In the next few days, Shulot was still in a hurry. He was like the breeze blowing across the surface of Lake Texcoco, running around the capital city in the lake, chasing the light that cut through time and space.
Outside the southeastern embankment of the capital city in the lake, there are two large islands, one called Zacatla Manco and the other called Itacata. The name of the island is roughly related to "salt water", "salt-alkali land" and "reed bush", which also shows the desolate appearance here.
The islands are located in a saltwater lagoon and have remained uninhabited since there was no potential for cultivation into Chinampa. There are only roosting waterbirds and the occasional anchored merchant. Now, Avitt has given two small islands to Shulot as a testing ground for gunpowder research and development.
The young man took dozens of guard warriors and came by boat in the early morning. He landed on the northern island and looked around. It's about an hour or two away from the capital, and it's quiet and deserted. Looking to the north, the great temple in the center of the capital is majestic and tall, while Chinampa is lush and green a few miles away. The merchant fleets on the lake are constantly coming and going, creating a scene of prosperous civilization. Looking to the south, there is another island of its own not far away.
Shulot watched quietly for a while, then continued to evaluate the two islands. The two islands each cover hundreds of hectares. The North Island was slightly smaller and closer, so he named it Tianhuo Island, which was specially used to store saltpeter, extract soil saltpeter, and experiment with gunpowder formulas. The South Island is larger and further away, so it is called Tianhuo Second Island. It is used to test future firearms and is temporarily idle.
The young man took the guard warriors around to check and judge the terrain of the island. The lower edge part may be submerged in the rainy season when the lake floods. It is necessary to raise the soil in the center of the island, build a high platform, and then locate the R&D site on it. A backlit dry warehouse must also be built to store the extracted soil salt and prepared gunpowder.
A group of people were patrolling, but Bertard's expression suddenly changed and he suddenly took a step forward to block Xuellot. The warrior commander pointed somewhere with his thumb, then silently took out his longbow and attached an armor-piercing copper arrow.
Shulot looked carefully into the distance with a solemn expression. Two to three hundred meters away, a small section of the ship's hull was exposed among the reeds. He also took out his shield and war club and prepared for battle. The dozens of guard warriors behind him are well-trained. Half of them bent their bows and set arrows, and the other half held sticks and shields. They gradually spread out into a circular formation, protecting His Highness in the center.
The guard warriors approached carefully and entered the optimal shooting distance of 150 meters. Bertard asked the warriors to stop. He first put on a whistle arrow, took a slight aim, and quickly fired an arrow, and a sharp whistling sound came immediately. The arrow head of the whistle arrow has a bone horn whistle and a specially made blunt tip to avoid accidental damage.
A rustling sound came from the reeds. The guard warriors were equipped with bronze arrows. As long as an unidentified warrior appeared, they would take action without hesitation. Bertard waited for a long time with his bow raised. After a while, the movement in the reeds disappeared again. He frowned slightly and yelled at the reeds.
"Who is that in the grass? Come out quickly! If you don't come out, we will be shot!"
There was another shaking in the reeds, but the person inside still didn't show up.
Bertard waited no longer. He solemnly waved his left hand forward, and more than twenty bronze arrows shot out, striking aggressively around the wooden boat in the reeds. Several exclamations came from the reeds, followed by panicked responses.
"Stop, stop! We are not enemies, we are hard-working and loyal citizens of the capital!"
The warrior commander frowned again. He looked at Shulot, the young man pondered slightly and nodded. It certainly doesn't look like an enemy.
"Come out of the grass, all of them!" Bertard shouted again.
After a while, five or six shivering people came out of the reeds. The long bow of the guard warrior was immediately aimed at the vital point.
Shulot first looked at their hands. They were both empty and had no weapons. They only had short daggers on their waists. Then, the young man looked at their clothes. No one was wearing armor, only robes and cloaks covering their bodies. The cloaks and robes are in low-key colors and simple patterns. At first glance, it looks like a civilian, but upon closer inspection, it turns out to be made of fine fabrics. Some people also wear wide-brimmed conical hats on their heads, half covering their faces.
The young man was a little confused. This look... always gave him an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
Bertard watched for a moment and determined that this was just a group of civilians with suspicious identities. He looked at the reeds again, but there was no movement. So, the warrior commander waved his hand forward, and five or six strong leather-armored warriors rushed forward. They took off the conical hats of the suspicious characters, pulled off their broad cloaks and robes, put away the daggers around their waists, and after groping up and down for a while, they nodded to the warrior chief.
Bertard nodded slightly and changed the direction of the long bow. He pointed to the dense reeds, and ten more warriors cautiously advanced. After a moment of searching, they returned with several small clay pots and two dark cloth bags.
"Your Highness, there are two boats inside. One boat contains more than a dozen jars of luxury goods such as herbs and spices. The other boat contains a bag of gold sand and several bags of salt."
The guard warriors came to report. Shulot looked at the warrior commander.
Bertard took a marked jar, opened it, and fumbled around for a while. A strong aroma wafted in, and it was just allspice. Then, he opened two more cloth bags. One bag contained heavy and dazzling gold sand, and the other bag contained white and slightly gray table salt.
