Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 754 Success and Failure

As we went deeper, the surroundings became quieter and quieter, with only the sound of footsteps and the occasional bird song breaking the tranquility. Chen Yan rode on his horse, frowning slightly, thinking silently about what to do after meeting the tribal leader.

After traveling for most of the day, they finally saw the tribe from afar. The tribe was located in a valley, surrounded by dense forests, and a clear stream flowed by the tribe. The tribe's architecture was unique, mostly built with stones and logs, and scattered on the hillside.

When the envoys arrived at the tribe, they encountered a situation similar to the first group of envoys. The guards at the gate quickly surrounded them, their weapons flashing coldly and their eyes full of vigilance. Chen Yan quickly dismounted, smiling, and explained his purpose in the native language he had prepared in advance: "We come from afar, with friendly intentions and gifts, and we want to see your leader."

The guards talked in low voices for a few words, and one of them turned and walked into the tribe. Not long after, the guard came back and motioned for them to follow him in. The messengers walked into the tribe and found that most of the indigenous people here were strong and had a fierce look in their eyes. Their clothes were mainly made of animal skins, decorated with various strange patterns and ornaments.

Led by the guards, the envoys came to an open area in the center of the tribe, where many tribe members gathered. A tall, bearded leader walked out of the crowd. He wore a helmet made of a beast's skull and a thick bear skin, and looked at the group of outsiders with eyes as sharp as an eagle.

Chen Yan hurried forward, saluted respectfully, and said: "Dear chief, we are envoys who have come from a distant place across the sea. We have long heard that your tribe is brave and heroic, and has unique wisdom and strength in this land. We have come to visit and give some gifts to show our respect."

The attendants then displayed the gifts they had brought one by one, including fine fabrics, practical tools, and some exquisite handicrafts. However, when the chief looked at these gifts, he did not show much surprise on his face, but frowned slightly.

The chief said in a low voice: "You outsiders, you suddenly came to our tribe with these things, what on earth do you want to do? We live well on this land and don't need outsiders to disturb us."

Chen Yan quickly explained, "Chief, we have no ill intentions. We just hope to establish friendly relations with your tribe. We have brought some advanced technology and knowledge, such as more effective hunting techniques and improved farming methods, which can help your tribe become stronger and make everyone's life better. We believe that through cooperation, we can create a better future together."

The chief snorted and said, "Our hunting and farming methods have been passed down from generation to generation and have always been good. We don't need outsiders like you to teach us how to do it. Your so-called cooperation is just an excuse to take away our land and resources."

Chen Yan's heart tightened, and he quickly said, "Chief, you misunderstood. We have no desire for your tribe's land and resources. We also have vast territories of our own, but we hope to exchange what we have with your tribe and make progress together. We can first demonstrate the benefits of these technologies so that you can see our sincerity with your own eyes."

At this time, an old man in the tribe stood up and said loudly: "Young man, don't believe their words. These outsiders always speak sweet words, and when we let our guard down, they will show their true colors. Our ancestors once encountered such a thing, and we must not repeat the same mistake."

The surrounding tribal members echoed one after another, and a noisy discussion arose in the crowd, mostly questioning and rejecting the envoys.

Chen Yan wanted to explain further, but the leader waved his hand and said impatiently: "Okay, stop talking. Go away, we don't welcome you. Don't come near here again in the future, otherwise don't blame us for being rude."

Chen Yan had no choice but to say: "Chief, I hope you can reconsider. We really come here with sincerity. If you change your mind, you can send someone to find us at any time."

However, the chief ignored them and walked into the crowd. The surrounding indigenous people began to drive the messengers away, and some even picked up stones and threw them at them. The messengers had no choice but to leave the tribe in a hurry.

Chen Yan looked back at the tribe, feeling lost and frustrated. He knew that the mission had failed, and that the tribe's vigilance and rejection of them was more serious than he had imagined. But he also knew that he couldn't give up just because of this setback. After returning to the camp, he would report the situation here in detail to Jia Changsheng, and discuss the next countermeasures together, and try to find a way to resolve the conflict and win the trust of the tribe.

