Elder Ugel walked quickly, ignoring the traces of the war along the way, and arrived at the still-forbidden Herotepec camp, and then walked straight into the commander's tent.
In the big tent, Ocelot was discussing the follow-up reward with the officers. Seeing his old friend who came directly in, he shook his head slightly helplessly and asked the officers to go out first.
Soon, only two people were left in the tent. Ugel took off his heavy stone crown, dragged the black bear skin collected by the commander, spread it on the cold ground, and then sat down opposite Ocelot.
Seeing his old friend's unobtrusive behavior, Ocelot's eyes twitched.
"Ugel, this is the spoil of war when I conquered the canine descendants of the north. It is smooth and complete, fine and soft. Don't let me break it."
Because of his name, Ocelot was different from other commanders in that he did not like to collect jaguar furs, but preferred bear skins and wolf skins from the north.
Wugel tilted his body, felt the solid yet soft touch, and nodded with satisfaction.
"Yes, this leather is tougher than jaguar skin, and it feels good to sit on..."
After admiring, the priests and elders looked at their old friend and laughed.
"Ocelor, are you still short of skins? The king and the high priest want to control the important town in the north. You will stay here for a long time. Maybe you can just entrust it here... Then you can just go to the north to hunt. !”
After hearing these words, Ocelot's face became serious. He pondered for a moment before speaking slowly.
"This is where I hesitate. King Avit sent an envoy to ask me what I thought. I haven't thought about it yet... Ugel, I haven't returned for two years. What is the situation in the capital now? In the past few months I really heard about many great things!"
Hearing this, Wu Geer's fat face became solemn, and he shook his head and sighed.
"What's the situation in the capital now? I can't figure it out. In my opinion, it's a murderous situation!"
As he spoke, the priests and elders stretched out their thick fingers and counted them one by one.
"You see, during the enthronement ceremony, thousands of Otomi people were sacrificed. This was okay, and it was quite exciting. Then on the day after the ceremony, the chief priest was poisoned and died. This is terrible. I haven't been alive for a month. Sleep well!
Within a few days, the Texcoco line was uprooted and thousands of nobles were sacrificed. It was so tragic that most of the nobles had nightmares. And this is not over yet. When the New Year ceremony is over, the remaining one or two thousand minor nobles and warriors will be transferred to you, and people are panicking..."
Hearing this, Ocelot thought for two seconds before interjecting.
"This change is actually very good! The 20,000 Mexica warriors will soon be disbanded, and most of the royal army will go south. There will only be 5,000 Mexica warriors left in the city of Xilotepec, and more than 4,000 Ottos Mi surrendered the troops. The important northern town is located on the border, and the number of Otomi in the state is hundreds of thousands. If I can get two thousand more Mexica nobles and warriors, I will have the core strength to rule this place, and the situation will be more stable. .
When these exiled noble warriors came here, they were rewarded with mansions and properties, and were betrothed to wives and concubines, and they would naturally settle down. In the sea of Otomi people, they can only rely on the alliance! "
Wugel thought for a while and nodded.
"Yes, the elders are always right...Listen to me. Before I came, the High Priests had just promulgated the Noble Law, and then the temple guards dispatched a thousand people to arrest 20 people in the city-state of Tlacopan. Many hereditary nobles will be sentenced to sacrifice for obstructing the alliance's tribute. When I escort more than a thousand Otomi nobles back here, the New Year's sacrifice will be another big sacrifice!"
"What? January has passed long ago, and the New Year sacrifices haven't started yet?"
Ocelot was visibly taken aback. Then, he pondered for a moment and said again.
"Eradicate the Texcoco royal family and clean up the Tlacopan family. So, the royal family has unified the lake area?"
The priests and elders were slightly emotional. He shook his huge head.
"Yes, the royal family has unified the Lake District, and so has the high priesthood. Although there are still many nobles, big and small, there is no leader among the wolves. The immortal sun hangs high, the young jaguar is good at fighting, and now there is a cunning one. Old fox... Even though these nobles are making trouble, they can't accomplish anything big."
Afterwards, Ugel thought for a while and continued talking.
"As for postponing the New Year's sacrifice, that was the intention of the elders, and it was not for the new religious reform. This time, many rituals had to be drastically changed, and the priests in the capital were all busy. The elders also requested that the sacrifice be grand and exciting enough. Waiting for the sacrifices to be sent from the north as soon as possible...
