Arc 24Expansion and Wedding
Yan led the Fire Tribe’s expansion as the Valley, Bean, Bear, Greater Qing, and Willow Vine peoples prepared to join, while the Tiger and Wolf Tribes built up their forces. After marrying Qingsui, Yan remained at Greater Qing to escort the Willow Vine people and repel a Wolf Tribe attack.
- Yan settled Bear Tribe survivors at northern outposts, helped secure the Valley and Bean Tribes’ allegiance, and Jianshi moved to establish the Valley Tribe as the Fire Tribe’s administrative center.
- Yan defeated Qingshi in a sparring match, winning his loyalty, while Qingya agreed to bring the Greater Qing Tribe into the Fire Tribe.
- Yan coordinated successive migrations of Valley, Bean, Bear, and Greater Qing people, while warning Jianshi and the outposts that the Tiger and Wolf Tribes were strengthening their forces.
- The Willow Vine Tribe sought the Fire Tribe’s protection from Tiger Tribe pressure, and Yan offered it the same terms as the other joining tribes.
- Yan married Qingsui at the Little Fish River Mouth camp, then set out with her to arrange the Willow Vine Tribe’s migration and test a new boat design.
- Yan helped relocate Greater Qing people and promised Liutiao he would escort the Willow Vine Tribe’s roughly thirty-five thousand people past Tiger Tribe scouts.
- After Wolf Tribe ships appeared near Greater Qing, Yan led Fire Tribe forces against them and destroyed most of a Wolf Tribe force of about a thousand horsemen.
- Yan ordered Shibang to strengthen Greater Qing’s defenses and kept the northern outposts alert in case Xueya retaliated.