Chapter 498: Witnessed by the Lord God, a Fair Exchange

"Yes, the Lord God has witnessed it!"

Shulot looked around the three of them and nodded affirmatively. The main force of the army directly under him is limited and needs to besiege the enemy's stronghold and launch constant attacks. And the surrender camp needed to be heavily guarded, so the warriors could not spread out everywhere to catch the Tlaxcalans scattered in the mountains. What's more, the main army needs to remain pure to maintain discipline and combat effectiveness. Such security warfare is best left to the various city-state legions.

".A mature man will be exchanged for a qahtli. A woman of working age will also be exchanged for a qahtli. As for half-grown children and old people who can still farm, they will be exchanged for half a qahtli. As long as you bring the captives to the logistics camp, you will get the money in one hand and the prisoners in the other, no limit to the number of exchanges!”

"What! Even children and old people are accepted?! The kingdom in the lake is so rich!"

This time, even Yuyan Mihoti was surprised. The so-called "old people" in the village at this time were naturally not like the Ming Dynasty at the same time, who regarded "sixty as old and exempted from service." In the Central American world, the life span of civilians is extremely limited. "Old people" in the village refer to people over 30 years old who are qualified to drink. Therefore, Chihuaco lived into his early forties and was already a true "old militiaman."

"Well, take them all! When children are twelve years old, they can farm in the fields. Old people can't go into battle, but they can still farm for several years."

Shulot smiled slightly and made a generous promise again.

"Of course, the Lake Legion came thousands of miles away. They didn't carry much Quahetli cotton with them, but they brought a lot of gems that could be exchanged. According to the price in the alliance's big market, one Lake gem is worth six or seven kilograms of gold sand, and ten Two horses can be exchanged for twelve adults. If you exchange gems, I can give you some discounts. One piece can only be exchanged for ten people!"

"A gem from the lake in exchange for ten young captives?"

Hearing this, Huashuo Chikua narrowed his eyes, thought for a while, and shook his head.

"Your Highness, your price is not fair! If there are so many gems in the lake, if they flow into the market, the price of gems will definitely drop."

"Oh? Not fair?"

Shulot smiled when he heard this, looked at Hochikua's fat face, and asked in a deep voice.

"With so many slaves flowing into the market, won't the price drop?"

".Well!"

Huashu Huochikua's expression was stagnant, and he didn't know how to answer for a while. He thought about it for a while, then just relied on his keen intuition and hesitated.

"This, this is different! Slaves can work, even the common people in the village will need them. But only nobles and priests will like gems."

"oh?"

Hearing this, Shulot was very interested. He looked at Hochikua as if he were seeing a rare talent.

"Then, Huashu, let me ask you. Do civilians have the ability to buy slaves? Isn't the wealth of the alliance all in the hands of the nobles and priests? How is there any unfairness in this?"

"Ah! This"

Huashu Hochikua was suddenly speechless. After a while, he reluctantly answered.

"No, Your Highness, this is still different. Slaves can work and produce food and cloth, so the more the better. But gems cannot produce small gems! Its value lies in its rarity."

"Haha! Yes, Hochikua, you are very good!"

Shulot laughed loudly. He looked at the flowers and trees carefully for a while, then smiled and spoke.

"Then, let's calculate how many slaves it would be fair to exchange a gem in the lake for?"

"Hmm."

Huashu Hochiku stretched out his short, fat fingers and calculated for a while before answering hesitantly.

"In exchange for eight men?"

"Okay! That's up to you. Witness the Lord God! A gem from the lake is sold for eight kuahtli horses in exchange for eight strong men and women!"

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

"Yu Yan, Pan Mang, do you all agree?"

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

Pan Mang smiled and nodded repeatedly.

"I have six thousand captive women and children in my hands, and I can trade with the kingdom now! As long as the transaction goes well, I will immediately send people back to the country and recruit thousands of militiamen!"

"Very good! You take the prisoners directly to the logistics camp. These affairs are in charge of the kingdom's quartermaster, the hereditary nobleman Bergire."

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

A few years passed, and the kingdom expanded rapidly, and the cronies who had followed him in the early years also rose to high positions. Even the quartermaster Bergire, who was a civilian warrior, has become a hereditary noble of the kingdom, crossing a threshold that would take several generations to break through!

"Your Highness, the Yuyan Legion now has four thousand women and children that can be exchanged. And we can capture more in the future. But we don't need so many gems."

Yuyan Mihoti's expression flashed and he looked at His Highness calmly.

"These gems are just decorations for the nobles. Even if they have the divinity mentioned by the priests, they are just sustenance after death. We Mexica warriors have always been based on fighting! What we really need is a sharp and durable bronze blade. With indestructible bronze armor!"

"Your Highness! The Lake Kingdom produces bronze equipment. The Yuyan Legion is willing to exchange 60% of the prisoners for weapons and armor!"

"Exactly, Commander Yu Yan is right! Our Huashu Legion has five thousand women and children in exchange. Half of the prisoners must be exchanged for bronze equipment!"

Huashu Huoqiku's expression changed and he immediately followed suit.

"Uh this."

Pan Python Moyahualuo looked at the two of them and gritted his teeth.

"Your Highness, the Panmang Legion will exchange 40% of the captives for bronze weapons!"

"Hmm?"

