Time is a long road, and life is like a journey. I always walk in a trance, listening to the passing of time, watching the vast years, I don’t know when I will reach the end, and the things that have passed away never look back.
Xiu Suoke did not look back. He traveled day and night under the stars and the moon, with only a dozen personal guards, and it only took him two days to arrive at the Leman River. He climbed up the hill by the river and looked around.
It was another sunset, and the river mouth fortress towered majestically in the sunset. And the Leman River went westward in a mighty way, with sparkling waves undulating on the water, like the dazzling belt of the Mother Earth.
"What a gift from the gods! What a great river that connects the Alliance!"
Shusok looked at the shining river quietly for a while, and every day in the past flashed before his eyes. Vaguely, he seemed to hear the hearty laughter from more than ten years ago, and saw the baby carefully held in his hands. So, for the first time, he
Once I looked back, I looked deeply towards the south. After a while, I could only sigh softly.
"Flowing all the way, from the capital to here...what a big river!"
Shusok sighed with emotion for a moment, and the warrior's perseverance came to his heart again. He opened his mouth and was about to call Orosh's name, but then paused. After a few breaths, he gave orders to the left and right in a deep voice.
"Send an envoy to inform the fortress. Prepare to sail quickly and return east early tomorrow morning!"
As the sun set and the sun rose, the night was quiet and silent, except for the flowing thoughts. On the second day, twenty large boats carried six to seven hundred warriors, heading eastward against the current, and traveled slowly. The road was very long, with hills undulating on both sides.
Streams gathered from the mountains. It was not until a large area of harvested farmland was revealed to everyone that they entered the border of the western city-states of the alliance.
Shusok stayed here for two days, having drinks with nobles who had been friends with his family for generations, and exchanging some latest information.
During the Western Expedition, the western city-state legions looted a lot, and the banquets during the two days were extremely luxurious. The hall was lit with incense, the food was full of spices, and even the honey wine was added with rare
Vanilla. In contrast, the young king works by himself and practices frugality, while the new rich in the feudal country in the lake are much simpler.
During the night banquet, Shusok ate a piece of roasted venison and took a sip of mead. He tasted it carefully and admired it.
"Good wine! This wine is full of layers and endlessly memorable... During the brewing process, fruits, flowers and herbs were also added?"
"Haha, the deputy marshal is not only brave, but also knowledgeable!"
Tepetel laughed. He was sitting in the main seat. He was the host of tonight's entertainment, the glorious nobleman who holds the power of the Trocan State, and the head of the Mountain Family. The meaning of his name is "peak". Tepetel laughed.
He stood up, walked closer with a glass of wine, then stretched out his thick arm and put it affectionately on Shusock's shoulder.
"Haha, Deputy Marshal, the Shanluan family and the Holy City family have been friends for generations, and they have been friends for decades! Since we are equals, I will call you brother...Brother, in this western expedition, our western
The city-state exerted all its strength. Even my legitimate son died on the battlefield!"
"The Lord God bless you! The warriors who died fighting for God must have ascended to the Kingdom of God and enjoy beauty and peace forever!"
"Yes, God bless you! Come on, little Izel, why don't you come forward and toast your uncle!"
Tepetl shouted loudly. He called his bastard like a servant.
Izel's eyes flashed, and then disappeared. He stepped forward respectfully, smiled and toasted to his father and "uncle". The three of them finished drinking. Tepetel casually waved the bastard to leave, and continued to speak to Shusok in a low voice.
.
"Brother, the Holy City is entrusted to the land in the lake, but it makes many people envious! What is even more enviable is that Qin Congcan is seven hundred miles away from the capital city in the lake. No matter what Wang Ling
, but you can’t even get there!”
"Huh? The latest Wang Ling..."
Shusoke's expression moved, thoughtfully.
"Yes, the latest royal order!... The priests collected the wealth of the villages and towns, but paid more tribute to the royal family, and we were frugal and used less. But the royal family sent officials to intervene in the core city-states and divide the public land in the villages and towns.
They also reduced the private soldiers of the nobles and recruited directly subordinate samurai... This kind of thing ruins the autonomy tradition of the alliance!"
Tepetel's eyes flashed. He observed Shusok's expression and whispered angrily.
"The light of the Sun God brings warmth! Only the cold light of the Moon Goddess can bring such a chill... The nobles fought for the Lord God on the battlefield, with all their blood flowing. As a result, the war was won, but there were villains in the capital.
Blinded the king's eyes...Brother, now the Holy City is entrusted to the outside world, but it is the most powerful prince! The high priest is presiding over, and the nobles are all convinced. As everyone expected, this time you go to the capital, everyone is pointing out
With you, let me speak a word of justice in front of the king..."
"ah!..."
Shusok's expression changed. Although he was not keen on politics, he also understood the essence of the king's reforms and the sensitive status of the Holy City. He patted Tepetel on the shoulder and said with a calm smile.
