Darkness has fallen and the night has deepened.
After receiving Avitt's promise and support, Hulott was quite excited. He knelt down solemnly to accept the order, paid homage, and said goodbye to the king and his friends. Then, he called the warrior captain who had been waiting for a long time, and Bertard picked up his simplicity.
pots, and the group hurried to the high priest's palace.
Avitt watched the young man leave with a smile. His eyes gradually extended to the sky, then raised up in the night, skipping the dull stars, and stayed on the rising moon. It is now mid-January, and the full moon is as clear as crystal.
The jade plate is dazzling with pure light.
"The myth is gone, the Reformation. Will the moon still threaten the sun?"
Avitt stared at it for a long time without getting an answer. Then, the king turned around calmly and slowly sat back on the cold throne. He once again reached out and held the hard staff, and fell into a long thought. In the firelight, Huang
The light of gemstones sparkles, sometimes pure, sometimes deep.
At some point, Gillim silently walked out of the shadows and bowed solemnly to the ground. The king's eyes then fell.
"Your Majesty, do you really want His Highness to command the Northern Route Army?"
The intelligence officer raised his head and looked at the king with an unusually solemn expression.
Avitt nodded calmly, without hesitation or speaking. He was still thinking about something.
Gillim thought for a moment and bowed to the ground again.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me for being stupid and failing to understand your thoughts. Please explain it clearly."
Avitt's eyes once again stared at the loyal intelligence officer, waiting quietly without saying a word.
Gillim gritted his teeth and saluted solemnly again. This time, his forehead pressed against the cold ground, making a cold sound.
"The high priest and his family can be completely eliminated by gathering together with the Northern Route Army... With the help of the Tarascans... the great nobles in the Holy City have long been in secret contact... It's just that the high priest's disposition needs to be reported to the elders in advance.
.”
The intelligence officer only spoke sporadic short sentences, and sweat was already pouring from his head. He didn't care who the target was, but he was only unsure of the king's intentions.
Hearing this, an abyss flashed through Avitt's heart. He hesitated for a moment, and then rebuked majestically.
"I have no intention of doing so yet. Gillim, you shouldn't do this!"
The intelligence officer immediately apologized profusely, fell to the ground, and remained silent. After a moment, he raised his head again and spoke cautiously.
"Religious reform, military reform, suppression of the nobility, these are all grievances... and they are all suggestions of His Highness... Maybe let the nobility know... raise public opinions and suppress them..."
The shadow flashed across the king's heart again. He was silent for a moment, but still shook his head.
"The religious reform has just begun and has been borne by the elders. The military reform has not yet been carried out, and now it must be kept secret. Both are great undertakings and cannot be damaged due to selfishness... I am still prepared to pass it on to him, and I should protect it... Good luck
Mum, no need to say anything more."
Gillim had no choice but to kowtow to the ground again, sweat falling to the ground. After a while, the intelligence officer still spoke firmly.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness has been out of prison for a month. He has been busy all day long and has never had a day's rest.
He first paid tribute to the fallen warriors and gathered military morale. Then he lectured and preached scriptures in the priest's temple, and was praised as a "divine enlightenment". Then he and I investigated agriculture, studied the big and small nobles, and estimated land and military strength. He was quite far-sighted. He also proposed reforming commercial law.
, controlling strategic materials and suppressing merchants, the priests unanimously agreed.
Then, they secretly met with the Mayan business group, executed the big businessman of Tarasco, and sent people westward along the river to collect copper ore. They investigated various industries in the artisan area and recruited senior jade workers and stone workers, which seemed to have deep meaning. In the past two days, they also inspected the mines in various places.
Field, conquer the salt workers, control the large salt mines, and create strange magical objects. Today, I am asking you for miners again, intending to reform the military and form two new armies..."
Gillim had already sent people to monitor day and night. At this time, he was told one by one. Even though he was well-informed and determined, he was still shocked and worried.
