The Tiger Tribe's Deliberations

While Yan led the Fire Tribe's fleet through the lower reaches of the Fish River, the Tiger Tribe's council hall was already full. The afternoon sun streamed in through several windows, casting bright, parallel rays across the tabletops and illuminating the carvings on the wooden tablets with remarkable clarity. However, the atmosphere inside was far more somber than the sunlight outside. Several wooden tablets lay spread on the table, covered with dense markings—some indicating the fleet's organization, others the locations of the smaller tribes on the north Long River.

There were many more people in the room than usual. The chairs on both sides of the long table were full, and those who came later could only sit on the row of low stools against the wall. Some people held earthenware bowls, the water in them had gone cold, but no one drank from them. Among the people sitting in the row against the wall, several young leaders had their backs pressed against the wall, their legs stretched out, their eyes shifting back and forth between Hu Bashan and the Tongding. The air was filled with the smell of wood that had been repeatedly turned over and the lingering scent of burnt oil, a mixture that was the mark left by too many meetings that had been held in this room.

Hu Zheng sat in the main seat, wearing a white linen robe with dark stitching at the collar and cuffs. His hair was held back with a bone hairpin, and he was impeccably dressed. However, his brows were slightly furrowed, and the lines of his mouth were tighter than usual, as if a string had been stretched taut since morning and had not yet been released. His hands rested 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, as if confirming that everyone had arrived. He waited until the last leader, who was seated against the wall, was also settled before speaking, his voice not loud, but loud enough for everyone in the council chamber to hear. "I presume everyone has received some information."

He paused, his gaze lingering between Hu Bashan and the Tongding for a moment, before continuing, "The Wolf Tribe sent people over a few days ago. They said the Fire Tribe has a large fleet operating near the Greater Qing Tribe, taking all the Greater Qing Tribe's people to the upper reaches of the Fish River. The Fire Tribe's young leader also rallied his forces and launched a fierce attack on the Wolf Tribe. Now the Wolf Tribe's navy has been completely wiped out, and they've lost over a thousand men on land, for a total loss of about two thousand. The Fire Tribe's fleet is still lingering near the Greater Qing Tribe, and we don't know what they're planning. The Wolf Tribe wants our Tiger Tribe to take precautions to prevent the Fire Tribe Tiger Tribe launching a surprise attack, and they've also requested that our Tiger Tribe send reinforcements to assist the Wolf Tribe their defense. What do you all think?"

As soon as Hu Zheng finished speaking, the council hall erupted into a cacophony, as if someone had lifted the lid of a boiling pot of water. Some leaned back in their chairs, turning their heads to whisper to each other, their voices muffled by the noise, as if sharing their judgments in a volume barely audible to two people. Others tapped the table, their fingers making short, rhythmic taps on the wooden board, as if adding an invisible punctuation mark to their words. Someone put down the ceramic bowl they had been holding for a while, the bottom of the bowl making a crisp sound as it hit the table, the water inside swaying slightly before settling back down. Someone craned their neck, their gaze shifting back and forth between Hu Bashan and the Tongding, as if waiting for someone to stand up and speak first. An elder sitting next to the Tongding turned and whispered something to Elder He Man beside him, He Man shook his head slightly without replying. A young leader sitting against the wall couldn't help but mutter to the person next to him, "Those Wolf Tribe people only know how to beg for people," before being gently nudged by the elbow next to him and falling silent.

After the noise subsided slightly, Hu Bashan stood up from his chair. His chair made a short, sharp creaking sound as he rose, the legs scraping against the brick surface before stopping. He wore a long black linen robe, the collar open, a wide leather belt around his waist from which hung a long sword. The edge of the scabbard was polished to a gleaming shine, gleaming dimly in the lamplight. He stood there, first glancing at Hu Zheng, then scanning the room with everyone present, before speaking. His voice was not loud, but it carried the certainty that came from having rehearsed his words many times: "The Greater Qing Tribe has joined the Fire Tribe; this is something we all know. Now the Fire Tribe fears our Tiger Tribe will attack the Greater Qing Tribe." "Relocating the people of the Greater Qing Tribe to the Fire Tribe's territory is a normal action." As he spoke, he pressed his palm lightly on the table, the pressure not heavy, but enough to make the edges of the wooden tablets on the table curl slightly before settling back down, as if pressing his first sentence onto the table with that gesture. "The Wolf Tribe attacking the Wolf Fire Tribe is just a convenient thing to do. After all, the Fire Tribe and the Wolf Tribe have a grudge against each other. The Wolf Tribe suffered losses at the hands of the Fire Tribe when they were in the upper reaches of the Fish River. Now that the Fire Tribe has encountered them there, it's only natural to settle things amicably. Moreover, the Wolf Tribe is considered a subordinate tribe of our Tiger Tribe. The Fire Tribe has so many ships there now; they definitely want to deal with the Wolf Tribe."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the council chamber, as if to confirm everyone was listening. Hu Zhenshan, sitting beside him, nodded slightly, as did Hu Dingshan. Several of the leaders seated against the wall also responded softly. Hu Bashan withdrew his gaze and continued, his voice lower than before, but each word carried a calculated certainty. "As for the Wolf Tribe's claim that the Fire Tribe intends to ambush our Tiger Tribe, that's highly unlikely. After all, this is our territory. The Tiger Tribe has built up its defenses over many years; the fortifications are there. Unless the Fire Tribe comes with all its might, they won't gain any advantage and will instead suffer significant losses." And ships. We've fought the Fire Tribe twice. They have many ships, but their forces and supply lines can't be stretched all the way to our Tiger Tribe. If they dare to come, our Tiger Tribe isn't afraid. It's true that the Wolf Tribe wants our Tiger Tribe to send reinforcements to bolster their Wolf Tribe, but to our west are the Tiger Tribe Shu Tribe, and to our east are the Wuyue Tribe. Neither side is very peaceful, so we have to station a significant number of troops there to deter them. Last month, there was a small battle on the western border. Although it didn't escalate, we can't spare any manpower. We need to keep a considerable number of troops to protect our main base and maintain production in our workshops. Most of our remaining mobile forces have been sent to the Long River to recruit more people.

