The Fall of the Golden Empire (Novel) (Volume 1) "Bloody Sunset" by Zhang Baotong
There is a white wall surrounding the Royal Palace of Quito, which is four meters high. For the Incas, such a wall was already too high to climb without the help of a ladder. Moreover, the fence is in the shape of a huge rectangle. There are sentries every twenty meters in the fence, and the security is very tight. Standing outside the wall and looking into the palace, you can only see the roofs of some giant houses. If you really want to see the buildings inside the palace, then you can go up to the hill thousands of meters away from the palace and look inside. You can see the palace meeting hall, barracks, the king's palace, the harem where the royal family members live, and the palace where the slaves live, etc., but the largest building is the Virgin Palace.
The Palace of the Virgin is a giant building with a length of more than 300 meters and a width of more than 40 meters. Such houses are made of large flat and smooth stones that are two meters long and extremely precise in size. The stones are built tightly together with a very adhesive red mud. They are very strong and strong, but The ceiling of the main hall is paved with grass. Because the Inca people lived in the Andes Mountains, this is an area with the most frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions on Earth.
For the Incas, the most mysterious place was the Palace of the Virgin. If these virgins had not participated in the celebration of the Sun God, they might never have left the palace in their lives. Therefore, some people may have seen the Inca king many times in their life, but they may not have seen the Virgin once. Except for the queen and princess, even the Inca king rarely saw virgins. Therefore, not only was the Palace of Virgins very curious about the common people outside the palace, but King Atahualpa of Quito, who had never entered the Palace of Virgins, was also very tempted.
That afternoon, King Atahualpa summoned the governors and chiefs of the provinces and tribes under the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Quito in the meeting hall of the Quito Palace, and then returned to the Royal Dining Pavilion for dinner. After dinner, it was already afternoon. Normally at this time, he would play a game called back-to-back with his beloved concubines. However, today he was not at all interested and didn't know how to spend his time, so he sat listlessly alone in the court room, drinking wine to himself. While drinking, he suddenly remembered the Virgin Palace, because Queen Anna Yama came here at noon and told him that she had just been to the Virgin Palace to visit the new virgins who entered the palace. Because after their father passed away, nearly two hundred virgins jumped into the river or hanged themselves, and followed their father to the Palace of the Sun. For this reason, dozens of newcomers were added to the palace. The Palace of Virgins is the largest palace in the palace, only a few hundred steps away from the palace's bedroom. However, he had never been there since he became king of Quito. With this thought in mind, he drank the half-can of wine in one go, stood up holding on to the table, staggered out of the court room, and walked towards the Palace of Virgins in the harem.
An Inca monarch could have hundreds of concubines as his wives. But the queen or Keya's wife must be the monarch's sister. But when it comes to sexual needs, the king has very great privileges. There are more than 1,500 virgins living in the Virgin Palace in the backyard of the palace. They are all beautiful girls selected from all over the country. They enter the palace from the age of seven or eight, and are taught and trained in various ways by female teachers called Mamakana, such as training for the sun. God priests and Inca kings wove clothes, cooked, brewed corn wine, sang hymns, danced sacred dances, or did other things related to religious rituals. When they are 13 or 14 years old, they will be sent to the Palace of the Virgins of the Sun in Cusco, where they will participate in the Sun God's ceremony with more than 5,000 virgins there. It was then up to the king to decide their fate. Some would be chosen as the king's concubines, while the rest would be considered members of the king's family. There are also some older concubines who will be sent back to their hometowns to enjoy generous treatment and retire in peace.
These concubines and virgins who dedicated themselves to the sun god were waiting for the king's visit. They are beautiful, intelligent, and dexterous. They live in seclusion, abide by the rules, live in specially selected mansions, and maintain strict chastity. Whenever the king and emperor wished, they could choose a specially chosen woman to spend the night with.
At this time, the sun was already heading west, but the temperature was still mild and the sun was very dazzling. King Atahualpa followed the cobblestone path leading to the harem and passed through the stone door guarded by soldiers. After passing the stone gate and entering the harem, there are two paths. The path to the right leads to the residence of the king's female family members, while the path to the left leads to the Palace of Virgins.
The Palace of the Virgin is a large shed with walls made of large, smooth stones. It is very tall, but the roof is paved with straw curtains. There are two priests in front of the palace guarding the side door leading to the palace. Because the main entrance is usually closed, it can only be opened when a virgin enters the palace.
King Atahualpa came to the door and whispered slowly to the two priests guarding the door, "I am very lonely and want to talk to the goddess."
The priest quickly said politely, "Please come in, Your Majesty."
King Atahualpa walked along a passage. It was very quiet inside, with almost no people in sight. But the palace is like a garden, with all kinds of trees, flowers, plants, birds and animals dotted everywhere in front and behind the house. Like the Sun Temple, they are all made of gold and silver.
