Chapter 273: Fathers long road, meeting and parting
The bright moon rises from the east, and the red sun slowly sets towards the west. The moon rises and sets, and the sky is half cold and half red. The dim light changes in the morning and evening in the mountains, leaving an intoxicating scenery in my heart. This feeling, this scene,
Just like the journey of life, it always reincarnates in encounters and partings again and again.
Shulot, lightly dressed and simple, stood at the boundary between the plains and hills, looking at the northern wilderness. Behind him was the solid Huayamo Fortress, as well as the endless harvested farmland. Since his trip in early December, he has been
For more than ten days, he traveled from east to north, inspecting farms along the way and inspecting military camps in the lake area. Finally, he stopped here to wait for his father who came from the south.
The sky gradually dimmed, and a line of torches appeared in the north. The torches undulated and swayed between the hills and fields, like slowly floating stars. Finally, familiar figures under the stars were vaguely visible. Shulot could no longer suppress the excitement in his heart.
Run forward.
The leading figure showed a big smile. He stretched out his arms and gave the young man a tight hug.
"Father, you have worked hard all the way!"
"Haha, Xiulote, my son. I haven't seen you for more than half a year, and you've grown taller again!"
Shusoke let go of his hand, looked at his son's appearance carefully, compared his height with his own, and laughed heartily.
"Olos, look at it, your body is as tall and straight as a green pine, and your appearance is as heroic as a golden eagle. It looks exactly like me when I was young!"
"Come on, you were thick and strong when you were young. You looked like a cactus, but you weren't so handsome... Those delicate features look a lot like his mother..."
Orosh smiled and joked with Shusoke. Then, he took a step forward and patted Shulot's shoulder affectionately.
"Teacher Orosh!"
Shulot was filled with joy and gave the other party a hug.
"How do you like this journey?"
"Farming is very good. The lake area is full of harvested farmland. No thieves were encountered on the road. The farmers stayed in the village honestly, full of joy of harvest...Wild deer were also foraging in the harvested fields. Yesterday I used
I hunted one with a spear, and I will roast a deer leg for you later so that you can have a taste of my craftsmanship!..."
"Ah, my favorite roasted venison leg! Okay, put more chili powder and vanilla leaves..."
At this moment, the majesty and power of the king disappeared. In the rare warmth, he was finally able to take off his armor easily and returned to a cheerful young man again. Even though this time did not last long, like the rising and setting of the bright moon, in the
The stars faded away like a night. However, these memories could retain a rare softness and warmth in his increasingly hard and cold heart.
The group of people just talked and laughed, and walked together to Huayamo Fortress. The dinner had been prepared, the food was rich, and the atmosphere was relaxed. It was not until everyone drank a cup of hot cocoa and the smell of vanilla lingered on the tip of their noses that Xiu Suoke was satisfied.
He sighed and said seriously.
"Xulot, all things are constantly changing and reincarnating. When the jaguar grows up, he will become the king of the jungle. He will occupy the forest alone and face all challenges..."
"Well, Father?...Do you want to go back to the Holy City?"
After hearing his father's words, Shulot was startled. He looked into the other party's deep eyes, savoring the reluctance contained in them, and had a vague premonition.
"Yes, I will leave soon... My son, you have become a brave warrior, an outstanding commander, and are becoming a great king... You are surrounded by many people,
You have also gained their surrender...I am very relieved."
Shusok smiled and shook the young king's hand. Then, he sincerely nodded to Bertard.
"Thank you for your protection!"
"it is my responsibility."
Bertard looked calm and bowed his head in return.
Shusok smiled and said no more. He continued to look at Shulot gently.
"The war in the east has ended. The king sent a decree asking me to return as soon as possible to participate in the sacrificial ceremony in mid-January..."
"I have also received the letter and am about to send an envoy to deliver this year's tribute."
Shulot nodded. He was unable to go there in person, so he planned to let the eagle warrior Barda lead the envoy to present the latest bronze armor, bronze daggers, exquisite bronzes, and some precious collections from the previous royal family.
"Your grandfather has sent the news in advance."
Shusoke reached out his hand and gently touched his son's cheek.
