Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Three days after the covenant was sealed, the outline of the western slope camp began to take shape.

Logs as thick as a bowl were sharpened at the bottom and compactly rammed into pre-dug trenches, forming a sturdy wooden wall up to chest height. Three steps outside the wall, a trench about ten feet wide and waist-deep had been dug, with sharpened bamboo and wood even stuck into the bottom as a makeshift anti-climb measure. The camp gate was made of heavy wooden planks, with simple watchtowers erected on either side. Inside the camp, according to pre-demarcated areas, stables, barns, communal kitchens, and dozens of tents of varying sizes were neatly arranged. The able-bodied men of the Murong tribe, along with some volunteer soldiers from the Xinghuo Fortress garrison, were working enthusiastically on the final reinforcement work.

The construction of the camp progressed faster than many had anticipated. This was certainly due to the guidance of the experienced civil engineers sent by Chen Wei, but even more so because the entire Murong tribe was driven by a strong sense of purpose—this was their first truly secure and hopeful foothold since their southward migration. Every wooden stake driven firmly, every trench dug deeper, seemed to solidify their confidence in the future.

Meanwhile, a silent yet profound "merger" was also taking place within Starfire Fortress.

At dawn, the fortress gates swung open. A convoy, escorted by ten elite soldiers, slowly emerged, laden with grain, salt blocks, coarse cloth, some iron farm tools, and repaired leather armor. This was the first batch of "cooperative supplies" that Starfire Fortress was paying to the Murong tribe according to the alliance agreement. The quantity wasn't extremely large, but the variety was complete, especially the dozen or so bags of snow-white salt and the dozens of pieces of gleaming ironware, which were truly hard currency in this chaotic world.

Leading the team was Li Shu. The young secretary, now more composed than ever, held a bamboo slip in hand, meticulously checking and verifying each item with Helan Sou, the Murong tribe's representative in charge of receiving the documents. Both parties then signed and sealed the handover papers. The entire process was open, clear, and meticulous, allowing the surrounding Murong tribe members to truly feel that this cooperation was not just empty talk, but backed by tangible and predictable guarantees.

After the goods were handed over, the next step was the movement of personnel.

The first group to be integrated into Xinghuo Fort's production system consisted of about forty elderly, weak, women, and children from the Murong tribe. They were assigned to the "Internal Affairs Camp" under Zhou Dashan's command. More than ten women skilled in tanning leather and sewing fur coats were assigned to the newly built leather workshop; more than twenty elderly people and teenagers who were still in good health were responsible for taking care of the cattle and sheep allocated to the Murong tribe but temporarily kept in the fort's expanded livestock sheds, as well as assisting with light tasks such as cleaning up debris in the fort and weaving straw mats; and a few women who had some knowledge of herbal medicine were asked by Wang Jian to help out at the medical station.

At first, these Murong tribespeople, new to this unfamiliar environment, were inevitably reserved and fearful, with the language barrier being the biggest obstacle. However, Zhou Dashan, Wang Jian, and others were prepared, assigning several patient elders from the fortress who had some knowledge of the Hu language. Most of them were refugees who had traded with the Hu region in the past, to assist them, and the work was not heavy. When they received the wooden plaques recording their merit points for the day's work and were told that they could exchange them for extra rations or a small piece of cloth at the end of the month, the unease in their eyes gradually gave way to curiosity and a faint sense of anticipation.

Meanwhile, changes were also quietly taking place within Starfire Fortress.

Most notably, the patrol and sentry post arrangements were reorganized. Chen Wei readjusted the defenses, incorporating the roads and passes between the western slope camp and the main stronghold of Xinghuo Fortress into a unified security system. The Murong cavalry began to patrol and reconnoiter the perimeter in groups of three to five. Familiar with the grasslands, with sharp eyes and excellent horsemanship, they quickly discovered several blind spots or easily infiltrated paths that the original infantry had overlooked, and offered suggestions for improving the sentry positions. Chen Wei readily accepted these suggestions and immediately implemented them.

