Aztec Eternals

A group of people walked out of the big salt mine. Xiulot let out a long breath, and turned into a faint white mist in the slightly cold and humid wind.

He looked around, the salt mine was built in a valley with dense salt springs, and the low-lying areas were stretches of white saline-alkali soil interspersed with many small brown mounds. The white valley is like a world after snow, and the slightly arched brown mounds are like eyes looking up at the sky.

Xiulot shook his head and brought his thoughts back to the salt mine industry. The need for salt was an important factor in the formation of Mesoamerican tribal confederations. Only the tribal alliance, a more powerful group connection, can make it easier for the large number of Central American ancestors to obtain the necessities of life, whether in war or peace.

These necessary living materials also include cotton to resist the cold, obsidian as a weapon tool, and jade to meet religious needs. Salt, cotton, obsidian and jade are also several strategic materials actively controlled by the Mexica Alliance. In contrast, glittering decorations such as gold, silver, and feathers are not so important.

The boy walked in thought. He accidentally stepped on an arched brown mound, and immediately staggered. The mound looked dense, but in fact it was fluffy, and it immediately sank as soon as one stepped on it. The fluffy salt soil sank into the teenager's ankles, and the soil particles seeped from the edge of the moccasins and fell into the simple lace-up socks.

Xiulot pulled out his feet vigorously. As soon as he walked, the granular salt soil abraded the soles of his feet, and he also felt a little skin irritation. The young man bent down and was about to take off his shoes and socks, but it was as if he had been cursed by an earth spirit. He suddenly opened his eyes wide, fixedly staring at the brown soil in front of him, and fell into deep thought without moving.

"White saline-alkali soil, brown fluffy saline soil, and particles like ant eggs."

Shulot freezes like a sculpture, countless real and illusory fragments flash like fleeting images, and finally freezes in a virtual scene of doomsday survival. He opened his mouth wide in surprise and muttered in a low voice.

Looking at the boy who suddenly stopped, the surrounding samurai looked at each other in blank dismay.

Under the command of Bertard, they drew out their weapons vigilantly, spread out their guards around, and guarded against possible enemies. The samurai chief observed for a while, but did not disturb the boy's "revelation". He just took out his longbow solemnly, pulled it away obliquely, and pointed his arrow at the ground, guarding against the deceptive earth spirits in Mexica mythology. The whole field was suddenly filled with chills, and there was silence between the heaven and the earth.

After a while, Shulot waved to the guards. His expression was unusually serious.

"Go and call the overseer warrior from the saltworks."

The guard bowed his head in salute, and hurried away silently. The boy continued to look at the ground, his eyes flickering, and he was silent in thought.

After a while, the round-faced overseer samurai came from the big salt mine. Looking at the chilling scene in front of him, his forehead was slightly sweaty, and he slowed down cautiously. Then, under the stern urging of the guards, he reluctantly walked to the center surrounded by the warriors.

"My lord priest, I don't know what orders you have."

The round-faced supervisor lowered his head deeply, followed the boy's gaze, but saw nothing.

"What is this brown loose soil?"

Shulot solemnly pointed to his feet.

The round-faced overseer continued to take a look, and saw the boy's feet sunk in the loose soil. He knelt down and saluted with some trepidation.

"Dear Priest, this brown pine soil has nothing to do with the Great Salt Mine! It doesn't appear most of the year, and it's quite convenient to walk on the salt-alkali land. Only when cold days come, such as the current one In the first month, these brown pine soils will suddenly seep from the ground.

Legend has it that this is because the earth spirits in the ground wake up in the cold days. It swims underground, pushing up layers of soil, but it doesn't hurt anyone. And as soon as spring comes, especially when the rain falls, it will fall asleep again. "

Shulot thought for a moment, his eyes lit up. He asked sternly, his voice urgent.

"Is it saline soil?"

The round-faced supervisor looked at the boy's face, and really couldn't figure out what His Highness was paying attention to. He had to be careful to report truthfully.

"This brown pine soil is indeed salty saline soil. But on weekdays, salt workers don't use it to make salt, because the salt made from it will taste bitter and spicy. But hunters from the mountains occasionally come over Dig up some soil and use it to make leather. Since it is not needed in the mine, we don't care about it."

Hearing this, Shulot hesitated for a moment, then stretched out his finger, dipped a little brown fluffy salt soil, and put it in his mouth. He felt it with the tip of his tongue, first it was a normal salty taste, then a bit bitter and slightly spicy. The boy's eyes became brighter.

"What color is the salt made from these soils?" Shulot said with some joy in his tone.

