Ordered to Harass the Enemy

After Yan returned to the Fire Tribe Management Center to rest for three days, his father, Jianshi, summoned him to the council hall. When Yan entered, Jianshi was sitting in the main seat, with several wooden tablets spread out in front of him. One of them was painted with a map of the Fish River system, and next to it was a bone ruler and several sharpened charcoal sticks. His fingers slowly traced across the wooden tablets, as if he were touching the painted waterways and outposts again with his fingertips. Hearing the door open, he looked up, saw it was Yan, placed the charcoal sticks on the table, and pointed to the chair next to him, gesturing for him to sit down.

Yan walked over and sat down, the chair making a soft thud behind him. He placed the wooden tablet he was holding on the corner of the table and then said, "Father, you wanted to see me?"

Jianshi withdrew his hand from the wooden tablet and placed it on the table, tapping it lightly with his fingers. Then he spoke, his voice low but clear. "Yan'er, although you've been busy this year, Yi'er still young, we can't let our guard down with the Tiger Tribe. Although we've defeated them again, their main camp is still intact, and their main force is still there. As long as we give them time, they can recover, recruit soldiers, repair ships, and manufacture arrows. Once they recover, they might try to take advantage of us before we've established a firm foothold. I feel more at ease with you on the front lines."

After listening, Yan nodded, leaned forward, placed his hands on his knees, and said, "Father, I know the situation in the tribe. I was already preparing to set off even if you hadn't told me. Although we've left people to guard the mouths of Willow Vine Tribe River Mouth and Great Luwei River Mouth, the forces aren't many. Shibang and Yingmu each guard one section, so they can support each other. But if the Tiger Tribe really launches a large-scale attack, the two of them won't be able to hold out for long. After I get there, I'll deploy the fleet on the river and push the sentry posts northward. If they dare to come, we can detect them in advance and prepare accordingly."

After listening, Jianshi nodded, pressed his palm on the table, and then spoke, his voice a little louder than before. "Okay, don't worry, your mother Qingye will take care of things at home. She'll look after Yi'er, and she'll also keep an eye on Qingsui. Everything you need will be taken care of, so you can go there without worry."

He paused, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, then continued, his voice lower than before. "Recently, the tribe has gathered another batch of supplies at the management center, including grain, arrows, cloth, medicine, and a batch of newly forged bronze weapons. Take the fleet to transport them to the front lines and distribute them to Shibang and Yingmu, so they can replenish what needs to be replenished and replace what needs to be replaced. Also, when you get there, don't just passively defend. Look for opportunities to attack the Tiger Tribe's outposts along the river. Some of their outposts are built on the riverbank, some in river bends, and some at river tributaries; they vary in size. The larger ones are guarded by hundreds of people, while the smaller ones only have a few dozen. Eliminate the smaller outposts and also find opportunities to constantly harass them. Send small boats at night to scout their sentry posts and fast boats during the day to intercept their grain ships, preventing them from properly farming and producing, thus tying down their forces. This way, they can't recover quickly or focus on their work. In the long run, they won't be able to hold out."

After listening, Yan nodded, took his hands off his knees, pressed them in front of him, and then spoke, his voice carrying a calculated certainty. "Okay, this time when I go there, I will definitely keep looking for opportunities to wear down the Tiger Tribe's strength and potential. Every time we take down one of their strongholds, every time we intercept one of their grain ships, every time we raid one of their outposts, their people will be worn down. Their people will be unable to farm in peace, fish in peace, or sleep in peace. In the long run, they will fall into chaos on their own."

After listening, Jianshi nodded, took his hands off the table, placed them on his knees, and continued, his voice lower than before, but with a certain certainty that came from confirmation. "Also, the tribe plans to build some more ships next year. The shipyard has been testing new ships all year, and there's even hope of developing a ship with a carrying capacity of 200,000 jin. It can be launched for trial voyages next spring. If it's successful, our fleet's transport capacity will be significantly increased, and we'll be able to transport troops and supplies much faster than we are now. You should keep things stable on your end and not rush into a fight with the Tiger Tribe's main force. Once we've built the new ships, trained our troops, and stockpiled supplies, we might be able to launch a general offensive against the Tiger Tribe next year."

After listening, Yan nodded, picked up the wooden tablet from the table, and used a bone needle to make two marks on it, writing down the amount of supplies to be taken and the instructions to be given. Then he put it in his pocket, stood up, and the chair behind him made a short rustling sound. He clasped his hands in a fist salute to his father, and then spoke, his voice steady and clear, his pace not fast. "Father, don't worry, I'll fight steadily on my side. I won't engage them in a direct confrontation. I'll take down their strongholds one by one, intercept their grain ships one by one, and eliminate their sentry posts one by one. Next year, when the new ships are launched, the soldiers are trained, and the grain is sufficient, we'll settle the score with them."

Jianshi nodded to him, took his hands off his knees, pressed them on the table, and then said, "Go, get ready. Lead the fleet out first thing tomorrow morning. Before you leave, go see your mother and Qingsui. Yi'er has grown quite a bit these past few days; hold him before you go."

Yan responded and turned to leave the council hall. He first went to see his mother, Qingye Qingye was busy at the stove. When she saw him come in, she put down the wooden spoon in her hand, looked him up and down, and then said, "Leaving again? Have you eaten? There's still food in the pot, I'll heat it up for you."

Yan said he had already eaten, but Qingye still slipped two pancakes into his hand and reminded him to be careful on the road. He then went to check on Qingsui and Yi'er. Qingsui was holding Yi'er in the yard, basking in the sun. Yan took him and held him for a while. Yi'er squirmed in his arms. Qingsui stood by, watching, a slight smile on her lips, but something in her eyes was still lingering. When she spoke, her voice was soft but clear. "Be careful on the road. Yi'er is waiting for you to come back and teach him to walk." Yan nodded to her, handed Yi'er back to her, and gently touched the back of her hand that was resting on Yi'er's back before turning and leaving.

Early the next morning, Yan stood at the Chuantou, took the wooden tablet out of his pocket, glanced at it, and saw that it contained the quantity of supplies to be carried and the instructions to be given. He marked two places on it with a bone needle, then put it away and shouted into the cabin, "Let's go!"

As the horn sounded, the fleet slowly departed from the Valley River Mouth dock and sailed downstream along the Fish River.