The vast starry night seems boundless, hidden in the distant twilight, much like the world in people’s hearts. At this mont, as one gazes up, the stars seem to align with the divine descendants on earth, like the flourishing city-states and tribes scattered across the endless world. This is exactly the astronomical concept held by Central Arican priests for thousands of years.
"The story of the Great Chief... the enfeoffnt of sons?... The youngest guarding the hearth?"
Bertade gazed at the starry sky, and also at His Highness. He understood the boundless ambition in His Highness’s story but couldn’t fathom the allegorical reference to reality.
"The so-called ’enfeoffnt of sons,’ does it refer to the princes of the royal family, or to the princes that His Highness will have in the future? If it’s the latter, then His Highness currently only has young Xiu Hua as a son, does it an..."
"And as for the so-called ’youngest guarding the hearth,’ is it hinting at how to respond if the king favors a younger heir? Or does it an His Highness does not intend to have the eldest son, Xiu Hua, inherit the Kingdom of the Lake?..."
The complex thoughts swirled in Bertade’s mind, leaving him unable to make sense of it all.
These topics involve inheritance, which is a family matter of the royal family and His Highness, and is fundantal to the alliance and the kingdom. He has always been calm and cautious, and at this mont, unable to see through His Highness’s intentions, he dared not answer rashly. Soon, silence fell between the monarch and his minister, like the crescent moon facing each other in silence.
"Chief Divine as a witness! Bertade, you need not overthink. Tonight it’s just you and , speak openly!"
Xiulote waited for a mont, then turned his head. He saw the Head Warrior’s concerns and smiled gently, patting him on the shoulder.
"Everything you say will disappear into the wind once I’ve heard them! And such questions, I can only ask you before you head east to Cuba. Because among all the generals, only you are the most loyal and selfless!"
"Phew! Loyal and selfless..."
Upon hearing this, Bertade took a deep breath. He knew he must answer now. He bowed deeply to the ground, then replied in a solemn voice.
"Your Highness, the world’s terrain is fragnted, with mountains rising and falling endlessly. Each tribe is scattered and remote, with different heritages... Therefore, enfeoffnt is inevitable! Leaving aside the distant Cuba and Maya, just the Sakascat Wilderness north of Otapan, the Tekos Forest west of Fire River City, and the Totonac inland east of Golden Bay City... these places, given the current situation, cannot possibly be incorporated directly! Even if there’s what you say, ’the manned four-legged beast,’ it cannot completely control these vast wildernesses and forests..."
"Since enfeoffnt is inevitable, then enfeoffing the princes of the royal family to expand the xica’s divine lineage is naturally the best choice! The connection of bloodlines is indelible, even if the sons fight each other in a hundred years, it’s still within the pot, and it still provides a foundation for re-unification!"
"And compared to enfeoffing the royal family princes, what I hope for more, is the enfeoffnt of your sons. The predecessor monarch Montezuma I had more than a dozen children, creating over a dozen branches of the royal family. If you could emulate the predecessor monarch... then no matter how vast the territory, there would be enough princes and princesses to control it!"
Upon hearing this, Xiulote raised his brow. He closed his eyes and remained silent for a long ti. For a monarch with ambitions for the world, he needs more reliable blood relatives. And for a classical society based on a tribal system, divine intermarriage between tribes is the best way to form alliances, and multi-son enfeoffnt is the most stable foundation for expanding rule.
"Phew! The tribespeople across the land have yet to learn to obey law and order. They are accustod to obeying the divine-noble breeds, following the priests’ guidance! And the more remote mountain tribes, forest tribes, island tribes, and wilderness tribes... the more unenlightened they are!"
Thinking of this, Xiulote rubbed his temples in distress. He could understand Bertade’s words, even more thoroughly than his counterpart. This is akin to the Zhou Dynasty’s enfeoffnt of the world, the so-called "King Wen’s hundred sons," which was the foundation that King Wu used to enfeoff the world, pulling more than 50 Ji royal family mbers from over 70 vassal states. At the very least, you need enough royal offspring to enfeoff territories.
"Do I really need to sow seeds across the world? Have a bunch of children, and then send them to distant lands to build nations, and intermarry with local powerful tribes. Before Europeans arrive, preemptively lay out plans in North and South Arica..."
Xiulote pondered for a mont, his heart complex and unclear. He pressed down all his thoughts, opened his eyes, and looked at Bertade.
"Hmm, I understand. Continue speaking!"
"Yes! Your Highness, the so-called ’youngest guarding the hearth’ should be based on the ’enfeoffnt of sons.’ And according to the alliance’s inheritance tradition, it is acceptable. Most of the alliance’s predecessor monarchs lived long lives, and the eldest son might not even outlive the father. For example, the predecessor monarch Montezuma directly passed the throne to the grandchildren. As long as power is inherited within a line, and all sons have been settled, it can be accepted by the royal family."
"However, in the current alliance, your position is the ’eldest son’ that Aweit enfeoffed... This thod of inheritance is not suitable now. And when you inherit the alliance, you should be in the pri of life, with nurous offspring. By then, Prince Xiu Hua will almost be of age... That might be the appropriate situation for your supre power to be free from any offspring interference."
Saying this, Bertade lay prostrate on the ground, his war clothes completely soaked. If today’s words were to spread out, once Prince Xiu Hua grows up, it would surely bring misfortune to the family. However, he still spoke honestly, leaving no way out, regarding His Highness as truly the sole sun.
"Power and offspring, inheritance and governance..."
Under the dense starry sky, Xiulote again fell into deep thought. He wasn’t sure if his spirit could return again. The reason he pondered over the inheritance system now is naturally because... very soon, he would have another new child.
"The consensus of culture builds slowly, while unprecedented dramatic changes are about to occur! To quickly rule the world and establish a broader base, one must rely on religion and the extension of bloodlines!..."
"The Great Chief Genghis Khan could mold the Mongols, establishing a vast empire, completely altering the world’s trajectory... Since I’m here, I must also change everything, thoroughly altering the course of history!"
The gorgeous starry night, brilliant and flowing. Xiulote remained silent for a long ti, brewing the bold ambition of conquering the world in silence, his gaze growing deep. Until the night deepened, and dawn was approaching, he looked at the loyal guard Head Warrior and spoke with a smile about the final issue. It was also this issue that gave him the confidence for his ambition!
"Bertade, the kingdom’s newly cast ten-ton thousand-pound mortar cannons have been transported to the Tree Snake City camp. Along with them, thousands of pounds of new granular gunpowder were also transported. By tomorrow, we shall witness the power of these heavy cannons capable of firing 30-pound stone projectiles!..."
"Chief Divine bless! It’s ti to seize White Snake Hill City in the last few days before the rainy season peaks!"
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