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"Then let us wait on the road of his return, cutting off his way back! In doing so, the Tarasco Royal Army in hurried retreat, with the Mexica Southern Army in pursuit from behind and the Mexica Northern Army blocking their path ahead, one battle will lead to their entire force being annihilated!"
After that, the Young Commander expressed some yearning contemplation.
"If we could capture the King of Tarasco, perhaps we could persuade Qinchongcan City to surrender, and the world could be pacified without a battle! The once-thriving Patzcuaro Lake Region is now in decline—if all goes well, we might still be able to make up for this year’s spring plowing!"
Hearing His Highness’s reflections, the monkey Kuluka raised his head, gazing at His Highness’s sincere face, his eyes sparkled with bright light. The old General Etalik paused for a moment. He looked around at the surrounding generals, his gaze becoming deep and distant. Then, he spoke softly.
"His Highness is merciful! But what if the Southern Army does not arrive in time? What if it is just us alone facing the returning Tarasco Royal Army? And if at that moment, the Chapala Legion from the northwest also happens to arrive?... By then, the Northern Army would be deep in enemy territory, with reinforcements hundreds of miles away. With the Tarasco Royal Army in front and the Chapala reinforcements behind, it will be us facing destruction after one battle!"
At these words, Xiulote was taken aback. He looked toward the old General Etalik, as the loyal warriors of the Holy City bowed their heads in salute, prostrating themselves on the ground, silent and solemn.
The Young Commander stood quietly, sensing the unspoken meanings in the old General’s speech. At that moment, the passion in his chest did not extinguish, yet he felt a chill. Like a cold bath in winter, suddenly poured over him, instantly alternating between cold and heat, leaving his heart in a melancholy state.
Balda thought for a while, then suddenly reacted. His eyes widened, and he spoke loudly in disbelief.
"Your Highness is of the Royal Family’s branch, the King’s nephew, also the King’s son-in-law, and furthermore, the heir of the Alliance! Your Highness is known for your prestigious and virtuous reputation, victorious all along the western campaign, and your fame is indeed remarkable. The battle-hardened King himself presides over the Southern Army and will surely chase down the enemy, hastening through day and night to our aid—how could he allow the Northern Army to be encircled?!"
Xiulote remained expressionless, silent. After a while, he looked towards Natali of the Divine Blessing Legion, focusing on the right hand placed around his neck.
Witnessing this scene, the young Otomi Legion Commander’s gaze flickered with contemplation. Under the trust of His Highness, he had even moved ahead of the Poet Balamo, entering the highest decision-making circle of the Mexica Alliance. Then his eyes met with the indifferent gaze of His Highness, and he suddenly felt cold.
At that instant, Natali was blessed with an epiphany. He finally loosened his grip on the Sun Amulet, placed both hands on the ground, and his forehead touched the ground, showing his loyalty to the respected His Highness in the traditional Otomi manner.
"Your Highness, Natali of Xilotepec pledges loyalty to you! To fight for the gods, to die for you!"
Natali spoke earnestly. His young face, a mixture of devotion and sincerity, resembled intertwining vines in search of the Divine Wood to rely on entirely.
Xiulote watched his face, standing silently for a moment, then slowly nodded.
"Natali, in the presence of the Chief Divine, I accept your loyalty and promise you a bright future!"
Then, Xiulote stepped forward, calmly drawing the Obsidian Dagger from his waist, slashing off half of the prostrate Natali’s hair, and throwing it into the corner of the bonfire. The scent of burnt hair dispersed into the air, mixing with the faint fragrance of sandalwood, creating an indescribable solemnity.
The tent fell silent for a time as the generals watched without a word. They kept their eyes on the two in the center until the sudden loyalty ceremony was fully concluded, and Natali was formally accepted.
Balda’s expression was complex, holding his tongue. Only then did the monkey Kuluka speak, diverting away from the heavy topic.
"In the midst of marching and fighting, many things are uncertain. Military situations often shift unpredictably, and the coordination of the march is difficult to accomplish on time. If the Tarasco Royal Army leaves behind a group of Samurai willing to fight to the death, they indeed could rely on the last stronghold, hindering the advance of the Southern Legion. And after seizing the fortress, the Southern Legion might need to regroup, or perhaps face insufficient supplies and struggle to advance...Your Highness, our army’s march south to besiege the city, aiming for a quick victory, is still somewhat risky!"
"Spring plowing begins in May; we could first organize civilians and the Militia, distribute food and seeds, and restore cultivation in the controlled areas. These actions to resume farming, regardless of their effectiveness, will surely unite the hearts of the Tarasco civilians. Just as Your Highness mentioned, we’ll bring them to our side, turning them into our friends!"
