The return journey and a new appointment

Yan led his fleet on a voyage for over twenty days from the Valley River Mouth Outpost to the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost. During those twenty days, the fleet sailed upstream, passing several river estuaries and stopping briefly at each one to replenish water and provisions, allowing the crew to stretch their legs. The further upstream they went, the narrower the river became, and the faster the current grew. Yan sometimes stood at the Chuantou, sometimes sat at the cabin door, watching the scenery on both banks change from open plains to low hills, and then from hills to steeper slopes. The trees grew denser, and the sky seemed to shrink.

The ship carried more than 20,000 people, picked up from several outposts along the way. They were all crammed into the cabin. With so many people, the smells were mixed, a mixture of sweat, dry rations, and leather, which lingered in the cabin. But no one said anything; everyone endured it because they all knew that once they reached the Fire Creek River Mouth, they could disembark and rest on the shore.

That morning, the fleet finally arrived at the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost. From afar, Yan could see a large group of people standing on the dock. Jianya stood at the very front, wearing a long, bluish-gray linen robe with dark stitching on the collar and cuffs. A hemp rope was tied around his waist, and he wore straw sandals with the edges of the soles covered in dry mud. His hair was held back with a wooden hairpin, and a few strands of white hair hung down behind his ears, shimmering in the afternoon light. His hands were behind his back, his back was ramrod straight, and his gaze was fixed on those who were docking. He swept the sails past each ship, nodding slightly after each one, as if counting the fleet in his own way. Behind him stood some warriors and a group of tribesmen responsible for receiving them; some held wooden tablets, while others were tidying the ropes along the pier, their fingers deftly navigating the knots. A row of small boats, small and shallow, were moored on the dock, specifically for transporting goods upstream along the Fire Creek. The oars of these small boats rested neatly against the gunwale, a few drops of water still clinging to their blades.

The boat docked, the gangplank was set up, and Yan stepped off. After standing still, he first stretched his shoulders, which were a little stiff from being on the boat for so long. Then, Jianya stepped forward and stood in front of Yan, clasping his hands in a salute. "Yan'er, I received news a few days ago that you had sent a boat. I've already brought people and small boats and am waiting at the dock. As soon as your people disembark, I will gradually send them to the Fire Tribe's main valley for resettlement. The houses there are already vacant, and food and supplies are prepared. The houses are clean, the straw mats and animal hides are newly replaced, and the food has been replenished. People can move in as soon as they arrive. Each family has been given a pot and bowls, and even firewood is stacked behind the house, so they don't have to go and chop it themselves."

Yan returned the salute with a clasped fist, his hands making a short, crisp sound as they closed. "Uncle Jianya, I brought quite a few people with me this time. After settling them here with you, I'm heading back to Little Fish River Mouth to pick up more. This trip has taken many days, and the people on the boats need a rest, but not for too long. There are still things waiting for me. My father is still waiting for me at the Valley River Mouth; the handover of the management center hasn't been completed yet." He paused, turned to the side, and pointed to the fleet behind him, his finger tracing an arc in the air from one end of the fleet to the other. "This group of people was picked up from several different locations, and they're all here. There are over 20,000 people in total, even more than the last time I brought them. The boats are a bit crowded, but everyone is alright. No one has fallen behind or gotten sick along the way."

Jianya nodded, saying nothing more, but turned and raised his hand to the soldiers behind him, clapping his hands in mid-air. The soldiers then led their men towards the dock, beginning to guide the people off the boats. Yan also had Daya and Gubang assist, their hands joining together to form several lines, starting work simultaneously along different gangplanks. The crowd moved slowly along the gangplank, some carrying bundles, some holding children, some supporting the elderly. A young man carrying a bundle walked at the front of the group, the straps digging into the fabric of his shoulders, leaving a shallow mark; behind him, an old woman leaned on a wooden cane, standing in the middle of the group. Her daughter-in-law supported her; the old woman walked slowly, each step careful, the wooden cane tapping the ground with a soft thud. Daya stood beside the gangplank, counting heads, his fingers tracing rapidly on the wooden tablet, glancing up to confirm the next family after each one passed. Gubang maintained order on the other side, occasionally bending down to pick up fallen bundles and hand them to those ahead. The dock quickly became busy, the sounds of footsteps and heavy objects hitting the ground mingling, but there was no crowding. After disembarking, some people stood on the dock, glanced back at those still crammed into the cabins, then turned and followed the others towards the camp.

