The wind was gentle and the sun was clear, the sky was cloudless, and the city in the lake shone with dazzling whiteness. A breeze blows, and sparkling waves appear on Lake Texcoco.
In the southeast of the large lake, dozens of large and small boats were arrayed and shuttled, surrounding seven or eight small boats. A particularly gorgeous boat was in the center of the fleet, with a bright commander's flag erected. On both sides of the big flag, the guards waved the small flags of orders, and the fleet moved accordingly, like arms and fingers.
Upon receiving the order, the sailors rowed their oars, approached the surrounded boat, and passed over the side of the ship. Then, the warriors raised their long bows, took aim with rockets, and were ready to go.
On the gorgeous boat, Avitt and Shulot sat cross-legged on the bow, watching the navy's drill. Surrounded by confidants, the two sat close to each other, laughing and talking, enjoying the rare comfort. Here and now, there are only teachers, students and friends, no factions, monarchs or ministers.
Avitt was wearing comfortable warrior uniforms and a breathable rattan helmet, showing some ease and convenience. He looked at the rocket in the warrior's hand carefully, pondered the paper ball behind the arrow, and asked with interest.
"Xulot, is this the surprise you were talking about?"
Shulot smiled and nodded.
"Teacher, don't worry. Let's see the effect of flying rockets!"
Avitt nodded. He raised his hand, pointed forward with force, and then waved downward. The guard behind him immediately waved the small red flag and pointed the tip of the flag to the boat in front of him.
The sailors lit the fire and carefully lit the rocket's fuse. The longbow warriors focused their gazes and fired the rockets with a whoosh. In an instant, hundreds of vertical rockets arced across the sky, flying over a distance of more than fifty meters, and accurately fired at the unoccupied boat. The long arrow penetrated the air, accompanied by a continuous "chuchu..." sound. Some of these arrows were stuck in the center of the boat, many were nailed to the outside of the boat, and many more fell into the water beside the boat.
The rocket paused quietly for two seconds, burning quietly inside. Seeing this, Avitt smiled lightly. He looked at the young man, but before he could speak, dozens of dazzling bright yellow flames suddenly burst out in his eyes, and a continuous sound of "swish..." could be heard in his ears.
Violent flames rose from inside and outside the boat, and the temperature rose rapidly. In just a few breaths, seven or eight boats were set alight, as if they had entered the realm of the God of Fire. Thick black smoke billowed in, carrying a pungent volcanic smell.
Avitt was shocked. The expression on his face lost control again for a few seconds. Then, he lowered his head slightly and saw the burning rocket floating on the water, and he was truly amazed.
"Your Majesty! Shulot, is this the gunpowder you are talking about? The fire burning in the water!"
Shulot laughed. He looked at the teacher's shocked expression and nodded with satisfaction.
"Avit, this is gunpowder, a great invention that can change the world!"
The king's face quickly calmed down. He thought for a moment and nodded with a smile.
"Very good! With this thing, the Tarascan navy can only retreat. The alliance will be more confident in its western expedition!"
Shulot pondered for a moment and suggested.
"Teacher, this kind of weapon is not irresistible. As long as the opponent has seen it, he can gradually adapt to it. If you prepare fire-extinguishing sand in advance and place shields on both sides of the ship, the power of the vertical rockets will be greatly reduced. Therefore, these rockets must Accumulate it first without firing it, and wait until the decisive battle between the main forces of the two naval forces, then defeat the enemy in one fell swoop!"
Hearing this, Avitt smiled again. He patted the student's shoulder appreciatively.
"Xulot, you are right! Tarasco's navy is concentrated in the Leman River Basin. I will hand over the main force of the alliance's navy to your Northern Route Army. You must have a big victory!"
Shulot's face was solemn, and he bowed his head respectfully.
"Don't worry, teacher!"
"Okay! Let's go look at the other weapons you mentioned."
After turning the flag, the fleet turned south and headed towards Tianhuo Island.
Behind the big boat, Gillim, wearing a low-key brown robe, stared at the still burning wooden boat. He looked solemn and sighed in his heart.
Seeing the power of the vertical rocket, he was shocked beyond words for a moment, and his mind was running like electricity. As smart as he is, he can instantly judge the advantages of the Northern Route Army in the Western Expedition, and the prestige that His Highness may establish... But he cannot damage such a major military event because of factional disputes.
What worries the intelligence officer even more is the king's trusting attitude towards Shulot.
"Ever since the New Year's date, the princess has fallen in love with His Highness and mentioned it often. The King was influenced by the Princess and got close to her again. He put down his guard... His thoughts on entrusting foreign vassals have been shaken... Your Highness's power has grown stronger!"
While thinking about it, the moving boat shook violently and slowly stopped. Immediately, Gillim stood up solemnly, followed the king and the warriors, and boarded the smoke-filled Skyfire Island.
Shuluo was very energetic. He confidently introduced the salt boiling scenes all over Tianhuo Island to the teacher, and Esco bowed behind him.
