Aztec Eternals

Time is a long road, and life is like a journey. Always walking in a trance, listening to the passing of time, watching the years go by, reaching the end without knowing when, and the past never looks back.

Xiu Suoke did not look back. Wearing the stars and the moon, he traveled day and night, and with a dozen or so personal guards, he arrived at the bank of the Leman River in just two days. He boarded the hill by the river and looked around. At this time, it was another sunset, and the Hekou Fortress was majestic in the sunset. And the Leman River is going westward, with sparkling waves undulating on the water, like the dazzling belt of the Mother Earth.

"It's really a gift from the gods! What connects the alliance is such a big river!"

Xiusoke quietly looked at the shining river, and every day in the past was shining before his eyes. Vaguely, he seemed to hear hearty laughter more than ten years ago, and saw the baby carefully held in both hands. So, for the first time, he looked back and looked deeply to the south. After a while, there was only a slight sigh.

"It flows all the way, from the capital to here. What a big river!"

Xiusoke was emotional for a moment, and the determination of the warrior came to his heart again. He opened his mouth, was about to call Olosh's name, and then paused. After a few breaths, he ordered in a deep voice to the left and right.

"Send an envoy to pass on the fortress. Prepare to sail quickly and return east tomorrow morning!"

Sunset and sun rise, the long night is quiet and silent, only thoughts flow long. On the second day, twenty large boats carrying six or seven hundred warriors headed eastward slowly against the current. This road is very long, with hills undulating on both sides and streams converging from the mountains. It was not until a large piece of harvested farmland was revealed to everyone that they entered the border of the western city-state of the Alliance.

Xiusoke stayed here for two days, having drinks with the nobles who have been friends with the family for generations, and at the same time exchanging some latest information.

During the Western Expedition, the Western City-State Legion plundered a lot, and the banquets in the two days were also extravagant. The hall is lit with incense, the food is full of spices, and even rare herbs are added to the honey wine. In contrast, the young king did his own work and practiced frugality, and the upstarts in the feudal kingdom in the lake were much simpler.

During the banquet, Xiusock ate a piece of roast venison and drank some honey wine. He savored it carefully and sighed in admiration.

"Great wine! This wine is full-bodied and evocative. Fruits, flowers and herbs are added when it's brewed?"

"Haha, the deputy marshal is not only brave, but also knowledgeable!"

Tepetel laughed. He sat at the throne, the host of this evening's hospitality, the honored nobleman who holds the power of Trokambo, the patriarch of the mountain family. The meaning of his name is "peak". Tepetel stood up with a smile, approached with a glass of wine, then stretched out his thick arm, and put it on Xiusoke's shoulder affectionately.

"Haha, deputy marshal, the Shanlan family and the Shengcheng family have been friends for generations, and they have been in love for decades! Since we are of the same generation, I will call you brother. Brother, this Western Expedition, our western city-state is not good. I have used all my strength. Even my son-in-law died on the battlefield!"

"The lord god blesses! The warriors who died fighting for the gods must have ascended to the kingdom of the gods and enjoy beauty and peace forever!"

"Yes, the Lord God blesses you! Come on, little Izel, hurry up and toast your uncle!"

Tepetel shouted loudly. He called his bastard like a servant.

Izel's eyes flashed, and then disappeared. He stepped forward respectfully, smiled and toasted his father and "uncle". The three of them finished drinking. Tepetel waved his hand casually to make the bastard retreat, and continued to speak to Xiusock in a low voice.

"Brother, the Holy City is divided into the land in the lake, but how many people are envious! What is even more enviable is that the distance between Qin Congcan and the capital in the lake is a full seven hundred miles. , but they can’t even get there!”

"Huh? The latest Wang Ling"

Xiusoke's expression moved, thoughtful.

"Yes, the latest royal decree! It's fine for the priests to expropriate village and town wealth, but to pay more tribute to the royal family, we save and use less. But the royal family sends officials, intervenes in the core city-states, divides the public lands of villages and towns, and reduces Aristocratic private soldiers, such things as recruiting directly subordinate warriors, have broken the alliance's tradition of self-government!"

Tepetel's eyes flickered. He observed Xiusoke's expression, and whispered angrily in his mouth.

"The light of the sun god brings warmth! Only the cold light of the goddess of the moon can bring such a chill. The nobles fought for the god on the battlefield, shed blood. As a result, the war was won, but the villain in the capital deceived The king's eye brother, now the holy city is divided, but he is the most powerful prince! The high priest presides over it, and the nobles are all convinced. Everyone expects you to go to the capital this time, and everyone will point to you. Speak a word of justice in front of the

"ah!."

Xiu Suoke's expression changed. Although he is not keen on politics, he also understands the essence of the king's reform, and even more aware of the sensitive status of the Holy City. He patted Tepetel on the shoulder and said with a quiet smile.

"Don't worry! Tepetel, we have known each other for many years. I will definitely say a few good words for you in front of the king!"

