Arriving at the New House
After Yan led the fleet away from the Little Fish River Mouth Outpost, they sailed downstream along the Fish River, taking the same waterway they had come by. This time, there were two more people in the cabin: Qingye and Qingsui. Qingye sat in the cabin, leaning against a folded animal hide, sewing a half-finished garment. Her needlework was slow and steady, and she would stop every few stitches to glance outside. Qingsui sat beside her, with two layers of animal hide under her, which Qingye had laid out herself before boarding. After laying them out, she pressed them down with her palms from the hatch to the stern to make sure they were soft enough before letting Qingsui sit down. Qingsui wasn't carrying anything, but she would occasionally look out at the river through the hatch, and sometimes turn her head to whisper something to her mother. Her voice was soft and mostly drowned out by the sound of the oars and the water. Yan stood at the Chuantou, occasionally glancing back at the cabin to make sure his mother and Qingsui were comfortable before turning his gaze back to the river ahead.
When the fleet passed the Little Horse River Mouth Outpost, it made a brief stop at the dock for half an hour. Yan didn't disembark but stood at the Chuantou and spoke a few words to the leader who came out of the outpost, asking about the recent harvest and defenses, and giving some instructions about the ferry duty. When passing the Green Leaf River Mouth Outpost, it was also a brief stop. Dazhuang didn't come to the dock himself, but sent someone to deliver a basket of freshly caught fish and some dried wild vegetables. The deliveryman was a young soldier, sweating profusely. He handed the basket and vegetables to the gangplank, saying, "Leader Dazhuang asked me to take this along the way," and then turned and ran back. Yan had the fish and vegetables loaded onto the boat and had Daya make a note of it. After stopping for about an hour, the fleet set sail again. Qingye poked her head out of the cabin and glanced at the basket of fish, muttering, "They're quite fresh," before dragging the basket back into the cabin and placing it in a shady spot.
When they passed the Clothing River Mouth Outpost, the fleet stopped for a little longer. The leader there led his men to load several bundles of linen that hadn't been moved from the dock onto the boat. Yan nodded and had Gubang Bang count the items to make sure they matched the inventory before letting the fleet continue. Qingsui was getting tired of sitting in the cabin, so she stood up and stretched her back, leaning against the cabin wall. She moved slowly, one hand on the wall and the other behind her back, leaning back slightly as if trying to find a comfortable angle. Qingye supported her from the side, muttering, "Slow down, slow down, hold onto something before you move," her eyes fixed on her steps. After a few stretches, Qingsui sat down again. This time, she didn't lean on her mother but sat up straight, placing her hands on her knees, her gaze falling through the hatch onto the ripples on the river surface.
Days passed in this way, with the crew traveling during the day and resting at river bends or outposts along the way at night. Life on the boat was simple and routine: they would eat some dry rations and drink some hot water in the morning, have lunch on the boat, and if they could find an outpost, they would go ashore to rest; otherwise, they would anchor in a sheltered river bend, where the crew would take turns keeping watch. Qingsui spent most of her time in the cabin, occasionally going up to the deck on a nice day to admire the scenery on both banks. Qingye would cook her a pot of soup every day, sometimes fish soup, sometimes bone broth, adding dried vegetables and wild greens from the boat in rotation. Qingsui would always drink more than half a bowl of it.
After ten days of sailing, the fleet finally arrived at the Valley River Mouth dock that afternoon. From afar, Yan could see that the dock had changed somewhat since they left. Several new flagpoles had been erected along the boardwalk, bearing the flags of the Fire Tribe. The flags fluttered gently in the afternoon river breeze, making the flame patterns on them flicker. Several rows of newly built sheds had appeared on the open ground next to the dock, with bundles of supplies piled up underneath, covered with burlap. The edges of the sheds were lifted up by the wind and then fell back down. There were also many more wooden houses on the shore than before, with thatched roofs of varying shades, some even newly laid golden yellow, looking from a distance like several differently colored stamps on the earth. People came and went on the dock, some carrying supplies, others standing on the boardwalk gazing at the river.