Hearing the words of the three people, Xiuluo Te raised his eyebrows and pondered in silence. After all, the Mexica states advocate military merits, have a strong martial spirit, respect force, and do things more pragmatically. In the eyes of the leaders of each state, the importance of replacing equipment and improving the combat effectiveness of warriors should be put first, far higher than enjoyment. And exchanging captives with bronze equipment to improve the combat effectiveness of each state is also good for the Eastern Expedition. It's just the price of this exchange.

"Captains, you are all honorable nobles of the city-state, the most noble group of people. Naturally, you know that the bronze production of the alliance is in short supply."

Xiuluo Te's expression became serious and he replied sincerely.

"The bronze produced by the Lake Kingdom must first be paid as tribute to the king. The remaining half of the output must be used to cast the Thunder God's weapons. In the process of making the God's weapons, the loss is very large, and it takes ten times to succeed. In the end, only a small part of the surplus can be used to make weapons and armor."

"."

The three city-state leaders looked at each other for a few times, and their faces showed disbelief. The Lake Kingdom has formed three or four copper-armored warrior camps and equipped with thousands of bronze axes. Why are you still telling them that you are short of bronze?

"Ahem, Your Highness."

Hua Shu Hochiku's fat face twitched and he replied with a smile.

"We are all members of the Southern Army. Our legions are also soldiers under your command! Improving the combat power of the legions is to obey your command and fight better for the Lord God! As for the exchange price, we can discuss it well."

"The Lord God is witnessing! Your Highness, Captain Yuyan is willing to fight for you. Please take care of the states and trade some bronze equipment!"

"Yes! The Panmang Legion also begs you."

"Well, all the captains beg me."

Xuluot looked bitter. After thinking for a while, he sighed and pretended to agree reluctantly.

"In this case, the kingdom will trade with the states! I have always been fair. A bronze spear has four or five taels of bronze. According to the market price, it is equal to half a catty of gold sand, about a horse of Kwahetli. So, a bronze spear will be exchanged for a young captive!"

In fact, the kingdom's bronze output is increasing rapidly. It can not only be used to cast bronze armor and bronze artillery, but also to make some bronze farm tools. This can be seen from the continuous flow of tin materials shipped into the kingdom. It is only because these bronzes rarely flow into the alliance market that the exchange rate between bronze and gold remains at about one to one.

"Ah! Thank you for your generosity, Your Highness!"

Hearing this, Panmang Moyahualuo nodded repeatedly and was the first to agree. Yuyan Mihoti also nodded solemnly and bowed his head.

"."

Huashu Hochiku pursed his lips and nodded helplessly. He originally wanted to argue that there was actually a difference between half a catty of gold sand and a horse of quahetli, and he could get more benefits for everyone.

"Hey! These guys who can't do arithmetic"

"Your Highness, how do you exchange the bronze cloth armor?"

Yuyan Mihoti's eyes were bright, and he couldn't wait to ask. He envied the bronze armor of the Kingdom Legion for a long time. As long as he was a warrior, he could see the importance of bronze armor!

"Well, bronze cloth armor."

Xuluot thought for a while and answered with a smile.

"The cloth-covered medium armor commonly used in the kingdom uses 16 catties of bronze and 9 catties of cotton, a total of 25 catties. The raw materials alone are worth 40-50 quahtli. The armor is not easy to make, and it requires at least senior craftsmen to work hard for 30 days. In total, one set of cloth-covered medium armor can be exchanged for 100 young and strong captives!"

"One set of cloth-covered medium armor can be exchanged for 100 young and strong captives?"

Hearing this price, Huashu Huoqiku's pupils shrank. So, the 5,000 captives in his hands can only be exchanged for 50 sets of bronze cloth-covered medium armor?

"Your Highness, this price"

"Yes. This is the price, no more negotiation!"

Xuluot smiled faintly, calmly and without doubt.

"In fact, the kingdom only has 500 sets of rich medium armor to exchange for 50,000 young and strong captives. Once they are exchanged, they will be gone!"

Just kidding, bronze armor is a monopoly commodity in the kingdom, and even the craftsmen camp in the capital have just begun to imitate it. If the other party was not also a member of the Alliance Corps, and was in the Southern Army, and obeyed his command, Xiu Luote would not even consider trading bronze armor with them.

"Okay! Your Highness, it's settled! I will send someone to deliver the captives in exchange for bronze soldiers and bronze armor!"

Yuyan Mihoti bowed his head, clenched his fists on his chest, and bowed deeply.

"Praise the Lord God! May the Alliance's Eastern Expedition go smoothly, and may the Lord God bless us!"

Huashu Huoqiku opened his mouth and sighed. Then, he and Moya Hualuo bowed their heads and saluted respectfully.

"May the Eastern Expedition go smoothly, and may the Lord God bless us!"

"Very good! The Eastern Expedition will surely win, and the Lord God bless the Mexica!"

Xiuluo looked solemn. He straightened his spine, clenched his fists on his chest, and bowed his head to return the salute.

"The military discussion ends here! Everyone, work together to defeat the Tlaxcalans!"

"Praise the king, praise your highness!"

The three legion commanders responded in unison. Then, they hurriedly turned around and left the tent and went to their respective camps.

Xiuluot watched the three people's backs gradually disappearing outside the tent. A smile slowly rose on the corner of his mouth. Then, the king stretched out his hand and unfolded a huge world map from the table. He leaned over and looked at it. Following the dense markings, his fingers drew a long line, which was a thousand miles of mountains and rivers!