The wind came up very late in the night, making the thin curtains whistle. The brazier in the tent was constantly swaying, and the undulating light and shadow outlined the kneeling curves, and also reflected the silent king.
Shulot raised his head silently, looking at the night sky at the zenith and staring at the bright moon. After a long while, he lowered his eyes and spoke quietly.
"Miawa, I have asked King Avit for a fiefdom. The land on the seaside will become the fiefdom of my eldest son, Xiuhua."
"Your Highness...your eldest son was born with the divinity of the Lord God and will inherit the powerful Mexica Alliance on the plateau!..."
Miawa's eyes flashed and he spoke softly and firmly.
"With his noble status, he will only serve as a link between the alliance and the kingdom, and nominally govern the land of Totonac. How can he really come to the seaside with harsh weather? You will never rest assured that you will let the young The prince came here, to the remote and wild lowlands, to the Golden Bay City of the Totonac people, and experienced the hot and humid swamps and jungles..."
"And the great King Avit will definitely keep him in the lake capital and train him as his successor, right?... In fact, to King Avit, the newly born Prince Xiuhua is probably more powerful than you. , where is the heir who satisfies him even more... Hee hee! I also heard the songs circulated by the alliance..."
“Miawa…”
Shulot stretched out his strong palm and rested it on Miawa's neck. His eyes became dangerous, and there was a vague murderous intent.
"The Lord God bless the alliance! If you don't want to see the Lord God, you shouldn't say something."
"I obey you! Your Highness..."
The snake mother priest Miawa trembled all over and fell on the carpet submissively. She lowered her head, exposing her smooth and fragile neck, like a submissive wolf to the wolf king.
"The ancestors and the Lord God witness!...My master, I will only obey you and dedicate everything to you!..."
"And the thousands of miles of seaside, countless seaside tribes loyal to you, and tens of millions of Totonak people will also be like this, loyal to you alone!... As long as... you give us a man with divine blood. A child, a sacred promise..."
"The child of the divine blood...the promise of the Totonac..."
Hearing this, Shulot pursed his lips and fell silent again. He raised his head and stared at the moon on the seaside, as if looking into the distant future. In Mexica legend, the moon is the opposite of the sun, the embodiment of evil and darkness. However, in the Totonac people's perception, the moon is the other side of the sun, which is more pure and sacred. There are indeed many differences between the plateau and the seaside...
"The Lord God witnesses! Miawa, I have made a promise to you Totonak tribes and the Lord God!"
"Your Highness, we have heard your promise. However, it is really difficult for the chiefs, priests, chiefs, warriors, and even the humble tribesmen... to believe in your promise in such a short period of time. The promise of the author..."
Miawa fell to the ground and raised his head. Her eyes were dark and flashed with hope that she had never had before.
"The powerful Mexica Legion can make people fear...but fear is only the prerequisite for loyalty. The rule of the kingdom is violent, as chilling and cruel as fire. At present, the elites of Totonac have been killed and feared Yes, they fear your force and are willing to obey your orders...
"However, you cannot always be like this!... Because the ignorant tribe is forgetful and fickle... The fear of conquest will always subside, and tens of thousands of Totonak warriors will be in your hands Grow up!... If you want the loyalty of the chiefs and warriors, and if you want to still firmly control the Golden Bay City area, or even control the entire Totonac seaside after the legion leaves..."
"Then, you must always give the Totonak people a promise and a hope! And there is nothing better than a prophesied son of Totonak, a prince with divine blood, who can serve you better. The elites of Totonac believe...believe that they will always have a shade in the vast seaside land, under the sacred kapok tree, just like the moon that is different from the plateau..."
"Ha! The hope of the Totonak people, a moon different from the plateau?...In the final analysis, it is a compromise and commitment with the local elites, and the acceptance of ordinary leaders, low-level priests and officer warriors in the various tribes of Totonak, in While carrying out Mexicaization, the balance of power among the native tribes is maintained..."
Shulot closed his eyes and his thoughts drifted away. After experiencing the continuous resistance of the Totonac people and witnessing the unwillingness and dormancy of various tribes, his thoughts gradually became clear during many exchanges with Miava.
If you want to establish a solid rule in the vast seaside land with only one or two Mexican legions stationed there, you must absorb a large number of Totonac elites into the ruling class.
These elites include low-level priests and sages who control culture, warriors of all levels who control force, and chiefs and petty chiefs who have the right to speak. In order for these Totonak elites to truly return home and serve the kingdom, a commitment recognized by both parties is indeed needed to establish a solid mutual trust...
The silence in the king's tent lasted for a long time, until the moon set in the west and could not be seen from the open roof of the tent. Shulot then lowered his head, looked at the woman lying on the ground, and sighed softly.
"Miawa, get up!"
"Your Highness?"
Miava blinked and raised his head carefully. Under the dim firelight, she secretly watched the king's expression, but could not see anything.
"Witness the Lord God! I can make a promise to the Totonak people. However, it can only be known to the core group of people..."
"Your Highness!"
The woman's voice was filled with excitement and surprise. The king's voice was calm and distant. He looked at the woman at his feet with deep eyes and said calmly.
"Miawa, I have many choices, it may not be you."
"Ah this? Your Highness?..."
"Convince me."
Miava licked her lips and her body trembled slightly. She climbed up to Shulot's side and rubbed against the king, like a docile cat.