The third team of envoys, led by counselor Lin Yu, headed towards the third indigenous tribe. Along the way, the scenery was picturesque, with green mountains and clear waters, and occasionally some rare animals could be seen shuttling through the forest. Although Lin Yu was full of expectations for this mission, he also knew the difficulty of the task, and repeatedly thought about strategies to deal with various situations along the way.

When they approached the tribe, they felt a completely different atmosphere from the previous two tribes. The children of the tribe saw them from a distance, but they did not show any fear or vigilance. Instead, they looked around curiously and laughed and played with each other. The fences of the tribe were hung with various colorful decorations, dancing in the wind, as if welcoming guests from afar.

Arriving at the gate of the tribe, the guards saw the envoys and smiled friendly. Instead of stopping them, they took the initiative to ask about their purpose. Lin Yu quickly revealed his identity, saying that he was an envoy sent by Jia Changsheng to seek friendly exchanges and cooperation. After hearing this, the guards immediately led them into the tribe enthusiastically.

Walking into the tribe, I saw that people lived and worked in peace and contentment. The elderly were sunbathing in front of their houses, women were washing clothes by the stream, and children were playing in the open space. The buildings in the tribe are unique, mostly built with bamboo and thatch, full of natural atmosphere.

The envoys were taken to a large tent in the center of the tribe, where the chieftain had been waiting. The chieftain looked amiable, wearing a robe embroidered with exquisite patterns and a feather hat, and greeted the envoys with a big smile.

Lin Yu stepped forward and saluted respectfully, saying: "Dear leader, we are entrusted by Lord Jia Changsheng to visit your tribe with full sincerity. Lord Jia Changsheng has heard about the customs and people of your tribe for a long time and admires them very much. He specially asked us to bring some gifts to express our gratitude."

After that, the attendants presented the gifts they brought one by one, including fine silk, advanced agricultural tools, beautiful porcelain, etc. The chief looked at these gifts with surprise in his eyes and thanked them repeatedly.

The chief warmly invited the envoys into the tent, which was warm and distinctive, with thick animal skins on the ground and some decorations made of shells and bones placed around. After everyone sat down, the chief couldn't wait to ask: "I have heard that you are from a mysterious and powerful force. Can you tell me what this Jia Changsheng and his forces are like?" Lin Yu smiled and began to introduce: "Dear chief, Lord Jia Changsheng has great ambitions, and his forces are growing. We have a well-trained army, whether it is land combat or water navigation, we have strong combat effectiveness. Take the fleet we came this time, for example, the ships are sturdy and equipped with advanced navigation equipment, which can freely gallop on the vast ocean."

The chief asked curiously: "If your army is so powerful, why did you come to our small tribe?"

Lin Yu explained sincerely: "Chief, Lord Jia Changsheng has always believed that different tribes and forces should communicate with each other, learn from each other, and make progress together. We came here not to conquer or plunder, but to establish friendly relations with various tribes. We believe that by sharing each other's knowledge and technology, we can all live a better life. For example, our agricultural technology is very advanced, which can help the tribe increase food production so that everyone no longer has to worry about food shortages."

The leader asked again: "What you said does sound good, but I am still a little worried. You are so powerful, how can you guarantee that you will not harm us?"

Lin Yu said quickly: "Chief, Lord Jia Changsheng is honest and trustworthy. He knows that only by treating others sincerely can we win their trust. We are willing to sign a friendly agreement with your tribe to clarify the rights and obligations of both parties and guarantee respect for your tribe's customs, beliefs and land. We hope to work hand in hand with your tribe to jointly develop this land and make it more prosperous."

After thinking for a moment, the leader asked, "What have your forces done in other places? Are there any successful examples of cooperation with other tribes?"

Lin Yu said enthusiastically: "Of course. In some places we have visited before, we helped the local tribes improve their living conditions and taught them to build stronger and more comfortable houses. We also taught them new irrigation methods, which greatly increased the output of farmland. The people in those tribes are now living very happily and are very grateful to us. The two sides have always maintained a good cooperative relationship."

