Aztec Eternals

The moon rises in the east and sets in the west, the night is the darkest, and the dawn will come. Priest Tomat and Chief Mozi continued their unfinished conversation. In just a few words, they told the information of the Maya in the northern lowlands, and it was dawning before they knew it.

"Kanur guards the clan. The territory is in the westernmost part of the peninsula, more than 100 miles from east to west, and more than 200 miles from north to south. The north is dry, the south is hills, and the population is mainly in the middle. From north to south, along a line, a total of There are more than a dozen small Kanur city-states. These city-states are ruled by different chiefs of the clan, and all belong to the elders in the Kapok city. Such a loose political system is destined to be difficult for them to gather all their strength, and there is no one The warchief or king who decides everything..."

Priest Tomat took out a pen and paper, and, in the bonfire along the shore, lowered his head to record and write down important assessments.

"This clan is not a whole. Perhaps, their scattered city-states can be treated separately. Moreover, they all originate from the Mexican plateau and have the blood of the Nahua people. They also occupy the coastal area in the western part of the peninsula and have good relations with each other. Necessary and possible!"

Chief Mozi looked curiously at the squares or shorthand words, as if looking at the mysterious priest symbols, with a little respect in his heart. The god-born inheritance in the Purton has dissipated, and the abstract words are completely unrecognized. They are the most isolated tribe among the Mayans, and they are also the barbarians who advocate force the most and are the easiest to assimilate.

"...Together, the Kanur family has more than a dozen small towns and 10,000 Mayan warriors. According to estimates, there should be a population of 300,000. The specific number is still unclear, and further information needs to be collected."

Priest Tommat pondered for a while, then wrote down the last paragraph.

"It is also interesting that the Kanur clan also has a code, made in the city of Kapok, called the Kapok Code, or the Kapok Code. In their view, the Kapok (yaaxche) is the center of the world, the place of birth, the origin of life , the unity of the universe and the way of communication between gods and people. The kapok tree gives the gods the power to rule people, and the ruler maintains the stability of towns and villages. Witnessed by the sacred kapok tree, they established a presbytery of Covenant, through negotiation to decide clan affairs. And such a loose and peculiar system has been in operation for three or four hundred years, and it was like this in the Mayapan era.”

Priest Tommat scratched his head and wrote another comment.

"The Presbyterian Church, the Kapok Code, and decision-making through consultation. This kind of system seems to have originated from the Presbyterian Church within the city-state, but it has risen to the union of multiple city-states. I think this system is extremely stable, and the key lies in the code. "

The Mayan merchant Tikalo sat next to him, and then from the corner of the bonfire, he peeked at the writing of the priest Tomat. Seeing the final evaluation, he smiled inwardly.

"What stable system, what key code? It's just that in the Kanur clan, there has not been a god-born leader like the ancestor Cocom, who can unify everyone!"

Priest Tomat thought for a while, then looked at Chief Mozi again, asked some details about the Shiu family, and wrote again.

"The Shiu family leads the Tutulsh tribe, from the ruined central Maya. The meaning of their name is 'those full of virtue'. Therefore, they can be called the Shiumeid clan."

Seeing the last sentence, a mocking smile appeared on Tikalo's face. They rebelled against the king, slaughtered the royal family, sacked the capital, and led savage tribes to invade. What a clan of 'virtue'!

"Their history can be traced back to seven hundred years ago. The first capital they established was Uxmal, the current capital is Mani, and they also occupy the capital of Mayapan. They have a supreme clan leader () , in charge of the city-states and armies of the clan. This clan with a long history is obviously more centralized, united from top to bottom, and is the most powerful force in the northern Yucatan Peninsula!"

"The Xiumeide family is located inland, two hundred miles from east to west, and two hundred miles from north to south. With a radius of two hundred miles, it is the most prosperous place in the lowland Maya. With the wealth of the territory, they established two legions, one in the east. Alert the Kapoor clan and suppress the Kanur guardian clan in the west. According to estimates, they should have around 15,000 warriors, directly or indirectly controlling a population of 400,000-500,000..."

Tikalo looked at it for a while, and was silent. Priest Tommat lowered his head to write, not caring about the mood of the translation. He thought for a moment and wrote the summary again.

