Aztec Eternals

The red sun hangs down from the mountains in the west, and ripples on Lake Texcoco. Twilight turns into rosy clouds, shining at the end of the sky. As dusk falls, smoke rises again from all over the capital, accompanied by continuous evening prayers and praises, like the Lord God's kingdom of God on earth.

The main hall is majestic, and the high priest occupies the high seat, calm and relaxed, handling daily religious affairs.

In the middle, the envoy of King Avit came once. The king's envoy met Prince Tracopan, and after confirming Tracopan's arrest, he left quickly. Now, the royal warriors in the capital have already been mobilized to assist in the suppression of the rebellion in the city-state of Tracopan.

Xiulot sat cross-legged, flipping through the documents at hand, thinking about the direction of further reform.

"Allied Gyeonggi households Qimin, included directly under. Taxes and tributes are about 40% of the annual income, which is quite heavy. In the three city-states of the west, south, and north, the local nobles can receive 2.5-30% of the annual income as tribute The royal family and the priesthood receive the remaining 1-1.5%. The tribute received by the local and the central is roughly around 7:3. As for the more distant enfeoffed city-states, the ratio of tribute between the local and the central will be further Lean towards the local nobles."

Seeing this, Xiulot was silent. The Lake Kingdom is located in the west of the world, the farthest away, and receives preferential treatment from the alliance. In order to calm people's hearts, the kingdom's taxation and tribute is slightly more than 30% of the annual income. The tribute paid to the alliance every year is less than 0.50% of the annual income.

Of course, whether it is an alliance or a kingdom, farmers in villages and towns must accept the command of the village chief and priests and perform various corvees. For example, building canals, making stone tools, cutting down trees, mining stones, and transshipping food as the end of the country's rule, it is impossible for farmers to be at ease.

"The capital city in the lake is rich and prosperous, located in the world. The main city is full of nobles in fine clothes and feather crowns, possessing the most wealth in the world. The northern city has an extremely prosperous trading market, which trades the world's most commodity gems, jade, obsidian, Gold and silver ornaments, copper and pottery, feathers and costumes, spices and herbs, cotton and cocoa, wood and stone, salt and grain, and all kinds of servants are traded in this huge city."

Shulot recalled the prosperity of Tlatelolco's big market, with a slight smile on his face. Then, with a solemn expression, he looked at the business tax received by the priests.

"Reform the religious law, strictly investigate the smuggling of merchants; centralize the system, and cut off the private trade of the nobles. Now, the daily business tax amount in the capital is astonishing. Even if the loss of the tax collector is not included, it is enough to support two 8,000-man legions! "

Xiulot secretly marveled. Without the profitless gem trade and the hugely profitable copper trade, the commercial tax of the entire Lake Kingdom would probably not be comparable to that of the capital of the alliance. Then, he raised his eyebrows, and after recording the simple figures of the commercial tax, there was a line of comments in small print.

"Suspicious here. Normal here"

"This is the evaluation after audit by the senior priest who is good at counting in the priesthood."

The high priest smiled.

"For the commercial tax of various traded goods, it will be counted every 3-4 months. The elders of the high priests generally know how much the tax collectors in the markets in the capital have corrupted."

Xiuluo nodded. He looked at the list of tax collectors, and was quickly attracted by some markings. Under the name of the gem trade, there is Mace, a tax collector, who has doubts every time he evaluates it, but never takes it any further. Under the name of the copperware trade, another tax collector, Lama Kui, has only one doubtful point, which is the sacrificial mark of a skeleton.

"This is."

"Huh? Oh"

The high priest took a look and explained calmly.

"Metz is in charge of the gem trade, and he always accepts bribes from merchants. But the amount should not be large, and there has never been a problem. And La Magui sold a batch of military funds privately in the controlled copper trade. The Mixtecs were sacrificed after they were found out. As long as they don’t delay the important event, the high priests don’t care about the corruption of the missionary priests. But if they violate the alliance’s bottom line, they will only end up as sacrifices!”

"Um!"

Shulot lowered his eyes calmly and nodded in agreement.

When the water is clear, there will be no fish. For the feudal bureaucrats, we can't ask too much. In the kingdom's taxation, 20-30% loss is common, and it is usually shared by the various levels of the system. 40% to 50% of the loss will be scolded harshly, and there should not be too much. And more than 50% of the loss, or the delay of military affairs, will be held accountable and directly sacrificed to the main god!

