Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!-Chapter 1441 - 995: Arrangements Before the Return, A Letter From Ten Thousand Miles Away
"May the Chief Divine protect us! After conquering the Chapala Lake Region and the coastline of Sea Woman City, the population of the Kingdom of the Lake’s six counties has reached an astonishing two million! The kingdom I personally established has become a military machine second only to the Alliance in the world, continuously expanding outward, expanding, and expanding again!..."
The sun slanted westward over the Eastern Sea, the red sun setting on the water, casting a vast expanse of red glow across the sky. Xiulote stood in the palace of Hidden Serpent City, gazing westward through a half-open wall window. In this rich, beautiful, and comfortable seaside land, he had lingered too long, so long that everything on the highland seemed distant.
From this end of the Eastern Seaboard, looking toward the western hills. The magnificent Tloquiditlan lay twelve hundred li to the west. And the Qinchongcan Capital of the kingdom was a full two thousand li away!
"Oh Chief Divine! I have been away from the Qinchongcan Capital for four and a half years now!... That military machine I personally built and strengthened has been operating on its own for too long!... But when will I be able to return to the Qinchongcan Capital, return to the towering Palace of Wind, and return to the center of the kingdom’s rule?"
At this thought, Xiulote’s gaze deepened and his expression grew solemn. The eastward expedition had ended, leaving only the final assembly with the jungle tribes. And Aweit had long prepared the victory rites, waiting for him to return to the center of the Great Alliance, that cage of the Lake Capital City. Once inside, to return to the capital would mean patiently waiting for the prophecy of the fair-skinned ones to come true, waiting for a turning point in the alliance’s campaign...
"Chief Divine bear witness! The Great General is out there, disobeying the Royal Decree... Aweit, I obey your royal decree to return to the Lake Capital City, avoiding civil war between the alliance and the kingdom... But my generals may not necessarily follow my orders!..."
"So, this thousand-li of seaside land, this newly established Seaside Alliance... will no longer obediently hand over the inland cities as we previously agreed... Once the alliance of the seaside tribes rises, it will have its own will! And while I am in the Lake Capital City, I will be powerless and helpless!"
Xiulote, expressionless, lowered his eyes. He recalled the pieces he had laid out, pondering what moves still needed finishing touches.
"Zicao, Great Lake, Apal, Qingqiu, four fully empowered military governors, autonomously subduing the land!... The Seaside Alliance unites the Totonac tribes, about to conquer the Maya!... There’s also Cloud Serpent Mountain City in the hands of the kingdom, embedded deep within the territory of Tlaxcala’s Four States..."
"And beyond the strength of the kingdom... there are the Otomi Tribes’ allies, Otapan’s City Lord Jiowar, Otomi’s Deputy Supreme High Priest Omaltzin... The Colima tribes’ allies, the pregnant daughter of the chief, Yilian... The Silver Raven Tribe’s allies, the two daughters of the Silver Raven Chieftain..."
At this thought, a flicker passed through Xiulote’s eyes. The adorable and obedient Colima "Kitten" was conceived around May. It’s now early October, and she’s been pregnant for five months... which means if all goes well, his fourth child, the bloodline blending the Mexican Royal Family and the noble chief of Colima, will be born in March next year...
"Hmm... The Seaside Alliance has already sent envoys, agreeing with the jungle Totonac tribes and jungle Zoque tribes that after the autumn harvest, in late November, they will convene at the First Ancient City, in the ancient holy city of the Olmec in the south!"
"This key assembly concerns over two hundred thousand autonomous jungle Totonac tribes, and at least four to five hundred thousand jungle Zoque tribes! Even Source Water City, six hundred li inland from the southeastern head of the Sunrise River, will send a Divine Descendant envoy..."
"And the relationship between the Seaside Alliance and the inland jungle tribes, will it be war or peace?... The entire Southeast Jungle order, who will be its master?... All must be confirmed under the witness of the Olmec ancestors, in this assembly!"
Xiulote stroked his chin, letting his thoughts drift far away.
