Rotation

Yan stood at the Chuantou, watching the retreating camps and fields on both banks. The trees along the river had sprouted new buds, their tender green tips shimmering in the afternoon light, like a pale green line drawn on the riverbank. His fingers rested on the edge of the gunwale, his fingertips against the wooden planks, adjusting his grip gently with the boat's rocking. He turned his head and spoke to Liutiao, who stood beside him, his voice low but carried clearly by the river breeze. "Liutiao, after you've spent some time with my Uncle Jianya, I plan to have you come and help me deal with the Wolf Tribe and the Tiger Tribe. However, while it's easier to gain merit on the front lines, it's not as safe as the rear. Think it through. The rear is stable, and life is more secure; on the front lines, there's bloodshed, and you could be injured or even killed at any moment."

Upon hearing this, Liutiao was first taken aback, his expression suddenly widening as if something had stretched it open. Then, the initial shock slowly dissipated, transforming into a kind of exhilarating joy. A smile curved his lips, his eyes sparkling as if something had been ignited within them. He tapped his fingers lightly on the gunwale, the knuckles making a soft click on the wooden plank, and then spoke, his voice slightly louder than usual, his words quickening as if he were pouring out words he had held back for a long time. "Boss, I'm perfectly fine! I'd rather be stationed in the rear. I've always been restless; sitting indoors sewing is more unbearable than death. Let me go to the front lines with you! My father said I was born to wield a knife, not Chutou. When I was in the Willow Vine Tribe, I felt restless if I didn't go for a run every day. Later, when I came to the Greater Qing Tribe and trained with Brother Shibang, I felt hopeful for the future."

Yan nodded, a slight smile playing on his lips, but he quickly suppressed it, as if he were holding back. His voice held a certain certainty, a confirmation after being told what to do, and he spoke slowly, "Alright, spend this time honing your skills in all aspects. Following me isn't just about being good at martial arts. I have plenty of skilled fighters under my command— Shibang, Yingmu, Gubang, Daya —aren't they all formidable fighters? But being good at fighting isn't enough. You also need to be able to assess terrain, count numbers, assign sentry posts, deal with people, and manage them. War isn't a one-man show; it's a team effort. No matter how good you are at fighting, if you can't lead, you won't achieve anything significant. You might be able to kill ten people by yourself, or a hundred people might be able to kill a thousand, but if you don't know how to organize, a hundred people might be scattered by ten. Look at Shibang and Yingmu; they're not only good fighters themselves, but they can also lead. Leading is harder than fighting. You need to earn the respect and trust of your men, making them willing to charge forward with you."

After listening, Liutiao nodded, his earlier excitement fading, and his expression became more serious. He switched the bundle in one hand to the other and spoke, his voice lower than before. "Boss, don't worry. In the past few months in the Greater Qing Tribe, I've not only frequently honed my martial arts skills with Brother Shibang, but I've also taken the opportunity to learn quite a few characters and basic arithmetic. Brother Shibang taught me how to count, how to draw simple diagrams, and how to arrange sentry posts. Although he's busy, he always makes time to teach me whenever I go to him. Sometimes, after he finishes work at night, I take the wooden slips to him, and he teaches me stroke by stroke by the light of an oil lamp. Now I can read simple wooden slips, write a few hundred characters, and do addition and subtraction within a few hundred. Although it's not much, it's much better than when I first arrived. When I first came, I couldn't even write my own name."

Yan listened, a satisfied expression spreading across his face, a smile that reached from the corners of his mouth to the corners of his eyes. He reached out and patted Liutiao's shoulder lightly but steadily, his palm pausing briefly against the fabric of her shoulder before withdrawing. "Good. Continue your studies at the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost. There will be a time for you to show your skills. Uncle Jianya has bamboo slips, counting rods, and experienced clerks who can teach. Learn from them. Once you've learned enough, I'll transfer you here. You'll have a force under your command. Where to go, where to set up sentries, when to change shifts—all of that will be your decision. If your men make mistakes, you'll be held responsible; if they achieve merit, you'll share in the credit."

