Aztec Eternals

Chapter 74: Epilogue 1482 AD - Discovery of Congo

In late August, 1482 AD, the Gulf of Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean.

When Shulot took the boat division and just landed in the south of Hilotepec City. Thousands of miles away in the far east, seven Calavia sailboats have just crossed the equator. With the strength of the southeast trade wind, they sailed persistently southward against the weak warm current of the Gulf of Guinea.

These Calavia sailboats are about 20 to 30 meters in length, 6 to 9 meters in width, and have a length-to-width ratio of about 3.5:1. At this ratio, the balance of the boat is extremely high, and the speed and maneuverability are relatively suitable. The sailboat weighed about fifty tons, had only a single deck, and was equipped with two masts on which were hung the jibs commonly found in the Mediterranean.

At this moment, under the mild monsoon, the sails of the Calavia sailboat are slightly opened, and the small boats are driven southward at a medium speed of 4 knots, which can run 7.4 kilometers per hour. If the wind is strong enough, the nimble boat can even go to an astonishing 8 to 9 knots.

This kind of ship was a powerful weapon of the pioneering Portuguese kingdom, and was widely used in offshore and mid-sea exploration. From the North Atlantic to the South Atlantic, from the island of Santa Cruz off the coast of Portugal to San Antonio in the Gulf of Guinea, the Caravia sails all the way to the south, looking for the way to the fertile East, and for the kingdom of the legendary and mighty King John .

The same is true for the fleet in front of them. They have just crossed Cape Lopez near the equator, and are continuing southward, looking for new land and sea. And at the top of the masts of the seven sailing ships, the flag of the Portuguese royal family is flying high.

The center of the flag is a blue cross on a white background. The blue cross consists of five groups of eleven ratios arranged in a shield shape. These proportions, which look like silver coins, symbolize the initially independent Kingdom of Portugal, which has the right to issue its own currency.

The outer circle of the flag is a green pattern of Awish cross, plus twelve neatly arranged yellow castles. The Awish cross symbolizes the founder of the Awish dynasty, King John I the Great. He inherited the kingdom as the leader of the Knights of Awish. The yellow castle symbolizes the kingdoms of Portugal and Castile, the once closely related common ancestor.

The equatorial sun, with warm trade winds, shines on the largest sailboats. Although early artillery guns were widely used on the battlefield to drive out the Moors, the exploratory ship was not loaded. Exploration ships are not designed for combat, and the tonnage on them is very limited, leaving room for more food and water.

In front of the deck of the sailboat, a middle-aged white man with a gloomy complexion was standing at the bow, silently watching the sea and sky in the distance. He wears a flat captain's cap, a silver God's Cross necklace around his neck, a neat red and blue captain's suit, and a ceremonial saber around his waist. Even in the hot tropics, he still tightly fastened his neckline, cuffs and trouser legs, and the tie around his waist made him stand tall and straight, and looked forward meticulously.

Behind the captain is the busy crew, and every once in a while, sailors climb the high mast to observe the distant coastline.

On this two-masted sailing ship, the main mast is at the front, and the height is about 18 meters, and the auxiliary mast is at the rear, and the height is about 15 meters. On a sunny deck, a good sailor can see more than 30 kilometers, and every two meters of mast climbed can see about an additional kilometer. Therefore, without a telescope, the ship's farthest viewing distance is more than 40 kilometers.

This exploring fleet has always maintained a safe distance within 40 kilometers from the coastline, along the edge of the wild jungles of the West African continent, insisting on exploring south.

A dozen meters behind the captain, under the shadow of the mast, a handsome young man was sweating profusely. He took off his noble hat, undid his neckline, and wiped the sweat from his brow. Then he quietly took out a kettle and took a sip of water mixed with wine.

"Aha! Senior sailor Bruno Kang, how dare you steal alcohol!" A short-haired sailor suddenly appeared behind the young man in Chinese clothing. The sailor was lean and strong, and his face was tanned. He was only wearing a sailor's tunic, with a Moorish machete pinned to his waist. At this moment, his eyes widened and he shouted in a low voice.

