In early March, the warm spring breeze blew through the southern wilderness, and the growing vegetation revealed fresh green. It’s the season when birds and beasts breed again, and life is everywhere.
Shulot led three thousand guards, and after patrolling the Apa Plain, returned to the Apa Military City in the east. At this point, the southern expedition came to an end. The land in the south needs to be reorganized, and the narrowed Dingkou must be resettled and assimilated. The hunting kestrel has its stomach temporarily full and is quietly saving energy for next year's hunting.
Before Xiulote went south, there were about 210,000 people in Zicao County in the south, including more than 70,000 in the east, more than 60,000 in the center, and more than 70,000 in the west. After the reduction of seals and the punishment of rebellion, 40,000 rebels in Shicao County were taken to Gyeonggi and demoted to serfs. He conquered the tribes of Koalkomen in the southwest and gathered a population of 90,000. Forty thousand of them also moved to the capital and became serfs, while the remaining fifty thousand stayed in the west to cultivate the Apa Plain. The three Otomi states on the north bank of the Leman River each have one or two thousand nobles and officers who have been exiled.
Based on this rough calculation, after the Southern Expedition, the population of Zicao County was approximately 220,000. With Curamo City as the center, the population in the east is more than 50,000, and in the center is more than 50,000, totaling 110,000, most of whom are of the Prepecha ethnic group. With Apa City as the center, the Apa Plain in the west has a population of 110,000, half of which are Prepecha and Tecos ethnic groups.
During the western patrol, Shulot had been thinking about the arrangements in the south.
The Apa Plains will be dominated by farming, reclaiming wasteland, and recruiting Tekos mountain people. The Atoyak Lake area outside Kuramo City will focus on foreign trade and develop the shipbuilding industry. Each city stationed a semi-off-the-job army of 8,000 men, with Ezpan and veteran Etalik in charge respectively.
"The South is a vast area with different development priorities. The veteran Etalik has deep qualifications and is a family warrior from the Holy City. Ezpan is a role model among Prepecha generals and is about to be promoted to a glorious noble. The two of them are not mutually exclusive. Commander, no matter who is given the leadership, the other person will not be convinced."
Xiulote thought for a long time and finally decided to divide Zicao County into two, with the western and eastern central counties being established separately. Taking fifty miles to the east of Apa City as the boundary, Apa County was established to the west, with jurisdiction over 110,000 people. The government was located in Apa Military City, with General Ezpan in charge of military administration; to the east was still Zicao County, with jurisdiction over 110,000 people. , the government is located in Kuramo City, and at the same time, the southern entrance to the sea of Talsas is directly under its jurisdiction, with Etalik taking charge of the overall situation.
Because both of them hold heavy troops and have the power to recruit talents. The king established a new official position for this position, called County Yin, which was the same as that established by the Chu State in the Spring and Autumn Period. The county governor has an army and wealth at one hand, and has the power of both internal suppression and external expansion. There are no constraints on his decision-making, and only true confidants can take charge.
Xiulote made a decision, and the king's order was immediately sent to the south. Another county official, the monkey Kuruka from Hekou County in the north, also came with a messenger.
At the end of last year, Monkey dispatched 4,000 spear corps and recruited 4,000 canine warriors. With the cooperation of the kingdom's navy, they headed west along the Leman River. Eight thousand troops took advantage of the Feather Legion's unpreparedness and plundered the edges of Sakapu State and the Chapala Lake area. The army plundered three months in front and back, and returned with 20,000 people. Most of the young men of dog origin have gained a lot, and their military morale has become more stable.
The Hekou Corps relied on the navy and used canine-born light troops, which moved very quickly. In order to prevent the kingdom from raiding, hundreds of canoes were dispatched from the Lake Chapala area to patrol along the Leman River. The Royal Navy fought several battles with the navy in the Lake Chapala area. Relying on the numerical advantage of the catamaran canoes, it steadily gained the upper hand and killed hundreds of enemies. And when galley warships are launched one after another, the navy's advantage will be further expanded. Everything is ready, and the time to conquer Lake Chapala is about to be ripe.
Benefiting from the plunder of the war, the number of Dingkou in the four counties of the kingdom increased. Hekou County increased by 20,000 people, totaling 230,000; Gyeonggi increased by 80,000 people, totaling 360,000; and Apa County and Shicao County each increased by 110,000. The total population of the four counties is 810,000. The kingdom's heritage is growing day by day, but it just takes some time to integrate.
"Everyone in the kingdom is eager to fight, and they are happy when they hear about the war! Once the opening of military honors is opened, it means that if you fight, you will prosper, and if you don't fight, you will perish."
Thinking of this, Shulot was silent in thought. Not long ago, the veteran Etalik sent an envoy from Kuramo City with a letter, mainly saying two things.
One thing is that Black Wolf's three thousand men are resting in Culamo City, and there are many trophies that need to be transported to the north first, or converted into cocoa beans or cloth that are easy to carry. The other thing is that the population of Curamore City is empty. I heard that the king returned from the conquest and gained a lot. I asked if there were any extra people and moved to Cullamo City?
