Aztec Immortal - Chapter 174
Chapter 172: Oath
The wind howled, the dark clouds hung low, and there was silence in the big tent. This is the moment to decide the fate of the north, and the flickering bonfire illuminates every solemn face.
Schlott examined General Giova for a while. Then, he pondered for a moment and looked at the old priest.
“Priest Ort, what kind of covenant do you want to sign? Alliance, city-state or individual?”
Oort has long been prepared. he said loudly.
“There are all three, and they are all brothers. How about it? The Mexica alliance is the elder brother, the Otomi alliance is the younger brother, the holy city is the elder brother, and the Ottopan city is the younger brother. You are the elder brother, Ji Ova is the younger brother. The two sides have established a covenant and are in harmony with each other. When one side is attacked, the other side will send troops to help; when one side goes out on its own initiative, the other side has the obligation to support!”
Hearing this, Bertard’s face changed suddenly. He took a step forward and scolded loudly.
“His Royal Highness is the newborn sun of the Mexica people, and the master of the future world. How can he become a brother with the general of the Otomi people?”
Shulot pondered for a moment, nodded slightly to the warrior commander, and then spoke.
“Priest Ort, I can’t fully represent the alliance at this moment. The alliance will never agree to the brotherly covenant, and the Mexica only have vassals! What’s more, can you represent the nobles of the Otomi alliance?”
Oort lowered his head slightly, revealing his white hair. Since signing the contract last time and abandoning Hilotepec City, his reputation has been greatly reduced. After a while, the old priest said in a deep voice.
“Yes, I can’t represent the nobles of the states. I am a religious leader, and I can only represent the ancestral land of Otto Panbang, and try my best to restrain the two states of Guamare and Parmes. In this negotiation, the Mexica Alliance and Otto Between the Mexica alliance, it will still be in the form of a peace treaty. The Otomi people dispatched a complete legion to respond to the war in exchange for food support from the Mexica people.”
Afterwards, Oort said calmly.
“As long as I live, the peace treaty between the two alliances can be guaranteed. If I die, Giova will still need your support to control the city of Ottopan.”
Xiulot watched for a while, then nodded.
“I agree, you send the legion to join the battle in exchange for a new batch of food. Similarly, I can support Jiowa, but it cannot be a brotherly relationship. The Holy City cannot accept this condition!”
Oort closed his eyes, his old face trembling constantly. After a while, he suddenly opened his eyes and growled in a low voice.
“Then the two city-states are brothers, and you two are called brothers, but you are actually a vassal! Giova needs enough fame to control the city of Ottopan. From then on, the two states are closely related politically, and they are secretly united. Responding to combat, we will communicate with each other militarily, and we will hand over protons in exchange for your blessing in the alliance!”
Hearing this, Giova’s expression changed drastically, and his hands clenched tightly. He looked at the young commander, who was only about the same age as his son. Then, he looked at Priest Ort again. The respected old man had a haggard face and was almost exhausted. After a while, he bowed his head deeply and said nothing.
Xiulot looked serious and fell into deep thought. Having said that, the old priest’s intentions are already very straightforward. Giova represented the city of Ottopan and took refuge in him alone. The Ottopan family used the form of an unequal covenant in exchange for the blessing of the Holy City family, and they have been united ever since. This is a direction he never thought of going.
After a while, Xiuluo laughed loudly. His eyes were shining, and he no longer concealed the ambition and pride in his heart.
“Oort, you can do this! You seized the most ingenious opportunity and found the most suitable opportunity for the Otomi people. I really admire you! At this time, I can’t refuse you Come on, use the highest sacred ceremony, under the witness of the gods and ancestors, let us conclude a blood oath that cannot be broken!”
Hearing this, the old priest nodded calmly, with no joy on his face. He just performed a solemn etiquette and headed towards the path he had found.
Soon, the priests accompanying the army got busy. Curls of sacred smoke were lit in the big tent, and a raging holy fire was lit in the center. The priests played the distant bamboo flutes, the generals beat the low wooden drums, and the remaining warriors danced around the center of the ceremony.
In the center of the big tent, the young priest danced first. He fetched the scepter that had not been used for a long time, danced the priestly dance of the Holy City, and sang Qingyue’s prayer and sacrificial words. His movements are slow and dignified, like a stepping jaguar; his voice is high and sharp, like the crowing of an eagle.
