Chapter 107 The King and the Businessman, the Young Man and His Old Friend
Following Shulot's eloquent suggestion, the temple became silent for a moment, and even the curl of smoke disappeared silently.
The capital elder leaned forward slightly and quietly extinguished the divine smoke in his hand. Then he stretched out his hand to straighten his clothes, and half of the divine smoke disappeared from his sleeve. Then, the elder's face twitched slightly. As soon as the divine smoke was extinguished, the embers were still hot and fell into
The clothes felt so sour and refreshing. He endured the pain and said nothing. He just looked at the majestic high priest and Shulot who was saluting, and thought secretly in his heart.
The high priest nodded in approval and looked around.
"The part about commercial taxes in the religious law has not yet been determined. Although Priest Shulot's suggestions are quite insightful, they still need to be discussed one by one and improved."
The priests and elders also nodded in response. Since the high priest had set the tone of approval, no one publicly objected. Everyone adjusted their posture, sat in a circle solemnly, and discussed each item.
The various tribes in Central America are in dispute and the states are in opposition. The city-states have always been loose, and there is no authoritarian government to control them to form a unified market. Big businessmen earn huge profit differences among the various tribes, so they grow bigger. They often spend a lot of money, and the rich
One side even hired hundreds of warriors.
However, although the merchants are rich, they are still a weak and uninfluenced ruled class, just crops waiting to be harvested. Nobles of all sizes are eyeing the merchants, taking what they want. If the time is right, some big nobles will even collude with each other.
Hire warriors and send troops to plunder the caravans, leaving no one alive.
In city-states, big merchants were strictly limited in the amount of land they could own and the level of clothing. The loyalty of hired warriors was limited. Big merchants needed to pay tribute to a lot of property in exchange for the protection of the local rulers.
The elders in the temple have received generous gifts from the merchants, but no one speaks for them at this time. To the magnificent priest tree, merchants are just tiny insects. In the sacred hall, Shulot proposed reforming the business law.
When trying to restrain low-status businessmen, they encountered no resistance from the elders.
Unifying market regulations, managing currency and weights and measures, managing market prices, and controlling strategic materials are the proper meanings. There have been similar discussions in the past, but there was a lack of writing and manpower, so there were only a few executors.
The elders first briefly discussed the currency exchange ratio, stipulating the standard number of cocoa beans, the length of cotton cloth and the weight of gold sand. Then they decided to send low-level priests to manage the salt mining near the capital and collect tin mines from the southern city-state of Mexica.
tribute, and then levied in-kind taxes on copper mine merchants. Finally, more judges were dispatched to restrict the sale of weapons and equipment.
The control of luxury goods has not caused too many waves. Mexico's society is highly hierarchical, advocating abstinence and restraint, and attaches great importance to farming and warfare. Warriors and civilians should not overstep their hierarchy and engage in expensive luxury consumption. The imposition of luxury goods tax will increase income.
, it just needs to send out valuable talents who are proficient in mathematics.
When it came to controlling the sacred smoke, the capital elder who had been smoking made a slight gesture, and the other capital elder spoke in a deep voice.
"The sacred smoke is a medium for gods to communicate with people. It can listen to the voice of gods and can also treat physical diseases. Warriors do not need to communicate with gods and can prohibit it. But for priests, maybe there is no..."
The high priest's majestic eyes looked over, with great pressure in his calmness.
The capital elder who spoke made eye contact, paused, and then continued: "Maybe it is not unreasonable."
The high priest nodded and made a direct decision: "There are many ways to treat diseases. The sacred smoke will damage vitality, so be careful to add herbs to it. No matter what you do in private, priests are not allowed to smoke the sacred smoke in places where everyone gathers. Violation will occur once.
Confiscation, two whippings, three demotions!"
The priests and elders all solemnly bowed and accepted the order. Shulot thought for a moment that his grandfather's law seemed to have deep meaning and could be used to clean up the inflated local priesthood in the future.
"Manage foreign merchants, cancel their autonomy rights, and at the same time protect the safety of merchants. If necessary, send out troops to conquer the 'bandits' along the way!"
Thulot repeated the last piece of advice again. He emphasized it on "bandits."
Hearing this, all the elders made eye contact. After a moment, an elder from the Holy City hesitated slightly and asked a question.
"Where will the army be mobilized to conquer the bandits?"
"Deploy the temple guards!" Shulot said decisively.
"We need to expand the size of the temple guards, set up garrisons at important passage nodes, and collect commercial taxes to maintain them. These temple guards are an extension of the will and actions of the priesthood. They not only maintain trade routes and fight against ordinary bandits, but also
Crack down on all the 'bandits' who dare to stop the priest's actions in the local area!"
