Aztec Eternals

The long January winds blow down from the high plateaus in the west and blow across the warm Mexica Valley, dry and slightly cold.

Shulot tightened the large priest's cloak a little, and slowly walked towards the priest's temple. In the Texcoco Lakes area, January mornings are around 10 degrees, and on a sunny noon it's a comfortable 20 degrees.

Along the way is the big market of Tenochtitlan. A little chill can't stop the enthusiasm of the crowd. A few days before the New Year's Ceremony on January 12, nobles and commoners from all four fields and eight villages flocked here. The big market in the main city is crowded with people, at least 30,000 people trade here. The trade plaza in Beicheng is even more astonishing, with a transaction scale of 60,000 people.

Xiulot kept an eye on the transactions in the market. The villagers are always rough and barefoot, carrying all kinds of vegetables and grains, as well as fruits, spices and even honey picked from the mountains, looking for suitable trading partners. Their purpose is very specific, usually to exchange stoneware, pottery, tools and cloth.

Xiulot stood and watched for a while, the value of the same piece of cloth was not fixed at all. Sometimes it can be changed to a turkey, sometimes it can be changed to a turkey plus half a bag of black beans, and sometimes it can be changed even more.

"Your turkey is too small. If you want to replace this piece of cloth, you need to add some extra head. Just this pot of honey in your hand!" The cloth merchant seemed casual and careless.

The farmer hesitated slightly. He looked around, but couldn't find anyone to ask, so he tried to refute it himself.

"That's not okay, honey is not so easy to get. People in the village say that people in the city are transformed from hummingbirds, and they love honey by nature. A jar can be exchanged for a piece of cloth. And my jar is worth a large piece of cloth. "

The cloth merchant laughed.

"For a piece of cloth? Why don't you become a samurai and grab it directly. Your jar is broken, who would want you? I'll return the jar to you later."

The farmer was slightly embarrassed. He stood where he was, holding Honey and just shaking his head.

The cloth merchant looked at it for a while before speaking impatiently.

"I just want to taste the sweetness. I'll give you half a piece of cloth. It's fine if you don't change it. I'm still busy!"

After finishing speaking, the cloth merchant turned around, not knowing what work he was busy with.

The farmer stood for a while longer, looked at the merchant's side face, and then spoke anxiously.

"Change. I'll change! But agree, this jar has to be returned to me."

The cloth merchant raised his eyes slightly and smiled slightly.

"You can pay for the pot. But the turkey is too small and you need to buckle some cloth, a total of one and a half." He said, and handed one and a quarter of the cloth to the farmer.

Xiu Luote secretly calculated in his heart, saying that it was a quarter of a horse, but it should be only a little more than a fifth. There is no standard scale to measure here in the market either.

The farmer gave the turkey and the honeypot to the merchant. He watched the merchant pour the honey into a good clay pot, and happily left with the cloth and the chipped pot.

As soon as the peasants disappeared, the cloth merchant immediately rushed to the market with the honey pot in his arms, letting the people around him watch the stall.

Shulot followed silently. Watching the cloth merchants come to the border of the inner market, only to be blocked by the guarding warriors. He waved vigorously to the inside and shouted softly. A big businessman in gorgeous clothes came leisurely.

"Look, fresh honey! This is the favorite of the nobles, and I managed to get it with great difficulty."

The cloth merchant bowed his head and smiled.

"As long as you have five bolts of spices, I will sell them to you."

The big businessman shook his head lightly.

"Five bolts of spices, you can eat it yourself. If you can't enter this inner market, you can't sell things to nobles. How dare you want to extort my things!"

The smile on the cloth merchant's face stagnated, and then he continued to laugh.

"Isn't this still negotiable, tell me a price!"

The big businessman held out three fingers and said nothing.

"It's not going to work, I bought three bolts of cloth." The cloth merchant yelled.

The big merchant glanced at the cloth merchant contemptuously, but the other party immediately fell silent.

"Well, let's take a step back, four pieces of cloth!" The cloth merchant shouted through gritted teeth.

The big businessman turned and left.

"Okay, okay! Three horses will be three horses. I want herbs for home use! I know the price!" The cloth merchant shouted distressedly.

The big businessman then turned around and nodded slightly. He recruited a guard and gave a few orders. After a while, the guard came over with a small cloth bag, which contained a handful of processed herbs.

The cloth merchant counted, and a smile appeared on his face. He bowed to the big businessman, and hurried to his stall. Shulot watched from a distance. He frowned slightly, the price of these herbs seemed to be much cheaper than what he knew.

Xiulot thought for a while, then slowly followed the richly dressed businessman, watching him walk to a luxury shop. The shops here all have cloth tents, and he walked under the cloth tents to completely cover his hands. When he came out again, he already had an exquisitely crafted stone bottle in his hand.

Soon, the big businessman also left in a hurry. With a friendly smile on his face, he walked to the foreign merchant's shop, found a big noble in the city, and saluted respectfully.