The boat docked, the gangplank was set up, and Yan stepped off the boat first. After regaining his footing, he turned around and reached out to help Qinghui Qingsui Qingsui stepped off the gangplank, one hand on Yan's arm, her fingers slightly curled, the other hand holding onto the edge of the gunwale. Her steps were slow and careful, each step deliberate. When her foot landed on the gangplank, it bent slightly and bounced back. She paused, waiting for the gangplank to stabilize before taking the next step. Qingye followed behind, carrying two bundles, and stepped off on her own without assistance. Her steps were steady; although she was not young, she walked on the gangplank with remarkable skill, her feet landing alternately on the center line of the gangplank.
Jia Li had already received the news and was waiting at the dock with his men. He stood at the front, wearing a dark gray linen robe with frayed edges at the collar and cuffs, but it was clean and spotless. A hemp rope was tied around his waist, and he wore straw sandals. His face was more relaxed than when they last met; the dark circles under his eyes had faded, and the skin on his cheekbones was no longer so taut. He saw Yan helping Qingsui off the boat and took two quick, steady steps forward, clasping his hands in a salute. His voice carried a sense of relief after handing over the task. "Young Chief, you're back. You must be tired from your journey." As he spoke, his gaze moved from Yan's face to Qingsui, giving her a slight nod. His gaze lingered on her lower abdomen for a moment before moving away, then back to Qingye's face, where he also nodded. Then he continued, his voice lower than before, "The Chief is discussing matters with several leaders in the council hall. He told me to wait at the dock."
Yan returned the salute with a clasped fist, his hands making a short, crisp sound as they closed. "Chief Jia Li, the journey has been relatively smooth. We haven't encountered any trouble along the way, and Mother and Qingsui are both alright. We've just been traveling a bit slowly. There's someone on the ship who needs care, so we can't go any faster." He paused, turned to the side, and pointed to the fleet behind him, his finger tracing an arc in the air. "There are a few bundles of burlap and a few boxes of miscellaneous supplies on the ship, which Uncle Dazhuang asked me to bring along. Have someone unload them. Everyone on the ship has disembarked; make arrangements for those who need them."
Jia Li nodded, turned around and gave a few instructions to the leaders behind him. The leaders then led their men towards the dock. Some organized the unloading of cargo, while others guided the crew members off the ship to their accommodations. Jia Li then turned back to Qingsui, his voice lower than before. "Miss Qingsui, you must be tired from your journey. The chief has arranged a room for you and Qingye in the camp. It's in the row east of the council hall, close by. You can just call out if you need anything. The room is furnished with beds, tables, and chairs, and firewood is stacked at the door. You can settle in right away. The windows face south, so there's sunshine during the day and the room isn't damp. If you need anything, just let me know."
Qingsui Sui gave him a slight bow, a small but steady movement, her voice low but clear. "Jia Li, Chief Jiali, for your trouble." As she spoke, her hand remained on Yan's arm, her fingertips slightly curled, as if using that support to steady herself. A slight curve played at the corners of her lips, a smile that was not deep, but genuine.
Jia Li waved his hand, said "It's my duty," then turned and led his men toward the camp, his steps quick and steady. After walking a distance, he looked back to make sure Yan and the others were following before continuing on.
Yan supported Qingsui and followed slowly behind. Qingye walked on the other side, carrying a bundle in her hand, occasionally glancing at Qingsui. The three of them walked along the pier towards the camp, passing several rows of wooden houses and some newly turned fields. Farmers were bending over and turning the soil on the ridges, their Chutou falling and rising again, their movements slow but even. A person pushing a flatbed cart came from the opposite direction, the cart loaded with several bags of grain. Seeing Yan and the others, he moved the cart to the side of the road to make way. Yan nodded to him, and the person nodded back, continuing to push the cart forward.
The roof of the council chamber was already visible in the distance, the flags on it fluttering gently in the afternoon breeze, their corners striking the flagpoles with a soft rustling sound. Yan walked along the road, his gaze fixed on the gradually unfolding outline of the camp ahead, and the breath he had been holding in his heart eased a little. He glanced at Qingsui, noticing no signs of fatigue on her face, then looked at his mother on the other side. Qingye Ye was gazing at the newly built wooden houses by the roadside, muttering something under her breath. Yan didn't hear clearly, nor did he ask, but continued to support Qingsui, walking step by step towards the newly prepared house. When they reached the door, Qingsui paused, looked up at the newly planed wooden door, then at the red cloth hanging on the doorframe, glanced at Yan, said nothing, but gently tightened her grip on his arm, then released it, and walked inside, supporting herself on the doorframe.