The team escorting the prisoners swaggered through the west gate of Xilotepec City, then circled the city for half a week from the south gate, and finally headed to the directly affiliated legion camp outside the east gate.
Along the way, the cheers of the warriors of the Mexican city-state alarmed the entire city of Xilotepec. Hulot saw many priests in feathered capes and richly dressed nobles ascending to the top of the city, hurriedly observing the prisoners in the Mexica team.
Cassar had people throw the flags of the reinforcements from the Otopan city-state at the gates of each city, and then asked the captured nobles of the Otomi people to shout outside the city, telling them about the failure of the reinforcements.
The defenders at the top of the city became noisy and restless, and the number of guards on the city wall also increased. Xilotepec could clearly feel that the morale of Xilotepec City was rapidly declining after losing hope of reinforcements.
While showing the prisoners of war walking slowly, Cassar had already asked the messenger to inform the king of the good news of his triumphant return. He came to the east gate camp in full attire. In the drizzle, he did not see the king's envoys who warmly welcomed him, nor did he see the king himself as he had imagined.
At that moment, Shulot felt the anger flash from Cassar's face. The accompanying Mexican military nobles were also somewhat noisy and dissatisfied.
The king despised the warrior, and the warrior's heart relaxed. Thulot thought.
Cassar handed over the prisoners and then disbanded the marching legions. In a big battle, warriors needed to repair damaged leather armor and replace the worn obsidian sharp pieces on their war sticks. Later, Shulot followed the officer group headed by Casal and entered the king's tent.
The king was sitting on a high platform, wearing a formal obsidian crown, a robe embroidered with gold sun, and a carmine cloak behind him, carefully examining an old wooden board in his hand. Shulot couldn't see clearly the pictures on the wooden board, but such wooden boards were usually used to record mythological stories.
Next to the king was Totec, the commander-in-chief of the army, a strong man with cut hair in military uniform and a cold expression.
Totec glanced over with the same cold eyes, and the officers lowered their heads to greet the king and commander-in-chief on the stage. Shulote saluted in the same way, avoiding looking at Totec.
Tisoke raised his head, put down the wooden board in his hand, looked at the returning officers, and nodded with satisfaction.
"This battle was fought very well. Many prisoners were captured." Tisok did not ask about the details of the battle and casualties, but said to Totec beside him: "As soon as possible, arrange for people to return the prisoners to the capital and hand them over. To the High Priest of the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan.”
Afterwards, Tisok said a few words to the officers and recognized everyone's fearless fight under the blessing of God. Then he changed the topic and asked: "Now let's evaluate the ranking of the achievements of this ambush halfway."
After hearing this, the leader, Kasar, came out to reply. But Tisoke gently waved his hand to stop him. Then he waved slightly to Shulot.
"Come on, Shulot, tell me. People watching from the side will always know better."
"Me?" Xiulote was surprised for a while, and then he felt a lot of pressure. The officers in front turned to look at him. Kasar and Barda stared at him fiercely, Avitt had a natural smile on his face, and Totec's eyes were as cold as a knife. Then came the expressionless face of the king.
After thinking for a moment and remembering the conversation with Avitt yesterday, Shulot stammered and replied: "The first attack was the decisive attack in Kasar, and then the support from Barda. I was just watching the battle on the top of the mountain, not What a credit."
Cassar and Barda showed satisfied smiles on their faces, and Avitt blinked quickly in approval. Tisoke raised his eyebrows slightly at first, as if he was a little surprised. He laughed at the last sentence: "There is no need to say the last sentence. Everyone knows that you are just going to watch the battle."
After saying that, the generals burst out laughing, and the atmosphere returned to harmony. Tisok then asked Casal, "Casal, do you have anything to say?"
Kasar raised his head proudly and said proudly: "Blessed by the Sun God, the victory of this battle lies in the decisive assault of the Jaguar warriors led by me, which defeated the Ottomi warriors in a matter of seconds. Of course, Barda The attack was also powerful and effective, and the Otomi were defeated like turkeys. In the end, it was Avitt's persistence that attracted the enemy's frontal attention and provided conditions for the attack."
Barda next to him also slapped his strong chest vigorously in agreement.
"Okay." Tisok glanced at Avitt, who still smiled as usual. "Then, in this order, reward the three commanders Chinampa, Yuyi, Cotton, and Slaves. Jaguar warriors will also be rewarded. Ordinary warriors will be promoted."
Everyone discussed the details of the reward again.
Immediately, Tisoke looked at Avitt's face again and said with a smile: "My dear brother, you have merited this perseverance. At the same time, for more than a month, you have been very effective in teaching Shulot. What extra do you want?" Reward, do you want to continue your intelligence and security work?"
