Chapter 274: Post-War Alliance, Journey Back East

Time is a long road, life is like a journey. I am always walking in a trance, listening to the passing of time, watching the vastness of the years, I don’t know when I will reach the end, and the things that have passed away will never look back.

Shusok didn't look back. Covering the stars and wearing the moon, he traveled day and night, with only a dozen personal guards, and it only took him two days to reach the Leman River. He climbed up the hill beside the river and looked around. At this time, it was another sunset, and the river mouth fortress stood tall in the sunset. And the Leman River flows westward in a mighty way, with sparkling waves undulating on the water, like the dazzling lace of Mother Earth.

"What a gift from the gods! What a great river that connects the Alliance!"

Shusok looked at the shining river quietly for a while, and every day in the past flashed before his eyes. Vaguely, he seemed to hear the hearty laughter from more than ten years ago, and saw the baby carefully held in his hands. So, for the first time, he looked back and looked deeply towards the south. After a while, there was only a slight sigh.

"It flows all the way from the capital to here. What a big river!"

Shusok sighed for a moment, and the warrior's perseverance came to his heart again. He opened his mouth and was about to call Orosh's name, but then paused. After a few breaths, he gave orders in a deep voice.

"Send an envoy to inform the fortress. Get ready to sail quickly and return east early tomorrow morning!"

As the sun sets and the sun rises, the long night is silent, except for the flowing thoughts. On the second day, twenty large boats carrying six to seven hundred warriors sailed slowly eastward against the current. The road is very long, with hills undulating on both sides and streams converging from the mountains. It wasn't until a large area of ​​harvested farmland was revealed to everyone that they entered the border of the alliance's western city-states.

Shusok stayed here for two days, drinking with the nobles who had been friends with his family for generations, and exchanging some latest information.

During the Western Expedition, the western city-state legions looted a lot, and the banquets during the two days were extremely luxurious. The hall is lit with incense, the food is full of spices, and even the mead is added with rare herbs. In contrast, the young king was very hands-on and practiced frugality, while the nouveau riche of the feudal country in the lake were much simpler.

During the night banquet, Shusok ate a piece of roasted venison and drank some mead. He tasted the product carefully and admired it.

"Good wine! This wine is full of layers and endlessly memorable. During the brewing process, fruits, flowers and herbs were also added?"

"Haha, the deputy marshal is not only brave but also knowledgeable!"

Tepetl laughed. He is sitting in the main seat, the host of tonight's entertainment, the glorious nobleman who holds the power of the Trocan State, and the head of the Mountain Family. The meaning of his name is "peak". Tepetel stood up with a smile, walked closer with a glass of wine, then stretched out his thick arm and put it affectionately on Shusok's shoulder.

"Haha, Deputy Marshal, the Shanluan family and the Holy City family have been friends for generations, and they have been friends for decades! Since we are equals, I will call you brother. Brother, during this Western Expedition, our western city-state is Even my legitimate son died on the battlefield after exerting all his strength!"

"The Lord God bless you! The warriors who died fighting for God must have ascended to the Kingdom of God and enjoy beauty and peace forever!"

"Yes, God bless you! Come on, little Izel, hurry up and toast your uncle!"

Tepetel shouted loudly. He called to his concubine like a servant.

Izel's eyes flashed and then disappeared. He stepped forward respectfully, smiled and toasted his father and "uncle". The three of them finished drinking. Tepetel casually waved the bastard to retreat, and continued to speak to Shusok in a low voice.

"Brother, the Holy City is entrusted to the land in the lake, but it makes many people envious! What is even more enviable is that Qincongcan is seven hundred miles away from the capital in the lake. No matter what the king's order , but we can’t even get there!”

"Huh? The latest royal order"

Shusoke looked thoughtful.

"Yes, the latest royal order! The priests collected the wealth of villages and towns, but paid more tribute to the royal family, so we were frugal and used less. But the royal family sent officials to intervene in the core city-states, divided the public land of villages and towns, and reduced The aristocratic private army and the recruitment of direct samurai destroy the alliance's tradition of autonomy!"

Tepetel's eyes flashed. He observed Shusok's expression and whispered angrily.

"The light of the Sun God brings warmth! Only the cold light of the Moon Goddess can bring such a chill. The nobles fought for the Lord God on the battlefield, with all their blood flowing. As a result, the war was won, but there were villains in the capital who deceived them. The King's Eyes Brother, now the Holy City is divided, but the most powerful prince is in charge! The nobles are all convinced. This time you go to the capital, everyone will point to you. Let me be fair in front of you.”

"ah!."

Shusoke's expression changed. Although he is not keen on politics, he also understands the essence of the king's reforms and is also aware of the sensitive status of the Holy City. He patted Tepetel on the shoulder and said with a calm smile.

"Don't worry! Tepetel, we have known each other for many years. I will definitely say a few kind words for you in front of the king!"

"OK!"

Hearing this, disappointment flashed across Tepetel's eyes. But in an instant, he laughed, raised his glass, and shouted loudly.

