Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!-Chapter 625 - 321: Northern Strategy, Inspecting the Valley

The wind was robust and the flags soared high as the marching Samurai maintained a grave composure, the clangor of their armor striking forcefully, demonstrating the King’s power. Xiulote led a thousand trusted aides to inspect the valley, observing the captives’ situation while pondering the management of the various Tribes.

Along the way, as far as the eye could see, winding rivers flowed through the valley, flanked by lush corn fields. The Otomi Agricultural Slaves numbly bowed their heads, clearing the scattered debris, corpses, and bloodstains in the valley. Tens of thousands from the Guajili Tribe had laid down their weapons, doffed their Cotton Armor, and were held in separate camps under watch. Unknown fears were etched on their faces, yet as the Royal Banner passed, the Canine Descendants lowered their heads, showing reverence to the mighty.

Seeing the bowing Guajili, Xiulote nodded in satisfaction. This Northern Expedition was in response to an invitation from the Otomi people, to resist the southward advance of the Canine Descendants. But by now, the King’s ambition had inflated. He yearned to control the Northern Land as much as possible and to establish a preliminary suzerain rule among the Canine Descendants Tribes.

The King ascended a hill and looked North. At the end of the undulating Mountains, was the boundless Northern Wilderness. It stretched two thousand li from East to West, and over two thousand li from North to South, adjoining the Great Plains of North America. Apart from the eight Canine Descendants Tribes, many more fragmented Tribes hunted in the North, chasing the herds of wild bison and migrating deep into the Great Plains.

To conquer the Northern Land required constant warfare and the spread of influence. The first step was to subdue the Otomi as vassals and continue assimilation. The second step was to defeat the southward-moving Canine Descendants and establish prestige among the Wilderness Tribes. The third step was to extend Northward, grasp important strongholds, and use these as a base to implement suzerain control over surrounding Tribes, while also engaging in trade and missionary work.

The above three steps were the objectives Xiulote needed to achieve with this Northern Expedition. With the foundation set by the first three steps, the fourth would be to emulate the Spaniards of a later era, encourage settlement and agriculture along the border, persuade the Canine Descendants Tribes to settle and farm, grant them partial autonomy, and gradually incorporate them into the Empire’s governing territory. The vastness of the Wilderness meant conquest was an extremely prolonged process, a vision for a lifetime.

However, according to the trajectory of history, Western colonizers would arrive within a decade or so, dispersing horses across the Wilderness. Then within half a century, the entire Northern Wilderness and the Great Plains of North America would be populated with millions of horses. All the Tribes of the Wilderness would mount horses, evolving from hunting Tribes to nomadic Tribes. By then, the difficulty of conquering the Northern Land would exponentially increase.

"Therefore, we must conquer the North as early as possible. However, the Alliance’s strength is limited, while the land of North America is boundless, not to mention the unpredictable cold currents. Let me think, how exactly did the Khans rule the steppes?"

After reflecting for a moment, Xiulote shook his head slightly. He again turned his gaze to the valley, and it was a while before he spoke.

"Keka, what do you primarily eat on the Kolawea Wilderness?"

"What do we eat?"

Hearing this question, Keka stared with wide eyes, dumbfounded. After a moment, he began counting on his fingers as he replied.

"The Tribe eats whatever we find as we go! This includes roots, wild vegetables, corn, beans, squash, wild fruits that grow in the soil. When the climate is favorable, the Priests have everyone plant some crops, waiting a season to harvest. The unplantable ones that are all over include rabbits, deer, birds, frogs, snakes, worms, moles, rats, ants, and lizards. If the harvest is really poor and there’s nothing to eat, we have no choice but to wage war against other Tribes, capturing people from other Tribes..."

Xiulote nodded calmly and thoughtfully. After a while, he asked another question.

"Keka, compared to the Wilderness, how is the Otomi land?"

"Much better! Everyone said after arriving, had they known, they would have moved South earlier to take the Otomi land. There’s more Water here, more grass, and the soil is fertile, with high crop yields. Just one season’s planting can feed Tribe members for most of the year. Great Chief, before you advanced North, everyone was ready to have more children and settle down here..."

