Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

Chapter 2100 - 1535: Military Merit Confers Titles—Fairness, Fairness, and Still Fairness!

"Montezuma Suomak! The awarding of titles based on military merit, the redistribution of noble lands, is the guidance of the Chief Divine, and more importantly, the grand policy of the Alliance! The fief in the Clouds will be divided by the valley of Mountain River City, demarcating the east and west of the Cloud. The Cloud in West Mixteco will be enfeoffed to the various Generals of the Western Army, and will include the redistribution of some nobles within the Alliance. Therefore, this fertile land from the Western Cloud to the Seaside is by no means a private transaction granted to the Asar Lineage by the royal central authority! This fief must be fairly distributed according to merit, allotted to all meritorious officers of the Western Army!"The corpse of the Great Chief Yun Chen quietly listened, as the fate of Mixteco Cloud was not determined by the Mixteco people. Hundreds of Alliance nobles and warriors of the Western Army surrounded him, all looking towards the "Prophet" representing the Divine King.

At the center of the crowd, Xiulote, with a solemn expression, faced the questioning of Montezuma II. He raised the Obsidian Feather Crown and held down the obsidian dagger at his waist. He, with a stern gaze, glanced at all the nobles and warriors, while speaking in a deep voice, explicitly stating the Alliance’s laws of military merit.

"The Chief Divine bears witness! The awarding of titles and fiefs based on military merit is the immutable will of the Chief Divine throughout the divine wars; it is the foundation of the Alliance’s divine wars! The compensation in fiefs for nobles migrating out of various city-states of the Alliance and assimilating to newly conquered lands is a long-established policy of the Alliance!"

At this moment, Xiulote used his divine gaze as an Elder Priest to look at each warrior in the army, at those faces which were fierce, fearful, yet hopeful.

He understood very well that Monte II’s doubts themselves were not important; such words of grievance from the other party could not change the grand consensus decided with the Divine King. Monte II didn’t even dare to question the Divine King directly; he could only borrow the "momentum" of the Western Army generals to recklessly complain to him. But the angle of doubt taken by the other party stood in the traditional stance of the great nobility of the Alliance, attempting to unsettle the reform laws of awarding titles based on military merit in the Alliance.

Thus, regardless of how many political balances and considerations in actual policy implementation, or whether anyone was "more fair", Xiulote must publicly maintain, uphold the hard-earned consensus established within the military of the Alliance. He must sternly refute all of Monte II’s questions, reaffirm "fairness, fairness, and damn it, fairness!"

"The Divine King treats everyone equally, fairly awarding fiefs and titles! The Cloud in East Mixteco, including Mountain River City Valley, will likewise be enfeoffed to the meritorious generals of the Central and Eastern Army as agreed, becoming their actual fief territory..."

"The Chief Divine bears witness! As for the two children, Yun Zhong and Featherfall, they are still young and will not have any direct fiefs... They are merely ’nominally’ overseeing the East Mixteco Land, receiving allegiance from the Mixteco tribes, maintaining the Alliance’s princely rule over the hearts of the people in the Cloud! In reality, before they turn fifteen and reach adulthood, they will not come to the Cloud; they will oversee remotely from the Lake Capital City..."

Hearing such an answer, Montezuma II paused for a moment, speechless. Xiulote did not proceed as he had expected, continuing on the topic of "various royal families dividing the Cloud", but rather emphasized the Alliance’s policy of "military merit-based enfeoffment", explicitly stating that the two royal children, Yun Zhong and Featherfall, would not occupy any "direct fiefdoms".

This, in turn, left him without a response. Because the royal family of the Asar Lineage he represented, along with previous "communications" with the Divine King, all regarded the Cloud as promised "princely private lands" which were bound to be directly occupied!

As for these lands being further divided and awarded to various military merit nobles and veteran warriors? Distributing such golden cornfields into the hands of warriors was truly an evil and impure "Tlazolli", truly "sins"!...

After a while, Montezuma II bit his teeth and spoke in a deep voice.