"OK!"

Hearing this, the disappointment in Tepetel's eyes flashed. But in an instant, he laughed and raised his glass, shouting loudly.

"Bless the Lord God, I will not get drunk tonight! Come on, let's have a drink together again, respectable deputy marshal! May the gods bless you, and the road ahead will be smooth!"

"I wish the gods bless you, and the road ahead will be smooth!"

Everyone laughed and drank together, and soon became a little drunk. Then, Tepetel waved, and there were a large number of graceful girls in short clothes, holding flowers, and came forward to perform dances. The singing and dancing are wonderful, and the red falls in front of the flowers; the long night is long, and it is already dawn.

At noon on the second day, Xiusoke boarded the big 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 can drink it! My level of wine tasting is still a bit poor, and I haven't drunk the hidden herbs in it."

He glanced at the maids, sighed softly, strode to the bow of the boat, and waved to Izel who came to see him off with a smile. The big boat continued on, and stayed near the holy city for another day. Most of the Holy City warriors disembarked here and returned to their long-lost hometown. The newly acquired maids were also taken away by the family warriors.

As the sun rises in the east, when the big boat sails into the rich Texcoco Lake District, the Chinanampa floating fields will appear in front of you. The tropics are still warm in winter, and farmers are working hard on Chinampas, and boats carrying manure and river mud dock from time to time to supplement the nutrients in the floating fields. Corn, kidney beans, peppers, cocoa, vanilla, zucchini, and tomatoes are all different kinds of crops, all growing luxuriantly on the fertile floating fields at the same time, telling the story of an agricultural miracle that can be harvested up to 7 times a year.

Boating and floating fields, the fragrance of grass and flowers is everywhere. A day later, the magnificent capital city in the lake appeared in front of Xiusoke.

He disembarked at the village on the north bank of the long bridge, where envoys from the royal family had long been waiting. Guided by the envoy, a group of hundreds of people headed south along the long embankment to Beicheng. Along the long embankment, the pines and cypresses transplanted the year before have already flourished, and the forked tree shadows reflected on the lake surface look like the souls of elves.

"Spirits like pine trees in the water, Avit."

Xiusoke pondered in his heart. Victory in military wars has continuously promoted the reform of the alliance and also 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 praised the supremacy of the Lord God and the greatness of the king. Everyone walked through the big market in Beicheng, and the shouts of tens of thousands of people were like heavy rain in the rainy season, rushing towards their faces suddenly, knocking out a lively hustle and bustle.

There are quite a few new trade tax collectors around the marketplace. They hold paper and pens in their hands and carry new wooden abacus around their waists. Uniform weights and measures are already common in the market. The big merchants who came from afar looked submissive and bowed their heads to pay the tax of trade. And important controlled materials, such as bronze wares, war sticks, cotton armor, bows and arrows, are all sold by officially registered merchants in a fixed amount. Every transaction needs to be recorded and regularly inspected by the government.

Xiusoke glanced over, and many Tarasco-shaped utensils entered the market, obviously the spoils of the Western Expeditionary Army. He nodded slightly, and followed the messenger through the long canal into the bustling main city. Although the New Year's celebration has not yet begun, the ecstasy after the victory has already permeated the main city.

The ceremony to celebrate the victory began in advance in the community's shrine, and the rich loot and rewards have been distributed in place. The priest's singing echoed between the stone houses on both sides, and the air was filled with curling rosin. From time to time, warriors sang high-pitched war songs and danced majestic war dances. The citizens gathered in a circle and praised the warriors who had returned from the Western Expedition.

Shursok saw a young warrior. Wearing the battle uniform of a third-level warrior, he entered the crowd directly after the battle dance, and held the hand of a beautiful girl. Under the witness of the Lord God, the young samurai clenched his fists, boasting of his bravery on the battlefield while telling his love for the girl.

There was admiration in the girl's eyes. She turned her head to look not far away, a middle-aged man in a fine attire, that was the father who was in charge of her marriage and the head of the family. The other party pondered for a while, then nodded slowly, and cheers erupted from the crowd. The samurai was overjoyed all of a sudden, bowed to the middle-aged man, and then pulled the girl's hand vigorously. The two ran out of the crowd together and disappeared in a blink of an eye.

Xiusock smiled knowingly. He looked at the middle-aged man who was shaking his head and sighing. The other party's clothes are embroidered with family crests, so they should be of minor noble origin. The Western Expedition was victorious, and the warriors returned full of honor and spoils, and their social status was raised again. This combination of outstanding civilian warriors and daughters of minor nobles has become more and more common.

Of course, the traditional hierarchical order has been completely disintegrated in the sealing of the country in the lake of Mikencho. With the ruler of Mexica as the core, a brand new order is being established, and a grander blueprint has been outlined.