He extended his finger and tapped it lightly on the table, the knuckles making a soft click on the wooden board, as if adding a more solid foundation to his next words, "Chief, as you've seen, thanks to our recent efforts, we've absorbed tens of thousands more people, greatly increasing our strength. Sending people to the Wolf Tribe at this time would be a pure waste of manpower. If we divert our forces there, the population absorption in the north will slow down significantly. Once the tribes north of the Long River are on guard, it will be even more difficult for our Tiger Tribe to absorb manpower in the future."

As soon as Hu Bashan finished speaking, Hu Zhenshan chimed in. He sat beside Hu Bashan, wearing a dark gray linen robe, and was slightly thinner than Hu Bashan. He habitually tilted his head slightly before speaking, and tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice, as if to mark the rhythm of his words: "Brother is right. The Wolf Tribe Wolf Tribe is indeed our people, but they are far away. If the Fire Tribe really wants to attack them, we won't be able to send troops there in time. Rather than saturating our forces in that distant place, we should absorb enough manpower from the north first. Those small tribes on the Long River are not on guard yet. Once they realize what's happening, it won't be so easy for us to act. Last month, the people we sent out brought back two more groups. Those small tribes were incorporated into our ranks before they even understood what was going on. These kinds of opportunities won't last forever."

Hu Dingshan also spoke up, his voice lower than his two older brothers, but his tone was very steady. "Yes, I also think it's more important to take care of the north first. As for the Wolf Tribe, let them hold out for a while. We'll turn back to them after we've gathered our forces in the north. Those people from the Wolf Tribe were driven away by the Fire Tribe once before, so they know how to escape. They won't hold out to the death. If things get really bad, they'll retreat to the north or to their own stronghold. They won't be foolish enough to wait to be surrounded and killed."

The Grand Elder, Tongding, sat on the other side of the long table, listening intently. His expression darkened the moment Hu Bashan spoke, his lips pressed tightly together, his fingers slowly tightening on the armrests until his knuckles turned slightly white. The water in the ceramic bowl before him remained undisturbed, its surface as still as if frozen. His gaze shifted between Hu Bashan and Hu Zhenshan, then settled on Hu Bashan's face. When Hu Dingshan finished speaking, he could no longer contain himself. He abruptly stood up from his chair, the chair creaking behind him as its legs scraped a short distance on the floor. He wore a dark blue linen robe, the collar and cuffs edged with dark stitching. Though shorter than Hu Bashan, he stood ramrod straight, like an old tree that had been repeatedly blown by the wind but had never bent. When he spoke, his voice was loud, as if he were releasing all the words he had been holding back for so long. "Hu Bashan, are you still stirring up factional strife?"

His voice echoed in the council chamber, silencing those who were whispering. All eyes turned to him; some put down their bowls, others turned away. Tongding looked at Hu Bashan, his gaze as if scrutinizing someone he had seen through: "You support not sending troops to support the Wolf Tribe because you don't think they're one of us? The Wolf Tribe Wolf Tribe suffered heavy losses. If they're defeated, our Wolf Tribe Tiger Tribe's strength will also be weakened. The Wolf Tribe is holding off us in the south, so we don't need to send another force there. If they fall, that southern front..." "With the barrier gone, our tribe has nothing to restrain the Fire Tribe in the south. Moreover, the territory of our Tiger Tribe's Great Luwei Tribe is also unstable. The Fire Tribe's fleet operates near the Great Luwei Tribe Greater Qing Tribe, and the Great Luwei Tribe is just to the north. If they launch a surprise attack and we lose the Great Reed Tribe, how will we fight the Fire Tribe? We spent a lot of effort to conquer the Great Luwei Tribe last year. Losing it will widen the gap in our southern defenses. With a larger gap in the south, the Fire Tribe's fleet can directly sail into our Tiger Tribe's territory from there, and we won't even have time to react."

