Inca Elegy (Novel) "The Fall of the Inca Empire" (Volume 2) by Zhang Baotong
Although Picardo succeeded Antonio as Pizarro's secretary only for a short time, he was able to win Pizarro's appreciation and trust. He could give orders to soldiers and other officers on many matters without even asking Pizarro. Therefore, not only municipal officials but also army officers regarded him as the second-ranking chief executive after Pizarro. And he himself was often fearless and thought highly of himself. Except for Pizarro, he never looked down on anyone. It was humiliating to have Chavez and Alcantara blame him like this, and they felt angry but couldn't vent it out. So, he walked around the barracks, conveyed Pizarro's order to a cavalry lieutenant, and returned directly.
At this time, although it was already broad daylight, Pizarro had not yet gone home to sleep, because someone had just sent several pieces of information about the movements of the Inca King Manco and the construction of Spanish immigrant settlements. Pizarro has always attached great importance to these intelligence and reports, so he has been waiting for Picardo to come back and read and explain the contents of these intelligence and reports to him.
Originally, he was going to ask the guards to find Picardo, but he didn't expect Picardo to come back so soon. He raised his head and asked Picardo, "How are those people settled?" Picardo said, "They are all arranged in the row of dormitories in the barracks." Pizarro asked again, "How are these people planned to be settled? I heard that they are all arranged in the row of dormitories in the barracks." There are already a lot of immigrants in Guamanga and Vilcas." Without thinking, Picardo said, "Then place them in Arequipa. That city is quite big and can accommodate at least one person. Thousand to two thousand immigrants.”
As soon as Pizarro heard this, he said, "Well, it's up to you to make specific arrangements. However, in addition to giving them more land and houses, you also have to give them more local Indians. Okay." Let them use these Indian slaves to open up wasteland and mine minerals." Picardo said, "Don't worry, Marquis." Pizarro nodded and said to Picardo, "Read this information to me."
Picardo flipped through several pieces of information, and then read the information about Inca King Manco to Pizarro. The information came from Cusco, sent by Gonzalo. The content is that according to a report from an Indian spy who went deep into the Urubamba Mountains, the Inca King Manco has been hiding in a deep mountain forest there. Currently, there are nearly 2,000 soldiers scattered across dozens of miles to recuperate. Manco only had more than a hundred escort troops around him.
Before Picardo could finish reading, Pizarro said, "In that case, why didn't Hernando send troops to attack?" Picardo said, "Why fight him? It's very difficult for our troops to enter the mountains. However, before you could reach us, King Inca had already heard the news and ran away. It’s not like we haven’t pursued and encircled him before, but how often did we not let him run away early?”
Then, Picardo added, "The Marquis has now placed settlements everywhere. With these settlements, it is equivalent to surrounding the Inca king in the mountains. We don't need to bother to find them anymore." Chase them to fight, and you should wait for the Incas to fall into the trap." Pizarro listened to Picardo, nodded quickly and said, "That's that, that's what we mean by building a immigration point."
At present, the Peruvian governor has established immigrant settlements in many places, which are also garrison areas for military conquests. Houses in the settlement are built of solid stone, closely connecting the residences with government departments and offices. The settlers were all Spanish conscripts, and each of them could be assigned large tracts of land and plantations, as well as a certain number of Indian slaves. Among these immigrants were not only many Spanish adventurers, but also many young couples. Their arrival not only opened up large tracts of land, but also protected it. This area quickly became a commercial point, helping to establish an armed force to maintain security order in the local and surrounding areas. When these immigrants arrive, they will be focused on the residential areas of Guamanga, Vilcas and Arequipa. Because Guamanga is located on the main transportation route between Lima and Cusco, Bilkas has a large silver mine, and Arequipa is a large city in southern Peru, second only to Lima and Cusco. . As long as these areas are developed into commercial areas with thousands of people, the Inca King and others can be firmly trapped in the mountains. In fact, Marquis Pizarro's plan and method were very effective. After Gonzalo led more than 200 cavalry to chase the Inca King Manco all the way to the deep mountains and forests of Urubamba, he continued to do so for several months. There was no news of the Inca coming out or harassing anyone.
What follows is a report from Hernando, saying that he is escorting a large amount of silver from the Bilkas Silver Mine on the way to Lima, and will arrive in Lima in about seven or eight days. The silver reserves in the Bilkas mine are so large that silver is worthless there. However, Pizarro knew that as long as these things were sold to Spain or Europe, their value would increase hundreds of times. It was precisely because of the large-scale mining and shipment of these gold and silver mines to the country that the Spaniards discovered a land of gold and silver that they had longed for. This was also the main reason why Spanish people poured into the New World in large numbers.