"Shh, be quiet. Paul, senior sailor! Do you want the respected Captain Diogo Kang to find out. This damned weather." Startled by Paul, Bruno wiped the sweat from his face again.

"Then let me drink a little too. Come on, give me a taste, we've been on the boat for two weeks! Foda-se! (Fxxk means) The sun is almost roasting me, and it's only you The noble children can still drink a little."

Paul's eyes only stared at the kettle, and he couldn't help reaching out.

"Okay, let me give you a taste... Damn, enough, enough, don't drink it! I only have half the pot."

"Ah, Foda-se! Praise the Virgin. I finally tasted the wine again." Paul finally poured the pitcher vigorously, licked the water droplets at the mouth of the pot, and reminisced.

"Damn it!" Bruno grabbed the empty kettle back and shook it, but there was no sound of water. Portugal's unique melancholy hit instantly, and his heart was haggard in an instant.

"Tenhosaudades! I miss it! Losing you makes me so sad."

Paul grinned beside him and laughed. He wrapped his arms around Bruno's shoulders and shook the young man's body vigorously.

"I said, Brother Bruno, you should learn from the captain. Take a look at the captain's expression and movements." Said, the senior sailor Paul pursed his lips in the direction of the bow.

"Looking at those melancholy eyes, a deep face, and a slightly sad mood, he's really a perfect Portuguese man. If my sister is not married, I will give my sister to the captain. She will be crazy!"

"What you think is beautiful! The respected Captain Diogo Kang is the illegitimate son of the royal noble Lord Gonçalves Kang. He is a true descendant of the nobles, how could he marry a commoner girl without a surname!"

Paul pouted, he also knew that this was unrealistic. "Aren't you also a noble with a surname, why do you mix with a commoner like me?"

"How can we compare?" Bruno Kang smiled helplessly, "Although we are all a family, my grandfather died in the war with the Moors long ago, and my father was also a poor illegitimate child. . All my possessions, that is, this set of clothes handed down by my grandfather. By the way, let go! Don't damage my clothes."

"Well, then if my sister isn't married, it's not bad for me to marry her to you. You're actually okay. By the way, she's very good-looking!" Paul said in a low voice after seeing Bruno.

Bruno was stunned for a moment, and seemed to be tempted for a moment. Immediately, he looked suspiciously at Paul's stout face: "Your sister looks like you?"

"How is that possible! She is the most beautiful girl in Faro on the south coast. Of course, she has a little Moorish blood like me."

Bruno rubbed his bearded chin with his hand. He did not rule out the Moorish appearance, but felt that he was more refined than the rough Iberian girls.

"Damn, but you said just now that she's married!?"

"Yes, she is married, married to a blacksmith in a small town, and has two children. A boy and a girl."

"Then what else are you talking about!" Bruno glared angrily.

"Alas, Foda-se! Dead, all dead. There were wars a few years ago, and then the Black Death spread to the South. My sister's husband died, my nephew died, my niece died, all died. My sister survived. Tenhosaudades! I miss those two kids." Paul sighed, the fierce sailor's expression heavy.

Thinking of the terrifying Black Death, the waves that harvested life again and again. The two were silent for a while. They all had their familiar relatives dead in it, and all Europeans had familiar relatives who died in it!

They invariably immersed themselves in the most common sadness of the Portuguese.

"Blessed Mother of Mercy! Tenhosaudades!" Bruno crossed and asked instead. "How is your sister now?"

"Foda-se! She's wearing a black veil all day now, hiding in the town home by herself, and doesn't go out to meet people. I'm a little worried, thinking it would be better to marry her." Sorrow.

"Hiding in a town alone!? Be careful." Bruno was also worried about Paul's sister.

"The Inquisition is catching witches everywhere. A single woman like this, whose husband and child are dead and alive, can easily be targeted by the Inquisition! In case a neighbor reports it and provokes the mad dogs of the Inquisition, she is the Almighty Lord. I can't save her either, and she will definitely be burned at the stake."

Thinking of the cruelty of the Inquisition, they both shuddered and fell silent together.

After a while, Bruno suggested.