"Your Highness, my loyalty and respect for you will surpass all others..."
"Any more?"
"Your Highness, I control the Quetzalcoatl Temple and know every priest of the tribe! I can make the feathered serpent priests of the entire Jinwan tribe convert to the main god and serve the main god devoutly!"
Hearing this, Shulot raised his eyebrows. He looked at the submissive and ambitious woman and said meaningfully.
"Miawa, the kingdom does need a group of Totonak priests who have converted to the Lord God... However, I do not want you to continue to hold the priesthood. The divine power of the seaside must be attributed to the kingdom priests I designated! And the only identity you can compete for is , is the 'chief farmer' who is in charge of administration and manages various ministries..."
Hearing this, Miawa gritted his teeth and lowered his head in thought for a while. When she looked up again, her eyes were burning with bright desire, and she seemed to be risking everything.
"Your Highness, please believe me! My ability will be better than that of any other woman! No daughter of the god of Totonak can compare with me... I understand the traditions and customs of the tribe, and I can see through them. The surrendered chiefs and leaders! I will identify them, execute those who secretly resist, frighten those who are shaken in their hearts, and select those who are loyal..."
"I am willing to be the most diligent 'chief farmer' under you, guarding the vast fields on the seaside for you. While carefully caring for the seeds, I will also weave a strong and dense hunting net to capture the unyielding wild animals in the seaside jungle. Tame bobcat!…”
"Oh?...Farmers and hunters..."
Hearing these words, Shulot smiled half-heartedly and looked at the worried Miawa in front of him. He raised the corner of his mouth, stretched out his big hand again, and touched the woman's slender neck. The woman also meekly lay under him, resting her head on his legs and looking up into those pale red eyes.
"Miawa, starting from tomorrow, you can leave this tent and return to Golden Bay City..."
"Your Highness?!"
"I will give you a chance to see what you are capable of."
Shulot raised the corners of his mouth, looked gentle, and gave the king's order.
"In Jinwan City, Yin Erwei, the nephew of Chief Da Ri, is very restless. But I don't want the army to enter the city and set off another large-scale cleanup and killing... So you go back and rely on the Jinwan Department's manpower to capture him. Rise up and sacrifice with your own hands to the Lord God.”
"Sacrifice Yin Erwei? Praise the Lord God!"
Upon hearing this order, Miawa's eyes lit up, like a cat that smelled prey and raised its tail excitedly.
"Your Highness, I obey you! I will definitely do it for you!"
"Um."
Shulot nodded and caressed Miava's beautiful and confident face. This task should not be difficult for Miawa. And if a woman proves her ability...
"From the seaside land, select a 'farmer chief' from each tribe in Totonac to establish an administrative team and integrate the surrendered elites of each tribe... Indeed, there is no more suitable candidate than her... But if the administrative power is handed over to For her, the divine power and military power must be strictly separated..."
Shulot thought for a moment, sorting out the power system on the beach. And Miawa also tried carefully, groping and exploring bit by bit, and served the master who decided life and death... After a moment, Shulot raised his brows and stared at the charming and writhing woman in his arms, looking at her charming and flushed face, and faintly Open your mouth.
】
"Miawa, I remember... Chief Chikini of the Great Sun died under the joint efforts of you and his warrior chief?"
"Ah? Yes...yes, Your Highness..."
Upon hearing this sudden inquiry, Miawa shuddered and her heart suddenly tightened.
"Your Highness, the true cause of Qiqini's death... is actually unknown to the tribe... The Jinwan tribe will obey my orders. Those rumors that have been circulating recently can be easily erased as long as I return to Jinwan City..."
"Well... I know you have always been smart. This time you came to the camp and let Yin Erwei stay in the city, just waiting for him to make a mistake and seek death..."
"Uh...Your Highness...I..."
Shulot was silent, just looking at the woman's evasive eyes and feeling her clear trembling. After a moment, he hugged the woman tightly and pressed her fiercely.
"The warrior chief of Chikini is called Qiyan...right? He is also your warrior commander now. These days, he seems to be very worried about you, and has bribed the kingdom's warriors several times to inquire..."
"Your Majesty... Your Highness?... I... don't understand what you mean..."
Miava's whole body tightened, and her body trembled even more violently. Shulot felt everything clearly, his body suddenly trembled, and he took a deep breath.
"Miawa, you know what I mean. Your body is tense and honest... You have made a choice, and from now on, you no longer belong to yourself..."
"Yes...yes...Your Highness. My body and soul will only belong to you!...I swear to the gods and ancestors!"
"Very good! Remember your oath and cherish your life!..."
Shulot nodded slightly and stared at the woman in his arms, penetrating into her heart like never before.
"The death of Chief Da Ri needs to have a result that can be truly accepted by all the ministries. Warrior Chief Qiyan is a suitable sacrifice to bear all the responsibilities...Go! After sacrificing Yin Erwei, I want to see you, with my own hands Sacrifice this man!”
"Ah? Your Highness!...I...sacrificed with my own hands..."
"Um?"
"Yes...yes! I obey you! I obey you! Ah! Your powerful Highness...ah!"
The fire was dim and the night wind was faint. Miawa's eyes sparkled, and a strange blush appeared on his face. Then the candles went out, the wind roared more intensely, and the moonlight disappeared in the clouds. Dark clouds rose from the sky and enveloped the camp in Jinwan City. The rainy season in May is coming, and sowing is just around the corner...