"My lord. Today is really blessed by the patron saint. I received a jar of fresh nectar. This is collected by hummingbirds from near the king's garden. It should be dedicated to such a noble person as you."

As he spoke, he bowed his head deeply, holding the stone bottle containing honey in both hands.

The nobleman was slightly taken aback. He waved behind him. An experienced servant came over respectfully, bowed to salute, and then took the stone bottle. The servant inspected the quality of the honey, then leaned forward again, and whispered respectfully to the nobleman.

After listening, the nobleman nodded in satisfaction, and waved casually again. The servant accepted the honey and gave a small tube of gold dust worth ten bolts of cloth.

The big businessman saluted respectfully again. Then he lowered his head, took the sand with both hands, and walked back with a smile.

Xiulot stood sideways at the booth next to him, lowering his head to avoid being recognized by the nobles.

Soon, the big businessman hurried past him, bringing up a breeze. Vaguely, Shulot saw an angry face with a smile on it.

"Smart old guy, miser!" The big businessman lowered his head, leaving behind a faint whisper.

Xiulot thought for a while. He continued to wander in the inner market and came to the shops of foreign merchants. After a while, he realized how insignificant the big businessman's transaction was just now.

As the New Year festival approaches, foreign businessmen have also brought out their best products. These multinational businessmen are the real big businessmen.

Tarasco merchants wore moon decorations, considered evil by the Mexica, and sold expensive Western bronzes. A copper pot the size of an arm requires at least twenty bolts of cloth.

Vastec merchants wear only shells and feathered cloaks, selling brightly colored northern feathers. A draped feather coat is worth fifty bolts of cloth.

Mixtec merchants wear fine gold and silver jewelry and sell the beautiful gems of the South. They only accept gold and silver, and a turquoise costs half a bag of gold dust. These sands will be reprocessed by them into expensive gold jewelry.

Mayan merchants had a distinctive shape. Their slender heads and sincerely crossed eyes are the hallmarks of their divinity. The sacred smoke rises slightly from their booths, a bag of cigarettes is a bag of gold sand, and the price of exquisite spiced smoke is doubled.

These foreign businessmen are grouped according to the region and form an autonomous group in the trading area, similar to a chamber of commerce. There are three duty judges and one inspecting judge in the inner market, plus a dozen accompanying warriors. Judges are responsible for maintaining order in the market and combating theft and shoddy goods.

Xiulot stepped forward and revealed his identity. Immediately, amidst the other party's sincerity and fear, he asked about the situation of the foreign caravan.

"What do these foreign merchants mainly come to sell in the big market?"

"It's mainly a variety of luxury goods. Divine smoke, spices, embroidery, feather clothes, gems, gold and silver ornaments, copperware. By the way, there are also carmine dyes." A judge on duty reported in detail.

"That's right. Then what did they buy?" Xiulot asked seriously.

"The Tarascos will take away a lot of cloth, and the well salt in the state. The Vasthecs will buy some exquisite musical instruments and flowers, as well as some weapons and equipment. The Mixtecs will take away a lot of gold and silver, Sometimes cotton armor is also bought. As for the Mayans, they want everything."

The law enforcement officer on the other side rushed to answer, smiling.

Hearing the name of the product, Xiulot frowned slightly. He continued asking: "What is the number of transactions per day?"

The judges were silent. They only have four people plus a dozen assistants, and they have to manage a large market of 30,000 people. Obviously, the statistics are far beyond their capabilities.

Xiulot thought for a while, then changed the question.

"How do you collect taxes?"

"There is no tax in the outer market. Each merchant in the inner market will pay a market fee. Local merchants usually pay in kind, and foreign merchants like to pay for common cloth. Their business groups will coordinate with us to pay the amount, and pay it once in a while .” An elderly judge on duty reported.

"So, we neither limit the types of commodity transactions, nor can we control the quantity of commodity transactions. The commercial tax is very meager and has nothing to do with the amount of commodities. And in the market, foreign merchants are autonomous?"

Shulot looked serious, looking at the old judge on duty.

The old judge bowed his head. He heard the meaning of the reprimand, and hurriedly explained.

"All the city-states do this. Those figures are impossible to count, not even the Mayans. If some merchants bring enough supplies, we will also collect a batch of more goods."

Shulot thought for a moment. Law enforcement forces are insufficient to grasp the figures. Businessmen must have many ways to evade taxes, but they have no way to criticize judges. He continued to ask.

"Then how do you measure the value of the goods on both sides of the transaction? If there is a dispute in the transaction, how will you manage it?"

"Value? Dispute?" The sole inspecting judge was slightly taken aback. He thought for a moment.

"We generally know how much the various commodities in the state are worth. Foreign merchants need to negotiate with their business groups. As long as the two parties to the transaction are willing to each other, the transaction will be established without interference.

If there is a dispute between the two parties, we will check the item quality and quantity, shoddy and the thief dies. If the transaction can be terminated, both parties shall return their respective items. If the dispute is really unclear, let the two parties fight a duel, the loser will die, and the winning party will win. "

Hearing this way of handling, Xiu Luote was expressionless and speechless. He pondered for a moment, then continued to ask.

