Autumn Harvest
The autumn wind swept through the valley, bringing with it the intoxicating fragrance of rice. The Fire Tribe's 500 acres of paddy fields had now transformed into a golden sea, with heavy ears of rice drooping low, shimmering with a full luster under the sunlight. This was a crucial moment that would determine whether the Fire Tribe could truly gain a foothold.
On the day of the harvest, the entire tribe participated as if it were a sacred ceremony. All available manpower was mobilized to harvest, transport, thresh, and dry the rice. The air was filled with the joy and anticipation of the busy work. When the last load of rice was placed into the newly built stilted wooden granary and carefully weighed, a number that made all the tribespeople ecstatic was announced—100,000 jin! A full 100,000 jin of rice with husks on!
A deafening cheer erupted in the square! People held handfuls of golden grains, weeping with joy. One hundred thousand jin! This meant enough to feed the entire village for more than half a year!
The shaman excitedly raised his bone staff, his voice trembling. "Our ancestors have blessed us! The earth has bestowed its bounty! This is an abundance our Fire Tribe has never experienced before!"
Chief Jianshi patted his son's shoulder forcefully, his eyes slightly red. "Yan, good lad! Your method is truly miraculous!" He was referring to the method that Wang Yan insisted on promoting, which involved using fermented animal manure and wood ash as farmyard manure, and strictly selecting the plumpest rice seeds for sowing. It was these primitive agricultural techniques that were ahead of their time that made the yield per mu far exceed the ordinary, reaching an astonishing two hundred jin.
Wang Yan was equally excited. Looking at the mountain of grain, he said to his father and the other high-ranking officials, "Father, uncles, with this 100,000 jin of grain as a foundation, we have even more confidence to expand! I suggest that after the autumn harvest, we immediately organize manpower to continue cultivating paddy fields, striving to cultivate another 500 mu before the ground freezes! This way, next spring we can directly sow 1,000 mu! In the first quarter of next year, we can expand to 2,000 mu depending on the situation! By then, even if our tribe grows to 1,500 people, we will definitely have enough grain to eat, and we will also have ample reserves!"
"Two thousand mu!" This number stirred everyone's emotions. Jianshi didn't hesitate. "Good! Let's do as Yan says! Reclaim the land! Reclaim the land with all our might!"
The bountiful harvest infused the entire tribe with tremendous vitality. The abundance of food freed up labor, allowing all undertakings to develop at an unprecedented pace.
• Boats and Sails: Under the leadership of the Shipbuilding Group, twenty new large boats have been launched. Now, the Fire Tribe possesses a "fleet" of thirty large boats. More importantly, Wang Yan has adopted the Fish Tribe's approach, installing small sails made of animal hides and dense linen on all the large boats. Although not as advanced as the Fish Tribe's sailboats, they significantly increase sailing speed by utilizing wind power, and are also more energy-efficient, providing great convenience for long-distance travel and transportation.
• Housing and Clothing: The new residential area was well-planned, with rows of sturdier and more spacious wooden houses rising up, more than double the number of the old shacks, enough to accommodate a larger population. The women, led by Qingye, worked day and night, tanning animal hides and weaving linen. The linen clothes and fur coats they made piled up in preparation for the coming winter and the increased population.
• Military Strength and Reserves: The Hunting Team has expanded to two hundred people, equipped with uniform rattan armor and shields and improved weapons. They train regularly and their power is growing day by day. The king's Youth Team has also absorbed more eligible boys, reaching a number of one hundred. They are not only the reserve force of the tribe, but also the most active learners and disseminators of all kinds of new knowledge and skills.
Three days later, it will be the day for the surrounding tribes to hold their autumn fair. This time, the Fire Tribe has a clear and ambitious goal.
Inside the council cabin, Jianshi pointed to the map and outlined the final plan. "This time, for the trip to Xiaoji, we'll be using all thirty of our large boats! Three people per boat, a total of ninety people! I'll personally lead the team, with Yan, Jianya, Dali, and Dazhuang going along!"
His piercing gaze swept over the crowd. "Our goal this time is no small matter! First, we'll use our surplus resources to exchange for large quantities of animal pelts and herbs to prepare for winter and increase our population. Second, and most importantly, we want to attract more people! We want to show all the tribes still struggling to survive the winter that the Fire Tribe has an inexhaustible supply of food and shelter! This time, we aim to recruit five to eight hundred people!"
This number made everyone present hold their breath. Absorbing such a large population at once was an unprecedented feat, but it also meant enormous pressure to manage and appease them.
Wang Yan added details, "For tribes willing to join, Uncle Jianya will lead a group of warriors and boats to escort them back to our tribe to settle down, so that they can immediately feel the warmth and abundance of our Fire Tribe and dispel their doubts."
"And what about you?" Qingye asked with concern.
Jianshi and Wang Yan exchanged a glance, a glint of shrewdness flashing in their eyes. "Once we've absorbed enough people into Xiaoji, Yan, Dali, Dazhuang, and I will take the main fleet and the remaining pottery and head downstream to the Fish Tribe!"
He paused, then raised his voice. "This time, we're bringing three times as much pottery as last time! We're going to use this pottery to trade with the Fish Tribe for another 100,000 catties of grain, and their fish oil!"
By exchanging a massive amount of pottery for a huge amount of grain and strategic materials, the tribe not only further strengthened its reserves, but also demonstrated Fire Tribe powerful production capacity to the Fish Tribe and established its trading position.
With the plan finalized, the entire tribe sprang into action like a sophisticated machine. Thirty large boats were filled with fat pigs, live sheep, golden rice, exquisite pottery, and ninety fully armed, high-spirited warriors for display.
On the day of departure, the morning light was faint, and the river was filled with sails, creating a magnificent sight.
"Set sail!" Jianshi gave the order, and the sails billowed, the oars moved in unison, and the magnificent fleet sailed out of the stream and into the great river!