Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!-Chapter 1432 - 986: Cassava—One Sows, Ten Are Fed
The rain subsided, and the elite troops marched swiftly. Black Wolf Torc led two hundred trusted aides, galloping along the coast of White Sand for forty to fifty miles, finally reaching the riverbank where the exploration fleet had once hidden, as the sun leaned westward.
From a distance, the golden-red lake surface reflected the sunset light, with tall Luwei growing densely along the river. On the clear lake surface, flying birds occasionally descended, and even flat turtles could be seen. They floated on the water like rocks in the lake, leisurely, calmly, and peacefully.
Black Wolf Torc stood by the river, gazing at the calm lake connected to the river. The scene before him was so tranquil that it was hard for him to imagine the fierce water battles and life-and-death struggles that had once occurred. The tropical rivers and jungles were always so vibrant, swallowing all flesh and blood, leaving not even a dry Bone, erasing death with life.
"Praise to the Chief Divine! Truly a natural Naval Forces harbor!... Xiuluo, what is the name of this lake connected to the river and the sea?"
"Uh, honorable Black Wolf Leader!... This lake has no fish, but there are plenty of big turtles... The local villagers all call it, uh, Great Turtle Lake!..."
"What? Great Turtle Lake?"
Black Wolf squinted his eyes, looking at the leisurely turtles on the lake surface, and grinned, revealing sharp teeth.
"Wuta!"
"Here, Leader!"
"Go! Take some people and catch a few big turtles! Tonight, we’ll encamp here and have a roasted turtle to replenish!..."
"Yes, Leader!"
Black Wolf gave a few simple instructions, arranging the encampment for the night. Then, he looked at the end of the team and asked a lean and honest Prepecha Warrior.
"Yellowfish! Where is the cassava field that the old man Qi planted back then?"
"Uh, Black Wolf Leader... It’s this lake, right around here! But specifically where... It was mainly Captain Qi who planted it alone, less than two acres... I don’t remember!..."
The lean Yellowfish scratched his head, staring blankly at the vast lake and the tall Luwei for a long time. He was one of the sixteen people who returned from the Cuba exploration fleet, and hence was exceptionally honored by Xiulote with the title of Military Merit Nobility. Returning to this lakeside where bloodshed once occurred, his eyes held indescribable emotions and a touch of confusion.
"Leader, how about we look for it? This plant has very broad leaves, like a hand. It’s not short in height either, growing upwards in clusters..."
"What?! Such a large area, circling thirty miles along the lakeside, and the Luwei is so tall! When will we find it?!"
Black Wolf frowned, looked at the chieftain Xiuluo, and instructed.
"Go! To the nearest village, bring out the local hunters and fishermen! First, ask them if they know..."
The summer sun sets a little later. Before the final rays of sunlight disappeared, the hunters from nearby villages finally followed orders to arrive. Upon hearing Yellowfish’s description of the plant, the village hunters were surprised for a moment, then suddenly shouted.
"Ah! All Gods! I know!... It’s Deathly Grass! The Deathly Grass that can kill people when eaten!... I know where it is, I’ll take you there!"
After some twists and turns, they finally found the cassava field planted in the Luwei of the Lake Bay. After a year of wind and rain, the traces of the field had long disappeared. The cassava grew densely in clusters, thriving robustly even without the care of farmers.
"Chief Divine’s blessing! These small tree-like plants, are they the matured cassava?"
As the sky darkened, Black Wolf held a torch, staring at the cassava clusters in front of him, estimating the height. Most of the grown cassava reached over half a person’s height, with robust stalks. In the cassava’s height advantage, there was hardly any weed in this patch. Compared to the alliance’s most common corn, pumpkins, and beans, this "new" crop was evidently easy to grow and thrive without much trouble.
"Tsk tsk! Is this the Divine-blessed crop His Highness mentioned, yielding five to six hundred pounds per acre?... Said to carry the divinity of death and the vitality of the earth, needing to be peeled and processed before eating..."
Black Wolf stroked his chin, observing the thriving cassava clusters for a while. Then, he looked at the Military Merit Nobility Yellowfish, and asked.
"Yellowfish, I recall this thing being quite cumbersome, how to eat it?"
"Uh... Leader, Captain Qi made up a new song about cassava, it’s easy to remember!"
Upon hearing this, Yellowfish cleared his throat, mimicking the old militia’s accent, and sang the song mystically.
"Cassava, oh it’s good, one person plants it to feed ten! It has its merits, but also demerits, born with a deathly peel, eat casually and you’ll die!..."
