Chapter 540: The Heart of a King Is Incorruptible

The continuous stratus clouds rolled and the raindrops fell. The moist and warm air flow rose from the distant Caribbean Sea, and came all the way west to the Mexican Plateau at an altitude of 2,000 meters. The sea breeze from the east met the dry and cold mountain wind, opening the long rainy season on the plateau, turning into showers falling from the sky, and falling on the king's tent.

The rainy season had just arrived, but it had been more than a month, and it was not yet the heaviest rainfall season. The king's tent was coated with a layer of rubber and was not wet by the rain. The gusts of wind blew down from the top of the tent, shaking the feather crowns of the two people, bringing the heat and humidity of early summer.

Avite looked at the rainy sky, with tears in the corners of his eyes, but he had walked out of sadness. The heart of the king is indestructible, and it will not be easily shaken. At this moment, he has the ambition to conquer the world, the burning fighting spirit in his heart, and the cold killing intent in his eyes!

After a while, the king frowned, staring at the rain flowing down the tent, and whispered in a deep voice.

"Gilliam, the heavy rain in July is coming. There are not many days left to attack the city!"

Hearing this, Gilim's expression became solemn and his heart was awed. He was familiar with the climate of the Tlaxcala Basin and naturally knew what the king meant.

The Tlaxcala Basin is adjacent to the Texcoco Lake area, and the climate is quite similar. Both are located near the 1000 mm precipitation line throughout the year, and the precipitation is similar to that between the Huaihe River and the Yangtze River in the Celestial Empire. The rainy season here concentrates most of the precipitation throughout the year. It starts to rain in May during the spring plowing and continues until the autumn harvest in October. It is a complete rainy and hot period.

During the entire hot and humid rainy season, if there is no dry stone granary, the stored grain will easily deteriorate, and the loss of transportation will also increase. The maintenance of the army's food supply will gradually become costly and consume a lot of money. In July and August, when the rain is at its peak, continuous rain will fall from the sky, making the ground muddy and the walls slippery. Siege and fighting will become extremely difficult, and bows and artillery cannot be used.

In other words, the northern army only has the next twenty days to attack the three snake cities. Then, in the two months when the rain is at its peak, any large-scale military operations in the north and south of the alliance must be stopped. It is also best for each legion to be stationed in the city or in a solid camp with a special granary to store food. And when the rain gradually subsides and the number of sunny days increases in mid-September, it will be possible to organize another siege.

"Your Majesty! The Tlaxcalans defended the three cities to the death and resisted to the end. They occupy the city walls and the terrain, and the food and supplies for defending the city are still abundant. It is difficult to plan in a hurry."

Gilliam saluted solemnly and admonished in a deep voice. He planned the battle situation in the north day and night, and had a deep understanding of the situation in the three snake cities. At this time, the chief intelligence officer sat upright and told the story, and he had a complete plan.

"The four states of Tlaxcala have a total population of 400,000, about 100,000 men. The state of Tlaxcala, where the four snake cities are located, is the most important and the core of the entire four-state alliance. Facing the attack of the northern army, the other three states have one or two thousand tribal warriors to support them."

"The alliance went south from Hot Spring City and conquered Quetzalcoatl City, killing and capturing warriors and militiamen, totaling more than 10,000 men. Then the four legions were dispatched, clearing for a month, capturing 20,000 men, killing 30,000 men, totaling more than 50,000 men. Counting the Tlaxcala tribe that fled in all directions, there are at most more than 30,000 men in the remaining three snake cities!"

Hearing this, Avite nodded slowly. Both of them are experienced in the military and familiar with the system of tribal alliances. Although these figures are all estimates, they are generally not much different from the actual situation.

"Your Majesty, among the three cities, Yunshe Mountain City is the most dangerous and the smallest. Such a fortress mountain city cannot house too many people, and the attacking mountain road is narrow, so it does not need too many people to defend. The scouts have repeatedly spied on it and obtained some intelligence."

Gilliam pondered for a moment, reached out from his arms, took out a roll of straw paper, and carefully unfolded it in front of the king, which was a simple map of Yunshe Mountain City.

"Yunshe Mountain City and several surrounding mountain camps have about five or six thousand people, half of whom are warriors and half are militia. And if the families of nobles and warriors are counted, there should be more than 10,000 people. The south of the mountain city is the main mountain road, and there are several bird and animal trails on the north side, leading into the vast mountains. There are also several springs in the mountain city, as well as some barren thin fields, where pumpkins can be grown to fill the stomach. As for the food stored in the mountain city, it should be at least one year. And if they abandon the old and weak, they can support it for longer."

Hearing this, Avite frowned, his face as heavy as water. He had seen the terrain of Yunshe Mountain City with his own eyes. It was truly dangerous and high, and it was absolutely impossible for human power to conquer it.

"Gilliam, you just said that there were bird and animal trails on the north side."

"Your Majesty, the Tlaxcalans have been operating for a long time and have long been on guard. These trails are only one or two people walking side by side. It is easy to go down, but difficult to climb up."

Gilliam shook his head and said sincerely.

"Yunshe Mountain City can only be besieged and cannot be attacked by force. This mountain city is more dangerous than Ottopan Mountain City!"

"Brother Tisok of Ottopan Mountain City."