"However, they are also in trouble. During the overthrow of Mayapan, many battles broke out around the capital, destroying the canals around Mayapan and reducing food production. Then, they fought with the Kanur clan in the west, The Kapoor clan is hostile, and the food consumption has always been very large. During the looting of the Pudun clan, the food obtained in the Shiu territory was far less than that in the Kanur territory. This is proof. And the generals of the Shiu clan have more For cunning, it is far more swift and flexible than the Kanur Presbyterian Church. Therefore, the Pudun tribe prefers to loot the territory of the Kanur clan."

"Generally speaking, the Xiu family is located inland, does not control the coastline, and has no direct stake in the kingdom's fleet. They are powerful, but they are surrounded by enemies on both sides and food is in short supply, so the situation is not very good. With a consistent and flexible style of behavior, it is unlikely to take the initiative to be hostile to the kingdom fleet. And for the fleet, there is no need to take the initiative to provoke the powerful Xiu family..."

Seeing this, Ticarlo turned his head and gritted his teeth.

Sure enough, as he expected, the attitude of the kingdom fleet towards the Xiu family was destined to remain neutral. Neither the chief priest Tomat, who is familiar with politics, nor the cautious captain Chihuaco would take the initiative to attack the Shiu family. And the cunning and forbearing Xiu family will definitely not be rashly hostile...

"Hehehe! Destiny, after all, it's up to people!..."

The morning sun cast a shimmer, and the sky gradually became brighter. Priest Tommat closed the book, looked east, and prayed silently.

"Praise the supreme god! Please bless us! The kingdom fleet will go all the way east, and will not be too entangled with the Mayan city-states. We will definitely reach the Snake Island in the East China Sea and establish the kingdom's outpost!"

The sun rises, and the light comes. The golden light entered the eyes of the priest, like the majesty and promise of the Lord God.

After a while, Priest Tomat stood up and formally bid farewell to Chief Mozi. He hadn't slept all night, still full of energy, and his eyes were shining.

"Goodbye, Brother Moqi! The Lord God witnesses, we will meet again! Please believe that the friendship of the kingdom will be like the rising sun in the east, and it will continue to bring you real light!"

"Okay! Praise the Lord God, praise the ancestors! Brother Moqi, bring a hundred tribal warriors and go on the road early!"

Chief Mozi nodded solemnly. He glanced at the twenty pairs of leather armor, one hundred copper axes, and six hundred copper spears on the coast, and the corners of his mouth twitched in satisfaction. And one hundred tribal warriors had already been selected and handed over to the kingdom fleet. All of them have no family burden, and from now on, they are the people of the Menghu tribe.

"We Puton people have a proverb, "If you climb a high hill, you will naturally see where you come from!"

Chief Mozi stretched out his fist and once again collided with Priest Tomat's palm. At this time, there was already a strong fighting intent in his eyes.

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"Testimony from the Lord God, the Shortspear tribe will soon go on an expedition. Brother Moqi, I wish you a smooth journey to Snake Island! When we meet again, I look forward to more weapons and armors!"

"Okay! With the blessing of the Lord God, you will be invincible by the grace of the Lord God!"

The red sun is rising, and its path is bright. The morning farewell was not a bit sad, but full of hope. The Kingdom's fleet unloaded a ship of weapons, loaded a hundred pton soldiers, and replenished enough food and water. Then, the fleet set sail again, heading for Jin Snake City, one hundred and sixty miles north.

March sailed north, against the wind, and with no current to help. The fleet maintained their physical strength and was slow and slow. It took more than three days to arrive at the "place of snakes and ticks", the area of ​​Jinshecheng (KaanPeech).

The location of this city-state is approximately near the city of Campeche in Mexico. When the fleet arrived here, the surrounding forests became dense again, turning into a hilly rainforest. Near the coast, there are many smaller lakes and lagoons.

"Crabs, oysters, turtles, prawns and storks... all can be stewed or grilled!"

Didi was drooling, counting the game near the lagoon. He didn't quite recognize it, but next to him was the Silver Crow Warrior Osprey, who grew up by the sea, and he was eager to try it.

"How can the warriors on the seashore not eat delicious perch and hunt fierce little sharks? Although the sea is full of deserts, this part of the coastal waters is really fertile!"

