But if the tribute is forcibly levied, given the current situation, a fight is almost inevitable.
For many tribes, what is being taken is not tribute, but their very lives.
The fragile grassland ecosystem cannot withstand the blow of a disaster. Food can be stored, but livestock cannot.
It's easy to slaughter and produce dried meat, but the problem is: reducing livestock numbers is a matter of command, whereas recovery takes years of effort.
During this long period, survival is not an easy matter.
"I don't know about the others, but within the territory of my Bearman Clan, many tribes have already ordered a halt to reproduction.
Some smaller tribes are even beginning to cull the weak and old.
Inter-tribal conflicts are on the rise. If it weren't for the Imperial Court's forceful suppression, it's hard to imagine how much worse the situation could become.