"The color of the salt? The salt...is all white."

The round-faced supervisor lowered his head, secretly wondering if His Highness was deluded by the monsters in the earth.

"Can the salt you make burn?" the boy continued to ask.

"Salt, burning? This...Your Highness, we haven't tried it."

The round-faced overseer was at a loss. He became more and more sure of the guess in his heart.

Xiulot thought about this kind of soil with a solemn expression, and a surprise guess gradually surfaced in his mind.

"Saline-alkali land, brown fluffy salt soil, ant egg particles. Appearing in winter, it is salty, bitter and slightly spicy. This may be. This must be nitrate soil! The most important raw material for making gunpowder!"

Thinking of this, Xiu Luote straightened his back excitedly, and his eyes glowed brightly. He looked up at the bright sky, the sun was setting slightly to the west, and it was still too early to set. The boy paced back and forth twice, then waved decisively and shouted orders.

"Bothard, let's not go to the obsidian mine, let's go back to the saltworks!"

Saying that, Xiulot strode away. As he walked, he asked.

"May I have your name?"

"Honorable Highness, I am Cavale, the noble queen of Tenochtitlan, and I am willing to die for His Highness! Marshal Casar is my uncle, and I was honored to fight against the evil Otomi with you."

For a rich place like the Great Salt Mine, the manager must be a nobleman. Xiulot nodded slightly and asked casually.

"Oh? So it's the nephew of the old man! How is General Casal doing?"

"General Kasar is at home, teaching younger generations with peace of mind. He often told us that the most regrettable thing in his life is that he did not follow the great king earlier. Now he is ready and can lead the army for the king at any time. Fight, fight hard until you die!"

Everyone walked out for a while, and the salt field was already in sight. Overseer Kavale followed respectfully, a body behind Xiulot.

He bowed to reply passionately, changed his address calmly, and at the same time gestured to the saltworks supervisors secretly and quickly. The overseers watched for a moment, then rushed over in a swarm, saluting again one after another. Only the thinnest figure disappeared into the salt pan.

Shulot was silent. The alliance's saltworks have been at peace for a long time, and where the huge interests lie, the top and bottom have been rotten. If the fluffy salt soil is as expected, the salt field must be vigorously improved. Or simply start anew and set up a dedicated military industry department.

As soon as he entered the saltworks, the boy gave a serious order: "Let the salt workers collect the fluffy brown salt soil! Clear out the innermost salt-making field, guarded by warriors. Supervisors, warriors, go outside the saltworks to supervise the work!"

By the salt pond at this time, Moreno was quietly thinking about life and the future. His ferocious face showed a rare confusion and bewilderment. Surrounded by dozens of strong cronies of the salt workers, all with muscular upper bodies shirtless. Everyone accompanied the leader, looking at Yanchi in confusion.

After an unknown amount of time, the sharp sound of conch shells suddenly resounded throughout the saltworks. Moreno came back to his senses, and saw that handsome and ruthless highness go down and come back. He shuddered, and subconsciously pressed his abdomen, where there was still a dull pain.

Soon, an overseer samurai came to order. Everyone put down their work and went to the saline-alkali land to dig brown loose soil for His Royal Highness. Moreno was baffled, but he honestly set off with his shovel, sack, and brothers.

Brown fluffy salt soil is everywhere. In this cold season, salt workers sometimes step on this loose soil for fun, betting who will be dragged away by the spirits underground. After working for a quarter of an hour, everyone filled the sacks, and after a while of killing time, they returned with the large group.

Moreno handed over the bag of salt and soil, and was just about to find a place to rest for a while, when he saw that terrifying warrior commander walking towards him.

"Moreno, Your Highness is calling you! You bring a few experienced salt cookers and follow me inside."

The quiet warrior commander smiled.

Moreno shuddered. He looked left and right, then lowered his head to think about it, and obediently led a few cronies to the inner layer of the saltworks.

The interior of the saltworks has been emptied. In a hidden corner, the fortified elite warriors sealed off the surroundings. The salt workers brought bags of brown salt soil and were immediately driven away, not even the overseer samurai.

Under the guard of everyone, Shulot looked at the brown soil and salt pits and thought. He struggled to recall the knowledge of chemistry in his previous life, with a melancholy expression on his face. If I had known today, I should have studied hard back then.

Far away, Moreno and the salt workers knelt down and saluted respectfully. The young man nodded without any nonsense, and directly ordered them to make salt with brown clay.

Under the strong onlookers of many warriors. The ferocious leader of the salt workers, like a docile domestic dog, began to work tremblingly. He made mounds of salt, then drained the cloudy brine.

