Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!-Chapter 1556 - 1097: The Divine King’s Last Grudge, the Light Snake’s Betrothal!

"Yes! Honorable God King, following your command! ... With the Chief Divine as the witness, I will undoubtedly manage the Craftsmen's Camp for the Alliance's center, enforce discipline among all levels of nobility and craftsmen, and ensure the supply for the autumn Southern Expedition!"

"Good, very good! Xiulote, I have always trusted your work. The supply for military preparations is a significant matter, and only you can handle it, and only you can do it well!"

Speaking to this, God King Avit sat on the stone Throne of the Gods, and forcefully tapped the Heritage Scepter in his hand, producing a "dong" sound from wood and stone. Then, he looked into Xiulote's eyes, his expression slightly changed, and he instructed with deep meaning.

"With the Chief Divine as witness! Among all military preparations, what is most important is the bronze cannon from the Chief Divine's revelation... The Alliance's Craftsmen's Camp has already mastered the manufacturing techniques of the Sun Divine Eagle Cannon and Rain God Tiger Squat Cannon... But compared to these two firearms, what the Alliance needs more for the Southern Expedition is the Kingdom's newly cast Thunder God Mortar Cannon, a thunderbolt divine artifact capable of breaching fortresses and bastions!"

"Xiulote, the Alliance's southern expedition against the Cloud Central Tribes has never feared field battles with the Cloud People! However, in the wide mountain forests of the Land Amidst the Clouds, many citadels are built in the mountains, made of stones. These citadels are often easier to defend and harder to attack, exceptionally solid. If soldiers were to besiege the city, it would take a long time, consuming food and morale... We have all experienced the past situation of Tizoc besieging the Ototpan Mountain City. If he hadn't besieged for too long, we wouldn't have had the opportunity to turn things around... Therefore, this Southern Expedition, what the Alliance needs most is heavy siege cannons!"

"With the Chief Divine's blessing! The Craftsmen's Camp has been replicating for half a year, and large-caliber Thunder God Mortar Cannons have produced four or five finished products. According to the craftsmen, the casting difficulty of these heavy mortar cannons is not much more difficult than the Sun Divine Eagle Cannon... However, the power of the Alliance's mortar cannon seems far less surprising and strong than when the Kingdom went on the Eastern Expedition to the Seaside Lands! ... The issue might lie in the casting, or perhaps it might lie in the gunpowder..."

Upon hearing the last phrase, Xiulote's expression froze, his heart instantly tightened. He lowered his head in silence, adopting a respectful posture, listening to Avit's instructions.

"The gunpowder bureau of the Alliance's Divine Revelation Place is managed by Esko, your former subordinate from the Holy City Samurai. Although he is capable, he lacks the wisdom of divine revelation... Xiulote, you should go and advise him, improve the Alliance's gunpowder! As for the manufacture and use of the Thunder God Mortar Cannon, it would be best to bring in a few craftsmen from the Kingdom, along with one or two finished products, to guide the Alliance's Artillery Bureau!"

"Yes! Honorable God King, following your command! ... I will personally allocate the manpower to improve the Thunder God Cannon and the gunpowder!"

"Very good! Xiulote, the Craftsmen's Camp at the Capital City, I entrust them to you. I hope during the Southern Expedition against the Central Cloud Tribes, not only will there be sufficient military supplies, but also ten siege Thunder God Mortar Cannons!"

"Yes! I will complete it before the Southern Expedition in October!"

Hearing Xiulote's promise, Avit nodded with satisfaction. Then, his gaze became sharper, glancing at the silent Gillim, and looking around at the surrounding ministers, he ordered decisively.

"Spring plowing has ended, everything after this in the Alliance needs to prepare for the Southern Expedition in October! Gillim, go inspect all the granaries in the Lake Region. Food supplies must be sufficient. The loss in each warehouse must not exceed twenty percent! And if there are more shortages, let the officials in charge of the granaries and storerooms, let the nobles involved, use their entire family's heads to make up for it!"

"Yes! Your Majesty!"

"Qiewami, you control the intelligence of the Alliance... You will assist Gillim, keep an eye on the nobility of the Capital City. Whether inspecting food or military supplies, it must be meticulously and strictly done. Catch those who need catching, execute those who need executing! The autumn harvest and the expedition sacrifice in October particularly lack weighty divine descendants!"

"Yes! God King!"

"Cosollo, you are also a royal noble, responsible for arbitrating alliance noble affairs... It is now early July, send envoys on my behalf to summon the great nobles from each City-State to come to the Lake Capital City, participate in October's Grand Festival of the autumn harvest!... Remember, let them bring their first and second sons. Those under fifteen stay at the university in the Capital City of Calmecac, those over fifteen follow me in the expedition after autumn!"

"Yes! At your command, God King!"

"Stanley, you are in charge of the Alliance's military... draft the six royal legions for the Southern Expedition, the number of soldier duties for the great nobles of each City-State, and the number of militia that need to be recruited... This Southern Expedition is expected to have fifty thousand royal legions, thirty thousand City-State armies, and eight thousand militia responsible for the logistics of the warriors... Remember! All great nobility must dispatch troops, the numbers don't need to be large, but they must be elite warriors!"

"Yes! At your command, Your Majesty!"

With agile thinking and severe tone, Avit arranged the affairs of the Southern Expedition one by one. Then, he looked around the crowd and finally asked.

"With the Chief Divine as witness! Do you have any questions?"

"Good! If not, then everyone may leave! It's about time for dinner!"

"Xiulote, stay behind, I have some more matters to instruct you!"

"Yes! Following your command, God King!"

The Cabinet Ministers slightly bowed their heads, passing by Xiulote, each showed subtle changes in expression. However, everyone present were seasoned political veterans, and those subtle expressions were well concealed, making it hard to discern. Soon, the once bustling grand hall of the Royal Palace became empty again. While Avit remained expressionless, he sat high on the Throne of the Gods, waving to Xiulote.

