Spring Migration

Everything went smoothly in the Fire Tribe this winter. There were a few heavy snowfalls, but none of them were too intense. The snow on the rooftops melted and froze repeatedly, eventually dripping down the eaves and forming a row of fine icicles at the base of the walls, some long and some short, gleaming coldly in the winter sun. The granaries in each stronghold were full, firewood was plentiful, and winter clothes were distributed to everyone. Occasionally, someone would catch a cold, and the tribal doctor would brew a few pots of herbal soup, which would cure them in a couple of days. There were no major epidemics or deaths from freezing or starvation throughout the winter. The fires in the workshops never went out, and the bronze workshops operated in shifts day and night, with the sound of hammers striking iron intermittently from morning till night.

Yan spent the entire winter at the Valley River Mouth Management Center, mostly running between the council hall and the dock. Occasionally, when she had a moment to herself, she would sit with Qingsui in the courtyard. Qingsui's belly was even bigger than when winter had just begun, and she would unconsciously put one hand behind her back when she walked. When she sat by the window, she always had a piece of cloth in her hand sewing, sometimes small clothes, her needlework slow and delicate. Yan would sometimes sit beside them watching them sew, occasionally handing them a pair of scissors, or saying, "This cloth has a nice color." Qingye prepared different dishes for her every day—stewed chicken one day, fish the next, and bone broth the day after. Qingsui could eat more than half a bowl each time, and her complexion was getting better and better.

After spring arrives, the melting snow flows down the hillside and into the Fish River, causing the river level to rise significantly. The water level at the dock is several feet higher than in winter, allowing boats to moor closer to the shore, and the gangplank doesn't need to be extended as far to reach the land. People have started turning the soil in the fields, and the turned earth gleams with a deep brown sheen in the sunlight, emitting a damp, earthy smell. Several early birds fly out from the Luwei by the river, their wings flashing briefly in the morning light before folding back down and landing in the shallow water in the distance.

That morning, Jianshi told Yan in the council hall, his voice a little faster than usual. He put down the wooden tablet in his hand and tapped his fingers lightly on the table. "Jianya's side has already relocated and arranged for those who needed to be relocated, and the houses are vacant. The Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost and Fire Creek River Middle Outpost together can accommodate more than 20,000 people, and the main valley can hold even more. We just need to go to the Greater Qing Tribe and relocate the Willow Vine Tribe's people in two batches. You can prepare in the next couple of days. I've already assembled the fleet at the dock for you, and I've had some of the necessary supplies prepared on the ships. Go to the dock again to check, and replenish what's missing. Once you have them on board, you can set off."

Yan nodded, put down the wooden tablet he was reading, and tapped his fingers lightly on the table, the knuckles making a soft click. "Alright, I'll go to the docks now and check the supplies list. We're taking 20,000 people this time. The ships need to carry both people and their belongings, so we need to calculate the load capacity of each ship." He stood up, the chair making a short rustling sound behind him, clasped his hands in a fist salute to his father, and then turned and left the council chamber.

He went to the dock first and surveyed the fleet. Daya was leading a group of men to count supplies by the gangplank, holding a wooden tablet and marking each box as they passed, counting it aloud. Gubang was checking the ropes on the other side, pulling them one by one to make sure none were loose. Yan went over and went over with Daya to check the supply list. Daya handed him the wooden tablet, pointing to a few lines of markings on it, saying, "We brought three hundred bags of grain seeds, dozens of boxes of medicinal herbs, and dozens of boxes of salt and cloth. I've marked the missing items; they're all on the back of the tablet." Yan flipped it over, glanced at it, and then handed it back to him. "Go to the warehouse and replenish those items; we'll need them when we get there." Daya nodded and turned to walk towards the warehouse. Yan then checked the gangplank's stability with Gubang. Gubang stepped on the gangplank a couple of times and tugged on the ropes, saying there were no problems.

