CHAPTER 444: CHAPTER 322: JEALOUSY

Ambrosius walked in and saw Alistacas staring blankly. He thought for a moment, then walked over and whispered, "Great Chief—"

Alistacas immediately lifted his head. It was the first time anyone had addressed him as "Great Chief."

"The departure of the Xisaites and Budocaribas tribes is actually a good thing. You know well that over these years they’ve come to your father almost every month, either asking him to mobilize military forces and assemble an army to fight the Segestica people to help them reclaim their land, or requesting your father to give them better land so they can live better, or asking for more food and supplies to get through winter...

Your father was already in poor health, and he constantly worried about the affairs of Budocaribas and Xisaites tribes, which is why he passed away early... Now that they’re all going to the Sava River, it’s believed they won’t trouble you as they did before, allowing you as the Great Chief to relax a bit—"

"I actually wish they’d come to make demands on me, so I can show them how I’ll handle them!" Alistacas said angrily.

Ambrosius knew Alistacas well and understood that his son-in-law was just being stubborn. If Budocaribas and their tribes were to make demands on him, he’d likely avoid them due to headaches since he lacked his father’s skills and patience.

So Ambrosius didn’t take Alistacas’s words too seriously and continued to console him, "As you saw just now, the alliance of Budocaribas, Xisaites, and Karsipengpas forced us to make compromises. If they keep doing this, your role as Great Chief won’t be an easy one.

Luckily, they’re going far to the Sava River, and it takes quite a bit of time to travel back and forth between the Main Camp and there. They won’t be able to show up often, and as long as you hold fewer tribal meetings, their obstruction in dealing with tribal affairs will be lessened."

Alistacas unwillingly asked, "Can’t we break up the alliance between the three of them and allure some people to our side?"

"What would you use to lure them? Land or wealth? No, first you must have prestige, enough prestige! Like your father, make the tribal elders willing to follow and trust you. This takes time and has to be gradual," Ambrosius advised earnestly, then added with emphasis, "Do you know who has the most prestige in our tribe right now?"

Without thinking, Alistacas answered, "Karsipengpas."

"You are the Great Chief now; stop focusing only on Karsipengpas like before," Ambrosius reminded. "Once you leave the western mountains, Karsipengpas’s influence throughout the tribe is even less than Budocaribas, it’s Cleobrotas!

He’s assisted your father with tribal affairs for decades, and many tribes remember his contributions. Even in the Main Camp, your influence is far less than his. Once you gain the kind of prestige he has, I believe most of the tribal elders will listen to you."

Ambrosius’s words instantly reminded Alistacas of the scene at the start of the tribal meeting when he couldn’t quiet the crowd, but a single word from Cleobrotas brought the hall to silence, and the goodwill that Cleobrotas had built by helping to settle the Kolana River refugees instantly disappeared...

He didn’t speak but frowned involuntarily.

Ambrosius observed all this in silence...

........................

Siris received the order from Village Chief Pro yesterday at dusk to lead forty selected reserve tribe members to the riverbank near the floating bridge.

This morning, Siris gathered the tribesmen and set off together.

Among these forty reserve tribe members, the majority were Segestica people, with a minority of Skodisqi people. Because of this, the group remained silent during the journey, naturally splitting into two distinct factions.

Siris had grown accustomed to this and didn’t demand much as long as both sides were peaceful.

No. 21 Village was not far from Ophelia. After walking for more than half an hour, the group arrived at the village gate.

Though the Main Camp had been renamed, it appeared unchanged except for the flag flying at the gate, which was no longer a majestic deer but a fierce beast, called a "dragon." Even Siris had mixed feelings about it.

The guards at the gate stopped them: "You can’t enter!"

"We’re here to see the completed bridge!" Siris explained.

"I know. But there’ll be many people coming today. To prevent a disruption inside, the Political Affairs Hall issued a ban. However, you don’t need to enter the village to see the bridge; just go to the riverbank, and you’ll get a clear view." The guard advised, "Hurry along, or you won’t secure a good spot."

Siris had no choice but to lead everyone away from the village gate, heading towards the riverbank around the village perimeter.