"Don't worry! Tepetel, we have known each other for many years. I will definitely say a few nice words for you in front of the king!"
"OK!"
Hearing this, disappointment flashed across Tepetel's eyes. But in an instant, he laughed, raised his glass, and shouted loudly.
"God bless you, I won't come back unless I get drunk tonight! Come, let's drink together again, and have a drink with the respected deputy marshal! I wish you God's blessing and a smooth road ahead!"
"I wish God's blessing and a smooth road ahead!..."
Everyone laughed and drank together, and soon everyone became a little drunk. Then Tepetel waved, and a large number of graceful girls in short clothes and holding flowers came forward to dance. They sang and danced happily.
Red in front of the flowers; the night is long and it’s dawn before I know it.
At noon on the second day, Shusok boarded the boat again, and there were already two maids with low eyebrows beside him.
"Hey! The high priest is right. The sweeter the wine, the less you should drink it! My level of wine tasting is still a bit poor, and I didn't drink out the herbs hidden in it..."
He glanced at the maids, sighed softly, and strode to the bow of the ship, waving to Izel who came to see him off with a smile. The ship continued to move forward and stayed near the Holy City for another day.
Some of the holy city warriors disembarked here and returned to their hometown after a long absence. The newly acquired maids were also taken away by the family warriors.
As the sun rises in the east, when the boat sails into the fertile Texcoco Lake area, the contiguous floating fields of Chinampa appear before our eyes. The tropics in winter are still warm, and farmers work hard on Chinampa, carrying manure and rivers from time to time.
The mud boat docks to replenish the nutrients in the floating fields. Corn, beans, peppers, cocoa, vanilla, zucchini, tomatoes... Various crops grow lushly on the fertile floating fields at the same time, telling that they can be harvested up to 7 times a year.
agricultural miracle.
While boating and floating in the fields, the fragrance of grass and flowers was everywhere. One day later, the magnificent capital city in the lake appeared in front of Shusok's eyes.
He disembarked at the village on the north bank of the Long Bridge, where a royal envoy had already been waiting. Under the guidance of the envoy, a group of a hundred people headed south along the long embankment to the North City. Along the long embankment, the pine and cypress trees transplanted the year before were
Already prosperous and dense, the forked tree shadows are reflected on the lake, and they look like the souls of elves.
"The pine-tree spirit in the water, Avit..."
Shusok pondered in his heart. The victory of military wars continued to promote the reform of the alliance and concentrated the power of the royal family. Compared with two years ago, the capital in the lake has been deeply imprinted with the traces of the king.
The causeway connects the north and the south, and thousands of pedestrians walk on the repaired road. They praise the supreme god and the greatness of the king. As everyone walks through the large market in the North City, the shouts of tens of thousands of people are like the rainy season.
The heavy rain suddenly hit us, creating a lively hustle and bustle.
There are many new trade tax officials all over the market. They hold pens and paper in their hands, and carry new wooden abacus around their waists. Unified weights and measures have been popularized in the market. The big businessmen who come from afar look respectful and lower their heads.
Trade taxes are paid. Important controlled materials, such as bronze wares, war clubs, cotton armor, and bows and arrows, are all sold by officially registered merchants at fixed quotas. Each transaction needs to be recorded in a book and regularly inspected by the government.
Shusok glanced over and saw many Tarasco-shaped utensils flowing into the market, obviously the trophies of the Western Expedition. He nodded slightly and followed the envoy through the long canal into the bustling main city. Although the New Year's celebration had not yet begun,
At first, the ecstasy after the great victory was already filling the main city.
The ceremony to celebrate the victory began in advance in the community's temple, and generous loot and rewards had been distributed. The priest's singing echoed in the stone houses on both sides, and the air was filled with the scent of rosin. From time to time, warriors sang high-pitched war songs.
, danced a majestic war dance. The citizens gathered in a circle and praised the warriors who returned from the Western Expedition.
Shusok saw a young warrior. He was wearing the uniform of a third-level warrior. After dancing the war dance, he went directly into the crowd and held the hand of a beautiful girl. Under the witness of the Lord God, the young warrior clenched his fist on his chest.
, while boasting about his prowess on the battlefield, he also talked about his admiration for the girl.
Admiration shone in the girl's eyes. She turned back to look at a middle-aged man not far away, dressed in rich clothes. He was the father in charge of her marriage and the head of the family. The other party pondered for a while, nodded slowly, and everyone in the crowd
A burst of cheers broke out. The warrior's face was filled with ecstasy. He bowed to the middle-aged man and took the girl's hand. The two ran out of the crowd together and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Shusok smiled with understanding. He looked at the middle-aged man who was shaking his head and sighing. The man's clothes had a family crest embroidered on them, and he should be from a small noble. After the victory of the Western Expedition, the warriors returned full of honors and trophies, and their social status was once again
It has improved a lot. This kind of combination of outstanding civilian warriors and daughters of minor nobles has become more and more common.
