Chapter 254: Inheritance Slate, Rebuilding Faith

The sky was clear after the rain. There was only one crimson sun, sinking at the end of the sky, watching the human world, like the eyes of a god. The sky was illuminated by the setting sun. The red glow gradually spread until it turned into endless blood color, covering the sky of Qincongcan City, like a cloak spread out by the sun god.

Xiuluot walked to the light-transmitting window and looked down at the capital and the people under his rule.

The spectacular celestial phenomenon has attracted the attention of the people in the capital, and it is time for evening prayers. Continuous chants and prayers sounded in the majestic capital. The young king listened attentively, and he heard the name of Huitzilopochtli, the main god of the Mexica, with a high and passionate voice, accompanied by the chanting of the priests; he also heard the title of the Tarasco sun god Curicaveri, with a low and buzzing voice, scattered in every corner of the capital. And in a more subtle way, he also heard the names of the earth mother goddess Kwelawaperi and the moon goddess Haratanna.

"The old beliefs of Tarasco are still circulating among the Purpecha people. The change of beliefs is not a one-time thing. Once you convert completely, it will be difficult to erase."

Xuluot's eyes were calm and deep, with the awe of a king and the patience of a priest. Jatiri listened silently for a moment, then smiled and pointed to the seventh stone tablet.

"Your Majesty, this last stone tablet tells the story behind the Tarasco gods."

"Oh? What is behind the gods?"

Xuluot asked with a smile.

"Naturally, it is the people who give the gods meaning."

The knowledgeable elder answered like this.

Hearing this, Xuluot was stunned. He looked at Jatiri for a moment, his expression serious.

"Chief, in a country that believes in gods, you don't seem to have a qualified belief."

"Your Majesty, if you know enough ancient epics like me, and understand how the kings and sages of all generations have reshaped the belief in gods, then the light of gods will no longer be able to shine into a heart full of knowledge."

Jatiri's mouth still had a smile. He looked at the king's serious expression, bowed slightly to greet him, but his eyes had already seen through it.

"Purepecha God. Reshaping Faith"

Xuluot pondered for a moment. In his mind, the corridor murals of the chief's palace and the elders' transformation of Mexica mythology emerged. The king nodded slowly. He waved his hand and asked the close guards to withdraw, leaving only the warrior leader.

"There is no one in the side room, please speak freely, chief, and tell me in detail."

Jatiri's smile spread at the corner of his mouth. He walked to the last stone slab and raised his hand to point to the first group of paintings.

The first painting was abstract and mysterious, with two radiant gods in the middle, one with a cold male face and the other with a gentle female smile. Behind the male god was the bright sun, which was painted with gold powder and flashed with golden light from time to time. Behind the female god was the heavy mountain, which was based on copper powder and had long been oxidized to black in time.

Below the two gods were two nobles in gorgeous clothes. They were a man and a woman, hugging each other. The man was wearing a hunting suit of the Nahua people, with cold and hard straight lines to outline the strength of men. The woman was wearing a dress of the Purépecha people, with rounded curves to symbolize the softness of women. Under the man's feet were cacti in the plateau, and under the woman's feet were small islands in the lake. In the hands of the two, they were holding a baby together.

Xiuluot looked more carefully, and behind the baby, there was a deep full moon. The full moon was painted with silver powder and was still bright. The young king thought for a while and understood.

"The Sun God and the Earth Goddess, the Nahua people and the Urixiu people. The two tribes combined to give birth to the Moon Goddess. Is this the connection between gods and humans, and the gods reflecting the world?"

"Indeed!"

Jatiri smiled faintly.

"Your Majesty, this painting was drawn in the early days of the establishment of the kingdom. At that time, the most important issue of the kingdom was to deal with the conflict between the two tribes. The first generation of the king established the capital in the religious holy land. After suppressing the power of the priests, he began to reshape the kingdom's beliefs. He reinterpreted the gods of the two tribes to consolidate the rule of the royal family and strengthen the integration of the tribes that migrated south and the native tribes.

In this painting, the Nahua people who migrated south are descendants of the sun god Kurikaveri, the gods of the heavens. The native Ulixiu people are descendants of the earth mother goddess Velavaperi, the gods of the earth. The two gods became relatives, and the descendants of the two gods naturally followed the gods to marry each other. In the union of the gods, the new moon goddess Haratana was born. She is a god in the world and also controls the life and death of life. The moon goddess also symbolizes the new Purépecha people after the integration!"

