Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!
Chapter 880 - 498 Chief Divine Witness, A Fair Exchange

Chapter 880: Chapter 498 Chief Divine Witness, A Fair Exchange

"Indeed, witnessed by the Chief Divine!"

Xiulote glanced around at the three men and nodded affirmatively. The main force under his command was limited in strength, needing to besiege enemy fortresses and continuously launch attacks. The camp for defectors required heavy guards, and the samurais could not be dispersed everywhere, chasing after the scattered Tlaxcallan people in the mountains. Furthermore, the main force needed to remain pure to maintain discipline and combat power. Such security wars were best handed over to each of the city-state legions.

"...An able-bodied male, exchanged for a Cuauhtli. A woman of suitable age also for a Cuauhtli. As for children and elderly who can still farm, they are exchanged for half a Cuauhtli each. Just bring the captives to the logistics camp, and you get paid on the spot, with no limit on the number!"

"What! You even take children and the elderly?! The Kingdom of the Lake is indeed so wealthy!"

This time, even Yuyan Mihuoti was astonished. In the villages of this era, the so-called "elderly" naturally did not mean "old by sixty and exempt from duties" as in the Ming Dynasty of the same period. In Central America, the lifespans of commoners were extremely limited. The "elderly" in the village referred to those over thirty years old, who had the qualifications to drink alcohol. Therefore, Chiwaco, living past forty, was already a true "old militiaman."

"Yes, we take them all! Children are raised to farm at twelve, and though the elderly cannot fight, they can still farm for a few years."

Xiulote smiled slightly, generously promising once again.

"Certainly, the Kingdom of the Lake has traveled a thousand miles east, with not much Cuauhtli cotton cloth, but plenty of gemstones for exchange. According to the market price of the alliance, a Lake Gem is worth six to seven jins of gold dust, equivalent to twelve Cuauhtlis, or twelve able-bodied men... If we exchange gemstones, I can even offer you a discount, one gem for only ten people!"

"A Lake Gem for ten able-bodied captives?..."

Upon hearing this, Huashu Huochiku’a squinted his eyes, thought for a while, and shook his head.

"Your Highness, your price is not fair! So many Lake Gems flowing into the market would certainly lower the price of the gems..."

"Oh? Not fair?"

Xiulote laughed upon hearing this, looking at Huochiku’a’s chubby face, and asked in a deep voice.

"Then won’t so many slaves entering the market also lower their price?"

"...Uh!"

Huashu Huochiku’a’s expression froze momentarily, not knowing how to respond. After some calculation, he stammered with a keen intuition.

"This, this is different! Slaves can work, even the commoners in the village need them. Only the nobility and priests appreciate gemstones..."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Xiulote showed great interest, focusing on Huochiku’a as if discovering rare talent.

"Then, Huashu, let me ask you. Do commoners have the means to purchase and use slaves? Is not the wealth of the alliance controlled by the nobility and priests?... How is this unfair?"

"Ah! This..."

Huashu Huochiku’a was at a loss for words again. After a while, he managed to reply.

"No, Your Highness, it’s still different. Slaves can work, producing food and fabrics, so the more the better... But gems don’t reproduce! Their value is in their rarity..."

"Ha! Excellent, Huochiku’a, excellent!"

Xiulote laughed heartily, observed Huashu carefully for a while, and spoke with a smile.

"Then, you calculate, how many slaves for one Lake Gem is fair?"

"Hmm... um..."

Huochiku used his short, chubby fingers to calculate seriously for a moment, then hesitantly replied.

"Exchange... eight able-bodied men?"

"Fine! Let it be so. Witnessed by the Chief Divine! One Lake Gem for eight Cuauhtlis, exchanging for eight able-bodied men and women!"

Xiulote generously nodded. He looked at the other two and asked in a deep voice.

"Yuyan, Coiled Python, do you both agree?"

"Sure! Your Highness, thank you for your generosity!"

Coiled Python Moyahualo smiled and nodded repeatedly.

"I have six thousand captives, women and children, ready to trade with the kingdom! Once the trade goes smoothly, I’ll immediately send people back and gather thousands more militiamen!"

"Very good! Take the captives directly to the logistics camp. These matters are managed by Quartermaster Begire, the hereditary noble of the Kingdom."

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

Years passed in the blink of an eye, the kingdom expanded rapidly, and the early followers rose in status, each holding high positions. Even the quartermaster Begire, who came from commoner samurai, had become a hereditary noble of the kingdom, surpassing a threshold that would normally take generations to break through!

"Your Highness, the Yuyan Legion currently has four thousand women and children to exchange. Going forward, we can capture more... However, we do not need so many gemstones."

Yuyan Mihuoti’s expression flickered, gazing calmly at His Highness.

"These gemstones are merely adornments for nobles, even if they hold the divinity spoken of by the priests, it’s only a solace after death. We Mexica warriors have always built our lives through battles! What we truly need are sharp and durable bronze weapons, and indestructible bronze armor!"

"Honorable Your Highness! The Kingdom of the Lake produces bronze equipment. Yuyan Legion is willing to trade sixty percent of the captives for weapons and armor!"

"Indeed, what the Yuyan commander said is reasonable! Our Huashu Legion also has five thousand women and children to exchange. We wish to trade half of the captives for bronze equipment!"

Huashu Huochiku’s expression shifted, immediately following suit.