Avitt's eyes looked around, skipping the busy teams of salt workers, and looking at the distinct saltpeter ponds and mounds of soil, his eyes flashing with splendor. He followed the boy's footsteps all the way to the center of the island, the experimental site for gunpowder weapons.
Soon, the explosion sound of "Boom! Boom! Boom!..." sounded again. This time, the fuses of Tao Tribulus were deliberately lengthened to avoid the danger of throwing. Seeing the explosion of Tao Tribulus, Avitt looked serious, while the King's Guards were frightened and lost their composure.
And when the terrifying roar of the wooden cannon sounded, Avitt opened his mouth wide and murmured in disbelief.
"Supreme God!... Is this a human weapon? It's so terrifying!"
Behind the king, the warriors of the guard knelt on the ground one after another, their limbs trembling with fear, praying loudly to the mythical monster in their hearts. At the end, the usually determined intelligence officer also fell to his knees. His eyes showed confusion, and for the first time he doubted his own beliefs, and suddenly he was in awe of His Highness's origins.
Shulot smiled slightly. These epoch-making weapons are about to be manufactured on a large scale, and naturally they cannot be concealed. So he took the initiative to show it to Avitt and hoped to get more craftsmen from the alliance to increase the production of gunpowder weapons.
After a long time, Avitt regained some composure. He thought for a long time, pacing repeatedly. Then, the king held His Highness's shoulders, and the teacher looked at the mysterious student and spoke slowly with a solemn expression.
"Xulot, my student, you are born extraordinary! This is a myth created by you. I should have let you take charge of everything. But these weapons are too amazing... I will send some warriors and craftsmen to assist in management and manufacturing , and then completely seal this place off, as the alliance’s top secret... My child, don’t worry, you still have the final say here!”
Shulot had expected this. Hearing this, he nodded seriously, bowed on one knee, and responded sincerely.
"Do your bidding, my king! This is not mine, it belongs to the Alliance!"
Avitt's eyes lit up with relief. He took two steps forward and lifted the young man up. Then, the king raised His Highness's hand and announced in a deep voice in front of everyone.
"This place belongs to the Alliance, and the Alliance belongs to you and me!"
Hearing the king's declaration, Gillim's eyes contracted violently. The intelligence officer thought quickly, suffering from insufficient information and unable to think at the moment. Then, with a flash of light in his eyes, he silently took a few steps back, stepping on the shadows of people and buildings, and disappeared naturally.
In the center of the crowd of guards, Avitt cordially pulled Shulot, sitting cross-legged across from each other, discussing the tactics of gunpowder weapons.
"Xulot, this caltrop waited too long to explode. If the enemy is on guard, they can kick it away or even throw it back. And if the enemy knows about it in advance, they are likely to send skirmishers to charge and kill them. Throwing militia.”
Avitt thought about how to deal with it, assuming that he was facing such a weapon.
"Yes, teacher. The burning time is determined by the fuse, which is currently very unstable. Cutting the fuse may cause it to explode in advance. There are greater restrictions on use in field battles. This kind of weapon is more used in siege warfare and bombardment with superiority. A densely defended enemy.”
Shulot was surprised at Avitt's adaptability and admired him in his heart.
"In this case, I would rather take the risk and shorten it than reduce the killing effect." Avitt made a cold decision.
"Is the power of this gunpowder strictly related to its weight?"
Shulot nodded slightly.
"One is the weight and purity of the black powder, and the other is the tightness of the ignition environment. The more weight, the higher the purity, and the better the seal, the better the explosion effect. In a closed underground, thousands of kilograms of black powder By sealing and igniting the wooden box, the top wall can be completely blown down. This will create a hole of several meters or even ten meters, allowing the warriors to break into the city directly!"
Hearing this, Avitt's eyes lit up. He believed Hulot's conclusion and looked at the student with joy.
"You mean..."
"Yes, teacher."
The two looked at each other and laughed at each other.
After laughing for a moment, Shulot continued excitedly.
"Avit, we can also load a large canoe with a large amount of gunpowder, sail it towards the enemy's fleet, and then ignite it into a fire ship to set the opponent's big ship on fire!"
Avitt smiled softly and shook his head.
"Xulot, the big boat is already the largest ship. The alliance only has more than 300 ships in total. The Mayan paddle boats are only slightly larger. How can there be a ship worth burning with a big boat?!"
Hearing this, Shulot smiled and said nothing. He secretly decided that this was a gift for explorers!
Avitt looked around. His eyes passed over the stewards standing there, fell on the huge wooden cannon, and asked loudly.
"Xulot, this wooden cannon is astonishingly powerful and can roar like thunder. Do you want to give it a name?"
Shulot was stunned for a moment and answered simply.
"If it's made of pine, it's called a pine cannon. If it's made of elm, it's called an elm cannon."
Avitt laughed when he heard this. He shook his head gently and rubbed the student's head affectionately.
