"The chief of the Forest Wuzhe! These so-called Tribal Warriors, they don’t seem all that impressive, do they? Can’t even pull the ten strength bow, can we really call them warriors?"

"Ah! They’ve been fighting all day, they’ve used up all their strength, that’s why they can’t pull the ten strength bow... Ha! See, didn’t they manage to pull it? I told you, the calluses on their hands, it shows they’re seasoned archers! Uh? Barely managed a few pulls? These tribes South of the village, with their thin braids, are indeed weaker. They can only be considered warriors..."

On the riverbank, a group of Wild Man cavalry scattered in a line, alert with their bows and arrows, watching the trembling, frightened captives of the Shushu Jurchen. Meanwhile, twenty-five captives termed as ’warriors’ were pulled out from the crowd, struggling to draw the greatbow under the supervision of the Kingdom Jurchen Tribe.

"Put all your effort into it! Pull it with all your might! If the Maha tribe doesn’t want you, can’t trade you for iron pots and iron axes... you’ll be the vanguard in the next attack on other villages!"

Upon hearing these words, over twenty newly captured warriors showed varying expressions of fear or hatred. But all of them bit their lips hard, exerting their full strength, proving their own capability.

The so-called warriors or surplus men in the judgment of the Shengshu Jurchen Tribe, is actually quite straightforward. Those who can pull an eight strength bow and shoot two quivers of arrows are considered warriors. Those who cannot are surplus men. This was also the selection standard for warriors when the Eight Banners were first established in later generations.

As for the "warriors" among the warriors, or called "Ba Yala," the Hou Jin’s Guard Army White Armor Soldiers, they must be able to pull a ten strength bow, and the outstanding ones need to reach twelve strength!

In comparison, the selection standard for Ming Army archers averages only six strength. Those who can pull an eight strength bow are qualified to join the scout team of the border army. The warriors who can pull a ten strength bow are noticed by the commanders and chosen as house servants.

For example, the old slave Nu’er Hachi and his father Takeshi both served as house servants under Liaodong Chief Soldier Li Chengliang thanks to their valor. Frankly speaking, the average soldier quality of the Liaodong Ming Army is somewhat inferior to that of the Jurchen Eight Banners, related to the growing environment. Those who hunt are indeed stronger and taller than those who herd and farm.

Of course, the population count of the three cannot be compared at all. The Ming Army’s archers number in the tens of thousands, and elite troops are also counted by tens of thousands. The Mongolians can summon tens of thousands of elite cavalry at any time. While the Jurchen Eight Banners’ White Armor Soldiers, even at the height of the old slave’s power, encompassing the entirety of Inner and Outer Northeast Shengshu and Shushu Jurchen, barely comprised a Niu Lu of ten men, totaling three thousand. Just one defeat for the old slave, and he’d face eternal destruction...

"Alright! They seem to be passable! Let them onboard! We’ll take all these people!"

Maha Agudah frowned, watching the ’weak’ Shushu Jurchen Tribe demonstrate bow pulling for a while. Only when Zuwaro urged and gestured did he reluctantly nod. Subsequently, three longships completely docked at the shore, and dozens of armored warriors jumped off. They counted the people while loading them onto the ship and simultaneously handed ironware to the trusted aides of the Wuzhe chiefs.

"Hiss! Ten... twenty... fifty... there are truly fifty iron spears!"

"Ancestor! I counted here too, it’s one hundred fifty iron arrows!"

Wuzhe Nu’er Ha and Wuzhe Daimin exchanged glances, seeing the greed and desire in each other’s eyes. Together, they turned to watch Wuzhe Agudah. Only five iron pots and twenty iron axes lay before Wuzhe Agudah’s horse, causing his hand gripping the reins to tremble slightly.

"Ancestor! There are so many ironwares on the Maha tribe’s ship! Do they have more good things on their ships? And where exactly is their tribe located in the North?!"

"Dammit! So many people boarded the ship, it’s too heavy to row, food supplies will only last a few days... it’s entirely doomed now! We must hurry and turn back, follow the river downstream back!"

Maha Agudah stood at the ship’s bow, watching the chaotic tribal captives board in three teams, packed tightly into the hold, filling almost every space. He shook his head helplessly, trading so many mouths to feed for ironware, this was truly a sin!...

Regrettably, on these three longships of the Kingdom, it was still the ’dim-witted’ brother-in-law Zuwaro who called the shots. He lifted his head, noticed the situation ashore, furrowed his brow instantly, and spoke urgently to Zuwaro. Then, he turned to the Wild Man Tribes gathered increasingly on the shore, bellowing loudly.

"Hey! Three chiefs of the Forest Wuzhe! You’ve counted the trade goods, however you decide to divide them, discuss among yourselves! We’re leaving now!"