"After the sacrificial ceremony, I will join the reorganized King's Army of the Alliance and become the deputy commander of the Eagle Chapter... From then on, I will be stationed in the capital city of the lake for a long time, accompanying the king."
"Ah! The deputy commander of the Eagle Chapter, accompanying the king?"
Shulot looked surprised. He pondered for a moment and waved his hand heavily. The surrounding warriors retreated one after another. The bonfire in the hall flickered for a while, then stabilized, reflecting the four people left in the middle.
"Father, the Eagle Legion is the most noble Sun Guard, consisting of nobles from the capital. Only kings with outstanding prestige can effectively command them... Are you the only noble to be dispatched?"
"King Avit does value you. But his ambitions are far-reaching, and they are not aimed at our group."
Shusok smiled calmly and had already anticipated what would happen next. After entering the capital this time, his treatment should be good, but it would be difficult to get out. Shulot was granted a vast land in the lake, far away from the core of the alliance.
, guarding the various ministries in the west. As the boy's direct relative, staying with the king can be regarded as some kind of guarantee.
"The king conquered the country in the west and attacked the old enemy in the east. He has great prestige and his reputation has been spread throughout the world. With his prestige and military exploits, he can inherit the unfinished business of the great Montezuma... The Eagle Chapter is about to expand,
The honorable and hereditary nobles of each core city-state are strictly required to send important members to join."
Shulot was silent for a moment and nodded slowly. When the king's authority is sufficient, he can recruit nobles and nobles to form a guard around him, thus strengthening his control over various ministries. Such measures are often accompanied by cooperation.
Centralization measures... Thinking of this, the young king spoke in a deep voice.
"Father, the king intends to consolidate the alliance and centralize military power? What should you do if you go to the capital, the holy city of Teotihuacan?"
"Hmm. According to your grandfather's news, the priesthood and the royal family will send representatives to the core states within two hundred miles of the capital. The alliance center will further weaken the number of private soldiers of all the great nobles in the Texcoco Lake area.
He also controls part of the military power of the city-state, and also controls important financial rights."
Shusok smiled openly.
"As a condition for you to seal the land in the lake, I will take the initiative to set an example and return the control of the Holy City to the alliance center. And the sealed Tepopolo and Iskali will also hand over their lands together.
...This initiative, supported by both the Elders and the High Priests, is the key to further reform. Your grandfather said the time is right now!"
Shulot looked at his father's smile, with all kinds of emotions in his heart, which only turned into a gentle nod.
After the Western Expedition, the king's prestige rose to its peak, and his authority was established in the hearts of the warriors. The legions of each state were consumed a lot, and powerful nobles were transferred to other countries. The time was ripe for further centralization of power!
The power of the alliance is roughly divided into three parts: royal power, clan power and divine power. The current reform direction is to combine royal power and divine power, suppress the scattered city-state clan power, and establish a powerful and sacred royal center. Among them, the elders coordinate
The overall situation, the king's specific advancement, and the high priests' group reducing resistance in various places, everything is proceeding according to the centralized plan.
"After receiving your grandfather's letter, I thought about it for a long time and summoned the battalion captains of the legion to discuss it. There are some changes in the subsequent arrangements."
Shusoke's expression became solemn. He stared at the calm young king and preached seriously.
"Nearly half of the Holy City Legion was lost during the Western Expedition. Even including the recovered wounded, there are only more than 2,200 warriors left. Most of them are the most loyal direct descendants of our group, and I do not want to treat them badly.
.I am about to transfer to the royal capital, and there will be hundreds of people with me... The remaining warriors, I heard that you are dividing the fields and conferring titles according to military merit..."
"Very good! Feel free to come, I won't treat them badly!"
Shulot smiled sincerely. The Kingdom in the Lake is vast and has a lot of room for expansion. He is in need of reliable direct samurai.
"Father, how many Holy City warriors are willing to stay here?"
"There are fifteen hundred warriors, more than fifty of whom are civilian-born Jaguar warriors."
"Okay! The Jaguar warriors in the Holy City will be enfeoffed according to the specifications of military nobles, and each will be granted 800 acres of land!"
