The rising sun emerged from the distant east, illuminating the bright and tortuous road ahead. Soon, thick smoke rose from the eyes, and the noisy voices of people sounded again in the mining area.
Shulot stood on a high place, looking at the busy mining area, as if looking at new shoots sprouting in the soil, imagining the appearance of towering trees. After a long time, the king took a deep breath.
Even though he has a vision that transcends the times, he can write down the oracle's technology tree, and draw up a grand blueprint for one hundred or even two hundred years. But at this moment, he still has to return to the reality of lack of technological theory and professional talents.
Starting from scratch with nothing.
The progress of science and technology requires a foundation in all aspects. Education requires cultivating talents every decade, technology requires decades of continuous accumulation of experience, and society requires a hundred years of development to cultivate the soil for new changes. Everything still takes a long time.
Shulot looked calm and looked at the fiery morning sun for a while. Then he sent his personal guards to summon Ezpan.
With the discovery of coal, the importance of the Qingambat mining area has once again increased. For now, coal can replace wood for fire burning, and coke can replace charcoal for metallurgy, thereby further liberating manpower and improving metallurgical efficiency. Moreover, coal mining is far more efficient than copper
It's easy to mine, so it's worth arranging manpower immediately.
Taking this into consideration, Shulot decided to once again expand the number of miners and warriors, establish an industrial and mining town here, and add bronze and gunpowder workshops. Qinganbat will be the first industrial area of the kingdom to focus on planning and development.
Under such a prospect, as the person in charge of the region, Necali, who was an elite scout, worked hard loyally, but still lacked experience.
During these days of local coking, Ezpan personally participated in the production and performed very well. He has the experience of a miner, has a deep understanding of the mining industry, is quick in thinking, and is very flexible in mythology and belief... In
In the king's mind, this seems to be a more suitable candidate.
While Hulot was thinking, Ezpan came quickly with a smile on his face. He was still wearing the uniform of the commander of the Mexican Army, with the sun hummingbird's main god amulet hanging on his chest. He knelt down respectfully four or five meters away.
Bow down.
"Your Highness, your loyal guards salute the incarnation of the sun! The rising sun is born, just like your glory!"
Shulot smiled lightly on his face, but felt quite comfortable in his heart. He waved his hand, signaling the loyal guards to stand up.
"Ezpin, you have been very helpful in helping me refine coke these past two days... What reward do you want?"
"Your Highness, these past two days, I have been filled with the joy of serving the gods! Being able to dedicate myself to you is the greatest reward!"
Ezpin bowed his head in greeting again. He has now been promoted to a hereditary noble, and serves as the commander of the Tarasco Army, which controls thousands of people. With both status and power, wealth and beauty are naturally indispensable. At this moment, in front of His Highness, it is indeed
Nothing to ask for.
"Well. Ezpin, what do you think of the mining area?"
“How is the mining area?”
Ezpin was slightly startled, as the unbearable memories of his youth flooded into his mind again. Soon, he calmed down his emotions, looked at His Highness's face, and considered his answer.
"Your Highness has given you divine guidance, and the mining area has been blessed by the gods. It will naturally contribute a steady stream of strength to the prosperity of the kingdom!"
"very good!"
Shulot smiled and nodded, then said lightly.
"Ezpin, you have been in the mining area for many years and are very familiar with it. I attach great importance to this place and plan to expand the mining area... Do you want to be the general manager?"
The calm words were like thunder, suddenly exploding in Ezpin's heart. In an instant, he was so horrified that he suddenly fell to his knees, raised his left hand with only four fingers, and swore to the gods sincerely.
"Your Highness! The Lord God testifies that my loyalty to you has long been integrated into my blood! I am willing to hold a weapon and shed the last drop of blood for you. I am willing to hold a shield and defend your majesty with my life... Your Highness, I have no second thoughts. !”
Shulot's face was expressionless, with all kinds of thoughts rushing through his heart.
Although Ezpin was born as a miner, he seems to be extremely repelled by this place. Miners have always been regarded as the bottom of society, but samurai are the backbone of society. No matter how much the king values the general manager of the mining area, in people's minds, he is not a glamorous person. A noble position, but the powerful commander of the legion is the pinnacle of society that everyone aspires to. Ezpan is now the legion commander of the feudal country, and is also the earliest example among the Prepecha people to serve. If he is transferred from the legion, he will be managed. Industrial and mining areas, in the eyes of everyone, are no different from being derogatory.
More importantly, the industrial zone determines the future of the kingdom! In this barbaric environment, if you want to develop industry and mining, the person in charge must be willing to devote yourself to it wholeheartedly. He must have the strongest and most proactive execution power! It was impossible for Shulot to hand over this position to someone who didn't value the industrial area.
