The firelight flickered on the top of the city, illuminating the shocked expressions of everyone; the night wind passed through the city tower, bringing the smell of blood that lingered in the nostrils. Shulot's smile paused in the wind. His expression became solemn for a moment and he stared at the cloth bag in Chihuaco's hand.
"Chief of Tarasco? Bring it here and open it!"
The guard immediately stepped forward and opened the cloth bag carefully. A white-haired head appeared in front of everyone. The head has an old face, a calm expression, its eyes are closed, and only the white hair is stained with blood. Puap couldn't bear to turn around. He lowered his head slightly and raised his hand to wipe the corners of his eyes.
Shulot stared at the head for a moment, then looked at Chihuaco. The old militiaman also looked calm and looked at him expectantly.
"Chief of Tarasco...the first achievement of this battle..."
The young king pondered for a while and looked at the surrendered general Ezpan.
"Ezpin, have you met Chief Hummingbird?"
Ezpin shook his head with a wry smile.
"Your Highness, I was just a miner before... and then I was just a militia captain..."
"Yeah. Summon the crocodile commander Ospai!"
Shulot nodded slightly and then fell into deep thought for a long time.
The young king has never met the chief of Tarasco, but he has been famous for his opponent for a long time and has always admired him. If the Kingdom of Tarasco is compared to a chariot, the young King Suangua is actually just a warrior wielding a spear on the chariot. Chief Zinzini is the driver who truly controls the kingdom. He was born into a glorious noble family and had been in charge of the kingdom for thirty years, assisting all previous kings. Externally, he was ruthless and flexible, suppressing the northern and southern Tekos tribes; internally, he strengthened centralization of power and controlled the priests and nobles. It can be said that his understanding and influence on the Kingdom of Tarasco exceeds that of anyone in the world!
In this Western Expedition, the desperate resistance the two Mexican legions encountered came from Chief Hummingbird's full mobilization in the Lake District. Without the assistance of new weapons, the second Western Expedition would probably be in vain... Although the hope is extremely slim, Shulot still hopes to surrender the opponent... But now...
The young king once again looked at the head with calmly closed eyes, feeling an inexplicable anger and irritation in his heart.
Chihuaco carefully looked at the contemplative His Highness. There was longing and hope on his face, but there was a hint of uncertainty in his heart.
The torches flickered and the sound of wind died down. There was silence on the tower, and even the air became chilly. Soon, a group of torches arrived from the tent outside the city, and then went straight to the city.
Ospie was wearing a nightgown, with messy hair and dark circles under his eyes. He swept across the capital city full of fire and fighting, his heart became even more desolate, and even his steps became staggering. The crocodile commander lowered his head, and after a dozen steps, he knelt on the ground and saluted His Highness.
"Your Highness, I send my regards to you. Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Well, Ospai, there are two main reasons why I called you here so late."
A faint smile appeared on Shulot's face. He stood on the tower, looked down at the majestic capital, and glanced at Ospai lightly.
"The lights are extraordinarily bright tonight! Viewed from a high place, the city's fires, fallen flags, and burning temples are a rare sight in a hundred years! Ospai, you are a smart man. On the way here, you It’s time to see clearly, what do you think?”
"Ah...feelings...I...the king is captured and the kingdom is dead...Your Highness, the Lord God witnesses! From now on, I will be loyal to you!"
Osipi's eyes flickered. As smart as he is, he instantly understood what His Highness meant. He was still struggling in his heart, but his body knelt down honestly and responded sincerely.
"Your Highness rises like the sun! I will do my best to assist Your Highness and rule the land in the lake!"
"Very good. Ospie, get up! Oh, there is one more thing I want to ask you."
Shulot chuckled, patted Ospie's shoulder gently, and then pointed his hand to the side.
"Look, I got a new head, and I should be an old acquaintance of you. Well, what do you think should be done with it?"
Osipai's heart trembled. Hearing this, he looked around and saw an old head in the hands of the bodyguard. The crocodile commander was shaken all over. As soon as he recognized it, he fell to the ground in horror, his voice trembling.
