Chapter 435 Time Is Running Out

The red sun sets over the mountains and ripples on Lake Texcoco. The dusk turned into glow, shining at the end of the sky. As dusk falls, smoke rises again from all over the capital, accompanied by continuous evening prayers and praises, just like the Lord God's kingdom on earth.

The main hall is majestic, and the high priest sits high on the throne, calm and calm, handling daily academic affairs.

In the meantime, an envoy from King Avit came once. The king's envoy met Prince Tlacopan, confirmed Tlacopan's arrest, and left quickly. Now, the royal warriors in the capital have already been mobilized to help suppress the rebellion in the city-state of Tlacopan.

Shulot sat cross-legged, flipping through the documents at hand, thinking about the direction of further changes.

"The alliance's capital has organized all households into all households and brought them into direct jurisdiction. Taxes and tributes are around 40% of the annual revenue, which is quite heavy. In the city-states in the west, south and north, the local nobles can receive 2.5-30% of the annual revenue as tribute. The royal family and the priesthood received the remaining 1-1.5%. The tributes received by the local and central governments were roughly around 7:3. As for the more distant feudal city-states, the ratio of local and central tributes would be further. Lean towards the local nobles.”

Seeing this, Shulot was silent. The Kingdom in the Lake is located in the west of the world, the farthest away, and receives preferential treatment from the alliance. In order to calm people's hearts, the kingdom's annual tax and tribute collection was slightly more than 30%. The annual tribute paid to the alliance is less than 0.50% of the annual revenue.

Of course, whether it is an alliance or a kingdom, farmers in villages and towns must accept the command of village chiefs and priests and perform various corvee services. For example, building canals, making stone tools, felling trees, mining stones, and transporting grain are the ends of national rule. It is impossible for farmers to be idle and leisurely.

"The capital city in the lake is rich and prosperous and is located in the world. The main city is full of nobles with rich costumes and feather crowns, and they have the most wealth in the world. The North City has an extremely prosperous trading market, trading the most commodities in the world such as gems, jade, obsidian, Gold and silver jewelry, copper and pottery, feathers and fine clothing, spices and herbs, cotton cloth and cocoa, wood and stone, salt and grain, as well as all kinds of slaves, are all traded in this huge city.”

Xiulote recalled the bustling market of Tlatelolco with a slight smile on his face. Then, with a solemn expression, he looked at the book business taxes received by the priesthood.

"Reform the religious law, strictly investigate merchant smuggling; centralize power and reform the system, cut off the private trade of nobles. Now, the daily amount of commercial taxes in the capital is very shocking. Even if the loss of the tax collector is not included, it is enough to support two legions of 8,000 people! "

Shulot secretly marveled. Without the profitless gem trade and the hugely profitable copper trade, the commercial tax revenue of the entire Lake Kingdom would probably not be comparable to that of the alliance's capital city. Then, he raised his brows, and after recording the simple figures of commercial tax, there was a line of small text comments.

"Doubtful here. Normal here"

"This is the assessment after an audit by the senior priests in the priesthood who are good at calculations."

The high priest smiled slightly.

"The commercial taxes on various types of transactions are calculated every 3-4 months. The elders of the high priest group generally know how much the tax collectors in various markets in the capital have embezzled."

Xiulote nodded. He looked at the list of registered tax collectors and was quickly attracted by some markings. In the name of the gem trade, there is a tax collector Mace. Every assessment is questionable, but it is never further processed. In the name of the copper trade, there is only one doubt about another tax collector, Ramaque, and behind it is the sacrifice mark of a skull.

"This is."

"Huh? Oh"

The high priest glanced at it and explained calmly.

"Metz is responsible for the gem trade, and he always accepts bribes from merchants. But the amount should not be large, and there has never been any problems. And Lamagui privately sold a batch of military supplies to the regulated copper trade. The Mixtecs were sacrificed after being found out. As long as it doesn't delay the important matter, the high priests don't care about the corruption of the preaching priests, but if they violate the bottom line of the alliance, they will only end up being sacrificed!"

"Um!"

Shulot lowered his eyes calmly and nodded in agreement.

If the water is clear, there will be no fish. We cannot ask too much from the feudal bureaucracy. In the kingdom's taxation, losses of 20-30% are common, and the profits are usually divided among the various levels of the system. Loss of 40-50% will be harshly scolded, and it should not occur too much. Only those who suffer losses of more than 50%, or delay military and state affairs, will be held accountable and directly sacrificed to the Lord God!