"Priests, nobles, warriors, craftsmen, merchants, miners, militiamen... His Highness takes all strata of the alliance into consideration and carefully calculates and weighs them.
He practices martial arts diligently every day and tempers his will. He doesn't like fancy clothes, doesn't play with pearls and jade, doesn't like beauty, and doesn't like banquets. He is humble and self-sufficient, has the world in mind, and always pushes himself, just like chasing a tiger...
In the past thirty years, I have never seen young people with such a mind. Even if they are born with Su Hui, their will is really extraordinary, like a god. What is your highness planning? If this is the case this month, what will happen in a year?"
The intelligence officer's words were true, and they shot into Avitt's heart like a sharp arrow. The king closed his eyes again. This time, he was silent for a long time before speaking with difficulty.
"I believe in him."
Gillim kowtowed hard, hitting the ground with a clearly audible sound, and called out in a low and earnest voice.
"Your Majesty! How can the great affairs of the country be pinned on the word trust?! Your Highness's grandfather is a high priest, and his father is a city-state lord. He has hundreds of warriors who follow him, and he is about to form a new army. He is capable of both civil and military affairs, and he lives in poverty.
Shou, Su Hui invented it, and his reputation is getting far away. He is of royal blood, heir to the alliance, and he can also get close to your most beloved princess..."
Hearing this, the king suddenly opened his eyes and shouted angrily.
"shut up!"
Gillim violated the king's order for the first time. He risked everything and continued to exhort.
"Even the elder, when assisting his brother Montezuma I, gave up the position of marshal and did not take over the military power. You once said that a great ruler must not have weaknesses! But now, your feelings have become a weakness
.
The maintenance of a country depends on the balance of power, so how can it rely on the word trust? Can you trust His Highness, can you trust the high priest? Everything is changing. Even if it is like this now, what will happen in the future?"
After speaking, Gillim kowtowed heavily again, blood already seeping from his forehead.
Avitt's breathing rose and fell sharply. He opened his eyes and looked at the intelligence officer whose face was covered with blood, his eyes showing struggle. Then, the king tightened his grip on the staff and slowly closed his eyes.
"Go down! Take your punishment and sacrifice your blood."
Gillim nodded silently, saluted and accepted the order.
He ignored the blood on his face and took out the hardened agave thorns. According to the ritual of the ascetic priest, the intelligence officer first pierced both ears without hesitation and let the bright red drops fall. Then, he continued
He took out two small pointed awls and inserted one into the shoulder sockets of both shoulders. The pain was so severe that it was almost immersed.
Then, Gillim suppressed the continuing pain and breathed heavily through his nose. With absolute will, he slowly stood up and staggered back from the hall. Behind him, a long and blood-red trail was left.
After a while, the king opened his eyes again. There was no one in the hall, only the lonely king. He looked at the blood stains on the ground absentmindedly, as if he had walked a long journey in his heart. The faces of the boy and the girl flashed away, and that
It is his final weakness and softness.
After a long time, Avitt let out a long sigh.
"My child, don't force me. Let me think about whether I can have both."
The bonfire gradually became smaller and the darkness gradually seeped in. Finally, when the warmth burned out and the light went out, the king's true face disappeared into the cold darkness and could no longer be found.
Stepping on the starlight under his feet, Shulot returned to the high priest's house happily.
In the main hall, the torch burned warmly, and everything was bright. Grandfather sat alone in front of the stone table, looking at the papyrus document in his hand. He had already received the message and had been waiting patiently for a long time. Seeing the boy return, the old man finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He smiled kindly and waved the young man to sit next to him.
Shulot then recounted what he had seen in the past few days, the craftsmen and miners, the mines and the saltpeter, until today's conversation with the king.
"What!" The high priest stood up in shock and looked at the young man.
"You asked the king to organize a new army? The king agreed very much, gave you a quota of 10,000 people, and promised you the position of commander-in-chief of the Northern Route Army?!"
Shulot looked at his grandfather's unusually serious expression and was slightly startled.