On the way, Miritus complained, "It’s not like we wanted to come. The Nix people begged us to, yet they treat us like this; it’s outrageous! We might as well not watch and head back directly!"

Though Miritus’s words voiced everyone’s frustration, everyone had been cooped up tilling land under the village chief’s lead these days, and this was a rare chance to unwind. Missing out on the sight and being unable to describe it would be embarrassing, so no one followed his lead.

As the guard said, there were already many people at the riverbank, and the spots near the village were full. Siris had to take the tribesmen to a distant riverbank.

As they settled, someone exclaimed, "Is that the grand bridge the village chief mentioned?! It’s so... so magnificent!"

Indeed, visible from the distance ahead was a dragon-like wooden structure spanning the broad Sava River, connecting the riverbanks of the East and West camps. The majestic river flowed beneath it, while the mellow sunlight enveloped it, gleaming warmly...

Previously, there were bridges across the Sava River, but those were floating bridges made by adjoining boats, and they would sway when people walked on them, unable to support heavy cargo. Before the river swelled, the floating bridge would need to be dismantled and reconnected once the waters receded, or else the swift river would destroy it...

But this bridge before the reserve tribe members bore no trace of boats. Its entire structure was suspended over the river two meters high. Countless sturdy wooden pillars crisscrossed beneath, supporting its long deck extending to both banks, far more grand and majestic than the floating bridges.

The tribesmen craned their necks and gazed in awe, occasionally uttering astonished murmurs.

Miritus, however, grumbled defiantly, "The bridge looks nice, but who knows if it can really support people..."

Suddenly, loud, lasting cheers erupted from both ends of the wooden bridge.

Miritus was just asking the tribesmen ahead what was happening when he saw people begin walking up the wooden bridge and safely reaching the riverbank on the other side... More and more people crossed, safely reaching the other shore... After a while, there were no people left on the bridge, but two carriages drove up from either side of the river, leisurely crossing the bridge, which remained perfectly intact...

After a while more, three small boats without masts appeared on each side of the river by the bridge. Rowed by oarsmen, the boats passed smoothly through bridge openings between the wooden pillars below, successfully reaching the other side...

Miritus, like the other tribesmen, was struck with amazement and cheers, his complaints vanishing entirely.

Indeed, just as Village Chief Pro had described, this was a real bridge, far superior to a floating bridge!

Then, several cavalrymen rode past them, shouting, "Leader Maximus commands that starting tomorrow, all Nix tribe members can cross the wooden bridge unimpeded between the two banks!..."

The Sava River’s banks echoed with deafening cheers from the hundreds of Reserve Tribe Members gathered to witness the bridge’s completion.

On the return journey, the tribesmen no longer maintained their earlier silence. They excitedly discussed the wooden bridge.

Siris keenly sensed a note of pride beginning to creep into their tone of wonder...

On the west bank of the wooden bridge, after inspecting the entire construction, Maximus was thoroughly satisfied: "Spukala, you did an excellent job, building this wooden bridge in less than half a month and completing the task entrusted by the tribe commendably!"

Spukala modestly replied, "Leader, even though the Sava’s river span is twice that of the Kupa River, the Segestica people chose their floating bridge site wisely. The water flows gently, and the riverbank and bed are ideal for bridge-building, so we didn’t have to scout a new site to start construction.

Having already built one wooden bridge gave us experience to improve on the second, and most of the timber needed was already prepared. Plus, we had additional help from Segestica carpenters, and support from Capito. Finishing the bridge in fifteen days was to be expected."

Maximus laughed heartily, "Spukala, don’t be so humble! In these uncertain, still unstable territories not wholly ours, nor firmly within the Nix Territory, constructing a wooden bridge quickly was a testament to your leadership, Capito’s aid, and the diligent effort of our many craftsmen!

With the bridge completed, we can deploy more manpower to the Sava River’s east bank and swiftly make it part of our Nix Territory. Your team led the bridge construction with great merit! Submit the names of the outstanding craftsmen, and after I review and approve them, they’ll receive merits from the Civil Affairs Department!"