The Tongding's sound slowed slightly at the "Great Luwei Tribe. His hand rose and fell from the table. Tong Dachui, sitting beside his father, also stood up upon hearing this. He was taller and broader than his father, wearing a dark gray leather armor whose plates gleamed dimly in the lamplight. His voice was low but clear, as if specifically designed to give his father a resounding conclusion: "Father is right. The Wolf Tribe is our people. They've been attacked; we can't just stand by and watch. We must also keep a close eye on the Great Luwei Tribe. We've taken this territory in the south inch by inch; we can't send it back inch by inch."

A moment of silence fell over the council chamber, a silence as if someone were slowly closing a window that had been repeatedly pushed and pulled. The faint scraping sounds gradually subsided, from the edge of the table to the crack in the door, from the leaders against the wall to the head of the central seat. Hu Bashan looked at the Tongding, his lips twitching as if he wanted to say something, but then he held back. His fingers tapped on the table, the pads of his fingers remaining pressed against the wood grain. Hu Zhenshan and Hu Dingshan exchanged a glance, but remained silent. The leaders sitting against the wall also remained silent, waiting to see which way the debate would go. Someone flipped an empty bowl over and over again, the bottom of the bowl making a slight scraping sound on the wooden board, then stopped.

Hu Zheng sat in the main seat, not immediately responding. His fingers slowly clenched and unclenched on the table, his gaze shifting from Hu Bashan's face to Tongding Tongding's, then back again. He knew perfectly well— Hu Bashan and his faction didn't want to send troops because they didn't want Tongding's faction to use this opportunity to strengthen themselves; Tongding wanted to send troops because the Wolf Tribe was an ally of the Great Copper Tribe on the periphery. Both were acting in their own faction's best interests, but there was some truth in what they said. He remained silent for a moment, stacking and then spreading the wooden tablets on the table, as if using that action to give himself a moment to think. Then he spoke, his voice not loud, but loud enough for everyone in the council hall to hear. "Hu Bashan is right. The population absorption from the north cannot be stopped. Although the Fire Tribe is strong, they can't reach our doorstep yet. The tribes on the Long River are unprepared. Recruiting more people now would be advantageous for us."

He paused, then turned his gaze to the Tongding and said, "Elder Tongding's words make sense. The Wolf Tribe is our people; we can't watch them be devoured bit by bit by the Fire Tribe. We also need to keep an eye on the Great Luwei Tribe to prevent the Fire Tribe from taking our territory again. Here's what we'll do: send a small fleet to the Wolf Tribe to scout the situation. Don't bring too many people, but let the Fire Tribe know we're still watching. If the Fire Tribe makes any big moves there, we'll recall some men from the north. We'll also send more scouts to the Great Luwei Tribe, reporting back daily. The recruitment of men from the north will continue as usual, but we must be more careful not to attract the attention of the large tribes on the Long River."

After listening, Hu Bashan remained silent for a moment. His fingers paused on his knee, then he nodded slightly—a small gesture, but enough for those sitting next to him to see. Tongding's gaze lingered on Hu Zheng's face for a second. His lips were still pursed, but his fingers loosened their grip on the table, and he nodded as well. He didn't say anything more, simply sitting down again.

The atmosphere in the council chamber relaxed slightly. Someone leaned back in his chair, picked up a bowl of now-cold water, took a sip, his Adam's apple bobbing as the water went down his throat, and then he put the bowl down. Someone turned his head and whispered something to the person next to him, his voice even softer than before. Several leaders sitting against the wall also began to move around; some put away the wooden tablets in their hands, while others stretched out their legs and then pulled them back in.

Hu Zheng looked at everyone present and reiterated the upcoming arrangements: the departure time of the fleet, the rotation method for the scouts of the Great Luwei Tribe, and the adjustment of the route for recruiting manpower from the north. He explained in great detail, assigning specific personnel and timelines to each step. After he finished speaking, people in the council hall began to stand up one after another. The chairs made a jagged sound as they scraped against the floor. Some people walked towards the door, while others were still tidying up the wooden tablets and pottery bowls scattered in front of them. Tongding walked in the middle of the group, his pace slow, but he did not turn around to look in Hu Bashan's direction. Hu Bashan walked in front, side by side with Hu Zhenshan. The two were talking in hushed tones, their voices mostly drowned out by the footsteps of others in the corridor. Hu Dingshan followed behind, his gaze lingering briefly on the backs of his two older brothers walking ahead before turning away and continuing forward.

There weren't many people left in the council chamber. Hu Zheng was still sitting in the main seat. His fingers slowly clenched and unclenched on the table. His gaze fell on the narrowing band of light at the doorway. He watched the narrowing band of light to confirm that the footsteps had gone out to the end of the corridor and blended into the other sounds of the camp.