Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!
Chapter 805 - 437: Grandfather’s Promise, Migration of Population

Chapter 805: Chapter 437: Grandfather’s Promise, Migration of Population

The night outside the hall was deep, and the candles inside the hall were bright. The pale yellow candles burned slowly, emitting a warm yellow light. The yellow light softly fell, casting two figures on the bluestone floor. The figures sat opposite each other, silent at this moment.

The High Priest Xutel slowly stood up. He walked to the corner of the side hall and calmly searched among a pile of maps and books by the bright candlelight. Xiulote wanted to help, but his grandfather waved his hand.

"My child, think carefully again about what you still need."

Upon hearing these words, Xiulote stood still, slightly tilting his head. He looked at the flickering candles on the wall, his thoughts rising and falling like the candle flame.

These are unique tropical palm candles of America, painstakingly made by craftsmen from palm wax collected from the leaves of certain palm trees. They are very expensive and rare. Palm candles burn brightly without thick smoke and emit a fragrance similar to the Divine Smoke from the Celestial Empire’s Ever-bright Lamp, made from whale wax.

Xiulote remained silent, gazing at the flame of the candles on the wall, then at his grandfather’s completely white hair. Sadness gradually emerged in his eyes.

The candles before him, though bright, were already burning towards their end, with only the last bits of fire swaying gently in the evening breeze. One never knows when the candles will extinguish, turning into a wisp of blue smoke, dispersing into the vast night sky, never to be seen again...

"Hmm, the candles are almost out."

The High Priest Xutel, holding several volumes of maps, walked back slowly from the corner. He calmly took out a new candle, personally lighting it with the candle flame, and placed it on the wall sconce. Then, he gently inhaled, preparing to blow out the remaining candle.

"Grandfather!... Don’t... blow it out..."

Xiulote spoke softly, his eyes fixed on his grandfather.

"Oh?"

The High Priest was slightly startled. He looked at the sadness hidden in Xiulote’s eyes, glanced at the remaining candle, and suddenly understood his grandson’s feelings. A smile slowly appeared on his deeply wrinkled face, like an aged and withered plum blossom.

"Alright, let it be then!"

The High Priest nodded, placing the remaining candle back next to the new one. The two candles stood side by side, one tall and one short, both shining brightly and emitting a sacred fragrance. They burned quietly, sharing an inextricable connection through their lineage. Eventually, one would burn out, while the other had just begun...

"Xiulote, my child."

The High Priest’s eyes were filled with warmth. He calmly unfolded a map of the world, revealing the powerful Mexica Alliance.

"My child, last year I migrated ten thousand people to the Kingdom of the Lake. This year, I will give you..."

At this point, the High Priest paused for several moments, his eyes resolute.

"At least seventy thousand young Mexica!"

"Ah?! At least seventy thousand young men and women?"

Xiulote was very surprised. This number was almost the result of a Southern or Northern expedition! And even more valuable, these people were the main ethnic group forming the ruling base!

"Yes, at least seventy thousand! I will personally meet the elder to gain his support."

The High Priest’s expression was calm.

"My child, under your leadership, the Kingdom of the Lake develops every single day, constantly bringing forth new changes... All this is seen by the High Priesthood, seen by the elder. Currently, the influence of the Prepetcha within the Kingdom of the Lake has grown somewhat excessively..."

"Among the kingdom’s 800,000 citizens, the Mexica people from the Alliance number less than 80,000, accounting for only one-tenth. The remaining over seventy percent are Prepetcha... Prepetcha elites permeate various parts of the kingdom. They serve as advisors at all levels, guiding the kingdom’s reforms. They serve as low-level priests in the villages and towns, believing in the faith of a single god. They serve as senior craftsmen in the Divine Revelation Place, mastering the most powerful new weapons. They also act as warriors and officers, even leading the kingdom’s army..."

Hearing this, Xiulote raised his brow slightly and affirmed.

"Grandfather, I can assure you that the loyalty of the Prepetcha people to me is no less than that of the Mexica people, even exceeding it..."

"Haha, my child, this is precisely what the Alliance worries about! Sometimes, obedience and integration can be forms of conquest."

The High Priest chuckled lightly, shaking his head. His expression became severe.

"Xiulote, I know that many Prepetcha respectfully call you Your Majesty, viewing you as their only sun. While the Mexica Warriors call you Your Highness, following King Aweit... But you must always remember that you are the noblest prince of the Mexica people, the future king of the Mexica Alliance! Your sacred throne lies in the magnificent Capital City, at the top of the Great Temple, and certainly not in the Western Qinchongcan City, nor in the Akatla at the House of Wind!"

Xiulote was momentarily stunned. He recalled the words of his uncle Cacamatzin and nodded after some silence.

