The night is dark and the moon is in the sky. The cold, high moonlight fell from the open ceiling of the Totonak hut, falling right on the faces of the two people in the house. Under the pale moonlight, the expressions of both of them were a little heavy and a little dark.
"Gods! The Aztecs have a fleet and are back from the east?"
Hearing the words of the Quetzalcoatl Priest, the Chuchut leader was startled, with a confused look on his face. He had a vague impression of the Mexican fleet that passed along the coast more than a year ago. It's just that the Snake Lake Department has always been in poverty, and trading gems has nothing to do with a poor man like him. The only thing he remembered was standing on the beach and watching from a distance, seeing those long ships with sails, even bigger than the galleys of the Mayan caravans!
"Priest Pappu, when did this happen? Didn't the tribe hear the news?..."
"Of course you haven't heard the news, not even in Hidden Snake City. I just guessed this news not long ago!"
Priest Pappu touched his chin, his eyes flashed, and a sly smile appeared on his face.
"This time when we came to the front line of Coyote City, we were accompanied by several Hidden Serpent City priests. They came from various tribes in Hidden Serpent City. They talked about the situation near the city-state, mentioned cheap and exquisite gems, and a group of newly emerged Mayan merchants. This The merchant team has been around for more than a month, staying in the market outside the city, selling gems in a low-key manner, and seems to have bought a lot of food..."
"Then, a priest took out the newly purchased gem and proudly showed it off to everyone. And I borrowed it to take a look... Ha! It's clearly the lake gem from the Mexica Alliance! These idiots in Hidden Snake City can't recognize it. , I have stayed in Quetzalcoatl City for so long, and I have seen so many gems from the caravans in the lake, but I recognized them at a glance!..."
"Huh? A Mayan caravan selling gems in the lake?"
The Chuchut leader scratched his head in confusion and asked in confusion.
"Priest Papu, the Mayans have been selling gems. Their caravans come and go and sell all kinds of goods. Now they are selling gems in the lake in Hidden Snake City. Isn't this nothing?"
"Ha! It is indeed normal for Mayan merchants to sell gems. But this group of treacherous long-headed monkeys have always been calculating and clever. They can sell shells for the price of gems! But now, they are selling gems in the lake in such a low-key manner. I sold the gems for the price of shells, stayed there for more than a month, and bought more food than the size of the caravan..."
Having said this, Priest Pappu narrowed his eyes and raised the corners of his mouth, like a snake smelling a fishy smell.
"This team of Mayan merchants are actually doing money-losing business. There must be something wrong! I remember clearly that when the Mexica fleet arrived at the ancient city of Quetzalcoatl, it happened to gather with a Mayan fleet that had been waiting for a long time. Together! Then, the Mexica fleet left first, and the Mayan fleet followed. The two fleets went one behind the other and headed east at the same time..."
"I have a hunch that as long as I capture this group of Mayan merchants outside the Hidden Snake City, interrogate and torture them severely... maybe I can follow the vines and touch a hidden big pumpkin!..."
"Ah! If we can capture the Aztec fleet, kill their warriors, and capture their leader... Under the current difficult situation, it will be a great achievement that will inspire all the ministries. It will definitely be praised by the Holy Spirit. The city’s priests will reward you greatly!”
Hearing this, the Chuchut leader licked his lips, his eyes showing greed and ferocious killing intent. But after a moment, he pulled his hair uncertainly and asked softly.
"Priest Papu, these are still speculations... What if we arrest the Mayan traders and find out that they have nothing to do with the Aztecs?"
"Ha! So what if I caught the wrong one? Dead people can't speak! They're just a few Mayan businessmen, secretly trading in the market outside the city. Either they have evil intentions, or there's no big shot behind them..."
Having said this, Priest Pap raised the corners of his mouth and showed a disdainful smile. Although he has lost his status in Quetzalcoatl City, as a former high priest, he still has enough knowledge and vision to see clearly the essence of the operation of power in the city-state.
"Chuchute, as long as we arrest this group of businessmen on the pretext of colluding with the Aztecs and selling the gems in the lake... Then whether they colluded or not is not a matter for us to open our mouths? He just has no problem. We must have a problem on our hands! When the time comes, it will be a moderate achievement to execute the Mayan merchants as sacrifices, confiscate all the gems and property, and then give a share to the priests in the city!"
"What's more, based on my intuition, behind this team of Mayan merchants... there is probably a really big fish!"
"Haha! Priest Papu, you have such a bright mind! You are right! As soon as we go back and report the achievements of Coyote City, we will summon the tribal warriors, find the group of Mayan merchants and take action directly!"
Hearing the words of the Quetzalcoatl Priest, the Chuchut leader grinned and nodded knowingly in praise. Those who can sell gems are big businessmen, and they have wealth in their hands. As long as you grab a little bit, it will be a property that will make the entire Snake Lake Department jealous!
Although the Totonac states have always attached great importance to commerce and protected merchants who come to trade, but what time is it now? The coalition forces continued to be defeated, various states fell one after another, and the Holy City was also in panic. Fear and hatred of the Aztecs continued to grow in the hearts of priests, chiefs, and warriors. In this difficult time, as long as we can be sure that what the other party is selling is the gem in the lake, and accuse them of colluding with the enemy, we can deprive them of their property in a fair and just way! And in the current situation, killing a few Mayan businessmen with no backing is really nothing!