Avit's expression became serious, and his heart was horrified. Tisok attacked Ottopan Mountain City by force, but lost warriors and failed. Then he besieged the city for a long time, and the army was shaken and refused to retreat. Finally, the futile siege and the long siege made tens of thousands of warriors complain, and the various legions became rebellious, which gave him the opportunity to go all out!

"The mountain cat in front fell into the pit, and the tiger behind must be careful to avoid the siege of the mountain city. It requires sufficient patience and time, but not so many legions."

Gilliam waited for a moment until the king thought about it and looked at him, then he continued to speak.

"Among the three cities, Baisheqiu City is half mountain-side and half field, located on a hill. The fields to the south of the city are farmlands, and there are several camps occupying strategic locations in the mountains to the north. Baisheqiu City is slightly larger, and with the garrison in the camp, it is estimated that there are 8,000 to 10,000 men, half of whom are warriors and half are militiamen. Including the elderly, women and children, there are an estimated 15,000 people in the city, and the food reserves should be enough for one year."

"Well, Baisheqiu City, bows and catapults are not easy to use. But the Divine Eagle Cannon with the longest range can directly hit the top of the city!"

Avit thought for a moment and asked in a deep voice.

"Gillim, how is the imitation of the Divine Eagle Cannon of the Lake Kingdom? If there are dozens of Divine Eagle Cannons, Baisheqiu City will not be difficult to attack!"

"Your Majesty, it is difficult to imitate the Divine Eagle Cannon."

Gillim pursed his lips and knelt on the ground to confess.

"The craftsmen camp in the capital has been testing for nearly a year, with more than a hundred clay models, but only four or five can be used. Maybe we can requisition a batch of Divine Eagle Cannons from the Kingdom of the Lake."

"Nearly a year, only four or five can be used?"

Hearing this, Avit was slightly angry and shouted in a deep voice.

"Cannon casting is a major event for the alliance! If there are supervisors who are incompetent, corrupt and procrastinate, they must be sacrificed to the Lord God!"

Then, the king's eyes moved and he asked coldly.

"There are so few cannons cast. Did the cannon casting craftsmen from the kingdom who came to guide them intentionally hide it?"

".No. Even in the Kingdom of the Lake, it is also difficult to cast cannons. Often one out of ten can be used, which can be regarded as a blessing from the Lord God."

Gilliam bowed to the ground and saluted, his thoughts racing, and he did not tell any lies on this matter. Facing the king who was loyal to him, he would never lie or conceal anything, and that was why he could gain the king's trust.

"Well, we must strictly supervise and let the craftsmen camp hurry up to cast!"

Avite lowered his eyes and nodded. He thought for a while and gave careful instructions.

"The Lake Kingdom is a long way away, a thousand miles away from here. The Condor Cannon is very heavy and very difficult to transport. I'm afraid it will be too late to recruit it. Let the craftsmen camp in the capital send the newly cast Condor Cannon as soon as possible. Even if there is one more during the siege, it will be good!"

"I obey your will!"

Gilliam responded respectfully. Then, he looked to the southwest and talked about the last towering Tree Snake City.

"Among the three cities, Tree Snake City is the richest and most extensive. It is the strongest and has the highest status among the four snake cities. In a way, it can also be regarded as the capital of the Tlaxcalans."

"Tree Snake City faces the river to the north, and the other three sides are fields, which is convenient for attacking the city. The garrison in the city is estimated to be 15,000 men, plus thousands of families, about 20,000 people. As for the stored food, the nobles of Tree Snake City invested a lot in growing grain and carried out spring plowing, but they could not go out of the city for autumn harvest. It is estimated that there are only more than eight months, at most until next spring."

"Until next spring?"

Avit's mouth curled up, shook his head and laughed. Then, he touched his chin, thinking carefully while listening to Gillim's plan.

"Your Majesty, if you want to conquer the three cities that support each other, you can't be impatient! You should start with the easy and then the difficult, first attack Tree Snake City, then conquer White Snake City, and finally surround Cloud Snake City."

Gillim took out the map, stretched out his hand to indicate the three snake cities one after another, and told his steady strategy.

"The northern army will build a solid camp outside the three cities, completely block the surrounding passages, block the mountain paths and apertures, and deploy each legion in turn. When the rainy season gradually subsides in September, the southern legion will move north and start the siege."

"Drive the surrendered army and militia to consume the defenders' stones, wood blocks, ash bottles, bows and arrows, and javelins. Use catapults, condor cannons, and crossbows to consume the opponent's elite warriors and reduce the morale of the defenders. Then, engage the city-state warriors in a fight until the Tlaxcalans are short of supplies, their elites are lost, their morale is low, and they are completely exhausted. Then you can send the kingdom's armored guards to climb the city and conquer it in one attack!"

Avite narrowed his eyes, his eyes were cold, listening to the chief intelligence officer's narration, and staring at the map of the Tlaxcala Basin. His mind was filled with all kinds of complex thoughts, not only bloody fighting, but also bloodless power struggles, and politics that are used to blood and turn a blind eye. After a long while, the cold king shook his head and answered in a deep voice.

"No, Guillem, I can't wait that long! Within twenty days, I will take over the City of Tree Snakes and capture the capital of the Tlaxcalans!"