"God bless you, I won't come back unless I get drunk tonight! Come, let's drink together again, and have a drink with the respected deputy marshal! I wish God's blessing and a smooth road ahead!"

“I wish God’s blessing and a smooth road ahead!”

Everyone laughed and drank together, and soon everyone became a little tipsy. Then Tepetel waved, and a large number of graceful girls in short clothes and holding flowers came forward to dance. There are clear songs and wonderful dances, and the red falls in front of the flowers; the night is long, and it is dawn before I know it.

At noon on the second day, Shusok boarded the boat again, and there were already two maids with low eyebrows beside him.

"Hey! The high priest is right. The sweeter the wine, the less you can drink it! My level of wine tasting is still a bit poor, and I didn't drink out the herbs hidden in it."

He glanced at the maids, sighed softly, strode to the bow of the ship, and waved to Izel who came to see him off with a smile. The boat continued its journey and stayed near the holy city for another day. Most of the holy city warriors disembarked here and returned to their hometown after a long absence. The newly acquired maids were also taken away by the family warriors.

The sun rises in the east, and when the boat sails into the fertile Texcoco Lake area, the continuous floating fields of Chinampa appear in front of you. The tropics are still warm in winter, and farmers are hard at work on Chinampa. From time to time, boats carrying manure and river mud dock to replenish the nutrients in the floating fields. Various crops such as corn, beans, peppers, cocoa, herbs, zucchini, and tomatoes grow lushly on the fertile floating fields at the same time, telling the story of the agricultural miracle that can be harvested up to seven times a year.

Boating and floating in the fields, the fragrance of grass and flowers is everywhere. One day later, the magnificent capital city in the lake appeared in front of Shusok.

He disembarked in the village on the north bank of the Long Bridge, where royal envoys had already been waiting. Under the guidance of the envoy, a group of 100 people headed south along the causeway to Beicheng. Along the long embankment, the pines and cypresses transplanted the year before were already prosperous and dense, reflecting the forked shadows of the trees on the lake, like the souls of elves.

"The pine-tree spirit in the water, Avit."

Shusok pondered in his heart. Victory in military wars continued to promote the reform of the alliance and concentrated the power of the royal family. Compared with two years ago, the capital city in the lake has been deeply imprinted with the traces of the king.

The causeway connects the north and south, and thousands of pedestrians walk on the repaired road. They praised the supremacy of the Lord God and the greatness of the king. As everyone walked through the large market in Beicheng, the shouts of tens of thousands of people were like heavy rain in the rainy season, suddenly rushing towards them, creating a lively hustle and bustle.

There are many new trade tax collectors throughout the market. They held pens and paper in their hands, and carried new wooden abacus around their waists. Uniform weights and measures have become commonplace in the marketplace. The big businessmen who came from afar looked respectful and bowed their heads to pay the trade taxes. Important controlled materials, such as bronze wares, war clubs, cotton armor, and bows and arrows, are all sold by officially registered merchants at fixed quotas. Every transaction needs to be recorded and regularly inspected by the government.

Shusok glanced over and saw many Tarasco-shaped utensils flowing into the market, obviously trophies of the Western Expedition. He nodded slightly and followed the envoy through the long canal into the bustling main city. Although the New Year celebrations have not yet begun, the ecstasy after the victory has already filled the main city.

The ceremony to celebrate the victory began in advance in the community's temple, and generous loot and rewards had been distributed. The priest's singing echoed in the stone houses on both sides, and the scent of rosin floated in the air. From time to time, warriors sang high-pitched war songs and performed majestic war dances. The citizens gathered in a circle and praised the warriors who had returned from the Western Expedition.

Shusok saw a young warrior. He was wearing the battle uniform of a third-level warrior. After dancing the war dance, he went directly into the crowd and held the hand of a beautiful girl. Witnessed by the Lord God, the young warrior clenched his fists on his chest and boasted of his prowess on the battlefield while talking about his admiration for the girl.

The girl's eyes shone with admiration. She looked back at a middle-aged man not far away who was dressed in rich clothes. He was the father in charge of her marriage and the head of the family. The other party pondered for a while, nodded slowly, and the crowd burst into cheers. The warrior's face suddenly filled with ecstasy, he bowed to the middle-aged man and then held the girl's hand hard. The two of them ran out of the crowd together and disappeared in an instant.

Shusok smiled knowingly. He looked at the middle-aged man who was shaking his head and sighing. The other party's clothes are embroidered with family crests, and he should be from a minor noble. After the victory of the Western Expedition, the warriors returned laden with honors and trophies, and their social status was once again improved. This combination of outstanding civilian warriors and daughters of minor nobles has become more and more common.

Of course, in Mikencho's lake kingdom, the traditional hierarchical order has been completely destroyed. With the Mexica rulers at the core, a new order is being established, and a more grandiose blueprint has been outlined.