After listening to Lin Yu's introduction, the chief showed a thoughtful look in his eyes, and he said: "It sounds very attractive. But this is a major event concerning the future of the tribe after all, and I need to discuss it with the elders of the tribe. However, I still welcome your arrival very much, and I hope you can stay in the tribe for a few more days so that we can get to know each other better."

Lin Yu said quickly: "Thank you for the trust and hospitality of the leader. We are happy to stay and have in-depth exchanges with the people of your tribe. I believe that through this period of time, you will better understand the sincerity of Lord Jia Changsheng and the friendship of our forces."

In the following days, the envoys had in-depth exchanges with the people of the tribe, demonstrated various advanced technologies and tools, and further enhanced mutual understanding and trust. This exchange also laid a good foundation for the cooperation between Jia Changsheng's forces and the tribe.

Jia Changsheng was discussing with his advisers in the tent how to better cooperate with the indigenous tribes for development. Suddenly, a soldier rushed in in a panic, knelt on one knee, and reported anxiously: "My lord, something bad has happened! The fourth team of envoys has been imprisoned in the fourth tribe!"

Jia Changsheng stood up suddenly, his face suddenly became serious, and asked: "What happened? Tell me in detail!"

The soldier took a breath and said, "According to the servants who escaped, the fourth group of envoys encountered hostility from the tribesmen as soon as they arrived. Although they explained their purpose and presented gifts, the tribal leader did not listen to their explanation and directly ordered the envoys to be imprisoned, saying that he suspected they had ulterior motives."

Jia Changsheng frowned and paced back and forth, thinking about countermeasures. At this time, Zhou Yu said: "My lord, this matter cannot be underestimated. If we don't rescue them in time, the envoys may be in danger of their lives, and other tribes will be afraid and hostile to us when they learn of this, which is not conducive to our long-term development on Dayuan Island."

Jia Changsheng nodded and said, "Gongjin is right. We must find a way as soon as possible to rescue the envoys safely."

Xu Shu stepped forward and said, "My Lord, we need to first find out the real reason why this tribe imprisoned the envoy. Is it simply xenophobia, or are there other forces behind it? We can first send spies to the surrounding areas of the tribe to gather information and understand the situation inside the tribe and their defense deployment."

Jia Changsheng said: "Yuanzhi's plan is very good. Select elite spies immediately and make sure to find out the situation as soon as possible."

Gan Ning was rubbing his hands together and shouted, "My lord, as soon as the spies come back with the news, I will lead a team of soldiers to beat those guys to a pulp and rescue the envoy!"

Jia Changsheng glanced at Gan Ning and said, "Xingba, don't be reckless. Since that tribe dared to imprison our envoys, they must have been prepared. If we attack rashly, the envoys may fall into a more dangerous situation, and it may also cause conflicts with other tribes. We need to plan before we act."

Pang Tong also said: "My lord, we can do two things at the same time. On the one hand, we should prepare for military rescue and let General Gan Ning select brave men to assemble secretly and wait for orders; on the other hand, we should try to communicate with the tribe to see if we can solve it peacefully. Perhaps we can ask the tribe that is friendly with us to mediate and show our sincerity to the tribe that imprisoned the envoy."

After thinking for a moment, Jia Changsheng said, "Shiyuan, this plan is feasible. Immediately send people to contact friendly tribes and ask them to help mediate. At the same time, Xingba, you go and select 500 elite soldiers who are agile and brave in combat, and be ready to attack at any time. But remember, without my order, you must not act without authorization."

Gan Ning clasped his fists and accepted the order: "Yes, my lord! I will definitely pick out the most powerful brothers and be ready to obey your orders at any time!"

Soon, the spies set out, and the messengers who were going to contact friendly tribes also set out on their journey. Jia Changsheng waited anxiously in the tent for news from all sides, and every moment of waiting was like torture.

(End of this chapter)