"I live in a civilian area of ​​the capital, Lisbon. The capital is a big city of 70,000 people! People come and go every day, and merchants from various kingdoms are everywhere. People don't know each other and don't care about each other. Save more for this expedition. For a little money, buy a house near my house and move your sister over to live with me. I can take care of you too."

"Haha, Brother Bruno, just wait for your words! Don't worry, I've been saving money for a long time."

The tough sailor Paul grinned widely, revealing a bright smile. He patted the machete at his waist, and took out two **** gold bracelets from his arms.

"When I first arrived on the Gold Coast, I saw that the local indigenous people had a lot of gold. At that time, the fleet's schedule was tight, and there was no time. When we stopped in Ghana and built Elmina Castle, I I went out with the sailors and slaughtered two villages of the natives, who are much weaker than the Moors!"

"Look at these two big golden bracelets, which are in the hands of the highest-ranking old woman in the indigenous village. As soon as everyone passed by, I saw it at a glance. When I rushed up, I took two sharp knives and chopped off everything that was in the way. None of the other sailors could rob me!" Paul continued to grin.

Hearing this sentence, Bruno was a little shocked. He asked eagerly, "Is there a way to escape? We haven't established a firm foothold on the Gold Coast yet, so don't attract powerful tribes."

"Foda-se! How is it possible. It's not the first time to work as a novice, the guys are already very skilled. The old and the young are dead and alive, even a chicken can't escape, and they all pile up together in the end. Burn the fire!" Paul's face was still bright.

Bruno breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. Anyway, the Pope also said that a dead pagan is a good pagan, and killing is also a contribution to God."

Then Bruno looked at the golden bracelet in Paul's hand, and the greedy light of gold reflected in his pupils.

"Is this real gold? So big?"

"Really, I've tried it for a long time. When I go back, I'll take my sister to Lisbon to find you and buy a new big house." Paul simply smiled, looking forward to a better life in the future.

"Tenhosaudades! I miss you! I missed the chance to get rich!" Bruno fell into sincere sadness again. Immediately, he thought of something and looked at Paul eagerly.

"When you go back, if you want to go out again, be sure to call me with you!"

"Okay, Brother Bruno, as long as you marry my sister, we are a family. Let's find the black natives to make a fortune together!" Paul gave Bruno a brotherly hug.

"To serve God together. The merciful Mother of God bless us!" Bruno made another cross.

After talking about the plan to make a fortune together, the atmosphere between the two is obviously a lot warmer.

Bruno remembered what he saw in the capital, and decided to share it with his future wife and brother.

"Some time ago, a lot of foreigners gathered near the King's Sintra Palace."

"Some time ago? The old king died, and the new king is on the throne!" Paul thought for a while, and he heard other sailors say it.

"Yes. The noble King Alfonso V has returned to the kingdom of the Lord, and the merciful Joao II has just ascended the throne. Joao II is really a great man like Prince Enrique, and this voyage is his sponsorship. Under the will of the Pope and the king, the honorable head of Diogo Kang is looking for a way to the east, finding the kingdom of the mighty King John, and attacking the evil Ottomans."

Bruno's face is full of yearning for heroes and kings.

"Bah. Foda-se! It's ok to go to King John, the priest said that it is the land of milk and honey. But the fools went back and fought the fierce Ottomans. Since the Ottomans encountered once during the raid in North Africa , I don't want to see them again in my life." Paul's fierce face was full of fear.

"The Ottomans are so powerful? We Portuguese are never afraid of the enemy, and the independence of the kingdom comes from fearless battles!" Bruno was obviously not convinced.

"Let's put it this way, the Ottoman army is not much harder to kill us than we kill these black natives. Boundless cavalry, continuous infantry, thousands of artillery, and new arquebuses. If our ships run fast, Everyone has to stay by the sea in North Africa." Paul sighed, expressing his sincere emotion for the power of the Ottomans.

"Oh, but to be honest, these black natives are not easy to deal with. Iron weapons, war elephants and cavalry, as well as terrifying jungles and diseases, I don't know what's going on, and people will be gone. If only I could meet a tribe richer and weaker than the black natives!"

