Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!-Chapter 1547 - 1088: The Assurance of the Elders, "Möngke" and "Kublai Khan
"Ancestors! Uncle, how can you bow to me? This cannot be, absolutely cannot be!"
"Yes! Uncle, please rise! You are the Chief Minister of the Alliance, one of the few noble elders left in the Royal Family... You not only presided over my and Xiulote's wedding, but you are also young Xiu Hua's teacher!... We should be bowing to you!"
The tall and short cactus flowerpots were arranged in the reception hall, many still blooming with vibrant flowers. Surrounded by flowers and cacti, the elderly Uncle Cacamatzin bowed his head, and Xiulote, with his wife, prostrated in return, their expressions solemn and reverent.
"Xiulote, you are the Family Head of the Holy City lineage of the Royal Family, controlling a third of the world. And Aweit is the Family Head of the Capital City lineage of the Royal Family, controlling half of the world... The Mexica Royal Family, the world of the Mexica Alliance, must not fall into division and civil war!"
Over seventy, Uncle Cacamatzin bowed his head sincerely, his voice old but earnest. Faced with his uncle's request, Xiulote lay prostrate on the mat, his head against the warm surface, unsure of how to respond. He remained silent for a long time before raising his head to look solemnly at his waiting uncle, then at his expectant wife. In such circumstances, he could only let out a long sigh and solemnly promise.
"Uncle, I understand! In the witness of the Ancestors and the Chief Divine, for the sake of your face and the Royal Elders, I... I can forgive... Aweit's past deeds!... The Mexica Royal Family will not split into civil war in my and Aweit's hands... I am still young, with plenty of time. I will patiently wait, until the Sun sets!"
"Good! Chief Divine witnesses! The elders of the Mexica Royal Family, upon hearing your promise, will all be delighted and happy. And the ancestors who have passed, will also be deeply gratified on the Divine Tree in the Divine Kingdom!"
Upon hearing this promise, Uncle Cacamatzin finally lifted his head. His aged face revealed a satisfied smile, his left hand pounding heavily on his chest, repeating the previous promise to the ancestors.
"The ancestors on the Divine Tree bear witness! Xiulote, I still stand by my word! As long as this old body remains for one more day, as long as the elders of the Royal Family are alive... you will never encounter any danger in the Capital City!"
"And this promise, I have also spoken to Aweit before, and received his commitment! Under the witness of Ancestors and Divine Spirits, he promised your safety, and also promised that as long as you stay in the Capital City, he will not take action on your Western Lake Region fief!... After all, he has sworn, promised you the Western world!"
"Assure my safety? Protect my Western Lake Region fief?"
Upon hearing such a royal promise, Xiulote's expression became quite complex, emotions interwoven within his chest, even he couldn't clearly discern them. But Alisa, holding her husband's arm, her previously tense expression instantly relaxed, finally revealing a genuine smile.
"Chief Divine! May you protect my husband, and also protect my father!... May they stand under the same palace roof, gaze upon the sky's Divine Eagle, the earth's cactus, and remember the vows they once made!" 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖
Under constant political power struggles, the two once ambitious and trusting kings, have now severely lost mutual trust. Only at this moment, under the mediation and assurance of the Royal Elders, could they indirectly and reluctantly reach a reliable promise.
Indeed, without doubt. At this moment, the conversation between Xiulote and Uncle Cacamatzin, though seemingly a promise between uncle and nephew, is actually the Mexica Royal Family's internal commitment, represented by the Holy City Royal Family branch, and Aweit representing the Capital City Royal Family's main branch, mutually assured under the guarantee of the Royal Elders, especially the elder branch of elders!
Through the guarantee of the Royal Elders, both pledged not to ignite a royal civil war, not to plot against each other's lives. The elders then serve as the supportive, balancing, and protective middle force, witnessing it all. And inheriting a portion of elder's prestige, Cacamatzin is the leader of the many royal elders, the first witness of the promise!
"Chief Divine protection! You have made sacred vows to the ancestors of the Mexica Royal Family! These sacred vows, not only witnessed by the royal elders, will soon also be known by the royal nobles!"
Cacamatzin's expression was solemn, his aged voice so resonant, so strong and confident.
