Inca Elegy (Novel) "The Fall of the Inca Empire" (Volume 2) by Zhang Baotong
To celebrate a series of recent victories. On this day, the Inca King Manco decided to hold a relatively major garden activity, which was to take the prince and his entourage on a spring outing around the town. After breakfast in the morning, nearly seventy or eighty people of all the princes and entourage, as well as some officers, gathered in front of the compound where Manco lived, waiting for the Inca King Manco.
At noon, Manco came out of the compound with Princess Okoro, Tapalaka and their attendants. Then, everyone surrounded the king and princess and walked towards the road to the north of the town.
Winter turns to spring, and spring is cold. After a long period of gloomy and cold weather, the long-lost sunshine finally shines into the small town of Guamanga. The sunshine is golden, warm and bright, shining on the town and the surrounding mountains, giving people a sense of novelty and joy like the beginning of spring after a long winter and the awakening from a long dream. The town also seems to have a new look and become more alive. The branches on both sides of the road are glowing with new green. The surrounding peaks and slopes have been dyed green by spring. Wherever the spring breeze blows, people can smell the freshness and intoxication. breath.
As King Inca walked, he asked Princess Okoro, "How long have we been here?" Okoro said, "It's been three months." Manco said, "The winter here is really cold." Okoro said Said, "Yes, but it's better now. Look how beautiful the sunshine and spring scenery are!" Manco said, "You haven't been out in the three months since I came here. Today you can take a good look at the scenery." Okoro said, "Yes, you are busy all day, and it is rare to have such leisure time."
After leaving the town, we went up to a small mountain. From the small mountain, we could see farther away. There are still mountain peaks and valleys in the distance. However, these peaks and valleys are all green and varied, and in some places there are rivers, creeks and small waterfalls.
Going down the hillside, there are patches of cornfields. Some of these corns have just sprouted, and some are already as high as their waists. Walking around the outskirts of the town from a path in the cornfield, you can see a small stream flowing past the town. The stream is clear and flows very slowly. It flows from the deep mountains and then flows into the deep mountains. among. The sun shines next to the creek, the boulders are warmed by the sun, and there are many beautiful flowers swaying in the breeze among the green grass.
Okoro took Tapalaka's hand and together they came and sat down on a smooth and clean stone beside the creek. They put their hands and feet in the cold stream and started playing, watching the princess enjoy herself. Manco and his entourage stopped, sat on stones or on the grass, rested and waited.
The sight before him reminded Manco of the gardens and hot springs at the foot of Tambo Palace. He said to the two concubines, "Now that the spring is warm and the flowers are blooming, I wonder how the flowers in the golden garden at the foot of the Tambo Palace are blooming?" Tapalaka said, "Although I was there a few days ago, I have been I haven’t been out of the palace compound, so I’m afraid the flowers there have already bloomed.” Okoro said, “Yes, when can I go back there? I really miss it after being away for so long.”
Speaking of this, Okoro added, "I think back then, you took me and Princess Moteri, as well as Princess Sankara and Princess Surakma to visit the park to see the scenery, enjoy flowers and play in the water. It was such a wonderful time. It’s a pity. It’s a pity that that time can never come back.”
After listening to this, Manco sighed softly and said, "I will let you return to that beautiful time." But Okoro shook his head and said, "Princess Motelli is no longer here, Sang Princess Kara and Princess Surakma have been separated since the breakout, and their whereabouts and life and death are unknown. With their absence, no matter how beautiful the scene is, it can only make people recall the scene and pity the past." Manco said, "The country has been destroyed. People died, relatives were separated, all this was caused to us by the Spaniards.”
While King Manco was talking to the two princesses by the stream, a prince came over with a messenger. The postman took out a delicate knotted rope from a cloth bag and handed it to Manco. Manco looked at the knotted rope for a while and was shocked. He quickly asked the prince, "Where is Mokwa now?" The prince replied, "Didn't the king send him to lead troops to Haoha?"
Manco said to the prince, "I'm asking you where he is now?" The prince shook his head and said he didn't know. Manco said to the prince, "Immediately send someone to inform Mokwa. No matter where he is, he must rush back to Guamanga at an urgent speed." The prince replied, "Yes, my great king."
