surged forward, the Wolf Tribe's navy spotted them almost immediately. Warriors on the ships rose from their decks; some shouted towards the shore, their voices partially muffled by the river wind, but the panic still carried. Others began to hoist the sails, their fingers moving rapidly along the rigging, but the sails were torn askew by the wind before they were even halfway up. Still others tried to untangle the mooring lines, their fingers tugging repeatedly at the knots, as if the more they tried, the less they could untangle them, but their movements were too slow. The Fire Tribe's fleet surrounded them from three directions, their ships fast and their formation stable; before the Wolf Tribe could even get a chance to escape... The ships that Wolf Tribe raised their sails, and the Fire Tribe's giant ships had already cut into the bay from both sides. The sound of the ships colliding echoed across the river. The Wolf Tribe's ship was hit on the side, a crack appeared in the plank, water rushed in through the crack, and the ship began to tilt to one side. Some people jumped into the water, splashing one after another; some were knocked onto the deck, their weapons slipping from their hands and bouncing on the plank; others tried to turn their Chuantou around to break through, but the exit was already blocked by the Fire Tribe's ships, and as soon as their Chuantou turned, they were intercepted from the side by another giant ship.

Yan stood at the Chuantou, not ordering a pursuit of those who had jumped into the water. His gaze swept over the sinking Wolf Tribe boats, confirming that none could be restarted. He then looked away and nodded towards Yingmu and Shibang. Yingmu led his fleet to continue searching upstream along the riverbank, clearing out the Wolf Tribe's several speedboats scattered in the nearby bend. These speedboats were hidden in the Luwei the bend, their hulls obscured by the reeds, making them virtually invisible without careful observation. However, the Fire Tribe warriors jumped off their boats and searched along the shallow water, dragging the boats out one by one. Shibang led another naval force towards the Qiantan north of the Greater Qing Tribe's dock, capsizing the Wolf Tribe's small boats that might be hiding there. The small boats were dragged ashore and piled up. Shibang had some oil poured on them and set on fire. As the fire burned, a plume of black smoke rose from the riverbank, carried northward by the south wind, like a boundary line drawn with smoke.

The entire operation lasted less than half a day. The Wolf Tribe's boats operating on the waters in this area were completely cleared away. By the time the Fire Tribe's fleet regrouped, the sun was already setting, and the river surface was bathed in a warm yellow light, casting long and faint shadows of the boats that were furling their sails.

Without the navy, the Wolf Tribe's land-based cavalry lost their ability to move along the river. Yan ordered the Fire Tribe's cavalry to deploy along several key crossing points on the riverbank, securing the Qiantan and gentle slopes suitable for crossing. He personally led several leaders along the riverbank, stopping at each crossing point to check the depth and speed of the current, and to examine the terrain on both sides. Only after confirming which places were suitable for defense did he have markers placed. The Wolf Tribe's cavalry had a habit of moving quickly along the river, previously relying on boats to weave between the two banks. Now that the boats were gone, the cavalry's movement speed slowed down considerably.

The next morning, before dawn, a thin layer of morning mist still floated on the river. Yan received a report from his scouts that a cavalry force of about a thousand men from the Wolf Tribe was moving along the riverbank. Yan ordered Yingmu to lead five hundred cavalrymen to flank them, while he himself led the rest of the cavalry to press forward head-on.

The Wolf Tribe cavalry halted before the Qiantan. They formed several ranks, their horses pacing restlessly on the riverbank, their hooves sinking into the wet sand and then pulling themselves out. The riders in front reined in their horses, glancing back as if awaiting orders. Just then, they saw the Fire Tribe cavalry pressing in from the front, and also saw cavalry flanking them from the flanks. The ranks immediately fell into chaos. Some tried to retreat, but the path behind them was blocked by their own men. Horses jostled together, riders pushed and shoved each other. The Fire Tribe cavalry surrounded them from both sides, giving them little time to react. Blades struck the horses' legs, and the warhorses neighed and fell to the ground. Spears thrust from the sides, piercing riders before they could dodge. Some tried to break through, but the Fire Tribe cavalry, like a taut rope, pulled in from both sides, sealing off the gaps one by one.

The battle ended quickly. Most of the Wolf Tribe's thousand cavalrymen were annihilated, and the few who escaped were intercepted one by one by the pursuing cavalry. Abandoned horses and weapons were left on the riverbank, some weapons still stuck in the sand, the strips of cloth wrapped around their handles soaked dark brown with blood. A wounded horse stood in the shallow water, head down, breathing heavily, and was pulled Jiangsheng by a warrior from the Fire Tribe. The Fire Tribe's cavalry did not linger on the riverbank; after clearing the battlefield, they returned to the Greater Qing Tribe's camp.

