NOVPUBThe sun fell quietly, and the brook flowed soundlessly. The rolling hills gently subsided, and the barren wilderness gradually opened up. The forests of Apachigan turned into a black silhouette against the sky, and the lake region of Patzcuaro lay not far to the north.
King Su’angua walked in silence, dressed in an ordinary Samurai’s attire, followed by a trusted aide carrying the Royal Banner. The hereditary Eagle Banner had been rolled up and put away, with only the divine flags of the three gods held aloft by the flag bearers. From a distance, it was hard to discern the legion’s allegiance.
However, once one got closer, the identity of the Royal Legion could not be concealed. Longbows, bronze axes, leather armor, copper helmets—along with the silent marching and the impeccably maintained military bearing—all symbolized the elite Samurai. The commanders of the army’s encampments all wore the bifurcated feather crowns of Nobility and brightly striped war clothes adorned with yellow Divine Eagles and symbols of the three gods.
The ten thousand elite troops of the Tarasco Royal Family were divided into two armies: five thousand in front and five thousand behind, with Scouts sent out for tens of miles. Su’angua personally led the Copper-axe Guards at the very front. Over the past few days, under the golden sunlight, he had traversed familiar mountain roads and unfamiliar desolate villages, thus remaining silent and taciturn.
Suddenly, the front ranks of the marching army stirred slightly. The periphery Scouts shook flags of warning, and hundreds of elite Samurai quickly advanced, starting to run at high speed. Su’angua halted the troops and climbed to the nearest hill. He saw several green dots retreating quickly a few miles ahead, while the Kingdom’s Scouts chased and encircled them from both sides. The pursuit continued until they vanished from sight.
The young King frowned with irritation as he waited, and it wasn’t long before a trusted aide approached with a swift stride. He carried several bloody heads and a few longbows and bowed his head in respect as he reported.
"Respected King, our Scouts encountered a small Mexica Samurai squad and have killed them all."
Su’angua glanced at the hairstyles on the heads and then at the captured longbows, feeling irritated once more. These were not Samurai, but tribesmen from the mountains. Even these Militia were equipped with longbows... The young King said nothing further but inquired.
"Well done. Have the Scouts detected any traces of the enemy’s main force?"
"There’s no trace of the enemy force within twenty miles, and no sight of marching dust at the horizon. This Scout team carried ample provisions, and they had little strength to run during the chase, indicating they might have ventured quite far out."
The King nodded, gesturing for his trusted aide to step back. He looked towards the distant horizon; the Capital City lay three hundred miles to the northwest, normally taking about seven or eight days to reach by marching, or five days if marched hurriedly.
"Encountering enemy Scouts here... the Capital City has already lost control over the surrounding area! The enemy’s situation is unclear, and hurrying could be too risky... No, the enemy forces must be numerous, now is not the time to be entangled!"
After a moment’s thought, Su’angua made a rapid decision.
"Man! Relay the order, let the Vanguard Scouts disperse, keep the army quiet, and turn southwest. Also send out two teams of a hundred to wander in the northeast and attack the Mexica Scouts as diversions!"
Following the King’s military command, tens of thousands of elite troops quickly changed formation, turning toward the southwest hills and valleys. This last elite force of Tarasco continued toward the heart of the Kingdom, awaiting the inevitable battle.
The wilderness of the forest returned to peace, with the drooping vegetation concealing traces of the skirmish. It wasn’t until a day later that several Mexica reconnaissance squads hurried forth. They spread out, carefully searching for bloodstains and bodies in the woods before quickly regrouping. The team leaders had grave expressions as they quietly conferred for a moment and then split into three groups. One tracked the human shadows northeast, one followed footprints southwest, and another headed back at a forced march, day and night.
Days passed with the rising and setting sun. The high sun lit up the land, and the shallow brook flowed through the valley. Toltec, sitting on a large stone by the streamside with his legs crossed, frowned thoughtfully like a pondering large dog. Beside him lay his longbow and war club, and in front of him were rows of bamboo baskets full of slender, tender pepper-grasses.
This was a temporary riverside encampment about one hundred and fifty miles from Su’angua to the west and just over a hundred miles from Patzcuaro City to the southwest. Thousands of longbow Militia were scattered around on patrol in units of a hundred. Additionally, hundreds of tribal Hunters were busy on the plains, gathering fresh herbs. Soon, a Chieftain bearing a bamboo basket approached, respectfully handing over the gathered harvest to the brave and ’learned’ Chieftain Black Wolf.
Toltec reached out, took a small handful of pepper-grass, and stuffed it into his mouth to chew. The succulent stems released a unique spicy fragrance, with the refreshing heat spreading in his mouth, tinged with a hint of bitterness. Toltec chewed for a while before nodding expressionlessly and gesturing for the Chieftain to leave. He then grabbed another handful of "snacks" and slowly chewed them to refresh himself.
The army had temporarily set up an Encampment, and collecting pepper-grass was certainly not for eating. This pepper-grass was actually tansy, which would be an excellent hot pot vegetable in later times, but at that time, it was the most readily available hemostatic medicine. Its stems could stop bleeding and reduce inflammation, both externally on the wounds and internally to alleviate internal inflammation.
Toltec chewed on his snacks while patiently waiting. Shortly before, during a raid, he had sensed a shift in the situation. He made a swift decision, leading the Militia forward over a hundred miles and dispatching dozens of reconnaissance squads to search toward Apachigan in the southeast.
"The Envoy of congratulations must have met with His Highness and conveyed my suggestion. What is His Highness’s reply? Facing the threat of a shortage of provisions, what is the Tarasco main force to the southeast doing? If I can capture the enemy King, I, Toltec, could become the foremost man in the western campaign! What a sight that would be!"