This assembly’s essence was a redefinition of the Southeast Jungle order by the Seaside Alliance. The reconstructed ancient holy city of the ancestors was to replace the Hidden Serpent Holy City’s position as the religious center; while the Seaside Alliance, centered around Golden Bay City, was to establish nominal suzerainty over the jungle tribes.
Only with both political and religious orders established can the Seaside Alliance turn its attention and fully expand towards the Maya Coast!
"At that time, I will personally host this assembly, meeting with the chieftains of the jungle tribes one by one! By the time everything is sorted out, it should already be late December. Bertade, leading four thousand Imperial Guards, should have arrived at Hidden Serpent City by then!"
"Hmm, the kingdom’s overall layout, the Eastern Sea strategy, the Maya Coast campaign, and the response to western explorers... I must clearly hand these over to Bertade! Considering this, it will be mid-January next year..."
"Chief Divine witness! Early next year, I will lead four thousand Imperial Guards on a return journey. Traveling slowly, inspecting various city-states and villages along the way, it should allow me to prolong the journey until March... This way, I can witness Yilian’s child’s birth firsthand, to know if it’s a boy or girl, thereby arranging a further alliance with the chief of Colima... As for Liuyu and Liuyao, whether the sisters can bear my child... I’ll work harder, and with a few more months of effort, I should manage at least once!"
For Xiulote, the Lake Capital City was a grand and strong cage. He was not eager to return but wanted to arrange everything outside the cage and strengthen his power as much as possible. Though Aweit was eager to recall him, as long as he did not refuse to return, Aweit would restrain himself, certainly not flipping the table.
Political power struggles always require constant balancing and compromise. And it’s particularly true when both sides are evenly matched!
Over the past decade, Aweit and Xiulote have been both mentor and disciple, as well as father-in-law and son-in-law, walking hand in hand on the pinnacle path of power... They have become competent and even outstanding politicians in their high-level political training and will no longer be easily swayed by emotions!
"Chief Divine protect us! Once everything is arranged... I should reach the Lake Capital City by April next year. By then, the grand sacrifice Aweit has prepared for me should be the Spring Plowing Festival!"
"My teacher, my father-in-law, my Divine King... I eagerly anticipate meeting you again!"
As the sunset disappeared, shadows surged from the horizon. Xiulote lowered his gaze, watching the sunset’s last glow, remaining silent for a long time until two secretaries lit the oil lamp, prepared a steaming meal, and softly called out.
"Your Highness, it’s time to eat!"
Only then did Xiulote open his eyes, turning to look at the charming and graceful sisterly pair. At this moment, he was not hungry in his stomach but was greatly hungry in his heart. It was a thirst for power, and power turned into an aphrodisiac, igniting the fire in his body. And the only thing that could satisfy him was...
"Ah! Your... Your Highness... You should... should eat... your meal... Ah!"
"Hmm. Very well... very delicious!"
The long rainy season of the seaside gradually came to an end, with the storm finally thinning out. Late summer in September passed, tropical flowers rustled and fell, mingling with a light, drifting dance. Early October brought the arrival of autumn, when the cornfields grew bountiful, and the harvest season wasn’t far off; everything simply awaited its time.
The few days of early autumn passed in indulgent waiting, until a distant envoy arrived on an East Sea Navy longship. He carried in his arms a letter written seven months ago, traveling across the vast expanse of ten thousand li! Upon reading the letter’s end, Xiulote suddenly stood up, staring wide-eyed in disbelief.
"What?! This year? At this moment?!..."
The two secretaries near Xiulote craned their necks curiously. They saw at the letter’s end characters they could understand and a sea chart they could not, their eyes full of confusion. They did not know that these brief words contained immense courage and what they would mean for the world!
"May the Chief Divine protect us! Divine blessings upon the kingdom! My highest Majesty, I have heard from the coastal tribes at latitude 60 degrees north about the western island chains you mentioned; everything matches Your Divine Revelation!"
"We will strive to head west, and before this year’s ice-bound period sets in, dispatch the first longship to follow the warm ocean currents westward... to attempt to pass through the long western island chains, to reach the prophesied New Continent, even if there is no return!"