The knowledgeable elder paused. He looked at the king and said meaningfully.

"Your Majesty, gods and humans are indeed connected. However, it is the human world that reflects the gods!"

Xuluot's eyes flickered, and he nodded slowly. He did not speak, but continued to look at the second group of paintings.

The second group of paintings seemed to be a continuation of the first, but there were many differences. The nobles of Nava and Ulixiu gave birth to a shining baby. The blessed baby then grew up to be a king wearing an eagle helmet, holding a scepter and a spear. And behind the king of the eagle is a golden sun!

"Your Majesty, this second painting was drawn after the death of the first generation of ancestors. At that time, the integration of the two tribes had been initially completed. The second generation of ancestors began to revise myths and beliefs, on the one hand to integrate the formed country, and on the other hand to give the royal family a sacred status.

In this painting, the first generation ancestor Talia Kuri is described as the descendant of the union of the Nahua people and the Ulishi people, and he is also the descendant chosen by the sun god! He has the inherent authority and divinity to rule over all the people in the lake. During this period, the Sun God was also upgraded from the god of the south-migrating ethnic group to the protector of all people in the lake! "

Hearing this, Xiuluo nodded and commented affirmatively.

"Similar to the alliance. The main god is promoted and the former king is deified. This is a sign of the unity of the kingdom's will."

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Hearing this, Jatiri's wrinkles trembled and he smiled deeply, with all the time in his smile.

He then pointed to the third group painting. In the sky above the painting is a striking sun, shining on the towering pyramids on the ground. And a king with a condor helmet is in the center of the picture. He connects the sun and the pyramid, like a bridge between heaven and earth, God and man, and the Kingdom of God and the mortal world!

"The third painting was painted by the third generation of ancestors. It describes the scene of the new king ascending to the top of the pyramid to offer sacrifices to the gods when he ascended the throne. During this period, after the efforts of the second generation of ancestors, the condor The family has gained divinity in the hearts of the people. The Lake Patzcuaro area has become the mythical source that maintains the movement of the world; and the pyramid of Qincongcan City is the true center of the universe!

The king's power is granted and guaranteed by the gods. The king's power is destined to be in the royal blood of the gods and passed down through sacred rituals. Through the sacrificial ceremony of the pyramid, each king will establish a sacred connection with the gods that exceeds people's understanding! "

"Sacrifice to heaven and earth, God grants kingship."

Shulot muttered to himself, and many scenes in his memory flashed before his eyes. After a while, the young king nodded first and then sighed softly.

He looked toward the last broad picture. The king of condors is still in the picture. The king has been promoted and transformed into the god king of the ethnic group. He stands between heaven and earth, emitting divine light. His feet were spread apart, one on land and the other on water. Surrounding the God King were countless people prostrating themselves in worship. At the bottom of the picture, there are a series of mysterious graphic inscriptions engraved, like the conclusion of a mythological epic.

"Chief, is this the epic of the gods?"

The young king traced the inscription with his finger and looked at the knowledgeable elder in front of him.

Jatiri nodded. He cleared his throat and recited the last kingdom epic in an ancient and distant accent.

"The sun shines on the heaven and earth, and the ancestors rule the four directions! Praise you, Talia Kuri, you are the descendant of the sun, you are the incarnation of the condor, you are destined to rule the sky, the earth and the lakes!

People from all over the world, we worship the divine kingdom of our ancestors at the same time. He has one foot on land and one foot on water. He has the supreme power and uses the hands of the gods to create the new Prepecha people.

And we are the descendants of the God King! We are the Holy Prepecha people and will become a great people! Our great Kingdom of Tarasco, which was nurtured and grown, multiplied and perished in the land of the lake, will continue to stand for generations and thousands of years under the rule of the supreme Condor Royal Family! "

The deep chanting echoed in the vicissitudes of the stone palace, as if it had some strange magic power, stimulating the king's mood. It wipes away the dust of history, uncovers sealed memories, and re-sings the lost epic into a masterpiece. And the setting sun on the horizon finally disappeared completely into the earth, leaving only the deep darkness and the dots of candlelight in the stone hall.

The candlelight flickered, leaving behind an elongated figure. Shulot stared at the inheritance slate that could no longer be distinguished in the shadow. At this moment, his thoughts were ups and downs, and he was lost in thought for a long time.