Thinking of the gems that were about to be confiscated, the Chuchut leader laughed for a while. Then, he suddenly frowned and asked softly.
"Priest Papu, if there really is an Aztec fleet behind these merchants... With the size of the original fleet, I am afraid there must be two to three hundred elite warriors! With such power, even the Snake Lake Department's All the warriors put together may not be able to deal with them!..."
"Chuchute, you don't have to worry! If something is really found out and the Mexica fleet is discovered... I will report to the priests of Hidden Snake City as soon as possible and apply for a team of warriors and navy for the expedition. , personally led the team to conquer..."
Priest Pappu touched his chin, his eyes were dark, and he sighed softly.
"And this is also the result I hope for most!"
"…I see!"
Hearing this, Chu Chute thought for a moment, and his eyes lit up.
"Pap, you mean to withdraw from the western front line in the name of conquest? With such a mission, we don't have to risk being surrounded by the Aztec army and toil in the western states. Running around…”
"No! Witness the gods! Chuchute, you don't understand my thoughts... Leaving the Western Front is just one of the reasons for my plan..."
Priest Pap shook his head. His expression was subtle, he glanced at the cold moon on the zenith, and unconsciously lowered his voice.
"What I really want is to find another way out for us and your tribe!..."
"Ah? A way out? We have retreated to Hidden Snake City, where can we retreat? Could it be..."
Hearing this, Chu Chute was stunned. He looked around carefully and asked in a low voice.
"Pap, you mean...Mexican?"
"Ha! Mexica? Chuchute, I would like to... But the Mexica can accommodate surrendering warriors and tribesmen, how can they accommodate the two of us? Can they accommodate a chief who controls the tribe? , a once high-ranking feathered serpent priest?"
Priest Papu laughed dumbly and sighed inexplicably. Then, he reached out his hand, patted Chuchut's shoulder affectionately, and spoke in a deep voice.
"The escape route I want to find is still in the east! Whether it's the rainforest tribes further east or the distant Mayan tribes, as long as we can avoid the Mexica's military front, as long as we have the tribe and force in our hands, we will definitely succeed. There’s a place for us!”
"What I want are ships and people! By looking for the Mexica fleet, I can win a group of ships and warriors from the priests! And if I can really find the Mexica people, I can seize them Their longships... I will also apply to the priesthood to let your tribe take over the job of imitating the longships!"
"Huh? Imitation longship? Shall we do it?"
The Chuchut leader blinked. Although he didn't quite understand what Priest Papu was thinking, he had a clear understanding that the other party's head was definitely better than his own. But now, the two of them are sweet potatoes on the same vine, and neither one can live without the other.
"That's right! If you want to defend the Hidden Snake Holy City longer, it depends not on the jungle villages on the land, but on the fleet masters along the coast!"
Priest Pappu narrowed his eyes, and his eyes flashed again.
"The more than 400 miles of jungle on land is an insurmountable natural danger. Even if the Mexicans are able to fight, it will not be easy to maintain an army of ten thousand people by land and reach Hidden Snake City! But the sea route It only takes ten days to travel more than four hundred miles, and can transport a large amount of food... This is the vital lifeline of Hidden Snake City!"
"At this critical moment of life and death, although the priesthood in the Holy City is decayed, it will not fail to see this! Therefore, large-scale shipbuilding, imitating the Mayan galleys, and even imitating the Mexica longships is inevitable OK!…"
"And we must do everything possible to participate in it and seize this opportunity! Because only with a ship can we have a retreat! ... No matter where the retreat is in the east, or even in the west..."
The moonlight was dim, and as Priest Papu continued to speak, his voice gradually became lower, and finally fell silent. He raised his head and looked at the setting moon in the west and the deep night sky in the east. The night is vast, and the tide of the times is coming. The unknown road ahead is like the darkness before dawn. No one can see clearly and no one knows where they will end up.
"The Quetzalcoatl God's blessing...the Moon God's blessing...the Sun God's blessing...the God of War's blessing!...I am willing to do my best to struggle in the tide to find all opportunities and dawn..."
"Praise Quetzalcoatl! Praise the Sun God! The gods are watching us and will definitely protect us!"
The Chuchut leader held the amulet and praised loudly. At this moment, the piety on his face was much greater than that of the Feathered Serpent Priest opposite him.
"Well! We believe in the gods, and the gods will definitely protect us!"
Priest Papu nodded, with a confident smile on his face, and left a few last words of advice.
"Inform the warriors, pack your supplies, bring your weapons, and set off on time tomorrow!"
"In the name of the priest of Hidden Snake City, tell the village chief of Baisha Village: The brutal Aztecs are coming and will sacrifice all the men in the village! Let him take the tribesmen and join us tomorrow Evacuate!”
"If he doesn't want to leave, kill him! Set fire to the village and take away the men who can bear arms!..."
"Okay! I listen to you! Gods bless you!..."
The moon is going west, and the moonlight is like water, reflecting on the beach of the Gulf of Mexico, and also shining in the sunken sand pits and water pools. Some tiny whitebait were swimming in the narrow water pool, looking for opportunities to escape. And when the raging tide comes and swallows up the white sand on the shore, how many cunning fish can swim away smoothly? …
The sea didn't answer. It stirred up waves silently and didn't care about the answer. The moon has not opened its mouth either. It is waiting for the sun to bring a new dawn and illuminate a new seaside place.
