The final leg of this journey through the North will take us to the Raven Tribe.
Unlike other northern tribes, the Jackdaws have built their home atop steep mountain cliffs.
The tribes Wang Xiuxiu visited on this trip included the honest and simple Lengshan tribe, the brave and fierce Yunchuan tribe, and the Hanya tribe, which was known for its cunning and treacherous nature.
These three tribes have one thing in common—none of them participated in the dramatic war that took place more than a decade ago.
The war between the Great Xi and the Northern Border more than a decade ago was started by the Northern Border.
During that unusually cold winter, the people of the North did not have enough food to survive the winter, so they set their sights on Lizhou.
In order to survive, the major tribes of the North united and persuaded almost all the tribes in the North to join the war.
Thus, a massive army of tens of thousands was assembled.
They crossed the vast snow-capped mountains with great momentum and headed straight for Lizhou.
Faced with the overwhelming enemy forces, the Ming family army stationed in Lizhou did not back down and vowed to defend this land and the people in the city to the death.
In that battle, within Lizhou City, whether it was an elderly person with white hair, a frail woman, or even a young and ignorant child, they all stepped forward and stood guard on the city walls.
After a long and arduous battle, Lizhou finally received reinforcements from the imperial court.
The fierce national war brought enormous losses to both sides.
After the war, only one young child survived from the once-renowned Ming family.
The once bustling streets and alleys of Lizhou have become deserted.
Most of the houses were deserted, leaving only desolation and bleakness.
The three tribes were of different kinds: one was honest and not good at aggression, and the other was proud and disdained to plunder.
However, the most unique of them all is the Jackdaw tribe.
When faced with complex situations, this tribe is always able to calmly weigh the pros and cons.
After careful consideration, they concluded that the people of the North were not united enough, and that if they rashly went to war with the powerful Great Gan Kingdom, their chances of winning would be slim.
As expected, this war ended with the defeat of the Northern Frontier.
In the decade or so since that devastating war ended, the tribes of the North have suffered terribly, and their populations have drastically decreased.
On the contrary, these three tribes that were not involved in the war thrived and gradually grew stronger, becoming the top three most powerful tribes in the North.
Therefore, when Wang Xiuxiu decided to open a trade route with the northern border, she did not hesitate to target these three tribes.
They traveled unimpeded all the way to the heart of the Raven Clan.
Moreover, they did not encounter any resistance or opposition from the Jaw Crow tribe throughout the entire process.
They seemed to be waiting for the caravan to arrive.
This unusual behavior actually made Wang Xiuxiu feel a little more at ease.
For tribes like this, there's no need for heart-to-heart talks or emotional appeals; cooperation can be achieved solely through mutual benefit.
Although the Crow Clan had never had any contact with the merchants of Daqian before, upon their first meeting, they quickly got into character as if they had no teacher, and talked about exchanges and cooperation with Wang Xiuxiu.
Hama, the chieftain of the Crow Clan, was an old man with white hair. His bright eyes always revealed a shrewdness in his words.
When talking to this kind of person, there's absolutely no need to beat around the bush.
So Wang Xiuxiu had a crimson wooden box brought out and slowly opened it in front of everyone.
"Just a few porcelain pots?"
"Do you really think you can exchange these few porcelain pots for our precious medicinal herbs and fine furs? That's wishful thinking!"
Immediately, doubts and ridicule arose one after another.
Wang Xiuxiu calmly clapped her hands lightly.
Several people stepped forward and carefully took the porcelain pots out of the wooden box, placing them neatly on an exquisite tray.
When the porcelain pots were presented intact to everyone, the Yak tribesmen suddenly realized that the big man was actually selling wine.
Hama turned his head slightly and beckoned to the side. A witch doctor dressed in a long robe and holding a staff quickly stepped forward.
He first bowed respectfully to Hama before carefully examining the items in front of him.
Hama, on the other hand, leisurely picked up his wine glass, held it in front of his eyes, and slowly swirled it around, examining it closely.
The wine in the glass shimmered with a captivating luster under the light, like a precious work of art.
After the witch doctor nodded in acknowledgment, Hama drank the wine in his cup without hesitation.
The liquor slid down my throat and into my stomach, spreading throughout my body and instantly bringing a hot and soothing sensation.
Hama closed his eyes tightly, quietly savoring the taste.
After a long while, he slowly opened his eyes, let out a long sigh, and his face was full of satisfaction.
"What kind of wine is this? The taste is so unique!" Hama couldn't help but ask.
Wang Xiuxiu smiled slightly and replied in a calm tone, "It's the most common and ordinary wine."
"What you want in exchange for me is not something that can be achieved with just a few bottles of wine."
After saying that, he leaned back in the large, comfortable chair behind him, but his sharp eyes never left Wang Xiuxiu.
Faced with Hama's questioning, Wang Xiuxiu showed no sign of panic. She calmly nodded and replied, "Of course it's not just a few bottles of wine. What I've prepared to exchange is something much more important—wine yeast."
The Jackdaws have long been ostracized and discriminated against by other northern tribes, and therefore live on mountain peaks with extremely harsh environments that are covered in ice and snow all year round.
Regardless of age or gender, everyone in the tribe has developed the habit of drinking strong liquor to ward off the cold.
The drinks that Wang Xiuxiu brought this time were not the ordinary drinks she mentioned, but rather high-proof spirits that were carefully brewed and distilled.
For a people like the Jaw Crow tribe, who love drinking and have a particular fondness for strong liquor, once they taste such a fine brew, it is absolutely impossible to miss it.
The yeast used to brew the wine sat there quietly, as if it contained endless alluring magic.
"Are you really willing to sell the yeast used for brewing?"
"In business, as long as there's profit to be made, of course we're willing to sell!"
