The Fall of the Golden Empire, Volume 1: Bloody Sunset by Zhang Baotong
Next, the king who had just ascended the throne returned to sit down next to Keya Barancaya and began to receive and accept the tributes and worship of the governors and lords from all provinces and regions across the country. These provincial governors, lords and tribal leaders lined up in a long line, carrying their own gifts, walked past the ceremony stage, came to the king, knelt down before the king, and then presented the gifts they brought to the king.
The governor of Apurimac presented to the king two golden lions the same size as pumas, while the governor of Arequipa presented two large vats of fine chicha wine. Lord Tumbes sent a large basket of valuable fresh fish. The Kipchak lord sent a large basket of fresh pears. The governor of Kagillias sent two young beauties from noble families. Although the items sent from various provinces and places were light or heavy, the Inca king did not care about it. Instead, he asked the palace manager to register them one by one with a knotted rope, accept them all, and cordially send gifts to these provinces. The governor and the lords nodded in thanks.
King Atahualpa of Quito entrusted the palace's high priest Riti Kaleba to send two life-size naked beauties made of pure gold. The statues of these two typical Quito beauties are not only young and beautiful, but also wild and charming. The gold statues are made with exquisite craftsmanship and excellent shape, just like two vivid and lifelike real people.
The young king was dazzled by the two pure gold Quito beauties in front of him. He couldn't help but stood up and touched the golden person's face with his hand, and then touched the golden person's chest. Then he couldn't help but said to the palace manager, "Put these two golden men in my bedroom."
The palace steward said, "Yes, my great king."
When Huascar wanted to thank the guests in Quito, he discovered that the guest in Quito was not his brother Atahualpa, nor Queen Anna, whom he missed and loved, but an elderly man. Huascar was startled and asked, "Who are you?"
Letikaleba replied, "Your Majesty, I am Prince Letikaleba, the high priest of the palace of Quito."
King Huascar immediately recognized that this was his former teacher, so he affectionately held the hand of High Priest Liticaleba and said, "I haven't seen him for more than ten years, but I don't recognize my teacher anymore."
"I was less than 50 years old when I was in Cusco, but now I'm over 60," said Leticaleba.
Huascar couldn't help but sigh and said, "Time is ruthless, and the face ages easily." Then he asked, "Prince Quito, why didn't my brother Atahualpa and my sister Princess Anna come?"
Liticaleba replied, "King Atahualpa has always wanted to come to Cusco to congratulate his brother and meet with you to reminisce about old times, but he has been sick recently, suffering from headaches and abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea, and has been bedridden for more than ten days. I had no choice but to send a minister to come and celebrate the king on his and Queen Anna’s behalf.”
Although Huascar seemed a little unhappy, he still asked, "Do you know what kind of disease my brother is suffering from and whether it is serious?"
Litikaleba said, "Maybe it's acute diarrhea and it will be fine in a few days."
Huascar nodded.
The worship and offerings continued for a while before ending. Afterwards, King Huascar took Queen Barrancaia off the ceremonial stage, rode in a sedan chair, and, surrounded by the princess, princes and ministers, and escorted by the palace guards, left the crowded palace square. Go to the Temple of the Sun God and other temples to worship and pray.
The girls from the Palace of the Virgins of the Sun God and the young men and women who were descendants of the royal family, who had been standing in line under the ceremony stage, began to go up to the ceremony stage and perform various palace and folk performances for the people in the square. Song and dance.
By the time they finished their performance, it was already afternoon and the sun was heading west. The girls and the descendants of the nobles lined up and left the square under the escort of the palace guards, and returned to the main hall of the Huayna Capak Palace. But the people in the square refused to leave. They continued to sing, dance and revel in the square and refused to leave until evening.
At this time, the young king of the Inca Empire had returned to the palace of Cusco with his queen, princess and princes after worshiping the sun, moon, thunder, stars and rainbow temples. The Royal Palace of Cusco was the palace of more than ten Inca emperors in the past dynasties. The entire palace is built of fine stone. It is not only spacious and majestic, but also exquisite and perfect. The hall is covered with gold ornaments, and even the floor is paved with gold bricks. Therefore, as soon as you enter the palace, you will see the golden walls and the dazzling golden light everywhere.
After dinner, Prince Huascar was still in high spirits, so he summoned several ministers to chat together. This was one of the main forms of daily entertainment for the Inca kings. This method can not only enhance the relationship between the monarch and his ministers, but also obtain a lot of information and make more detailed and reasonable arrangements for some affairs.
This kind of activity is usually carried out in the court room of the palace meeting hall. But the government room was very simple. This is a room of more than thirty square meters. The floor and walls are naturally paved with gold bricks and gold foil is applied to the walls. There are no windows in the room, but there is a ventilation hole one foot square. The room was empty, clean, and spotless. There was nothing in the room except the Inca king's golden chair in the center. But because I want to invite ministers to come over and chat. Therefore, the attendants brought five or six small wooden stools in advance and placed them in front of the big golden chair.