"Foda-se! So we can send them all to hell, burn them all down, and then have a good time!"

Paul's eyes were full of desire for wealth. As for the life of the pagans, the pious believers only look at their suffering and laugh!

Bruno pouted, he felt that Paul lacked heroism. Then the topic changed: "This time the merciful Joao II ascended the throne, and the Spaniards also sent messengers to congratulate him."

"Bah, Castilians are bulls who are in heat at any time. The Moors won't last long, and the court in Madrid has long been prepared. This bull can't find any other target, and now he is watching the kingdom and drooling. Foda-se! They are our greatest threat!"

"Alas, the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon have long been merged, and now they are called Spain, Espana, a country with wealth and minerals." Bruno's noble surname gave him the opportunity to get in touch with more knowledge.

"Bah, Foda-seaovelha, Espanhol! The Spaniards of the Sheep!"

"Oh my God... nobles and commoners are always two completely different species, and they are destined from blood!" Bruno thought faintly.

Due to the legacy of Prince Enrique, there are always a large number of children of minor nobles in the Portuguese expedition team. In fact, among the navies of various countries, the Portuguese fleet was the most implicit and civilized at this time. It is difficult for people in later generations to imagine what kind of **** the demons danced around in the Spanish expedition team composed of purely social scum.

No Portuguese can ignore the threat of Spain, and cursing Spain is also a common pleasure for everyone. The two scolded softly for a while before Bruno continued to talk about some novel insights.

"After the merciful John II came to the throne, a rogue sailor named Columbus came from the commercial city-state. This guy heard that the king supported sailing, and repeatedly wanted to see the king, saying that he wanted to sail to the west and reach India!"

"Ha, he must have been drinking too much, and his mouth is full of lies. Columbus? No surname, Foda-se! Still a commoner?!" Although he had never met Columbus, this did not prevent Paul from hating the city-state.

"Yes. I heard that he was the son of a wool weaver in a commercial city-state, a rogue who had been on the ship for many years, a captain without a ship, and a smuggler who had no goods. He didn't know where he heard that the world was round, and he asked the king to help him. Head west into the depths of the Atlantic and find your way to India and China."

Bruno joked that this city-state rogue is one of the sources of everyone's joy in life.

"Ha, Foda-se! People in commercial city-states are Satan believers who sell their souls to the devil. They are demons who hoard food, keep prices down, and lend usury everywhere! They should be sent to the stake at the Inquisition!"

Bruno agreed ~www.readwn.com~ This person is just a rhetorical hooligan. We Portuguese are silent and practical people, and we don't like this kind of talkative bully all the time. The nobles of Sintra Palace simply ignored him and let him go! "

Paul laughed too, he took the pose of a captain staring at the sea and the sky, and shouted softly.

"Foda-se! Tenhosaudades! I miss you! Where are you, King John."

At this moment, the sailor on the mast suddenly shouted: "The sea in front has changed color, there is a freshwater estuary!"

Diogo Kang, who was as sullen as a sculpture, suddenly came to life: "The fleet turns left and leans towards the coast! Captain, distribute weapons! Sailors of all levels are ready for battle!"

Bruno and Paul immediately stopped talking, and both the noble sailor and the commoner sailor showed the agility of the old fur seal at the same time.

They took the machete, the steel crossbow and the arquebus, grabbed the rope between the boats, with a strong murderous intent on their faces, ready for everything.

In less than two hours, a mighty long river appeared in front of everyone. The width of the long river is a full ten kilometers wide, and it is impossible to see the edge at a glance. It came mighty from the depths of the jungle, surging into the sea. At the end of the river is the open floodplain plain, and a few smokes are rising from distant villages.

"Such a big river! Where is this big river? Have you heard any rumors about it?" Captain Diogo Kang strode forward and grabbed the Feng translator who had been converted to God on the Gold Coast a few years ago. Serious and eager inquiry.

The dark-skinned indigenous translator thought hard for a long time before stammering and answering in the newly learned Portuguese.

"There is a huge and very long river, only the legendary Zaire River! NzadiKongo!

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