Shulot readily agreed. No matter where they are, Jaguar warriors are rare elites who have their own land and family. There are still more than 150 Jaguar warriors left in the Holy City Legion, and only one third chooses to stay.
Down.
"Fifty more senior warriors will be promoted, and a total of 100 military nobles will be enfeoffed. Among the remaining warriors, 400 senior warriors will be enfeoffed, each with 240 acres of land; one thousand third-level warriors will be enfeoffed with 100 acres of land each.
.As for the second-level hereditary nobles, the three warrior battalion commanders were all promoted and each was granted 2,400 acres of land!"
The young king promised generously. This enfeoffment was nearly 300,000 acres of land, and the shortage of slaves once again increased by 15,000 people. Then, he thought for a while and looked at the strong jaguar warrior Orosh.
"Teacher Orosh, where are you going?"
"Why!"
Orosh has always been generous, but at this moment he sighed rarely.
"I originally planned to go with your father. We have been brothers for more than 20 years! But your father insisted on persuading me to stay... But he was alone and not very good at martial arts. He had his ribs broken.
, I lay flat for several months..."
Shusoke looked embarrassed and coughed quietly.
"Well, it's been several years... There's only one peerless general like Tepac in the 50 or 60 years since the alliance was founded. Besides, I went to the capital this time to enjoy the blessings. What follows next
It's hard to go to the battlefield and encounter danger!...
Orosh, what’s the use of your martial arts and talents staying with me? It’s better to stay with Shulot, so that I can feel relieved. Isn’t this already agreed upon?..."
Orosh sighed again and nodded helplessly.
"Yes... everything you said is right... it all depends on you!"
Shulot lowered his eyes slightly, feeling deeply moved.
What is a biological father? This is called a biological father! He was responsible for logistics during the Western Expedition, arranging food routes, and taking care of the wounded soldiers. He did not show off anything, and arranged everything properly; he led four thousand legions and experienced all the way.
In the most difficult battle, half of them were killed. Then he persuaded the remaining warriors to stay and entrusted them to the most trusted general. For the sake of his son's founding of the country, he was willing to hand over his rights and go to the capital in the lake to serve as idle and hostage...
.This is a rare treatment for a biological son!
Thinking of this, the king opened his eyes. He first held Orosh's arm and promised firmly.
"Teacher Orosh, the kingdom needs you. You will be the kingdom's second glorious noble!"
Then, Shulot held down his father's hands and asked sincerely.
"Father, what else do you want? I will listen to you..."
Hearing this, Shusoke's eyes lit up. He held his son's palm with his backhand and warned him earnestly.
"Xulot, my son! You are my eldest son, and you have Su Hui, and you have always matured precociously... Well, you have three half-brothers and one younger sister. I know that you have not been able to play with them since you were a child.
We are together, rarely communicate, and are not close. But you are a family after all!...
The great late king Montezuma and the elder were brothers. The elder assisted the late king for decades and supported the late king’s son. Your younger brothers and sisters can also assist you in the future!... Well,
Your youngest brother is only five years old and has to be raised by his mother at home. I will leave the other three to you. As elder brothers are like fathers, you can punish them on my behalf!..."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! "Ah? Two brothers in their teens and a sister under ten years old are all handed over to me?"
Shulot's face froze. After a moment, he looked at his father's expectant eyes and nodded heavily.
"Then leave it to me!..."
The next conversation began to become more relaxed. Everyone chatted about household matters, and then talked about the arrangements in Hekou County in the north.
"The human trade along the Leman River has been completed. After the Guamar dogs plundered the Chapala Lake area, a total of 20,000 young men and women and 10,000 children were delivered to the trade. The vast majority of them were Prepecha people.
, and some are Otomi people. There are 20,000 people from the mountain tribes who came from the Longbow Militia, and they have all migrated from the Holy City. I have arranged these 50,000 people in various villages in Hekou County.
There will probably be more than two thousand families of Holy City warriors in the future... You need to add at least a hundred priests..."
"The priest group supported by the alliance has arrived in Qincongcan City, and some of the priests from Prepecha have also been trained. I will fill the gap in the priests in the north as soon as possible."
