Aztec Eternals

The spring breeze in March blew all over the world, and the vast army marched forward. The wilderness in the north is already covered with green grass, and the smoke from the cooking smoke rises from the villages of Mintun, and the world is full of vitality.

Shulot stayed in the river mouth fortress for more than half a month, and immediately sent a large number of scouts to the north. Afterwards, he summoned priests from various villages and listened carefully to the details of farming and the progress of mission in each of the villages. Then, in front of many priests, the king appointed the monkey Kuluka as the general speaker of Hekou County, that is, the military and political officer.

The First Spear Legion obeyed the king's order and immediately began to guard the river mouth fortress. They will be arranged for long-term stationed farmland, and at the same time will be responsible for the grain transfer of the Wang army northward. Mintun in Hekou County was established earlier, and last year's autumn harvest was not bad. The fort has already accumulated a batch of food and grass, which is enough to supply the 6,000 soldiers of the Imperial Guard Corps to go to the Ottopan City-State Alliance. Shirot would not entrust the vital supply of food and grass to the Otomi people who were always short of food.

Afterwards, the king did not stop, and inspected the estuary dock around the fortress. He summoned many craftsmen to explore the construction of new ships.

The estuary dock is actually located on the shore of Lake Quetzeo, south of the fortress. It is located in the inner lake, the area is not large, and the facilities are very simple, but it has accumulated a lot of large trees that can be used to make large canoes. The kingdom's large canoes can carry 40 people and need to be at least fifteen meters high and two to three meters in diameter of fir or oak as the hull. These timbers have been dried in the shade for many years, and they are the belongings of the Tarasco Kingdom accumulated over the decades, and now they are all cheaper to seal the country in the lake.

Under the conscription of the king, the heritage shipbuilders of the estuary fortress and the master carpenters of the capital who came with the army all gathered in the open-air dock to listen to the will of the king.

The noon sun is just warm. There are many warriors in the dock, and the guards are heavily guarded. Sherlot looked around and looked at the many senior masters who stood in the forefront for a while. The master craftsmen all wore Prepecha costumes, and all of them lowered their eyebrows and showed complete respect. The king nodded slightly and spoke in awe.

"Blessed by the Lord God! Today, the master craftsmen are summoned for a major event that concerns the gods, the alliance, and the people!"

"The Feathered Serpent stepped on the snake boat and went to the great lake in the east, and made a promise of revenge. He left the tribe of the Feathered Serpent on the snake island in the east, and colluded with the white-skinned alien races outside the lake. These alien races may drive big ships at any time and come from the distant East Lake, bringing boundless wars, diseases and disasters. For this reason, the Lord God issued a divine decree, and the alliance decided to go east to find the traces of the Feathered Serpent God descendants, and build energy in the East Lake. The big ship in the middle of the journey!"

Hearing this, the Prepecha masters present looked at each other in dismay. A low voice of conversation quickly sounded in the dock.

The myth of the Feathered Serpent going east has been circulated for hundreds of thousands of years, and everyone in the world has heard of it. What about the goddess of feathered snakes, what white-skinned aliens, what about building big ships, and exploring in the distant lake... The master craftsmen of Prepecha actually didn't take it seriously. It's just that since the construction of a big ship is related to the supreme decree, it is a major event that can destroy the family at any time. They had to be careful and use their mind and strength.

After a while, an old man with a vicissitudes of life stood up. The old man's clothes are eye-catching, with tree patterns on his robes, and a sandalwood necklace on his neck. His movements are capable, his expression is respectful and confident, representing many master craftsmen, saluting the king who heads up.

"Your Majesty, when it comes to shipbuilding technology in the world, the Mayans in the far east are the first, and the Prepecha people in our lake are the second! In fact, as long as the supply of copper is sufficient, we have been able to connect the big wood with the Wooden boards, build a large boat several times the size of a canoe, and navigate the big lake!"

Hearing the words, Shulot's spirit was lifted. He looked at the leading old man and asked.

"What is the name of the master?"

"Your Majesty, I am the 'Carpenter in the Lake' Pukuta, the chief boatmaker of the estuary fortress! My family has passed down the boatbuilding craftsmanship of the people of the lake from generation to generation. Many of the large canoes of the Kingdom's Navy are from me and my apprentices. in hand!"

Shuluo nodded. Pukuta means "tree of the forest, carpenter in the lake". In this era, high-level craftsmen still maintain the characteristics of tribal heritage. Relying on the important technology they mastered exclusively, they always have a certain influence in the local area and even in the kingdom.

"Okay! When the army went north, it specially carried two thousand catties of copper material, which was specially used for shipbuilding!"