The warrior commander breathed a sigh of relief. He nodded to the boy in confirmation.
Shulot pondered slightly. The Alliance has recently enacted commercial laws that impose heavy taxes on luxury goods. Obviously, this is a private luxury transaction and will not be taxed according to law. One party is a well-connected businessman, and the other party carries a large sum of gold sand and salt. He should be a big noble in the capital who owns a fief.
Shulot took a few steps forward and carefully observed the faces of several people. When two of them saw the young man's high priest uniform, their expressions changed and they immediately lowered their heads subconsciously. Then the warriors grabbed their chins and forcibly lifted them up. The young man looked at the two people for a long time without any impression in his mind, so he looked to the other side.
After looking at it for a moment, Shulot said "Hey", and there was an old friend among them.
"I remember you. You were a big businessman in the urban market. You had a luxury store. What is your name?"
What the young man did not mention was that he had personally seen the other party buy honey at a low price and then resell it. In just a quarter of an hour, it was a huge profit three or four times, so it was very impressive.
"Ah, no, I'm not...Dear Sir, you must have remembered it wrong..."
Before the big businessman finished speaking, he saw the young priest in front of him frowning slightly. Then, his hair was lifted up, and the middle-aged warrior behind him had his war stick across his neck. The big businessman felt a chill on his neck, followed by a slight sting. The sharp blade had already scratched his skin, and bright red traces slowly oozed out.
"Yes, I am! I am Ocatel from the urban market!...Sir, you remember me. I must have served you, please spare my life!"
Ocatl was so frightened that his liver and gallbladder split. The big businessman looked in front of him in horror: a high-ranking priest in black, fifty or sixty elite leather-armored warriors, and dozens of incredibly powerful longbows. He was about to cry without tears, and under the powerful long-range threat, he couldn't even make the planned escape.
I just sold a few jars of vanilla to regular customers to earn some hard-earned money secretly. Even if it violates the newly promulgated commercial law, so many high-level temple guards will not be used, right? Look at this equipment and the number of people, it's enough to attack an ordinary noble manor!
Thinking of this, the big businessman finally shed tears of grievance.
Shulot looked at the big businessman with an expressionless face. He first raised his hand, and the middle-aged warrior who threatened the big businessman stopped. Then he pointed at the two people who had bowed their heads just now, and the warriors took them aside. Then, the boy approached Ocatl. The middle-aged warrior immediately hit his knee, and the big businessman knelt down in pain without His Highness looking up.
Later, Shulot solemnly interrogated Ocatl. The big businessman started talking nonsense, and the young man frowned again. The middle-aged samurai exerted pressure several times with understanding and timing it just right. Soon, amid the uncertainty of life and death, Ocatl's psychological defense finally collapsed. He cried bitterly and told the truth.
Within a few days of the promulgation of the Commercial Law, the formal luxury goods trade in the urban market was significantly reduced. The big local businessmen were unwilling to bear the high business taxes and started private transactions one after another. They have been rooted in the local area for many years, have a long-term cooperative relationship with the capital's nobles, and are familiar with the geography and people, so the two parties moved the trading venue easily.
Now there are temple guards patrolling the capital, and the influence of priests in each community is very strong. The private trading locations of local merchants and nobles have finally moved to various hidden lake islands. This island was covered with reeds as tall as a person, and it was not far from the capital, so it was spotted by Ocatel as a place for his private trade.
The New Year sacrifices are about to begin, and the nobles have a lot of demand for luxury goods. Almost every day, Ocatel would come here to trade with different nobles, sometimes a big noble, sometimes several small nobles. Occasionally, we will meet colleagues, and everyone will miss each other tacitly, and at the same time, be careful to guard against reports from each other.
Today, Ocatl came with two guards to trade with the servants of the great nobles in the capital. Among the most hidden reeds, herbs and spices are exchanged for golden sand and salt produced in the fief. He also has a way to sell the salt.
"I heard that there are now big nobles who specialize in trade intermediaries. In their fiefdoms, they provide low-tax guaranteed transactions for foreign businessmen who come from afar and don't know their background."
Finally, Ocatl burst into tears and delivered a vague and important message.
After hearing this, Shulot frowned deeply. It seemed that the implementation of commercial law was not going smoothly.
The autonomy of the great nobles was too great. They have enough power and greed to violate the alliance's business laws. If the inspections are too strict, the luxury goods trade will be transferred to the fiefdoms of the great nobles in large quantities. It would be difficult for the Alliance to intervene directly without using force.
The enforcement of alliance laws is always closely related to the government's control. The same is true for the various taxes of the alliance. Local governments will withhold different levels of tribute according to the level of autonomy, coupled with corruption in the bureaucracy.
Ultimately, the government's actual revenue will always strike a balance between local control, autonomy, and corruption, which Schlott calls tax efficiency.
In this era, most of the tax revenue of the feudal country would flow to nobles, officials and gentry at all levels, and this became more and more true towards the end of the dynasty. For example, the Ming Dynasty more than a hundred years later...