"What if foreign businessmen encounter vendettas and robberies here?"

The inspecting judge has the highest status, and he is still the one to answer.

"Vendetta is prohibited in the capital city. Those below the great nobles will die. The duels witnessed by the God of War can be carried out. As for those beyond the Seven Bridges, the alliance will ignore them. In the face of small groups of bandits, large caravans can usually resist them." .”

Speaking of this, the examining judge looked around. Immediately, he smiled respectfully and lowered his voice.

"Your Highness, if you are interested in any product, you can ask for it directly from foreign merchants. If you do it outside, it will always leak the news and damage your reputation. After all, you are a great person who wants to inherit the alliance! Ordinary nobleman Can't compare to you."

Shulot was slightly taken aback. Thoughts turned in his mind, listening to this meaning, there are big nobles intercepting and killing foreign businessmen? He looked at the inspecting judge, who bowed his head in greeting, but did not speak again.

Shulot pondered for a moment, then smiled and nodded to the examining judge. Then, being sent off by the other party, he left the capital city market. He thought about what he had seen and heard in the market, and recalled the memories of the past. Ideas flickered in his mind and turned into formed suggestions.

It was already noon when we arrived at the priest's temple. The priests and elders are getting old, and they are a little tired after discussing and formulating the teaching law all morning. Now, the elders are eating snacks, drinking some cocoa and light wine, and discussing the trivial matters of life in the capital.

A priest and elder in the capital smoked the magic smoke comfortably, and the air was filled with the relaxing atmosphere of tobacco and spices. The other elders of the capital city are used to it, but the elders of the Holy City frowned slightly. Shulot looked at his grandfather. He recognized a trace of hidden dissatisfaction from his grandfather's face, and remembered his grandfather's teachings in the holy city, so he was convinced.

Seeing Shulot, the elders all smiled and saluted, and Xiulot also smiled and bowed his head in return, and the atmosphere was harmonious for a while.

Then he sat down beside his grandfather. The grandfather stroked the boy's head and smiled slightly. Next to the grandfather, there was Akap at a distance. He smiled and nodded to the boy, sitting between the priests of the capital city and the holy city.

Xiulot first asked his grandfather.

"Honorable High Priest, how is the teaching progress this morning?"

"My child, in the morning we discussed the daily code of conduct of the royal family, nobles, warriors, and commoners. It was stipulated which behaviors are worthy of respect, which behaviors should not be interfered with, and which behaviors are expressly prohibited.

The advice you gave me last time was very good. In order to save life and wealth, large aristocrats and below will strictly prohibit large-scale gambling in the future. Warriors and civilians were not allowed to participate in gambling or games involving life. Except for duels witnessed by the Lord God. "

Shuttle nodded with a smile. He looked at the boy gently.

"My child, do you have any advice to say?"

Shulot pondered for a moment, then solemnly saluted his grandfather. This action attracted the attention of other elders, and everyone paid attention. Shuttle also straightened up, looking solemnly.

Only then did Xiulot speak slowly:

"Honorable High Priest, I propose to reform the law of commerce.

First, unify market regulations. Establish written trading regulations and dispatch magistrates who are familiar with the regulations to mediate trade disputes.

Second, manage currency and weights and measures. Integrate existing cocoa, cotton cloth, gold and silver, agree on an appropriate exchange ratio, and dispatch currency exchange managers. Try to unify the units of length, weight and volume.

Third, manage market prices. Establish benchmark price signs in the market, mark pictures and texts, send people to explain daily, and provide farmers and civilians with basic references for commodity prices. Keep abreast of the merchants' commodity prices and control them if necessary!

Fourth, strategic materials management and control. Guan Shanhai. Control the outflow of salt, cotton cloth and weaponry, hoard copper and tin mines for making bronze weapons, and leather for making leather armor. Send a large number of manpower to manage the market, and if necessary, you can force the purchase of important materials!

Fifth, control luxury goods. Purify customs and forbid commoners and ordinary warriors to spend their wealth on expensive luxuries. Increase business tax, do not restrict the use of luxury goods by nobles and priests, but increase taxes on luxury goods.

Sixth, control Shenyan. Shenyan can treat diseases, but it can also make people addicted and lose vitality. Warriors and priests need to strictly abide by the precepts, and if not necessary, they should try to stay away from the magic smoke.

Seventh, manage foreign businessmen. Hunt down foreign spies and prohibit businessmen from approaching military sites. Cancel the autonomy of foreign business groups and require them to provide strategic materials needed by the alliance. Guarantee their safety in the city-states of Mexico, and dispatch troops when necessary to conquer the "bandits" along the way! "

After the seven points were finished, Xiu Luote bowed his head to the ground and paid homage. There was silence all around, and the elders had solemn faces and shocking eyes.

And High Priest Shuttle was at the top. He stared at the young man in front of him with a serious expression and a calm and thoughtful face. In the end, he smiled faintly.

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