The king said loudly. Hearing the number of two thousand catties of copper material, the master craftsmen gasped. The two thousand catties of copper material at this time are about the same value as two thousand catties of golden sand!

"Pukuta, you said that you can build a large boat several times the size of a canoe and travel through the big lake. Do you have real objects or drawings?"

Hearing the king's question, Pukuta hesitated for a moment, then took out a treasured leather roll from his arms and carefully handed it to the king.

Shiloh touched the material of the skin roll, and it turned out to be a fig bark roll. This kind of bark roll is similar to the bark paper used by the Mayans. After initial soaking, steaming, drying and other papermaking treatments, it is quite strong and durable. It's just that raw materials are relatively scarce and manufacturing costs are high.

The king opened the scroll to take a closer look, and soon let out a light hum.

"Huh! A two-body canoe similar to the Polynesians? And a multi-body canoe similar to the New Guineans? ... Well, this design idea is very similar to the chain link of the Chibi water battle."

Shirot moved his gaze and saw two canoes drawn side by side on the top of the scroll. The two boats are connected in parallel with wooden beams, and the beams are laid with wooden boards, which can carry goods or people. The tail end of the two boats is equipped with a tail rotor, which is used to control the direction of the boat.

Below the scroll, there are multiple canoes drawn side by side. Similarly, the canoes are connected in parallel with wooden beams and fixed as one. On the outside of the multibody canoe, there are also simple horizontal rows with extended connections. The horizontal row floats in the water, which can further increase the buoyancy and improve the carrying capacity of the ship. Of course, the speed of the ship will be reduced accordingly.

"Your Majesty, the canoe of the wind on the top moves very fast and is designed for water warfare and marching. The wooden planks between the two boats can carry double the number of samurai, and can also provide a shooting platform for archers! And the canoe of the snake below. The load is very heavy and is designed for the transportation of personnel and materials. The horizontal row can carry personnel, or place goods that are not afraid of water! Of course, in order to connect the boats firmly, expensive copper nails and copper chains are needed. But The advantage is that you don't need a real big wood, you can also build a big boat that can be used..."

Pukuta raised his head, his eyes were bright, he looked up at the king, and his words were full of confidence.

Shirot nodded slowly with admiration on his face. This double-body or multi-body connection, or even the installation of outboard brackets, can not only increase the carrying weight, but also greatly improve the stability and wind and wave resistance of the canoe. The improved canoe will have basic ocean sailing capabilities, which is the pinnacle of canoe development under the current technology.

The Austronesian tribes relied on this type of canoe and sailed all the way to conquer the islands in the entire Pacific Rim. They went from Yizhou to Luzon, from the Indonesian islands to New Zealand, from the New Guinea islands to Fiji, Tonga, Honolulu, until Easter Island, and even a branch from Sumatra to the west, across the entire Indian Ocean, and finally Lay your roots in Madagascar!

After thinking for a while, the king made a pertinent suggestion with reference to the Polynesian design.

"Pukuta, great design! For this catamaran, you can erect cotton sails that can be steered on both sides on the connecting beams at the head and in the middle! That way you can sail with the wind..."

Shilot took out a pen and paper and drew a simple diagram. Hearing such professional advice, Pukuta was surprised. He carefully looked at the improved icon, thought for a while, and then nodded sincerely.

"Your Majesty said it very well!"

Shirot smiled with satisfaction and patted Pukuta on the shoulder.

"Pukuta, the water is the hometown of fish and the habitat of water snakes. From this drawing, I know that you are not a short-sighted river fish, but a water snake that can swim and hunt! Since Prepecha's big The craftsmen have such exploration ability and enough experience in metal riveting, then I can rest assured to entrust the heavy responsibility to you!"

As the king spoke, he took out three painted drawings from his arms. He beckoned to the master craftsmen around him, and several of the most senior boatmen came together to watch with Pukuta.

Pukuta looked carefully and saw that the first painting was a large flat longboat with a slender hull, a shallow waterline, and a low freeboard.

The size of the boat is about 18 meters long and 3 meters wide. The longboat is divided into upper and lower sides by the deck. On both sides of the bottom layer under the deck, a row of densely packed oars protrudes, and there is a tail rotor that adjusts the direction at the tail. On the middle and head of the deck, two sails, one large and one small, were erected. The sail in the center has a larger area and is the main sail; the sail in the head has a smaller area and is the auxiliary sail. On the longship's head, a shiny, sharp metal ram is also marked.

"This ship is a galley warship! Below the deck is the rower, and above the deck is used to carry soldiers and supplies!"