"Maha Agudah! Our friend! You traded so many ironwares with us... stay and have a drink with us!"

"Indeed, indeed! Don’t be in such a hurry, don’t pack up the gangplank... Come! Our friend! If you won’t come down... then we’ll go over, invite you down for a drink..."

"Haha! Wuzhe Agudah! You think I’m truly that foolish elk? You’ve called so many tribal warriors over here, if I don’t leave now...then you’ll charge ahead with your men, dying under arrows! Everyone’s eyes turn green at the sight of good things, all ’friends’ who emerge from the forest, do you think I can’t see through your plans?!"

"...Wait, wait, don’t go! These warriors are coming over, not for anything else... You mentioned before, someone who can help us treat wounds!..."

"Zuwaro! Quick! Fire the cannon!"

"?..."

"Fire the cannon quickly! This group of red-eyed wild boars who aren’t afraid to die have gotten greedy towards us. If we don’t fire, they’re going to take advantage of the moment while this ship is still by the shore and attack us!..."

"?!... Damn it! Fire the cannon!..."

"Boom! Boom boom!..."

The Wuzhe chieftains were arguing on horseback, drawing closer with bows and hammers in hand, when suddenly three terrible thunderous roars sounded! Three copper Tiger Squat Cannons on the kingdom’s longship burst out like thunder, throwing the mounted wild man cavalry into chaotic neighs, even causing several to fall off their horses!

"Damn it! Damn it! This Maha tribe that emerged from the north actually has cannons that can thunder!..."

"Quick! Quick, catch the horses, catch the horses! Don’t let them take our horses!..."

"Holy Emperor above! This fleet mixed with Mongolians and Jurchens, actually has Tiger Squat Cannons?!"

Faced with the oppressive Wild Man Jurchen Tribe, Zuwaro once again unveiled the "bottom-hold" weapon, which was the firearms that only made noise when the gunpowder became damp. However, this time the "Thundering Magic Weapon" made its grand entrance but did not achieve the past all-conquering "miracle effect!"

Whether it was the Forest Wuzhe’s Wild Man Jurchens, or the Shushu Jurchen Tribe that hadn’t migrated south, they both knew and understood these firearms that smoked and made noise. Such smoking and noisy weapons had appeared countless times in the White Mountain Black Water during the centuries of war between the Ming Army and Northern Yuan remnants. Even a dozen years ago, during the Chenghua period’s expedition by the Ming Army, Tiger Squat Cannons were indispensable in attacking camps and seizing villages!

Once stripped of mystical additions, such firearms were merely weapons for disturbing horses and breaking through camps; their actual killing power was far less than a volley of heavy arrows approaching...

The sudden cannon fire caused chaos among the Wild Man Jurchen Tribe on the shore, overturning people and horses. Only after a while did the cavalry manage to tame the wild horses, reluctantly restoring order. Meanwhile, Wuzhe Aguda was seething with rage, Nu’er Ha and Daimin had expressions of suspicion. The three chieftains stared wide-eyed, watching the three longships that had seized the chaos and rowed into the river, loudly cursing.

"Damn it! Chieftain of the Maha tribe! You’re all southerners, everyone is just a bunch of poor people... Where did you get three ships, so much ironware? Even brought three cannons, scaring away several of our horses? Could it be you discovered a camp left behind by the Southern Great Ming before they withdrew?"

"Exactly! Ancestors! Where is your camp exactly in the north? We’re all descendants from the north, yet we’ve never seen such good stuff!..."

"Haha! Wuzhe chieftains! Don’t think of ambushing us, our tribe has always been migrating, you’ll never find us! Even if you do, there’s nothing in our camp but over a thousand warriors who can fight and shoot!..."

The longships rowed into the river, loaded with the exchanged "herd of deer," distancing themselves from the "pack of wolves" on the shore. Maha Aguda laughed happily, appearing heroic yet cunning, shouting to the anxious Wuzhe chieftains on the opposite bank.

"Ancestors witness! I won’t hide it from you! These ironware, firearms, and large ships aren’t produced by our Maha tribe, we can’t make them. These are generous gifts bestowed by the Chief Divine of the East Bird after offering the captured people as sacrifices on the altar!"

"These things are all conjured by the real mana of the Shaman in the forest, through the sacrificial rites from the Forest Sea!... In the future, we’ll surely have more opportunities for trade... exchanging captured people for the ironware conjured by the Shaman!"

"What? You’re asking who the Shaman in the forest is? Haha! He’s right here, right next to me! Yes, it’s this colorful, ever-smiling Little Antelope!..."

Before the kingdom’s fleet returned, hearing this last question from the shore, Maha Aguda laughed heartily, raised Zuwaro’s hand, and shouted heroically.

"Haha! The Shaman in the forest is my brother-in-law, the Great Bird Chief of the Great Bird Tribe! It’s him!..."