Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

In mid-May, the kingdom's expedition fleet arrived at the southern island of Cuba, stopping at the Taino village of Yucama. The fleet repaired ships, replenished food and water, and contacted nearby tribes, searching for lost ships.

The old militiaman, having some leisure time, walked among the Taino cassava fields. The spring breeze brushed his face, and the scent of grass and wood greeted him, fresh and pleasant. He looked at the rows of cultivated mounds, with lush green branches and leaves on them, and genuine joy appeared on his face.

"Oh Chief Divine, what a beautiful spring it is!"

"Oh! Oh!"

Seagulls chirped, cassava sprouted new branches, and the bright spring light lingered along the Taino villages of the Cuban coast. Spring light shimmered for five thousand miles, and the spring breeze swayed for two thousand meters, reaching the highlands of the Mexica Alliance.

On the highlands, it was also a splendid spring, suffused with the scenes of spring plowing at Lake Texcoco, and meandering in the prosperous valleys of Mexica. It was a peaceful season, accompanying the hurried steps of farmers, and the spring smoke from the slash-and-burn season. The army corps from the northern city-states of the alliance, carrying numerous spoils of war, returned from the eastern expedition to participate in the city-states' spring agriculture.

The alliance's spring plowing began, and this year's spring plowing festival was unprecedentedly grand!

At this moment, the Lake Capital City was bustling with people, the scent of pine resin filled the air, rising continuously. Priests chanted scriptures, samurai performed war dances, and the grand spring plowing festival was held at the top of the towering Great Temple pyramid. King Aweit, wearing the newly made Divine King Headdress, stood tall on the highest Divine Platform. He raised the Yellow Gemstone Scepter in his hand and declared aloud to the cheers of tens of thousands of citizens of the capital city.

"The god says, the sun rises high, the moon falls below. The Chief Divine is pleased, swallowing the Cloud Serpent... No war this year!"

Beside the Divine King, the twelve Elder Priests stood reverently. They listened to the Divine King's decree and repeated it in unison, followed by the loud shout of hundreds of priests.

"The Chief Divine is pleased, no war this year!"

"Roar! The Chief Divine is pleased! Awooo!"

The cheers of tens of thousands of people echoed through the Lake Capital City, like deafening thunder! And below the Great Temple, hundreds of the alliance's great nobility simultaneously bowed, paying respectful homage to the supreme King.

"No war this year, praise the Divine King! Praise the Chief Divine!"

Confirming there would be no war this year, most nobles of the city-states breathed a sigh of relief. Mountain Clan Leader Izel bowed his head in salute toward the high King, sighing inwardly.

"The sacred Jaguar sits high above, increasingly majestic and awe-inspiring! Just a few words make one feel intimidated, not daring to look directly..."

Since the elder's passing, the Divine King's rise to supremacy led to rapid changes in world affairs, and the alliance's political situation became unstable and uneasy. The King and the High Priesthood were implementing centralization step by step, while in the hearts of the nobility, the dissatisfaction caused by damaged interests was increasingly accumulating. At this time, all around the alliance, the great nobility was constantly vigilant about the King's actions, worried about their family's survival. They truly had no motivation to heed the royal family's call to participate in expansionist conquests.

"The god says, abundant fertilizer, the lake fields fertile. The Chief Divine is pleased, drinking fresh crimson... Harvest this year!"

King Aweit, with a cold and hard expression, once again raised the divine staff and sternly announced. Hundreds of priests followed suit, then thousands of nobles and tens of thousands of people, all together, their voices shaking the sky!

"Harvest this year, praise the Divine King! Praise the Chief Divine!"

The nobles' praises came from the heart, as did the people's cheers. Mountain Clan Leader Izel's eyes sparkled with an inexplicable unease, hiding some anger. As he looked around, there seemed to be something unusual in the faces of many great nobles cheering, but it was hard to discern clearly.

"The god says, practice self-restraint, do not squander. The Chief Divine guides, elders enshrined... Self-restraint this year!"

King Aweit, with a solemn demeanor, raised the divine staff once more, sweeping over the nobles below the temple. Seeing the King's gaze, many nobles bowed their heads in unison, and some even knelt on one knee to show respect to the Divine King.

"Self-restraint this year, praise the Divine King! Praise the Chief Divine!"

This divine war of the east consumed a significant amount of the alliance's food, exhausting years of reserves. Last month, the High Priesthood already issued a new religious decree, enforcing frugality and supervising all regions, which both nobles and priests must abide by!

"The Divine King's decree: nobles of all city-states are to reduce feasting and refrain from excessive indulgence. To honor the elders and High Priests lost in the eastern expedition, observe one year of prudence. Violators will face punishment!"

The decree of the High Priesthood, once united with the king's decree, represents the supreme will, restraining the words and actions of the nobility. Elder Izel lowered his eyes, clearly feeling that another chain has been added to those binding the great nobility!

"First, the elite samurai were extracted, followed by interference in the inheritance among the great nobility, and now even the daily feasts are to be restricted... Step by step, the sacred Jaguar returns from the eastern conquest, mercilessly extending its claws, pinning the pack of wolves under them!"

