The Weight of the Handover

Yan returned to his quarters and had a good night's rest. He slept more soundly than he had in all the days on the ship. He lay on his bunk, his body sinking into the straw mat and animal hide, listening to the sound of the river flowing outside the window and the occasional barking of dogs from the distant camp. His eyelids slowly closed, and when he opened them again, it was already the next morning. Sunlight streamed in through the cracks in the window, drawing a bright white band of light on the ground. Tiny dust particles floated slowly within the band of light, as if something was gradually settling in the air. He lay there motionless, watching the light slowly move from the corner of the table to the center of the room, and then from the center of the room to near the threshold, until the crowing of roosters and the sound of footsteps outside grew louder and louder, before he finally sat up.

He got dressed, washed his face, and walked towards his mother, Qingye. As he reached the door, he heard hushed voices inside; it was Qingsui and his mother talking. He gently knocked twice on the doorframe, and the voices stopped. His mother's voice came through. "Come in, the door's open."

Yan pushed open the door and entered. Qingsui was sitting on a low stool by the window. Today she was wearing a light blue linen dress, her hair loosely tied back. Her face looked more relaxed than yesterday, and the skin on her cheekbones had a faint rosy glow. When she saw Yan enter, the corners of her mouth slowly curved into a smile. Her needlework paused for a moment, but she didn't put it down. Her mother, Qingye, was standing by the stove, ladling porridge into an earthenware bowl. Steam rose from the surface of the porridge, carrying a fragrant aroma of rice and a slight sweetness, as if some dried fruit had been added. When she saw Yan enter, she first looked him up and down. Her gaze lingered on his face for a moment before she spoke, her voice carrying a mother's characteristic crispness, her pace a little faster than usual. "You're up? Go eat something first. Your father told you to go to the council hall this morning. He's been so busy these past few days, he must have something to tell you." She placed the bowl of porridge on the corner of the table, adding, pressing her finger against the rim of the bowl, "Drink the porridge first. Going there on an empty stomach won't let you hear him properly. Your father, once he starts talking, he launches into a whole bunch of things; your brain won't be able to keep up if you're not full."

Yan responded and sat down at the table, taking a few sips of the porridge. The porridge was thick, with a few chopped dried fruits inside, offering a slightly sweet and sour taste when bitten into. Qingsui sat beside him, pausing her needlework, glancing up at him with a slight smile, but saying nothing, she lowered her head again to continue sewing. Yan drank most of the bowl, put it down, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, nodded to his mother and Qingsui, then turned and left, heading towards the council hall.

As Yan approached the council hall entrance, he spotted a familiar figure approaching from the other end of the camp. The man wore a dark blue linen robe, the collar open to reveal a muscular chest. A bronze-buckled leather belt cinched his waist, and he wore animal-skin boots. He strode quickly and powerfully, swinging his arms as if chasing the wind behind him. He was more robust than average, with broad shoulders, always towering a head above the crowd. Yan drew closer and recognized him as Dali. He immediately stepped forward to greet him at the entrance, his voice filled with surprise and delight. "Uncle Dali, you've arrived so early this morning! I thought you'd be a day or two away. You're here so soon!"

Dali stopped and patted Yan's shoulder with a strong pat that made Yan sway slightly. He lingered on Yan's shoulder for a moment before letting go. His voice was loud and clear, as if he had eaten a hearty breakfast and gathered his strength. The last syllable echoed across the dirt road of the camp, "I only received word from my elder brother a few days ago that I needed to come here. I finished explaining things at the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost and rushed over. I arrived last night and rested at the camp for one night. You've been running a lot lately, so it's normal to lose weight. It's good for young people to run around more."

Yan was jolted by the slap, but didn't dodge. He just smiled and nodded, "Uncle Dali is right."

The two entered the council chamber at the same time. Jianshi Shi was sitting in the main seat, examining a wooden tablet. His fingers moved slowly along the engravings. Hearing the door open, he looked up and saw the two of them enter one after the other. His expression first froze for a moment, then slowly relaxed. He pointed to the chairs beside the table. "You're both here? Sit down. Dali, how did your instructions go?" He pressed his finger on the edge of the wooden tablet before releasing it, placing the tablet back on the corner of the table and pushing it aside.

Dali sat down in the chair, the back creaking slightly as he did so, as if weighed down by the weight. He was already quite large, and the chair legs scraped against the brick surface before settling back down. He placed the bundle he was carrying at his feet and began to speak, his voice lower than before, but his tone steady, as if reviewing a completed matter. "I've handed over the defense and daily management of the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost to my deputy. The warehouse keys, the personnel list, the ferry duty roster—everything has been transferred clearly. I've worked with my deputy for several years; he's reliable and won't make any mistakes. I told him to send someone to Little Fish River Mouth if anything happens; they'll arrive quickly. I also walked the ferry crossing with him, pointing out several key locations, telling him which Qiantan would flood during the rainy season and which sections of the embankment were prone to cracking in winter, so he's aware of the situation."

After listening, Jianshi nodded, placed his palm flat on the table, and tapped his fingers lightly on the surface, the knuckles making a soft click, as if marking a conclusion to the matter. His voice was low but clear, each word carrying a certain certainty. "We've called you here to take over Little Fish River Mouth. This is the result of discussions among our higher-ups. Yan and I plan to depart for the Valley Tribe with our fleet in three days. The Little Fish River Mouth Outpost outpost is now in your hands. You'll be in charge here from now on. Daily defense, production, personnel deployment, and resource allocation will all be your responsibility. If there's anything you're unsure about, send a message to the Valley Tribe first, and I'll get back to you from there. For urgent matters, make your own decisions and report back afterwards."