Rainfall rains form turbulent rivers and also bring nutrients to the soil. There are many seaweeds along the coast, which will naturally attract a large number of fish and shrimp. Although the mountain bird of the Yorem tribe did not know the reason, he could clearly see that the seaside here was more fertile than the coasts of the northern tribes.

"City! A small town!"

Shan Bird squinted his eyes, and was the first to discover the trace of Jin Snake City. He waved the flag and shouted, and everyone heard the sound.

"Huh? This city is bigger than Prairie City, and it uses a lot of stones."

The old militiaman Chiwako looked at it for a while and pondered in his heart. The Jin Snake City here is controlled by the Jin Snake clan and is familiar with Tikalo's business group.

"Old man Qi? Are we going to stop to resupply?"

Puap put on a bronze armor, held a bronze spear, and looked vigilantly at the city-state by the sea. There are two small rivers around the city-state, and there are canoes for trade. But in general, compared with the trade node Red Lake Town, it is far worse.

"Well, let me think about it..."

The old militiaman touched his chin and looked at the Mayan merchant Tikalo. Tikalo had a smile on his face, vaguely looking forward to it. Seeing this, the old militia made a decision.

"There is enough water on board, we won't get off the boat to supply! Well, let Priest Tommat row a small boat, meet the local god-born nobles, send two bags of gems, and talk about that prophecy. Tonight, or at most tomorrow In the morning, let's go!"

Then, the old militiaman patted Tikalo on the shoulder and cared kindly.

"Tikalo, you were a little frightened and tired in the Shortspear Tribe. Have a good rest these days... Let the translator under your command go with Priest Tomat!"

"...Listen to you, Captain Chiwaco."

Tikalo pursed his lips, remained silent for a few breaths, and responded with a smile. All the way north, he got closer and closer to his hometown, and the old militia Chihuaco became more and more vigilant. No matter where he goes, there will be two Prepecha warriors by his side, "protecting" close to him.

"What a vigilant old turtle! ... Next, what should I do?"

The Mayan merchant looked at the city-state by the sea, with no waves or anxiety on his face. He watched Priest Tommat hold a stack of scriptures, put on several sun talismans, and boarded the boat with enthusiasm with several guarded warriors.

The boat rowed to the shore, and the group went ashore and entered the city. Then, Priest Tomat said something to the Mayan warriors guarding the city, and some people left in a hurry. After another quarter of an hour, several god-born nobles with the face of gods rushed over and led Priest Tomat into the palace, completely disappearing from everyone's sight.

Seven long ships were docked by the sea, and outside this remote town, they attracted the attention of many people. Soon, there were more than a dozen canoes, under the guard of the kingdom's warriors, tentatively approached. When he got close, listening to the shouts of the Maya on the boat, a smile appeared on Tikalo's face.

"Dear Captain Chiwako, the boaters are Mayan villagers along the coast. They want to sell some local products to the boat."

"What, native products?"

"Yes! Mostly fruits, dried fruits, vegetables, fish and shrimp, and sometimes shells, dried fish, cinnabar, and unknown beautiful stones."

Chiwako frowned slightly, looking at the villagers on the boat with simple faces and full of expectation, and then looking at the Mayan merchant Tikalo with a gentle smile next to him, and asked suspiciously.

"Why do they approach and sell to us?"

"Because, our fleet is very rich at first sight. And they are forced by the annual tribute, and they must work hard to earn some wealth."

Tikalo touched the divine bald head and spoke with emotion.

"Captain Qi, the Mayan tribes in the north are extremely saturated. The land belongs to the gods, nobles and priests who are blessed by the gods. Every village has to pay extremely high tribute. The villagers have limited land and have always had a tradition of heavy commerce. For these coastal villagers, many people do not have land, and they just farm for the nobles in exchange for some food at the mouth of the lake. Therefore, to foreign fleets, selling some local products that cannot be sold locally may be The only way for them to make ends meet."

Seeing that Chiwako's eyes were still suspicious, Tikalo smiled and pointed at the necks of those villagers.

"Look, what are the talismans on their necks engraved on?"

"Um?"

Chiwako narrowed his eyes and looked from a distance for a while, surprise on his face. He stretched out his hand to grab the mountain bird, and let the other party look carefully for a while.