Shulot shook his head and put back his distant thoughts. He looked at Ocatl, who was kneeling and crying, and was silent.
Ocatl was shocked and knew that he had reached a critical moment of life and death. Mexica society has always been strict, and the priests have just enacted commercial laws. At this time, if he is captured by a high-ranking priest and brought back to the capital, he will definitely be regarded as a model and sent to a sacrificial platform to shock everyone.
The big businessman struggled hard, ignoring the sharp war stick, and threw himself at the feet of the young priest. He grabbed the opponent's priest's robe with force and cursed and swore.
"Master Priest, spare my life! In the name of the patron saint, I am willing to sacrifice all my family property, and I am willing to swear allegiance to you to the death!"
Shulot already had a decision in his mind. He shook his head slightly and looked at the middle-aged warrior.
The middle-aged samurai nodded clearly. He bent down and grabbed Ocatl's shoulder with one hand. Then, stretch out your other hand and pinch the other person's elbow hard. The big businessman suddenly felt pain and numbness in his arm, and his fingers loosened uncontrollably. The middle-aged warrior used a little force and dragged the big businessman forty to fifty meters from the ground. Two more warriors came up around, and Ocatl was completely controlled.
Shulot looked at the middle-aged warrior with interest. He is in his thirties and has an ordinary appearance. His face was weathered and his eyes were calm, yet quite smart. In the previous trial, he was very observant and applied just the right amount of pressure. The young man couldn't help but feel a little love for talents.
"What's your name? When will you join the guard?" Shulot waved and asked the middle-aged warrior to come over.
The middle-aged warrior's expression remained unchanged. He walked quickly and knelt down to salute respectfully.
"Your Highness, I am Esco, a warrior from the holy city of Teotihuacan. I once followed Captain Shusok and conquered the Otomi people with you. The high priest came to the capital in the lake, A group of holy city warriors were mobilized, and I followed the high priest at that time to protect the left and right. Later, I was assigned to join your guard."
Shulot nodded slightly. He didn't have a family name. He turned out to be a civilian warrior from the Holy City. Esko can be chosen by his grandfather and sent to the guards around him, so he must be trustworthy in terms of loyalty.
Since arriving in the capital, various affairs have been unfolding continuously, and the young man has increasingly felt the lack of talents, especially the lack of people who can take the lead. For him now, when it comes to important tasks, he must first ensure the loyalty of his employees, and then consider abilities, and does not care about his origin.
Shulot thought for a moment, then looked at the middle-aged samurai with sharp eyes, and asked for approval.
"Esco, what do you think should be done with this businessman?"
Esco thought for a moment, his eyes flashed, and then he answered respectfully.
"Your Highness, the Nobility Law is about to be promulgated, and the situation in the capital is tense. It is not appropriate to continue to stimulate the nobles with luxury goods. As for this businessman, he can take care of it directly here."
Shulot nodded with satisfaction at first, then shook his head slightly.
Not long ago, my grandfather and I talked all night long and planned a lot for the future. If the big businessman is captured and brought back to the capital, and the priests follow suit, they may bring out a large group of nobles who violate commercial laws, and they will once again become the center of the storm in the capital.
Now is the time to keep a low profile, and it is not the time for the priests and nobles to completely oppose each other. As for this big businessman, executing him will not solve any problem.
After pondering for a moment, Shulot gave instructions to Esco.
"Esco, I'll give you a few warriors, and I'll leave the rest to you. Confiscate everything on the boat and impose a slight punishment. Then appease the noble's servants, and let them go after we leave. As for that Ocatl, ask him to hand over the list of trading nobles and let him go. From now on, he will provide us with news regularly. Well, it’s up to you to contact him."
Hearing this, Esco lowered his head deeply. He suppressed the joy on his face and bowed respectfully to the ground. Then, with a strange smile, he walked towards Okatel not far away.
After dealing with all this, Shulot looked at the warrior commander and smiled.
"Bertard, it was just a false alarm. This is at the foot of the capital, and today is a temporary route. How can there be so many dangers!"
Bertard was silent. He had been watching all this quietly, with eighty percent of his attention focused on the surrounding environment. He looked at the dense reeds, deserted bays and remote islands around him. After a while, the loyal warrior captain spoke in a low voice.
"Your Highness, if someone takes action, this is the best place."
Shulot was slightly startled. He carefully considered the words of the samurai commander, is there anyone? Does anyone know here. Take action? What to do? The young man suddenly fell silent. After a while, he shook his head in a deep voice.
"I believe him. You're overthinking, why are you doing this?"
Bertard looked serious. He lowered his head and bowed.
"Your Highness, I don't believe it. Neither does the high priest. Even if he is worthy of trust, the people around him are not worthy of trust. Your safety cannot be placed on trust."
After hearing the words of the warrior commander, Shulot slowly closed his eyes, feeling the throbbing and changes in his heart. After a long time, he sighed deeply.
"The most rare thing in this world is mutual trust. The higher you go, the colder it gets. How can it last long if everyone speaks for themselves and destroys their bones? It's really scary and scary!"
The young man shook his head. He strode forward, looking at the distant capital, his heart still firm and full of light.
