Chapter Summaries

Hu Zhua visited the Wuyue Tribe to offer the return of disputed territory and seek help against the Fire Tribe, but Yue Kun refused to join the war. After Hu Zhua left, Yue Kun ordered scouts to investigate the Tiger Tribe and the Fire Tribe before Wuyue decided how to act.

• Hu Zhua arrived at the Wuyue Tribe's dock, where Yue Jiao challenged him about the Tiger Tribe's recent activity along the border.
• Hu Zhua gave Yue Kun bronze knives and pottery, then offered to return Wuyue's former territory and asked for twenty thousand men to pressure the Fire Tribe.
• Yue Kun accepted the territory but refused to involve Wuyue in the Tiger Tribe's war.
• Yue Kun told Yue Jiao to prepare to reclaim the land and send scouts up the Fish River to investigate the Fire Tribe and the Tiger Tribe's losses.
• Yue Jiao agreed to send scouts disguised as sellers of dried fish and bamboo wares.

Hu Yi and Hu Zhua returned to report that Western Shu would supply grain and troops, while Wuyue refused to join the fight against the Fire Tribe. The Tiger Tribe leaders planned to rebuild their strength, prepare for the Fire Tribe’s return, and keep watch on Wuyue as they withdrew from the east.

• Hu Yi reported that Western Shu agreed to provide enough grain for two hundred thousand people for a year and send twenty thousand troops against the Fire Tribe in exchange for territory and trade goods.
• Hu Bashan supported the agreement and urged the Tiger Tribe to use the supplies and reinforcements to rebuild, train recruits, and strengthen its defenses.
• Hu Zhua reported that Yue Kun accepted gifts and territory but refused to send Wuyue troops, while Yue Jiao had challenged him at the dock.
• Tongding and Hu Zheng ordered scouts to monitor Wuyue during the eastern withdrawal and agreed to reclaim the ceded territory after dealing with the Fire Tribe.
• Hu Zheng assigned Hu Yi to organize the grain fleet and Hu Zhua to withdraw the eastern troops while leaving scouts along the border; both began making arrangements.

Yan and his people discussed their growing strength after absorbing the Willow Vine Tribe and Great Luwei Tribe, and planned how to prepare for a decisive war against the Tiger Tribe. The meeting ended with reports on border security and winter supplies, while Yan ordered closer surveillance of the Tiger Tribe.

• Yan said the Fire Tribe had absorbed more than twenty thousand people and supplies, and could attack the Tiger Tribe as early as next year.
• Daya reported that newcomers were being settled and trained, and that more than fifty thousand people from the Willow Vine Tribe and Great Luwei Tribe still needed to be settled.
• Yingmu described the Tiger Tribe's weakened forces and explained how the Great Tiger Tribe and Great Copper Tribe had risen to dominate the Fish River Basin.
• Yan told Yingmu to investigate the Tiger Tribe's troop movements, defenses, and efforts to find allies before war began.
• Shibang reported that Xueya and the Wolf Tribe had disappeared, and Yan guessed they had moved to the sparsely populated north bank of the Long River.
• Shibang and Yingmu reported on patrols protecting the newly absorbed territories, and Daya confirmed that grain, firewood, and winter clothes were ready.

Jianshi and Dabang discussed the Fire Tribe’s production and military preparations for the coming year, including building larger ships and settling people from the Willow Vine Tribe and Great Luwei Tribe. Jianshi planned a decisive campaign to defeat the Tiger Tribe and take the Fish River Basin.

• Jianshi said Yan had captured the Tiger Tribe’s eight outposts, taken in more than twenty thousand people, and secured the Willow Vine Tribe and Great Luwei Tribe territories.
• Dabang reported that most workshops could increase output by thirty to forty percent and that the Fire Tribe planned to build one hundred large ships and ten ships with a capacity of two hundred thousand jin.
• Jianshi stressed that the ships had to meet strict quality standards, and Dabang promised to inspect each one before launch.
• Dabang proposed sending supplies and moving more than fifty thousand people from the two territories to the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost in spring, and Jianshi agreed to arrange their journey and settlement.
• Jianshi urged everyone to prepare shipbuilding, weapons, farming, and troop training for a decisive battle against the Tiger Tribe next year, then remained alone studying the map of the Fish River Basin.

As spring arrived, Yan discussed the Tiger Tribe’s preparations and possible allies with Yingmu, Shibang, and Daya. He ordered continued scouting and preparations for war while assigning spring farming and troop training duties.

• Yingmu reported that the Tiger Tribe had recalled its forces, stockpiled grain from the Western Shu Tribe, and kept its docks busy.
• Yan warned that the Western Shu Tribe might join the Tiger Tribe and ordered scouts to learn the alliance’s strength and plans.
• Yingmu said Fire Tribe patrols had driven away disguised Wuyue Tribe scouts near the Great Luwei River Mouth.
• Yan rejected Daya’s suggestion to recruit the Wuyue Tribe, saying Fire Tribe would fight the Tiger Tribe alone.
• Yan assigned Daya to oversee spring plowing and supplies, Shibang to train the outposts, and Yingmu to intensify scouting.

Dabang arrived at the Great Luwei Tribe's dock with settlers and supplies, then discussed the Tiger Tribe's alliance with Western Shu and Fire Tribe's preparations for war. After the fleet exchanged passengers and cargo, Dabang sailed upstream toward the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost.

• Dabang brought a fleet, 30,000 settlers, and supplies to the Great Luwei Tribe's dock, while Yan organized their reception and the boarding of 40,000 people bound for the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost.
• Yan told Dabang that Shibang was managing defense and training at nearby outposts and had become a dependable right-hand man.
• Yingmu reported that the Tiger Tribe had withdrawn its forces, ceded territory, and secured Western Shu's promise to send 20,000 troops if war broke out.
• Dabang said Fire Tribe planned to launch a 200,000-jin-capacity boat and build a hundred 100,000-jin boats, and promised reinforcements for the coming conflict.
• Dabang told Yan that Fire Tribe planned to attack after the first harvest, and Yan prepared to train troops, ready boats, stock provisions, and extend sentry posts.
• After eating and completing the exchange of people and supplies, Dabang sailed upstream toward the Fire Creek River Mouth Outpost.

Yan strengthened the Fire Tribe’s forward strongholds while the Tiger Tribe prepared for conflict. On the Long River’s north bank, Xueya and Yexiao planned to expand the Wolf Tribe northward, train their new warriors, and eventually return to the south.

• Yan had Yingmu gather reports on the Tiger Tribe’s defenses and worked with Shibang and Daya to secure the Fire Tribe’s strongholds.
• The Tiger Tribe built ships and weapons, filled its granaries, watched the Wuyue Tribe, and drilled its recruits.
• Xueya and Yexiao discussed how the Wolf Tribe had grown to around a thousand warriors by raiding scattered tribes on the Long River’s north bank.
• Xueya and Yexiao agreed to gather more people and supplies, then advance north toward the grasslands to build the Wolf Tribe’s strength.
• Xueya and Yexiao went to inspect the training of their newly recruited warriors.