"Ah, Your Highness...this...this!...I..."
"Why, don't you recognize him?"
"Your Highness, Chief Zinzini has been managing the kingdom for thirty years, so I naturally know him..."
"oh?"
The young king's voice rose slightly. he asked, continuing to smile.
"Osipai, how should we deal with it?"
"Bang, bang," the crocodile commander banged his head on the ground several times, and then said with tears in his eyes.
"Your Highness, although Chief Hummingbird resisted the Alliance and committed a major crime... he has outstanding prestige, a simple life, and a resolute character. In the hearts of the Tarasco nobles, he is a respected, feared, and trustworthy existence...
I was stationed in the border area and was suppressed by the chief for more than ten years. I was always resentful in my heart... At this moment, when I saw his head, I couldn't help but shed tears... Since the chief has been beheaded, please give him your highness. Retain the last bit of dignity and let him turn to ashes in the flames..."
Hearing this, Shulot's expression moved slightly and he nodded slowly. He sighed softly and patted Ospie's shoulder again.
"Okay, just as you say!...Osipai, I know that you value love and justice, and I also appreciate your talents...I will entrust you to the land in the lake, and you will be the highest-ranking general under me. Lepecha people. I treat you sincerely, but you can’t be half-hearted anymore! Otherwise..."
The voice that came suddenly turned cold. The young king had no expression on his face and looked at the old head again.
"Your Highness, I...I swear in the name of my ancestors!"
Ospie trembled all over and fell to the ground hard. His defenses completely collapsed in an instant. Fear, awe, expectation, gratitude...all kinds of emotions surged into his heart, turning into a choked cry.
"From today on, I will die for you!"
Shulot stared at Ospai calmly for a moment, and then smiled. He stepped forward, shook the crocodile commander's hair, and smiled gently.
"I already know your intention. It's already late at night, go back and rest!"
Upon hearing this, Osipai hurriedly stood up and bowed deeply to His Highness. He glanced at the chief's head again, then staggered and turned away.
With a smile in his eyes, Shulot watched Osipai's figure disappear from the top of the city. He then slowly turned around and looked at the two descendants, his smile turning cold.
"Chief Tarasco... did he have any last words before he died?"
The old militiaman looked at the old man's expression and felt a thump in his heart. Ezpan translated the question, and Puap lowered his head respectfully and repeated the chief's instructions before he died.
"Colima mountainous area, great chief, bloodline of noble chiefs, Prince Sartini..."
After listening to Ezpin's translation, Shulot's eyes moved slightly. He pondered for a moment and then sighed quietly.
"He arranged this before he died, almost posing a hidden danger to the alliance... He is truly a dedicated chief..."
The young king's heart was filled with complex emotions. He looked up at Puap and asked expressionlessly.
"Your head of the family trusted you more and handed the prince into your hands. Then, you turned around, chopped off his head, and sent the prince and his head over. Puap, as a loyal warrior, you Do you feel guilty in your heart?"
"I..."
Hearing His Highness's calm question, Puap was so ashamed and ashamed that he couldn't say anything. Fear and guilt intertwined in his heart, and he suddenly trembled and fell to his knees, crying softly.
"I don't want this either...it's...it's Chihuaco...it was him who did it all the time..."
Hearing this, Xiulote raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at the old militiaman coldly.
"Did you kill your own master and cut off his head?"
Seeing His Highness's eyes, Chihuaco's heart trembled violently, and a strong sense of crisis floated in his heart. The old militiaman immediately knelt down and kowtowed three times, then raised his head and shouted urgently.
"Smart master, this chief has never been the head of my family, and I have never received any favor from him. On the contrary, he is a cruel tiger and leopard, a greedy wild wolf! He destroyed my village and killed My fellow countryman ruined my home! He is my enemy!"
"Um?"
Shulot's expression changed and he asked.
"Enemy?"
"Yes, sir."
