"Certainly."
Aweit pondered briefly and nodded in agreent.
"Handle it. Give the Kingdom of the Lake so compensation and transport a batch of food there."
"At your command!"
Gillim bowed to the ground. Then, he raised his head once more.
"Your Majesty, based on the latest intelligence, we can infer that the gems of the Kingdom of the Lake are produced in large quantities by so thod that doesn’t require a vast labor force for mining..."
"Hmm? Large-scale production?"
Aweit paused, sowhat surprised.
"Are you saying that the Lake Gems, so hard and exquisite..."
"Exactly."
Gillim nodded in affirmation.
"The Lake Gems, there is a ninety percent chance, are so kind of man-made creation."
"Is that so!"
Aweit was actually a bit astonished. He had seen many Lake Gems, and the treasury also held many. He had once greatly admired the stable quality of these gems. Now it seems that it might be as the Chief Intelligence Officer had said...
"Divine Revelation’s power is indeed so..."
"Your Majesty, the technology to create these gems..."
Gillim’s eyes shimred. He grasped the trade intelligence of the Alliance and knew what a lucrative trade these Lake Gems were.
Aweit fell silent and cast down his gaze, pondering for a long while, but in the end, he shook his head.
"Forget it! The Lake Gems have nothing to do with military campaigns, they’re rely a small amount of treasure. Since Xiulote invented it, let him continue to sell them!"
"Your Majesty..."
Gillim pursed his lips. He was aware of the number of legions in the Kingdom of the Lake. Without the gem trade as a significant source of revenue, with the Kingdom of the Lake’s foundation, it would be extrely difficult to maintain such a size of army. Thinking of this, he bowed respectfully and once again made a suggestion.
"Could we impose an additional luxury trade tax on the Lake Gems? Previously, out of support for the kingdom, the trade tax on these gems has always been low."
"Additional trade tax..."
Aweit was sowhat tempted. He mused for a mont, then looking in the direction of the garden, he said faintly.
"Tell Xiulote that after the marriage, the kingdom’s gem trade is to be managed by Alisa. If he doesn’t agree, the Alliance will impose additional trade tax."
"...Understood."
Gillim bowed once more, and a flash of disappointnt crossed his mind. The Kingdom lay to the west of the world, with lucrative trade that had to go through the Alliance. With taxing rights, he could devise ways to control the gem trade. If the gem trade were under the Alliance’s control, the Alliance could maintain another legion, while the Kingdom would have one less. The difference between the two could be quite substantial.
"Gillim, is Alisa’s dowry prepared yet?"
A calm voice ca, carrying an undeniable will.
"My daughter shall not suffer the slightest injustice."
"Yes, Your Majesty, everything is ready,"
Gillim replied solemnly, his expression unchanged.
"Jade, gemstones, gold and silver, feathers, clothing, colored pottery... all have been doubled in the gifts from the kingdom."
"Five hundred hectares of Chinampa fief, ten thousand direct serfs, and five hundred samurai families, are they all prepared?"
Hearing the question, Gillim felt a pang of pain in his heart. With an expressionless face, he prostrated in salute. Having served the King for so many years, he was well aware of the King’s likes and dislikes. On the matter of the princess’s dowry, he knew better than to speak out.
"Your Majesty, the five hundred hectares of royal Chinampa can sustain ten thousand serfs of the lake region. The princess’s fief is situated on the western side of Lake Texcoco, carved out from the confiscated lands of the Tlacopan nobility. The five hundred samurai families are all experienced and elite, and there are over a thousand servants at their service. In addition, there is a magnificent prince’s mansion in the palace district of the capital city, which shall serve as the princess’s residence when she is in the capital; this mansion is not far from the King’s Palace,"
"Hmm. Not bad, very good!"
Aweit, quite satisfied upon hearing that everything was properly arranged, and much of his irritation had abated. He chuckled heartily and raised his cup.
