In the dim hall, the torches on the walls burned slowly, making a faint sound. The windows and doors were closed, and only a little breeze blew from the vents, shaking the red and yellow flames. The flames swayed silently, making everyone's faces flicker, just like the changing hearts of the noble ones.
Shulot knelt down and bowed quietly, recalling the shocking glimpse just now.
After not seeing each other for a while, Avitt seems to have changed a lot. His face was as cold and hard as a stone carving, his eyes were as deep as a deep pool, and his aura was majestic and could not be offended. At this time, the king was sitting high on the throne, alienated from emotions, with a certain kind of divine aura, just like the eagle flying up to the nine heavens, which couldn't be more real and ugly.
On the cold throne, Avitt stared at the kneeling boy. His eyes changed slightly, and then he lowered his gaze silently, covering up the ups and downs of his emotions. The king's thoughts were racing and he remained silent. Time passed like this, and mountains of eyes focused on the young man. In the empty hall, there were only the faint breathing of everyone,
After a long time, Avitt's thoughts finally returned from the Nine Heavens. He smiled slightly and spoke calmly.
"Xulot, my student, sit next to me."
The boy then raised his head and looked at his friend's familiar yet unfamiliar smile. His heart was up and down, and he stood stunned for a few seconds. Then he lowered his head and came to the throne and sat down quietly.
Seeing Shulot's performance, Avitt's eyes softened slightly. He stretched out his hand out of habit and then paused in the air. After a few breaths, he continued to put his palms on the boy's hair, feeling the soft touch in his palms, and kneading them as he wished.
The young man sat quietly. His friend's familiar and friendly gestures calmed his mind. He considered his next words.
Everyone sitting here has sharp eyes and clear minds. Seeing this scene, Gilliam's expression remained unchanged, and Stanley looked envious. Two equally strong middle-aged nobles looked at each other, then bowed their heads and drank the bitter cocoa in their hands.
"Xulot, you should have met these two ministers: Iskali from the royal family, and Tepopolo from Tlatelolco."
Avitt's smile faded. He retracted his hand again, introduced it majestically, and held the cold staff again.
Hearing this, Shulot looked at the two strong nobles and recalled in his mind. His grandfather had already briefed him on the details.
Iskali is in his forties. He has cold eyes, high cheekbones, sunken temples, and a cold and tough face. In the Nahua language, this noble name means the eighteenth month, the "last moon", and can only be used by nobles of the royal family. After hearing the king's introduction, he simply nodded to Xiuluo, and the young man returned the greeting with a smile.
Iskali was a great nobleman from the Tenotictlan royal family and held jurisdiction over some of the royal warriors. He remained neutral during the civil wars between the two kings' brothers. When Avitt succeeded to the throne, he assisted as an elder of the royal family and became a member of the five-member political council. Behind him are many traditional nobles of the royal family, most of whom are the powerful Vizili Vitel family.
With his grandfather's detailed introduction, Shulot sorted out the royal family's genealogy. Of course, in the Mexican society that advocates force, the age of the royal family is not actually important. Even an illegitimate son from a concubine can inherit a noble status as long as he fights bravely.
The boy and Avitt share a common royal ancestor, Akamapichitli.
The royal descendants of Acama Picchitli were divided into two branches. The eldest son, Vezili Vittel, and the second son, Isko Atel, both became the monarchs of Tenotictlan. Montezuma I was a descendant of Vezili Vitel, and from then on he firmly held the leadership of the alliance.
Shulot's grandfather, Shuttle, is a descendant of Iskoatl and is relatively young. When Montezuma I was in power, he was entrusted to the holy city of Teotihuacan and embarked on the path of priests. According to the commandments, Shuter could not leave any legal descendants, so the boy's father was just an illegitimate son.
Avit is the endogamous successor of two royal branches, representing the combination and balance of royal power. His father was Tesosomoc from the line of Iskoatel, and his mother was Atotosteli II, the eldest daughter of Moctezuma I. Although his parents are close in age, they are uncle and niece.
Therefore, from Avitt's paternal line, he and the boy are close uncle-nephews, and from Avitt's maternal line, they are distantly related brothers. In fact, for the huge royal family, seniority does not mean much, and blood relationship cannot withstand the test of power.
In Shulot's heart, Avitt is both a teacher and a good friend, and will also be a close family member. There are layers of bonds between the two, and they also share common ambitions. The young man hopes to maintain pure feelings and try his best to leave a trace of sincerity, even in the future when he spreads his wings.
Thinking of this, the young man sighed inwardly. Then, he saluted Tepopolo, who also formally returned the salute with a kind smile.
Tepopolo was an honorable nobleman from Tlatelolco. Tlatelolco is the northern city of the capital on the lake and one of the first two cities founded by the Mexica. Tlatelolco's line has been intermarried with the capital's royal family for a long time, so he is extremely close to the royal family in terms of blood, and is a powerful representative of the capital's nobility.