This move not only enhanced the overall defensive depth but also subtly facilitated initial contact and understanding between the military personnel of both sides. The infantrymen of Xinghuo Fortress secretly envied the Murong cavalrymen who swept across the plains like the wind and shot down birds on distant branches with their bows; while the Murong cavalrymen, seeing the Xinghuo Fortress infantrymen's rigorous changing-of-guard procedures, orderly camp, and gleaming crossbows and swords, also put away some of their initial arrogance.

The collision and fusion of cultures occur in more subtle ways.

Occasionally, the communal kitchen within the fortress began to emit a milky aroma—the smell of meat porridge, a local specialty, which the women of the Murong tribe were trying to make by cooking millet with the small amount of cheese and meat they had received. At first, some fortress dwellers were not used to the smell, but after trying it, they found it to be indeed filling and warming, especially on chilly spring mornings. Gradually, some fortress dwellers also began to add chopped dried meat or wild onions to the porridge.

The children of the Murong tribe were allowed to audit classes at the newly opened "Elementary School" within the fortress. The teachers were Wu Xuejiu and two other elderly refugees with some literacy. At first, the children couldn't sit still and showed no interest in reciting "The Beginning of Man" with swaying heads, but Wu Xuejiu didn't force them. Instead, he would sometimes stop and draw pictures of cattle, sheep, and horses on the ground with a stick, teaching them the corresponding Chinese characters, or telling them stories about the geography and customs of the Central Plains. Gradually, a light began to shine in some of the children's eyes, and they would even stammer out greetings to the children of Xinghuo Fortress in their newly learned Chinese.

Of course, there were also frictions.

Once, two young warriors from the Murong tribe got into an argument at the edge of the fortress market. One of them tried to trade a finely crafted Hu-style knife for a piece of freshly steamed coarse grain cake mixed with bean flour from a local villager. The Murong warrior believed his knife was worth far more than the cake, while the villager insisted on trading at the "market price"—a rough exchange rate based on grain, initially proposed by Li Shu. Since they didn't understand each other well, a physical altercation seemed imminent. They were just about to come to blows when Zhao Tiezhu, who was patrolling the street, happened to witness the scene.

Zhao Tiezhu did not favor either side, but instead led the two men to Li Shu. Li Shu summoned an old man who had some knowledge of the Hu language to act as a translator, inquired about the reason, and then took out a bamboo slip, patiently explaining: Since the Murong warriors were newcomers, if they wished to participate in the exchange of their personal belongings, the "Mutual Market" would first appraise them, converting them into merit points or standard grain units, before the transaction could proceed. At the same time, he also warned the inhabitants of the fortress that they should be patient with their new allies and not mistreat them.

Ultimately, the knife was valued at the equivalent of five catties of millet in merit points, recorded under the name of the Murong warrior, who could use these points to exchange for food or other items at any time. As for the cake, Li Shu took charge, allocating an equal amount from the public treasury and giving it to the fortress dweller, thus settling the matter. Although both sides were still somewhat resentful, they at least accepted this solution and set a precedent for future generations.

This matter was reported to Chen Xing and Murong Mingyue. After discussing it, the two decided to expedite the formal establishment of the "Mutual Market" and clarify the trading rules. At the same time, Murong Mingyue also reiterated to the followers that those who entered the fortress must abide by the rules, and if there were any problems, they should consult the elders or her directly, and were not allowed to have private conflicts.

Minor frictions like these occur from time to time, but they are always swiftly resolved in their infancy by agreements and rules between the two sides. Each resolution of a conflict actually clarifies the rules and deepens the understanding between the two parties.

That evening, accompanied by Chen Wei and two bodyguards, Chen Xing personally inspected the West Slope camp.

The camp was already quite large. The wooden walls were sturdy, the moats were intact, the roads within the camp were smooth, and the tents were arranged in an orderly manner. In the stables, the twenty newly added warhorses were mixed with the original horses of the Murong tribe, quietly chewing their fodder. Smoke drifted from the communal kitchen, carrying the aromas of milk and meat. Some Murong tribesmen who had finished their work were sitting together, communicating with several Xinghuo Fortress craftsmen who had come to deliver repair tools, using broken Chinese and gestures.