Instead of busying around in the capital and worrying all day long, I might as well take this job and go to the north for a quick break and live a more comfortable life...Who knew that the city would fall so quickly? I received the news halfway. I have been hurrying and rushing along the way, and I just arrived here yesterday...but I am exhausted! "
Ocelot nodded, handed Ugel a wooden board covered with graphics, and then fell into deep thought.
Ugel looked at the wooden board. There were twenty large boxes on the top, containing various brightly colored gold, silver and gems, feather clothing, herbs and spices. Below were twenty little people with obvious female characteristics.
Seeing this, the elder priest smiled and patted his old friend on the shoulder with his big hand.
Ocelot smiled slightly and then asked.
"Religious reform? What is your specific idea? I think the priests you brought this time are quite useful. After a ceremony, the Ottomi warriors were a little relieved. How about leaving some more priests for me?"
Ugel thought for a while and realized that this question was quite difficult.
"Religious Reform, that is, God is omnipotent, and priests are omnipotent! The high priesthood is much stricter than before. The division of priesthood is very clear, the basic responsibilities are increased, the temple guard is added, and new doctrines are proposed. Changing the sacrificial rituals... From the upper-class nobles to the lower-class people, the control of the priesthood is increasing, and it may surpass the royal family in the future.
These priests can leave half of them for you, and they are meant to help you stabilize the north. But the other half hasn't finished basic literacy yet and has to go back and finish a thousand words... By the way, you'd better learn to write too. Writing with words will be much faster than drawing in the future, although I'm still not used to it... .There is also writing paper, which is better than wooden board. It is very convenient to write on and comfortable to use in certain places. "
Ocelot thought for a while and shook his head slightly. Then, he leaned forward and lowered his voice.
"I heard that the death of Chief Priest Kechar was related to the religious reform?...The elder met with His Highness, and the high priest then took over and presided over the religious reform..."
Wugel shuddered subconsciously. He looked left and right, then behind the curtain, then turned to look at Ocelot, his eyes widening.
"Where did you hear this nonsense? I personally presided over the funeral as the chief priest. It must have been caused by the poison of the Texcoco people, laughing ayahuasca. Just talk about these things here, go out and make chaos Said it was going to kill people!..."
Seeing the reaction of the priest elder, Ocelot smiled and nodded slightly with understanding. He continued to explore.
"Ugel, my old friend. The chief priest is dead. The high priest is from the Holy City and is old. Have you ever thought about taking over the position of high priest in the future? I can support you."
The sacrificial elder was stunned for a moment, with a moment of heartbeat and greed in his eyes. Then he thought of the tragic situation when Kechar died, and his heart became cold again.
"Don't, don't! What's so good about that position? There are immortal elders at the top, extraordinary kings next to them, and dissatisfied nobles below. They have to hold power, preside over great sacrifices, reform religions, and coordinate all parties. Implementing the teachings and offending the nobles. I was so busy all day long that I had no leisure time. I couldn't eat well, and I couldn't sleep well. In the end, I don't know when, my head fell off...
I don't want that position. How can it be so easy to be a high priest? Shuter is old and has only a few years left to live. Now he is ruthless and ruthless, and is not afraid of offending others. I still want to live for another ten or twenty years. Whenever I can let myself go, that will be a great time! "
Ocelot carefully captured the details of Ugel's words and thought quickly.
"King, priest, nobility, royal power, religious power, autonomy..."
After a while, the commander spoke cautiously.
"So, the capital is now a pot of hot soup? On top is the lid of the elders, and below are the firewood of various new policies. Religious reform, the implementation of religious law, the reduction of aristocratic privileges, and the struggle between royal factions, these firewoods are burning brightly. And in the middle, in the gradually boiling soup, are the king, priests, royal nobles, and local nobles?"
Wugel was stunned for a long time. He chewed it carefully for a while and felt that he had heard something very good again, so he secretly made a note of it in his mind.
"Ocelot, you are indeed smart, and this metaphor is indeed apt! I am just in this soup, and I don't get a chance to figure it out. By the way, you have forgotten someone, Your Highness."
The commander pondered slightly.
"You mean His Highness Shulot, who killed the king and invented the trebuchet, longbow, writing and paper? What great things has His Highness done recently?"
"It must be him." Wugel shook his head. "His Highness has invented many gadgets recently. These are not important. The most important thing is that he applied to the king to form a new legion!"
Ocelot was startled for a moment. He didn't know much about religious matters, but he was very familiar with military matters.
"New legion? A Hikipili requires a total of 8,000 warriors, at least half of whom are elite warriors. After successive battles, where can the Alliance gather thousands of warriors now?"
Ugel shook his head again.