The return from the eastern conquest saw the great nobility of various states plundering a large amount of gold, silver, spices, population, and wealth, but they were also forced to expend over ten thousand of their private noble armies, significantly weakening their strength. In contrast, the central power of the royal family suffered far less attrition.

After capturing Tree Snake City, King Aweit forcefully conscripted elite Third Level samurai from various states to rebuild a two-thousand-strong Tonsured Guard. Upon returning to the capital city, the king, riding the wave of great victory, subdued the High Priesthood, incorporating two thousand Temple Guards and one thousand Elder Guards into the direct jurisdiction of the royal family.

Thus, with the triple blessings of supreme divine authority, victorious prestige, and mighty military power, the central authority of the Mexican royal family finally gained an overwhelming advantage over various local states and tribes!

"Establish the supreme religious laws and affirm the order of the Alliance. The Chief Divine grants the Divine King the authority to campaign against all the tribes under heaven and to protect the Alliance nobles!"

King Aweit, holding the advantage, did not hold back, further dismantling the power of the nobility to strengthen central authority. A few months ago, after holding a grand victory ceremony, the king intervened for the first time in the inheritance of the Glory family of Tzompantli following the death of Xochitl. This was the first time in decades that the royal central authority openly decided on the division of a factual Glory family.

"The honorable noble Xochitl sacrificed for the divine in the divine war of the eastern conquest! Blessed by the Chief Divine, bestowed with grace! His four legitimate descendants, regardless of gender, have the right to inherit the family's land and maintain the identity of the honorable nobility!"

The king's envoy brought an irresistible divine grace, dividing all the land, population, and warriors of the Glory Tzompantli family among the four opposing legitimate heirs to inherit. Thus, amid the bitter gratitude of the family elders, the once-powerful Tzompantli family lost its esteemed clan leader, many warriors, and control over Tzompantli City, splitting into four nominal 'Glory families.'

To mediate the land inheritance disputes among the four new clan leaders, the High Priesthood, following the king's decree, sent an arbitration priest to the Tzompantli City-State. This new Fourth Level Chief Priest was Tonaya, the nephew of Elder Priest Tonaltiliu, who once managed the Temple of the Sun.

"Divine King's decree: Fourth Level Chief Priest Tonaya shall serve as the arbitrating judge of the Mexica General Parish, to protect every revered Divine Bloodline according to the religious laws compiled by the High Priesthood, and to fairly uphold the status of every noble and the deserved benefits blessed by the Chief Divine..."

The Temple of the Sun lineage holds a revered position within the Alliance and has befriended many great nobles for generations. The disputes among the four clan leaders indeed required a higher king's judgment. The nobles had no choice but to accept this decree. Soon after, Chief Priest Tonaya arrived in Tzompantli City and made decisive arbitration on the interests and demands of the new clan leaders. He also strongly ensured the arbitration's execution, relying on the supreme authority of the royal family and the High Priesthood!

As a result, in the Tzompantli City-State in the western part of the Alliance, besides the original Third Level City-State High Priest, there was now an actual highest judge. This judge could not only adjudicate disputes over noble interests but also decide on the domestic affairs of great nobles!

Facing such a significant new position as "Arbitration Priest," the great nobles with real power in the city-states across the Alliance, if they had any insight, felt quite anxious and uneasy.

As controllers of their respective city-states and towns, the great nobles naturally enjoyed privileges superior to the lesser nobles in terms of tax tribute, farmland and orchard rights, samurai maintenance, and even canal distribution. In other words, due to the differences in status and power, an inherent conflict of interest existed between the great and lesser nobles within states!

"Whew! Tribute of the fief, the samurai of the nobles, inheritance of family rank, even daily enjoyments, all cannot be determined independently... The sacred Jaguar is so eagerly revealing its intentions, making it harder for the nobles with each passing day... The Alliance will be more tumultuous from now on!..."

Elder Izel lowered his head and body, his face full of respect, his mind swirling with thoughts until the ceremony concluded.

King Aweit, holding the Divine Staff, descended step by step from the Divine Platform, embraced by the Twelve Elder Priests as he entered the expanded Main God Temple. His mouth gradually curved into a smile. Within the temple, new murals were completed, depicting the Jaguar perched on the mountain peak, dominating the prostrating pack of wolves as the Divine King atop the Great Temple oversaw all tribes!

With the spring farming festival concluded, the crowd in the central square dispersed. The Alliance's great nobles began to lead their familial warriors away in a chaotic exit. Elder Izel, with his head lowered, left, but after taking a few steps, a silent figure unexpectedly approached, extending an invitation with a smile.

"Praise the Chief Divine! Honorable Elder of the mountains, the spring farming festival has ended, and the nobles of various states will soon return. Before leaving the capital, there will be a banquet in the Reed Manor to pray to the Goddess of Spring... If you are not too busy, why not join us?"

"Ah?"

Elder Izel turned his head and found the familiar Reed Chief Xintle. He paused, his heart suddenly leaping, his eyes flashing for a moment before he nodded slowly.

"Praise the Chief Divine! Honorable Reed Chief, I would be delighted to join you. Perhaps we could invite some more friends..."

Upon hearing this, Reed Chief Xintle raised his eyebrows, staring into Izel's eyes. After a moment, he smiled sincerely and gently nodded.

"The Chief Divine's blessing! Very well~"