The start of May brings the strong winds from the seaside, along with the showers from the sky. The rain drenches the city walls and rcilessly wets the high gate, where a row of heads hangs. These heads are fresh, just beginning to rot. The opened mouths appear to be silently screaming, and the teeth, not severely worn, indicate the unusual status of the deceased.
Under the escort of a team of xica Warriors, the Serpent Mother Chieftain, Miyava, clad in a long black robe, erges from the depths of the city gate. She raises her head, pauses for a mont, gazing at the heads she personally severed, with eyes that refuse to close in peace, first smiling then gradually drawing it back.
"Yilwei, Qiyan... May your souls rest in the Divine Kingdom of the Chief Divine! Of course, if you are unwilling to rest, curse ... I do not mind..."
Miyava, with a ghostly expression, whispers a prayer in Totonac. Then, she straightens her spine, tightens the oversized King’s Ritual Robe, and under the crowd of xica Warriors, she easily heads to the camp outside the city.
"True power always cos from people. The connections of people, the trust of people, and where people’s hearts lie. As long as I can sway people’s hearts, it ans I have grasped power!..."
Miyava clearly understands all of this, understands the essence of power. Therefore, she just asks the revered King for a team of xica trusted aides, which proves her connection with the xica lord, easily gathering the hearts of the remnants at Golden Bay.
And when she seizes the advantage, she acts without hesitation, like a venomous snake striking lethally! In rely a few days, the Elders and opponents in the tribes all beco hanging heads, becoming part of her prestige. As for the Noble Chiefs, Chieftains, and Priests of Golden Bay’s various tribes, they have no choice but to completely bow to her in submission.
"What a pity!... But the Kingdom’s Warriors... his lordship won’t let interfere..."
Miyava’s thoughts swirl, feeling a slight regret within, yet she dares not cross the King’s red line. She walks lightly, the Ritual Robe tightly wraps her body, not revealing even a fraction. Whenever she encounters patrolling Warriors of the Kingdom, she smiles, nods gently, her every gesture full of ceremonial solemnity and elegance.
"Praise the Chief Divine! May the Chief Divine protect the Kingdom!"
"Praise the Chief Divine! Divine bless the Kingdom!"
The patrolling Warriors lower their heads respectfully in return. Until the teams pass by, the Warriors of the Kingdom show puzzled expressions, discussing fervently.
"Chief Divine! Who was that respected noble lady just now?"
"I don’t know... But those guarding her seem to be the lord’s trusted aides?..."
"Yes! On her robe, there is a symbol of the God of Death... Could she be the lord’s..."
"Shh! Don’t speculate blindly, she’s a Chieftain from Golden Bay City who surrendered... Now residing in the lord’s camp..."
"Ah! So that’s how it is..."
Hearing the gradually distant discussions, Miyava’s eyebrows arch, a smile lifts at her lips. Although the King in the camp is cold and remorseless, never giving her any public promise or declaration of her status, the power she has gathered is unprecedented...
"The lord’s trust is the source of power... And to gain more power, I must earn more trust... Perform even more satisfactorily!..."
Miyava squints her eyes, looking afar at the fields outside the city. The tribal farmlands are neatly organized and cultivated. Tens of thousands of tribespeople, carrying baskets of seeds, holding digging sticks made of wood and stone, lower their heads in the fields, planting corn seeds like a busy ant colony. Not far away, a series of simple garrison camps raise large groups of semi-underground dwelling huts, like ant nests.
The vaguely audible tinkling is the sound of craftsn crafting stone tools, fulfilling the needs of the garrisons. Further away, the prayers of Priests and the commands of Warriors on patrol serve as a busy backdrop and ensure the maintenance of such busyness.
"Organized ant colonies... truly powerful and orderly!..."
Watching the neatly lined fields, seeing countless tribespeople working simultaneously, Miyava licks her lips, tangibly feeling a kind of surging force. This force, compared to the once scattered tribes, is like a tall tree compared to chaotic bushes, completely different from top to bottom!
"The Kingdom’s laws clearly articulate duties, no one dares to defy... This is the power of order!..."
Miyava rises on her tiptoes, greedily watching the busy "ant colony". This scene of collective orderly labor, resembles the xica’s organized military formations, appearing for the first ti in the Seaside Lands! At this mont, the source of order is the terrifying pressure of the Kingdom, the strict military laws of each tribe, the doctrines preached by Priests, and also the new centralized managent after the power of the Chieftains was stripped.
"The task given to by the lord, I should put more effort... From the surrendered various Totonac tribes, select reliable garrison Assistant Priests!..."