After reading the alliance documents, Xiulot sighed insignificantly. He stood up and looked at the already dark sky. A line of torches appeared from the west of the capital, swaying and approaching, and hurried towards the temple area.

"The team from the west came straight to the priest's hall."

Shulot watched carefully for a moment, saw the shiny cloth-covered copper nails on the first few people, and said with certainty.

"High Priest, the arrest has come to fruition!"

The high priest nodded slightly. He summoned several priests and moved all the books and documents in the main hall back to the confidential side hall. Then, the high priest sat upright, wearing a feather crown and holding a scepter. Shulot stood aside, waiting quietly.

"Lord God bless!"

Elder Yazar, covered in blood and wearing a bronze armor, strode to the entrance of the main hall and bowed his head in salute. The battle stick in his hand hung down, and the bright red dripped down, splashing on the stone steps outside the hall, leaving a long mark.

"Dear High Priest, the capture of Tlacopanbang went well!"

Hearing this, Xiulot looked sideways. Yazar, the Elder of the God of War, was over forty years old, wearing thirty kilograms of armor and holding a several kilograms of heavy baton. He still walked vigorously and moved calmly and powerfully. The war priests of the Lord God have always received professional training and are always ready for war. They are all armored warriors who can be strong and sharp, not weak priests.

"Lord God bless! Very good, Elder Yazar, you have worked hard!"

The high priest nodded in satisfaction and waved his staff. Several temple warriors stepped forward to help the elder God of War remove the bronze middle armor and remove the obsidian baton at the same time. In the hall of priests of the main god, usually only the sacrificial obsidian dagger is allowed to be carried.

Elder Yazar didn't mind, put on the priest's robe, walked into the hall, and laughed heartily.

"Haha, the decision of the high priest is very decisive! More than a dozen nobles of Tracopan, as well as several priests from the gods, were all wiped out! The temple guards came suddenly and quickly arrested them. Resist. The great nobles were too late to prepare, and had no time to mobilize the family warriors, so they were directly taken down!"

Then, Elder Yazar looked serious and nodded slightly to Shulot.

"Witness of the Lord God! Prince Tracopan's information is very accurate. These great nobles and priests did conspire to assassinate, and the time was set at the wedding ceremony of Patriarch Shulot. Depending on the situation, it didn't take long for them to gather together to conspire. Many The preparations are not complete. As for the specific details of the plot, whether other nobles will be involved, further torture is needed!"

"The supreme lord god protects the holy alliance! All blasphemy is revealed in the eyes of the gods, and there is nothing to hide!"

The high priest spoke in a deep voice. He ordered calmly.

"Yazar, hand over the captured noble leaders to the judges of the High Priest. Under the potion of the priest, no secret can be hidden. In addition, send a high priest to the king's palace to report the latest The situation. King Avit should send an advisor to participate in the trial of the nobles."

"Follow you, High Priest!"

Elder Yazar nodded respectfully. Then, he hesitated a little.

"The elders over there."

"Well, the elder is communicating with the gods, so don't disturb them easily."

The high priest thought for a while, and ordered in a deep voice.

"I'll report back to the elder myself after everything has been reviewed clearly."

"Follow your will!"

Thinking of the elder's physical condition, Elder Yazar showed his approval. Then, he asked in a deep voice, without hiding his killing intent.

"High priest, the priests who dare to participate in the rebellion, leave it to me to deal with it!"

"Can."

The high priest glanced at Elder Yazar indifferently, and nodded calmly.

"When sacrificing priests, don't let outsiders participate and affect the prestige of the priesthood."

"do not worry!"

Elder Yazar nodded in understanding.

"The majesty of the Lord God cannot be damaged in any way!"

"Very good! The glory of the Lord God will surely shine on the earth!"

"Praise the Lord God!"

In the darkness of the evening, many high priests prayed loudly together and offered the most sacred praise to the statue of the main god illuminated by the fire.

After evening prayers, the high priests dispersed. Under the escort of dozens of temple guards, Shulot and the high priest walked down from the high pyramid temple to the nearby high priest's mansion.

The night was dark, the flames dispelled the shadows, and everyone headed home. The high priest looked calm and walked steadily. Although he had been busy all day, he did not show the slightest fatigue. The supreme power is the best potion of energy, respected by others, in control of everything, above a million people, naturally inspiring and high-spirited.