He walked to the main hall and saw a wooden door of the main hall half closed and half open, so he entered the door. As soon as I entered the door, I saw a pool in the main hall that could accommodate more than ten people. The water in the pool is very clear and steamy, like hot spring water. Through the floating heat, you can see three young women sitting naked in the pool, talking and laughing while taking a bath. Because the Incas often bathed in canals and ditches, and some people in mountainous areas were accustomed to not wearing clothes, it was not surprising to see men or women naked.
The king came to the edge of the pool, greeted the three young women and asked, "Is the water in the pool hot?"
At this moment, all three young women turned and saw him. Because there is no way there is a man in the Virgin Palace. If a man comes, it will naturally be the Inca King. So, a woman said to him, "Your Majesty, are you here?" In fact, they didn't know him, but they knew that the only man who could enter here was the king.
Atahualpa said quickly, "I want to come over and see you." Then he asked, "Can I take a shower with you?"
The young women all said, "Okay." And one woman said, "I will undress the king." After saying that, she went up from the pool to the edge of the pool, wiped her body full of moisture with a towel, Then he helped the king take off his clothes. The king took off his clothes, got into the water, sat among the three young women, and talked to them while taking a bath.
The bathing pool was made of gold plates and shone with gold. The water in the pool is hot spring water, warm and smooth, exuding the smell of sulfur. The three women bathing are all young, about seventeen or eighteen years old, and they are all very beautiful, with very graceful figures, but their beauty is different, just like three beautiful fairies, which makes people very happy. It's hard to tell who is more beautiful than who, and who is more gorgeous than who.
He curiously asked them how they were living in this palace, whether they were happy or not, what they ate and what they did every day. They patiently rushed to answer him. He felt that this feeling was fresh, beautiful, and very comfortable. He soaked in the hot spring pool for a long time, felt a little tired, and came out of the pool. One woman dried him diligently, and another put a towel on him and made him lie down on a chair with a backrest. Another woman brought him a bowl of cold water. He happened to be thirsty, so he took the water and drank it all in one breath. He felt that the girl in front of him was very beautiful, and her water was also very sweet, so he asked, "Where is this water that is so sweet and delicious?"
The young woman said, "If the king likes to drink, can I go and bring him a bowl?"
The king said, "Very good, very good."
After a while, the woman brought another bowl of water. King Atahualpa drank another bowl of water. Then he felt that this girl had the most beautiful appearance and the most graceful figure among the three girls, so he pulled the girl away. into his arms and asked her, "What's your name? Where do you live?"
The girl said, "My name is Kagiana, and I live in a small village by the river outside Tomevawa."
As soon as the king heard that the girl's family was from the same hometown as his mother, he naturally became closer and fonder of the girl. He said, "The girl from Tomevava is not only the most beautiful and lovely in the Kingdom of Quito, but also in the entire Inca Kingdom." Then. , and said to the girl, "Do you know why the late king Huayna Capac the Great wanted to attack Quito and capture Quito?"
The girl smiled at the king with an innocent look, shook her head and said, "I don't know."
The king said, "I don't want to get the girl from Quito, because the girl from Quito is so beautiful and cute."
These words were just what King Atahualpa said casually and were not true. However, the innocent and smart Kajiana nodded her head seriously and said, "Your Majesty is really good at talking."
Maybe this girl Kajiana who lives in Tomevawa is really too beautiful and cute. As King Atahualpa talked, he couldn't help but hug the girl and kiss her. But there were two female companions beside her. Kagiana felt that this was not good and would make the female companions feel uncomfortable, so she blocked the king's hand and whispered to King Atahualpa, "If the king is really interested in my little girl, please Come to my little girl’s room.”
King Atahualpa nodded immediately. However, the other two female companions also want to invite the king to their room. The king felt that it was not easy to favor one over the other, so he agreed one by one. So, the three female companions all competed to dress the king. After the king had finished wearing his clothes, the three female companions also put on their clothes, draped their wet long hair behind them, and led the king out of the hall.
After exiting the main hall, walk along a passage next to the main hall towards the back of the main hall. At this time, it was dusk and sunset, and the afterglow of the sun illuminated the palace brightly. The huge Virgin Palace was quiet, not a sound could be heard, and no pedestrians could be seen walking around.
Walking through the main hall, behind are dozens of rows of identical bungalows. Passing by a row of bungalows, the king curiously opened a wooden door and saw an oil lamp burning in the house. An older woman was sitting on the bed embroidering. Seeing the king standing in front of the door, he made Looking surprised and happy, he asked the king to come into the house. However, the king just waved to her, said hello, and left.
Then, he opened the door of another bungalow and saw a very young girl sitting under an oil lamp making a shoe. He stood in front of the door and felt that although the girl was not old, she looked pure, bright and quite lovable. However, the girl looked panicked and shy. Instead of inviting him, she lowered her head. So, he closed the door without interest and continued to walk forward with the three girls.