But there are only four or five princes here tonight. There are Prince Barbara Palca, the auxiliary minister of the Inca Kingdom of Campac and the Inca Kingdom, Prince Varuk Cayaquil, the commander of the southern army of the Inca Kingdom of Campac and the Inca Kingdom, and Huan Cappan, the general manager of the Royal Palace of Campac Inca and Cusco. Prince Pa and Prince Hurtado Huaco, high priest of the Inca and Royal Palaces of Campac and Cusco.
This way of chatting is more cordial and relaxed. It does not require the ministers to lie down on the ground and kneel to the king with their faces on the ground, nor does the king need to ask the ministers this and that with a straight face. Instead, the king and his ministers were all sitting around on small stools, chatting in a calm tone, making daily routines, or telling stories or anecdotes.
King Huascar first asked his beloved concubine to bring some fresh pears and grapes for everyone to taste. These fresh pears and grapes are specialties from remote areas, and are presented to Huascar today by the governors and lords of those areas. Four young and beautiful concubines each stood next to a minister holding a tray. While eating fruits, the ministers talked about the gifts presented by the provincial governors and lords.
Prince Huanca Pampa, the general manager of the palace, said, "If you ask me, the basket of fine coca leaves presented by the Governor of Cusco is the most precious. This kind of coca leaves is most suitable for growing in such high-temperature and humid areas. However, this kind of place is prone to breed a lot of weeds. Not only do we need to constantly weed, but they also need to be carefully pruned. After picking the coca leaves, they should be placed in the sun to dry, but not too dry, otherwise the precious leaves will be lost. The green color will be dried out in the sun; but if it does not get enough heat, it will become moldy and rot. When storing, baskets must also be made of the local thick vines that grow on the edges of cliffs, and the wide leaves of the thick vines must be used to lay the bottom and Cover. So, it’s not an easy task to make this fine coca leaf.”
Prince Varuk Kayakil, the commander of the southern army, immediately agreed and said, "This kind of coca leaf has obvious energizing power, aphrodisiac and tonifying effect. Chew a few pieces and you can work all day without eating. You will not feel tired even if you work. When people are weak and sick, suffering from diarrhea, fractures, colds, sores and other diseases, they may chew a few pieces of coca, or grind coca leaves into powder and apply them on them. It can be cured quickly. Moreover, the texture and taste of this coca are also very delicious. I have tasted coca from all over the Incas, but there is no coca there that can compare with this coca. Every time When you are marching and fighting, if you encounter any difficulties or obstacles, just give the soldiers some of this high-quality coca, and the soldiers will charge into the battle with their lives. This is incomparable to those gold treasures."
Prince Barbara Palka said, "The pair of rare birds given to the king by the chief of the Wali tribe are extremely precious. Its feathers are not only extremely gorgeous, but also as long as two arms. The male's feathers are especially long and beautiful. It was used as a headdress for the Inca king. I heard that this tropical rare bird is only found in the Wali tribe. This rare bird only mates once or twice in its life and only lays two to four eggs each time. It is very rare and valuable. Therefore, The crown of the Inca king used this feather as a crown, but few people have seen this rare bird with their own eyes."
Prince Hurtado Huaco, the high priest of the Palace of Cusco, said, "I like the two pure gold beauties presented by King Alvarpa the most. The gold statues are vivid, interesting, and lifelike, just like real people. Especially the craftsmanship and The shape is really exquisite, perfect, and amazing. Otherwise, even our king would love it."
King Huascar said, "Such pure gold sculptures can also be seen in our palace in Cusco and in the homes of some princes, but the naked sculptures here are all regular and orthodox. The statue looks rather dull and ordinary, unlike the statue in Quito that gives people a feeling of joy and excitement."
Hurtado Vaco explained, "Inca women pay attention to rules and education, but the women in Quito are very coquettish and wild, and like to dance and twist their hips in front of men, and wink at them. , regard seducing men as a kind of ability and honor. That’s why their nude statues are so wild and debauched.”
At this time, Prince Barbara Palca suddenly said meaningfully, "Strange, why didn't Prince Atahualpa come today?"
Commander Varuk Kayakil also said, "That is, the king's coronation ceremony is the most important event in the world. All the provincial governors and lords are here, but why doesn't he come?"
King Huascar sighed softly and said, "Prince Yibai said he was sick."
But Prince Barbara Palca smiled coldly and said, "Sick? No way. According to people from Quito, he was in high spirits and very proud at the coronation ceremony in Quito!"
Huascar asked, "What is the enthronement ceremony in Quito?"
Prince Barbara Palca said, "It was the coronation ceremony of Prince Atahualpa, where he declared himself the king of the Kingdom of Quito."
Huascar frowned and said, "Why haven't I heard about this?"