Jianya stood at the edge of the dock, watching people disembark in batches. He then spoke to Yan, his voice low but clear, his pace slower than usual. "Alright, the people will disembark first and temporarily settle at the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost. I will arrange for people and boats to gradually pick them up and take them to Fire Creek River Mouth Fire Tribe's main valley upstream. They'll be sent in batches, several trips a day, and it will be all done in three to five days. You don't need to worry about things here; I have enough manpower to handle it." As he spoke, his gaze lingered on Yan's face for a moment, as if he were reminding him to be careful in his own way, before continuing, his voice now tinged with concern, "After you pick up Qingsui at Little Fish River Mouth, don't rush to the Valley River Mouth Outpost. Take it easy on the road, take good care of her, and make sure she's well-covered on the boat so she doesn't get jostled. After three months, the pregnancy will be stable, but you can't be careless. If you don't know how to handle things on the boat, have your mother, Qingye, help you; she has experience."

Yan nodded, switching the empty wooden tablet in his hand to his other. "Okay, I'll keep that in mind." He paused, then shifted the topic to the situation in the north, his voice lower than before, as if he were laying out the information gathered from various sources one by one. "Uncle Jianya, I've gathered some updates on the Tiger Tribe and Wolf Tribe from Jia Li and Feiyu, so I'll tell you. The Wolf Tribe has suffered several hundred more casualties under the continuous attacks from our strongholds at the Great Green River Mouth Outpost and the Bear River Mouth Outpost. Now they only have a little over seven thousand warriors left, more than two thousand fewer than at their peak. Grain production has also decreased. The fields on both sides of the Great Rock River have been destroyed twice by our people, and they replanted once only to have it destroyed again. The harvest is much less than in previous years. However, the Wolf Tribe doesn't seem to care much about the plight of their subordinate tribes. They've still managed to harvest enough grain, keeping it all in their own warehouses. The people in the subordinate tribes only get scraps, barely enough to eat but not starving either."

He paused, tapping his fingers lightly on his side, the knuckles making a soft click on his trouser leg, as if preparing a conclusion for his next words: "The Tiger Tribe hasn't been actively causing trouble lately, they're just monitoring us. They maintain about seven or eight boats near the Great Luwei Tribe, patrolling the river twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Their route is basically fixed: they depart from the Great Luwei Tribe's dock, travel upstream for a while, and then turn back. The tens of thousands of people they've recruited on the Long River are being kept under strict surveillance. Several times, those who caused trouble or tried to escape have been..." "They've been suppressed. I heard that once, a group of them tried to escape, but the Tiger Tribe caught them and killed several. The rest were all imprisoned and sentenced to heavy labor. The Tiger Tribe estimates it will take a lot of time and effort to fully absorb these tens of thousands of people. Those people were coerced into coming here; they're resentful, don't work hard, and try to escape at the first opportunity." He raised his head, looked at Jianya, and steadied his voice. "Father asked me to give you his regards. He said that once things are settled at the Valley River Mouth, he'll invite you over for a drink. He said it's been a long time since we've sat down for a proper meal together."

Jianya nodded after listening, then said, "Okay, tell my brother that I'll go see him when I have time after I've settled everyone here. Tell him not to worry too much; I'll take care of things from here. The granaries at the Fire Creek River Mouth are full, and the workshops haven't stopped operating. Whatever you need up ahead, I'll supply you." He paused, tapping his fingers lightly in front of him, as if preparing a conclusion for his next words, "Keep wearing down the Wolf Tribe. Don't let them recover. They have over seven thousand people now; if we hold them off for a few more months, they'll be lucky to have five thousand left. When they only have five thousand left, overwhelm them all at once; they won't be able to withstand it."