"Um... This..."

Coiled Python Moyahualo glanced at the two of them and gritted his teeth.

"Your Highness, the Coiled Python Legion wishes to trade forty percent of the captives for bronze weapons!"

"Hmm?"

Upon hearing the three’s words, Xiulote raised an eyebrow, pondering silently. After all, the Mexica revered military achievements and martial prowess, emphasizing practicality. From the leaders’ perspective, upgrading equipment and enhancing warrior combat power should be paramount, far above luxuries. Trading bronze equipment for captives also benefited the eastern expedition. However, the exchange price...

"Lords, you are all honorable nobles of the city-states, the most distinguished. You naturally know the scarcity of alliance bronze production..."

Xiulote’s expression became serious, responding earnestly.

"The Kingdom of the Lake’s bronze production, most must be tributed to the King. The majority of the remaining production is used to forge Thunderbolt’s Divine Power Weapons. The process is very wasteful, with a success rate of one in ten... Only a small part is left for making weapons and armor..."

"..."

The three city-state commanders exchanged glances, showing disbelief. The Kingdom of the Lake had formed three to four copper armor warrior battalions, equipped with thousands of bronze great axes, yet claiming a bronze shortage?

"Ahem, Your Highness."

Huashu Huochiku’s chubby face twitched, smiling as he replied.

"We are all members of the Southern Army. Our legions are warriors under your command! Enhancing legion combat power is to better follow your orders, to fight for the Chief Divine... The exchange price can be well negotiated..."

"Witnessed by the Chief Divine! Your Highness, Commander Yuyan is willing to fight for you. Please bestow some bronze equipment to each city-state!"

"Indeed! The Coiled Python Legion also begs..."

"Hmm... the three commanders all beg of me..."

Xiulote looked pained. After pondering for a long time, he finally sighed and reluctantly agreed.

"In that case, the kingdom will trade with each city-state! I always act fairly, a bronze long spear contains four to five taels of bronze, approximately half a jin of gold dust, equivalent to a Cuauhtli... So, one bronze long spear for an able-bodied captive!"

In fact, the kingdom’s bronze production was rapidly increasing, not only for bronze armor and bronze cannons but even for some bronze farming tools. This could be seen from the continuous shipments of tin into the kingdom. Yet much of this bronze barely entered the alliance market, maintaining the exchange rate of bronze to gold at around one to one.

"Ah! Thank you for your generosity!"

Upon hearing this, Coiled Python Moyahualo nodded repeatedly, being the first to agree. Yuyan Mihuoti also nodded solemnly, bowing in salute.

"..."

Huashu Huochiku pursed his lips, nodding reluctantly. He originally wanted to argue that there was a margin of difference between half a jin of gold dust and one Cuauhtli, trying to secure more benefits for everyone.

"Oh! These people who don’t understand arithmetic..."

"Your Highness, how would the exchange be for bronze cloth armor?"

Yuyan Mihuoti’s eyes shined brightly, eagerly asking. He had long envied the bronze armor of the kingdom’s legions, recognizing its importance as any warrior would!

"Hmm... bronze cloth armor..."

Xiulote pondered for a while, then answered with a smile.

"The kingdom’s standard medium cloth armor uses sixteen jins of bronze and nine jins of cotton, totaling twenty-five jins. The raw materials alone are worth forty to fifty Cuauhtlis. Moreover, crafting armor is not easy, requiring skilled artisans thirty days of hard work... All considered, one set of medium cloth armor, for a hundred able-bodied captives!"

"One set of medium cloth armor, for a hundred able-bodied captives?"

Hearing this price, Huashu Huochiku’s pupils contracted. By this count, his five thousand captives could only exchange for fifty sets of bronze cloth armor?

"Your Highness, this price..."

"Yes. That’s the price, non-negotiable!"

Xiulote smiled faintly, calmly and unequivocally.

"In reality, the kingdom has only five hundred surplus sets of medium armor to exchange for fifty thousand able-bodied captives. Once traded, there’ll be none left!"

Joking aside, bronze armor was a monopolized commodity of the kingdom, with the capital city’s craftsman camps just starting to imitate. If not for them being alliance legions under his Southern Army command... Xiulote wouldn’t even consider trading them bronze armor.

"Alright! Your Highness, it’s settled! I will immediately send captives to exchange for bronze weapons and armor!"

Yuyan Mihuoti bowed his head, fist to chest, and made a deep salute.

"Praise the Chief Divine! May the alliance’s eastern expedition succeed, and may the Chief Divine bless us!"

Huashu Huochiku opened his mouth, sighed, then joined Moyahualo, bowing respectfully.

"May the eastern expedition succeed, and may the Chief Divine bless us!"

"Very well! The eastern expedition will surely succeed, and the Chief Divine will bless the Mexica people!"

Xiulote’s expression was solemn. He straightened his back, fist to chest, and bowed in return.

"The military council is concluded! Unite and crush the Tlaxcallan people!"

"Praise the King, praise Your Highness!"

The three commanders responded in unison, then hurriedly turned and left the tent, heading for their respective camps.

Xiulote watched their figures gradually disappear outside the tent, and a smile slowly curled up at the corner of his mouth. Then, the king extended his hand, unrolling a huge map of the world from the desk. He leaned forward, tracing a long line amidst the dense markings with his finger, spanning a thousand miles of mountains and rivers!