Shirot smiled faintly. This is the ancient ship shape he roughly recalled based on his film and television works, which was formed in the ancient Greek period, that is, the historic galley. The galley relies on both wind and human power, and the manufacturing technology is relatively simple. It was used from the tenth century BC to the fifteenth century. It was a warship in the early Mediterranean naval battles, and now it is mostly used as an offshore trade ship.

"The upper one is a simple single row galley, that is, the rowers rowing on both sides are arranged in a horizontal row, which is easier to make... The lower one is a double row galley. It is built on both sides of the ship's side. The arc, two rows of rowers at different heights, increases the number of rowers and increases the rowing speed! And so on, there are faster three row galleys.”

Having said that, the king paused and his expression became serious.

"Pukuta, the divine revelation given to me by these ship owners. I can only draw a rough outline and point out a direction! As for the specific hull design and the connection of parts everywhere, you have to explore and realize it yourself. A galley, can you build it with confidence?"

In the dock, a group of master craftsmen whispered in Prepecha for a moment, and let Pukuta reply as a representative.

"Your Majesty, the Mayans have a similar giant sailboat. Although it is not as complicated as this drawing, the basic principle is still similar. We Prepecha people have experience in hull splicing. As long as there are sufficient copper and wood materials, give After a year or so of exploration, it shouldn't be a problem to produce a qualified sample ship!"

Pukuta is piercing, and although a little cautious in his words, he is still confident.

Shulot nodded in approval, making no secret of his joy.

Shipbuilding is a tough job that requires a lot of technical exploration and practice, and it cannot be easily accelerated by one or two people. Even if he is a traverser, he knows the shape and general structure of the ship, but if the craftsmen do not have enough technical accumulation, it is impossible to make it. Pukuta was overjoyed that he could commit to trial-build a galley within a year.

Immediately, the king unfolded the second volume of drawings, and looked forward to the master craftsmen present again.

In the second volume of drawings, there are sand boats common in the celestial dynasty, and also flat-bottomed boats used in large rivers or offshore seas. They were generally formed in the Tang and Song dynasties. It has a square head and tail, a spacious deck and a low freeboard. The most notable feature is the multi-mast and multi-sail, broad and shallow. Because of the multi-sail design, the speed of the boat is faster. At the stern there are also raised and lowered steering rudders. More importantly, the sand boat adopts the flat keel pioneered by the Celestial Dynasty, which is wide and thick, can withstand wind and waves, and can travel in the sea without hindrance!

Shulot could not remember the complete structure of the sand boat. He just drew the five masts of "front three and back two" according to the fragments of Jiangnan water town in his memory, then drew the rudder at the stern of the sand boat, and finally focused on the flat keel of the hull.

The size of the sand boat is 20 meters long, 4 meters wide and 1.5 meters high, that is, the total volume is about 120 cubic meters, and the effective capacity should be 50-60 cubic meters, which is about 500-600 stone in the Ming Dynasty. This kind of sand boat usually only needs seven or eight people to operate freely, and it is the most classic Chinese sailboat style. Different sail surfaces can take advantage of the wind in all directions, the transportation is very cost-effective, and the carrying capacity has far exceeded the needs of the alliance and the kingdom.

Pukuta's eyes widened, and he carefully watched the ship map of "God's Revelation". He scanned every corner of the ship map and saw many vague labels, as well as large blanks in connecting parts, and couldn't help frowning.

"Your Majesty, this ship map...is there a more detailed internal diagram?"

Shirou was slightly embarrassed, and shook his head calmly.

"God's revelation is always a glimpse, just like the unpredictable divine will... This kind of sand boat is mainly used for transportation, it can sail in the big lake and resist strong wind and waves. The most notable of them are the rudder that controls the direction at the stern, and the hull of the boat. Formed keel."

"Tail rudder? Keel?"

Pukuta chewed on these two unfamiliar words, his eyes full of exploration.

"Please also explain in detail, Your Majesty."

Xiulott thought about it carefully, recalled the principles he had learned in the physics textbook, and then explained it aloud.

"The role of the rudder is actually similar to the paddle that controls the direction at the stern of a canoe. It contains the rudder blade in the water, which is the tail rotor that steers the direction. Then there is the rudder stock that transmits power, and the rudder that is steered by a man at the stern. Horizontal rudder. When the sand boat is going to turn left, turn the rudder to the left, and drive the tail rotor to the right, and then the current hits the hull to the left..."

Pukuta thought for a moment, and his years of shipbuilding experience and what he saw at the moment confirmed them one by one. He realized it quickly and exclaimed loudly.