Everyone's hearts trembled. In the name of maintaining business roads, the temple force was sent to the place. The purpose was self-evident. They looked at the high priest together.
The high priest pondered for a moment, remembering the cleanup in Texcoco not long ago. His murderous intention flashed away, and then he nodded slowly with no expression on his face.
"Very good. The Lord God is omnipotent, and His majesty cannot be offended. Regardless of status, those who disobey will be washed away with the holy blood!"
The priests and elders remained silent. The elders of the Holy City were the first to bow and accept the order. The elders of the capital city hesitated for a moment and then bowed to accept the order.
The following meeting seemed very calm. The elders set a goal to first double the capital temple guard to 4,000 people. Then they sent envoys to communicate with the king and asked the royal family's direct warriors to help fight against the bandits. Afterwards, everyone continued to discuss the religion.
Legal details.
When the sun went down, the meeting ended. The elders said goodbye and left, taking important news with them in a hurry.
High Priest Shuter once again touched the boy's head. He looked at Shen Yi's boy with relief and said, "My child, you are too reckless. I should be the one to say the last thing."
Shulot shook his head and looked at his grandfather firmly.
"The eagle must fly in the sky and face the wind and rain! I can't hide in the sacred tree and rely on you."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! The high priest smiled appreciatively. Then he called Bertard, doubled the boy's bodyguards, and was not allowed to go out alone in the future.
Two more days passed. The commercial law had not yet been fully agreed upon, and even the price reference map had not been completed. In the afternoon of that day, a businessman came to visit, offering New Year gifts and asking to see His Holiness.
Nothing happened today. Hulot was practicing longbow with Bertard. Tens of meters apart, his arrows hit the huge human-shaped wooden target with a normal distribution. Next to him, the sharpshooter
Bertard kept a kind smile and did not comment on his master's shooting skills.
After listening to the guard's report, the young man waved his hand. At this time, the businessman came to visit. The purpose was unclear, but he was really well-informed. He asked the guard to go and inform.
"The high priest has not returned yet. If there is nothing important, he will not see the guests."
After a while, the guard hurried over again and replied respectfully.
"Your Highness, the businessman outside the door said that he is an old acquaintance of you. At the same time, he also presented many gifts. Here is the list."
As he said that, the guard handed over a wooden board, which was full of patterns. Papermaking has just been applied, and writing is still being taught. Both paper and writing are still far away from being popularized, and wooden board graphics are still standard.
Shulot took the wooden board and browsed it quickly and casually. Clothes painted with feathers, bright gold and silver, strange fruits and flowers, long-haired slaves whose gender could not be distinguished... His eyes were on the golden
The ax stayed on the head, a golden new bronze weapon?
Hulot pondered slightly, with some curiosity in his heart. He handed the wooden plank and long bow to the guard, and took Bertard to the gate to see his so-called old friend.
Arriving at the front yard, a strange-looking businessman appeared in front of him from a distance. He had a round fat face, a slender head, tall feathers, and hanging silver ornaments. Shulot was slightly startled, this Mayan businessman
It does look a bit familiar.
Seeing Shulot approaching, the Mayan merchant looked carefully for a moment, comparing the young boy in his memory with the resolute warrior in front of him. Then, he smiled sincerely.
"Your Highness! Your most loyal old friend, the nobleman Tikalo of Tuturciu, salutes you! We met in the market of Metztitlan. At that time, you and the Oros warrior chief returned from hunting, and I
We are also preparing to treat you to the best divine smoke."
Xiulote recalled for a moment, and finally matched the Tikalo in front of him with the profiteer in Orosh's mouth. They were really old acquaintances!
He smiled slightly and nodded to Ti Carlo. Then he asked with a smile.
"Ti Carlo, how did you end up in Tenochtitlan? How did you know that I live here?"
Tikalo had a sincere and friendly smile.
"Your Highness, we Mayan merchants live in the open and live in the open, walking among the city-states. Delivering the goods people need in time to their hands, earning a negligible reward for our hard work. I have been in the capital for several months, and I have heard this everywhere."
The illustrious name of His Highness the Revealed One.
His Highness invented stone-throwing beasts and huge bows and arrows, and revealed wisdom. He was the former chief commander of the Zhenzhan Rebellion, and his bravery was extraordinary. He also recently invented writing and participated in the compilation of laws. He is a great figure who will inherit the Alliance. Who doesn't know this? Who else doesn't know this?
Don’t admire?