"Xiulote Priest Elder! Since you say everything is distributed based on military merit... then our Western Army suffered the heaviest casualties and achieved the most victories! We conquered Xianggou City and Ye Guo City on the Western path, Ometepec City and River Bean City by the Seaside, and the Puctitlan City on the Central path... Of the eight city-states of the Mixteco, our Western Army took five, and also forced the death of the Great Leader Yun Chen! Based on our military merit, we should occupy seventy percent of the Cloud fief... Thus! The Mountain River City Valley should be given to us! Even if it’s just half of the seaside fiefs..."

"Hmm? The ownership of Mountain River City Valley? Exchange it with half the seaside fief?"

Hearing the ownership of Mountain River City Valley, Xiulote understood instantly. It turned out that the true desire of the Asar lineage was this Mountain River City Valley, the pivotal land in the center of Mixteco!

Indeed, if they only occupied the Mixteco Mountain Forest on the west or the Mixteco Coast on the south, then the royal family of the Asar Lineage would be utterly distanced from the center stage of southern Alliance politics, and also from the Valley of transportation passing between north-south-east-west.

Although they could still enjoy affluence and prosperity on their newly reassigned fiefs, enjoying the favor-rich life of royal nobility, the fief located in such a southwestern remote position would practically detach the Asar Lineage from the center of Alliance politics, akin to going to "Shu". Once the reassignment was fully completed, they would no longer have sway in the Mexica Alliance, gradually becoming as marginal a presence as Jaguar Prince Osellor at Xilotepec, albeit several times stronger.

"Montezuma Suomak! If you wish to speak of military merit, I may as well carefully reckon it with you!"

Xiulote spoke flatly and calmly, with a tone that brooked no contradiction. The Mountain River City Valley, encircled by mountains and rivers, centrally connected, ruling all of Mixteco. The Alliance central authority must certainly integrate it as a direct territory rather than give it to a local prince. This is akin to Great Qin conquering the Chu State, yet dividing "Yingdu Jingzhou" out as a fief, which is simply inconceivable.

"The Chief Divine watches over everything! The Southern Expedition of the three great armies had different battle goals and focuses, and faced enemies of varying strength! The Eastern Army faced the most stubborn Highland Mixteco, conquering the solid Divine Stone City and the impregnable Cloud Mountain City, these ancestral mountain cities of the Mixteco people! Ten years ago, the fortress of Ototpan Mountain City was unbreakable, and six years ago, the arduous siege of Cloud Serpent Mountain City was deeply remembered by all participating nobles and warriors..."

"Furthermore, the Eastern Army led by the Divine King not only conquered these two highland fortresses but also heavily defeated the main force of the Zapotecs, annihilating a whole army of Zapotec warriors! Such victories in siege and enemy destruction represent the most glorious and greatest military merit!"

"Likewise, the Central Army led by Giant Bear Stanley continuously confronted the main force of two to three thousand Mixteco troops, facing off against the Great Leader Yun Chen’s forces. The Central Army held the main force of the Mixteco for nearly three years! A year ago, Yun Chen’s main forces made a brief southward advance, crushing the Western Army... without the Central Army’s holding action, the Western Army would likely not have held even the seaside, directly driven into the sea by Yun Chen..."

Saying this, Xiulote paused and looked at the expressions of the changing, somewhat angry, somewhat ashamed generals of the Western Army, and his tone softened once more.

"Of course, the Chief Divine watching over! The valor of the Western Army is known not only by me, but also by the Divine King! In fact, the naval forces of my Kingdom of the Lake have been fighting alongside the Western Army! The logistics of the Western Army have always been supplied by my Kingdom of the Lake from the sea over thousands of miles. The army of over twenty thousand men warring for three years — have there ever been shortages in logistics? We are brothers fighting together!"

"Outward expeditions in divine wars, the valor and fearlessness of warriors are indeed crucial. But ensuring logistical supply so that warriors can be replenished and continue moving forward is the other half contributing to victory..."

"Currently, even though the naval forces of the Kingdom of the Lake have achieved merits, they will not occupy fiefs in the Cloud. Their achievements require me to provide rewards! Thus, this merit is turned towards my lineage of royal authority, credited to the children Yun Zhong and Featherfall! This is also the basis of their ennoblement as princes..."

