Brothers Assemble

Because Jianshi and Dabang had made arrangements in advance, Yan completed all the preparations at the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost in just two days. During those two days, he hardly stopped. On the second day, he rechecked the grouping list of 20,000 tribesmen, divided them into groups according to family, separated the elderly and weak from the young and strong, and went through the list of accompanying supplies from beginning to end. After finishing all the necessary tasks, he stood on the dock for a while, watching the ships moored on the shore, their sails furled, their hulls gently swaying with the waves, as if waiting for him to issue his final command.

Early on the third day, before dawn, a thin layer of morning mist floated on the river. Torches were already lit on the dock, their soft light casting long and short shadows on the wooden planks of those boarding the boats. Yan stood at the Chuantou, watching the last group of his people walk onto the gangplank. Some carried bundles, some held children, and some helped the elderly; their steps were steady, without any crowding. He turned his head, glanced at a few people standing beside him, then looked back at the river ahead.

This time, he gathered all his brothers who had been free before: Gubang, Daya, Zhuangchai, and several others who had been training in various rear outposts over the past few years. These men had considerable experience; some had served in the outpost defense teams, some had worked with the fleets on transport missions, and some had managed supplies in warehouses and workshops. Once they were assigned suitable positions, they could quickly take over. They were young, but each one was agile. Standing on the dock waiting to depart, their shoulders were ramrod straight, their eyes bright, like a group of bows already fully drawn, just waiting for someone to release the string.

The fleet sailed downstream along the Fish River, their sails billowing in the early spring breeze. The white sails stretched as far as the eye could see in the morning light. The wind carried the dampness of melting snow and the crisp, earthy scent of churning earth, ruffling the hem of Yan's robe and the stray hairs on her forehead. Yan stood at the bow of the lead Chuantou, beside Gubang. Gubang wore a dark gray linen robe, a bronze-buckled leather belt around his waist, from which hung a short sword, its scabbard etched with simple patterns. His shoulders were broader than when they last met, and his jawline was more defined. It was as if he'd honed his skills over the past year. His fingers rested on the edge of the gunwale, his fingertips against the wooden planks, gently adjusting his grip with the boat's rocking, as if he were sensing the speed and direction of the water in his own way. He turned to look at Yan, his voice carrying a long-suppressed curiosity, as if words that had been stuck in his throat all the way had finally found their way out. "Boss, what are you planning to do by bringing us all here this time? You used to always have us stay back and do our own thing, why did you call us all here this time?"

Yan didn't answer immediately. His gaze first shifted from Gubang's face, sweeping over the others standing behind him. Daya leaned against the ship's railing, his hands on the railing, his heels tapping idly against the wooden planks, but his eyes remained fixed on this side. Every time Yan looked over, he would look away, pretending to look at the river, only to turn back again after a while. Zhuangchai squatted on the deck, sharpening a knife with a Shitou in his hand. The sound of the whetstone scraping against the blade was intermittent, but his ears were clearly perked up, and his shoulders were always turned in this direction. Several other brothers were behind him, some standing and some sitting, but all their eyes were focused on this side. Yan took in their appearances one by one, then spoke, his voice not loud, but loud enough for everyone around to hear. "I heard from the tribe that you've all done well in your respective positions. Gubang led the defense team for half a year, Daya managed the supplies in the warehouse for almost half a year, and Zhuangchai has made several long-distance trips with the fleet. The others have also gained their own experiences."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the group, before continuing, "Our management center is about to relocate to the Valley Tribe. We'll soon be facing off directly against the Wolf Tribe and Tiger Tribe. That's why I've gathered you all here to prepare for potential conflicts with them. While you've been safer in the rear these past few years, your opportunities to distinguish yourselves have been relatively fewer. So, I've gathered you all here today so you can make a good impression!"

As soon as Yan finished speaking, the boys roared excitedly. Gubang was the first to shout. He raised his fist in the air and swung it, the fist drawing a short arc in the air, as if releasing the breath he had been holding in for a long time. A light red flush rose on his face, extending from his cheekbones to his ears, and the corners of his mouth were stretched wide, almost revealing his molars. Daya propped himself up from the ship's railing, his heels no longer tapping the wooden planks, and stood up straight. The fingers that had been resting on the railing were pulled back and clenched into fists. He loosened his grip, then tightened it again, as if repeatedly confirming that he indeed had enough strength in his hands. Zhuangchai put away the whetstone and dagger, stood up, and slapped his trouser leg twice to remove the stone dust from his hands. The two slaps were quite forceful, each leaving a faint grayish-white handprint on his trouser leg. The brothers behind him also gathered around. Someone patted the shoulder of the person next to them, causing that person to sway and then regain their balance. Someone else whispered repeatedly, "Finally, we've waited for this," the voice not loud but the ending tone rising, like a spring that had been compressed for a long time finally snapping open.