After this attack, the Wolf Tribe's forces dropped from around 10,000 to around 8,000. More importantly, they lost all their boats operating in this area, and their land cavalry was also suppressed. Xueya stopped sending people to probe this area, and the small bay on the opposite bank of the river returned to calm, with only water birds occasionally skimming across the surface, leaving a thin ripple.

Yingmu and Shibang stood in the council hall of the Greater Qing Tribe camp, both still covered in the dust of the previous day's battle. Yingmu had a shallow scratch on his cuff, a mark left by a blade, which hadn't broken his skin but had only torn the fabric, leaving a slightly upturned thread. Shibang's boots were covered in dried, grayish-brown mud and sand from the riverbank, which clung to the boots with a soft, rustling sound as he walked. Both were waiting for Yan to speak.

Yan sat in the main seat, a wooden tablet spread out in front of him, recording the results of the past few days. He didn't look at the tablet, his gaze lingering on the two men's faces for a moment before he spoke, "After this period of continuous attacks, the Wolf Tribe has lost at least two thousand water and land warriors. Their strength has been significantly diminished, and they should no longer dare to be arrogant."

Yingmu nodded, tapping his finger lightly on the table. "Yes, boss. We wiped out the Wolf Tribe's navy twice, and they've lost their boats. Now they can only operate on land. Without boats, their cavalry are under our noses everywhere in this network of rivers."

Shibang chimed in, his voice booming with a pent-up satisfaction. "Yes, these past few days, the Wolf Tribe not only haven't dared to cause trouble, but they've also had to be wary of our continued attacks. They should now realize that spying on the Greater Qing Tribe and the Bear Tribe comes at a price. Those burned boats and the horses left on the riverbank will be enough to make them suffer for a while."

Yan nodded, his fingers lightly tracing the edge of the wooden tablet. "Yes, but the Wolf Tribe's Xueya is treacherous and cunning. Although we have a significant advantage, we still need to be vigilant. He suffered such a great loss; he won't let it go so easily. He might retaliate in another way or look for opportunities elsewhere. You cannot let your guard down just because you won this battle."

They both nodded simultaneously, each responding with a soft "yes." Their Yingmu fingers paused on the table, as if pressing that sentence into their memories as well.

Yan placed the wooden tablet on the corner of the table, then looked at Shibang and spoke, his voice becoming more steady. "After Bailin returns with his men, I plan to have Bailin replace Shibang in guarding the Bean Tribe. Shibang, you will be in charge of the defense of the Greater Qing Tribe. Both of you are located at the front-line outposts of the Fire Tribe, a heavy responsibility. You must not make any mistakes. Both sides are key positions. Of course, if our Fire Tribe and the Tiger Tribe engage in a major battle later, these two outposts will have even more opportunities to distinguish themselves. You must guard these two outposts well for the Fire Tribe and hold them securely."

After listening, Shibang straightened his back slightly, patted his chest, and said with a decisiveness that came from being entrusted with a heavy responsibility, "Don't worry, boss. Leave the Greater Qing Tribe to me. As long as I'm here, the Wolf Tribe won't be able to set foot on this riverbank again. I'll go back and redo the defenses, station people at all the ferry crossings and Qiantan, and have them on duty day and night. We'll also arrange patrol boats to go back and forth on the river at night, so they won't have a chance to cross in the dark."

Yingmu nodded, his voice lower than Shibang's but equally steady. "I'm also familiar with the Bean Tribe. After Bailin arrives for the handover, I'll go back to the Bear Tribe. I reinforced the camp walls there during the winter, and repaired the granaries. If the Willow Vine Tribe needs support during their migration, it'll be convenient to go through the Bear Tribe. I'll also set up people at the ferry crossing there, connecting it with Shibang's defenses."

Yan looked at the two of them, a slight smile playing on his lips, "Then it's settled. Before Bailin returns, you two should each review the defenses here, patching up any weak points. I'll have the Greater Qing Tribe allocate some manpower and supplies to you first, and then we'll bring more from the rear later."

After the two responded, they went their separate ways. That afternoon, Shibang led his men to several ferry crossings north of the Greater Qing Tribe's camp and rearranged the sentry posts there. He walked along the riverbank for a while, stopped at each ferry crossing, bent down to check the depth and speed of the water flow, and looked at the terrain on both banks. Only after confirming which places were suitable for defense did he have his men mark the spots.