Chapter 1418: Chapter 5: Pacifying the Furious Spirit (Part 5)
[The Wilderness]
The clear sound of cowbells echoed rhythmically in the wind.
An endless caravan was making its way across the boundless plains.
At a glance, there were at least five hundred carriages in the caravan.
Most of them were narrow-bodied, large-wheeled carts, essentially two wooden planks fixed on an axle, and were pulled by a sturdy, tireless Hurd horse.
These simple single-harness carts were common on the Great Wilderness, and the Herders called them “lele carts” or “cow carts,” used for hauling everything non-ambulatory.
They would also connect lele carts with leather straps, allowing one driver to steer a long string of them.
Though not as load-bearing as the neighboring twin-harness carts, lele carts were small and lightweight, not reliant on roads, and could move freely in the wild.
Without them, nomadism would not be possible.
However, ordinary Hurd herders couldn’t afford iron parts in their lele carts, making them entirely of leather and wood, quick to repair and quick to break.
This caravan, however, had lele carts all equipped with iron bearings and wheel hoops.
Moreover, instead of the more durable cattle, this caravan used horses for speed in animal draught.
Beyond the predominance of lele carts, this caravan also had over twenty peculiar black two-wheeled carriages.
The bodies of these black carriages were wider than lele carts, their wheels larger, and their base closer to the ground, giving them a lower center of gravity and a more stable ride.
The carriage boxes of the black carriages were set upon three curved steel straps, two vertical and one horizontal, greatly reducing the jostling.
Thus, even though the black carriages carried significantly more cargo than the lele carts, they could travel comfortably with the lighter carts through the wild, and the horses pulling them were no more fatigued than those pulling the lele carts. No wonder soone in the caravan kept praising these new-style carriages.
Besides the goods on the carts, the caravan also carried a lot of four-legged cargo—livestock.
Thousands of cattle and horses were divided into small herds, each tended by dedicated herders.
Following Hurd migration traditions, the horse herds led the way, while the cattle herds accompanied the caravan.
At first glance, it really resembled a thriving steppe tribe en route to the next pasture.
But it only seed so at first glance, as a careful observer would imdiately notice sothing amiss:
The migrating personnel were too uniform, all adult males, with no elders, won, or children typically seen in tribes;
The attire and weapons of the agile cavalry patrolling the flanks were not in the style of the Herders;
At the rear of the caravan, there were no large flocks of sheep or goats indispensable to a steppe tribe, just a solitary little cart carrying a repairman, the repairman’s apprentice, and all their tools, clanking noisily.
And the most peculiar aspect was actually the location of this caravan.
The rolling wheels crushed the once desolate land, now the grassland of the “Wenduo Tribe,” belonging to the fierce “Blood Wolf.”
Even though this land was fertile and rich, no Hurd tribe dared encroach upon it—at least not yet.
So, this long line of carts and horses wasn’t a migrating tribe at all, but a trade caravan traveling between Iron Peak County and the Red River Tribe.
They departed from Shovel Port in Iron Peak County, loaded with nails, iron pots, yarn, plain linen, tobacco, spirits, and various other items needed by the Herders;
They returned from the “Water Fort,” located within Terdun’s territory but under Red River’s control, carrying washed and dried wool, untreated hides, large salt blocks for livestock, and everything else the wilderness could provide.
Of course, the main goods were livestock and wool.
This was the third transaction between the “Lion” and the “Wolf,” and unlike the tentative exchanges before, both parties were serious this ti, investing heavily, leaving no room for failure.
Therefore, Pierre Mitchell was also among the caravan.
—————–
It had been eleven days since the heart-to-heart talk between Pierre and Bell.
During these eleven days, Bell first officially introduced “Batu’s Shooting Arrows Near and Far” to all the Wenduo Tribe people in the old camp as the “Beast Spirit Whisperer,” then accompanied the “new Nayen” in visiting each sub-camp around the old camp.
After several days of traveling and enduring the elents, aside from the sub-camps that were too far or completely untraceable, Pierre visited every reachable camp, gaining a basic understanding of the Wenduo Tribe’s current situation:
By sheltering escaped slaves and accepting the allegiance of weaker tribes, the Wenduo Tribe was developing rapidly, reaching a population of over 20,000 according to Paratu standards.
A tribe of 20,000 was already a significant presence among the tribes.
However, by Hurd tribal standards, the Wenduo Tribe’s population would need to be reduced by at least half, approximately between 6,000 and 7,000.
It could be considered having so strength, but far from enough to match the three major tribes.
This discrepancy arises because, by Paratu people’s custom, children aren’t counted as “people”—they might die at any ti, so Paratu people only count adult n and won when calculating the population.
anwhile, Herders, when counting population, don’t include won, nor do they consider age, only if one can draw a bow.