"Co, my dear snake advisor, you’ve worked hard all this way, join in emptying this cup!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
The two drank heartily, and amidst the blaze of the grand hall’s fire, the solemn atmosphere finally gained a touch of liveliness.
A night hastened by. The next day, Xiulote woke up alone in the King’s Palace, the outside already bright with daylight and the birds chirping cheerily. Turning his head, he saw no one beside the soft cloth bed. Since Alisa was not yet wed to him, she could not share his bed.
Xiulote smiled, relishing the joy of their date the day before. He couldn’t help but curl the corners of his mouth upward, lightly licking his lips as if he could still taste the girl’s softness and warmth. After a mont, he dressed neatly with a laugh and went to bid farewell to the King.
Aweit had risen early and had already taken his breakfast, sitting in the grand hall reviewing docunts. He cast a cursory glance at Xiulote, nodded, and gave a few instructions. Xiulote then bowed and took his leave from his teacher and future father-in-law.
Outside the grand hall, one of the princess’s handmaids stood holding a cloak, waiting respectfully. After a night’s passage, Alisa had snapped out of her joy from their reunion. Rembering their date from the day before, she felt shy and didn’t appear, but sent her handmaiden to deliver a fine cloak to Xiulote.
Xiulote understood with an enlightened smile and donned the cloak. In xica culture, a cloak holds special aning. And in the sacred wedding ceremony, it is also an important symbol. Next, he would proceed to the Great Temple to pray to the Chief Divine before officially visiting the High Priest.
The Temple District was always solemn and awe-inspiring. The Temple Guards, ard with sticks, stood guard among the temples like statues. The priests of various levels passed by, clad in different robes, carrying scrolls and docunts. Amid the greetings and salutations of the people, Xiulote slowly ascended the Great Pyramid Temple, seventy ters high, with the entire capital city sprawling beneath his feet.
Xiulote donned the attire of a High Priest and stood solemnly before the sculptures of the hummingbird and the sun. With great reverence, he lit the incense and offered a sincere prayer to the Supre High Divine. On both sides, a line of High Priests chanted loudly, welcoming the arrival of the Supre High Priest of the Lake Region. A High Priest of the third level respectfully led Xiulote to the Priest Grand Hall behind the Great Temple.
The Priest Grand Hall was majestic and solemn, with large curtains fluttering in the wind, adorned with the mythic images of the Chief Divine. The surrounding walls were filled with murals that told all the miracles and legends since the birth of the Chief Divine.
The somber incense rose slowly from the burners, bringing a divine presence to the entire hall. Seven or eight Elder Priests wore serious expressions, sitting in the middle of the hall. At the center of the hall, an elderly man adorned in a robe and wearing an Obsidian Feather Crown sat on the Throne of the Gods.
Xiulote knelt in the grand hall of the temple and respectfully saluted the High Priest, his grandfather, who presided over the proceedings.
"May the Chief Divine bless us! Teotihuacan’s Xiulote, Supre High Priest of the Lake District, extends his respects to the revered High Priest! May the majestic light of the Chief Divine shine upon you, illuminating the entire xica Alliance and caring for the myriads of citizens!"
"May the Chief Divine bless us!"
The High Priest’s face was as serene as a placid lake, solemn like a deity. Even seeing his direct grandson after four years, he showed no sign of joy.
"Supre High Priest Xiulote, you have traveled far, and the journey has been arduous. May you spread the light of the Chief Divine throughout the wilderness of the Lake District. Let the myriad lost citizens convert in the glory of the Chief Divine!"
"Praise the Chief Divine! Believe in our god Huitzilopochtli, whose mighty power is boundless, who controls all existence from past to future, until the end of days!..."
Uguel, looking plump and solemn, led the prayer. The Elder Priests around him chanted in response, followed by the priests standing outside the grand hall. Soon, the sacred prayers echoed within the towering temple and spread far and wide. The surrounding priests, samurai, and nobility all prostrated themselves on the ground, praying devoutly to the Chief Divine.
The chanting of prayers spread far, sounding like
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