"Your Majesty is wise! But this kind of rotation requires a lot of force. It is better to use the best hardwood for the rudder. Well, birch, red oak, and yellow sandalwood can be used... As for this keel, what kind of bone is it?"

Shirot shook his head and laughed. he said with a smile.

"The keel is just a metaphor, meaning a solid beast bone. It's actually a longitudinal structure that runs through the midline of the bottom of the ship, from fore to aft. If you use a solid material, such as long-term wood, that runs through the entire hull, it will Makes the boat very strong and stable in the wind and waves of East Lake. As for the flat keel..."

Speaking of which, Shilot paused for a moment. He only knows the basic concepts, but he doesn't know the specific details of the keel. After a while, the king spoke a little embarrassedly.

"A flat keel is a keel spliced ​​with flat plates... As for the specific structure, you can try it out, try hard to explore it!"

Pukuta looked at the face of the king, and immediately understood. He bowed his head and saluted, and then discussed with the master craftsmen for a while before returning cautiously.

"Your Majesty, this kind of sand boat is quite new, the style has never been seen before, and it has a tail rudder and a keel, which requires everyone to think about it. If you are lucky, it may be built in four or five years. If you are not lucky. ..maybe ten years or more."

Hearing this, Shulot's expression changed. He stared at Pukuta sharply, like a majestic eagle. Pukuta bowed his head calmly and bowed his head deeply. The surrounding master craftsmen also bowed their heads and saluted.

After a long time, the king thought of the difficulty of exploring the shipbuilding industry, so he sighed softly and finally made a decision.

"Pukuta, since this is the case, you should explore it! From today, the Northern Shipbuilding Division will be established, directly subordinate to the Shenqi Institute of the capital, and you will be the director! The copper materials in the south will be given priority to supply you. Start with the twin body. Start with multi-body canoes, familiarize yourself with the craftsmanship of boat connection, and upgrade the kingdom's navy. Then, you can quickly explore the production process of galleys. Within a year, I want to hear good news from you!"

"As for the more complex sand boats..."

Shilot pondered for a moment, then promised generously.

"I don't limit your exploration time. As long as you can manufacture a qualified sample ship, the leader will be awarded the title of hereditary nobleman, and a hereditary fief of 2,400 mu will be granted in Hekou County! The remaining senior craftsmen can be promoted to military merit. Nobles, give gold and silver, feathers and fields!"

Hearing such a generous reward, the craftsmen's breathing suddenly became heavy, and even their eyes glowed. Pukuta took two deep breaths, keeping his expression calm. He looked at the last volume of the picture book in the hands of the king.

"Your Majesty, what kind of ship did you draw in the last volume of your picture book, can you show it to me?"

Hearing this, Shirot lowered his eyes, his thoughts drifted away. He seemed to hear a neat trumpet in his ears, followed by the roar of artillery fire. The towering sail battleship opened its sails and slowly crossed the hull, revealing several rows of neat gun barrels... Thunder erupted in an instant, destroying all enemies on the shore and at sea!

After pondering for a long time, the king shook his head. He put away the last picture of the boat and said with a smile.

"This is the gift of the goddess of truth and justice, and it is far from the time to open! I hope that in my lifetime, I can see it come and bring the alliance broad truth... Pukuta, do it well! The kingdom is vast The future is in your hard-working hands!"

Hearing that the king has such high hopes~www.readwn.com~ Pukuta knelt down and salutes, saying "don't dare" in his mouth. Many boatmen also knelt down on the ground, looking apprehensive.

Sherlot left a picture of the boat and slept by the dock that night. Then, he discussed with the senior masters for several days and personally presided over the establishment of the shipbuilding division. It wasn't until the first catamaran canoes began to improve that he left with his guards.

March comes to an end in a blink of an eye. The banks of the Leman River are full of swaying green reeds, and the humming of birds. The messenger of Ottopan City has been waiting in the river mouth fortress for a long time, asking the great His Royal Highness to go north as soon as possible.

Shulot was as steady as a mountain, and he first summoned the scouts who had returned from the north to understand the situation around Ottopan. Then, he summoned the monkey Kuluka one last time. Kuluka has initially sorted out the government affairs of Hekou County and arranged the transportation of logistical grain and grass.

The king expressed his approval with satisfaction, and then led the army of 6,000 imperial guards to cross the Leman River of Taotao in the boat of the navy, and then headed north again to the city of Ottopan. A few days later, the mighty Kingdom Guard Corps arrived under the impregnable mountain city under the respectful and defensive gaze of the Otomi people along the way.

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