As the New Year is approaching, our Mayan business group got together and specially prepared a gift for the great His Highness. When everyone talked about His Highness's life, I realized that I was lucky enough to become an old acquaintance of His Highness. The business group asked me to be a representative.
I take the liberty of visiting you and dedicating my congratulatory gift to you! Please don’t mind the meager gift and accept our admiration.”
Hulot looked at Ti Carlo's bright smile, then looked at the bundles of feathered clothing, boxes of gold, silver and gems, hundreds of fragrant fruits and flowers, and dozens of graceful slave girls in the front yard. He
I pondered in my heart.
"With such a generous gift, the request is definitely not small, and it must be related to commercial law. But commercial law is related to state affairs, and there is not much room for discussion."
Hulot looked at the last wooden basket again, and Tikalo confidently opened the curtain, revealing dozens of golden bronze battle axes. The young man stared at it for a long time, and this was the gift that really touched him.
"This is a cunning big businessman who will be beneficial to my great cause. If Avitt were here, what would he do?" Shulot thought of Avitt and "Monkey" Kuruka. He felt a move in his heart and made up his mind.
decision.
Xuelote then smiled slightly and looked at Ti Carlo, who had the same smile, with the eyes of a great nobleman. The latter was sincere and respectful, with a surface of humility and the calculation of a businessman.
"Your Highness, this is a bronze battle ax made by the Tarascans two months ago. It is extremely sharp and strong, and can easily cut through leather armor!" Noting the young man's attention, Ticaro introduced it first.
Shulot remained calm and nodded slightly.
"Your Highness, these are the female slaves donated to you by the merchant group, including the dancing Huastec witch, the Tlaxcala noblewoman who has always been hostile, the delicate and graceful Mixtec girl, and the wild and difficult girl.
The tame Chichimec dog girls are all beautiful, carefully selected, and each has its own exotic style. If His Highness likes it, you can also make special requests to the business group."
Tikalo's face was as bright as spring breeze. According to his experience, when dealing with such young and proud nobles, gold, silver, and fancy clothes usually have little effect, but joyful singing can often have miraculous effects, and it has been tried and true.
Shulot's breath paused slightly. He felt the breath of the beautiful opposite sex, and an instinctive desire surged up. Immediately, the girl in white emerged from his heart, and a pure smile flowed like a clear spring. His mind calmed down, and a slight smile appeared on his face.
Embarrassed. The young man gritted his teeth, glanced at Ti Carlo, and no longer hesitated about the next plan.
Ti Carlo observed the young man's expression, his clear eyes and reddish face. He was a little strange and puzzled, and continued to introduce.
"Your Highness, these are the precious flowers and fruits in the southern rainforest. This is the huge white king lotus, this is the purple begonia, this is the attractive red lip flower, this is the passion flower of the plateau, and...
There are torch ginger flowers that symbolize the god of fire... They are all precious and rare herbs, and they are no less beautiful than the royal gardens!"
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! Xiuluo nodded, these flowers are indeed strange and beautiful, and they will be treasures even in later generations, and are rare to see.
"Your Highness, these are fruits that I went deep into the wilderness and personally picked for you. These are fresh cactus fruits, yellow unicorn fruits, sweet and sour pineapples, plump mami fruits, and sweet white custard apples...
.They are all gifts from the gods. With my hands, I offer them to the venerable one whom the gods love!"
Shulot smiled slightly. He asked thoughtfully.
"Tikallo, these are the fruits that the gods love. You pick them yourself?"
The Mayan merchant gently nodded his elegant head and answered with a confident and friendly smile.
"No lies! I picked them myself just to present them to you."
"Okay! Since I am loved by the gods..."
Shulot calmly took two steps back, came to the guarding warriors, and then gave the order with cold dignity.
"Get him! I will sacrifice these fruits and the people who picked them to the gods!"
The armored warriors agreed loudly and strode forward. They took out their war clubs, easily knocked down the merchant's guards, and subdued the docile servants. Then the majestic warriors stepped forward from left to right, grabbing the Mayan merchant who was full of horror and whose hands and feet were shaking.
He was dragged ruthlessly towards the sacrificial altar.
Shulot turned around, his back facing the merchant who was dragged away. Hearing Tikalo's urgent shouts and begging for mercy, he couldn't help but smile softly.
If you want to subdue the sophisticated and cunning businessmen, why bother using the tricks of businessmen and scheming with them? You should use the advantages of the king and the rules of the warrior to win directly!
"Those who surrender will survive, and those who don't will die. You will not make things difficult for me."
The young man put away his smile and sighed quietly.
"The old friends are still the same, but I am different after all."