After a busy morning at the dock, everything was loaded onto the boats by evening. Early the next morning, before dawn, torches were already lit at the dock. A thin layer of morning mist floated on the river, softening the outlines of the boats moored along the shore, as if someone had draped the entire fleet in a semi-transparent veil. When Yan came out of the courtyard, Qingsui stood at the door to see him off. She wore a light blue linen dress with a light gray short jacket over it, her hair held up with a wooden hairpin, a few strands falling behind her ears. Her belly was quite noticeable; standing in the doorway, one hand habitually rested on her waist, the other hand gripping the edge of the doorframe. She nodded to Yan, a slight smile playing on her lips, saying nothing, but the smile was steady.

Yan walked over, stood in front of her for a moment, reached out and gently touched the back of her hand that was resting behind her waist. He patted her hand with his fingertips for a moment, then withdrew his hand, looked into her eyes and said, "I'm leaving. You rest well at home. If you need anything, ask your mother for help. I'll come back to be with you after I've taken everyone from the Willow Vine Tribe there and settled them in."

Qingsui nodded slightly and tapped her fingers lightly on the doorframe. "Be careful on the road, and stay steady on the boat. Don't rush. My mother is here to take care of me, so don't worry about her."

Yan nodded to her and turned to walk towards the dock. Qingye poked her head out from beside the stove, holding a wooden spoon in her hand, and called out to Yan's back, "Be careful on the road! Wear more clothes when you get there, it's windy on the river!" Yan turned back and raised her hand to indicate that she heard him, and then continued walking.

The fleet sailed downstream along the Fish River. After several days of travel, Yan finally arrived at the Great Green River Mouth dock that morning. From afar, he saw the dock filled with people. Shibang stood at the very front, wearing a dark gray linen short robe, a leather belt with a bronze buckle around his waist, and animal skin boots. His face was darker than when he last met him, the skin on his cheekbones rough and firm, but he was full of energy, his eyes bright and sparkling. Seeing the fleet dock, he strode forward to greet them. Liuren, the chief of the Willow Vine Tribe, stood beside him, wearing a dark brown linen long robe. The collar and cuffs were edged with dark stitching. His hair was held back with a wooden hairpin, and a few strands of white hair fell from behind his ears, shimmering in the afternoon light. He was more upright than when we last met, and the skin on his cheekbones was no longer so taut. Behind him stood Liutiao, Liutiao was wearing a light brown linen robe today, with a leather belt with vine patterns around his waist. His hair was tied back with a leather cord, and he looked much more Chenwen than before. Standing behind his father, his gaze was fixed on the direction of the fleet, as if he was assessing whether the ships had enough space.

Yan stepped off the ship, and Liuren stepped forward to greet him, clasping his hands in a respectful greeting. The sound of his hands clasping together was short and crisp, and his voice carried the relief of someone finally arriving. "Young Chief Yan, you've finally arrived. Chief Shibang and I have already gathered 20,000 tribesmen at the dock. They can board the ship at any time. The elderly and children are in front, and the able-bodied are behind. They've been grouped by family so there won't be any chaos on board. All personal belongings have been packed, and each family's bundle has a numbered cloth strip tied to it."

Yan returned the salute with a clasped fist, his hands making a short, crisp sound as they closed. "Alright, let's board now. You have over 30,000 people here. I'll take this batch over so I can pick up the next one. We plan to pick them up in two batches, 20,000 for this batch and over 10,000 for the next. The fleet should be able to make two trips." He paused, turned to the side, and pointed to the fleet behind him, his finger tracing an arc in the air. "There's enough space on the ships. Every ship has a designated spot. We've set up four gangplanks; boarding all four ships at the same time will be faster."

After listening, Liuren nodded, then turned to Liutiao Tiao beside him and gestured. He spoke in a slightly lower voice than before, "Okay, it's all up to you. I have no objections. Let my son, Liutiao, assist you on your way there first. He's young and can run around. He can keep an eye on everyone over there. I'll stay here and wait for the next batch to leave."

Yan nodded, his gaze shifting from Liuren's face to Liutiao's. He gave Liu Tiao a slight nod, and Liutiao returned the nod without saying a word, but the gesture was steady.