They were at an age where they were prone to fighting. Although the rear was safer, it was clearly not the place they were most satisfied with. They had long heard that Shibang and Yingmu had made many contributions to the fight with their leader and were now local leaders who were called "leader" wherever they went. They were just a little younger and considered themselves quite capable. Of course, they also wanted to become local leaders and enjoy everyone's respect and love.

Gubang immediately spoke up, his voice rising a notch from before, as if he were pouring out everything that had been weighing on his mind for years. "Boss, you really understand me! I've been envious of my brother Shibang's continuous achievements for a long time. Last time he came back, he talked about how he led troops and deployed defenses in the Bear Tribe. I couldn't sleep half the night listening to him. Every time he went to war, I sharpened my blade, until the edge was thin. Don't worry, Boss, the Wolf Tribe Tiger Tribe are now easy targets for our Fire Tribe. What my brother can do, I can do too. The battles he fought, I can fight as well."

The others chimed in. Daya pulled his hands back from the gunwale, crossed them in front of his chest, and spoke with a defiant fervor, a smile playing on his lips, but beneath that smile lay a stubborn refusal to admit defeat, "Boss, whatever you say, we'll do it. Let me lead men to guard the ferry, or let me lead a fleet to pick up people, it's all better than counting sacks in the warehouse. Counting sacks means handling sacks all day long, and even dreaming about counting them at night."

Zhuangchai hung the short knife back on his waist, patting the hilt with his palm, as if to make sure it was secure, or perhaps to add a conclusion to his next sentence. His voice was lower than the others when he spoke, but each word carried a suppressed force. "Boss, I've done several long-distance trips with the fleet. I know the rivers and ferry crossings pretty well. I know where the water is shallow and you have to stay close to the edge, where the current is strong and you have to detour, and which ferry crossings are difficult to dock at night. I know most of it by heart. When Brother Shibang left, I was still young. Now I'm all grown up, it's my turn."

Seeing everyone's high spirits, Yan's smile slowly widened, extending from his lips to the corners of his eyes, deeper than usual. He nodded in satisfaction, pressing his hand on the gunwale, his fingertips tracing the grain of the wood for a moment. "I'm relieved that you think this way. Don't worry, everyone. Although we will be facing the front lines directly, with the strength of our Fire Tribe, as long as we deploy properly, the Wolf Tribe and Tiger Tribe are definitely no Fire Tribe for us. If we were to fight them, they would certainly suffer greater losses." He paused, his fingers lightly tapping on the gunwale, as if finding a foothold for his next words. "The experience you've accumulated over the years hasn't been wasted. How to set up defenses, how to manage supplies, how to navigate routes—all of these will be useful on the battlefield. Shibang and Yingmu were made from these very things. You're no less capable than them; what you lack is an opportunity."

Then Yan spoke, his voice becoming calmer, as if he were laying out the specific arrangements for this trip. "This time we're just going to settle our clansmen and pick up some people to settle at the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost. Everyone, come with me for a trip to familiarize yourselves with the area. Once you're familiar with the route, we can make arrangements for what comes next."

The fleet continued downstream along the Fish River. When they passed the Green Leaf River Mouth Outpost, Yan had the fleet dock for over an hour. Dazhuang, standing on the dock, greeted Yan as he disembarked. He wore a dark blue linen robe, a leather belt with bronze buckles around his waist, and animal-skin boots. The two exchanged a few words along the boardwalk. Yan instructed Dazhuang to gather the qualified members of the Bear Tribe who had been temporarily housed there, and to return and fetch them after he had settled his tribesmen in the Valley Tribe. Dazhuang nodded, patted his belt, and said with the decisiveness characteristic of someone who had been working, "Don't worry, I've already prepared the list. I had people waiting for you at the dock before you returned, so you can board as soon as the ship arrives."

When Yan continued sailing to the Big Horse River Mouth Outpost, he gave the same instructions to Feiyu. Feiyu stood on the dock, holding a wooden tablet. After listening to Yan's words, he drew two marks on the tablet, then looked up at Yan and tapped the edge of the tablet with his finger. "Young Chief, I've already registered the remaining qualified personnel from the Bear Tribe. When you return from the Valley Tribe, come directly here. I'll have people line up at the dock to wait for you. Arriving at night is also fine; I'll have people light torches and wait at the dock. I've also had the water cleared, so there won't be any problems with the waterway when you return."

Yan nodded to him, gave him a few more instructions about the shift changes and river surveillance, and then returned to the boat. The fleet continued downstream along the Fish River towards the Valley Tribe. The sails billowed in the wind, and the oars dipped into the water in unison, each row of blades rising and falling almost simultaneously. Gubang stood beside Yan, looking at the river ahead, his fingers tapping lightly on the hilt of his knife. Daya and Zhuangchai leaned against the gunwale, whispering something, occasionally letting out a short laugh or two. The laughter was partly carried away by the river breeze, but the warmth still reached the ears of everyone on board. On the boats behind, the other brothers were also walking around on the deck, looking at the river and the banks. Some people squatted by the gunwale and tried to splash water with their hands, only to be pulled back with laughter by those next to them.