Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!-Chapter 1575 - 1115: Rokube Captives’ Migration Site, Divine Blood Bay Port

"Chief Divine bears witness! Honorable High Priest Miki, we indeed encountered the fishing boats of the Great Tribe of Long Bay, and had a brief exchange with them, it was just over two months ago..."

"Over two months ago?"

"Yes! Early May, the floes on the sea have melted, and the fish begin to roam the bay. At that time, it was the joint fishing festival of the coastal Sugpiaq tribes and Eyak tribes! This spring festival is one of the oldest and most important celebrations for coastal fishing and hunting tribes, comparable to the spring plowing ceremonies of the Highland Tribes..."

"Our longship participated in the fishing festival with the fishing boats of other Eyak tribes in the Galapagos Bay. When we sailed to the western side of the bay, we happened to encounter a few canoe fishing boats from the Great Tribe of Long Bay... Seeing our longship, they were quite surprised and approached us to have a conversation. They even shared with us the first catch of fish to express friendliness..."

"They curiously asked what kind of big tree was used to build such a large canoe fishing boat... We told them it was made from a Divine Tree thirty paces long by our tribe, under the protection of the Chief Divine! They were very surprised and praised our shipbuilding skills. I then gave them a few silver amulets of the Chief Divine. They liked them very much and returned the favor by gifting a few sheets of white fox fur, even inviting us to visit their tribe... But we did not agree..."

"Hmm, Tail Leopard, I remember that during last year's exploration, we also encountered a hunting team from the Great Tribe of Long Bay. At that time, that hunting team also invited us to their tribe... It seems this Great Tribe of Long Bay is very warm and hospitable, also very strong and confident!..."

As the sunset fell, the birds sang in the evening, and the surface of Divine Blood Bay Port shimmered with the glow. Scholar Mikki sat by the campfire on the shore, holding a warm clay pot, drinking blueberry leaf and willow leaf herbal tea.

Beside Miki, clad in fur and carrying a bronze axe, sat the priest Tail Leopard. On his weathered face were high cheekbones and a fierce, sharp gaze. Apart from the obsidian necklace around his neck, there was no sign of a priest, rather he looked like a seasoned samurai.

In fact, Priest Tail Leopard was originally a war priest accompanying the ship. It was only last year, when the fleet arrived here, that the preaching priests were fully assigned, leaving him in charge of Divine Blood Bay Port, responsible for preaching and expansion.

"Tail Leopard, do you think the Great Tribe of Long Bay is friend or foe?..."

"High Priest Miki, the Great Tribe of Long Bay is the ancestral tribe of the Long Bay Tribes. They view the entire warm Long Bay as a hereditary hunting and fishing ground, never migrating away, nor allowing other tribes to migrate in... Therefore, beyond the six hundred leagues of Long Bay, they are trading partners and food-sharing friends. But, if one day we expand into Long Bay or preach to the Long Bay Tribes, seeking assimilation... then there will inevitably be a need to determine superiority..."

"Indeed! Tail Leopard, you are clear-headed and perceptive. No matter how large the wolf pack, there will always be one leader... In this bitter cold Northern Land, once the Kingdom takes root, to expand influence and become the Wolf King of the Far North Coast... a struggle for the Wolf King's position is inevitable..."

Upon hearing Tail Leopard's analysis, Scholar Mikki nodded in agreement. Having weathered so many storms, his heart had hardened, differing from when he recently emerged from the Temple. He pondered for a moment before earnestly inquiring.

"Tail Leopard, how many tribes do you currently have in Divine Blood Bay Port, and how many acres of potato fields have you cultivated?..."

"High Priest Miki, we have gathered around four or five Eyak tribes surrounding the bay... Currently, there are about two hundred and forty people, cultivating one hundred and eighty acres of potato fields..." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Speaking of this, Priest Tail Leopard extended his hand, pointing towards the red Great River north of the camp. By the river was a large lush area resembling a tangle of weeds, occasionally one could see the movement of groundhog shadows.

"Look, there it is! That is where we have cleared for potato fields! It's too cold here, potatoes grow very slowly, aside from pests and animal harm, the annual yield is not much, six acres can sustain one able-bodied man... However, the advantage of potatoes is that they require little attention. After planting this year, they can be harvested continuously for several years..."

"Hmm, six acres to sustain one able-bodied man, harvested every year... then the one hundred and eighty acres can sustain thirty more able-bodied men... Tail Leopard, you still need to cultivate more fields! Even if the yield is lower, though the work is more arduous in daily life, it is safe in the long run..."

Upon hearing Tail Leopard's words, Scholar Mikki raised his brows, solemnly instructing a few commands, to which the other nodded repeatedly.

"High Priest Miki, I follow your guidance... once this year's harvest is complete, we will double the area of potato fields!"

Potatoes are essentially perennial herbs. Their oldest cultivation method, like cassava, involves planting once and harvesting for several years. During this late Fifteenth Century era, the potatoes imported from South America to Central America actually differ greatly from the varieties planted in later generations.

At this time, potatoes are closer to their wild form. Their yield is not high, considered broadly planted and thinly harvested. Yet they compete strongly with weeds and rarely undergo genetic degradation. Their greatest advantage lies in not being particular to the soil, with low demands on water and fertilizer...

"Not particular to soil, not picky about water and fertilizer", although it sounds simple, do not underestimate this advantage!