Of course, in Mikencho's lake feudal state, the traditional hierarchical order has been completely destroyed. With the Mexica rulers as the core, a new order is being established, and a more grandiose blueprint has been outlined.
The messenger's footsteps did not stop, and soon he arrived at the armory in the north of the city. The Holy City warriors climbed up to the temple, first prayed to the newly created main statue, and then prayed for blessings to the statue of the fire god who took a back seat, and then they were here
Dispersed. A king's guard took over the old envoy and continued to lead Shusok to the temple and palace area in the core of the main city.
Although it is winter, the aristocratic areas along the way are still full of flowers, and the pleasant fragrance of flowers is everywhere. Garlands, jades, gold and silver, and painted pottery have been placed in front of the manors... The nobles show off their family's luxury, and even
There are also shells and corals on the seashore. The military nobles display the trophies of the Western Expeditions, weapons and armor from the Kingdom of Tarasco, and some captured noble flags.
In the square between the nobles, poets and musicians from various city-states were chanting songs and playing bamboo flutes. When he heard the familiar name, Xiu Suoke paused and listened for a moment, and his face suddenly became confused between laughter and tears.
"Although the son I brought up by myself is a smart young man and good at fighting, he cannot have a voice like thunder, a flash of light in his eyes, and the ability to smash a tree with one punch..."
"The Alliance respects heroes and puts military merit first! The Northern Army received divine grace during the Western Expedition and made great achievements along the way. It is also common for the people of the capital to deify His Highness."
The king's guard turned sideways and smiled faintly at Shusok.
Hearing this, Shusoke was stunned. He smiled and replied equally gently.
"The place in the lake also sings the name of the king. The supreme king is the true incarnation of the sun god in the world..."
The two of them smiled and stopped talking at the same time. As they hurriedly walked, the towering temple came into view.
The sacred flames burn brightly, and the priests' songs echo loudly. Hundreds of temple warriors look solemn, stationed on the ground floor of the large temple, guarding a large number of noble sacrifices, and also guarding the surrounding affiliated temples.
.Hundreds of peasants carried sealed wooden barrels with hunched waists, and blue liquid dripped from between the barrels from time to time.
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! "This is... the Mayan blue dye used to smear the sacrifices during sacrifices... so much?"
Shusok looked surprised. He looked at the king's guard, who nodded lightly. In an instant, a strong smell of blood seemed to hit his nostrils, making the resolute warrior tremble in his heart. You know, someone who can reach the level of a great god
Those who hold the temple sacrificial platform must be nobles with sacred blood...
Silently walking, the two of them headed south again. The expansion of the Great Temple was continuing, and further south, an unusually wide building was built, and the foundation was being built at this time.
Shusok was familiar with the army, and after a brief estimate, he knew that there were at least three thousand civilians working in the field. The king's guard seemed to have expected it, he smiled, turned around and said in a deep voice.
"This is the newly built King's Palace. The height of the first phase of the project will be half that of the Great Temple, and the area will also be half..."
"Ah, what did the elders say..."
"The elders naturally agree. When building the foundation, not only will it be reinforced with corn mortar and volcanic ash, but the blood of Tarasco's descendants will also be added... The main god will step on the bones of the gods and ascend to the highest throne.
!”
“The Lord God is supreme, praise the Lord God!”
Shusok nodded and prayed devoutly. Since the elder has agreed, everything else is final.
Soon, the gorgeous administrative palace arrived. The king's guards showed the jade talisman to the guarding royal guards, and Shusok took off the war stick on his back and the long dagger on his waist. Then, the two of them walked along the path in the garden.
, walked towards the king’s palace which has been passed down for half a century.
A large number of nobles and officials were waiting in front of the palace, and there was actually some noise in the place. But the closer they got to the palace, the lower their voices became, and in the end there was only a solemn silence like no one.
Shusok took a deep breath and followed the king's guards towards the door. When the door opened, he quickly looked up, then lowered his head and walked forward in small steps.
The supreme king has an expressionless face, sitting high on an ever-higher throne. He is wearing a royal robe decorated with gems, holding a centuries-old scepter in his hand, his eyes are cold and calm, like the incarnation of a god. And in the shadow of the king
In the middle, a silent intelligence officer cast his gaze.
"The Lord God Most High! The glorious nobleman of Teotihuacan, Shusok, salutes the incarnation of the Sun God, Grand Tratoani of the Alliance, the High King!"
Shusuoke calmed down and paid homage. The loud voice echoed in the empty stone hall, and then gradually faded away. Silence returned to the stone hall, and even the dozens of warriors guarding the place were as solemn as statues.
It seemed like half a century had passed before a cold voice floated down from a high place, carrying an awe-inspiring coldness.
"Xiusoke, I heard that you were in Trocan State and had a good chat with Tepetel?"
This chapter has been completed!