NOVPUB"You must not! The Alliance prohibits luxury. Bronze and Obsidian are strategic materials, controlled centrally by the Kingdom, lords or merchants are not allowed to sell them abroad..."
Xiulote issued his directive without mercy. The formal subordination of the Tlapanec people offered no benefits to the Alliance. Their remote location, settled among the complex terrains of the lowland rainforest, made their land of little value and difficult to be threatened by the military power of the Alliance.
"...send out a squad of Samurai, ban Tlapanec merchants, and monitor the private trade of the southern nobility. If anything is discovered, just collect evidence and hold on to it for a little while."
The young monarch thought for a moment, then added specific handling methods.
He stamped the document with a jade badge in red ink, and then handed the document and the token over to the Head Warrior, keeping a concise backup record for himself. The Head Warrior immediately summoned several trusted aides, chose a responsible one, and handed over the document and token. Subsequently, the responsible aide securely kept the document and immediately took the token to mobilize troops in the camp, enforcing His Highness’s commands directly.
Although the execution process of this series of policies was somewhat rough, it worked as smoothly as moving one’s own arm, simple and efficient, only following the commands of the authority.
As Xiulote’s authority increased, a multitude of information from both inside and outside the Fief and all powers were now fully converging to him. Normally, he was the reviewer of information and the ultimate decision-maker; his generals and trusted aides formed the circle involved in policy discussion; his trained guards, department heads, and officers at various levels of the legion were the specific executors. Belonging to the execution group were thousands of craftsmen serving, tens of thousands of Mexica legionnaires, and hundreds of thousands of community civilians who had been effectively integrated.
This governance system relied not on a mature system of legalism but rather on the monarch’s personal authoritarian control. Compared to the mature civil official system of the Celestial Empire, the Alliance’s form of governance was more akin to the nomadic tribes on the northern plains, led by a strong "Khan" or "Great Chieftain" who made major decisions.
"To the southeast of the Fief, the Mistec people sent envoys to pay tribute, offering dyes, gold, silver, gemstones, pearls, and young girls. Your Highness, they seek trade relations with the new kingdom and also wish to form a closer partnership with you. Meanwhile, the monitoring scouts have discovered that they are continuously inquiring into the details of the western expedition war and are very interested in the newly appeared weapons of the Heavenly Divine... Additionally, according to uncertain news from long-distance traders, the Southern Route Commander of the Tarasco Kingdom, Prince Quiyus, might have already escaped along the Tarsus River to the Mistec..."
"Craftsmen with exquisite skills in precious metals, the cloud people, the Mistec... the secret of gunpowder... Quiyus..."
Xiulote fell into thought. The Fief had nominally controlled Apachigan, capable of moving along the Tarsus River upwards through the subjugated Qontal tribe, facilitating large-scale exchanges with the southeastern Mistec people.
Unlike the politically loose, sparsely populated Tlapanec tribes, the Mistec Alliance had the rudiments of a state, with a population of about eight or nine hundred thousand, and under the pressure of the Alliance, they advanced and retreated together with the Zapotecs. They thrived with a population of at least twenty thousand Samurai, occupying the fertile southern lands, producing many luxury goods, and possessing a large number of skilled craftsmen... Thinking of this, the young monarch picked up his pen again.
"Accept the Mistec’s request for trade but restrict the exchange of strategic materials. Do not accept the Mistec’s proposals for marriage, and allocate the tribute girls to the soldiers of the Mexica legion. Keep control of the gunpowder craftsmen, and maintain strict secrecy of the gunpowder formula. Sweep the battlefield of the great war again, strictly prohibiting the outflow of new weapons! Additionally, test the Mistec envoys to see if they are willing to exchange Tarasco nobles for a batch of weapons and leather armor..."
After a pause, Xiulote wrote again.
"If the Mistec are willing to sell slaves on a large scale, the Alliance is willing to sell a sufficient amount of bronze, grain, salt, and military supplies."
The young King handed the document to the Head Warrior and then picked up the last piece of correspondence on the table. He scrutinized the text of the letter, and a smile finally appeared on his face.