Yan spoke again, his voice lower than before, but every word carried a certainty that had been anticipated, as if he were slowly releasing something he had kept in his heart for a long time. "Uncle Jianya, if the Fire Tribe continues to develop and takes over the Tiger Tribe, the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost may be directly managed by the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost. At that time, you will have a more important position. Father asked me to give you a heads-up in advance so you are aware of the situation. He said that you might be assigned to manage a larger area, but the specific arrangements will have to wait until things are settled there before I can tell you."

Jianya listened, his expression remaining largely unchanged. He simply nodded slightly, his palm opening and closing briefly in front of him, as if gathering his words into his own. His voice was steadyer than before, carrying a deeper sense of composure. "No problem. The Fire Tribe's goal is to rival those super-tribes with millions of people. The tribe will definitely expand significantly in the future, and we'll need manpower in many areas. Tell Big Brother that if there are any other arrangements, just let me know. I've worked here for so many years, from Fire Creek Valley to Fire Creek River Mouth, I've done all sorts of jobs, I'm ready to go anywhere. As long as it's for the Fire Tribe, I have no objections." He paused, tapping his fingers lightly in front of him, as if adding a conclusion to his sentence, "Once you've completely moved the management center to the Valley River Mouth and things are settled here, I'll go take a look. Then, Big Brother, just tell me what you want me to do."

Yan nodded and continued, his voice carrying a certainty that had been anticipated. "Our goal next year is to eliminate the Wolf Tribe. It would be even better if we could take over the territories of the Willow Vine Tribe and the Great Luwei Tribe. In the following years, as long as we defeat the Tiger Tribe a few more times, the Tiger Tribe will no longer have the strength to fight against our Fire Tribe. Father plans to station me on the front lines, giving me full authority over military operations against the Tiger Tribe. I will then have enough ships, enough soldiers, and enough food."

Jianya nodded after listening, tapping his finger lightly on his side, as if marking a conclusion to the matter. His voice was low but clear as he spoke, "This plan is more reliable and suitable for our Fire Tribe. The Wolf Tribe is blocking our way; we can't confidently advance north without eliminating them. Once we take down the Wolf Tribe and conquer the territories of the Willow Vine Tribe and the Great Luwei Tribe, our defenses can be pushed all the way to the Tiger Tribe's border. At that point, the Tiger Tribe will only have the Fish River Mouth left. I will provide strong logistical support to the tribe from the rear. You fight on the front lines, and I'll supply you from behind. Food, boats, weapons—you won't lack anything. Wherever you fight, I'll deliver it to you."

The two chatted for a while about the resettlement arrangements for the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost and the subsequent allocation of supplies. Jianya explained the number of small boats and the number of round trips, gesturing with his finger in front of him, saying that the small boats could make three trips a day, and that it would take three to five days to deliver everyone to the main valley. Yan briefly explained the arrangements for returning to the Little Fish River Mouth to pick up more people, and gave a few more instructions about the order of stopping at the strongholds along the way and the replenishment of supplies. After everything was said, all the people on the boats had disembarked and were divided into three groups by Jianya's men. Jianya planned to take them to the Fire Tribe's main valley in batches for resettlement. The small boats were already lined up at the dock, with oars resting on the gunwales, waiting for the first group to board.

Seeing that everything was alright, Yan clasped his hands in Jianya salute to Fang and said, "Uncle Jianya, I'll be going now. There are still people waiting for me at the Little Fish River Mouth."

Jianya returned the greeting with a fist and palm salute. "Be careful on the road. I've also sent word to your mother, Qingye, that you'll be arriving in the next few days. Tell her to prepare her things." Yan nodded to him, turned, and walked onto the Chuantou. He stood at the bow, waved towards the dock, and then shouted into the cabin, "Let's go!"

The sound of the bull horn rang out, deep and resonant, carrying far across the river. The fleet slowly departed the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost dock, sailing downstream along the Fish River towards the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost. The sails billowed again, the white fluttering in the wind producing a series of short, Jianya thuds before being gradually drowned out by the sound of the water. Fang stood on the dock, watching the fleet recede into the distance until the last boat was cut off by a bend in the river, before turning and heading back towards the camp.