Avitt looked solemn and spoke sincerely: "Intelligence and security work are related to the safety of the descendants of the Sun God. They have always been decided by the king. No matter who is used, it is your will. It has nothing to do with gains or losses. How can you act?" Reward? In this battle, I just stood on the top of the mountain. In the final analysis, there were not many results. As for Shulot, I am not his teacher. I just treat him as a friend and junior, and talk to him about life experiences. .”
After hearing Avitt's advice, Chief Commander Totec nodded in agreement.
Tisok smiled and nodded noncommittally. Shulot felt a hint of danger. He now has a better understanding of politics.
In Mesoamerica, where there was no strict patriarchal inheritance system, sometimes brothers succeeded to the throne, sometimes sons succeeded to the throne, and important priests of the royal family also had the right to inherit.
People's hearts do not have fixed biases and can easily compromise with the winner of a political struggle. Every transfer of the throne is accompanied by cruel bloodshed.
Tisock has not been in power for a long time, and his prestige has not yet been fully established. One of his eyes was on the divine power's control over people's hearts, and the other was keeping a close eye on all potential threats. Even his own brother, even a teenager.
Shulot was still thinking hard, but unexpectedly his eyes were already fixed on him.
"Xulot, what do you think? Do you want Avitt to continue teaching you?"
"Huh? Think about it. Avitt is a very nice person, and he treats me well too." Shulot said honestly.
"Oh. In that case, Avitt, you can continue to teach Shulot."
Seeing Shulot's simple reaction, Tisok smiled slightly, and then asked seemingly unintentionally: "Xurot, I heard that after this war, more than a hundred warriors decided to follow you?"
Shulot's heart immediately sounded alarm bells. He nodded: "Yes."
"Then why do these warriors follow you?"
"It should be because I presided over the funeral after the war and guided the souls of the dead. Some people think that the victory of the battle has something to do with me."
"Well. Teotihuacan is the tomb of the gods, the bridge between life and death, and it is also the place where you were born. So, Shulot, tell me, can you really communicate between life and death, and contact the souls of the dead?" Sok's sharp gaze fell on Shulot's face.
As a theologian, it seems that Tisok should not doubt the ability of priests to communicate with God. Shulot quickly weighed the situation. If he answered "no", then the previous funeral would be just a meaningless formality. This answer will surely be publicized later, and the hearts of the new followers of the samurai will immediately be dispersed.
And if I answer "yes", I am afraid that I will be questioned further by the king, and it will increase the king's suspicion and fear. If it is related to astronomy again...
With his peripheral vision, Shulot glanced at Totec, who looked tall and cold with a broken hair pattern. The other party's extremely oppressive gaze is also focused on him.
Since it doesn't matter whether he can or can't, Shulot could only reply helplessly: "I don't know."
"You don't know?" Tisoke frowned and asked with some surprise and some seriousness.
"Yes. When a funeral is held, I cannot directly see the sun god or the kingdom of the dead, nor can I communicate with them." Shulot had a confused expression on his face, and then tried hard to recall the content of previous supernatural novels.
"But I can feel a hazy white light, which seems far and near, vast and vast. Not with my eyes, but with some kind of consciousness beyond the senses, like a dream while sleeping. I can feel that there is something misty A white light rose like smoke from the corpse of the deceased, and then merged into the white light group. Then the white light left and flew far into the sky. Then I woke up and could no longer see any trace of the white light."
"White light? White smoke?" Tisoke frowned, "When did you see the white light?"
"The part of summoning the gods. It's just that I can't communicate with white light or white smoke. Maybe it's because I'm just an assistant priest, and the priest's ability is far from enough." Xiulote said with shame.
The theologian king fell into deep thought and patted his hands gently on the throne. Shulot's words obviously disrupted some of his original plans. The young man's expression didn't seem to be fake, which made him really believe in the existence of white light and white smoke.
Most of the commanders in the tent looked at Shulot in surprise, but the smile on Avitt's face became more sincere.
Tisok came back to his senses and said with a normal expression: "Xulot, your theological knowledge needs to be replenished. The Tengu priest is also a type of fifth-level hyena priest, and belongs to the great army of Tenochtitlan. Temple. Since the Tengu robes were given to you at Teotihuacan, you have been the Coyote Priest of Tenochtitlan."
"When this expedition is over, you can return to Tenochtitlan with me. Ketzal, the chief priest of the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan, will be very happy to teach the descendants of the holy city of Teotihuacan. .Perhaps, the two high priesthoods of the country can be combined into one in your hands."
Hearing the words that the two high priest groups merged into one, many officers exclaimed and looked at Shulot with envy. Those were the pinnacle of divine power, two groups with the most sublime right to interpret myths.
Tisok tapped Xuelot casually, and drew an elusive and distant vision. Then, without waiting for Shulot's reply, the king waved his hand and asked everyone to retreat.
"When will the young eagle get rid of its shackles and soar freely in the sky?" After walking out of the big tent, looking at the vast and boundless sky, Shulot longed for it.
