Chapter 173: Luring the Enemy Again

The September sunshine spread across the world, and the rain decreased significantly, becoming intermittent. This is the time for the harvest. In the warm tropical climate, the early-ripening pumpkins have been harvested, the mature beans are about to be harvested, and the flowering corn is swaying in the fields. A long breeze passed by, and the mountains and fields were lush and green, and the fruits of various colors exuded the aroma of maturity. However, when it came to the banks of the Leman River, it only saw desolation and killing.

The main force of Anatli's fleet arrived with a large group of reinforcements, and a new batch of grain for the capital was also on board.

Eight thousand spear corps landed in the port one by one and gathered in the form of small teams. The militiamen were fully armed. They put on paper armor, tied rattan helmets tightly, carried shields, held bronze spears tightly in their hands, and looked at the banks of the river with curiosity. The same was true for Guzman. As a miner and farmer who had worked since childhood, he had never been more than fifty miles away from his hometown. In this strange land, he subconsciously stood straight and stuck close to his teammates. His eyes were fixed on the approaching flag of His Highness, and the legion commander who stepped forward to salute.

Xiuluot smiled. He lifted "Monkey" Kuluka from the ground and patted his shoulder affectionately.

"Monkey, I haven't seen you for a long time. You have become much stronger. You did a good job in the acquisition of the copper mine last time! How is the training of the Long Spear Corps this time?"

Kuluka nodded respectfully, his eyes were smart. Facing His Highness, he scratched his head subconsciously and answered with a smile.

"Respected Lord, I have always missed your teachings and dare not forget your orders for a moment. These days I have been training with the legion, and sometimes I will join the queue to feel it. After a few months, the Long Spear Phalanx has been able to disperse and form a formation quickly. In order to maintain the formation when the phalanx moves and changes direction, it has to be slower. As for the column assault mentioned in your letter, I have tried to practice it several times, and I have to continue to explore with my adjutant Ezepan."

Xiuluot nodded. He looked at the new army that landed and gathered in an orderly manner on the river bank, and his smile became more obvious. Then, he looked at Ezpan, who was kneeling behind Kuruka, and made a joke.

"Ezpan, we are now in your territory. The fish has returned to its own pond, and it will slip away if you are not careful. You are more familiar with the human geography here, so you have to give me more ideas!"

Hearing the words of His Highness, Ezpan knelt down without hesitation. Then, he raised his left hand with a broken little finger and said in a deep voice.

"Your Highness, the Lord God is my witness, I am loyal to you and willing to die at any time! The fish has landed, and from now on it is a wolfhound following the king. I am willing to do my best for the Western Expedition!"

Xuluot watched Ezpan's expression for a while, then smiled and lifted him up, praising loudly.

"Yes! This is your vast world, you will have a lot to do!"

Then, Xiuluot looked at Kuruka again.

"Monkey, how about your cooperation with Ezpan?"

Kuluka thought about it and answered with a smile.

"My Lord, Ezpan is an outstanding deputy commander and the most important pillar of the legion!"

Xuluot nodded again. He smiled and asked another question.

"Where is the Mayan merchant Tikalo now? How is the situation?"

Kuluka thought for a while and bowed to report.

"According to the report of people around Tikalo, he is now directly commanded by the royal intelligence officer as a communication channel between the southern Wetamo State and the Alliance. The Alliance has sent two waves of envoys, and the chiefs of Wetamo State were persuaded by the conditions of the Alliance and are ready to remain neutral in the war. The trade of copper mines is still continuing, but the management rights are now in the hands of the royal family."

Xuluot pondered for a moment and nodded slightly. Copper mines, as the most important strategic materials, must be directly managed by the center. Now it seems that the royal family should be determined to get the copper mines in Wetamo.

While the few people were talking, the Long Spear Corps had already disembarked, and behind them were tribal hunters wearing single clothes and carrying longbows.

Xuluot looked at the river bank. These mountain hunters walked steadily, not minding the wind and rain along the way. As they often engaged in fishing and hunting, most people were no strangers to boating. At this time, they gathered in tribes under the call of the headman. Although they were a little loose, they were busy but not chaotic.

"Black Wolf" Toltec strode with his head held high and strode towards the flag of His Highness. He walked a few steps and then knelt on one knee.

"Your Highness, Toltec salutes you! May your expedition be smooth and your military fortune last forever!"

Xuluot laughed, pulled Toltec up from the ground, and asked with a smile.

"My Black Wolf, how is the army? Is it going well?"

"Your Highness, it's been smooth sailing all the way, and the heavy rain is refreshing! We can go out at any time to get the enemy's heart for you!"

Toltec said confidently and loudly, and looked at Kuluka confidently.

Xuluot saw everything. He smiled and patted his beloved general on the shoulder and whispered.