The old priest took out an ancient clay mask. Half of the mask is black and the other half is white. This is a treasure passed down by the Otomi people for thousands of years, from the ancient Olmec era. He covered his cheeks with a mask, his old body danced in an ancient and clumsy dance, and then swayed quickly, like a feathered serpent walking in mythology. In the ancient sacrificial dance, he kept hissing softly, and the low-frequency snake sound was creepy, and his hair stood on end. Sometimes, he would utter a deep chant, telling ancient legends in an incomprehensible tone.
A mysterious atmosphere permeated the big tent, and everyone looked serious and focused. In the hearts of all, this sacred ceremony is real and magical. Violation of this supreme oath can be devastating to reputation.
The sacred dance of the priests lasted for a full quarter of an hour, and the two priests, one old and one young, stopped. Shulot was drenched in sweat, and Oort was crumbling. The two walked to the holy fire in the center and called different gods to descend. As the name of the god sounded, the generals and warriors stopped at the same time, knelt down on one knee, and prayed towards the center.
Then, Oort beckoned, and Giova stepped forward with a solemn expression. Bertard also walked to the center and personally protected His Highness. The priests accompanying the army prepared a large cup of cold cocoa and sent it to the holy fire.
Shulot looked at Giova on the opposite side, and nodded to this old friend. Immediately, he took out the obsidian dagger, cut off a lock of hair, and threw it into the sacred fire. The same is true for Jiowa, the faint burnt smell dissipated instantly.
Then, the young commander spread his left hand. Without hesitation, he cut his palm with a sharp dagger. The stinging pain hit instantly, and blood dripped down, dyeing the cocoa below red. Then, he handed the sacrificial dagger to Giova, and the samurai commander beside him was careful.
Giova took the dagger and directly cut the side of his palm deeply. More blood flowed down, continuously falling into the cocoa. The sacred cocoa turned bright red, and the blood of both parties fused together like this.
Afterwards, Shulot picked up the earthenware cup on the ground and drank half of the bright red cup in a big gulp. Mushroom-like metallic flavors linger in the mouth, accompanied by the characteristic bitterness of cocoa.
“Under the gaze of the Supreme God! I, Shulot of Teotihuacan, descendant of the former king Acama Pichitli, swear by the spirit of the ancestors, and sign a blood oath covenant with Giova of Ottopan!
I will regard Giova as my younger brother, my loyal vassal. For the rest of my life, I will give him shelter. Protect his life, protect the city-state of Ottopan, and protect the people of Ottomi here! This oath is established. If you break your oath, both humans and gods will abandon you! ”
Shulot recited loudly, and the solemn ceremony brought special feelings. In the distant divine smoke, he was in a trance, as if he really felt the touch of his ancestors and the gaze of the gods.
Giova was unusually solemn. He took the clay cup and drank the other half of the bright red in one gulp. Then, pressing his bleeding palm to his chest, and gazing at the flame with his narrow eyes, he shouted loudly.
“Under the gaze of the primordial god! I, Giova of Otopa, descendant of Otopa, swear by the spirit of the ancestors, and make a blood oath covenant with Shulot of Teotihuacan!
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I will regard Shulot as my elder brother and my lofty suzerain. For the rest of my life, I will be loyal to him. Guard his life, provide Ottopan’s armies and tribute, and make the Otomi here his obedient subjects! This oath is established. If I break my oath, I will be punished by God, my blood will be drained, and my limbs will be separated! The ancestors witnessed my oath, and I engraved the covenant on my face! ”
Speaking of this, Giova’s eyes were sharp, watching the wounds on both sides of Bertard’s cheek. He raised the sharp knife, stabbed into the side of his face, and drew the same mark without changing his face. Afterwards, with a calm expression and a trace of rebelliousness, he looked at the young suzerain in front of him.
Shulot nodded calmly. He removed the sun talisman from his neck and pointed his bleeding finger to the ground. Blood drops fell, dust splashed, and red spread on the ground.
Giova was slightly taken aback. He understood the meaning, hesitated in his heart, and turned to look at the old priest Oort.
The old priest’s pupils contracted, he said softly.
“Your Highness, for thousands of years, the original god has protected the Otomi people. This is our belief from the bottom of our hearts.”
Shulot shook his head solemnly and spoke decisively.
“Oort, the main god is supreme! The original god can abdicate and become a saint. If the Otomi people want to truly integrate into the alliance, they must regard the god of war as the supreme after all. Of course, this is not urgent, and Giova does not need to publicly change Believe. But at this moment, he must accept the talisman of the Lord God, and secretly convert here!”
Oort looked at His Highness, feeling a determination that cannot be violated. After a while, he nodded silently.