The messenger's footsteps did not stop, and soon arrived at the armory in the north of the city. The holy city warriors boarded the temple, first prayed to the newly shaped statue of the main god, and then prayed for blessings to the statue of the fire god who took a back seat, and then dispersed here. A king's guard took over the old messenger and continued to lead Shusok to the temple and palace area at the core of the main city.

Although it is winter, the aristocratic district along the way is still full of flowers, and the pleasant fragrance of flowers is everywhere. Garlands, jade, gold and silver, and painted pottery have long been placed in front of the gates of various manors. The nobles boasted of the luxury of their families, and there are even shells and corals by the sea. The military aristocrats placed the spoils of the Western Expedition, the weapons and armor of the Tarasco Kingdom, and some captured noble flags.

On the square in the aristocratic area, poets and musicians from various city-states are reciting songs and playing bamboo flutes. Hearing the familiar name, Xiusock paused, listened for a moment, and couldn't laugh or cry on his face.

"The son I brought up with my own hands, although young and intelligent, good at fighting and fighting, but he can't speak like a thunderbolt, have a bright eye, and smash a big tree with one punch."

"The Alliance respects heroes, and attaches great importance to military merit! The Northern Army received divine grace during the Western Expedition and shined brilliantly 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 Xiusoke.

Hearing this, Xiu Suoke was terrified. With a smile on his face, he also replied gently.

"The land in the lake also sang the name of the king. The supreme king is the real incarnation of the sun god in the world."

The two smiled and stopped talking at the same time. In a hurry, the towering Great Temple came into view.

The sacred flame burns brightly, and the song of the priest resounds loudly. Hundreds of temple warriors looked serious, stationed at the bottom of the great temple, guarding a large number of noble sacrifices, and also guarding the surrounding subsidiary temples. Hundreds of peasants bent their backs, transporting sealed wooden barrels, and blue liquid dripped from the barrels from time to time.

"This is the Mayan blue dye used to smear sacrifices during sacrifices. So much?"

Xiu Suoke was surprised. He looked at the king's guard, who nodded slightly. In an instant, a strong smell of blood seemed to come to the nostrils, making the heart of the resolute warrior tremble. You must know that those who can go to the sacrificial altar of the Great Temple must be nobles with sacred blood

Walking silently, the two headed south again. The expansion of the Great Temple is continuing, and further south, an unusually wide building has been built, and the foundation is being built at this time.

Xiu Suoke is familiar with the army, and after a little calculation, he knows that there are at least 3,000 civilians working in the field. The king's guard seemed to have expected it a long time ago, he smiled, turned his head and said in a deep voice.

"This is the new King's Palace. The first phase of the project will be half the height and half the size of the Great Temple."

"Ah, how the elders say"

"The elders naturally agree. When building the foundation, not only will there be corn mortar and volcanic ash for reinforcement, but also the blood of Tarasco's descendants will be added. The main god will step on the bones of the gods and ascend to the supreme throne!"

"The Lord God is supreme, praise the Lord God!"

Xiusoke nodded and prayed sincerely. Now that the elder has agreed, everything else is trivial.

Soon, the gorgeous administrative palace will arrive. The king's guards showed the jade talisman to the guarding royal guards, and Xiusoke unloaded the baton behind his back and the long dagger at his waist. Afterwards, the two walked along the path in the garden to the king's palace that 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 venue. But the closer they got to the palace, the lower the voices of the crowd, and finally there was only a solemn silence like no one left.

Xiusoke took a deep breath and followed the king's guards towards the gate. The moment the door was pushed open, he quickly looked up, then bowed his head and walked forward with small steps.

The supreme king, expressionless, sat on the ever-increasing throne. He was wearing a royal costume embellished with gemstones, holding a century-old scepter in his hand, and his eyes were indifferent and calm, like the incarnation of a god. And in the shadow of the king, a silent intelligence officer cast his gaze.

"Lord God Supreme! Glorious Noble of Teotihuacan, Shuxok, salutes the Incarnation of the Sun God, Grand Tratoani of the Alliance, Supreme King!"

Xiusoke calmed down and paid homage. The loud voice echoed in the empty stone hall, and then faded away. The stone hall returned to silence, and even the dozens of warriors guarding it were as dignified as statues.

It seemed that half a century had passed before a cold voice floated down from a height, carrying an awe-inspiring coldness.

"Xusoke, I heard that you were in Trokamba and had a good talk with Tepetel?"

Well, these two days have been quite busy. Thanks to Portugal Toothless for Zhang Tui, and I also seriously recommend Toothless's "Australian Wind and Cloud 1876". Hee hee, first time trying to push a book. Many historical details in this book are great, the writing style is good, and the volume is full. It is suitable for daily follow-up reading. I recommend book lovers to read it. To be honest, it is not easy for an author who writes foreign history. In the end, watching the live broadcast of Virgin Galactic flying into space with a full crew in the morning, I was really heartbroken. Everyone should have had the ideal of stars when they were young. But today I have a hope: maybe in my lifetime, I can take a look at the appearance of the earth from the edge of space. ^_^