Shulot nodded affirmatively.
"Father, how many people do you estimate there are in Hekou County now, and how many adults are there among them?"
"According to estimates from various villages, there are about 150,000 people, about 30,000 people. In the north, there are only warriors of the Holy City Legion and Prepecha's militia. There are Otomi people and dog descendants in the north, and there are people in the west.
For the remaining troops of Tarasco, it is best to send another part of the army to guard it. Orosh is familiar with the situation in the north. After I leave, I can leave Hekou County to him."
"Okay. I will reorganize the legions from various places and redistribute their locations soon."
Shulot thought for a while and then added.
"Gyeonggi is the most important. I am most at ease in Orosh. I will stay in Qinchongcan City and take charge of the military command of the core lake area of Patzcuaro. I will hand over the Hekou County in the north to Monkey Kuruka and let him take it with him.
Half of the spear corps and the holy city warriors are entrusted to the north on the spot. As for Zicao County in the south, I have sent veteran Etalik to run it and prepare for follow-up operations. He has rich experience and is good at dealing with nobles. In this way
When I lead my army to the south..."
After listening, Shusoke nodded in affirmation.
"Your thoughts are indeed thoughtful! ... However, my son, you probably need to solve the problem in the north first. Before I came, the city of Otopan sent an envoy. They said that the Chichimec descendants in the northeast were preparing to
Heading south in a big way, I hope you can support a legion and go to the north to fight together... The old priest of Otomi also has a private message, saying that there are important matters related to the two tribes to discuss. Please do it no matter what.
Time, go to the north to have a meeting with him."
"The dog-born army is going south to ask for support? The old priest has something important and wants to discuss it with me personally?"
Shulot thought for a moment and had some vague guesses.
"Okay, I will send another messenger to communicate with you!"
The four of them talked all night long, planning the future of the kingdom and discussing the situation of the alliance. From time to time, there were two warm greetings. It was not until the bright moon sank into the mountains in the west and the sun rose over the peaks in the east that everyone could
Stopped talking.
Shusok lay down in his son's living room and soon fell asleep peacefully, snoring tiredly. Shulot listened to his father's snoring and stayed by his side quietly. He looked carefully at his father's resolute face and felt deeply.
It was deeply remembered in his mind. Then, he reached out his hand and gently pulled out a conspicuous white hair. Then his father turned over, hummed twice in confusion, and continued to fall asleep.
"Father is really tired after traveling all the way... I'd better go out."
Shulot smiled and shook his head, then silently turned around and went out. Behind him, at some point, Shusok turned around again and faced the direction his son left. After a long time, a sound sounded in the stone house.
Sigh softly.
Parting is an eternal melody, and meeting is just a short-lived song. When the sun set slightly in the west, Xiu Suoke took more than a dozen personal guards and prepared for the return journey to the north.
"...Father, I won't say much else. Take care of yourself and be careful along the way!"
Shulot held his father's arm tightly and slowly let go after a long while. Then, he whispered a few instructions to the rear. The guards behind him held several pairs of brand new bronze armors and handed them to the guards opposite.
In the hands of the guard.
"What a great armor!"
Shusok touched the solid bronze armor under the cloth and praised it. Then, he handed the armor to his bodyguard and smiled gently.
"Son, don't worry! My father has gone to the capital to enjoy his life and has no chance to go to war again...I will tell your grandfather about your greetings. I will also bring your letter to Princess Alyssa. Hmm
, Don’t worry, I won’t peek on the road.”
Shulot nodded vigorously. He lowered his eyes slightly to hide the slight moisture in his eyes. Orosh stepped forward and sighed at the end.
"Hey, Xiu Suoke. After saying goodbye today, I don't know when I will see you again... I don't have anything to say. Just eat and drink well in the capital, and sleep with a few more women.
Lot, please give birth to more brothers and sisters!..."
"...the same as you."
"Ha ha!"
"Ha ha!"
Shusok laughed, gave the two of them a strong hug, turned and left without looking back. Behind him, the warm sunset slowly set, and the cold moon rose again. The road ahead was long and far away,
