Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!
Chapter 881 - 499: Long River in the Mountains, Everything Under Heaven!

Chapter 881: Chapter 499: Long River in the Mountains, Everything Under Heaven!

The sunlight slightly leaned westward, falling obliquely from the zenith, giving the map a yellowish hue. The map appeared old, though it had been drawn recently. Depicting the world’s mountains and rivers, every city and state, it also recorded the latest intelligence from the Alliance High Priesthood and the Kingdom of the Lake!

At this moment, Black Wolf Torc, Head Warrior Bertade, following His Highness’s finger, simultaneously looked intently: they saw a long blue line extending away from Atoyac Lake, far south of Zicao City. It stretched through the mile-long mountains and valleys upstream, all the way to the Southern Army’s camp south of Water Valley City!

"The Tarsas River, what a long river through the mountains! But alas, just this one section, just this one section!..."

Xiulote looked for a long time, sighing regretfully. He extended his finger, carefully tracing the undulating mountains south of the Mountain Pass Fortress. This treacherous mountain path, like the Yangtze River’s Three Gorges, split the two-thousand-mile river into two segments difficult to navigate!

"Just a treacherous mountain path of one or two hundred miles, making it impossible to traverse! The kingdom’s transport fleet has to stop here, travel two hundred miles by land to reach the upstream of the Tarsas River. But if a hundred-mile canal were dug along the western basin, relying on mountain streams..."

Hearing this, Black Wolf and the Head Warrior looked at each other, momentarily speechless.

Since the eastern expedition, His Highness had often lamented this treacherous water route, one obstacle among many. Yet the mountains and rivers of the world were determined when the Chief Divine slew the primordial sea monster, creating vast lands. How could mere human effort easily change that?

Bertade thought for a moment, then pointed virtually at the map above, explaining calmly.

"Your Highness, setting sail south of Zicao City, following the Tarsas River eastward for eight hundred miles, up to two hundred miles south of Eight Hundred Town, can accommodate the kingdom’s large oar-sail ships and single-log war boats!"

"Indeed! This eight-hundred-mile journey, though it has treacherous narrows, is generally navigable, unimpeded! This is the kingdom’s lifeline to the east!"

Xiulote nodded solemnly. His gaze moved to Zicao City, tracing eastward along the Tarsas River, softly reading the annotations along the way.

"From Zicao City eastward along the river, two hundred miles upstream, there’s the first kingdom military town named Two Hundred Town, stationing a thousand militiamen! North of Two Hundred Town is the eastern mountain range of Zicao County, while to the south lies the Alliance-controlled mountainous Weytamo State."

The entire Tarsas River spans one to two thousand miles, running through the heart of Central America, connecting all southern parts of the world. To control even the eight hundred miles of the lower reaches requires securing strategic river passages at regular intervals, establishing sentry posts and military towns.

For the Southern Army, this river’s significance lies in transporting food and military supplies from the kingdom’s heartland to the upstream front, and transporting captured population downstream from the various parts of Tlaxcala. In the entire southern world, the Tarsas River’s vast waterway is the only straightforward path through the mountains, linking the western kingdom to their eastern archenemy!

"From Two Hundred Town eastward, two hundred more miles upstream is the second kingdom military town, Four Hundred Town, stationing a thousand militiamen! Four Hundred Town lies at the edge of the Land of Jontal, and two hundred miles north of it is Prince Iskali’s fief, the fortified Xitaqualo State. Four hundred miles northeast from Four Hundred Town is the capital of Raziko State, Tonatico, Sun City!"

Here, Xiulote paused slightly, a mysterious smile on his face. Black Wolf, curious, widened his eyes and pointed toward the location of Sun City.

"Ah! Sun City? Is this the city-state ruled by the Yuyan Family? The place where Predecessor Monarch Asayacatl, with his formidable prowess, ’subdued’ over a dozen female chiefs?"

"Ahem! Yes, it’s here. After Predecessor Monarch Asayacatl conquered the female chiefs, not only did he leave the Yuyan Family’s bloodline, but he also renamed Chalko City to Sun City, or the City of the Sun... He also composed the Song of Spring to commemorate his deeds... And another meaning of Yuyan is actually the Divine Eagle of the royal sun, which no branch of the royal family could overlook... Haha!"

Xiulote coughed twice, finally unable to resist laughing out loud. Actually, considering closely, the leader of the Yuyan Family, Mixcoatl, should be a descendant of Predecessor Monarch Asayacatl, with royal blood, likely of the same generation as himself... After a while, the King, a smile tugging at his lips, looked eastward.

"From Four Hundred Town then two hundred miles east is the third kingdom military town, which controls the tin mines, Six Hundred Town, marked on the map as Tal Village! Tal Village is more than two hundred miles directly below Sun City, at a crucial rivermouth on the Tarsas River’s lower reaches, a key stronghold for the kingdom! The kingdom has already stationed five hundred samurai here, deployed a thousand militiamen, fortified wooden fortresses and stone defenses, to initially develop the tin mines..."

Tal Village, located in the center of the Land of Jontal, is both a crucial rivermouth and home to large tin mines and scattered gold mines. The Kingdom of the Lake possesses large copper mines but lacks surface tin mines. This is the closest and easiest accessible tin mine area.

To hand Tal Village to the Kingdom of the Lake, the High Priest used some tactics in secret, making the original hereditary noble submit and concede it.