After reading the alliance documents, Shulot sighed inconspicuously. He stood up and looked at the dark sky. A line of torches appeared from the west of the capital, swaying closer and closer, and hurried towards the temple area.

"The team from the west is coming directly to the priest's hall."

Shulot watched carefully for a moment, saw the shining cloth-covered copper nails on the bodies of the first few people, and made a positive judgment.

"High Priest, the arrest operation has come to fruition!"

The high priest nodded slightly. He summoned several priests and moved all the books and documents in the main hall back to the confidential side hall. Then, the high priest wore a feather crown, held a staff, and sat at the top. Shulot stood aside and waited quietly.

"God bless you!"

Elder Yazar, covered in blood and wearing bronze armor, strode to the entrance of the hall and bowed his head in salute. The battle stick in his hand was lowered, and bright red drops fell down, splashing on the stone steps outside the hall, leaving a long mark.

"Dear High Priest, the arrest of Tlacopan State went well!"

Hearing this, Shulot looked sideways. The God of War elder Yazar is over forty years old. He wears thirty kilograms of armor and holds a war stick weighing several kilograms. His steps are still strong and his movements are steady and powerful. The war priests of the Lord God have been receiving professional training and are always prepared for war. They are all armored warriors who can wear strong and strong swords, and they are by no means weak priests.

"The Lord God bless you! Very good, Elder Yazar, thank you for your hard work!"

The high priest nodded with satisfaction and waved his staff. Several temple warriors stepped forward and helped the elder God of War remove the bronze armor and the obsidian war club. In the priestly hall of the chief god, only sacrificial obsidian daggers are usually allowed.

Elder Yazar didn't mind, put on the priest's robe, walked into the hall, and laughed heartily.

"Haha, the high priest's decision was very decisive! More than a dozen of Tlacopan's great nobles, as well as several minor priests, were all wiped out in one sweep! The temple guards suddenly arrived and arrested them quickly. They almost didn't encounter any decent ones. Resistance. The nobles were unprepared and had no time to mobilize their family warriors, so they were captured directly!"

Then, Elder Yazar looked solemn and nodded slightly to Shulot.

"Witness the Lord God! Prince Tlacopan's information is very accurate. These nobles and priests did conspire to assassinate, and the time was set at the wedding ceremony of the chief priest of the Xiulote Sect. Depending on the situation, it didn't take long for them to get together to plot. There were many The preparations are not complete. As for the specific details of the conspiracy and whether other nobles will be involved, further questioning is needed!"

"The supreme god protects the holy alliance! All blasphemy is revealed in the eyes of God, and there is no escape!"

The high priest spoke in a deep voice. He ordered calmly.

"Yazar, hand over the captured noble leaders to the judges of the high priests. No secret can be hidden under the priest's potion. In addition, send a high-ranking priest to the king's palace to report the latest King Avit should send an advisor to participate in the trial of the nobles. "

"I obey you, High Priest!"

Elder Yazar nodded respectfully. Then he hesitated.

"Over there with the elders."

"Well, the elder is communicating with the gods, don't disturb him easily."

The high priest thought for a moment and then ordered in a deep voice.

"When everything is cleared up, I will report back to the elders in person."

"Do your will!"

Thinking of the elder's physical condition, Elder Yazar expressed approval. Then, he asked in a deep voice, without concealing his murderous intention.

"High Priest, please leave it to me to handle the subordinate priests who dare to participate in the rebellion!"

"Can."

The high priest glanced at Elder Yazar lightly and nodded calmly.

"When sacrificing priests, do not allow outsiders to participate, which will affect the prestige of the priesthood."

"do not worry!"

Elder Yazar nodded in understanding.

"The majesty of the Lord God must not be compromised in any way!"

"Very good! The glory of the Lord God will surely shine on the earth!"

“Praise the Lord God!”

In the evening darkness, many high-ranking priests prayed loudly together and offered the most sacred praise to the statue of the main god illuminated by fire.

After the evening prayers, the high priests dispersed. Under the escort of dozens of temple guards, Shulot and the high priest walked down from the high pyramid temple to the nearby high priest's residence.