Tepopolo owns a large number of fiefdoms, thousands of noble private troops and dependent warriors, and also maintains many allies of the great nobles. In the royal civil war last year, he carefully remained neutral and surrendered to the victorious King Avite as soon as possible, thus becoming one of the alliance's ministers.
Tepopolo is also in his forties. In the Nahua language, his name means "Destroyer, Killer and Butcher". Contrary to his name, he has high brow bones, a sunken forehead, sharp eyes and a smile. He looks shrewd and kind.
After the two saluted each other. Tepopolo smiled gently.
"His Royal Highness the 'Inspired One' is famous and well-known in the alliance. Many nobles and I have admired him for a long time! When we saw him today, he really has an outstanding appearance and an extraordinary temperament. He is truly His Highness bestowed upon the Mexica people by God!"
Hearing these two kind compliments, Iskali raised his eyebrows and looked at them coldly again. Gillim looked at Shulot with different expressions, Stanley looked dissatisfied, and the king lowered his eyes again.
Shulot was slightly startled. Although the other person had a sincere smile on his face, his intuition told him that these compliments were inappropriate. The young man smiled and nodded without saying anything. Then, he took two steps, gently picked up the simple clay pot on the ground, and then, under the gaze of everyone, returned to his seat with the clay pot.
Avitt opened his eyes again and looked at the boy calmly.
"Xulot, what's going on with the religious reform ordered by the elders? The Twelve Priests have been making a lot of moves recently, and you haven't come to join the five-person political council."
Under the king is the five-member political council, which leads the alliance's military and political affairs. The five people are the intelligence officer Gillim, the heir Hulot, the military commander Stanley, the royal noble Iskali, and the glorious noble Tepopolo. Among them, the position of the most trusted "Snake Girl" is currently held concurrently by Gillim, and military command is firmly in the hands of King Avit.
Shulot bowed respectfully in return.
"Dear King, the religious reform is on the right track. The framework of the basic classics has been completed, and the doctrine is gradually being improved. The formulation of new laws has also come to an end. The Commercial Law and the Civilian Law will be announced soon, and the Noble Law will be implemented after the trial. Negotiations will continue. The church has made a series of job-level adjustments, and literacy education will also be gradually promoted."
Hearing that the Noble Law was about to be tried out, Avitt nodded slightly. The giant bear Stanley didn't care much, he just looked at the boy with concern. Iskali and Tepopolo looked at each other again, with no change in expression on their faces. Gillim sat solemnly in the corner, catching everyone's attention.
"When the basic classics come out, give me a copy to read."
Avitt ordered seriously. Immediately, he looked at the clay pot in Shulot's hand.
"Xulot, you came here today. Do you have anything to report?"
Shulot nodded seriously. He opened the clay pot in his hand, revealing the crystal clear earth salt inside.
"Is this...salt?" Stanley asked curiously.
The young man nodded first, then shook his head.
"This is burning salt, earth saltpeter. I extracted it from the salt soil of the salt farm."
"Burning salt?" Stanley opened his eyes wide with a look of disbelief.
Shulot nodded solemnly.
"Yes, this salt is important. Please let me demonstrate it to everyone."
Avitt's eyes fell on the young man's face. He pondered for a moment and nodded slowly.
Gillim then stood up and took the clay pot from the young man's hand. Then he poured out a handful of crystal saltpetre, and with the young man's nervous wave, he took back most of it. Then, at the young man's suggestion, Gillim put on leather armor and a helmet, and used a torch to light the soil and saltpeter.
In an instant, it shines like a shooting star. In the dim hall, the earth and saltpeter burned violently, blooming with bright light, and purple-green smoke suddenly floated up, like the sigh of the land of death, exuding a strange mystery.
On the throne, Avitt couldn't help but lean forward. He was extremely surprised and observed carefully with great interest.
Iskali and Tepopolo both tilted their heads back, showing uneasiness and fear on their faces. For the first time, the priest's robe on Shulot's body came into their eyes, making their hearts change with suspicion, and they were immediately silent.
Gillim held his breath, took two steps back, and then gently smelled the pungent smell in the wind. Stanley opened his mouth in shock, and purple-green smoke immediately choked his mouth, and he coughed repeatedly.
Amidst the coughing of the giant bear, Shulot came to the window, pulled aside the god's curtain, and opened the closed wooden window. In an instant, bright sunlight illuminated the dim hall, and the deep darkness was finally swept away. The breeze from the garden brings comfortable fragrance and lively voices, taking away the heaviness and depression in the hall.
The young man faced the sunshine contentedly and took a deep breath. He turned around and faced everyone with different expressions with a smile, confident and sincere.