"A hundred miles east of Tal Village is another crossing of the Tarsas River, where the fourth kingdom military town, Seven Hundred Town, is established. Seven Hundred Town stations five hundred samurai to guard against the various Tepanec parts. A hundred miles south of this spot is the Tebanec-populated city-state, Chilpancingo, Honeycomb, or ’Land of Wasps,’ also known as Bee City."

Xiulote paused his finger at the position of Bee City, his eyes flickering with contemplation. "Bee City" gathered tens of thousands of Tepanec tribes. To quickly develop the tin mines at Tal Village, it was necessary to collect tributes and acquire population from here.

"From Seven Hundred Town one hundred miles further east is the fifth military town, eight hundred miles from Zicao City along the river, Eight Hundred Town. Eight Hundred Town is at the confluence of Tarsas River and Salty River, regarded as the starting point of the lower river. It stations five hundred samurai..."

"From here, traveling two hundred miles upstream along Salty River leads to the outskirts of Salt Lake and the Sarco State’s capital, the city-state governed by the Huashu Family, Tequesquitengo, ’Lake Shore of Salt,’ or Salt Lake City!"

At the mention of Salt Lake City, Xiulote’s face showed a faint smile, though no one in the tent understood. Then he looked northward, silent in deep thought.

The so-called "Salt Lake" and "Salty River" were naturally places of abundant salt production. Sarco State not only produced salt but also had vast farmlands and a large population. Here, large tracts of cotton were planted, making it the wealthiest city-state among the Southern Three States. The Huashu Family, leveraging salt mines and cotton fields, could even trade bronze weapons from the Lake capital.

"Bertade, beyond Eight Hundred Town upstream is the treacherous two hundred miles of obstacles. As you mentioned before, you traveled that path yourself, didn’t you?"

"Yes, Your Highness. That was twenty years ago when I served as a scout, on the orders of Predecessor Monarch Montezuma, to scout the various parts of the Mistec tribes..."

A rare hint of reminiscence appeared on Bertade’s usually serene face.

"Beyond Eight Hundred Town upstream, the Tarsas River ascends steeply, turning northeast. It winds through the mountains for two to three hundred miles, ascending four to five hundred meters, passing through several dangerous waterfalls and cliffs! I’ve seen this hazardous river section myself: the total stretch has swift currents, with waterfalls and hidden reefs, brutally splitting the Tarsas River into two distinct parts!"

"This treacherous mountain path can only be traveled downstream, not upstream, unless using human force to drag the boats. Except during the peak summer rains, sailing here risks running aground. In summer, the surging currents make it easy for vessels of any size to capsize! Typically, east-west traders disembark at this waterway, traveling on foot around the path north and south, or engaging in nearby trade."

"After traversing these two to three hundred miles of treacherous path, the Tarsas River turns northwest upstream, passing the Mistec people’s mountain stronghold, Chiauitl, or ’Mud Village’!"

At this point, Bertade paused, his expression turning grave. He pointed southward, concern in his eyes. "Sixty miles north of Mud Village is the Mountain Pass Fortress group. This is the first crucial point for the Southern Army breakthrough and the southern edge of our ’Mountain Summit State,’ a necessary route for the military food supply. And between Mud Village and Water Valley City, only two hundred miles... according to the latest scout reports, the Mistec have sent several thousand samurai to Mud Village, though the exact number is unknown..."

"Your Highness, though the Mistec have not yet declared war on the Alliance, they implicitly threaten the Southern Army’s food supply route. We must be cautious, always stationing heavy troops at the Mountain Pass Fortress group!"

Upon hearing this, Xiulote nodded slowly, responding in a low voice.

"Yes, Bertade, you are right. Most of the six thousand Royal Legion soldiers entrusted to me by the King remain stationed at the Mountain Pass Fortress group. They are guarding the fortresses along with several thousand auxiliary militiamen, ensuring the protection of the food route and deterring the hidden threat of the Mistec."

The meaning of Chiauitl is "oily or muddy sludge." From its name, it’s clear this area is a swampy, muddy terrain, challenging for marching troops. The Mistec established the stronghold here, leveraging the mountain terrain and swamps, stationing an indeterminate number of warriors, making the Southern Army constantly on edge.

The Mud Village region, with its muddy and treacherous terrain, is indeed easy to defend and hard to attack. To wage war against the Mistec from here would be unwise and nearly impossible. Facing such a covert, indestructible threat, Xiulote had no choice but to deploy a legion stationed at the Mountain Pass Fortress to guard the food supply route.

"Mistec... the western ancestral land..."

Xiulote looked southwest, his gaze piercing through the layered mountains to the distant horizon. Four hundred miles of rugged mountain path southwest of Water Valley City led to the western ancestral land of the Mistec, Huajuapan, or the City of the Mountain and River. Here, Huaju means high mountain, and apans means river, combined as ’Mountain River City!’

"Look! After subduing the old enemy Tlaxcala, in a few years, the Mexica legion will march south! And Mountain River City..."

The King lowered his gaze, a burning battle intent ignited in his heart. The Tarsus River, stretching thousands of miles, linked east and west. And the conquest of the southern world was destined to begin along the long river.

Note: This Chapter was arranged over a long time, after previously spending extensive time. It organizes the entire southern map, best viewed with reference to a map. An egg Chapter will include detailed maps, and one will be posted in the book circle afterward.