Hama waved his hand, signaling the surrounding tribesmen to leave first.
After everyone dispersed, only Hama remained, facing off against Wang Xiuxiu.
"Judging from your conduct, sir, you don't seem like an ordinary businessman at all!"
Wang Xiuxiu smiled and asked in return, "Oh? Could it be that Chief Maha has had contact with merchants from Da Xi? You know, it's rumored that your tribe hasn't had any contact with the outside world for decades."
Upon hearing this, Maha was startled, and his original intention to test the other party instantly failed.
He cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly, trying to appear calm, "Having lived a long life, I've naturally seen more."
Wang Xiuxiu nodded slightly, but did not continue the conversation on his topic.
Seeing this, Maha had no choice but to find a way to back down.
“Sir, you need not be so cautious. You must have already learned before you came that the Crows have not had any contact with other tribes in the North for a long time, and it is true that they have been estranged for a long time.”
Wang Xiuxiu feigned ignorance, "I only came here to exchange some goods with the Cold Crow tribe. I really don't understand why you, chieftain, are saying these things?"
This time, the words that Ma Ha was about to say were abruptly cut off.
Seeing Wang Xiuxiu's nonchalant demeanor, he was secretly annoyed, but he also knew that the best course of action at this moment was to tell the truth.
"The northern border is barren and cold, and resources have been scarce for a long time. The crows have grown vigorously in recent years, and the clan's supplies have long been insufficient to support them."
In recent years, however, the crow clan has gradually grown stronger through its own efforts and wisdom.
As the population continues to grow, the original reserves of supplies are far from sufficient to meet daily needs.
This is also a major reason why Wang Xiuxiu chose to cooperate with the Cold Crow Tribe.
Mahathir deliberately left gaps in her speech, hoping she would smoothly take over the conversation.
But Wang Xiuxiu didn't seem to be in a hurry to respond. She just sat there quietly, without any change in expression on her face.
Seeing this, Maha sighed helplessly and could only continue, "Since you have gone to such great lengths to transport such a precious item from Daqian, you must be able to handle other matters with ease as well."
As soon as Maha finished speaking, he looked straight at Wang Xiuxiu, his eyes revealing a hint of urgency.
Wang Xiuxiu finally spoke slowly: "What do you need?"
Upon hearing this, Maha was overjoyed. "What we urgently need are all kinds of seeds and various farming tools."
Wang Xiuxiu frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "I can find a way to get the seeds, but you should know that ironware is strictly controlled by the imperial court, and buying and selling it privately is a serious crime."
"This matter is certainly extremely dangerous, but I believe that with Mr. Wang's ability and insight, he will not be bound by petty gains. As for how far our cooperation can go in the future, I'm afraid we'll have to rely on Mr. Wang's careful consideration!"
At this point, their conversation came to a temporary end.
---
Wang Xiuxiu returned to their residence with Wulin Zisu.
Along the way, the cold wind was biting, making Wu Lin shiver.
He couldn't help but mutter, "Sir, there's something strange about this Mah."
Since Zisu hadn't been with them before, she became curious upon hearing Wulin's words and asked, "What's strange about it? Tell me quickly."
"I can't really describe the feeling, but it just felt really wrong!"
Wang Xiuxiu chuckled and explained, "It's eerie, and I always feel like they're playing tricks on me."
Upon hearing this, Ulin's eyes suddenly lit up, and he quickly chimed in, "That's right! Yes, yes, that's exactly how I feel! Every time I see that Maha, I get a strange sense of unease."
"This Mah is a shrewd old man; he thinks three steps ahead for every one he takes."
"In that case, do we still dare to do business with him? You know, the Raven Clan doesn't have a good reputation to begin with, so we don't want to be tricked by him again."
Seeing their worry, Wang Xiuxiu reached out to comfort them and told them to sit down first, and then began to explain slowly.
"The reputation of the Raven Clan is indeed undeniable, but things always have two sides. They are cunning and treacherous, but they also know how to assess the situation. So even at the risk of falling out with other northern tribes, they still choose not to get involved in the war more than a decade ago. Tribes like the Raven Clan have deep-seated flaws that can never be completely eradicated, and they will never be conquered in their bones."
Wu Lin was still full of doubt after hearing this, and looked at Wang Xiuxiu with even more confusion.
Wang Xiuxiu smiled slightly, "Come on, pour me a glass of water first, let me moisten my throat, and then I'll explain the ins and outs to you in detail."
"Okay! I'll do it!"
"I'll do it!"
Seeing that the two were about to start arguing again, Wang Xiuxiu quickly took the teapot and started cooking for herself.
"Stop arguing! Are you two even listening to me?!"
"listen!"
The two spoke in unison, then simultaneously turned their gazes to Wang Xiuxiu, their eyes filled with anticipation.
"The Raven Clan also has their own pride. They only care about their own gains and losses. They cannot be conquered, nor will they obey the orders of others. Therefore, there is no need to worry about whether they are loyal. What we value in such people is their ambition and ability."
After a pause, Wang Xiuxiu continued, "Just like I said, they have a bad side, but they must also have a good side. Although they like to use others to achieve their own wishes, they are never afraid of being used by others. In fact, as long as their own interests are not harmed, they are willing to be the ones being used."
Upon hearing this, Wulin, who had been listening quietly, suddenly seemed to have grasped something, and instantly became extremely excited.
His face flushed with excitement, and he couldn't help but exclaim loudly, "I understand! Sir!"
At this moment, Zisu, who was standing to the side, asked thoughtfully, "Patriarch, in your opinion, shouldn't we hurry up and reach a cooperation agreement with them?"
Wang Xiuxiu waved her hand, "No rush. After all, they are the ones who need our help. Let's keep them in suspense for a while. Besides, we've traveled a long way to get here, so we should get some rest!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com