Xiulot followed in the footsteps of his grandfather, quietly examining the capital under the night. The lights in the civilian area in the distance are dim, while the aristocratic area nearby is bright. The singing of the dinner sounded in the manors on both sides of the main road, accompanied by bursts of bamboo flutes, praising the prosperity and glory of the alliance. The Mexica aristocrats of this era are full of simple vigor and self-confidence.

The two of them were silent all the way, and came to the High Priest's Mansion. The high priest removed the heavy feather and stone crown, took off the complicated and gorgeous sacrificial clothes, sat cross-legged in the side hall relaxedly, and took a few long breaths. At this moment, he finally let go of the divinity that carried him for a day, and became a kind and kind grandfather again, a skinny and vicissitudes old man.

After a few years, Xiu Luote felt a pang in his heart when he saw his grandfather's white hair and thin body. He called out in a low voice.

"grandfather."

"Sholot, cough, cough, cough!"

The high priest Shuttle smiled gently and coughed twice. He endured it for a day, but now he couldn't bear it anymore and coughed violently. After a while, he took the honey water hurriedly handed over by his grandson, drank a couple of sips, and felt a little better.

"Cough my child, everything I do is for you. I know, you have a lot of questions. There is no one around now, so I just have a good talk with you."

Xiulot stretched out his hands and grasped his grandfather's skinny palm, which was rough and slightly cold to the touch. He looked into his grandfather's eyes sincerely.

"Grandfather, on the way to the east, I heard the complaints of many city-state nobles, calling you 'the blood-colored setting sun, the sacrificer of the gods', and I heard that you issued a decree, and many nobles and priests were exiled. I was Still don't believe it."

Speaking of this, worry appeared in Shulot's eyes. He gritted his teeth and asked in a deep voice from the bottom of his heart.

"Grandfather! When I came to the capital, I saw with my own eyes that you were on the throne and overwhelmed the whole city, leading tens of thousands of believers. Your majesty was even stronger than that of King Avit! You forced the priests and elders to issue decrees, Give me the right to interpret the scriptures; you mercilessly suppressed many nobles in Tracopan, and even held the priests of the western city-states accountable; you also brought secret books, let me browse the religious books of the high priests, The household registration tribute of the alliance, you once persuaded me not to rush for a while, but to slowly manage and cultivate the general trend. But now, why are you so sharp and so desperate? Why, why are you so anxious?!"

"Why should I be in such a hurry?"

Hearing so many questions, the high priest had expected it, and his eyes showed relief. Afterwards, a gentle smile appeared on his face, he looked at his grown-up grandson with pity, and said calmly.

"Sholot, my boy. Because my time is numbered~"

"ah!!"

Hearing this, Xiu Luote was shocked, and his face turned pale in an instant. He held his grandfather's hand tightly, looked at the kind smile, and said with fear and difficulty.

"No! Grandpa you... you won't"

"My boy, everyone has that day."

The high priest calmly withdrew his hand, and gently touched Shulot's cheek.

"The ancestors of the royal family went to the kingdom of gods, the great Montezuma went to the kingdom of gods, and the immortal elders will soon go to the kingdom of gods, let alone me, an ordinary mortal? I have already heard the call of the Lord God, and that day did not Not far away."

"grandfather!"

Shulot lowered his head, and couldn't help but see his eyes getting wet. He lost his mother early and grew up with a heavy burden of memories. In this world, the grandfather who cared about him, raised him, and took care of him since he was a child is his closest relative, even surpassing his father. At this moment, the young king was in a state of disarray, feeling unprecedented fear, and I don't know how to face it. He gritted his teeth and cried out in a low voice.

"Grandfather, the great Montezuma lived to be seventy-two years old, the immortal elder has lived to be ninety years old, and you are only sixty-two years old. In the royal family's inheritance, there must be some way to preserve health. I will go to the king's palace tomorrow , Ask King Avit for it!"

"Ha ha!"

Hearing this, the high priest Xiutel smiled lightly, patted his grandson on the shoulder, and shook his head.

"My child, our Holy City branch is originally a branch of the royal family. Everything is predestined by fate, so what secret method is there? The elders are running out of time, and they are about to go to the Kingdom of God. And I don't have much time. You will have to walk the rest of the way by yourself~"