The breeze blew the bonfire in the main hall, swaying the departing light and shadow, and dimming the last people's hearts.
Kechar stood up and rushed forward, but before he took two steps, a tall shadow came towards him, firmly blocking the way forward. He immediately swung the copper staff without hesitation and hit the guard captain on the temple.
The guard captain looked calm and still held the clay pot in his left hand. He moved forward with small quick steps, swung the blunt blade of the copper ax in his right hand, and hit Kechar's left wrist deftly. The chief priest felt the pain and let go of his hand on the side of his wrist. The staff jingled as it fell to the ground and rolled away.
Kechar's face turned stern, and he turned his right hand forward and stabbed the guard captain in the abdomen. The guard captain turned the copper ax deftly again. There was another clang, and the copper surface blocked the sharp edge of the obsidian dagger. In the blink of an eye, two more guards came from the left and right, and his fate was sealed.
The chief priest looked ferocious. Seeing that there was no chance of a breakthrough, he took a step back, raised his right hand high, and threw it towards the corridor. The blue dagger drew a swift arc and shot towards the elder.
The elder's face was calm and unperturbed. The guard next to him raised his hand and shield, and the dagger bounced off with a bang, clinking to the ground. Kechar immediately turned around and ran towards the staff. He threw himself to the ground, grabbed the last weapon, unscrewed the copper ornament on the top of the staff, and was about to take out the blow dart and shoot.
The captain of the guard came steadily. He just gave a light kick, and the dart flew away with a bang. Kechar still didn't give up and hugged the guard captain's leg, shaking his hands vigorously, trying to knock down the sculpture in front of him. The guard captain sank slightly, as if roots were growing on his feet, his legs motionless.
Looking at all this, the elder sighed quietly. His voice was distant and calm.
"Kechar, my child, don't struggle pointlessly anymore. You should know that the outcome is already doomed. Leave the last bit of dignity behind! Also leave a way out for your family."
Hearing this, Kechar trembled all over. He finally stopped and looked at the elder with a pale face.
"My family..."
The elder nodded calmly and looked at Kechar gently.
"My child, you can go with peace of mind. It will be quick and there will be no pain at all."
The will of the gods can never be changed. The captain of the guard finally opened the clay pot of fate. He took out a bottle of light green potion and handed it to Kechar at his feet.
Kechar laughed miserably. He took the potion tremblingly, opened the lid and was about to drink it, but looked at the elder unwillingly.
"Why?!"
The elder did not answer, but turned around calmly.
Looking at the tall mountain-like back, Kechar finally despaired. He raised his head and poured the medicine into his throat with trembling wrists, unwilling to accept his fate.
A lot of the light green potion was spilled, but the rest was enough to open the door to the Kingdom of God. Soon, the chief priest could not suppress his whole body trembling, and his face showed a strange and sincere smile. Then he fell to the ground gently, without even breaking the pottery bottle in his hand. Then, Kechar on the ground continued to dance for a few seconds, then fell to the ground with a smile on his face and became motionless.
The guard captain knelt down and first felt Kechar's breath, then opened his eyelids and looked at his pupils. Then, he stood upright and turned around, nodding to the elder to confirm.
The elder came slowly. He walked to Kechar's body and looked at it silently for a long time before whispering to himself.
"My child, don't worry. Soon, many people will accompany you on the road."
Then, the elder gently shook the bell in his hand. Several chief guards rushed over and knelt on one knee to salute. Their eyes were fixed for a moment, and they did not glance at Kechar on the ground.
"Where are the guards?" the elder asked calmly.
"The Five Hundred Guards have taken control of the area surrounding the Prince's Palace and the port to Texcoco."
The leading guard replied respectfully.
"Where are the family warriors?"
"Three thousand royal family warriors participated in the ceremony and are now stationed in the palace area."
"Capital Samurai?"
"In the name of the ceremony, ten thousand capital warriors have gathered in the four armories."
"Noble Chapter?"
"According to your order, after the sacrifice, the tiger and eagle warriors are feasting in the temple area, and King Avit is also there."
The elder finally nodded. His majestic order revealed his long-hidden edge again. In those plain words, the will is as iron and the indifference is as cold as ice!
"Mobilize the guards and arrest the Prince of Texcoco. Those who resist will die. Mobilize the family warriors and arrest the high-ranking priests and nobles of the Texcoco family. Those who resist will die. Mobilize the capital's warriors and impose martial law throughout the city in the name of ceremony. , blockade all ports. Mobilize the noble battle groups, assemble in the Western Armory, and get ready. Inform King Avit: Stay in the mansion with peace of mind, everything has nothing to do with him."
The elder's face was expressionless, ignoring the arrival of blood and fire. He continued speaking calmly.
"Summon the waiting Shuter, I want to see him. Summon Ugol, wait outside."