Then Yan turned around and spoke towards Shibang. His gaze swept across Shibang's face, landing on the people queuing to board the boat behind him. He paused for a moment. The 20,000 people were lined up in several long queues along the boardwalk. There were old people, children, and young adults in the queues. Most of them had a healthy glow on their faces, and their arms were thicker than when he last saw them. Some people were carrying bundles on their backs, the straps digging into the fabric of their shoulders. Some were holding children, the children nestled on their mothers' shoulders, their eyes half-closed, as if they hadn't woken up yet. Some were supporting the elderly, their hands resting on the arms of the young people, not tightly, but never letting go. Yan looked at them for a while, then spoke, his voice not loud but clear. "Shibang, most of these 20,000 people are much stronger and more energetic than when they came. Look at that man standing in the middle of the queue over there. When he first arrived, he was so thin that his cheekbones were protruding. Now his shoulders are broader, and he walks more steadily. And those children over there, their faces have gotten fuller too."

Shibang glanced at Yan's gaze, then turned back. His voice was low but sincere, and his speech was slower than usual. "Although these people haven't officially joined our Fire Tribe yet, they are considered our people. I haven't mistreated them these past few days. Their meals have been arranged according to the Fire Tribe Tribe's standards. They've been given everything they're entitled to, without any deductions. I haven't immediately assigned work to many of the weak newcomers. They'll start working gradually after they've recovered. First, they'll be moving things in the warehouse or pulling weeds in the fields. Once they're stronger, we'll assign them heavy work."

Liuren chimed in, his voice carrying a sense of relief at being confirmed, and his speech was a little faster than usual. "Yes, Chief Shibang is right. We only realized how good the Fire Tribe is after we arrived at the Greater Qing Tribe. The food standards for ordinary people here are at least comparable to what our former chief in the Willow Vine Tribe received. Since we came here, we in the Willow Vine Tribe Fire Tribe." He paused, tapping his fingers lightly on his side, as if preparing a conclusion, and then continued, his voice lower than before, "Chief Yan may not know, but the Tiger Tribe doesn't treat its new members this well. Many who join later are treated like slaves, doing heavy labor every day, eating thin porridge, and often not even getting enough to eat. Every year, many Tiger Tribe members escape in droves, and those who are caught are either killed or maimed. Only the chiefs and leaders of the Tiger Tribe live relatively well."

Yan's expression remained largely unchanged after listening. His voice was low but clear. "Don't worry, Willow Vine Tribe joins our Fire Tribe, we will treat everyone equally and fairly. We won't treat you as outsiders or slaves. You'll be fed for your work, and rewarded for your contributions." He paused, his gaze lingering on Liuren's face before shifting to Shibang's. "The information you gave me about the Tiger Tribe is extremely useful. The way the Tiger Tribe treats its own people means many won't give Tiger Tribe all. They'll outwardly obey, but inwardly resent it. When a fight breaks out, they'll run away or hide if they can. This will make it even easier for us to defeat the Tiger Tribe."

After listening, Liuren nodded, his expression relaxing slightly. Shibang also nodded beside him, tapping his belt lightly with his fingers.

Yan then chatted with everyone for a while about the arrangements for the next batch of personnel. He instructed Shi Shibang to keep an eye on the movements to the north and continue monitoring the directions of the Wolf Tribe and Tiger Tribe, sending someone to relay any news to the mouth of the Valley River Mouth. He also told Liuren to stay and wait for the next batch before leaving, and to double-check the organization of the remaining 10,000-plus people. After everything was said, everyone on the dock had boarded the ships. Yan, seeing that it was about time, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Shibang and Liuren, then turned and walked onto the gangplank. He stood at Chuantou bow, waved to the dock, and shouted into the cabin, "Depart!" The sound of the ox horn rang out, deep and resonant, carrying far across the river. The fleet slowly left the Great Green River Mouth dock, heading upstream along the Fish River towards the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost.

The sails billowed again in the afternoon sun, the white sails making a series of short, sharp slapping sounds as they unfurled in the wind. Yan stood at the Chuantou, his gaze fixed on the river ahead. Liutiao stood beside him, watching the camps and fields receding on both banks. His fingers rested on the other side of the gunwale, his fingertips touching the surface of the wooden planks, as if he too was sensing the waterway that would soon take him to his new home.