"Grandfather, I remember. I will leave, and I will ultimately return!"

"Good! My child, you are the hope of the Holy City line! You are destined to become the master of the four corners of the world, not just the lord of one place in the West..."

The High Priest nodded solemnly, speaking in a low voice. Then, he reached out his finger, touching the map at the western region of Lake Texcoco.

"The rebellion in Tlacopan will be severely suppressed. The dozen noble families will either be executed or exiled. The servants, relatives, and fief citizens on the noble estates will be handled by the High Priesthood... I will transplant twenty thousand people into the heart of the Kingdom of the Lake under the guise of exile!"

"Transplant so many fief citizens, the royal family and the High Priesthood..."

"No problem. These lands and fief citizens will be redistributed, jointly managed by the royal family and the High Priesthood. Under the name of exile, relocating twenty thousand people won’t cause big trouble."

The High Priest’s expression remained unchanged. Holding supreme divine authority, he was prepared for everything. Next, he moved his finger, pointing heavily at the location of the northeast Holy City.

"Teotihuacan in the northeast of Lake Texcoco is the dwelling place of all gods and has branches of the royal family. Our family’s foundation is right here. And among the surrounding city-states, there are many affiliated tribes closely connected with us... My child, since you have firmly rooted yourself in the Kingdom of the Lake, the main branches of our families can migrate to the kingdom as your most loyal supporters!... From the northeast of the lake region, twenty thousand people will migrate to the Patzcuaro Lake region!"

"Migrating family foundations to the kingdom..."

Upon hearing this, Xiulote’s expression became serious. The political structure of the Alliance was transforming from a loose tribe alliance into a centralized fief kingdom. The royal family itself was the most powerful Mexica tribe.

Before King Aweit’s ascension, he already had twenty to thirty thousand direct tribal members and over two thousand family warriors. After becoming king, he inherited all the affiliated tribes of Montezuma’s lineage. Likewise, the Holy City lineage naturally held many population members firmly in their own hands.

"Grandfather, will the affiliated tribes be willing to move westwards?"

"The era of the kingship is about to begin..."

The High Priest smiled meaningfully, speaking in a low voice.

"As affiliates of the Holy City line, they will be willing to move west."

Hearing this, Xiulote felt a bit skeptical. He glanced at his grandfather’s steady expression but still nodded.

"That’s good. The Patzcuaro Lake region has many abandoned old fields as well as new cultivable lands that can be allocated to the migrating tribes."

"Yes."

The High Priest moved his finger, gradually shifting from the northeast of the lake region to the west, arriving at the Telokan State through which the Lerma River flows.

"The western Telokan State has a flourishing population. The Spring Rain Priestly Family has been passing down for a hundred years, controlling three to four thousand fief citizens. After exterminating them, and then cleansing two old noble families, we can gather a population of ten thousand, exiling them immediately to Rivermouth County in the kingdom."

Next, the aged finger moved again, landing ruthlessly on the southwest.

"The southwestern Raziko State also has an abundant population. Facing the centralization reform, several Great Nobility families have expressed objections. The High Priesthood and the royal central authority both intend to clean up... There too will contribute ten thousand people, moving them immediately to Zicao County in the southern part of the kingdom."

"Cleansing old nobles, migrating populations..."

Xiulote slightly lowered his eyes. Such severe methods, though effective and powerful, had significant side effects as well.

"Grandfather, in doing so, your reputation, your safety..."

"Haha! From the moment I took control of the Divine Authority and implemented religious reforms, it was destined for the evil name to follow behind me."

The High Priest cared little, chuckling lightly. He pinched his fingers, calculating.

"Hmm, in this way, it accounts for a population of sixty thousand. Another ten thousand will be conscripted from various villages in the capital region of the Alliance, serving as the standard for priests’ promotions!... My child, you must properly settle these seventy thousand Mexica people, forming the foundation for the stability of your kingdom."

"Grandfather, I will!"

Xiulote’s expression was spirited. Among these seventy thousand Mexica immigrants, fifty thousand would be settled in the central region of the kingdom, ten thousand would be moved to the northern Rivermouth County, and ten thousand to the southern Zicao County. They would engage in mass intermarriage with the Prepetcha people, eliminating the latent dangers within the kingdom. However...

"To a ruler, population is the most precious wealth..."

Xiulote silently pondered, feeling a bit uneasy, while looking at his grandfather’s gentle smile.

"Grandfather, for these promises, what price will you pay?"

On the wall, the candlelight flickered peacefully, emanating a distant fragrance, bringing warmth nearby. In the warm night, the old candle flame gradually weakened, like distant stars in the sky. The new candle flame grew brighter and more brilliant, resembling the light of the sun!