Liutiao nodded vigorously, clenching and unclenching his fist at his side, his knuckles turning a faint white as he did so, as if using that gesture to absorb those words into his memory. When he spoke, his voice carried a calmness that came from being pushed to a deeper level, and his speech was slower than before. "Okay, I will definitely study hard and not let Boss down."

The two chatted for a while longer, discussing Shibang's defense arrangements in the Greater Qing Tribe. Liutiao said that Shibang had reinforced the walls twice and stationed men at several ferry crossings to the north, with guards rotating day and night without interruption. He also mentioned that Shibang was strict with his soldiers, making them train every morning and evening, rain or shine. Yan nodded, saying that Shibang was a reliable person and that he could trust him with that task. The two then discussed the recent movements of the Wolf Tribe and Tiger Tribe to the north. Liutiao said that before he left the Greater Qing Tribe, Shibang had told him that the Wolf Tribe was preparing to retreat deeper into the Great Rock River, their range of activity shrinking; the Tiger Tribe was still absorbing people on the Long River, but at a much slower pace, and the northern tribes were already on guard. Yan listened without saying much, simply nodding and absorbing the information into his memory.

The fleet sailed upstream along the Fish River for over a month, finally arriving at the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost dock that morning. From afar, Yan could see a large group of people standing on the dock. Jianya stood at the very front, wearing a long, greyish-blue linen robe with dark stitching at the collar and cuffs. A hemp rope was tied around his waist, and he wore straw sandals. His hair was held back with a wooden hairpin, and a few strands of white hair fell behind his ears, shimmering in the afternoon light. His hands were behind his back, and his back was ramrod straight. He stood upright, his gaze sweeping over the sails of the boats approaching the shore, nodding slightly at each one. Behind him stood some warriors and a group of tribesmen responsible for providing support. Some held wooden tablets, others were tidying the ropes along the pier, their fingers deftly tracing the knots, and still others were peering out at the river. A row of small boats, small and shallow, were moored at the Fire Creek, their oars neatly resting on the gunwales.

The ship docked, the gangplank was set up, and Yan led his men off the ship. Jianya stepped forward to greet him, stopped in front of Yan, and clasped his hands in a salute. "Yan'er, you brought quite a few people this time, didn't you? Was the journey smooth?"

Yan returned the greeting with a fist and palm salute. "This time, I brought 20,000 people from the Willow Vine Tribe from the Great Green River Mouth Outpost to settle here. There are still more than 10,000 people from there who haven't come yet. I plan to settle the people on the boats first, then go and pick up another group. The journey was relatively smooth, without any trouble." He paused, turned to the side, and pointed to the fleet behind him, his finger drawing an arc in the air. "The people on the boats are grouped by family. The elderly and children are on the boats in front, and the able-bodied are on the boats in the back. Liutiao came along too. He studied in the Greater Qing Tribe for a few months, knows quite a few characters, and can do simple arithmetic."

Jianya nodded, his gaze shifting from Yan's face to Liutiao's behind him. He nodded slightly to Liutiao, who bowed deeply, a quick and decisive movement that paused briefly before straightening up without speaking. Jianya withdrew his gaze, looking at Yan and speaking, his voice steadyer than before. "This way, we've basically settled all the recent additions to the Fire Tribe. The Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost and Fire Creek River Middle Outpost together can accommodate over 20,000 people, and we can fit some more in the main valley. With this batch of over 20,000 settled, the next batch will be more than enough." He paused... He tapped his fingers lightly in front of him, as if preparing a conclusion for his next words. "But the Greater Qing Tribe can't be left empty. The Tiger Tribe has recently recruited another group of people on the Long River. Although the recruitment is slow, it's ongoing. If they find out that the Greater Qing Tribe is empty, they might send someone to probe. I've already gathered about 20,000 people at the dock. Take them to the Greater Qing Tribe. Once everyone you bring has disembarked, I'll arrange for these 20,000 to board. I've grouped them by family, including the elderly and children, so they can be settled immediately upon arrival at the Greater Qing Tribe."