Keka scratched his head, a hint of bitterness on his face.

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"Hmm, Keka."

Xiulote smiled faintly, his gaze fixed on the eyes of the Red Frog Chieftain.

"If I asked you to lead your Tribe to farm further South, would you be willing? The land there is even more fertile, and as long as you work in the fields, you can eat well all year round."

"As long as we work in the fields, we can eat well all year round..."

Upon hearing this, a semblance of yearning appeared on Keka’s face, but he quickly became cautious again, replying carefully.

"Great Chief, the Wilderness Tribes and Southern Tribes are different, we are not adept at farming and are accustomed to migrating. Ordinary Tribespeople might be content to dig for food in the fields, but the warriors of the Tribe rather prefer to obtain food with their Hunting Bows..."

"Great Chief, the people of the Wilderness are born warriors, and I am willing to grasp the Hunting Bow and fight for you!"

Xiulote fell silent in thought. Indeed, the Canine Descendants of the Wilderness were natural warriors, excellent Hunters, and the finest Light Infantry. After this battle, with enough prisoners and sufficient prestige established, it was time to form a few thousand-strong battalions of Canine Descendants. His expression turned solemn, and he looked at Keka once again.

"Keka, how many warriors does your Red Frog Tribe have now?"

"Two thousand... no, three thousand."

Keka looked at the Great Chief’s serious expression, trembled slightly, but still answered truthfully.

"Once the army has settled in the Valley, it will march out again to subdue the Red Dog Alliance in the northeast. Keka, all three thousand warriors of the Red Frog Tribe must join the campaign!"

"Ah, Great Chief, I am willing to lead the Tribes and fight with all my might for you!"

At this point, Keka’s eyes flickered.

"Please let me return to prepare the warriors of the Tribe..."

"There’s no need. Keka, you and the Tribe’s Chieftains will stay by my side and serve as trusted aides. Hmm, I’ve heard from the Chieftains that you have a red-haired trusted aide named Miwa who is also skilled in battle. Let him lead the three thousand warriors!"

"Ah? Great Chief, Miwa is very blunt, how can he compare to me? He doesn’t know how to fight, he only knows how to charge with the warriors!..."

Keka’s expression changed as he hurriedly explained.

"Blunt, only knows how to charge?"

Xiulote showed a hint of a smile.

"Very well, that’s enough. The Red Frog warriors just need to charge with all their might, no matter how many casualties there are, I will replenish your forces!"

Having said that, the King spoke no more and strode forward. Surrounded by his Escort, he inspected the camps of the ordinary Tribes.

The hierarchy of an ordinary Tribe generally consists of three levels: Chieftain, warrior, and Tribal civilians. From the Chieftains to the Tribal civilians, everyone was equally poor, with very few personal possessions. The Tribe’s storeroom was communal, with priority given to warriors and adult males. The mortality rate of newborns was high, with most being raised collectively. In the camps, the Chieftains’ clothing was complete and colorful, especially favoring red. The warriors, on the other hand, had more robust physiques, boosted by the occasional hunted game.

"Any village in the south is wealthier than the ordinary Canine Descendants Tribes. Hmm, the Guajili people are fierce and untamed and are also impoverished and desperate, treating life and death with indifference..."

Seeing everything before him, Xiulote pondered deeply. He traveled west along the narrow Valley, visiting each encampment and appeasing the Tribal leaders. The King passed through the rudimentary small city at the center of the Valley but did not enter it. Instead, he issued a somber command.

"In the Temple at the center of the city, erect the Emblem of the Almighty! Send the accompanying Priests to the Temple to soothe the people’s minds. The captured Canine Descendants Tribes must regularly pray in the Temple!"

The King traveled west, passing many abandoned camps, until he reached the Valley’s northwest opening. Bertade’s expression was solemn, having once again followed close behind His Highness. The two continued on until they arrived at a Red Crow camp.

"Your Highness, this camp has been abandoned. Most of the Tribes from within have fled through the Valley opening."