Listening to this, Pizarro asked Picardo, "I want to send Hernando to escort a batch of gold and silver back to the country, but I am worried that he will be punished by the king for executing General Almagro." Dispose of it." Picardo said without thinking, "Then don't send Hernando, otherwise, just let Captain Gonzalo go." Pizarro shook his head and said, "When it comes to leading troops to fight, , Gonzalo didn’t say anything, but for him to return to the country and deal with the king, it has to be Hernando.”
Picardo said, "Then you can give the king a generous gift. Maybe the king will turn a blind eye to General Hernando's fault and let it go." Pizarro nodded and said, "I think that's the only way it can be. ”
After Picardo finished reading the reports on the table, Pizarro said to Picardo, "I haven't slept all night, so you should go back and get some sleep." Picardo said, "Okay, but, Marquis Sir, it's time for you to go back to sleep. I see that your eyes are a little red." Pizarro said, "Yes, you go back first. I will look at the map and will be back soon." After that, he put a I took out a very old map, found the place called Urubamba, and then fixed my eyes on that place.
Urubamba was all too familiar to him. This place is about 200 kilometers away from Cuscu, in an endless stretch of mountains and ridges, criss-crossed by deep rivers and valleys. Except for the local Indians, no one outside can tell the difference, let alone fight inside. direction. Therefore, the Spanish army pursued the Inca King Manco several times, but returned without success before reaching Urubamba. Therefore, this is also the reason why he wants to build immigrant settlements.
After looking at the map for a while, he felt sleepy and yawned a series of times. Then he rolled up the map and put it on the table, ready to go home and have a good sleep.
However, at this time, the office door was pushed open. In comes Diego Almado. This noble knight was wearing a shabby military uniform, his hair looked as if it hadn't been trimmed for several months, and his beard was long and messy. The whole person looks more like a homeless man in military uniform.
He half-bowed and gave a noble salute to Pizarro, and then said to Pizarro, "The distinguished Marquis Francisco Pizarro. I am Diego Alvarado, Almaguete The guardian of Luo’s son is here to see you today.”
Pizarro glanced at him with disgust and arrogance, and asked displeasedly, "Why are you here with me?"
Diego Alvarado sat down on a chair opposite Pizarro and said in an unhurried tone, "I come to you for the same thing, as the guardian of young Almagro. I think he has the ability to govern his own territory, so I come to ask the Marquis to return the territory that belongs to him. In other words, please return the territory north of Cusco to Almagro the Little. It is up to him to exercise administrative power.”
Pizarro was startled when he heard this, and then immediately replied, "Don't you think this request is too ridiculous?" Alvarado asked seriously, "What's so ridiculous about this? It's located between the Santiago River and The entire area of 1,100 kilometers to the south is under the jurisdiction of Almagro. This is clearly written in the royal appointment letter. This also includes the cities of Cusco and Lima."
Pizarro lit a cigarette, took a deep breath, then sat down on his big wooden chair, and said in an extremely arrogant tone, "But you should understand what kind of person Almagro is. . He is a rebel, a conspirator who wants to overthrow the government through armed rebellion. His crime is unforgivable. For a rebel who attempts to overthrow the government by force, do you think he has the right to make such a request to the government? ?"
Diego Alvarado pointed out righteously, “Almagro’s actions were not an armed rebellion, but an act of desperation when you and your brothers seized the territory that belonged to him and refused to give it back. Actions he was forced to take. He would not have taken such actions if you and your brothers could have given him back the territory that was his."
Pizarro knew that he could not gain the upper hand in the debate with Alvarado, so he became arrogant. He squinted his eyes, kept blowing smoke rings, and said, "Almagro originally had a large piece of land, but the armed rebellion he carried out has caused him to lose everything that should belong to him, so he There is nothing left that belongs to him.”
As he spoke, he threw the map on the table in front of Alvarado and said, "See for yourself, which places are not under my jurisdiction? And which places belong to him?" Luo’s?”
Alvarado picked up the map, glanced at the entire map, then threw the map on the table and said, "I know you want to occupy other people's territory permanently. But don't forget, you and Alvarado The territory of Magro is defined by the king. If you do not return the territory belonging to Almagro to little Almagro, then I will ask the king to arbitrate."
Pizarro said, "It's up to you, but I still want to give you some advice: Don't cry out for a dead sinner. That will offend the living, which is very bad for you!"
But Alvarado stood up and said, "Don't forget your promise. You promised to return the land and property belonging to Almagro to little Almagro." Pizarro said, "Really? But, why don't I remember what I said?" Alvarado said, "You may remember or not, but I will eventually let you give the property and property belonging to Almagro The land will be returned to him." With that, he angrily walked out of the municipal office.