Giova was stunned for a long time, as if there was a weight on his knee. Xiulot didn’t rush, but just waited calmly. There was a long struggle on General Ottopan’s face, with different expressions changing, and he was still unable to settle down. The old priest finally sighed and patted him on the shoulder lightly.
“My child, I have watched you grow up. Your father died on the battlefield, and your son died from the disease after the siege and starvation. Generations of Otomi people have died of war and famine. We are in the North Difficult conditions maintain the heritage of the ethnic group, fighting against waves of invaders. For the continuation of our ethnic group, everything can be sacrificed. Precious beliefs are also a measurable price, so how can it be an exception?”
Hearing this, Giova looked at the pious old priest in shock. Complicated emotions flowed in his chest. He was burning all over, wanting to cry out, but in the end he suddenly lost his strength and knelt down in front of Shulot.
Shulot stared deeply at the old priest again. Immediately, the young priest nodded solemnly, put the silver amulet on Giova’s neck, and then held his hair.
“Giova, under the witness of the Supreme Lord God, you will swear to Him, and you will receive the sacred duty to glorify the glory of the Lord God! Come, chant His name with me, Vitzilopochtli”
“Vizilopochtli”
Giova’s face darkened. In front of the new gods, he lost his unwavering faith, and also lost the unruliness in his heart, just like a coyote being tamed.
Shulot stared at Giova’s expression and nodded in satisfaction.
“Giova, let go of everything in the past, and I will promise you the future!”
The old priest turned around vicissitudes of life and did not look at this scene until the end of the conversion ceremony.
The sky is getting dark, and the oath has come to an end. The two priests, one old and one young, stood facing each other again, looking at each other’s faces.
“Oort, why did you choose me?” Shulot stared at the old priest in front of him, who seemed to be much older.
“Your Highness, I have observed you for a long time and collected a lot of information. I have seen your rapid growth, and I have also seen an infinite future.” Oort replied calmly.
Shulot was silent for a moment, and asked again.
“Why did you choose me?”
“The situation in the world is changing, and everything will change. The current situation forces you to continue to hope for the Otomi people.” Oort thought for a moment and gave the answer in his heart.
“Why?” the boy asked.
This time, Oort also thought for a long time. After a while, he answered slowly.
“Because… you are not a ruler without a bottom line. You are a… good person who can be trusted.”
Xiulot was silent for a long time. Finally, he waved his hand and turned away. Behind him, Oort gave a deep salute.
The oath of the two parties was officially signed. In the deep twilight, the Otomi envoys hurried away. Xiulot sat in the big tent, silently looking at the dark sky, and fell into long thoughts. Light and darkness are repeatedly intertwined in the boy’s heart, weaving a fusion of gray. Behind him, Bertard stood quietly, watching the vicissitudes of the world.
The Mexica army waited two more days. An 8,000-strong Hikipilli Legion marched out from the city of Ottopan, and under the leadership of Giova, officially joined the Northern Route Army of Mexica.
Shulot led the guards and greeted Ottopan’s army happily, but was speechless for a moment. Among the legions promised by the old priest Ort, there were only 3,000 lean warriors who could really participate in the battle. As for the remaining 5,000 Otomi militiamen, each of them was skinny, with sunken eyes from hunger, and probably hadn’t had a full meal for several months.
The young commander looked at it for a moment, then shook his head with a smile. These militiamen can only be used as civilian husbands, and they need to be provided with enough food, which will last for at least half a month. No wonder the old priest gave them so readily. However, the transportation capacity of the Mexica Navy is limited, and there are not enough civilians in the Northern Route Army. With these people around, many chores will be handled by someone. Some extremely labor-intensive siege equipment began to appear in his mind, such as giving full play to the advantages of range, building vehicles with complex structures, and high platforms piled up with soil.
Having completed the purpose of this trip, the Mexica army then turned south and returned to the wooden fort on the Leman River. The Otomi were dispersed and placed in two camps far from the main castle. The warriors of Ottopan maintained an independent establishment and formed a whole of their own. Five thousand militiamen were formed to cut down forests in the mountains and make siege equipment. The continuous wind and rain continued to fall, but the rain began to gradually decrease. The rainy season has passed its heyday, and new fighters are being bred.
Time flies by, and it is September in a blink of an eye. The Tarasco fleet returned from the west with a ship full of Chapala reinforcements. Seeing the enemies gradually gathering, Xiulot felt a little anxious. He sent a large number of scouts to scout the south bank at any time.
It was another early morning, after finishing his morning training, Shulot came to the top of the city and looked into the distance. The rain gradually dissipated and the clouds became thinner. Under the gradually revealing sunlight, the huge Mexica fleet finally appeared from the east of the river again.