The guards bowed their heads neatly and saluted, then walked away quickly. After many years, the envoys once again set out from the chief palace and followed the special passage to the great temple. Then, with orders that cannot be disobeyed, he goes to all the places where the capital's military force is concentrated.
The elder walked slowly back to the center of the hall and sat down on the stone throne of the god. He closed his eyes slightly, and Kechar was lying not far away, smiling as if he was asleep. The guard captain was holding the clay pot and stood beside him frozen. The sound of needle dropping could be heard in the hall again.
Not long after, some hasty footsteps came from the corridor, which were obviously different from those of the guards. The elder opened his eyes slightly, and High Priest Shuter, wearing solemn divine clothing, came in a hurry with empty hands.
Shuter eagerly stepped into the hall. He knelt down and paid homage, his obsidian crown hanging low. Then, he was about to open his mouth to request, but suddenly stopped. On the ground, Kechar's smile was right in front of him.
The high priest looked ahead blankly. The old friends who had known each other for decades and the old rivals who had been fighting for more than ten years were sleeping peacefully on the ground with happy and peaceful faces. He had planned many times how to fight when we meet again and how to argue tonight. Unexpectedly, the other party has returned to the Kingdom of God.
Shuter felt happy at first, and then a deep chill came over him. He bowed his head and saluted again without saying a word, sweat slowly soaking his back.
The elder looked at the high priest calmly. We haven’t seen each other for several years, and Little Shuttle has become much older. After a long time, the elder slowly spoke.
"Shuter, I know what you are looking for me for. It was inconvenient to see you two days ago. Now that I have seen you, there is no need to say anything. Your grandson is a good boy. For him, you have to give up your position in the high priesthood. Come to the capital. It’s time for the two major priesthoods of the alliance to unite again.”
Hearing the elder's words, Shuter was shocked and had many thoughts. He raised his head slightly and looked at the elder, his expression changing. Decades of hard work and more than ten years of grandson weigh in my heart. Then, he let out a long sigh, his fate was already decided and he had no choice.
"Dear elder, I will follow your will." Shuter's face turned pale. He took off the divine crown on his head, revealing his gray hair, and his expression became a little more relieved.
"I will hand over the high priests immediately, and I hope you will let the boy Shulot go."
The elder looked at Shuttle carefully. The memories of the past gradually overlapped and turned into the old boy in front of him. After a long time, he nodded slightly.
"Shuter, your grandson is a good boy. After the merger, the twelve-member priesthood will be handed over to you. You can decide whether to be the high priest or the chief priest."
After hearing the elder's appointment, Shuttle raised his head slightly. He felt a little happy at first, then smiled bitterly in his heart, and then sighed.
"If the elder is still there, the chief priest of the capital is actually meaningless. If the elder is not here, no one can suppress me. Can I survive the elder? I am afraid it is still unknown. If I really survive the elder? It is impossible to say. A glass of poisonous wine..."
In any case, at this time he could only salute again and respectfully accept his fate.
The elders still calmly decide on major affairs of the empire.
"From now on, Ugel will be your deputy. Merger is a small matter, leave it to him. Religious regulations are a big deal."
Hearing this, Shuttle looked at the elder with questioning eyes.
"You are going to compile a fundamental religious text to guide the future of the Mexica people. The specific content will be understood after you discuss it with the child. If you are not sure, just ask me. Remember, Give up your Quetzalcoatl and transform into a patron saint.”
"You are too deeply influenced by my brother, and you always want to use Quetzalcoatl to unite the tribes. However, you must not compromise on integrating other ethnic groups. The weeds at the beginning must be plowed and the roots must be pulled out, so that the corn behind can grow well. . Only with the sacrifice of holy blood can the earth be reborn."
"Actually, Kechar understands me best, but it's a pity that he has come to an end after all. After thinking about it, your child is still worth more, so I let him go. Just stay in the capital and protect the child by the way, so as to save you from inadvertently died."
The elders tonight are different from usual ones. His mood fluctuated slightly, and he said a lot again.
Suter maintained the saluting posture and remembered every word of the elder in his heart. Then he nodded yes.
The elder pondered for a moment, and then asked calmly.
"Shuter, how far are Teotihuacan's legions from the capital?"
Hearing this, Shuttle fell to his knees with a plop. He lowered his gray head and prostrated on the ground.
"Dear elders, the legions of Teotihuacan are only here to pay homage to the king's enthronement ceremony..."
"How far is it?"
"...Half a day." Shuttle replied with difficulty.
The elder nodded slightly.
"It's pretty much what I expected. Now go back and deliver the order to take Teotihuacan's army outside Texcoco. Early tomorrow morning, we will launch at the same time as the army in the capital. In the name of the enthronement ceremony, I have already arranged for manpower. Open the door. It is more convenient and clean for the city-state army to deal with the weeds."