“The Tekos captives must either move to Gyeongsang Province or develop the Apa Plain. Where is the excess population...”
After reading this, Shulot shook his head slightly and continued to read the letter.
The black wolf returned from sweeping the mountainous area, bringing back a thousand Tekos fishermen, hundreds of canoes, and also had clear information about the southeastern Tekos tribe. There are 40,000 to 50,000 Tekos tribesmen near Haenyeo City. They rely on the small seaside town to defend themselves. They can only fight with a few thousand warriors. The purge of the Gyeonggi Corps has been completed, and there are still four thousand warriors left in Kuramo City. The newly formed Lithospermum Legion also has 3,000 people, enough to suppress the local area.
So, the black wolf Toltec and the veteran Etalik jointly requested orders.
"Your Majesty, four thousand Gyeonggi warriors and three thousand Guakili regiments will sail down the river in boats, enough to defeat Haenyeo Castle and plunder tens of thousands of people from Dingkou and return!"
Seeing such a request, Shulot was silent. As long as the navy can keep up with the food delivered by the navy, the seven thousand troops will have a great chance of defeating Haenyeo Castle. However, the turmoil in Zicao City has only been calmed down for only three months, and the public sentiment is actually unsettled. The spring plowing in May will soon begin. Even if tens of thousands of people are robbed, they will not be able to keep up with this year's plowing. They will have to provide food until next autumn harvest to be self-sufficient. In order to support the army, spring plowing in Zicao County is likely to be delayed...
After thinking about it for a long time, Shulot made a safer choice.
"Be prepared for spring plowing with peace of mind! Before the autumn harvest, troops are not allowed in Zicao County. The Gyeonggi Army will soon be transferred north to suppress the tens of thousands of serfs who have moved into Gyeonggi."
The king's messenger had just left, but the black wolf Toltec came personally from Kuramo City with his personal guards.
"Your Highness! I, the black wolf Toltec, lived up to his mission and went deep into the southwest mountainous area, burning food for 700 miles before returning!"
Since the southern expedition, the two have not seen each other for half a year. Toltec fell to his knees in excitement, and responded to the king with his head held high.
"Very good, very good! My Black Wolf, you fought well!"
Shulot smiled and was a little excited. He took a step forward and lifted the black wolf up from the ground. After being separated for several months, Hei Lang's figure was a little thinner, but his whole person's energy and energy were getting better. Looking at it at this time, the black wolf sword's eyebrows and stars are like an unsheathed bronze sword, sharp and eye-catching.
The two of them talked for a while with smiles on their faces, and then Shulote straightened his face and gave serious instructions.
"However, my Black Wolf, as the commander of the legion, must still put his own safety first! You must not be so reckless when marching in the future! The entire Guakili Legion depends on one commander. As long as you are here, the legion will be exist!"
"Witness the Lord God! Your Highness, this is a rare opportunity for a fighter! The hinterlands of the southwestern tribes are undefended, and their troops are very empty. There are also Tekos guards as guides. If you miss the opportunity, let the enemy be prepared, or escape When we enter the mountains, we don’t know how long the conquest will last..."
"Um?!"
"Your Highness, I will listen to you and listen to you from now on!"
Seeing that His Highness was really serious, Black Wolf Toltec saluted repeatedly and respectfully responded. Then, Hei Lang's eyes flashed and he asked carefully.
"Your Highness, the conquest of Haenyeo Castle..."
“It’s impossible before the autumn harvest!”
Shulot shook his head clearly. The people in the south were unsettled, and tens of thousands of people were taken captive. The foundation of the kingdom was indeed unstable. Only after the flag corps is organized, the priests spread the faith, and the spring plowing and autumn harvest are successfully completed can the situation be slightly stabilized.
"After the autumn harvest..."
"Toltec, you left more than half of the legion and only brought 3,000 people to conquer. Don't you want the remaining 5,000 people?! Why don't you go to the camp outside the city and pacify the 5,000 Guakili legion! "
"Uh... yes, yes! Of course, the more troops the better. Isn't there not enough food? If you take eight thousand people into the mountains, they will definitely starve to death on the way. Otherwise, with eight thousand people in hand , I can conquer Haenyeo City directly..."
"Um?"
"Your Highness, I'm going right now!..."
Looking at the back of the black wolf hurriedly leaving, a smile appeared on Shulot's lips. After a long period of hard work, he finally personally trained the first outstanding general, who was worthy of his responsibilities.
A few more days passed like this. Xiulote sat in Apa Military City to appease the southern tribes, and would gather and have banquets with Hei Lang and other generals from time to time. Until one day after the banquet, Toltec suddenly took out several dark blue stones and displayed them in front of everyone.
"Your Highness, this is the strange sacred stone that I obtained by killing the Tekos priest with Puap in the Tekos Sacred Mountain outside Trout Village!"
Hei Lang was half drunk and his face turned red. He smiled and put these sacred stones in his hands, then put his hands behind his back and rubbed them vigorously a few times.
"Your Highness, guess how many sacred stones there are now?"