Dali listening, Dali nodded, then asked a question. His voice was lower than before, but his tone carried a seriousness that came from his deep concern for the place he had built from scratch. His fingers clenched and unclenched on his knees, as if finding the right tone for his words: "Brother, I led the team to build and develop the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost from scratch. From the initial dilapidated shacks to the current docks and walls, I led the team to build it. I watched every single wooden stake being driven in. After I come to the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost, who will take over it?"

Jianshi didn't answer immediately. He turned the wooden tablet in front of him to the back, where a newly engraved outline of the stronghold management arrangements was on it. The engravings were deeper than on the front. He tapped the tablet with his finger, then spoke, his voice steady and his pace slower. "The Little Fish River Mouth Outpost isn't just in charge of the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost, but also the Pottery Salt River Mouth Outpost, Stone Creek River Mouth Outpost, and Red Flower River Mouth Outpost. Besides these river estuaries, the land-based strongholds of Hundred Crafts, Beast Taming, Shuize, Qinghe, High Point, and Fish Point are also under the management of the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost." As he spoke, his finger traced an arc on the table, from east to west and from south to north, as if marking the locations of those strongholds on a map. "So your burden is heavier, and your responsibilities are greater. Don't worry about Red Flower River Mouth; your deputy can handle that first. You need to manage the entire rear area first. It's much more important than just focusing on one stronghold. Only when the rear is stable can the front be effectively attacked."

Dali listening, Dali paused for a moment, his fingers resting on his knee. His gaze fell on the engravings on the wooden tablet on the table, tracing the lines for a short distance before he looked up. His voice held a deeper calm as he spoke, his pace slower than before, as if he were carefully emphasizing each word. "Don't worry, brother. With me here, we can definitely manage the rear well. I didn't work for nothing at the Red Flower River Mouth Outpost; I built it from scratch, and I've handled everything. Moreover, the management and development here are already quite mature. There are established procedures for resettlement, production arrangements, and defense rotations. As long as we develop according to these procedures, there won't be any mistakes. My only concern is that there aren't enough people at Red Flower River Mouth. If the deputy is overseeing things alone, and something urgent happens, he won't even have anyone to consult with if he's unsure."

After listening, Jianshi nodded, his gaze lingering on Dali's face for a moment before he spoke, his voice carrying a certain certainty of confirmation. His speech slowed, as if he were handing over a pre-planned arrangement: "Don't worry about Red Flower River Mouth. Once the management center is settled in the Valley Tribe, I'll transfer an experienced leader from there to assist your deputy. For the next few months, let your deputy handle things. If anything happens, have him send someone directly to Little Fish River Mouth. You make the decisions. You manage the overall situation here, and you can still manage things at Red Flower River Mouth. If you really can't spare the time..." "Send someone over there for a couple of days to take care of things and then come back." He paused, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, the knuckles making a soft click on the wooden board. "In the future, our Fire Tribe will definitely have fierce conflicts with the Tiger Tribe. We moved the management center to the Valley Tribe to build a safe production base in the rear. You, Jianya, and Dazhuang have a heavy responsibility. You must do a good job. Whether our Fire Tribe can quickly rise to become a super tribe with a population of over one million depends on you. Fighting on the front lines relies on soldiers, but supporting the rear relies on food and resources. If food and resources are insufficient, no matter how many soldiers you have, you can't hold out."

Dali listening, Dali sat up straight, placing his hands flat on his knees. He spoke in a low but clear voice, each word as if he had slowly polished it before uttering it. "Don't worry, brother, I understand. Leave the rear to me. You and Yan can focus on fighting ahead. Food, ships, weapons, manpower—I won't lack a single thing. Whatever you need, I'll build and transport it for you. Wherever you fight, I'll supply it." As he spoke, he slapped his knee, making a short, muffled thud.

Jianshi nodded, then recounted the details of the handover. He described the number of warehouses and grain reserves at the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost, the location and size of each subordinate stronghold, the distribution of ferry crossings and docks, and the defense rotation arrangements. When he mentioned warehouses, he gestured the storage layout on the table with his finger; when he mentioned ferry crossings, he drew lines on the table with his palm, marking which crossings were usable in winter and which were only for summer; when he mentioned defense rotation, he tapped his fingers lightly on the table, as if using a... Dali listened attentively, occasionally asking a question or two, which Jianshi answered one by one. Yan sat beside him, listening and occasionally interjecting to add information, recounting what he knew about the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost. After everything was explained, Jianshi took his hands off the table, placed them on his knees, and looked at Dali, saying, "You stay here for a couple of days to familiarize yourself with the area. I'll have Dabang take you on a tour, showing you all the warehouses, docks, ferry crossings, and sentry posts. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask him. After we set off, this place will be yours."

Dali stood up, the chair making a short, sharp squeak behind him. He clasped his hands in a Jianshi salute to Jianshi, the clinking of his palms echoing as he closed them. "Alright," he said, "I'll go with Dabang a walk around first, to familiarize myself with the place. Some things can't be remembered just by hearing numbers; you have to see them for yourself."

Jianshi nodded to him, then turned to Yan: "Have Uncle Dabang take Dali around to see everything that needs to be seen. Come back tomorrow and we'll finalize the last few things." Yan also stood up, nodded to his father, and then walked out of the council hall with Dali.