After passing a few rows of houses, I saw several women. These women were wearing almost the same clothes and the same dress. They looked at him with almost the same curious, strange, bold and surprised expressions, and then hurriedly entered the house. , looking at the king through the crack in the door. Not to mention that the king has never seen a virgin, the virgins have never seen this young king.
The king followed the girls into the room of the girl named Jika. The room is a room of twelve or thirteen square meters. The room was very simple, with only a small bed, a small table and a wooden stool. In addition, almost all items are made of gold, including tableware, drinking glasses, wine bottles, water jars and mirrors. Because the virgin is the wife of the sun, she has a noble status and is qualified to use it. Even the flowers and plants in front of Jika's door are made of gold. There was an oil lamp on the small table and some supplies for women working there. There is also a piccolo made of reeds. When they entered the room, they felt it was a little dark, so the girl lit the oil lamp and asked the king to sit on the small stool. They all sat beside the bed.
The king picked up the piccolo, looked at it, and started playing. This piccolo was the main instrument of the Incas and could only play five notes. But the music and songs of the Incas are mostly about sacrifices and prayers. The music they play has an ancient and long-lasting sense of vigor. The music is simple and repeated, making people feel like the constant flow of river water on the plateau. The cold wind blowing. The Incas were not very good at expressing their love directly to girls, and would often use the piccolo to express their true feelings. Therefore, almost all Inca men can play the piccolo, just like Inca girls can sing and dance. When an Inca young man fell in love with an Inca girl, he would sit in front of the back window of the girl's house or on the slope in front of the door under the starry sky every night and play the piccolo non-stop. Until he brings the girl to him, it means that the girl has fallen in love with him.
The king played a piece of music that was often played in the palace, and Yina often played it to him when he was depressed. He often listened to this piece of music, but although it left a deep impression on him, he had never played it. Since the Incas had no written language, they naturally had no musical notation, but they could play the entire tune according to their musical sense. The king played the piccolo, but the sound was very clear and melodious. Even the girls beside him looked at him with admiration. Yes, others usually played for him, and he had never played for others. However, he now felt that the feeling of playing was more moving and beautiful than the feeling of listening to the performance.
"It's unbelievable that the king can play such a beautiful tune." Jika shouted in surprise.
Atahualpa said proudly, "Do you think the king only leads troops to fight and patrol everywhere?" As he said this, he played another popular Inca folk tune. Listening to the king's playing, the three girls couldn't help but sing and dance.
After dancing, Kajiana said to the king, "I want to sing a folk song from our hometown for the king." Then she sang, "In this world, whoever pursues pearls, honor and laughter, please touch me with your hand. The eyebrows on your forehead, I will make you feel happy. The passing years will never come back, and don’t let your years be empty. If you treat labor as you treat love, then you will definitely enjoy the glances of love, so sweet Condolences.”
Kagiana's voice is beautiful, with a strong native flavor of Tomevawa, and is very emotional. The king listened in silence for a long time, and then said to the girls, "This song reminds me of the time when I followed my mother back to my hometown of Tomewawa when I was ten years old. My mother's hometown is in a small town in the mountains. There are There are many relatives, many houses and yards, and many mountains and rivers. They take me to hunt in the forest, swim in the river, and catch fish in the stream every day. Everything is so interesting. If I could go back During that childhood, I would rather not be the king."
The girl was surprised when she heard this, and Kagiana said, "But the king is the supreme king of the entire Kingdom of Quito and the son of the sun."
The other two girls also echoed, "Yes, the king cannot say such things."
The king did not speak, but played another slightly sad ancient Inca song. When the song ended, the girl named Amaya stood up and said, "It's getting late, it's time to go to my room." So Kajiana blew out the oil lamp, and everyone went out together.
At this time, it was already dark outside, and dim lights were lit in the rows of bungalows behind the main hall of the Virgin Palace. Amaya's house is next door to Kaji's. The items and furnishings in the room are exactly the same, no difference at all. Because the Inca Empire implemented a supply system, monthly food and supplies were received and distributed based on needs. Therefore, except for the different treatment of officials, there was almost no difference between ordinary people and ordinary people.
As soon as Amaya entered the house, she was busy making sweet wine for the king and everyone. This sweet wine is also brewed from corn. It is slightly sweeter and stronger than the Chicha wine in the palace. Amaya scooped out the slurry from a small jar of brewed corn dregs, poured it into a large bowl, and handed it to the king. Then she poured the slurry with the lees into three other small bowls, and then the four of them sat down. At the table, they started drinking and chatting by the light of the oil lamp.
When the king picked up the sweet wine, he felt an intoxicating smell. After a sip, it was extremely pure and sweet. It was the most delicious drink he had ever had. He asked Amaya how to make this drink, so sweet and pure. Amaya said she brewed it herself. Because her father specialized in making wine for local princes and officials. The king drank a large bowl of wine in one breath and wanted to drink more, but Amaya said there was no more wine in the jar. So, the three girls were about to pour their wine to the king. The king didn't want it, but the three girls didn't want him to say anything, so they poured the wine into his bowl.