Shuter was shocked. He looked up at the elder.
"Texcoco City? Dealing with weeds?"
The elder nodded calmly.
"Now is the right time. The pumpkins in the west are too small to matter. The beans in the east are ripe and should be pulled out. Mexica want the tallest corn."
Shulot lowered his head and thought. After a while, he bowed silently and accepted the order.
The elder looked at Shuter for a moment and then waved his hand gently.
"Shuttle, you go down. We will deal with it more cleanly tomorrow. The kid has a good character and can be entrusted with big things, so let him stay here for another day. We old guys will take care of tomorrow's affairs, and the children should not get involved."
A guard immediately stepped forward to lead the way, and Shuttle held the divine crown in both hands and walked away backwards. His back was soaked, his body was cold and hot, but his heart felt calm. This time, his footsteps were silent.
The elder waved to the guard and closed his eyes again. Today's consumption is too great, and fatigue comes in waves. After all, time is not forgiving.
After resting for a while, the elder opened his eyes again. In front of him was the slightly fat Ugel. He knelt on the ground, shaking and sweating, next to Kechar's frozen smile.
The elder glanced at Wu Geer for a few times and then ordered calmly.
"Ugel, stop shaking, you still have time. The two priesthoods are going to merge, with Shuter as the leader and you as the deputy. Shuter wants to compile religious books, and I will leave all the merger matters to you."
"Tonight and tomorrow we will get rid of the Texcoco family. You go and summon the priests to appease the people. Tell everyone that Prince Texcoco was dissatisfied with the death of Trol and poisoned the chief priest Kechar with the intention of treason. The crime cannot be punished. Forgive me. Prince Tlacopan did not participate, let him be at ease and be safe. Other nobles at all levels are not guilty if they don't know. If they are not at ease, you can accept their bribes as usual."
Hearing this, Wu Geer was shocked. He kowtowed hard, making a thumping sound on the ground.
"Dear elder, I will return the bribe I received before..."
"Ugel, look up." The elder stared calmly.
Ugel stopped immediately. He raised his head slightly, met the elder's emotionless gaze, and felt a chill in his heart.
"Do as I say. Lock up the nobles if they are unstable, but don't kill anyone. You still have time, study more classics in the future."
Wugel carefully checked the elder's gaze. Then he bowed respectfully and accepted his fate with trembling.
"Go down. I'm tired. Take Kechar's body out and place it so that the nobles can see it. The poison he was poisoned was the Texcoco ayahuasca. Tell the nobles, Don’t remember it wrong.”
Ugel kowtowed again. He walked backwards and left with weak steps. The two guards carried Kechar's body, like an emotionless pottery figurine, and followed quietly beside it.
After arranging everything, the elder finally closed his eyes and rested against the stone seat. The captain of the guard spread a jaguar skin on the stone base and covered the elder with a duck down blanket. Then move the bonfire to the back of the stone base.
The elder fell asleep quietly and soundlessly in the warm darkness. In the dream, he met his long-lost eldest brother, the poet king of Texcoco, and his late friend Coyote. The three marshals fought hand in hand to defeat the Tepanek army and capture their capital. Then in front of the burning temple of the Tepanek people, the comrades and brothers drank happily and laughed heartily.
The eldest brother danced a brave war dance and played the brilliant bamboo flute. Coyote sang a hymn loudly:
"The flowers that bloom today are under the feet of the warrior.
The enemy who persisted and resisted will have turned into dust tomorrow.
Although it is as solid as a boulder, nothing can reach eternity.
We rejoice in today's happiness and forget that pain will come tomorrow!
A moment of glory will fade away like a dream.
Human beings are so slim, how can they gain time?
Only wither, all things we cherish~~"
In his sleep, the elder smiled slightly. Yes, this life can only wither, and I'm afraid it will be speechless when we see you again. As the bonfire flickered, it illuminated the elder's hair, but it was already completely white.
At the feet of the elders, Ugar walked out of the palace of the chief minister. He breathed a long sigh of relief, as if he had stepped out of the kingdom of death. Then, he wiped the sweat from his head with his sleeves, but he couldn't wipe it away. It turned out that the clothes were soaked.
Ugel turned around and the guards behind him also stopped. Looking at Kechar's peaceful smile, he sighed quietly and then smiled happily. In the end, he couldn't help lowering his head and whispered to Kechar.
"Old guy, you have been so powerful for so many years and you have always dominated me, but this is the end! The smart egret was sacrificed to the gods, but the stupid turkey lived a long time. I am indeed a piece of rotten wood that cannot be carved, but I still have time, what about you? I would rather be greedy and stupid, be a dead tree without any threat, and live happily!"
Speaking of this, Wu Geer smiled proudly again. Immediately, he swayed his fat body and walked towards the priest's temple group with a smile. Behind him, Kechar was silent.