Thinking this, Miyava tightens her robe and reaches to touch the two rolls of long scrolls she holds carefully in her arms. The graphic text and square characters above are personal nas she has written by hand. As long as they pass the xica Priests’ review and receive the lord’s approval, these nas will transform from mundane busy "ants" into leaders of "ant colonies", participating in the managent of the garrison.
Now, this is her most important task, and also her greatest power: to provide knowledgeable and capable "Assistant Priests" for the managent of farming and the simple calculations in the newly established garrison teams.
As for the origin of these "Assistant Priests," they were once the Priests, Sages, and ordinary Chieftains of the Totonac Villages, who mastered culture and guided the tribes in farming. And now, these conquered Totonac elites must go through her selection and guarantee to re-enter the Seaside’s governance system and beco mbers of the grassroots managent.
"Distinguish the surrenders of each tribe, carefully select and recomnd, provide capable and reliable talent... Promote this ant-like garrison farming across the vast Seaside Lands!..."
Miyava pursed her lips, feeling the strong winds of the Seaside and the breeze of power. A radiant glow spread across her face, like a fruit nourished by dew. She bowed her head and walked down from the tall pyramid, reaching the low tent of the palace while the desire in her heart was like the rising sun, giving her endless strength to climb.
"Your Highness, this is a new list!... In Golden Bay City, those who devoutly converted to the Chief Divine, willing to pledge loyalty to the Kingdom, and are prepared for garrison farming, one hundred eighty-three Chieftains, Priests, and Sages are all listed here... I have carefully filtered them, ensuring there are none of those short-sighted, resentful Chieftains. The nas circled in red are those with reservations and require continuous enlightennt and further guidance by the Priests..."
In the large tent, Xiulote sat cross-legged with a map spread out on the table. He took the roster handed by Miyava, glanced through more than half of the red circles and nas, and slightly raised his eyebrows. After a mont, he nodded, put away the roster, and showed appreciation.
"Miyava, you did well, much faster than I imagined!"
"Your Highness, I am willing to give everything for you!... As long as these people pass the faith verification by the Priests and quickly go to each tribe..., it is still in ti to manage spring plowing, supervise farming outside Golden Bay City, and expand this year’s planting area..."
Miyava respectfully bowed her head, explaining in detail. She had no seductive posture, full of seriousness and earnestness, like a competent Chief Minister.
"Hmm... well said..."
Xiulote raised his head and studied the woman beside him for a mont and asked in a deep voice.
"Do you have anything else?"
"Hmm... Your Highness, I have also written a roster, which may interest you..."
Miyava took a deep breath, bowed her head, with a respectful smile on her face. Xiulote raised his eyebrows, took the other roster, browsed through it, and seed thoughtful.
"...Mitipowa... Maternal... Kuislika... all female nas? Miyava, what is this?"
"Your Highness, these are the nas of noble ladies from various tribes within a hundred miles surrounding Golden Bay City, a total of over two hundred people... So of them are unmarried, so married but their husbands have already died in battle... and these circled in red are those whose husbands are not dead, but may soon be..."
Miyava smiled faintly, leaned down, and gently suggested to the pondering King.
"Mighty Your Highness... The tribes by the Seaside place great importance on bloodlines, and those orally passed down divine bloodlines, I have inquired with the Priests and Sages of each tribe, and they are all listed here! According to the traditions of the Seaside tribes, noble won also have the right to inherit the tribe..."
"Your Highness! As long as you choose strong xica Warriors to marry these noble ladies, manage these tribes, and bear new children... then the Kingdom’s rule over the Seaside Lands can be further solidified! And in the Seaside Lands, the so-called noble bloodline will all be xica bloodline..."
"Oh? Tribal intermarriages, bloodline fusion? So many people, so quickly... hmm, indeed it should be like this, the sooner the better..."
Upon hearing Miyava’s suggestion, Xiulote pondered for a mont, then made a decisive decision. He looked at the excited woman, stroked her blushing cheek, and instructed in a deep voice.
"Miyava, I will select a group of loyal Warriors from my Imperial Guards to stay in the Seaside Lands! And I entrust the task of proposing to you. Make sure everything is done properly according to the Totonac people’s traditions and customs..."
"Yes! Your Highness!... Then what about these circled married nas..."
"Do not interfere yet, give the nas to Chief Priest Yitai. The newly established Inquisition in the Seaside will handle everything, in the na of the Divine!"
"Yes, following your command!..."
"Go! Is there anything else?"
"Your Highness... bloodline... fusion... here... hmm..."
"..."
The wind grew stronger, and a light rain drizzled down. The corn seeds sprouted, thrusting their roots into the soft earth. Under the nourishnt of rainwater, the sown seeds would slowly grow, delve deep into the ground, until they firmly establish roots and grasp the soil in their hands.
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