"Since it can make a sound like thunder, why not call it Thunder God Tlaloc Cannon! The word "cannon" you created is very interesting, and the pronunciation is short and powerful."
Shulot thought for a while, the title Thor was too exaggerated when applied to a wooden cannon. He then proposed.
"The main god ascends to the highest level, and the gods become subordinates. It is better to remove the title of Thunder God and simplify the name of the god, just call it Trak Cannon!"
Avitt nodded in agreement, and the two continued to freely decide on the future of the alliance.
At some point, Gilliam appeared again. He looked at Thalea who was standing behind Shulot, and smiled meaningfully.
The sun was gradually setting in the west, and there were other things in Avitt that could not stay there for too long. he said with a smile.
"Xulot, let the person in charge and craftsmen who study these weapons come forward. I will reward them well and give them enviable rewards!"
Shulot nodded and asked Talea and the craftsmen to step forward together.
Avitt's eyes swept over and he was slightly startled when he saw the young potter girl. At this time, a guard came on command, saluted the king, and then whispered a message. The king's eyes suddenly turned cold. He looked at Talea coldly, murderous intent flashing away.
Shulot has been paying attention to Avitt. He couldn't be more sensitive to the teacher's emotional changes, and he suddenly felt cold at this moment. The young man thought for a moment, then took a few steps forward and stood next to Avitt.
The king announced the reward with a calm face, and the craftsmen knelt down one by one and retired, until the last potter girl.
"Talaiya, you have made great achievements in researching gunpowder! I will reward you with the position of military noble. The craftsmanship center in the capital lacks gunpowder craftsmen like you, so I will appoint you as the gunpowder director of the craftsmanship center, in charge of the deployment of gunpowder for the army! This It is an important military duty and falls under the jurisdiction of military law. We must be careful and do not delay!"
Hearing this, Shulot felt something was wrong. He looked at Talea's suddenly pale face, gritted his teeth, and took a step forward.
"Dear King, Talea is one of my most capable subordinates, and the work here is inseparable from her..."
Avitt narrowed his eyes. He looked at the young people in the queue, and his eyes became colder.
"In this case, I will not forcefully recruit your capable subordinates. But merit must be rewarded!"
Then, the king looked at Talea, his stern eyes like a heavy mountain, pressing on the girl's shoulders.
"Talaiya, you are born as a commoner, and you are old enough to get married at the age of sixteen. There are several royal and aristocratic young people in my clan who are handsome and unmarried. I will allow you to choose one and let you be the head wife, how about it!"
Talea was struck hard upon hearing the king's words. She staggered back two steps, her eyes filled with crystal despair.
Shulot lowered his eyes slightly and sighed in his heart. He could not live up to Talea's affection, nor could he let her face the king's wrath alone... When the boy opened his eyes again, he was extremely determined. He took two steps, blocked the weak girl with his tall body, lowered his head and replied in a deep voice.
"Honored King, Talea is my personal maid. She is mine."
Looking at the esteemed student in front of him, the anger in Avitt's heart burst out. He took a step forward, stared into the boy's eyes, and shouted angrily.
"Xulot, get out of the way! How dare you do this!"
Shulot remained motionless. He took a deep breath, exhaled it slowly, and then looked at the king sincerely.
"Avit, believe me. Alyssa is my favorite person and the most cherished softness in my heart. I will take good care of her and never let her suffer any injustice. I swear by the spirit of my ancestors! Talea is the only one Exception, I won't have anyone else."
Avitt was startled when he heard Shulot's promise. He observed the boy carefully, looking at his growing outline, looking at his calm expression, looking at his sincere eyes, the anger on his face gradually subsided, and his expression changed slightly.
Not far away, Gillim sighed softly, then smiled again.
After a long silence, Avitt stretched out his hand and hung it in the air in front of him.
Seeing this familiar action, Shulot knelt down on one knee, lowered his head, and let the king hold his hair.
Avitt paused for a long time, then touched Xilot's head and spoke word by word.
"Xulot, my son-in-law, remember your promise!"
After saying that, the king stopped staying and turned around and left.
Shulot remained in a kneeling position. He raised his head, watched the gorgeous boat drifting away, the king's flag slowly disappearing, and sighed deeply.
Talea could no longer control the tears in her eyes. She blamed herself and shed tears of joy. She hugged His Highness's broad back tightly and knelt down silently.
After some distance, Bertard let go of the longbow in his hand and let it fall to the ground, covered in dust and mud. The vicissitudes of life warrior slapped his forehead with his hand, showing some annoyance, and murmured to the late king.
The breeze blew by, bringing with it the faint voice of the samurai commander.
"There cannot be two suns in the sky...The sun belongs to the common people in the fields and workshops...Only those noble people who were born as common people belong to the common people...My ancestors have witnessed that I have never been selfless..."
This was the first confrontation between the king and His Highness, and it quietly disappeared in the breeze. Wherever the long wind passes, nothing seems to have changed, only the distant sound of the wind is left.