"Very good! Toltec, bring your book to my tent tonight."

Toltec was petrified instantly and could not speak for a while. Kuruka glanced at him quickly and smiled slightly.

Xuluot looked at the river again. The militiamen had already landed, followed by boatloads of food. With all the parties gathered together, he already had a full 30,000 Mexica army in his hands! 20,000 were Mexica warriors from all over the place, and another 10,000 were elite militiamen. Finally, there was also an Otomi Legion with half the combat power.

Nearly 40,000 people gathered here, and the food consumed every day was calculated as tens of thousands of pounds, piling up like a mountain. Even if the fleet brought a new batch of food, it could only last for two or three months. It was becoming more and more difficult to maintain the food supply, and he could not wait any longer. These legions were also the largest force he could gather. The Holy City had already emptied its assets and invested them all here.

The reinforcements promised by the northern generals had not arrived yet. According to the envoy's recent report, Ocelor defeated the Chichimec dog descendants on the northern border and wiped out more than a dozen tribes that migrated south. He built a pyramid-shaped Jingguan in the northern border to intimidate all the tribes along the way and transported a large number of captives to the capital. He also recruited many surrendered weak tribes and promised the envoy to send them as much support as possible.

"Now everything is ready, just waiting for the battlefield to fight!"

Xuluot looked across the river bank, looked at the wide Leman River, and then looked to the distant south.

In the next few days, the returning Mexica navy quickly joined the battle and fought continuously with the Tarasco navy at the river mouth fortress.

The Tarasco navy repeatedly dispatched in small groups to harass Mexica's grain transport ships. The alliance's navy also dispersed in small teams to patrol and escort. On the long Leman River, you can often see more than a dozen small boats, flying different flags, fighting each other and consuming and killing each other on the water. Spears stabbed, war sticks swung, bows and arrows shot, and daggers pierced. Every day, dozens of people on both sides were killed and wounded, and dots of red bloomed everywhere in the river.

Facing the enemy's harassment, Xiu Luote had a headache. He was reluctant to let the elite warriors consume in this kind of entanglement, so he let two elite militias with longbows and long spears board the ship, and under the leadership of the warriors, they fought against the enemy, and also let the longbow militias become proficient in water shooting.

The tribal hunters showed accurate close-range archery on the water. With the advantage of bows and arrows, the alliance gradually won more and lost less in the subsequent battles. The Tarasco people learned in battle and gradually became familiar with the tactics of the Mexica bow and arrow, and began to equip the navy with a large number of rattan shields.

As the sky gradually cleared, new gunpowder weapons were unloaded from the warehouse and distributed to the longbow warriors and militia. In the secret mountain camp, they were familiar with the shooting of gunpowder arrows and waited for the arrival of the war.

On sunny days, Xiuluo Te gathered the navy several times and challenged the river mouth fortress in the south. However, the enemy's fleet was like a scattered wolf pack, constantly harassing the rear, but not fighting head-on.

Faced with this situation, Xiuluo Te unfolded the map and pointed to the west several times with his finger. Three thousand Ottopan warriors were transported by a navy and thrown into the lower reaches of the west. Giova contacted the Ottomi tribes on both sides of the river, dispersed into more than a dozen teams, plundered all the way west from Sakapbang, and gradually approached the edge of Lake Chapala.

This fleet and the Ottopan warriors were just pawns to lure the enemy. The real main force of the fleet, under the guidance of the Otomi tribe on the north bank, came to Lake Yuriria in the concave river bay, less than a hundred miles downstream from the estuary fortress.

Xiuluot personally led the fleet to check. This is downstream of the estuary fortress. It takes only one or two days to go downstream, and three or four days to go upstream. The north bank of the river lake is located between Guamare and Otopia. It is a rare flat woodland with several Otopia villages where soldiers can rest. The south bank of the river lake is the plundered Sakapbang. The river here is wide, the water is flat, and there is enough space for movement, which is just right for a big war.

Looking at the north bank of the river lake with deep reeds, the young commander finally nodded with satisfaction. The main force of the fleet moved quietly, and transported a large number of troops and supplies here several times. The warriors immediately went ashore and settled in the Otopia village, blocking the surrounding passages and strictly prohibiting pedestrians from traveling. The main force of the fleet lurked here quietly.

The Otomi village on the north bank was silent, but the Tarasco territory on the south bank was in flames. Led by the local Otomi people, the Otopia warriors accurately attacked the manors of nobles from all over the country. The local nobles, big and small, tried their best to resist, but the local warriors were recruited by the kingdom, and most of the militias were mobilized. The nobles had to hastily summon the peasants, but were killed by the Otomi warriors who attacked quickly.