The old militiaman gritted his teeth, summoned up the courage to raise his head, looked into Shulot's eyes, and said sincerely.
"I am a farmer in a village in the Lake District. I have a hard-working mother-in-law, a 15-year-old son, and a 13-year-old daughter. Although the tribute in the village is heavy, we farm and fish, but our lives are not bad. Not bad. Corn is made into pancakes, and pumpkins and beans are eaten. On weekdays, we plant some sweet potatoes and make clay pots and bowls. Even the bottom of the house is covered with bricks..."
Chihuaco's expression became dazed, and scenes from the past flashed before his eyes. He thought he had become cold enough, but now there was warmth surging in his heart. But soon, dark memories followed.
"Last spring plowing, I was busy in the fields, and my mother-in-law took the children to cook. The warriors came from the capital. I got on the boat, issued a spear, and went hundreds of miles to the north without having time to talk to my family. . I guarded the fortress at the mouth of the river, and then I was taken on a boat by the gentlemen to a large lake, where I encountered a big battle. I will never forget the scene at that time in my life. Rockets were flying all over the sky, turning into explosives. The fire demon opened, countless ships were burning, and even the water was burning with flames!"
"The Battle of Lake Eurelia."
Shulot's eyes narrowed, this was actually a veteran who had participated in the Battle on the Lake.
"It's so miserable! The big ships collided and burned together. The gentlemen fell like corn stalks, and the militiamen were like weeds. Dozens of people from the same village almost died in one battle, and only a few were left. Old brothers. We rowed a boat and fled back to the fortress at the mouth of the river. The alliance's legions soon followed. After months of siege, whistling arrows flew, thunder roared inside and outside the city walls, and fire demons burned on the city walls. On the city The lords under the city all turned into weeds and burned in the flames. Then, the power of the God of Thunder came, and the west gate where I was stationed suddenly exploded, and the lords of the alliance poured in like a flood!"
"The Battle of the Bayou Fortress. You actually managed to escape!"
Shulot looked moved. He looked at the old militiaman in front of him thoughtfully.
"I took my brothers out of the city, got a small boat, and fled to my home in the south. I was full of hope and wanted to escape the war and live the same life as before with my wife and children. But when I returned to my hometown. ..”
Chihuaco suddenly burst into tears. Big tears fell from his eyes and wet the blood-stained black robe.
"The village is gone...the mother-in-law is gone...the sons and daughters are gone! This damn chief has been conquered three times in a row. There is not even a living dog in the village, only an old man who deserves to die! The old man's son is also gone. He’s dead, there’s no hope at all. The last time we went out to see him in the city, he was dead too, and his body was lying like a dog!”
"Sir, with just a few words, the chief ruined everything for us without even having to meet! From then on, I regarded him as your life-and-death enemy! You said, I will kill him, What’s wrong again!”
Chihuaco stared with tears in his eyes, his eyes red, risking everything. Shulot lowered his eyes slightly, avoiding the gaze of the old militiaman, and for a moment he didn't know what to say.
Next to him, Puap's expression changed drastically, and past memories flashed through his mind. After a moment, he looked at the old militiaman in shock, as if he was meeting him for the first time.
"Old man Qi...you...you!..."
"Haha. That's it. The hummingbird warriors in the capital still didn't let us go. A few old brothers and I were conscripted into the city like wild dogs, and followed Master Huitu to guard the city wall. Then, I searched day and night, I just found my daughter. She... was sent to the logistics camp... ugh... I can't help her. I made an oath to find every opportunity to avenge my mother-in-law and children!"
"The alliance's army quickly went south and faced the damn king. We went out to rescue the city and watched the king's flag fall. The kingdom's cocoa fell, and the monkeys on the tree dispersed! I finally found the opportunity and contacted Nobles of the Alliance.”
"That's it! In the plains of the Lake District, the king's army fought a decisive battle. Not only did you escape, you also delivered a message."
Shulot let out a faint sigh. This is really a tough old militiaman who can't be stepped on no matter what.