Seeing Manco in such a panic, Okoro asked, "What happened?" Manco whispered, "Prince Huajical sent urgent information saying that Gonzalo was rushing to the city with three hundred cavalry. Here, it is said that we will arrive in one or two days at most. You want me to lead the soldiers to evacuate Guamanga immediately." Upon hearing this, Okoro asked anxiously, "Then what should we do?" Manco did not answer immediately. Instead, he said to a prince next to him, "Immediately notify the prince and the general to hold a meeting in the council hall, inform the troops to be prepared to evacuate immediately early tomorrow morning, and increase sentries and soldiers to guard the dangerous passes on both sides of the north and south, especially Strengthen the vigilance and guarding at night." The prince replied, "Yes, my prince." Then he trotted away from here.
News quickly spread among the people around the Inca king. When they heard that Gonzalo had arrived quickly with more than 300 cavalry troops, everyone panicked. Everyone gathered around the Inca King, waiting for the King to come up with a solution. But Manco did not show the slightest panic or confusion, but calmly said to his entourage, "Don't panic, everyone, Pizarro is going to send a large force to attack us. This is what we have expected. You guys. Think about it, we cut off their road between Lima and Cusco, killed their people, attacked their mines, and burned down their settlements. How could he not retaliate against us? "
Then, Manco said to everyone, "But don't worry, they still have a day or two to get here. By the time they get here, we will have already gone into the mountains."
After hearing this, everyone felt relieved. But everyone had no intention of continuing to play, so they surrounded the king and started walking towards the town.
Back at the residence, guard Tusak followed Manco into the house. When Manco saw the guard entering the room, he asked, "What's the matter with you?" Tusak said, "Your distinguished king, I think the letter from Prince Wakikar is very urgent. It seems to ask you to evacuate Guarana immediately. Manga." Manco said, "That's true, but we have a dangerous pass at the top of the mountain. I have also sent people to strengthen the defense of the pass. The Spaniards can't fly over."
However, Tusak was still a little worried and said, "I advise the king to evacuate immediately. Don't wait for the Spaniards to come and evacuate in a panic." But Manco said, "I also want to evacuate earlier, but don't wait for the Spaniards to come." Kwa went to Haoha with a large force, and it is logical that he should come back. I want to wait for them to come back so that we can retreat together."
Tusak said, "I don't know where Mokwa is now. There is no need to wait for him. Besides, the safety of the king and the princess is more important than anything else. Please think about it again and again." Manco said, "I understand. You Let the guards make all preparations. We will retreat into the mountain after breakfast tomorrow." Tusak said, "Yes, my king."
After Tusak went out, Okoro said to Manco, "The king should consider Tusak's words carefully and be on the safe side in everything. He has been at war with the Spaniards for many years. The king should know the Spanish's cunning and unexpected ways." .They would not have been able to destroy the Inca Empire without resorting to trickery and deceit.”
Manco said disapprovingly, "The Spaniards are not gods. They cannot fly over from other places all at once. Don't worry, my princess." But Okoro still said, "Anyway, I am always panicking. It always feels like something is going to happen." Manco said, "Take Tapalaka back to the house to rest, I will call the prince and general for a meeting soon."
At this time, someone reported that the princes and generals were already waiting in the meeting hall. Manco then came from his room to the big room next to him. Four or five princes and one of Mokwa's generals were present. Seeing Manco enter the room, everyone present immediately knelt down and saluted. Manco tells everyone to get up. Everyone got up from the ground and slowly sat on the wooden chairs around them.
Manco told everyone, "It is expected that the Spaniards will come to attack and suppress. However, we did not expect that they would come so quickly and urgently. Therefore, we must be fully prepared."
Then, he added, "The thing that worries me most now is that Commander Mokwa took the main force to Haoha and has not returned yet. And we have less than a thousand soldiers here now. If we really follow the tribute Salo's three hundred cavalry would definitely be vulnerable when they met, so I decided to retreat to the deep mountains and forests before the Spanish arrived, so that the Spanish could travel a long distance and then return in vain."
"For this reason, I ordered General Sapa to lead the soldiers to protect the retreat of the princess and I, and ordered Prince Yuri to rush immediately to the small village of Vicuna next to the deep mountains and forests to prepare a residence for the princess and I. I ordered Prince Paikra to rush to the Tambo Palace. Inform Prince Wakikar to be ready to welcome the princess and I back to the palace." After listening to Manco's layout and arrangements, everyone respectfully replied, "Yes, my king." Then, they split up and started to perform their tasks .
