Chapter 437 Grandfather's Promise, Migration of Population

It was dark outside the hall, and the candlelight inside the hall was shining. The pale yellow candles burned slowly, emitting warm yellow light. The yellow light fell softly, casting two figures on the bluestone floor. The figures sat opposite each other, and it was silent at this moment.

The high priest Shuter slowly stood up. He walked to the corner of the side hall, and with the help of the bright candlelight, he calmly searched among a pile of drawing boards and books. Xiuluot wanted to help, but his grandfather waved his hand.

"My child, think about it again, what else do you need."

Hearing this, Xiuluot stood in place and tilted his head slightly. He looked at the swaying candles on the wall, and his thoughts fluctuated like the candlelight.

This is a palm candle unique to tropical America. After collecting palm wax from the leaves of certain palm trees, it is carefully made by craftsmen. It is very expensive and rare. When the palm candle burns, the flame is bright, there is no thick smoke, and it also has a divine smoke-like fragrance, which is very similar to the spermaceti used in the eternal lamp of the Celestial Empire.

Xiuluot was silent, looking at the flame of the candle on the wall, and then at his grandfather's all-white hair. Sadness gradually emerged in his eyes.

Although the candle in front of him was bright, it had burned to the end, leaving only the last remaining flame, swaying gently in the evening breeze. I don't know when the candle will go out, turning into a wisp of green smoke, dispersing into the vast night sky, and never seen again.

"Well, the candle is about to go out."

The high priest Shuter slowly walked back from the corner with a few atlases. He calmly took out a new candle, lit it with his own hands, and placed it on the candlestick on the wall. Then, he took a breath and prepared to blow out the remaining candle in his hand.

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

Xuluot spoke softly, but his eyes were looking at his grandfather.

"Oh?"

The high priest was slightly startled. He looked at the sadness hidden in Xiuluot's eyes, and then looked at the remaining candle in front of him, and suddenly understood his grandson's intentions. On his wrinkled face, a smile slowly rose, like an old and dry plum blossom.

"Okay, then keep it!"

The high priest nodded and put the remaining candle back next to the new candle. Two candles, one tall and one short, stood side by side, both shining and emitting a sacred fragrance. They burned quietly, with an inseparable echo in the blood. Even if one was about to burn out, the other had just begun.

"Xuluot, my child."

The high priest's eyes were full of tenderness. He calmly unfolded a map of the world, and the powerful Mexica Alliance came into view.

"My child, last year I moved 10,000 people to the Lake Kingdom. This year, I will give you..."

Speaking of this, the high priest paused for a few breaths, his eyes showing determination.

"At least 70,000 young and strong men in Mexica!"

"Ah?! At least 70,000 young and strong men and women?"

Xuluot was very surprised. This number is almost the result of a southern or northern expedition! What's more rare is that these people are the main ethnic groups that serve as the ruling base!

"Well, at least 70,000 people! I will go to meet the elder in person and get his support."

The high priest looked calm.

"My child, under your leadership, the Kingdom of the Lake is developing every day, and new changes are constantly being born. All of this has been seen by the high priest group and the elders. In the current Kingdom of the Lake, the influence of the Purépecha people is a little too great."

"Among the 800,000 people in the kingdom, the Mexica people of the alliance are less than 80,000, accounting for only one-tenth. The remaining more than 70% are Purépecha people. The Purépecha elites are everywhere in the kingdom. They serve as consultants at all levels of the kingdom and lead the kingdom's changes; they serve as low-level priests in villages and towns, believing in the belief of one god; they serve as senior craftsmen of the Divine Revelation Institute and master the most powerful new weapons; they also serve as warriors and officers, and even lead the kingdom's legions."

Hearing this, Xiu Luote raised his eyebrows slightly and said affirmatively.

"Grandfather, I can be sure that the loyalty of the Purépecha people to me is not less than that of the Mexica people, and even more so."

"Haha, my child, this is exactly what the alliance is worried about! Sometimes, obedience and integration can also be a way of conquering."

The high priest smiled faintly and shook his head. His expression became serious.

"Xuluot, I know that many Purépecha people respect you as Your Majesty and regard you as the only sun. And the Mexica warriors call you Your Highness, after King Avit. But you need to always remember that you are the most honorable highness of the Mexica people and the future king of the Mexica Alliance! And your sacred throne is in the magnificent lake capital, on the highest great temple, and definitely not in the western city of Chincongcan, not in the Yacata of the House of Wind!"

