NOVPUBTepopolo had relocated his old quarters, held a grand assembly of the nobility, appealed to the samurai, and hurried the spring plowing ever since he arrived in his fief. These series of actions indicated that the transferred noble was eager to make his mark. The population of Akanbaro State had been sparse due to the ravages of war, and even with the addition of the transferred noble families, it remained under a hundred thousand, with no shortage of land for cultivation. His threats this time to demand lands in the north seemed more about establishing his credibility among the local nobility.
"The young Jaguar commands the surrounding mountains and forests. The land in the lakes does not need another strong and greedy wolf."
Bertade’s gaze deepened. Xiulote, unaffected, continued perusing the report.
"In the northwest of the fief, in the Chapala Lake Region, the Feather Prince led the samurai legions to defeat several powerful Guamal Canine Descendants Tribes repeatedly. Upon hearing about the rampage in the Lake Region, most of the other plundering tribes, carrying their looted goods, food, and captives, began to retreat to the Tlacaelel state in the northern highlands. This large-scale invasion by the Canine Descendants should now have ceased."
"Congratulations to His Highness on his magnificent victory, you are like an eagle soaring through the sky, dominating the vast and magnificent mountains and rivers... The chieftains of the Guamal Tribes have asked the traders if they would like to purchase the captured Prepetcha slaves. The Canine Descendants aren’t interested in gold or silver, they only ask for food, wine, salt, or weapons in exchange. An adult captive can be traded for about three hundred pounds of food, or a hundred pounds of rice wine, or over ten pounds of salt, or two sets of cotton armor, which can also be replaced by an equivalent amount of cocoa beans. Young women are half price, and children can be added as a side deal..."
"The trader’s estimates of the number of captives range from 10-20 thousand to 20-30 thousand, mainly vigorous men and women. With bulk purchasing, the price can be greatly reduced. Please, gracious Highness, respond as soon as possible... Those innocent lives, like flowers in the summer rain, tremble, ready to fall at any moment, buried in the soil of the rainy season... Asides from valuable craftsmen and doctors, the Canine Descendants have limited food and will not keep many captives who consume it... The traders have already purchased a group of slaves in advance with the merchandise at hand. Just follow the Lerma River, and it won’t take a week to bring them back to the fief."
Xiulote frowned again. He examined the letter in his hand, which mixed common pictographs with neatly written Chinese characters, even verses that rhymed. The young king asked in confusion.
"Who wrote this report? It doesn’t seem like the work of samurai."
Upon hearing this, Bertade smiled faintly, his expression amused.
"Highness, you forgot. The supervisor for the northern caravan is Balamo. He has been blown by a year’s worth of sand on the northern plateau and even saw the white snow. Every month, the report he sends back always includes some poetry."
"Ah. Haha."
Recalling this, Xiulote couldn’t help but laugh. Not long after the western campaign began, when the Divine Blessing Legion arrived, he assigned Balamo, the Poet Commander of the legion, to take full responsibility for managing the caravans and scouts in the north.
There were many considerations. To trade in the barbarian regions, one must first excel in martial arts and have both courage and insight. Additionally, one must be adaptable, articulate, skilled at social interaction, and having some cultural knowledge was even better. Lastly, it was about using the northern wind, sand, and cold waves to temper the temperament of the Poet Commander further.
"How is Balamo faring in the north? Looking at this report, it seems he is still quite free-spirited," Xiulote asked with a smile.
"Balamo makes a very good caravan supervisor. He is eloquent, skilled in martial arts, and has recently learned some songs and dances, making him quite popular on the northern plateau. Well, he also maintains very good relationships with many Noble Chiefs’ wives. The customs are different on the plateau and in the Alliance, and the people in the Canine Descendants Tribes often do not know who their fathers are... Often, it’s the noble women who have the final say... Although Balamo has it tough, he also enjoys it," replied Bertade.
At this, both men laughed heartily. After a while, the young king composed himself and said earnestly.
"Our fief lacks population. The proposal to purchase captives is feasible; we need men and women of working age and children as well! Among the materials for the purchase, start with salt, then liquor, followed by grain, and finally the damaged weapons and equipment from the western campaign. Have Balamo press down the prices, and try to trade along the Lerma River as much as possible. I will have Anna’s Naval Forces transport them. Also, send additional priests to the northern caravans to spread the glory of the Chief Divine as quickly as possible!"
The Head Warrior quickly noted this down, then bowed to Xiulote.
"Highness, your kindness is boundless!"
Xiulote nodded. In the aftermath of war, the fief’s population was much scarcer than materials and needed to be replenished in any possible way. As for the future arrangements of the Poet Commander... some new ideas emerged in his mind, which he quickly suppressed... The young king continued to examine the movements in all directions.
"From the south of the fief, envoys from the Tlapanec Tribal Alliance have arrived. They expressed their submission to the Alliance and are willing to tribute the rainforest’s specialty products, including feathers, spices, gemstones, and salt from the south. They request to continue the copper trading that had existed previously with the Tarasco Kingdom and are equally eager for the obsidian mostly monopolized by the Alliance,"
Reading this, Xiulote shook his head.
The Tlapanec tribal groups formed a loose alliance located south of the Weytamo mountains. They are scattered between the east-west mountain ranges and the sea to the west, residing in the lowland rainforests and coastal plains. The Tlapanec tribes have a small population and limited farmland, but they excel in trading, mostly engaging in wholesale trade. To their east are the Mistec and Zapotecs Alliance.