From these silent stone slabs, he heard the myths of the four eras converged into a unified story; he witnessed the collapse of the old kingdom and the rise of the new kingdom; he thought about the intermarriage of the fused ethnic groups and looked forward to it. With the enfeoffment of the world in mind.

In the newly born feudal state, it is necessary to reconstruct the three-level structure and deal with different classes; it is necessary to strengthen the centralization of power and control the wealth of the feudal state; it is also necessary to give birth to a brand new god over a long period of time. , evolving a belief that continues to strengthen!

Countless sparks of thought flickered in the king's heart, and then gathered into a blazing flame in his chest. There was silence in the stone palace, and everyone was waiting quietly, like a picture frozen in history. It wasn't until a gentle smile appeared on the king's face that time flowed in the hall again.

"Listening to the sage telling the epic today really benefited me a lot. It saved me ten years of hard work."

Shulot smiled and held Jatiri's hands.

"Chief, you are my wings to fly in the sky. The future governance of the kingdom cannot be separated from wise men like you; the newly built official government of the feudal country also needs more good birds that are good at flying. If you know any wise men , please don’t be stingy, and definitely recommend them to me! I will select and appoint talents based on their character and talents, regardless of ethnicity or proximity!”

Hearing this, joy flashed across the face of the knowledgeable elder. He bowed his head solemnly and saluted, and repeated what he had said once again.

"Your Majesty, all the river turtles, lake fish and water birds in the land of the lake are willing to serve the true eagle!"

Hearing this, Shulot laughed and nodded with satisfaction. He looked around, took one last look around the wide stone chamber, and was about to leave. Suddenly, in the corner of the stone room, a black-gray short knife flashed with cold light and caught the king's eyes.

"A black and gray dagger?"

The young king was stunned. He took a few steps, picked up the dagger, and examined it carefully. Then, he reached out and gently touched the still sharp and smooth edge, feeling the unique hard touch of metal, but it was not the common obsidian material.

"Dark gray metal. This is an iron knife!"

Surprise appeared on Shulot's face. He looked at Jatiri beside him and asked urgently.

"Chief, where does this weapon come from?"

The knowledgeable elder glanced at the special-shaped dagger and smiled knowingly.

"Your Majesty, this is an ancient weapon captured by the Kingdom many years ago when it conquered the Tekos tribe in the southwestern Colima State. There are several similar short knives, all stored in a nearby trophy cabin. These weapons are very sharp, but slightly less sharp. Compared with the sharp pieces of obsidian, it is far superior in toughness and wear resistance, even stronger than the latest bronze!

The royal family once sent people to carefully search for the black-gray metal that could be used to forge such short knives in the complex Colima Mountains, but found nothing. In the end, they can only be classified as weapons given by God, as the elders of the Tekos tribe said. The Divine Eagle royal family claimed to be descendants of gods, so they also chose the strongest dagger and put it in this inherited stone palace. "

"Colima Mountains Well, that's what it is."

Xiuluo nodded, a little disappointed. He thought of the experiences Ezpin had once recounted, and when the two reflected each other, he could only sigh. Then, the young king looked solemn. He pondered for a while and looked at his most trusted warrior commander.

"Bertard, has copper mining resumed in the south? What is the current situation of the craftsman camp? What is the output of longbows? Has the production of the bronze farming tools I ordered started? And the small bronze cannon I mentioned in particular, the latest How is the progress?"

"Your Highness, I have summoned thousands of miners and initially resumed copper mining in the south. The priests have settled in the craftsman camp and taught the craftsmen. More than two thousand craftsmen have all been organized and have begun to assume their previous functions. If there is enough wood, the production of longbows can be maintained at more than a hundred per day, and the losses of the longbow army have been replenished.

Expensive bronze agricultural tools are not difficult to make, and they have all been trial-produced. It's just that although bronze farm tools can facilitate farming, the cost is too high. Their output is limited by the copper mined in the south of the feudal state, and they also need to import more tin ore from the south of the alliance. As for the bronze cannon you requested."

At this point, Bertard stopped talking. He thought for a moment and replied cautiously.

"The craftsmen have just made a trial production, but they encountered some problems. It is not usable yet. Please go and check it in person."

Hearing this, Xiulote thought for a moment and solemnly gave the order.

"Okay! You go down and get ready. August will be almost over when I finish the government affairs in hand. The time is set in September before the autumn harvest. I will take the trained guards and inspect the craftsman camp first. Let’s inspect the mines south of Ivacchio again!”