Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!-Chapter 1458 - 1011: The Scholar’s Nautical Journal, North Port’s Development Opportunity, and the Whale Clan’s Conversion
"North Port at 46 degrees north latitude is located on the south side of the mighty river (Colombia River) estuary, where multiple rivers converge! Stationed at North Port by the Kingdom are the two brother priests, Tu Shan and Tu He, with two fishing longships and over twenty local tribal canoes. After more than a year of their efforts, the population of North Port has grown to over 500 people, of which 80% are Clatsop tribe members absorbed by the Kingdom. These Clatsop people are excellent fishermen, hunters, and gatherers, but not skilled in farming. So, the entire port has only developed several hundred acres of potato, sweet potato, corn, and pumpkin fields beside the river on the southern inland. Currently, the primary food source for the port remains the caught fish..."
"Among all the ports on the Western Sea coast, North Port’s location is extremely important! Because the mighty river flows all the way from the distant East with many branch waterways, and it is said to stretch as long as four thousand miles! It is known as the second lifeline of the Northern Continent, linking hundreds and thousands of tribes together... In my view, it is a naturally excellent trade port, capable of establishing peaceful trade exchanges with the vast inland tribes! However, the major tribes around the river may not think so..."
"When the Kingdom’s support fleet, loaded with seven hundred warriors, arrived at North Port, the envoys from the Northern Rivermouth Tribe Confederation happened to be staying at the port. The so-called Northern Rivermouth Alliance actually is the combined effort of Chinook Tribe, Cathlamet Tribe, and Wahkiakum Tribe around the Rivermouth area to jointly resist the emerging Kalapuya tribal alliance occupying the affluent river valley area (Portland)! These two rival tribal alliances along the Long River each can mobilize three to four thousand able-bodied men. Therefore, it is estimated that both sides have nearly twenty thousand tribes, and the Kalapuya people expanding on all fronts might have even more population... According to the traditional understanding of the Northern Land, these two ’powerful’ alliances each with a scale of over ten thousand people are rare ’major forces’ on the Northern Continent!..."
"Among the two alliances, the downstream, loosely organized Rivermouth Alliance is clearly the weaker defensive party, resisting the Kalapuya tribes’ invasion. And their envoys arriving at North Port have a very clear purpose. That is to persuade the smaller Clatsop tribes of the mighty river’s south shore to join the ’powerful’ Rivermouth Alliance... The Rivermouth Alliance’s envoy was initially very confident, repeatedly claiming to ’shelter’ the ’Longship Tribe’ of over five hundred people. Until the Kingdom’s powerful support fleet arrived, hundreds of armored warriors appeared, shocking and astonishing the Rivermouth Alliance emissary beyond belief! These armored and bow-bearing warriors are equivalent to the tribes’ elite bear-hunting warriors. Yet, neither the Rivermouth Alliance nor the Kalapuya Alliance can produce three hundred bear-hunting warriors!..."
"With the Chief Divine’s protection! Witnessing the Kingdom’s strength, the Rivermouth Alliance’s envoy clearly changed their attitude, but still invited the ’Longship Tribe’ to join the Rivermouth Alliance. Tu Shan and Tu He hesitated a bit because many of the tribes accepted by North Port were forcibly migrated by the Kalapuya Alliance, whose aggressiveness is indeed very strong... The support fleet’s Priest Kejie consulted with Tu Shan and Tu He for a long time before finally politely refusing the Rivermouth Alliance’s invitation suggestion. However, the Kingdom is willing to swear an alliance with the Rivermouth tribes on equal terms, forming an allied tribe. Besides this, the Kingdom is also willing to exchange bronze weapons and tools for the Rivermouth Alliance’s food, timber, and war captives..."
The stars twinkle in the night sky, watching over the flickering bonfires rising on the islands in this desolate icy sea. Scholar Mikki massaged his temples, pondering over Priest Kejie’s arrangements, then looked towards Exploration Captain Zuwalo.
