Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!
Chapter 421 - 209: Map, Story, and Decision_2

The surrendered general Ezpan had remained silent until now, when he finally spoke up in a cold voice.

"Your Highness, the common people worship the three gods and follow the guidance of the priests. The influence of the Royal Family primarily lies among the nobility across the land. If we could subsume the three gods as subordinate gods to the Chief Divine, and then incorporate the low-level priests into our fold, we would be able to stabilize the rural situation. Next..."

At this point, a cold glint flashed in Ezpan’s eyes, revealing a fierce intent to kill, as he slowly made a gesture of slashing a throat.

"Eliminate all Divine Descendants! Completely annihilate all the nobility, and the lands around the lake will be entirely yours!"

Hearing Ezpan’s words, Bertade showed a look of surprise, while the Toltec laughed heartily with satisfaction.

"Excellent, very excellent! The hunting of a wolf pack requires skill. First, exile all the nobility, and relocate them elsewhere. If anyone dares to disobey, then execute them harshly. And once they have left their ancestral lands, their life and death would be but a thought away for Your Highness!"

Bertade gently shook his head. He looked towards the young king, returning to the topic at hand.

"The nobility control the samurai, militia, and manors, so we must handle this delicately... Your Highness, if Su’angua abandons his stronghold and moves to the southwest, could he establish a foothold in the Colima Mountains?"

Xiulote pondered for a while, then nodded affirmatively.

"The Tarasco Kingdom has long been operating among the various Tekos tribes to the south. During this western campaign, we encountered a large number of Tekos warriors on both the northern and southern routes. Captured tribal leaders also made it clear, the tribes on the periphery of Colima have already been subdued by the kingdom. The Tarasco Royal Family is also intertwined by marriage with leaders from various regions, becoming relatives and forming alliances, which gives them significant latent influence."

"If Su’angua were to lead his legion southwest, he could fully inherit the kingdom’s management. Most tribes would not resist, and they would hardly be able to oppose him. Although the Colima Mountains are sparsely populated, they could provide ten thousand samurai and twenty thousand militia. As for the food supply for the legion, he could obtain provisions from the affluent Chapala Lake Region to the north, or covertly align with the Great Nobility of the Tarasco to the south. The mountainside fields could also be planted with coarse grains. As for weapons..."

Xiulote paused, his smile deep with meaning.

"With the right will, Colima can produce the finest weapons."

After listening to His Highness’s analysis, the three great generals fell silent for a moment. Then, it was Toltec who spoke first again.

"Your Highness, would Su’angua truly choose to give up the capital city? The ancestral tombs of the Tarasco, the Royal Palace, the legacy of the Divine Descendants, is all here!"

"That depends on what kind of man Su’angua is, and how far-sighted he is."

Xiulote smiled, suddenly in high spirits. He patted the shoulders of the three commoner generals intimately, and then began to recount the secret past of the Alliance.

"Bertade, Toltec, Ezpan, you are all my right-hand men. There are some hidden histories of the Alliance I can share with you, in the hope you’ll contemplate them. You must certainly know that among the early heroes of the Three-city Alliance, one of them was the predecessor monarch of Texcoco, the great poet King Coyote Nesaval. The poet King’s reputation was outstanding throughout his life, brave and good at fighting, recognized by the Alliance as ’Poet,’ ’Wise Man,’ and ’Devotee.’

"In fact, within the secret traditions of the Royal Family, the poet King, after Itzcoatl, Montezuma I, and Asayacatl, was the most feared ally, minister, and prince by three generations of Mexica monarchs. He was restrained and patient; he could always wait patiently for the right time. His methods were flexible, yet he could decisively execute cruel decisions at critical moments, with a vision that never regarded short-term losses or gains."

Xiulote’s gaze seemed somewhat distant. The pitiless purges of the elders had eliminated the succession of Texcoco princes; the Nesaval lineage was thus extinct. In the near future, Coyote would also completely vanish from epics, erased of all traces.

