The divine smoke lingers in the temple, bringing the breath of the gods; the sun shines from the ceiling, giving the light of divinity. The priest's hall is solemn, simple, and extremely solid. It is made of white granite as the base and dark red volcanic rock as the top, and is bonded with corn mortar. The four walls of the hall are painted with murals of gods and gold and jade carvings, and there is a lot of splendor everywhere.
The high priest, crowned with feathers, is seated under the zenith. The priests and elders sit cross-legged and separated into two rows. The high-ranking priests stood solemnly, holding scriptures, wooden boards and ritual vessels. Shulot, wearing a black wolf sacrificial robe, also sat cross-legged and was located in the newly added last seat among the elders.
On the outermost edge, there are dozens of temple paladins holding sharp copper axes and wearing face-covering beast helmets, who are as strong as sculptures. They dedicated everything to the Lord God and remained celibate throughout their lives, thus gaining the honor of guarding the priest's hall.
Prince Totoki of Tlacopan looked respectful and slowly walked in from outside the priest's hall under the guidance of a senior priest. When he saw this majestic scene full of divinity, he couldn't help but bow his head respectfully, bowing to the supreme divine authority.
"Praise the Lord God! Prince Tlacopan, God-born Totoki, pays tribute to the Supreme High Priest!"
Hearing Totoki's name, Shulot looked solemn, tilted his head slightly, and looked at his old friend whom he had not seen for a long time. We haven’t seen each other for four or five years, and Prince Totoki has obviously gained a lot of weight. He wears towering yellow-green feathers on his head, a pure gold amulet of a sun hummingbird around his neck, and a yellow robe of a top nobleman, with gold ornaments hanging and swaying from the bottom of the robe. The whole person looks like a big golden pineapple, showing his wealth and dignity.
Seeing Prince "Pineapple" of Tlacopan, the priests and elders smiled and all looked down silently. Elder Yazar's eyes showed obvious contempt. This kind of wealthy posture, in the eyes of the Mexica people who advocate martial arts, means that they cannot fight bravely, cannot make the warriors follow them wholeheartedly, and naturally there is no threat.
Elder Yazar grinned and cursed secretly.
"Prince Tlacopan, what a decorative fruit like a pineapple."
The high priest, wearing a sacrificial robe and a feather crown, is sitting at the top. He looked at Prince Pineapple calmly for a while, and an imperceptible smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"God bless you! Prince of Tlacopan, Totoki. You have come to see me. What do you have to say in return?"
"God bless you! Dear High Priest, I come to make a confession to the High Priests... uh... about the nobles and priests of Tlacopan."
Prince Pineapple raised his head, revealing a fat face that looked much older. He looked cautiously at the senior priests in the hall and responded carefully.
"Dear High Priest, may I confess to the body of priests and elders alone?"
"Oh? Confess to the priests and elders alone..."
The high priest was thoughtful. He glanced at Prince Pineapple's expression and nodded slightly.
"Yes!... Everyone else, please step back. Praise the Lord God!"
“Praise the Lord God!”
More than two dozen high-ranking priests bowed their heads in salute, and with a word of approval, they retreated from both sides of the priest's hall. Soon, there were only seven or eight priests and elders left in the hall, as well as Shulot, who had been signaled by the high priest to stay.
The empty priest hall is even more solemn, as if you can hear a needle drop. The high priest looked calm and smiled.
"The Lord God witnesses! The benevolent Lord spreads the rays of the sun, warms the hearts of believers, and accepts heartfelt repentance! Prince Totoki, tell your sins, and the Lord God will choose to forgive."
Prince Pineapple nodded and replied in a low voice.
"Dear High Priest, since this year, the Alliance has once again reduced the feudal status of the great nobles of Tlacopan. Many hereditary nobles have had their fiefdoms confiscated in the Lake District and have been transferred to the Land of Qontar and the Wetamo Mountains. High Priest The regiment also deprived some priest families of their hereditary fiefdoms and religious rights..."
Hearing this, Elder Wugel nodded understandingly. The transformation of Tlacopan was led by the royal family, assisted by the high priests, and he was the person in charge.
During the five years of the Reformation, the centralization process of the Alliance continued to deepen. The Lake Texcoco area in the Valley of Mexico is rich and prosperous. It is located in the middle of the world and has a population of at least 1.5 million. It has been gradually included under the direct control of the alliance. Nobles from various places either had their titles severely reduced, transferred to foreign countries, or were completely exterminated like the nobles of Texcoco. Now, at least 70% of the land in the Lake District is owned by the royal family. Most of the villages are organized into households and managed by priests sent by the capital's priesthood.
Since this year, as the elder's condition has worsened, the alliance's centralized reforms have become more powerful and urgent, even drastic. Dissatisfaction among the powerful nobles in the Lake District grew day by day, and several small-scale rebellions occurred.
The Alliance's esoteric order and confessional system played a role. When the nobles in the Lake District are organized to a certain extent, they will leak secrets and attract powerful royal legions. Facing tens of thousands of bronze-armored elites and tens of thousands of long-bowed guards, all noble rebellions would be suppressed with heavy blows as soon as they reared their head, and they would end up with the entire clan being annihilated.