"Captain, the talisman around their necks draws a strange woman! That woman has a long loop around her neck, her eyes are tightly closed, and her upper body is dark..."

Shan Bird scratched his head, his eyelids twitched, feeling very unlucky.

"It's really weird! It's like drawing a hanging woman!"

"Yes! This is the goddess of hanging, the goddess of suicide, Ixtab! She was hanged by herself with a rope around her neck. The blackness on her body symbolizes a rotting corpse. The goddess is one of the few gods belonging to the common people, and also gave the villagers a smooth way to enter the realm of the gods."

Mayan merchant Tikalo spoke quietly, telling the true cruelty.

"In the Mayan tribes, there are only a few ways to go to the beautiful world of gods after death. Among them, the same as the various tribes in Mexica, warriors who died in battle, women who gave birth and died, and sacrifices offered can all go straight to the gods. The world...but beyond that, there is a method that ranks first, is simpler, and is encouraged by the godborn. This method is often used by the poor, old and poor commoners!"

"What? You... you mean?..."

"Yes, it's suicide!"

Tikallo smiled slyly, nodding for sure.

"These commoners believe in Isitab, the goddess of suicide, and wear the amulet of the goddess. When they are over 30 years old, they are gradually unable to work, and their livelihoods are even more difficult... They will choose a holy one on an auspicious day. The kapok tree. Then, they will go to the priest of the goddess of suicide, borrow the rope of divinity, and fasten the rope to the tree... From then on, they will cut themselves off and go to the kingdom of God!"

"But sometimes, there are too many old people going to the kingdom of God in auspicious days, and they have to share a rope with many people. The person in front has just hanged, and the person behind can't wait to take him down and replace him. No, I haven't died, I have to ask someone to help me and hang myself again..."

"hiss!"

Hearing this, the old militiaman Chiwako gasped a few breaths. He turned his head again and looked at the Suicide Goddess Amulet on the necks of the civilians, and his eyes gradually revealed unbearable.

"This!... These commoners, haven't they thought about rebelling against the tribute imposed on them?"

"Haha! The revered gods rule all the land, they are the blood of the gods, and they have the face of the gods! These obedient commoners obey the traditional order and are located in the lower ranks for generations. For thousands of years, it has been so! They have long been accustomed to regard themselves as butterflies that live and die in spring and autumn, and the gods and nobles are the kapok that have been around for years. Butterflies will only surround kapok, and even die on the tree, how can they resist?"

Tikalo smiled and shook his head. In fact, before he left the Mayan tribes and went to the Mexican plateau, he once thought that this kind of god-descendant, lowly, and stable rule of the mortals was the will of the gods and the law of the world.

"What's more, facing the direct management of various nobles, facing the powerful family warriors, these commoners have no ability to resist!"

"...Hey!"

The old militiaman Chiwako was silent for a long time before he let out a long sigh. He lowered his eyes, turned around, waved his hand lightly, and left a message for Ticarlo. UU reading www.uukanshu.com

"Tikalo, let's change it! The native products of these villagers, the fleet... can be considered as a need, and you can give some more goods."

"Listen to you, Captain!"

Ticarlo bowed his head respectfully, the corners of his mouth raised again. Then, he was methodical, using the local Mayan language to trade with the villagers.

The sun is getting dark, the sky and the earth are drowsy, and then the night is getting darker. Priest Tomat sent the messenger back, saying that he was warmly received by the other goddess, and that he would spend the night in the palace and tell the doctrine of the Lord God.

Seven long ships were moored by the sea, and the villagers came and went, left and returned, and even brought back more small boats. Chiwako looked out, and his emotions were complicated and unspeakable. In the city in the distance, there are aristocrats of gods who feast and sing and dance endlessly. Near the boat, there are poor villagers who are struggling to survive and yearn for suicide. And this is the lowland Mayan society, which has remained unchanged for thousands of years.

It was not until the morning of the second day, during the long-distance delivery of the Jin Snake Gods, that Priest Tomat returned with satisfaction, and the kingdom fleet set sail again. A new journey begins again. The next target is the Salt Village, which is nearly three hundred miles away, belonging to the Kanur Guardian Clan.