"Xiulote, come here, sit beside me!"

"Yes! Honorable God King..."

"When there isn't anyone else in the hall, call me teacher!"

"Ah? Yes, teacher!"

Avit's eyes sparkled as he sat high on the Throne of the Gods waiting. Xiulote, with a respectful expression, endured the pain in his back and carefully sat beside the Throne of the Gods.

"Teacher? Do you have any further instructions?..."

"Hmm..."

Avit rubbed his brow, seemingly pondering a difficult problem. After a moment, he turned his head, with some warmth on his face, and asked gently.

"Xiulote, I remember, during your time with the Seaside Alliance, you had your first daughter, Xiulight Snake, with the Divine Descendant, Snake Woman, of the Tototanak people?..."

"Ah? Ah this!..."

Upon hearing this gentle question, alarms went off in Xiulote's heart. His somewhat dismal face immediately displayed an appropriate amount of surprise and embarrassment.

"Yes, Teacher... During the Eastern Expedition, I lost control..."

"Hmm... Xiulote, my student. You are so young, and with the Eastern Expedition taking you away for three years, the various Seaside Tribes submitting... having more children is quite normal. And having children with the noble ladies of various tribes helps to expand the Alliance Royal Family, strengthening the control over frontier tribes, such as the Colima Tribes of the Tekos, or the Silver Raven Tribes of the Vastec people..."

"Ah! The Colima Tribes... Silver Raven Tribes... Teacher... I... Apologies to Alisa..."

"Hmm..."

Avit maintained a gentle demeanor, his tone mild, revealing no particular emotion. Watching Xiulote's nervous and uneasy expression, the corners of his mouth slightly lifted, as he extended a hand to pat his student's shoulder.

"May the Chief Divine protect the Alliance! Compared to the formidable Mexica Alliance, neither the Colima Tribes nor the Silver Raven Tribes count for much!... But the Seaside Alliance of the Tototanak Tribes is extensive, stretching for thousands of miles with a population in the millions..."

"Xiulote, this powerful Seaside Alliance was crafted by your hands after conquering one Seaside City-State after another... And you established Light Snake as the Divine Blessed Daughter to rally the hearts of the Tototanak Tribes, to facilitate the governance of the Seaside Lands, and to mobilize the power of the Seaside Tribes!..."

"As the Chief Divine bears witness! This more than a million Sea Tribes and Jungle Tribe members are equivalent to a quarter of the fifteen city-states of the Alliance and can mobilize at least thirty thousand Totonac Warriors, can they not?!..."

Upon hearing Avit's sharp analysis, Xiulote's body trembled slightly, and sweat instantly broke out on his forehead. He lowered his head, his voice filled with fear and nervousness, even becoming somewhat stuttered.

"Ah! Teacher... You... you have the eyes of the Divine Eagle, seeing through everything!... My... My thoughts cannot be hidden from you..."

"Ha ha! Xiulote, do not be anxious! I understand your arrangements..."

Seeing Xiulote's reaction, the curve at the corners of Avit's mouth increased. With a gentle smile on his face, he watched this student who was firmly under his control and spoke once more with a cheerful tone.

"As the Chief Divine bears witness! Since the Seaside Alliance is subordinate to the Kingdom, it also means subordination to the Mexica Alliance, being loyal vassals of us Mexica. However, these Tototanak Tribes differ completely from the Mexica Alliance in customs and culture, and their faith has only recently converted to the Chief Divine..."

"Their current loyalty is merely due to fear of our formidable military prowess, intimated by our bloody conquests, showing sufficient obedience only because of this!... Yet if a generation or two passes, and the Seaside Alliance learns our military preparations and organization, gaining strong military power... relying on the remote distance of the Seaside, they may become disloyal again!..."

"Therefore, for us Mexica to govern the Seaside long-term, we must establish enfeoffed states, encouraging more Mexicans to relocate to the Seaside to initiate the Mexicization of the Seaside Tribes! And through extensive intermarriage with the nobles of each tribe, we should expand the Mexica Royal Family into the Seaside Tribes, allowing them to gradually become part of the Mexica Royal Family's branches!..." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Yes! Teacher, you speak the truth!..."

Upon hearing these words, Xiulote paused for a brief moment, then nodded sincerely in agreement.

"Spread the Chief Divine's faith, intermarry at the noble level, step-by-step Mexicization, this is fundamental to ruling the Seaside!..."

"Hmm! Exactly so... Xiulote, Light Snake is your eldest daughter and possesses half Mexica Royal Blood. But she was born in the Seaside Lands, surrounded by Tototanak nobles and warriors, easily influenced by the Tototanak people... Therefore, her future husband must never be a Tototanak noble; he must be a member of the Mexica Royal Family!..."

"Ah! Light Snake's future husband?... But she is only two years old..."

"As the Chief Divine bears witness! According to the tradition of the Mexica Royal Family, a betrothal can be arranged first! Then, when Light Snake turns eight, the Royal Prince to whom she is betrothed, along with the hundreds of envoys selected by the Royal Family and the sage teachers from Mexica, can journey to the Seaside Lands... expanding the influence of us Mexica!..."

Avit squinted his eyes, smiling as he spoke. Extending his hands, he gently pressed down on Xiulote's shoulders but seemed to weigh as though a mountain had descended. Subsequently, he spoke candidly, no longer concealing his intentions, uttering a statement seemingly light as a feather yet heavier than mountains!

"Xiulome, choose from my two sons with inheritance rights!... Whom do you desire as Light Snake's future husband: the twelve-year-old Chimalpahin or the four-year-old Cuauhtemoc?!"