Through direct visits, Pierre got the palpable sense that the Wenduo Tribe had an abnormally high number of elderly, won, and children, very few strong individuals, and each one was the backbone of their respective camps and families, making it impossible to draft them without disrupting normal production.
No wonder Bell didn’t mobilize any troops, just brought Da Bai and Xiao Bai to the vast wilderness to find wolves.
The current Wenduo Tribe is like a frail child wearing an adult’s robe.
Given ti, he might have a chance to truly support the robe on his body.
But the prerequisite is that he has enough “ti.”
What worries Pierre the most is not the outwardly strong but inwardly weak state of the Wenduo Tribe.
In fact, Pierre imdiately understood and accepted the current situation of the Wenduo Tribe—if they weren’t living on the edge, why would these small tribes seek the protection of the Blood Wolf?
What truly concerns Pierre is the loyalty of the small tribes that submitted to Batu under the pressure of circumstances.
Even a small child, if he can apply all his strength to one place, can make any adult who looks down on him look bad.
But if the hands, feet, and head each have their own thoughts, then even if there is strength, it will only beco a laughing stock in the end.
The Herders in the Wenduo Tribe can be broadly divided into two categories: One is escaped slaves, unable to endure the commands of forr masters, who steal horses to flee to the Newly Reclaid Outlands, seeking service with their forr masters’ enemies;
The other is small nobles and commoners facing oppression or annexation by other tribes, compelled to move their tribes to the Newly Reclaid Outlands, submitting to Batu.
The forr, having no ans of support, mostly stay in the old camp. The trade caravans with the Red River Tribe are primarily composed of these literal “new free people.”
The latter, although they have beco mbers of the Wenduo Tribe, still operate as units of their old tribes and families, leaving the old camp to scatter their herds across the Newly Reclaid Outlands, i.e., each “sub-camp.”
It’s not that these “old commoners” intentionally keep their distance from the old camp. In fact, if they had a choice, they would prefer to live in the old camp—for safety, above all.
However, the “old commoners” bring their herds with them, and if they gather all the cattle and sheep together, the pastures around the old camp would be grazed bare in just a few days.
The nomadic way of life dictates that the old commoners must “act independently,” but even so, each sub-camp stays as close to the old camp as possible—for safety.
Through on-the-ground visits, Pierre grasped the basic situation of the Wenduo Tribe and imdiately decided, “I must et up with the caravan as soon as possible.”
With an idea in mind, Pierre imdiately took action.
That very day, he said goodbye to the young Hunter and, accompanied only by two guides, traveled day and night towards the “Water Stockade.” Finally, four days away from the old camp, he encountered the fully loaded returning caravan—a eting from three days ago.
As most of the caravan guards were Dusack and Iron Peak County Cavalry, Pierre smoothly took over command of the caravan and successfully established initial authority among the “new commoners.”
In the days that followed, Pierre continuously strengthened his prestige among the new commoners and began to understand their desires and needs, quietly observing which among them were reliable and valuable.
Three days was enough ti for him to find a few promising individuals.
The next step, he planned to elevate these “good material” individuals to his side, continuing to cultivate and observe them.
Then, he intended to reorganize the Wenduo Tribe, govern the Newly Reclaid Land, intimidate the Terdun Tribe, block the infiltration of the Red River Tribe, and turn the army of the Newly Reclaid Outlands into an undeniable force in the new army.
He had already found the handle to take the first step.
He was determined.
—————–
[Back to the present]
A golden eagle suddenly swooped down from high in the sky, sharply pulling up not far from the ground, snapping Pierre out of his contemplation atop his horse.
Pierre watched the golden eagle returning to the clouds, disappearing from his sight, withdrawing his gaze with a sense of loss, focusing on the ground.
From beside him to the distant hills, the ox-drawn carts stretched endlessly, like a andering river.
Every person within the caravan was both part of this river and carried along by it until they disappeared beyond the horizon.
For a mont, Pierre felt disoriented.
He rembered the last ti he escorted a caravan; he was with the Centurion, delivering “supplies” to the Expeditionary Force besieging Bianli.
That was the first ti he was swept into war.
He also recalled the ti before last, when he escorted a caravan, also with the Centurion, ambushed by the “Horse Palm” gang at the ford in Blackwater Town.
That was his first ti in battle.
Now, he was escorting a caravan once again, but without the Centurion to lead him, guide him, or protect him.
Where would this river sweep him away to?
Pierre felt a wave of lancholy.
Suddenly, a very lively voice interrupted Pierre’s rare sentintality.
“Look! Mr. Michel, how about this horse of mine? Trade with a small cart! Give a small cart and this horse is yours! I’ll even throw in a top-quality saddle!”
Little Lion, astride a magnificent black horse, shouted as he raced over.
Reviews
All reviews (0)