"Avit was hesitant at first and seemed suspicious. I convinced him sincerely. Then he chose to believe me and had high hopes for me."
The young man responded truthfully. He also believed in his friend and was delighted with Avitt's support.
The high priest put his hands behind his back and walked around anxiously. The old man looked at the changing gods on the mural and kept mumbling to himself.
"It's too urgent, it's too urgent! It's not time yet, we should wait for many years... The family hasn't taken root yet... I haven't fully controlled the priesthood yet... The elders are still there... You
Too young...not even married..."
After a moment, the grandfather sighed quietly. He looked at his beloved grandson with a wry smile.
"My child, didn't I ask you to relax and have a rest and visit the capital and surrounding areas? Why did you start doing business again and stay busy all night? And then you didn't discuss it with me and rashly asked the king to form a new army.
?”
Shulot lowered his head slightly. He understood his grandfather's worries, but he still insisted.
"This Western Expedition is a crucial battle, which not only affects the reform, but also involves the metal ore in the west. We must make complete preparations, accumulate the greatest strength, and must not fail! The king believes in me, and I believe in him. We
We will always stand together and do our best for the future of the Mexican people!"
Hulot thought of the copper mines in Tarasco and the iron mines further west in Colima. These are the future of the times, and the western expedition to Tarasco must not be missed! Thinking of this, the young man no longer hesitated, nor did he hesitate.
He has no regrets. He decided to personally participate in the Western Expedition to mobilize all forces and seize the opportunity to change history!
Looking at the young man with a resolute face, the high priest sighed again, with helplessness and appreciation.
"My child, you are too hasty! Power is always sensitive, and the seeds of doubt will sprout and grow. The king will choose to believe the same thing today. When he thinks about it tomorrow, he may be full of suspicion.
Shulot, at your age, people of the same age are learning to travel, singing poems, socializing and feasting. Many young nobles will even go through the songs of the opposite sex, enjoy life wantonly, and pursue happiness... My child, I am not advising you to indulge.
, but I feel that you have stretched yourself too tight. Life is only a few decades, so why bother yourself?
Just follow the steps and I will pave the way for you. The drizzle moistens things silently, and the young eagles fly high waiting to grow up. It will take a few years for the cactus to take root in every corner and penetrate into the nobles and warriors.
Only when they gradually grasp the military power of the samurai in their hearts, everything will fall into place.
My child, you are different from me, you have plenty of time to wait!
Wait until five years later, your wings will be full and your foundation will be solid; wait until ten years later, you will have tied the knot and merged into the royal family; wait until fifteen years later, the eagle will grow old, the red sun will set in the west, and the situation will be determined from now on.
Next... I just need to win a few battles in the middle, wait until the elder falls, and then take over my position as high priest...
At that time, you were the most dazzling sun of the Mexica people, hanging high above all the priests and nobles, looking down at the people of the world! This is the path I have designed for you!"
The high priest finally opened his heart and told his plan. He advised the young man that it was the safest path and that time would pave everything.
Shurot was silent, his heart heaving. The long river of history flowed in his mind, and memories came to his mind one after another. He thought of the burning Oda Nobunaga a hundred years later, the patient Tokugawa Ieyasu, and then thought of thirty years later.
The Spaniards, the flames of destruction and germs, finally sighed softly.
"Grandpa, I have fifty years of life and I only seize the day!"
The young man looked calm and stared at his grandfather firmly without any wavering.
The high priest stared blankly at his grandson who had been raised since childhood. He suddenly realized that the boy had grown up and was almost as tall as himself. Looking at his resolute face, he looked like the most outstanding eldest son.
After a long time, the high priest smiled with emotion and relief. This time, he touched the young man's shoulder and nodded slowly.
"My child, leave it to me. Let me think about how to fight for your future!"
The bonfire was burning brightly, making the main hall even brighter. The firelight dispelled all the darkness, illuminating the old man and the young man. Warmth came with the light. It was so real, silently entering people's hearts, and guiding the way to hope.
This chapter has been completed!