"What? The logistical supply of the Kingdom of the Lake should count for half the merit? Ha! Half? I see at most twenty percent..."

"Montezuma Suomak! The logistic achievements of the Kingdom of the Lake, whether it’s half or two tenths, the Divine King will determine! And I can once again promise that the naval forces’ generals will not contend with the Western Army’s generals for any fief in the clouds... As for you, Montezuma Suomak. If you are still unhappy, you can go explain to the Divine King yourself!"

"Ha! The Divine King and the prophet are combined, suppressing all allied states. With the military merits you evaluate, how could I dare have any dissatisfaction? How would I dare to ’explain’..."

"In that case, shut up!..."

Having said this argument of "dividing military merits", Xiulote’s expression sharpened as he mercilessly rebuked Montezuma II. As an alliance prince, Montezuma’s face immediately flushed with anger. But looking around at the generals, seeing their basically persuaded reactions, he had no choice but to grit his teeth, lower his unclear expression, and dared not say anything more.

"Chief Divine bear witness! Anyone else? Anyone else with doubts?..."

Skipping over Montezuma, Xiulote looked at the Western Army generals once more. This time, no one raised any doubts, only bearing complex expressions, showing an uncertain respect.

"Good!... May the Chief Divine protect us, protect us Mexica people!"

"May the Chief Divine protect us!..."

Xiulote nodded slightly, solemnly prayed a sentence, and everyone also bowed in response. Then, he finally, with the Tonsured Guard, carrying the body of Chief Yun Chen, walked towards the royal tent on the eastern mountain top. Behind him, Montezuma II slowly raised his head. That ferocious face, indistinct in the shadow of the mountain, briefly flashed across the blood-red sunset.

"Ha ha! Xiulote, my student! You finally returned!"

"Reporting to you, esteemed Divine King! This is the corpse of Chief Yun Chen! Identity verified, unmistakable..."

"Oh, the corpse of Yun Chen? Let me see his face. Hmm, these sacred cloud patterns... How did he die?"

"It is said to be suicide. Under the siege of many warriors, he pierced his own heart with a sacrificial dagger..."

"Oh! In the midst of the battle, piercing his own heart? That counts as a true warrior!"

In the high royal tent, Divine King Avit, dressed in a light king’s robe, held Yun Chen’s head with both hands, carefully appreciating it for a time. The unwilling, angry, and desperate expression, along with the resolute self-inflicted death, seemed like the "most beautiful" art, "perfectly" fitting the traditional aesthetics of the Mexica.

"Indeed! Truly intoxicating victory!..."

After a while, Divine King Avit finally nodded in satisfaction and put down his hands with an emotional expression. Then he instructed his trusted aides seriously.

"Someone come! Make Yun Chen’s head into a specimen, coat it with a layer of silver, to be one of the most precious collections of the royal family, and send it back to the palace in the Lake Capital City!"

"Yes! Your Majesty Divine King..."

"Hmm? Teacher... Shouldn’t Yun Chen’s body be first sent to the base of Mountain River City, to induce the surrender of the Mixteco remnants in the city?"

"Ha ha! No, there’s no such necessity!"

Upon hearing this, Avit laughed heartily, even the severe brow and eyes revealed complete joy. He laughed, picked up an old tablet from the table, and threw it into Xiulote’s hands.

"Xiulote, look! What is this?"

"This is?... ’The Serpent divine came from the clouds, mated with the divine bird on the Divine Tree, birthing the Cloud Divine Race’... Is this the Mixteco people’s heritage tablet?..."

"Correct!"

Avit laughed, waved his hand, and pointed to the western sky, indicating the distant firelights in the shadow of the night, laughing loudly.

"The Chief Divine protects us! The Mixteco remnants of Mountain River City already sent an envoy yesterday, kneeling to me in surrender, pleading for the alliance’s forgiveness!"

"They have long been out of food, with only ten to twenty thousand left in the city... As long as we sacrifice the Cloud Divine Race among them, distributing the fief to the alliance nobles... The Mixteco Alliance, with its centuries-old legacy, will be declared completely extinct, destroyed by our hands!"