Now, the great nobles in the lake area are anxious day and night, eager to change their titles, and look forward to the arrival of the Eastern Expedition. The great nobles of the four states outside the lake area were also strongly intervened by the royal center and lost many of their autonomous rights. When Shulot came to the alliance from the east, he had an unpleasant experience at the banquet in the western city-state. It was against this background.
The city-state of Tlacopan is located on the west shore of Lake Texcoco, close to the capital city in the lake. The remaining local hereditary nobles and priests suffered harsh treatment from the second round of reforms and lost most of their autonomy.
Elder Wugel's eyes flashed, and he felt emotional as he looked at the respectful and careful Prince Pineapple.
"In the five years of reform, Prince Tlacopan handed over the family warriors, handed over the city management rights, and now even handed over most of the land and feudal people, leaving only the glorious title and accumulated property. ...What a great example among the great nobles!"
The high priest lowered his eyes and listened patiently to Prince Pineapple's "confession".
"...Dear High Priest, I support the reform of the royal family and the High Priesthood from the bottom of my heart! Seeing that the alliance is getting stronger and stronger, the glory of the Lord God spreads all over the world...As the prince of the alliance, I enjoy a luxurious life and make sacrifices. A little land and population, nothing matters!..."
In the priest's hall, Prince Pineapple looked pious, as if he was willing to sacrifice himself for the Lord God at any time.
"...It's just that there are always some hereditary nobles and priests who can't see the general trend of the alliance, and are as blind as moths to a flame. In the city of Tlacopan, there are some big nobles who conspire, and some priests from the gods are involved...I I heard a little bit about it, felt deeply disturbed, and was unable to stop it... so I had to come to the great temple and confess to the high priests!..."
"plot?"
Hearing this, the high priest's eyes moved. He asked with a kind smile on his face.
"Totoki, my son, what are the great nobles and priests of Tlacopan plotting?"
"Witness the Lord God! Dear High Priest, I have never been involved in it and I don't know the details."
Prince Pineapple's fat face trembled and he spoke quickly.
"I just heard that it is related to the assassination, the high priests, and the king..."
"Oh? Plotting to assassinate... is such a heinous crime!"
The high priest looked solemn. He glanced at the priests and elders who were listening attentively, and nodded slowly.
"Witness the Lord God! Totoji, my son, if you have the list of these nobles and priests, you have made a great contribution!..."
"Praise the Lord God! Dear High Priest, I am willing to do my best for you, even at my own risk!"
Hearing this, Prince Pineapple's expression changed and he looked happy. He knelt down respectfully, bowed to the ground, and then took out a list that had been prepared from his arms.
"High Priest, here is the list of nobles and priests involved in the conspiracy! I also have a few personal guards who can help guide..."
"Yazar..."
The high priest looked at Elder Yazar. The stern elder God of War nodded, took the list from Prince Pineapple, looked at it briefly, and frowned deeply. Then, he handed the list to the high priest, with no trace of murderous intent on his face.
"The High Priest, almost all of the remaining powerful nobles in Tlacopan are on the list!...This group of damn nobles conspired to assassinate, and their crimes are unpardonable! All the priests who dare to participate should also be killed!" ..”
The high priest took the list and checked it briefly. The names of the nobles who controlled the fiefdom and Dingkou were all on it. He understood in his heart, smiled slightly, and promised Prince Totoki.
"My devout child, you have done great work! The Lord God is omniscient and shines on the devout believers, accept his sincere confession and promise a bright future!... Now, you can face the Lord God statue and pray devoutly Pray for His blessing!”
Prince Totoki nodded knowingly. He closed his eyes, held the pure gold sun hummingbird amulet around his neck, and prayed quietly in front of all the priests and elders.
"Praise the Lord God! I am willing to follow the guidance of the high priests and dedicate everything I have to the Lord God! With my devout faith, I do not want to enjoy peace and happiness in the heart of the Lake District... I only want to go to the border parishes to spread the word The glory of the Lord God, dedicated to you for the rest of your life!..."
After hearing this, the priests and elders looked at each other for a moment, thinking a little. The high priest nodded slowly and looked at Elder Wugel.
Wugel pondered for a moment and spoke in a low voice so that everyone could hear.
"The Qontar land in the southwest is small and has been transferred. There is still a lot of land in the Xilotepec City area in the north and the three Otomi states in the northwest. There are also new occupations by Xiulote priests. The southwest Tecos Mountains..."
After hearing these desolate mountains and rivers, Prince Pineapple closed his eyes, twitched his face, and quickly prayed again.
"The light of the Lord God is like the rising sun, shining from the east! I seek his light and go to the distant lands in the east..."
Wugel raised his brows, pointed to the east, and looked at Elder Yazar. Yazar nodded solemnly and looked at Prince Pineapple with a hint of appreciation in his eyes. Soon, all the priests and elders nodded in agreement and looked at the high priest above.
"Very good! My devout child, the Lord God has heard your prayer and will promise you the important mission in the East!"
The high priest smiled lightly, as he had expected it.