"The esteemed King Aweit, leading the southern legion, battled the Tlaxcala people multiple times in the southeastern Xochipeople state of the Alliance. Relying on the range superiority of their longbows and powerful crossbows, the Mexica legion suppressed the Tlaxcalans’ archers and achieved victory in two field battles! Including the Militia, the Tlaxcalan forces suffered close to ten thousand casualties and retreated to the eastern Xochipeople state, where they now hold several border fortresses. It is now the peak of the rainy season, and the combat between the two parties has temporarily ceased, holding position half a state apart..."
"Besides the two states harassed by the Tlaxcalans, this year’s spring farming went smoothly for the Alliance. After applying well-ripened manure, the crops in the Texcoco Lake District are flourishing, and the grain output is expected to increase significantly..."
"When the news of the magnificent victory in the west reached the Capital City, the High Priest personally led a twelve-member Priesthood to hold a grand sacrificial ceremony in front of the Great Temple, celebrating the victory of the western campaign! The Elder personally presided, making offerings to the Chief Divine and the ancestors. The sounds of celebration in the capital city were like thunder in the rainy season, everywhere filled with all-night uproarious shouts!
The names of the King and Your Highness, just like the great predecessor monarch Montezuma, were prayed for by the warriors of the Alliance during the sacrificial rites! Now, the citizens of the Lake Capital are merely awaiting the King’s victorious return to hold a grand victory sacrifice! The post-war victory offering is likely to be scheduled on New Year’s celebration day... by then, it will be an unmatched grand ceremony, possessing the most numerous and holiest Divine Descendant sacrifices!"
Xiulote was slightly distracted, with the image of King Su’angua in his slumber arising in his mind.
In the past three months, the Alliance’s searching teams had successively captured several fleeing princes of the Tarasco Kingdom. And the King of Tarasco, the Royal Family, and many from the Great Nobility, had already been handed over to the returning troops of Aweit. Their fate, like a high piled pyre, had already been selected by the Divine flame, destined to turn into ash scattered by the wind amidst the excited cheers of hundreds of thousands.
The young King’s heart was already like iron. He merely gazed for a moment before turning to the final words.
"The High Priest along with the Elder Priests have resolved to establish a total ecclesiastical district in Tarasco. His Highness has been promoted as the youngest Fifth Level Supreme High Priest, fully in charge of all matters within the Tarasco ecclesiastical district! Meanwhile, a large contingent of priests will be drawn by the capital city Priesthood, led by the newly promoted Fourth Level Supreme High Priest Ugus, to arrive at the Mikenque Lake Fief before the autumn harvest to assist the new district’s affairs...
At His Highness’s request, a large number of senior craftsmen from the Divine Revelation Place in the capital will also be dispatched to Qinchongcan City, to establish the second Divine Revelation Place. As His Highness has been granted land in the lake, following discussions between the Elder and the High Priest, the capital city’s Divine Revelation Place is now managed by the Elder Priests. And the newly built second Divine Revelation Place is fully managed by His Highness..."
"Hmm... newly promoted Fourth Level Supreme High Priest, son of Elder Uguel... Ugus... the Tarasco ecclesiastical district... the youngest Fifth Level Supreme High Priest... large group of supporting priests... newly established Divine Revelation Place... in exchange for the old Divine Revelation Place... hmm, it’s only fitting, I’m in need of capable hands, it’s a fair deal..."
Xiulote stood up and paced thoughtfully. Behind the simple few lines of text were a series of political trades and struggles for power. Fortunately, with his grandfather serving as the High Priest at the apex of central power, the results of the trade were satisfactory.
Time faded gently alongside the ticking of the rain, as the King mused. It was a while before a trusted aide stepped into the great hall. He knelt respectfully on the floor, and his loud report startled the reflective king.
"Your Highness! Responding to your invitation, the original epic custodian of the Palace of Wind, the learned Elder Sage Jatili from the Prepetcha people, has arrived. He is outside the hall, requesting an audience with the respected King!"