The power of the royal elders, comes from the traditional royal influence, and at least in today's Lake Capital City, it is quite substantial! The two thousand elder left behind copper-axe guards, are merely the surface military of the royal elders, used to maintain royal order, yet cannot greatly threaten Aweit. However, the royal elders' influence on the noble class, on the royal legion, is subtle and hard to eliminate!
The seventy thousand plus royal legion directly under Aweit, termed 'Royal Legion', precisely because in the legion's upper echelons, among seventy-two Thousand-man Camp Commanders and nine Legion Commanders, over seventy percent are held by royal nobles.
In reality, among the nine direct legion's Legion Commanders, except Aweit's exceptional promotion of two civil and minor noble Samurai, Hua Diaochirto and the deceased dog Chichimiqui, the other seven Legion Commanders were from royal noble birth. And Giant Bear Stanley, Marshal Casal, End Moon Iskali, Jaguar City Lord Osaelol, Yuyan Clan Leader Mixcoatl... all were royal branch nobles, influenced more or less by the royal elders.
In the noble Battle Group composed of eagles and Jaguar Warriors, the proportion of royal noble officers was equally astonishing. And in the various legions, the only part uninfluenced by royal nobles was the Tonsured Guard personally promoted and rebuilt by Aweit!
As for the Council of Elders in the Capital City's Twelve Elder Priests, six elders were from various royal branches, including War God Elder Azar, Sun God Elder Tonaltiliu, Elder Priest Como. Below the High Priesthood, the number of royal Chief Priests and High Priests was equally substantial.
In the end, throughout generations, the Mexica Royal Family extensively engaged in concubinage, producing numerous offspring, intermarrying with various noble tribes. Regardless of whether marrying a princess or offering a noble lady, in the next generation, they would be noted in the Mexica Royal Family genealogy. This large-scale intermarriage, royal expansion, was precisely the most vital method of city-state tribal alliance expansion! Like the early rise of the Eight Khitan, similarly through intermarriage of various tribes, forming a complex and grand tribal royal household.
In today's two million Lake Region Mexica people, at least twenty to thirty thousand are members of the Royal Family, splintered into more than ten royal branches. The Holy City Royal Family is one such branch. The predecessor monarch of Montezuma II, the Asar lineage, is another branch. The Sun City's Yuyan family is also one branch. Even Prince Tlacopan, his mother from the Mexica Royal Family, could be considered a royal branch...
In terms of governing structure, the Mexica Alliance itself is an aristocratic system of tribal alliance, with no bureaucratic class selected from the bottom, vastly different from the Celestial Empire's tradition. The so-called alliance centralization precisely organizes power from local city-state Divine Descendants and Great Nobility towards the central alliance's Divine King and royal nobles.
These royal nobles are the fundamental base of God King Aweit, his ruling core, his personnel for transmitting his voice, executing Divine King decrees.
The basis of power, regardless of any name it claims, always stems from the "people" executing the power. In today's grand context, these royal nobles naturally hold loyalty to the Divine King. If Xiulote instigates civil war, they will undoubtedly stand by Aweit with alliance legitimacy and might, battling for Aweit to the end.
Yet even the so-called "God King" Aweit cannot defy the hearts of the entire royal class, disregard his ruling foundation. Aweit has only ascended for a decade, been the "Divine King" for just three and a half years, far from equating with "Elders" who influenced the alliance for half a century. If Xiulote loyally obeys, Aweit daringly stomps, eliminating the Holy City lineage, it would destroy his ruling roots!
To cite an inappropriate analogy, in today's Mexica Alliance, royal elders guaranteeing Xiulote's form is somewhat akin to... well, Khitan lineage born Mongol Great Khan Möngke, using his brother Kublai's "foot pain" to strip military power, urging home retreat. And Khitan lineage religious elders stepping forth, collectively ensuring no escalation of brother conflict, averting sudden "violent death" of Kublai...
"Ancestors witness! Uncle Cacamatzin, thank you, and thank the many royal elders!"
After surging thoughts, Xiulote maintained a solemn demeanor, once more bowing to Uncle Cacamatzin. Cacamatzin gazed into Xiulote's eyes, gripping this "good nephew's" hand, his face beaming with joy. Then, he glanced at the nearby joyful Alisa, pondered momentarily, and suddenly smilingly said.
"Alisa, little Xiu Hua and little Tidan, I wonder how their painting is coming along... Why don't you go to the studio and see them!... I'll have a private chat with Xiulote for a while longer..."