"Witness the Lord God! Prince Totoki, after the alliance conquers the Tlaxcalas, you will have a new fiefdom on the far eastern border. This is a promise made by the high priests on behalf of the Lord God!"
"Thank you, Supreme High Priest!"
Prince Pineapple was moved to tears and fell to the ground to salute the high priest. Then, he saluted each priest and elder in turn, including Shulot.
"The Lord God bless you! Praise His glory!..."
The high priest waited patiently until Prince Pineapple finished his salute before calmly giving the order.
"Elder Yazar."
"High Priest."
"I'll give you a thousand temple guards. Take the personal guards led by Prince Totoki and go to the western city-state of Tlacopan immediately! According to the names on the list, arrest the conspirators and the priests of the gods one by one!"
"Obey you!"
Elder Yazar bowed his head to accept the order and took the list. Then, he pressed the obsidian dagger on his waist, and walked out of the priest's hall with cold murderous intent on his face.
"Elder Wugel."
"Dear High Priest."
"Please go to the king's palace, report the matter to King Avit, and seek the support of the royal warriors, just in case!"
"Do your will!"
Wugel nodded, gave Shulot a kind look, and set off immediately.
"The rest of the priests and elders go to various parts of the temple area to prepare. Appease the people of the capital, summon the temple guards, form a priest review team, and prepare for the trial meeting!"
The high priest pondered for a moment, with a ruthless chill in his eyes.
"Witness the Lord God! Conspiracy to assassinate is an unforgivable crime. Those who disobey the Lord God must accept divine punishment! Thoroughly examine the hereditary nobles and priests of Tlacopan! Anyone who participates in the conspiracy will be killed by all the men in the clan; those who do not report the knowledge will be deprived Fiefdom, exile from the Western Kingdom!”
"The Lord God witnesses! Anyone who disobeys the Lord God must accept divine punishment!"
In the main hall, the remaining five priests and elders loudly praised and set the tone of judgment.
Among the high priests in the capital, there were no elders from Tlacopán, and no one interceded for the hereditary nobles and priests involved in the case. Now is the most intense moment of the religious reform. When encountering such a conspiracy, it is natural to take special measures to completely eliminate the hidden dangers in Tlacopán State!
For the royal family, this conspiracy was just what they wanted. After eliminating the hereditary remnants of Tlacopan State, we can completely control the land and population in the western Texcoco Lake District, and then scare the nobles of various states!
"Prince Totoki."
After the high priest arranged everything, he looked at the frightened Prince Pineapple and smiled gently.
"You can go to the side hall to rest first and wait for the judgment meeting to arrive. Don't worry, my devout child, no one will harm you where the Lord God shines!"
"Praise the Lord God! Thank you for your mercy, revered High Priest!"
Hearing this, Totoki relaxed slightly. He first bowed respectfully to the high priest, then greeted the remaining priests and elders again, and then walked backwards out of the hall.
The priests and elders also bowed their heads in salute and left one after another. Soon, under the fierce shouts of Elder Yazar, the temple guards quickly gathered in the square of the temple area. The warriors held copper axes and spears in their hands, with cold and solemn expressions. The young war priests serve as the backbone of the army and wear bronze cloth face armor from the Kingdom in the Lake. In just a moment, there was a scene of solemn killing below the magnificent temple!
In the empty hall, only the high priest and Shulot who were sitting cross-legged were left.
Shulot stood up and looked at the square below. The temple guards seemed to have been prepared and had already assembled. With a thoughtful expression on his face, he walked up to the high priest who closed his eyes to meditate, bowed his head respectfully and asked.
"Grandpa, why are you in such a hurry today..."
"Xulot, let's talk about it later when we get back!"
The high priest opened his eyes, revealing a sharp gaze like a jaguar. The power of the moment was fleeting, and when Shulot took a closer look, he only saw a calm, skinny old man.
"yes!"
Shulot nodded. He thought for a moment and prayed to the Lord God.
"God bless you! The temple guards are dispatched to arrest this time. I hope everything goes well. The nobles of Tlacopan dare to plot to assassinate the Venerable. The crime must not be punished!"
"The Lord God bless you! The fate of mortals is always determined by the Lord God in advance. Only those blessed by God can see it in advance."
The high priest smiled slightly, stretched out his hand, and touched Shulot's head lovingly.
"Priest Xiulote, don't worry, this arrest will go smoothly."
Having said this, the high priest raised his head, raised the staff in his hand, and stared at the sunlight setting in the sky. The sun was so bright, the gems on the staff were shining brightly, but the hand holding the staff was full of blood.
The high priest was in a trance for a while, with a smile on his lips, but his expression became vicissitudes of life. At this moment, he saw the fate destined for many people, and he also saw the fate destined for himself. A truly strong person will always arrange everything quietly. The only thing he couldn't be sure of was Shulot's future.
"Grandpa, you..."
Shulot waited for a long time, feeling a little worried.
"Xulot, the fate of mortals is always determined by the Lord God in advance. Only the blessed ones can see it in advance."
It's like going back in time. High Priest Shuter's expression was filled with vicissitudes of life, and he spoke quietly again, which made people feel chilly.
"Don't worry, this arrest will go smoothly... because I have already made arrangements!..."