The messenger's steps did not stop, and he soon arrived at the armory in the north of the city. The holy city warriors climbed up to the temple, first prayed to the newly created main statue, and then prayed for blessings to the statue of the fire god who took a back seat, and then dispersed here. A king's guard replaced the old envoy and continued to lead Shusok to the temple and palace area in the core of the main city.

Although it is winter, the noble areas along the way are still full of flowers and the pleasant fragrance of flowers is everywhere. Garlands, jades, gold and silver, and painted pottery have already been placed in front of the manors. The nobles boasted about their family's luxury, and there were even shells and corals from the seaside. The military nobles displayed the trophies of the Western Expedition, weapons and armor from the Kingdom of Tarasco, and some captured noble flags.

In the square between the nobles, poets and musicians from various city-states were chanting songs and playing bamboo flutes. Hearing the familiar name, Shusoke paused and listened for a moment, his face suddenly in a state of confusion.

"Although the son I brought up by myself is a smart young man and good at fighting, he can't have a voice like thunder, a flash of light in his eyes, and a punch that can break a big tree."

"The Alliance respects heroes and puts military merit first! The Northern Army received divine grace during the Western Expedition and made great achievements along the way. It is also common for the people of the capital to deify His Highness."

The king's guard turned sideways and smiled lightly at Shusok.

Hearing this, Xiu Suoke was stunned. He smiled and replied equally gently.

"The place in the lake also sings the name of the king. The supreme king is the true incarnation of the sun god in the world."

The two smiled and stopped talking at the same time. As I hurriedly walked, the towering temple came into view.

The sacred flames burned everlastingly, and the priests' songs echoed loudly. Hundreds of temple warriors with serious expressions were stationed on the ground floor of the large temple, guarding a large number of noble sacrifices and also guarding the surrounding affiliated temples. Hundreds of peasants carried sealed wooden barrels with hunched waists, and blue liquid dripped from between the barrels from time to time.

"This is the Mayan blue dye used to smear the sacrifices during sacrifices. So much?"

Shusok looked surprised. He looked at the king's guard, who nodded lightly. In an instant, a strong smell of blood seemed to hit his nostrils, making the resolute warrior tremble in his heart. You know, those who can go to the altar of the great temple must be nobles with sacred blood.

Silently as they walked, the two headed south again. The expansion of the Great Temple was continuing, and further south, an unusually wide building was erected, and the foundations were being built at this time.

Shusok was familiar with the army, and after a brief estimate, he knew that there were at least 3,000 civilians working in the field. The king's guard seemed to have expected it. He smiled, turned around and said in a deep voice.

"This is the new king's palace. The height of the first phase of the project will be half that of the Great Temple, and the area will be half as well."

"Ah, what did the elders say?"

"The elders naturally agree. When building the foundation, not only will it be reinforced with corn mortar and volcanic ash, but the blood of Tarasco's descendants will also be added. The Lord God will step on the bones of the gods and ascend to the highest throne!"

“The Lord God is most high, praise the Lord God!”

Shusok nodded and prayed devoutly. Now that the elders have agreed, everything else is irrelevant.

Soon, the gorgeous Executive Palace arrived. The king's guard showed the jade talisman to the guarding royal guard, and Shusok removed the war stick from his back and the long dagger from his waist. Afterwards, the two walked along the path in the garden towards the king's palace, which has been passed down for half a century.

A large number of nobles and officials were waiting in front of the palace, and there was actually some noise in the place. But the closer they got to the palace, the lower their voices became. In the end, there was only a solemn silence like no one.

Shusok took a deep breath and followed the king's guards to the door. When the door opened, he quickly looked up, then lowered his head and walked forward in small steps.

The supreme king had no expression on his face, sitting high on the throne that was getting higher and higher. He was wearing royal robes dotted with gems and holding a sacred staff that had been passed down for centuries. His eyes were cold and calm, like the incarnation of a god. And in the shadow of the king, a silent intelligence officer cast his gaze.

"The Lord God Most High! The glorious nobleman of Teotihuacan, Shusok, greets the incarnation of the sun god, Grand Tratoani of the Alliance, the High King!"

Xiu Suoke calmed down and paid homage. The loud voice echoed in the empty stone hall, then gradually faded away. Silence returned to the stone palace, and even the dozens of guarding warriors were as solemn as statues.

It seemed like half a century had passed before a cold voice floated down from a high place, carrying an awe-inspiring coldness.

"Xiusoke, I heard that you were in Trocan State and had a good chat with Tepetel?"

Well, I have been quite busy these past two days. Thanks to Pu Yawu for recommending the chapter, and I also seriously recommend Yawu’s "Australian Storm 1876". Hehe, this is my first time trying to promote a book. This book has many great historical details, good writing style, and a large amount of content. It is suitable for reading every day. I recommend it to book lovers who are short of books. To be honest, it is very difficult for authors to write about foreign history. Finally, I watched the live broadcast of Virgin Galactic flying into space with a full crew of people in it this morning, which really made my heart surge. Everyone should have had the ideal of the stars when they were young. And today there is hope: maybe in my lifetime, I can take a look at the earth from the edge of space. ^_^