"Chief Divine witness! Zuwalo, after Priest Kejie left fifty Kingdom warriors at North Port, left fifty sets of bronze cloth armor, and exchanged two sturdy large longships with North Port’s two old longships. Afterward, upon his handover with us at Whale Harbor, he set his station at North Port... Is he planning to capitalize on the intertribal alliances’ conflicts along the Long River to make significant moves?..."
Upon hearing this, Exploration Captain Zuwalo rubbed his chin and nodded affirmatively.
"Chief Divine witness! It should be like this! Priest Keyuan stationed at West Mountain Port is developing the harbor while focusing efforts on the Cedar Shaman. Similarly, Priest Kejie stationed at North Port is naturally aiming to develop the harbor, taking advantage of the intertribal alliance conflicts to use the Kingdom’s armored military force to annex various tribes of different sizes!... Both of us have quickly climbed up the ranks through exploration and pioneering achievements along the way. Seeing this, naturally, they want to quickly establish their own accomplishments, making significant moves in the Northern Land! And the places left for their achievements..."
"In fact, if not for His Majesty’s very clear mandate prioritizing exploration of the Far North... I doubt Priest Kejie would leave just fifty copper-armored warriors!..."
"Hmm, indeed! Priest Kejie abandoned the temporarily more populous and abundant Whale Harbor to choose North Port, connected to the mighty river, as his station. So, the struggle up and down the mighty river will inevitably deeply involve the Kingdom as well!..."
Scholar Mikki gently shook his head. He did not favor such expansion based on force, but undeniably sometimes it might be the fastest way to absorb and expand through force seizing various tribes!
The Kingdom’s priests traveled thousands of miles to the Western Sea coast of the Northern Land, all harboring ambitions of making contributions. According to the Kingdom’s expansion policy, as long as the tribes they control have enough population, the Kingdom Priesthood will generously promote them and provide them with more resource support! All this is for the sake of preaching and expansion...
"The support fleet stayed at North Port for four days, resupplied some food and water, stationed dozens of Kingdom sailors, and recruited an equal number of Clatsop sailors before heading north again. Tens of miles north of the great river’s north bank lies the Chinook people’s Great Chinook Tribe. The support fleet reached this tribe of one to two thousand people, displayed the Kingdom’s elite warriors, and only after declaring ’friendship’ with the Great Chinook Tribe’s chieftain did it head back to the coast..."
"At 47 degrees north latitude, another vast rivermouth area is home to the Xia He tribe of the Xialisi people. This fishing-hunting Xia He tribe only numbered seven to eight hundred people, almost migrated eastward when facing the enormous fleet. Priest Kejie met with Chieftain Xia He, presented the Kingdom’s gifts, solemnly proclaimed ’friendship,’ and ’persuaded’ them to convert, recruiting a dozen or so sailors... Afterward, First Level Preaching Priest Pehuoguo stayed at Xia He tribe to spread the Chief Divine faith and guide the Xialisi in potato cultivation..."
"After leaving the Xia He tribe, going north another five to six hundred miles, at 48 degrees north latitude, is Whale Harbor, the starting point of the Kingdom’s exploration once again! Upon reaching Whale Harbor, ten large longships had already exchanged five old longships, swapping nearly half of the crew! Warriors and sailors from ten plus tribes and over ten ports congregated in the fleet, symbolizing the Kingdom’s strength and operations in the Northern Land!..."
"With the Chief Divine’s blessing! With the arrival of this support fleet, exploration of the Far North can continue to push along the coast! Of course, before officially departing, there remains one critical event! That is to formally unite and merge with the Maca Whale Tribe, who are only five to six hundred people but possess whaling techniques, then hold a grand conversion ceremony, let the entire tribe swear a blood oath of conversion, to believe in the Chief Divine. Henceforth, the mighty Kingdom of the Lake will ’embrace’ the little Whale Tribe at the world’s end, making them an inseparable part of the Kingdom!..."