"This is the future Minister of Industry of the Empire..."
The king shook his head in his heart and stared at Ezpin silently for a moment, then said with a smile.
"Forget it... Ezpan, of course I know your loyalty. I feel relieved to leave the legion to you! You have followed me for many years, and it's time to get married. There is still an unmarried Mo in the Holy City. My dear daughter, I have already said hello. Please make preparations to marry one of them as your main wife before the end of the year..."
Hearing this, Ezpan felt relieved. But soon, the king's plain words came again, making him sweat like rain and his hands and feet trembled.
"Ezpan, you know my ambition... As a loyal army commander of the alliance, you can accept bribes, but you can't get too close to the old nobles of Tarasco... Your future must be of great use. of!"
"Ah, Your Highness! I...I will go back right now, return the old nobles' belongings, and send away the beauties from the south..."
"Great! You need to have this awareness, but don't act on it."
Shulot watched for a moment and then gave instructions calmly.
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! Since taking over the capital city in the lake, the old nobles of Tarasco have adopted the softest posture, trying hard to make friends with the upper echelons of the kingdom and looking to integrate into the ruling class. opportunities. Among them, the southern nobles who retained their land and wealth were the most generous and proactive.
As a surrendered general from Tarasco, Ezpan had a large number of troops and naturally became the target of the southern nobles' active efforts to win over him. He had rich clothes, treasures, spices and beauties, all of which he liked. All of these were captured by the kingdom's
The intelligence officers saw that there was some secret information, which came from the confession of the priest who was deliberately guided.
Although Ezpan does not have any unfaithful intentions now, the king still wants to give him a little beating. This is not only a kind of immediate reprimand, but also a kind of long-term love. And smart people can naturally understand the meaning as long as they think about it for a moment.
The king smiled calmly. He took a step forward, shook the other person's hair, and softened his tone slightly.
"Ezpin, my loyal guard, you are a smart man, keep an eye on your generals for me! As for the old nobles in the south... don't alert the enemy."
"Your Highness, follow your will!"
"Get down!"
Under the calm gaze of the king, Ezpin walked back for more than ten steps before turning around and leaving. As the sun rose into the sky, his body was soaked with sweat, but his heart felt like a big stone falling to the ground.
"The new sun rises into the sky, becoming more and more radiant, but it is also extremely hot!"
Ezpin looked at the sky above his head and sighed, then continued to lower his head and returned to the busy coking site. The second batch of coke in the mine was being smelted intensively.
The golden October has passed with a bumper harvest, and the peaceful November has arrived in the sunshine. The tribute for the autumn harvest has just been collected, and shipments usually start in mid-November. This year's harvest is good, and the farmers of the kingdom can finally take a breather.
They enjoy the hard-won peace, security without war, and the satisfaction brought by abundant food.
In your free time, religious rituals are the most important sustenance. The chanting of prayers continues to echo throughout the lake area, and the belief in the Lord God begins to lay a foundation.
In the Qinganbat mining area, the flag of the Black Wolf is still flying high. The warriors, craftsmen, miners and food supported by the capital have arrived, and the expansion of the mining area began immediately. There are two thousand elite soldiers stationed in the main copper mining area.
Five hundred of them were wearing bronze medium armor, which could promptly suppress rebellions of less than 10,000 people. A large number of scouts were also dispatched to monitor the movements of the nearby troops within fifty miles.
There was also a small episode. At the edge of the copper mining area, a scattered scout team captured several Trapanic businessmen who were spying on them.
Originally, according to custom, foreign businessmen with unknown origins who were caught in such a place were treated as foreign spies and beheaded on the spot. As a result, the leader of the businessmen loudly shouted that he had seen His Majesty! After some discussion among the scouts,
He was temporarily spared his life and escorted to the center of the mining area to meet the supreme king.
"You said you've seen me?"
Shulot was expressionless, staring at the pale, slightly fat businessman in front of him. He vaguely felt that he looked familiar, but couldn't remember it for a moment.
"Ah, yes, Your Highness... No, Your Majesty!"
The fat businessman looked nervous and was sweating profusely. He glanced at Ezpan, who was guarding him, with some fear, raised his left hand with only three fingers left, and answered cautiously.
"More than half a year ago, in the eastern city of Ivacchio... I reported to you the news of Mexican reinforcements!"
"Um?"
Only then did Shulot remember it. He glanced at Ezpin, who nodded affirmatively.
"Your Highness, this businessman is quite cunning..."
"Um."
Shulot had no expression on his face and looked coldly at the businessman lying on the ground.
"The kingdom has issued a decree banning Trapanic traders. Which force did you accept to appear here?"