"Six dollars."
Shulot was slightly drunk and guessed with a smile. He just took a glance and counted the number of dark blue stones.
"Haha! No, it's a piece!"
Black Wolf laughed. He brought his hands from behind to the front and slowly unfolded them. I saw all the sacred stones gathered together to form a large dark blue stone.
"Your Highness, these sacred stones are very interesting! The priest of Tekos said that the sacred stones are endowed with divinity and have twin souls of male and female, living at both ends of the sacred stones... I present them to you as a gift! From now on, take a look When you see this sacred stone, you will be reminded of my military exploits..."
"Likes attract, opposites repel? Is this, is this, a magnet?!"
Shulot was stunned, and his eyes suddenly became clear. He stood up suddenly and reached out his hand eagerly.
"Show it to me!"
Black Wolf was a little surprised. He looked at His Highness's extremely serious face, and he suddenly woke up from the wine. He felt a little uneasy and said carefully.
"Your Highness...these are the creations of the evil god, and they may indeed offend the Lord God. I didn't mean to..."
"Bring it!"
Black Wolf obeyed and stepped forward. Shulot took the "divine stone" and checked it repeatedly in his hand. These "sacred stones" are dark blue in color and possess strong magnetism. Their mutual attraction and repulsion is stronger than the Cuban "black gems" donated by Mayan merchants. They are indeed magnets! In other words, they are natural magnetite.
"Hei Lang, where did you get these magnetite?"
Shulot watched for a moment, suppressed the excitement in his heart, and asked in a deep voice.
"Huh? Magnetite?"
Black Wolf pondered this difficult word curiously. It seems that His Highness is very concerned about these sacred stones.
"Your Highness, the sacred stone is in the Tekos sacred mountain to the west of Trout Village. There is a low hill there, but there is a mountain god, which can attract thunder and lightning in the rainy season... The location is west of the mouth of the Talsas River, about sixty meters inside."
"Magnet mine? Magnet mine near the river mouth and coast?"
Shulot's expression changed, and the joy on his face could no longer be suppressed.
“It’s really the Lord God’s blessing!”
The king held the "sacred stone", whispered a prayer, and fell into thinking. After a moment, he made up his mind and looked at the warrior captain beside him.
"Bertard, I want to go to the mouth of the Talsas River and see it myself!"
"Ah?! Your Highness, it's nearly four hundred miles away from Apa City..."
Bertard's face lost its calmness. According to the original plan, His Highness will be stationed in Apa City for one month. Wait until April, when the south has settled down, and then lead the Imperial Guard Corps back to the capital to preside over spring plowing. Thinking of this, the warrior commander warned cautiously.
"Your Highness, spring plowing is about to begin. If we send out a large army now and go deep into the southern seaport, we may consume too much food..."
"No need for a large army! There is no hostile army on the southern coast, and I will not conquer Haenyeo City for the time being. This matter is of great importance. I will leave the royal flag in Apa City, bring only two thousand loyal guards, and quietly take a boat south to fight in person. Go to the Holy Mountain to check it out for yourself. I will turn back within a month."
Shulot looked firm and made a decision.
If the so-called "Sacred Mountain" is really a magnet mine, the kingdom's southern strategy will have to be completely adjusted. The significance of an iron mine to the Lake Kingdom, and even the entire world, cannot be overstated. This is the key to the development of Mesoamerican civilization, a shackle that transcends eras, and the key to completing the "thrilling leap" in the development of productive forces!
Since coming to this era, Shulot has been looking for iron ore for too long.
The Colima Mountains are too remote to conquer, and the iron ore buried underground is too deep. Under the constraints of practical conditions, Xiulote accepted the obedience of the Colima chief and maintained peace with the Colima tribes. But in the heart of the king, there has always been some reluctance and regret. Until this moment, when the news of the southern magnet mine came, his inner excitement and expectation could no longer be suppressed, and turned into the determination and motivation to go south!
"...Okay. I will follow your wishes, Your Highness. I will make arrangements as soon as possible!"
Seeing His Highness's expression, Bertard knew that the King had made up his mind and could not dissuade him. Going south to the river mouth at this time, although the journey is long, there is really not much risk, you just need to make good arrangements and preparations.
Shulot nodded with satisfaction and looked at the surprised Black Wolf again. He smiled gently and held Hei Lang's arm.
"Toltec, my black wolf. I am very satisfied with your gift! The main god protects the kingdom and brings divine enlightenment. If that 'sacred mountain' is as I expected... you will also be rewarded! "
"Ah? A big reward?"
Black Wolf was startled and blinked. His Highness is true to his word, and he will definitely not be lighthearted if he says he is a heavy reward. But the huge reward was given because of a few strange "divine stones"? ...He was a little confused, but he still fell to the ground respectfully.
"Your Highness, you are the wolf king blessed by the Lord God! I, the black wolf Toltec, will never let the wolf king down!"
"Haha, the Lord God bless you! Black Wolf, my beloved general, you are favored by fate!"
The king laughed out loud, feeling happy like the spring breeze blowing on his face and birds soaring.