Murong Mingyue came out to greet her upon hearing the news. She was not wearing red today, but had changed into a dark-colored Hu-style dress that was easy to move in. Her hair was neatly tied up, and she was supervising the reinforcement of a corner of the camp wall.

"I am deeply sorry for not welcoming you properly, Lord of the Fortress," she said, bowing slightly. Her complexion was much better than it had been a few days ago.

"General Murong, there's no need for such formalities. The camp is newly built and looks brand new. You and everyone else have worked hard." Chen Xing returned the greeting, his gaze sweeping over the orderly scene in the camp, and nodded in approval.

The two walked slowly side by side within the camp. Chen Wei and the others tacitly lagged behind a few steps.

"How have you been adapting to the arrangements at the fortress? If there are any inconveniences, please feel free to speak up, General," Chen Xing asked.

Murong Mingyue shook her head: "The provisions and equipment arrived on schedule, the wounded received proper medical treatment, the elderly and weak were settled, and the troops are gradually settling down. The fortress lord kept his promise, and Mingyue is grateful. However," she paused, "some of the young and spirited men in the tribe are used to riding horses freely and moving about at will. Now they have to abide by many rules and participate in the work scheduling within the fortress. At first, they are inevitably a little frustrated and restless, and it will take time to tame them."

"That's only natural," Chen Xing said understandingly. "Rules are the framework, but they also need flesh and blood to fill them. I've observed that your cavalry and archery are indeed elite. I wonder if the general would be willing to let your men have a friendly competition with the best riders in my fortress? It would allow them to exercise, demonstrate their skills, and learn from each other."

Murong Mingyue's eyes lit up: "This is an excellent idea! How would you like to determine the techniques?"

"We can set up events such as mounted archery, horsemanship, and small-team charge simulations, all in the open meadow outside the fortress. Winners will be rewarded, and losers will not be punished; it's all for the sake of friendly competition," Chen Xing said with a smile. "The specific rules can be discussed and drafted by Chen Wei and the general's capable commanders. We can also have our infantry practice some formation changes, and ask your cavalry for guidance on how to break through their formations."

"Very well!" Murong Mingyue readily agreed. "I will arrange this immediately. The young men of the tribe will surely be overjoyed to hear this."

She then remembered something else and said, "Lord of the Fortress, the other day Elder Helan and Secretary Li Shu discussed our tribe's expertise in animal husbandry, especially in judging and training horses. Now that the fortress has a growing number of horses, in addition to warhorses, there are also pack horses and draft oxen that need care. Our tribe is willing to send several experienced herdsmen to assist in establishing a dedicated horse and cattle shed in the fortress, to uniformly manage feeding, breeding, and disease prevention. I wonder what the Lord of the Fortress thinks?"

Chen Xing's heart skipped a beat; this was precisely the beginning of the technological exchange and deep integration he had been anticipating. "Excellent! Please have the General, Wang Jian, and Zhou Dashan handle the details. The fort will provide full support in terms of materials and facilities."

The two exchanged views on recent intelligence gathering in the surrounding area, the progress of spring planting, and potential threats. Their conversation was less tentative and reserved than it had become, revealing a more pragmatic and cooperative understanding.

As the sun set, it cast long shadows of the two men onto the newly compacted campsite.

As he watched the lights gradually illuminate the camp, and listened to the faint sounds of desolate pastoral songs sung in a foreign language intertwined with the laughter of children in Han Chinese, Chen Xing felt a surge of emotion.

The merging of tribes is never a simple matter of changing flags or adding people. It is a slow and profound process involving the flow of resources, the exchange of people, the adaptation of rules, the permeation of culture, and ultimately, the gradual convergence of hearts and minds.

The wooden walls of the West Slope Camp and the earthen walls of Xinghuo Fortress stand facing each other, like two newly joined dikes, jointly protecting this vibrant land in between. And within the dikes, the two originally distinct streams of water are slowly but surely beginning to merge.

The road ahead is still long, and the challenges will only increase. But the first step in the merger has already been taken firmly.

The population of Starfire Fortress has quietly surpassed the 1,500 mark. And the power and potential it holds are far more profound than a simple increase in numbers.