The sun sets in the west, and the mountains are reflected in the sunset. Autumn in the Mexican highlands is a rich harvest of deep green and light yellow. Birds all over the sky, driven away by the farmers, were peeping at the dark green corn fields in the sky. The continuous camps are patrolled by warriors, and the ground is covered with yellowish grass.
"May the Goddess of Harvest and Fertility bless you."
Shulot stood in front of the temple of the Harvest Goddess with his back turned, his face as solemn as a warrior, and his mouth as pious as a farmer's prayer. He looked at the crimson sky, clenching his hands with nowhere to rest, feeling nervous and anxious in his heart.
At this moment, he did not know that the terrible typhus had appeared in Western Europe for the first time during the siege of Barcelona during the Granada War, and was recorded in history. This rickettsial infection, to which Native Americans lack resistance, has a mortality rate of 40% in Europe and doubles in the Americas, once reaching an astonishing 80%. Such a cruel infectious disease was brought to Central America by the Spaniards fifty years later. It became the second widely spread death after smallpox, taking away tens of millions of Central and American tribes.
As in the past, Pandora's box of diseases has been opened once again. And the bird of death is watching the corn fields and countryside, waiting for the day when it will fly down.
"O Lord God! Please give me your blessing! It has been almost a day from sunrise to sunset, from the appearance of signs to delivery."
The day was getting dusk, and the anxiety on Shulot's face had become real. He paced back and forth uneasily, looking closely at the temple of the goddess. Expensive candles have been lit in the temple, and the goddess priests are busy in the temple nervously, sometimes praying devoutly. And the familiar and hoarse cry of pain came lowly from the compartments in the hall, and each sound touched Xilot's heart.
"Eckart! Eckart! Why hasn't Ters come back yet? What on earth are the weapon craftsmen accompanying the army doing!"
Shulot clenched his hands and shouted in a deep voice, anger already appearing on his face. He was like a puma suppressing his anger and anxiety, pawing his claws on the ground angrily.
"Your Highness, this will take time. As per your instructions, time is too tight."
"Send your personal guards to hurry up! There are so many excellent craftsmen, why can't they make it! Let someone tell them not to bring things back again."
Speaking of this, Shulot's eyes were filled with danger. But he still remained rational and did not say the next words.
"Yes! I'll send someone right now!"
Eckart, the captain of the guard, lowered his head and spoke softly. He hurriedly arranged his men and went to the military workshop in Tree Snake City. Then, he returned to His Highness and stopped talking. He knew that the young king was on the verge of losing control of his emotions. He never thought that the king would care so much about women and children in labor. However, it was precisely because of this that he had to give some warnings in advance to lay precautions for the future.
"Your Highness, maybe everything is fate."
"Asshole! Shut up!"
Hearing this, Shulot's anger was instantly ignited. He grabbed the captain of the guard's collar fiercely, with a stern look on his face, like a growling beast.
"Eckart, even fate must be broken by me!"
The king's hoarse scolding sounded in front of the temple. A young priestess whose sacrificial robe was stained with blood was so frightened that she stood on the spot. She had just come out of the temple and wanted to see His Highness, but she did not dare to come close and speak.
However, the appearance of the priestess quickly attracted Shulot's attention. The king once again suppressed his anger and strode up to the other party with anticipation in his eyes.
"God bless you! How is it? Has she given birth?"
"Your Highness"
The young priestess turned pale and was so nervous that her voice stuttered. Seeing the other party's behavior, Shulot's heart suddenly sank. He had never heard the baby cry, so his inquiry just now was naturally just a lie to himself.
"Say it!"
"Your Highness, the goddess officiant, the midwife, and the herbalists all discussed this together."
Under His Highness's insistence, the young priestess struggled to speak and gave out suggestions intermittently.
"The fate is ominous. Maybe you can make a choice."
"Ominous fate? Make a choice?!"
Hearing these words, Shulot's mind buzzed, and he was instantly confused. He took two deep breaths, shook off the hand held by the captain of the guard, and strode into the temple.
No one stopped him, and no one dared to stop him. He hurriedly walked into the main hall, looked up and saw the newly sculpted goddess statue, which was none other than Tonacacihuatl, the Mexica goddess of harvest and fertility.
The most important goddess in Mexico has a smile on her face, a green feather crown, and a blood-red cloak. In tradition, He receives the rites of harvest sacrifices and bestows the harvest of the fields. He also accepted the ritual of blood sacrifice and used death to give birth to new life.
Seeing the smile of this goddess, Shulot even felt a hint of violence in his heart, thinking of the prayers of the blood sacrifice ceremony. But soon, he came to his senses and shook his head vigorously.
"Phew! It's useless, that's useless. The only thing that's useful is medicine."
Shulot walked into the side hall muttering to himself, and the traces of later generations of medicine were reflected in his eyes and smelled in his nose. In order to give birth to Naxiu, he personally arranged manpower, prepared alcohol distilled by local methods, washed and boiled white cloth, arranged a delivery bed covered with several layers of cotton cloth, and repeatedly emphasized to the priests the concepts of sterility and disinfection. .
If another person were to give such guidance, the priests of the goddess would probably turn their backs on them and drive them away. They have delivered hundreds of babies. The customs passed down in the temple have lasted for thousands of years. Is it still necessary to let a man guide you? But after all, it was His Majesty the Divine Enlightenment who spoke, so they could only choose to obey, and they had to do their best to do their best according to the other party's instructions.
As soon as Shulot entered the side hall, his steps suddenly became light. He stood at the door of the side hall and saw the white delivery bed vaguely visible in the depths, and suddenly felt a sense of fear in his heart. He listened to Naxiu's painful and hoarse moans, as if his heart was being grasped by a pair of hands. He was speechless and could only walk forward in silence.
"Dear His Highness Shenqi"
The elder goddess priest Itoya was waiting at the door, lowering her head and saluting the silent Shulot. Her face was filled with an irresistible sadness. On the one hand, she was worried about the mother's difficult labor, and on the other hand, she was worried that she knew something she shouldn't know.
"Hey! Unpredictable fate always comes unexpectedly."
Priest Itoya recited something in a low voice, and then carefully explained to Shulot.
"Your Highness, the mother must have taken contraceptive herbs for a long time. It would have harmed the life-bearing flesh pot. It is difficult to get pregnant and it will take several years to grow. However, she should have taken birth control before her body recovered. I sang with you frequently, and then I became pregnant with an heir."
"She has been trying hard for a long time, but due to her first delivery and the damage to her flesh pot, the strength of the delivery was somewhat insufficient. And the baby's head was a little out of proportion, making it difficult to pass through the pelvis."
Priest Itoya suppressed his voice and tried equally hard to explain for a while. Shulote had a sullen face and listened carefully in silence. It wasn't until Priest Itoya said the last words that he looked sharply and his eyes turned red.
".The fate is ominous! Your Highness, it's time to consider your choice. There is still a chance to choose now. If you wait any longer, I'm afraid one or two people will die."
(End of chapter)