Prince Barbara Palca said, "Prince Pachik came back from Quito a few days ago and wanted to see you, but you were busy planning the enthronement ceremony with the ministers, so you didn't summon him."
"Is this really happening?" Huascar said and shouted, "Come here."
An attendant ran to the king from outside and said, "Your Majesty, please give me your orders."
Huascar said, "Call Prince Pachik to me immediately."
The attendant said, "Yes, my great king."
After a while, Prince Pachik came. When he saw Huascar, he knelt on the ground and said, "Prince Pachik pays homage to the Inca King."
Huascar stood up and helped Prince Pachik, and asked his concubine to bring him a small stool for him to sit on, and then asked, "When did Prince Pachik come back from Quito?"
Prince Pachik said, "I came over from Quito a few days ago with the high priest Liticaleba, the envoy from Quito."
Huascar asked Prince Pachik, "Have you met Princess Anna? Is she okay now?"
Prince Patchik said, "Princess Anna is very good. She has been thinking about the king. However, she has married Atahualpa and became his wife. And Atahualpa is also his wife." The king of many kingdoms.”
King Huascar's face immediately darkened and he said, "He should ask me for permission and say hello before he ascends the throne."
When Prince Pachik heard this, he immediately lowered his head and did not dare to answer. But Prince Barbara Palca said, "Even Prince Quito should be under the control of the Inca King. Why does he have to make his own decisions on such a big matter? Doesn't it mean he doesn't take the King seriously?"
Seeing Prince Pachik bowing his head and saying nothing, Huascar felt that he had some concerns, so he asked, "Did you attend his coronation ceremony?"
Maharaja Patchik said, "Yes."
Huascar asked again, "What did he say at the coronation ceremony?"
Prince Pachik shook his head and said, "I didn't say anything, I can't even remember it."
Seeing that he had nothing more to ask, Huascar asked his attendants to send him away.
After Prince Pacik left, Prince Barbara Palca reminded King Huascar in a meaningful tone, "Prince Atahualpa has more than 100,000 elite Inca soldiers under his command. I'm afraid he will not listen to peace." Anyone who obeys your Majesty will sooner or later turn against you and fight with your Majesty to dominate the world."
These words reminded Huascar of the time when he went to Quito to visit his father before his death. He felt that his father had been suffering from the plague for at least several months, but why was it not until his death that he was diagnosed. Also, he went to the Prince's Palace to visit brother Ninan, but was blocked by the guards sent by Atahualpa. He even suspected that Atahualpa would send someone to intercept him on his way back. Therefore, thinking about it this way, I feel that Prince Barbara Palka's words were not said casually, and he was not without worries and concerns about this matter.
So, he nodded, thought deeply for a moment, and said, "I have already seen that Prince Atahualpa is not an ordinary person. He is a man full of scheming and ambitious. In addition, he has a heavy army and is far away from Kusi. Ke, sooner or later he will become a problem on my mind. But, what can I do to him?"
Commander Varukka Yakir said, "Please give the king an order to let him come as soon as possible. If he doesn't obey, I will take 40,000 elite troops to the north to crusade, capture him alive and present him to the king for disposal, so as to avoid future troubles." .”
The high priest of the palace, Hurtado Vaco, disagreed with the opinion of the army commander. He said, "Why should the commander mobilize the troops and march thousands of miles north? In the opinion of the humble minister, it is better to send an envoy to Quito and invite the king of Quito to participate. The Inca princes convened to discuss the reform plan for the placement of slaves of the late king Huayna Capac the Great and other former kings. I think he can't say no to such a major event."
Huascar nodded repeatedly after hearing this, because in the Inca Empire, every king would have a large number of slaves, either in the palace or in other palaces, performing various household chores and services for the king. These people not only received superior favor from the king, but also occupied a large amount of land and wealth, and lived almost the same life as the nobles. However, after the death of the king, these people remained the king's slaves, and their land and property were not affected in any way, and these lands and property could be passed down to his heirs. Therefore, over time, although these people are no longer useful to the country, their number continues to increase. In this regard, Huascar had already had the idea to nationalize their land and property through reforms. Because of the large number of these slaves who have been passed down from generation to generation, they have formed a large interest group, and the status quo cannot be changed without major changes. Therefore, this event was very important, and Atahualpa could not refuse it no matter what he said.
Prince Barbara Palca also appreciated this suggestion very much and said to Huascar, "Your Majesty, you can report this matter to the envoy from Quito, Liticaleba, and then send the envoy to Quito with him. Meet with Prince Atahualpa and ask him to come to Cusco to participate in discussions. As soon as he arrives in Cusco, he will be placed under house arrest, and then he will release Chalkuchma and Kischi under his orders. Si and Ruminawi’s army will be in command. In this way, the king will be able to relieve his worries."
Huascar said, "Very good. Early tomorrow morning, I will summon Riticaleba, and then send an envoy to Quito to invite Prince Atahualpa to come to Cusco to discuss major state affairs."