"Chief Divine is good, granting a treasure, digging out roots long and thick! Peel it, cut into pieces, soak in water to disperse poison, wait overnight to eat at ease!..."
"After soaking, boil it, make it into porridge so fragrant. Dry it, grind it into powder, bake it into cakes for long storage, Chief Divine bless His Highness well!... Ah! Chief Divine bless His Highness well!... Cassava, oh it’s good, one person plants it to feed ten..."
Listening to the ear-piercing chant of the earthy yellow fish loop like a spell, Black Wolf Torc’s eyelids twitched, but the sound was so magical it was hard to forget. He remained silent for a while before shaking his head and ordering.
"Alright! Stop singing! It gives me a headache!... Mique, go, take a few people, and dig up some cassava roots for me, peel them and soak them in water... Tomorrow morning, I want to personally taste what this divinely blessed crop, valued by His Highness, actually tastes like!"
"Yes, boss!..."
"Black Wolf Leader, I’ll also go help, I’m familiar with this!..."
"Earthy yellow fish, don’t rush!"
Black Wolf Torc shook his head. He extended his large hand, pressing down on the thin earthy yellow fish, and seriously asked.
"Chief Divine witness! This patch of cassava doesn’t look like much... how many acres can be expanded?!"
"Great Leader Black Wolf, these cassavas have all matured, and the stems can be cut off for replanting... One cassava can be cut into a dozen segments for planting without any issue. This two-acre cassava field... could probably expand to twenty acres!"
"Twenty acres? That’s so little?..."
"Chief Divine protection! It’s not little! Even corn doesn’t thrive as well as it does!... After another year, there will be at least over two hundred acres!..."
"Oh! Really!"
Black Wolf’s eyes widened, using his fingers to calculate hard, finally completing the tenfold multiplication. He pondered for a moment, staring intently into the eyes of the earthy yellow fish, making the latter shiver.
"Uh! Black Wolf Leader?..."
"Earthy yellow fish, His Highness gave me a royal decree to expand the cassava plantation, to popularize this high-yielding new crop..."
Black Wolf Torc, eyes bright, looked at the earthy yellow fish, decisively giving orders.
"Chief Divine witness! You’re good! Knowledgeable and capable! This task of expanding the cassava plantations will take many years, and I’m entrusting it to you!..."
"Ah! Me... entrust it to me?! But, I’m just one person..."
"Ha! As for the lack of manpower, of the tribal warriors and militia conscripted by the legion, you can choose!..."
Black Wolf waved his large hand, heavily patting the earthy yellow fish’s shoulder, generously giving promotions.
"Right here, by this Great Turtle Lake! I’ll set up a small tribal flag team, assigning four hundred people for you to manage! And this entire thirty miles of Great Lake, I’ll also entrust to you!... Hmm, a tribesperson can farm at least five acres, four hundred people equals two thousand acres?... That should last at least two years!..."
"Earthy yellow fish, Chief Divine witness! I’ll give you two years to cultivate two thousand acres of cassava for me! If you do well, I’ll promote you another level, setting up a large flag team of four thousand, dedicated to farming cassava! I’ve even thought of a name for the flag team, it’ll be called the Cassava Banner!..."
"However! If you don’t do well..."
Black Wolf Torc squinted his eyes, coldly staring at the earthy yellow fish, then grinned again, revealing sharp teeth.
"Chief Divine witness! His Highness and I will both be very angry!"
"Ah! Ah this?... Do it well, command a large flag team? Cassava Banner?... Don’t do it well, uh..."
The earthy yellow fish stood dumbfounded for a moment before suddenly shivering. He knelt respectfully, loudly accepting the order.
"Yes, Chief Divine protection! Black Wolf Leader, I will definitely cultivate the cassava fields well, for the Chief Divine, for His Highness, and for your command!..."
"Very good! That’s the spirit!..."
Black Wolf Torc raised the torch, nodding in satisfaction. Then, he turned around, back facing the lush cassava field, and looked towards the dark western horizon, murmuring softly.
"Actually! This task, it’s most suitable to give it to the old man Qi! However, he should be in Cloud Serpent Mountain City..."
"Chief Divine protection! Counting the time, shouldn’t the unsetting Cloud Serpent Mountain City have finally set by now!..."
The long wind heads west for thousands of miles, the darkness also envelopes the mountain city, with a drizzle still falling. Beneath the rainy curtain of the mountain city, a team of silent Imperial Guard Warriors climbs the steep mountain path. And not far above their heads, the back camp of the Cloud Serpent Mountain City has quietly opened its gates.