Following the king's words, Ezpan pulled out the obsidian dagger, pushed the businessman to the ground, and then grabbed the other man's right hand.
"Ah, ah! Your Majesty, I have not been assigned by any force...Ah, don't cut it, don't cut it! I tell you! The kingdom prohibits the trade of copper ore. I came to the mining area to see if I can get it from the previous route.
Sell some copper ore to the west!"
"Um?"
Shulot waved his hand, and Ezpan stopped moving. The sharp obsidian blade was pressed against the merchant's little finger, and a faint line of blood seeped out from the tip of the blade, accompanied by the merchant's low howl of fear.
"To the west? You mean the mountains of Colima?"
"Yes, yes, Your Majesty! The tribes of Colima are close to the Trapanic tribe, and there are often trade exchanges between the tribes... I once took a boat to the west of the Colima Mountains..."
"Huh?...Colima...boat?"
Shulot moved slightly and asked majestically.
"Businessman, have you sailed on the Great Lakes of the West?"
"Yes, Your Majesty... I started from Sihuatlan and went northwest along the lakeshore. After passing the mouth of the Balsas River, and continuing three to four hundred miles up, we reached the Colima Mountains."
"The mouth of the Balsas River, three to four hundred miles of sea route..."
Xiulote's expression changed. Lithospermum County in the south is beside the Balsas River, and about two hundred miles south is the mouth of the river. This route is unexpectedly suitable! It is more convenient and easier than the mountain road in the southwest, and it is also better than the waterway in the northwest.
Forget Chapala's conquest...the king nodded slowly and decided the merchant's fate.
"Businessman, what's your name?"
"Ah, Your Majesty, my Mexica name is Trali, 'earth of the earth'... I come from the Trapanic tribe of Cihuatlán. My father is the leader of the plains village, and I am the second son of the family.
..."
Hearing the king's question, Trali breathed a sigh of relief. No one would care about the name of the dead. He explained clearly.
"Trali, I give you a chance to serve the great alliance and the holy royal family."
The king spoke calmly. Trali's eyes suddenly shone with light. The Kingdom of Tarasco has been destroyed, and the old backer has also collapsed. A businessman cannot be without powerful people behind him, and he can directly serve the king of the alliance. He is like this
The only thing an ordinary businessman dreams about is to worry about being eaten dry... No, in this situation, he would have been bitten by a beast a long time ago.
"Ah, Your Majesty! As the supreme god testifies, I am willing to die for you!"
Trali shouted at the top of his lungs, even squeezing out tears from his eyes.
Shulot looked unmoved. The merchant's oath was meaningless. Only interests and threats could control him for a long time. He looked at the scout captain who was escorting the merchant.
"Where are his companions?"
The scout captain was stunned, then bowed his head and answered respectfully.
"Your Highness, everything has been sent to the Kingdom of God as usual."
"Well, then return him and his companion's belongings together."
"As you command, Your Highness!"
Hulot looked at Trali. After hearing the scout captain's words, the merchant's face did not show any sadness, but a hint of joy, just like he did in Ivacchio City before.
"Well, very good, this is a natural leader. Colima, Trapanic... maybe there will be unexpected gains."
Shulot thought calmly, and then ordered in a deep voice.
"Trali, I will return all your belongings to you, and I will even give you a hundred catties of copper!"
"Ah, thank you for your generosity! I will definitely do it for you..."
Trali's eyes flashed and he bowed to the ground in a hurry.
"I have an order for you!"
The king interrupted the merchant with a majesty that could not be disobeyed.
"You are going to the Colima Mountains in the west via the waterway to trade with the local noble chiefs. I will send a few Mexica warriors to accompany you! You must not hide anything about the waterway signs and tribal conditions along the way!"
"Ah, Your Majesty, this, this..."
Trali looked horrified. This kind of espionage mission would be a dead end if caught by any force.
"As long as you complete this task, you will be able to gain a foothold in the alliance, become one of the merchants allowed by the royal family, and be able to legally trade some materials controlled by the alliance. Even in the near future, with the support of the alliance, you will have the opportunity to return to
Hometown, become a powerful feudal noble!"
Trali's heartbeat instantly accelerated. Then, a cold and majestic voice came from above his head again.
"If you cannot complete this mission...even if you escape to the horizon, the alliance's scout team will send you where you should go!"
"Ah, Your Majesty! I am willing to die for you!"
Xiuluo nodded, and the other party finally made the right choice. He left the last words and turned to leave.
"Ezpin, I will leave everything to you!"
"Do your will, my most high sun!"
Ezpan bowed his head respectfully and saluted. It wasn't until the king's figure disappeared from sight that he raised his head and looked at Trali who looked frightened. The pace of time is moving forward, and everyone needs to make a choice, including