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Hearing this, Xiulote’s expression softened and he nodded. He smiled slightly and looked at the monkey Kuluka, admiringly he said in a deep voice.
"Monkey, you are indeed intelligent!"
After that, the Young Commander fell into deep thought. He reconsidered the counsel of his generals, reevaluating the development of the situation and the responses of all parties. After a while, he made his decision and spoke loudly.
"What the generals said makes sense! Since a swift victory is hard to come by, our army must be cautious. We need to stockpile food at the frontline, concentrate the power of the Samurai, and reduce the number of Militia! Reassign the remaining four thousand Otomi Militia to be stationed at the Rivermouth Fortress, under the command of the Deputy Marshal!"
If a swift victory could not be achieved, Rivermouth Fortress needed to be cautiously defended. The fortress currently only had the Royal Warriors of Tepopolo and the private soldiers of the western City-States’ Nobility. Xiulote transferred the Otomi Militia to his father, as a direct Force under his command to strengthen the defense of the fortress. This way, on one hand, the consumption of food on the frontline would be reduced, and on the other hand, the balance of powers within the Rivermouth Fortress would be maintained.
"Reassign the five thousand Tarasco subordinate soldiers from Ezpan to be stationed between the Rivermouth Fortress and Huayamo, and have them stationed on the spot. Order them to clear out the local nobility’s Manors, gather food and supplies, and maintain control and order in the region! Allow him to promote auxiliary Sheriffs from the local civilians, the list needs to be reviewed by the Deputy Marshal of the Rivermouth Fortress!"
After pondering for a moment, Xiulote issued another order. The Tarasco subordinate soldiers at the frontline always posed certain risks. Since there was no urgency to move southward for the time being, he redeployed those soldiers to the rear to further cleanse the area, which would also improve their loyalty. And with the departure of nearly ten thousand Militia, the pressure on the frontline’s food supply would be greatly reduced, and the elite Samurai Legions would be more flexible, capable of rapid mobilization and striking distances of a hundred miles.
"Send over a hundred Jaguar warriors to constantly spy on the movements of the northwest Chapala Legion! Determine their specific Samurai ratio, possible marching routes, and look for suitable ambush locations! Have Annatri leave half the Naval Forces to ensure that, around the Cuitzeo Lake region, the Samurai Legion can be quickly assembled!"
Once calm, Xiulote’s primary target shifted from the Capital City in the south, and the Royal Army further south, to the reinforcements of Chapala in the northwest. This legion was thirty thousand strong, the last field army of Tarasco in the north, and the biggest threat to the rear of the Northern Army. He pondered for a moment, then continued giving orders.
"Contact the northern merchant caravans, continue to incite the Guamal Canine Descendants to move south, and raid the Chapala Lake Region! I will provide them with a new batch of supplies, and next, they need to unleash all their Force, the larger the scale of the Canine Descendants’ raids, the better! Send another Envoy, have them take a detour from the northern Canine Descendants, and contact the Tekos Northern Tribes, letting them know: the main Legion from the Lake Region has already left, and the local Tarascans are at their weakest! The Mexica Alliance is willing to form an Alliance with them to divide the Chapala Lake Region!"
Afterward, Xiulote stood with his hands behind his back, staring at the vast south. There lay the plains of the Lake Region, extending as far as the eye could see, convenient for marching. It was not until the Xitaqualo in the southeast that one could find undulating hills and mountains.
The young man pondered for a moment and then made another decision.
"Even if we cannot send a large army down south to completely cut off the food supply of the Tarasco Royal Army, we cannot allow their grain route to be smooth! Toltec, replenish your troops as soon as possible, then lead the Longbow Militia south to raid the food transportation outside Patzcuari!"
"At your command! Black Wolf Toltec will never disappoint the Wolf King!"
Given the opportunity to lead an army on his own, Toltec was radiant, excited, and seething with the intention to kill.
"Black Wolf, you should prioritize raids and avoid pitched battles. Be vigilant in your reconnaissance! I will assign you an additional hundred elite Jaguars, to maintain constant contact with Huayamo! If there are any signs of enemy movement from Qinchongcan, report back to me immediately. If you do indeed scout the Royal Army coming from the south, raid them once to roughly determine their troop strength, then swiftly retreat. Do not engage in prolonged combat!"
"Your Highness, I will follow your will!"
Toltec’s expression turned serious, he bowed deeply, and solemnly promised.
Xiulote extended his hand, patting Black Wolf’s shoulder. Then, he looked around solemnly at everyone and loudly gave the order.
"Rest of the army’s warriors, be patient in resting, conserve your strength, and wait for the opportunity to strike!"
Hearing the Marshal’s decision, all the generals bowed their heads in unison, thunderously responding!