"Master, we have led the alliance into the city. Not only for your reward, but also for the civilians of the capital! Sir, what does the outcome of the war have to do with us humble weeds? The longer the siege lasts, the more people will die in the city. The more people there are; the more fierce the attack on the city, the more people will die on the city. Aren’t those who died in front just ordinary people who were trampled on?"
"Sir, the chief of the palace is the enemy of the common people! He conscripted our men, collected our grain, and gave the common women to the beast-like barbarians. He forced many people to die! I straightened my back and killed him. With the permission given to me by the gods, I don’t feel any guilt at all, only full of joy and joy! And for the alliance, we have made so many contributions, have we ever made any mistakes?”
Chihuaco finally straightened up on his knees and looked directly at Shulot calmly. His face is so simple, the wrinkles are so old, and there are old tears in his eyes. However, when Shulot looked carefully, the old militiaman's eyes were extremely bright, like a deep morning star.
"Alas...the survivors have to live in vain...there is no rooster crow for thousands of miles...the kingdom is destroyed, and the people who suffer the most are the people, but no one can hear their voices!"
Shulot put his hands behind his back, looked at the night sky of the majestic capital, looked at the gradually subdued firelight, and muttered a few words to himself. The king's ups and downs gradually calmed down. Then, he looked at Chihuaco again, his eyes were calm and appreciative, and his tone became gentle.
"That's right! You and Puap are both right. You are the heroes of the alliance! He took the lead in dedicating the south gate, and I promised him the title of hereditary noble. You dedicated the gems and the head, what do you want?" ..Speak up boldly and I will try my best to promise you!”
Chihuaco looked stunned. He thought of his daughter and his future life, and his straight back gradually curved. The old militiaman thought carefully for a long time before he answered sincerely and carefully.
"Sir, I was born just a farmer, at most a militiaman, not a master. I don't want to order around others or have others serve me. If you ask me what I want, I just want to ask you to promise me something. May I have a healthy life! I want to live a safe and stable life with my daughter and son-in-law, and I will no longer be drafted by the alliance or oppressed by the samurai."
"Oh? Live a well-off life, with no taxes or gifts, and a stable life?"
Shulot was stunned. He thought for a moment, the smile on his face became gentler, and he continued to ask with a smile.
"It's that simple, is there anything else?"
"Also, I want to ask for a parentage for the brothers who follow me. Lest they run around like wild turkeys without a safe nest. Finally, I would like to ask you to help find my son. Although he is 80% He is dead, but he is always in my heart..."
"Well, I will give your brothers the title of military nobility. I will also send people to help you search for your son. But..."
The young king smiled kindly and reached out to hold Chihuaco's hair. A plan that had been hidden in his heart for a long time resurfaced in his mind. And this time, he finally met the perfect candidate.
"Chihuaco, how are you with water?"
"Water-based? You mean swimming? I grew up by a lake, and my swimming ability is only a little worse than that of a fish."
The old militiaman felt the palm on his head, with doubts on his face, but crisis emerged in his heart again.
"Okay, very good! Chihuaco, during this Western Expedition, countless noble warriors died, but you were able to escape all the way back from the northern border and survive the battle without dying. It can be seen that the god of fate favors you! No matter where you are, No matter what adversity you face, it is possible for you to survive!"
"Ah? This!...Master, I'm just an ordinary militiaman, and I don't know how to fight..."
The old militiaman explained urgently, but was interrupted by His Highness' ruthless words.
"Don't worry! I'm not asking you to go to the battlefield, and I'm not going to do it right away."
Shulot retracted his hand and stroked the smooth emerald. A smile of destiny appeared on his face, as if he had seen a distant country.
"I just want you to take a long trip in the near future!"
The mighty long wind blew through the gradually calming capital, and curls of black smoke rose into the vast sky. The long wind carries light smoke, like an elf flying in the clouds and mist, flying to the distant sky. And where the king's gaze falls is in the boundless south!