"In the secret annals of the Royal Family, the early history of the Three-city Alliance is recorded. Over sixty years ago, the Tepanec people firmly ruled over the Mexican Valley. They controlled many city-states and their military might peaked, deploying tens of thousands of samurai to conquer the prosperous City of Texcoco. Coyote barely escaped with his life at the age of fifteen, fleeing to the southeast to Weisoqinke. He stayed in exile for four years while rebuilding his army. Then, at nineteen, the poet King ventured alone to the Lake Capital City, secretly met with predecessor monarch Itzcoatl, and organized the alliance against the Tepanec people. At that time, the other two among the three heroes, the great King Montezuma and the immortal elder, were both nephews of the predecessor monarch and young leaders of the city-states."

"Coyote endured another five years of stoic wanderings. He visited many city-states to expand the anti-Tepanec Alliance, and several times returned to Texcoco to increase the resistance’s strength. Five years later, predecessor Itzcoatl took up arms first, with the poet King joining according to the alliance pact, to fight against the Tepanec’s capital at Askapozhaleike on the west shore of Lake Texcoco."

"In the following months, over a dozen surrounding city-states responded to the Alliance; three armies comprising of a hundred thousand warriors were assembled to punish the iniquitous Tepanec. Many vassals of the Tepanec remained neutral. In less than a year, the once supreme ruler, Tepanec Alliance, was extinguished. The Three-city Alliance declared its establishment, inheriting the rule of the Mexican Valley and embarked on the path of ascent promised by the Chief Divine. And Coyote, the poet King in exile, at last returned in glory after ten years. He recovered the City-State of Texcoco, restored the glory of his ancestors, and even became one of the three monarchs who ruled side by side in the early days of the Three-city Alliance."

Having finished the story, Xiulote broke into a gentle smile. He looked at the astonished crowd and pronounced each word distinctly.

"Although the Alliance is militarily glorious, it has only been established for just over fifty years. The nation’s foundation is not yet stable, and hidden worries are everywhere. Before this western campaign, the Council of Elders met with Aweit and me, leaving behind the sole decree: to avoid future troubles, the Tarasco Royal Family must be extinguished, all male heirs must be executed!"

The generals exchanged glances, then nodded in understanding. The Tarasco Royal Family was primarily concentrated in the Capital City, hence Qinchongcan had to conquer it. The Noble families, always intermarried with the Royal Family, demanded cleanup of the Great Nobility’s manors from all states as well. Next was the assault led by the King, Su’angua.

Xiulote closed his eyes to ponder for a few breaths before abruptly opening them. He stretched out his finger and pressed hard onto the southern heartlands of Tarasco, the furthest southern point of the Lake Patzcuaro area, the prosperous and wealthy copper mining city of Ivachi, also a trade city without walls.

"I’ve decided to temporarily bypass the Capital City, and the legion will move further south! Call together the samurai from all armies and prepare a month’s provisions. The main force of the army will move south immediately, bypassing the fortified Patzcuaro and strike at wealthy Ivachi! This place is located fifty li south of Qinchongcan and has extremely convenient transportation. The army must take control here and then continue advancing, blocking Su’angua’s retreat to the southwest!"

Xiulote made his firm decision. His eyes shone brightly as he looked at the generals in the tent, issuing his command loud and clear.

"Bertade, you go to rally the commanders of all divisions and convey the orders to move south. Toltec, I’m giving you three thousand samurai to serve as the vanguard of the army! Remember, march quickly, stay alert and cautious, and do not stop to plunder! Ezpan, you will coordinate a group of surrendered soldiers familiar with the terrain, and I’m giving you two hundred of the Jaguar Warrior Brigade and five hundred of our most elite scouts to form a reconnaissance camp. Dozens of scouting squads will scatter in all directions for a hundred li, searching for the whereabouts of the Royal Legion!"

The young commander looked stern, confirming the army’s movements. The generals bowed respectfully and accepted the orders. In the end, Xiulote held out his palm and with strength, he made a chopping gesture forward and uttered thunderously.

"Once the Southern Army arrives and we strike from both sides, the Tarasco Kingdom will face its end! If Su’angua dares to fight us head-on, we shall settle the fate of the world in one battle!"

The generals looked at each other for a few breaths before resoundingly affirming the command. The next day, sixteen thousand Mexica legionnaires quickly set off, transforming into a torrential flood, surging towards the southwest. The expanded scouts spread like a celestial net, seeking the Tarasco’s majestic eagles. And the nascent sun took its place high in the sky, awaiting the exalted Sacrifices to soar."