Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!-Chapter 1456 - 1009: The Scholar’s Nautical Journal—Harbors Across Twenty Thousand Li, the Lifeblood of the Western Sea Coast
"May the Chief Divine bless us! The support fleet of the Kingdom replenished some food at West Mountain Port, repaired the longships that had journeyed here, and exchanged for three well-conditioned old longships. There are four Kingdom longships stationed at West Mountain Port, making it the largest Kingdom port on the Western Sea Coast! Subsequently, the support fleet left behind sixty to seventy Kingdom sailors and supplemented an equal number of Miwock sailors before continuing northward. In fact, throughout this journey, the continual exchange of sailors allows the fleet to better adapt to the environment of the Northern Land and also helps increase the proportion of the Kingdom’s main force at each port..."
"At latitude 39 degrees north, the Bear-hunting Tribe of the Pomo people is a Great Tribe of three thousand, occupying vast river mouths, coasts, and mountain forests. The Bear-hunting Tribe is very friendly towards the Kingdom. The primary reasons are, firstly, the mediation and assurance of the Cedar Shaman, and secondly, due to the Kingdom’s formidable strength, with the continual appearance of massive fleets and Samurai. And the final, most crucial reason is the Kingdom’s incessant supply of Southern trade goods which the Pomo people ardently desire, including the ’rare’ Lake Gem, precious metal axe-spears, and practical cotton cloth cocoa!..."
"Like the forest tribes of the East, the agricultural level of the Bear-hunting Tribe is still very primitive and cannot provide much food for the fleet. However, within this powerful Great Tribe, there are many strong Pomo hunters skilled at hunting in the woods, and there are many furs available for trade. The surrounding mountain forests of the tribe are abundant with towering redwoods, cold firs, oak trees, and white pines, all excellent lumber... Therefore, the goods that the Bear-hunting Tribe can provide are a small amount of food, a moderate amount of furs, a large amount of lumber, and recruitable tribal hunters!..."
"Under the nod of Chieftain Bear Wind of the Bear-hunting Tribe, the support fleet left behind First Level Preaching Priest Nolan, along with several young Assistant Priests of the Kingdom, to spread the faith of the Chief Divine among the Bear-hunting Tribe and teach them potato cultivation. At the same time, the support fleet also recruited more than a dozen strong, tall Pomo hunters with metal tools and weapons as a supplement for the crew. Their strength is indeed impressive, and they are evidently taller, particularly adept at using the javelin!..."
"At latitude 41 degrees north, the Kingdom’s Lake Bay Port is established around the Lake Garden Tribe of the Wiyot people, with a current population of over 500! The vast majority of the population of Lake Bay Port comes from local intermarriage and conversion of the Wiyot people, exemplifying the assimilation and integration of Northern Tribes! The Preaching Priest of the port, West Bee, has already established large areas of hut and wood houses, along with a stone temple of the Chief Divine. His wife Chieftainess Tulan has just given birth to their first child! As for the rest of the residing Kingdom’s warriors and sailors, they have all intermarried with local Wiyot women, many of whom have already had children!..."
"Praise the Chief Divine! Second Level Priest Kejie, on behalf of the Kingdom, conveyed the blessings of the Chief Divine to them and left behind many metal tools. Following this, he, along with two hundred warriors of the Kingdom and more than a dozen baskets of rich gifts, personally visited the kind and gentle old chieftain of the Lake Garden Tribe, Tu Jing, to persuade them to convert to the Chief Divine’s faith!... Finally, the old chieftain Tu Jing nodded in agreement, participating in the conversion ceremony with the tribal chieftains, and switched their belief to the Chief Divine’s faith! The Lake Garden Tribe, comprising two to three thousand people, has thus embarked on a bright path!..."
The night enveloped the earth, the bonfire ignited between the mountains. A gust of cold wind blew from the North, bringing the chill of October’s Far North land. The White Bear Gawa placed a clay pot on the bonfire, dug some snow chunks into the pot, and threw in a large piece of frozen whale salted meat. She glanced at the two engrossed ’Chieftains’, thought for a moment, and took out a small bag of invigorating herbs to add to the pot for boiling.
"Chief Divine bless us! The simple Lake Garden Tribe has converted to the Chief Divine!... Slurp, the delicious grilled eel..."
Miki the Sage’s eyes flickered, recalling the delicious grilled eel of the Lake Garden Tribe and couldn’t help but lick his dried lips.
"Oh Chief Divine! One wonders when we might return to the Southern Lake Bay Port... Surely, it must be eight or nine thousand miles away!..."
"Hmm, calculating the series of supply points established along the route, from Lake Bay Port to High Mountain Port, there are ten segments to the journey, eleven ports... it should tally up to ten thousand miles!..."