The night was dark, the firelight dispersed the shadows, and everyone headed home. The high priest looked calm and walked steadily. Although he had been busy for a long day, he did not show any signs of fatigue. The supreme power is the best energy elixir. It is respected by others, controls everything, and is above millions of people. It is naturally inspiring and high-spirited.

Shulot followed his grandfather's footsteps and quietly surveyed the capital city at night. The lights in the civilian area in the distance were dim, while the aristocratic area nearby was bright. Dinner songs sounded in the manors on both sides of the main road, accompanied by waves of bamboo flutes, praising the prosperity and glory of the alliance. The Mexican nobles of this era were full of simple vigor and self-confidence.

The two of them arrived at the high priest's house in silence. The high priest removed the heavy feather stone crown, took off the complicated and gorgeous sacrificial robes, sat relaxedly cross-legged in the side hall, and took a few long breaths. At this moment, he finally shed the divinity that he held for a day and became a kind and kind grandfather again, a skinny and vicissitudes of life old man.

Several years later, Shulot looked at his grandfather's white hair and skinny body, and felt a sadness in his heart. He called out lowly.

"grandfather."

"Xulot, cough cough. cough cough!"

High Priest Shuter smiled gently and coughed twice. He endured it for a day, but now he couldn't bear it anymore and started coughing violently. After a while, he took the honey water hurriedly handed to him by his grandson, took two sips, and felt a little better.

"My child, everything I do is for you. I know that you have many questions. There is no one around now, so I just want to talk to you."

Shulot stretched out his hands and grasped his grandfather's thin palm with force. It felt rough and slightly cold to the touch. He looked into his grandfather's eyes sincerely.

"Grandfather, on the way east, I heard complaints from many nobles of the city-states, calling you the 'Blood Sun, Sacrifice of the Gods'. I also heard that you issued a decree and your clan was exterminated and many nobles and priests were exiled. I was then Still don’t believe it.”

Saying this, Shulot's eyes showed concern. He gritted his teeth and asked in a deep voice from the bottom of his heart.

"Grandfather! After arriving in the capital, I witnessed with my own eyes that you were sitting high on the throne and dominating the whole city, leading tens of thousands of believers, with such majesty that you even overwhelmed King Avit! You forced the priest elders to issue a decree, granting me the right to interpret the scriptures; you were merciless and severely suppressed many nobles in Tlacopan, and even held the priest families of the western city-states accountable; you also took out confidential scrolls and let me read the religious books of the high priest group and the household registration and tribute of the alliance. You once advised me not to rush, but to slowly manage and cultivate the general situation. But now, why are you so sharp and so selfless? Why, why are you so anxious?!"

"Why should I be so anxious?"

Hearing so many questions, the high priest had expected it, and his eyes showed relief. Then, a gentle smile appeared on his face, looking at his grown-up grandson with pity, and said calmly.

"Xuluot, my child. Because, my time is running out~"

"Ah!!"

Hearing this, Xuluot was shocked and his face turned pale in an instant. He held his grandfather's hand tightly, looked at the kind smile, and said with fear and difficulty.

"No! Grandfather, you won't"

"My child, everyone has that day."

The high priest calmly pulled out his hand and gently touched Xuluot's cheek.

"The royal ancestors went to the kingdom of God, the great Montezuma went to the kingdom of God, and the immortal elders are about to go to the kingdom of God, let alone me, an ordinary mortal? I have long listened to the call of the Lord God, and that day is not far away."

"Grandfather!"

Xuluot lowered his head and couldn't help but his eyes gradually moistened. He lost his mother very early and grew up with heavy memories. In this world, his grandfather, who has paid attention to him, cultivated him, and taken care of him since he was a child, is his closest relative, even more than his father. At this moment, the young king was confused, feeling unprecedented fear, and didn't know how to face it. He gritted his teeth and shouted softly.

"Grandfather, the great Montezuma lived to be 72 years old, the immortal elders have lived to be 90 years old, and you are only 62 years old. There must be some way to keep healthy in the royal inheritance. I will go to the king's palace tomorrow and ask King Avit for it!"

"Haha!"

Hearing this, the high priest Shuter smiled lightly, patted his grandson's shoulder, and shook his head.

"My child, our Holy City line is originally a branch of the royal family. Everything is destined by fate, and there is no secret method. The elder has not much time left and is about to go to the kingdom of God. And I don't have much time left. The road ahead depends on you~"