Yan nodded after listening, switching the empty wooden tablet in his hand to his other hand. "Alright, then I'll have everyone on the ship disembark now. Once everyone here is on board, I'll lead the fleet directly to the Greater Qing Tribe. With these 20,000 men there, Shibang will have manpower too, so there won't be any empty seats. The Greater Qing Tribe's location is too crucial; to the east is the Wolf Tribe, and to the north is the Tiger Tribe. If that area is empty, both the Tiger Tribe and Wolf Tribe might try to sneak over. Shibang has been guarding it alone for so long; if I add 20,000 men to his side, he'll be much stronger." He paused, tapping his fingers lightly on his side. "Father asked me to give you a message, saying that once things are settled here, he'd like you to come over for a drink. He recently brewed a new batch of fruit wine at the Valley River Mouth, saying it tastes quite good, and he wants you to come and try it when you have time."

Jianya smiled after hearing this, a smile that stretched from the corners of his mouth to the corners of his eyes, widening the lines around them. His voice held a relieved ease, and he spoke a beat faster than before, "Okay, tell my brother that I'll go see him when I have time, and tell him to save the wine for me, so he doesn't finish it all himself. I know his capacity for alcohol; he can drink half a jar by himself. Tell him I've also prepared a few jars of good wine, and I'll bring them over." He paused, tapping his fingers lightly in front of him. "Arrange for your men to disembark first. My men are ready and waiting for you. When disembarking, let the elderly and children go first, and the able-bodied ones help carry the things."

Yan turned around and nodded to Daya and Gubang behind him. Daya and Gubang then led their men towards the dock, where they joined the warriors at the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost to guide the Willow Vine Tribe members off the boat. The crowd moved slowly along the boardwalk; some carried bundles, some held children, and some helped the elderly. A young man carrying a bundle walked at the front of the group, the straps digging into the fabric on his shoulders, leaving shallow marks. Behind him, an old woman leaned on a wooden cane and stood in the middle of the group, supported by her daughter-in-law. The old woman walked slowly, while Gubang maintained order on the other side. The dock quickly became busy, with footsteps and the sounds of heavy objects hitting the ground mingling together, but there was no crowding.

Jianya stood at the edge of the dock, watching the people disembark in batches. He then turned and gave a few instructions to the leaders behind him. The leaders then led their men to the other side of the dock, guiding the 20,000 men who had already assembled towards the fleet. These 20,000 men had been waiting on the dock for some time; some were squatting on the ground resting, some were leaning against wooden posts, and some were talking in hushed tones. Hearing the order to board, they stood up, dusted themselves off, picked up their bundles, and formed several long lines, heading towards the gangplank. Leading the lines were several veterans, carrying wooden sticks, helping to maintain order and shouting, "Slow down, slow down, don't push!"

After all 20,000 people from the Willow Vine Tribe disembarked and all 20,000 from the Jianya tribe boarded, the crowd on the dock thinned out again. The warriors on the ships were tidying up the ropes and gangplanks on deck, preparing for the next leg of the voyage. Seeing that it was almost time, Yan clasped his hands in a fist salute to Jianya Fang: "Uncle Jianya Fang, I'll be going now. There are still over 10,000 people waiting for us at the Greater Qing Tribe. I can't stay any longer. I'll come back to see you after I've picked up the next group." Jianya Fang returned the salute, his hands making a short, crisp sound as they closed, "Be careful on the road. When you reach the Greater Qing Tribe, please give my regards to Shibang. If he needs anything, have someone tell him, and I'll get it for him."

Yan nodded to him, turned and walked onto the Chuantou. He stood at the bow, waved to the dock, and shouted into the cabin, "Let's go!" The sound of the bull horn rang out, and the fleet slowly left the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost dock, sailing downstream along the Fish River towards the direction of the Greater Qing Tribe. Jianya stood on the dock, watching the fleet gradually disappear into the distance, until the last boat was also cut off by a bend in the river, before turning and walking towards the camp.