Xiulot observed carefully, the salt water had a very light reddish brown color. The young man was slightly joyful and silent.

Then, Moreno lit the fire again, boiling the salt water in the pit dry, and boiled the salt powder mixed with white and brown. Finally, he looked up at the majestic Highness with a confused look on his face.

Shulot observed the salt powder for a while, then stretched out his finger, wanting to taste it again. Bertard pressed his arm lightly and shook his head. Then, he tapped it with his index finger and tasted it carefully.

"Salty, a little bitter, slightly spicy."

The teenager nodded. He took two steps back and asked the guards to light a fire, trying to ignite the salt powder on the ground. The powdered salt burned a little bit, a little flame came out, and there seemed to be very light smoke, and then there was no reaction.

There was a burst of joy in Shulot's eyes, and then confusion. He pondered distressedly, this must be nitrate, but the extracted nitrate content is not enough and there are too many impurities.

"Nitrate, salty, there must be sodium chloride in it. The nitrate in nitrate should exist in the form of nitrate. Since it comes from the soil, it should be calcium nitrate. I learned it in the textbook, and the final soil The nitrate should be potassium nitrate. Then the calcium should be removed first, and if it needs to be precipitated, add plant ash first!”

Xiulot looked up at the sky, trying to continue to recall the vague fragments in movies and books. Relying on the chemical content in the textbook, he deduced the composition of the soil and the final product, considered how to remove unnecessary impurities, and how to obtain the desired raw materials from the mixed soil.

The teenager is constantly thinking and trying. He improved the operating procedures and observed the products of each treatment. Fragments of memory are like fragmented and missing puzzles, which are difficult to put together an effective and complete process.

Moreno sighed inwardly. He was confused, and under the command of His Highness, he carried out various treatments on the soil to extract what "burning salt" from it.

Time is slowly passing by, and the old sun is heading home.

Finally, the clear "salt water" appeared in front of Shulot, and he took a deep breath excitedly. The young man couldn't help but looked at the sky. It was already the sunset, the eve of the old sunset. He then sent his guards back to the capital and told his grandfather that he would not be going back tonight because he was busy with important matters.

As the sky darkened, the warriors lit a bonfire outside. They silently guarded His Highness the Priest, solemnly watching the operation under the "God's Enlightenment", just like watching a mysterious and noble priest.

Moreno was working hard. The bonfire blazed, the "salt water" boiled and rolled, bringing hot steam, and there was a pungent smell on the wind. Beads of sweat covered his fierce face, he scolded His Highness a hundred times in his heart, but he obeyed His Highness's instructions in his hands. Many orders were constantly changing, and the same order was repeated several times, all according to His Highness's wishes, and there was no exact number.

Xiulot looked at the product again. He thought for a moment, and decided that he would rather be busy twice, but also ensure the effect of the process. So, the grim-faced leader of the salt worker made it again until the boy nodded in satisfaction.

Unknowingly, the setting sun fell from the west, and darkness enveloped the earth.

In the dim salt field, there are only burning bonfires, and the light of the fire alternately moves forward in the shadows. The majestic young man was contemplating, the leader of the salt worker was busy with his head bowed, and the elite warriors were guarding solemnly, while the supervisors and salt workers gathered in the distance, frowning and not daring to leave. Whether they like it or not, everyone is witnessing the opportunity of the innovation of the times.

After a long time, the high-concentration "salt water" finally cooled, and layers of white ice-like solids gradually precipitated from the solution. Under the guidance of His Highness, the leader of the salt worker carefully took out the solid crystal of white ice, peeled off the outer layer, gathered it together, and then dried it again. These crystals are so beautiful, crystal clear and translucent.

Holding his breath, Xiulot lit the fire himself, igniting a small amount of dry white ice crystals.

In an instant, a dazzling flame burst out in the darkness, and a thick purple-blue smoke burst out. Everyone backed away in horror, looking at the burning "salt" in fear. Only the boy raised his head and couldn't help laughing loudly!

"This is soil nitrate! Soil nitrate in saline-alkali land, charcoal that can be seen everywhere, sulfur from east and west volcanoes, the era of gunpowder is just around the corner!"

Xiulot laughed and looked up at the starry sky, which was full of stars. Under the bright starlight, the curtain of the era is slowly opened. After the long dark gestation, the dawn is in the not-too-distant future.

And the future tomorrow will be a brand new era. In the flames of the new era, the mighty Mexica will have the power to completely change everything!

A new dawn is being born. Please recommend!