Xuluot was stunned. He remembered what Uncle Kakamazin said, was silent for a while, and nodded.

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

"Very good! My child, you are the hope of the Holy City! You are destined to be the master of the four directions, not the master of the West."

The high priest nodded seriously and whispered in a deep voice. Then, he stretched out his finger, touched the map, and tapped hard on the west of Lake Texcoco.

"The rebellion in Tlacopan will be severely suppressed, and more than a dozen nobles will be either executed or exiled. The slaves, families, and fiefdoms on the nobles' fiefdoms will all be handled by the high priest group. I will relocate 20,000 people from them to the heart of the Kingdom of the Lake in the name of exile!"

"Relocate so many fiefdoms, the royal family and the high priest group"

"It doesn't matter. These lands and fiefdoms will be redistributed and jointly managed by the royal family and the high priest group. Relocating 20,000 people in the name of exile will not cause any big trouble."

The high priest's expression did not change. He holds the supreme divine power and is able to deal with everything. Then, he moved his finger and pressed on the location of the Northeastern Holy City.

"Teotihuacan in the northeast of Lake Texcoco is the residence of the gods and has the royal branch of the Holy City. The foundation of our family is here. And in the surrounding city-states, there are also many affiliated tribes, and We have a close relationship. My child, since you have established a firm foothold in the Kingdom of the Lake, the main branches of each family can migrate to the Kingdom, as your most loyal supporters! From the northeast of the Lake District, 20,000 people will move to the Kingdom! Patzcuaro Lake District!”

"Migrating family roots to the kingdom"

Hearing this, Shulot looked solemn. The political structure of the alliance is transforming from a loose tribal alliance to a centralized feudal kingdom. The royal family itself is the most powerful Mexica tribe.

Before King Avit came to the throne, there were 20,000 to 30,000 direct tribes and more than 2,000 family warriors. After he became king, he inherited all the affiliated tribes of Montezuma. Similarly, the Holy City series naturally has many Dingkou, which are firmly under control.

"Grandpa, are the various affiliated tribes willing to go west?"

"The age of kings is coming."

The high priest smiled and said in a low voice with deep meaning.

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

Hearing this, Shulot was a little suspicious. He looked at his grandfather's calm expression and nodded.

"That's good. In the Patzcuaro Lake area, there are still many old abandoned fields and new fields that can be cultivated, which can be allocated to the migrating tribes."

"Um."

The high priest moved his fingers, gradually from the northeast of the lake area to the west, to the Trocan State where the Leman River flows.

"The Trocan state in the west has a prosperous household. The Spring Rain priest family has been inherited for hundreds of years and controls three to four thousand feudal people. After killing them and purging two old nobles, they can gather a population of ten thousand people and exile them to the kingdom nearby. Hekou County.”

Then, the old finger moved again and fell ruthlessly on the southwest.

"The state of Lazico in the southwest also has a sufficient population. Facing the centralized restructuring, several big nobles have objections. The high priests and the royal center are interested in cleaning up the area. There will also be 10,000 people here, and they will be moved to the south of the kingdom. "Zicao County."

"Purge the old nobles and migrate the population"

Shulot lowered his eyes slightly. Although such a cruel method is powerful and effective, it also has serious side effects.

"Grandpa, if this happens, your reputation and your safety will be in danger."

"Ha! From the moment I took over the religious power and implemented the religious reform, I was destined to have a bad reputation."

The high priest didn't care and smiled lightly. He pinched his fingers and calculated.

"Well, in this way, there will be a population of 60,000. Another 10,000 people will be recruited from various villages in the alliance capital as the standard for the promotion of priests! My son, these 70,000 Mexica people , you must place it well as the foundation for your stable kingdom.”

"Grandpa, I can!"

Shulot looked excited. Of these 70,000 Mexican immigrants, 50,000 will be resettled in the Kingdom of Gyeonggi, 10,000 will move to Hekou County in the north, and 10,000 will move to Zicao County in the south. They will engage in large-scale intermarriage with the Prepecha people to eliminate hidden dangers in the kingdom. only.

"For rulers, population is the most precious asset."

Shulot thought silently, looking at his grandfather's gentle smile with a bit of uneasy worry.

"Grandpa, for these promises, you have to pay more. What price will it cost?"

On the wall, candles flickered calmly, exuding a distant fragrance and bringing the warmth of proximity. In the warm night, the old candlelight gradually became fainter, like a distant star in the sky. And the new candlelight becomes brighter and brighter, carrying the light of the sun!