In just a few days, black smoke rose in the western sky. It was the burning village, the burned farmland, and the noble manor that turned to ashes. Outside the manor, the Otomi people hung the Tarasco nobles who were ruthlessly executed as if in protest.

The defeated local nobles fled all the way south, bringing the news of the Otomi invasion to the heart of the kingdom. The messengers quickly delivered the continuous warnings to the estuary fortress until they reached the ears of Ospai, the northern marshal and commander of the navy.

The "crocodile" noble stared with wide eyes, quite shocked.

"The Otomi people joined the war and united with the Mexica fleet, relying on the Otomi tribes on both sides of the river to plunder the nobles of all sizes!"

Hearing this news, Ospai hesitated in his heart, smelling a conspiracy.

According to the scouts' report, new Mexica reinforcements have obviously arrived on the north bank, with a scale of about 10,000. Thinking of this, the experienced commander hesitated for a long time, and still chose to keep his troops in place, ready to maintain a defensive position.

However, upon hearing the warning, the 5,000 Chapala warriors in the estuary fortress clamored to fight. On the one hand, they were worried that the Otomi people would plunder their hometowns further downstream, and on the other hand, they despised the Otomi people's combat power and wanted to go west to rescue them.

Faced with the request made by the Chapala Corps, Ospai shook his head firmly and refused.

"Dear 'Feather' Penguari, I cannot agree to your request to send troops."

Pengguari, the commander-in-chief of Chapala, was nearly forty years old. He has a majestic appearance, elegant manners, and wears gorgeous feather clothes. His name means "feather" symbolizing the gods, and he was obviously of extremely noble birth. Hearing the words of the Northern Marshal, he also shook his head.

"Dear Marshal 'Crocodile', the Chapala Army has come hundreds of miles to help, and its loyalty to the kingdom can be seen from day to day. We are here to fight bravely, not to cower in the fortress and do nothing! Now, Western Sa The nobles of Kapu State came to cry one after another. They were related to the generals of the legion. The warriors were worried about the safety of their hometown in the Lake District and were angry at the enemy's atrocities of massacring the nobles. They could no longer wait any longer! "

Osipei remained silent. He felt heavy pressure, and defense had never been his style. After pondering for a moment, reason prevailed, and Commander "Crocodile" shook his head.

"Peng Guali, the enemy's information is not clear yet, and the king asks to hold on. I am the marshal of the north and have overall responsibility. It is not appropriate to go to war at this time."

Hearing this, Peng Guali lowered his eyes slightly and spoke coldly.

"Ospai, if the enemy's information is unknown, you should find it out immediately. You are the marshal of the north, but our Chapala Corps is independent. We represent the autonomous lake area. You have overall responsibilities, and we have local responsibilities. . The purpose of the legion's support is to defend the kingdom and protect the hometown. If even the weak Otomi people can be burned and killed in the south, defending the kingdom is just an empty talk!"

Having said this, Peng Guali paused for a moment and said seriously.

"If you insist on not sending troops, our five thousand Chapala warriors will go out to fight on our own and go overland to support! I will leave ten thousand militiamen at the river mouth fortress. There are still six thousand warriors and twenty thousand militiamen in Akambalo State. , enough to defend the line of defense!”

Hearing Peng Guali's words, Ospai felt a headache.

The big nobles in these places have private soldiers, have high status, are rebellious, and value the property of their hometown more than anything else. The last time, the great nobles of Acambaro went out privately to disperse the Mexica marauding team. As a result, they were attacked by the enemy and lost nearly a thousand warriors and more than 3,000 militiamen. This time the Otomi attack was obviously a repetition of the same strategy.

As the commander of the Chapala Army, Pengguari had five thousand warriors and nearly ten thousand militiamen, which was not much different from the strength of the Northern Army. In terms of status, "Feather" is a long-established and glorious noble, and he cannot use his rank to severely suppress it. But now that the Northern Front was still counting on the next batch of Chapala reinforcements, it became even more difficult for him to restrain him.

As the marshal of the north, he could not make the troops enforce orders and prohibitions. If the Chapala Corps were to be supported by land, they would be marching slowly and would not be able to capture the enemy force transported by the Navy. The most likely result was to be ambushed by the main force of Mexica warriors and suffer heavy losses.

At this moment, the Ottomi army harassing the lower reaches has seriously affected the morale of the fortress troops, and will undoubtedly affect the arrival of the next batch of reinforcements. He had no choice but to modify his original defensive plan and take action to deal with this enemy first.

Ospai pondered for a long time, finally looked into Peng Guali's eyes and spoke sternly.

"Feather of Chapala, if you send out troops alone, once you encounter the main force of the Mexica, you will definitely be destroyed! The fierce Mexica warriors are completely different from the Otomi people. You wait for a few days first, so that I’ll go check out the military situation on the north coast and discuss the dispatch of troops together!”