"I actually don't understand this matter. I just heard that most of this new army are just militiamen. Some shoot arrows and some carry spears. Now around the capital, the workers in the mines and salt fields have been recruited by His Highness. Even The masonry is somewhat insufficient. So this time, I have another task, to recruit thousands of Otomi people from you and bring them back to work as laborers...
By the way, before the northern army is disbanded, you still need to go to the Huastecs to put pressure on them. Firstly, they will collect this year's tribute, and secondly, they will forcefully recruit a group of craftsmen and laborers. "
The commander nodded in approval and smiled fiercely.
"That's natural! You can take away as many Otomi people as possible outside the city. The alliance's various labors always require new firewood. Now the food is limited, and apart from supporting the warriors, we can't get much food. This When I go back next time, you have to help me get more food. The Otomi people are in a great famine. With food in hand, we can not only appease the civilians, but also absorb the Otomi people from outside the country...
As for the Huastec people in the northeast, I am about to send warriors to collect grain, grass and property, and capture some craftsmen along the way. With a stronghold here, the Alliance's control over the Huastec people will be further strengthened. I will also send out legions to repeatedly raid the canine descendants in the north, capture fertile captives, and eliminate the male threat! "
Hearing this, the priests and elders nodded with satisfaction and laughed in approval.
"Ocelor, the Huastec people have always been good at dancing and music. Remember to help me bring back a group of dancers and musicians. I will give you a batch of southern spices and gems later."
The commander laughed loudly and patted his old friend's shoulder affectionately.
"Ugel, we have known each other for decades, so there is no need to be so polite. Why don't you leave me two literate priests to teach me writing and lecture on new doctrines. In addition, I heard that longbows are being manufactured on a large scale in the capital. , is there any way you can get me a batch? To deal with those fierce canine descendants with no clothes on, bows and arrows are the best way to hunt them!"
The priests and elders pondered for a moment and thought about their answer.
"There is no problem with the priest. When I return to the capital, I will give you a copy of all the compiled classics as a priority. I can also help you get an extra batch of food. But there is some trouble with the long bow, and the king and His Highness are keeping an eye on it. They are very tight, and each one must be engraved and numbered. Now all the bowsmiths in the capital have been recruited into the crafting center, and there are no extra manpower to make them privately. However, I should be able to get you a batch of Tlaxcala bows to deal with The canine descendants of the commoners are enough...
Ocelot, looking at these plans and plans of yours, it seems like you are going to run it for a long time. Could it be that you are ready to accept the appointment and serve as the city lord here from now on, taking root in this border land? "
Ugel looked at his friend carefully, his expression becoming serious again.
Ocelot nodded solemnly.
"Ugel, after I just heard you talk about the situation in the capital, I decided to stay in Herotepang and accept the king's appointment. I will try to meet the king in a few years to see if I can hand over the land in the capital. The relatives who moved to the nearest place were enfeoffed here instead.
During the enthronement ceremony, the elder was as powerful as thunder and his blood was boundless. During the religious reform, the power of the king and the high priest expanded, and the nobles were suppressed one after another, causing chaos and chaos. This is already a raging fire, making people afraid to approach it.
Now, the high priest has taken over the religious power and expanded the temple guard. His highness has become famous and formed a large number of new troops. These made me even more uneasy, lest there would be another turmoil between the two royal families, which would overturn the soup.
You all know my situation. Although I belong to the royal family, I am only a remote branch. When the king came to the throne, he was not brought back to the capital as a confidant, and he had no connection with the high priest line. After much deliberation, it is safest to stay at the frontier!
Although this place is not as prosperous as the capital city, it is not difficult or rough either. The Huastecs of the northeast are weak and wealthy. The Chichimecs in the north are loose and weak, the Otomi people in the northwest have just suffered heavy losses, and the Tlaxcalans in the southwest are still far away. Isn't it much more enjoyable to be stationed here and control the lives and deaths of hundreds of thousands of people than to return to the capital?
How about it, Ugel, do you want to come over and help me, be the priest leader here, and we can run the business in the north together? "
Wu Geer hesitated for a long time, quite fascinated. Then, he sighed slightly.
"Ocelot, it's really good to stay here, but I'm afraid the elders won't allow it. I'll find a chance to test my mind. Ocelot, I haven't seen you in two years. Please serve me some good wine as soon as possible. Meat, let’s have a good drink!”
Ocelot smiled and nodded. He called the guards, served wine and food, and opened the skylight of the tent. The stars were shining from the ceiling, and the two of them no longer mentioned anything that was bothering them, and just drank until they were drunk, accompanied by the brilliant stars.
the next afternoon