Exploration Captain Zuwaro chuckled and shook his head, his expression carrying a touch of nostalgia. After this ten thousand mile journey, they still have to continue westward, unsure of how many years might pass before returning... Perhaps, this thousand-mile journey of turbulent waves and endless horizons might swallow them completely, never granting a chance to return...
"Yes! Following Lake Bay Port comes South Port and North Port!..."
Miki the Sage paused slightly, rubbing his weathered chin, his eyes somewhat distant. By the orange glow of the bonfire, he gazed upon the navigation journal in his hand, akin to seeing the pioneering past and the inevitably prosperous future!
"Praise the Chief Divine! Just north of Lake Bay Tribe, merely one or two days’ voyage stands the towering Divine Revelation Tree. Assisted by Priest Kejie, the people held a prayer ceremony on the coast where the Divine Tree stands, before continuing north. At latitude 42 degrees north stands the rivaling Redwood Tribe and Leaf Grass Tribe of the Tolowa people. These are two Great Tribes of several thousand, each consolidating small tribes over years of fierce battles, gradually forming the embryo of a Tribal Alliance..."
"The fleet of over seven hundred Kingdom people arrived and greatly intimidated the two Tolowa Great Tribes. Priest Kejie, representing the Kingdom, stayed a few days, meeting separately with Chieftain Leaf Grass and Chieftain Mighty Oak of the Redwood Tribe, conveying the Chief Divine’s light and mercy, hoping to mediate the conflict between the two! Ultimately, his results were merely establishing trade relations with the two Great Tribes, securing permission to spread the Chief Divine’s faith, and obtaining peaceful passage guarantees for the longships... The hatred accumulated between these two Great Tribes spans many generations, and likely cannot be easily settled. Similarly, the two warring Great Tribes highly value their population, making it impossible for the Kingdom to recruit valiant Tolowa warriors, but exchanging prisoners of war for weapons seems doable..."
"At latitude 43 degrees north lies the Peaceful Bay of the Kus people, which is the Kingdom’s South Port. In barely a year, this Kingdom’s port expanded from a mere sixty to seventy individuals to over three hundred! It’s evident that Zuwaro, full of cunning schemes, imparted many chaotic ideas to Priest Keshu who manages this place. The Kingdom’s warriors and sailors, through deception, surprise attacks, gifts, and even enticing with alcohol... each has married several Kus women. These semi-matriarchal small tribes have converged like iron filings to a magnet, surrounding the South Port within tens of miles, numbering an estimated six to seven hundred..."
Upon seeing this, Exploration Captain Zuwaro awkwardly rubbed his nose. He gave a light ’cough’ twice, explaining in a low voice.
"Miki, May the Chief Divine bless us! In order to spread the Chief Divine’s glory, for the Kingdom’s prosperous future, and to enlighten the ignorant Northern tribes... the devout warriors and sailors of the Kingdom are willing to make ’sacrifices’ through their hard work!... Praise the Chief Divine! Let our bloodlines and those of the Northern Jiao People unite closely, indistinguishably!"
"Oh! Closely united, indistinguishably?... Zuwaro, you’re quite something!... uh..."
Upon hearing this, Miki the Sage grinned mockingly. But when he noticed the newly adult, cooking White Bear Gawa nearby, his voice instantly lowered. After a while, he rubbed his cheeks and sighed.
"Chief Divine as witness! Intermarrying with Northern Tribes and merging our bloodlines, and converting relatives’ faith to the path of the Chief Divine truly is the fastest way for the Kingdom to develop on the vast Western Sea Coast!... But alas, for the loyal warriors and sailors of the Kingdom who come here to marry and settle, they can no longer return! And across the Kingdom, how many loyal warriors and sailors can travel a thousand miles to settle in this vast and desolate Western Sea Coast?..."
Hearing this question, Exploration Captain Zuwaro squinted his eyes, pondering silently. He understood Miki the Sage’s implication and sensed his concern.
The fleets heading north twice have brought nearly two thousand strong warriors and sailors from the Kingdom. These individuals are selected from various counties, holding the deepest faith, utmost loyalty, and obedience to the Kingdom as the backbone! Even though the populations of counties in the Kingdom are in the tens of thousands, such backbones are not numerous.
Therefore, continuing the Kingdom’s support, maintaining such quality in the crew cannot be sustained. Be it through noble exile or tribal migration, it will introduce many unreliable populations... by then, the order on the Western Sea Coast might not remain so stable and harmonious!...
"May the Chief Divine bless us! The Kingdom, possessing a massive fleet, also holds the lifeline of the Western Sea Coast, not to be challenged by any tribes or fiefs! The faith of the Chief Divine will eventually spread throughout the Northern Land! And when we reach the western continent, as prophesied by the Divine Revelation of Your Majesty, we will surely obtain four-legged riding beasts traversing the land and gigantic ships connecting coasts!..."
