Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

Chapter 2171 - 1569: Buying Horses on the Way Home, Tribute to the Ming Dynasty Next Year!

"Hmm.""Brother! Brother, why aren’t you speaking? Did you realize it early on?"

On the village wall, the chieftain of the riverside tribe, Ao Hala, squinted his eyes, still gazing eastward. After a while, he nodded lightly and answered simply.

"As witnessed by Longevity Heaven! Wolves hunt with wolves, dogs become brothers with dogs. But a tiger and a wolf won’t be brothers, much less become in-laws! If we are wolves, then the ’Great Tribe Armored Cavalry’ that appeared, this ’Brother Aguda’... though they appear to be old tigers, they should actually be wolves or perhaps tigers that haven’t grown up!"

"Ah! Are you saying they don’t come from a great tribe and have no background from the Ten Thousand Households? Where did they get so much ironware from then?..."

"...Bule, I’m just expressing a feeling! Do you understand the feeling?! I’ve been on the grasslands for years and have interacted for many days, the feeling shouldn’t be wrong. This ’Armored Cavalry’ is indeed formidable and fierce, but they don’t seem to be from a great tribe! Rather, they resemble... those southern wild men emerging from the mountains, just clad in armor more refined than the southern great tribes? Ha! What am I babbling about! Where would wild men find salt or iron..."

Chieftain Ao Hala said a few words, unable to hold back laughter at himself. But from his perspective, this "Armored Cavalry" likely has no connection with the southern Duoyan Sanwei. He always subtly hints, mentioning several Duoyan chiefs he knows. The other party not only seems unfamiliar with Sanwei figures, most of their personnel are somewhat unskilled in horsemanship, and too grand in their salt iron trade.

In reality, if this ’Jurchen Lord’ had relations with the Sanwei, bringing forth such ’wealth,’ they could directly trade horses in the southern great tribe, no need to deal with them, not even swallow the Forest Tribe...

"Heavens! If they’re not from the southern Ten Thousand Households, could they be from the Ming Army of the Han Land? But the Ming Army from the Han Land would not be so polite, would not treat us kindly like kin, nor would they produce salt and iron... They must still be Jurchen! Could it be a Jurchen Tribe as a Han Land affiliate?"

Noble Chief Bule frowned, counted on his fingers, pondering for a long time. He hesitantly raised his head, looked at his ever-scheming fox-like calm brother, and whispered.

"Brother! The emergence of this Jurchen Armored Cavalry is truly odd and can’t be unrelated to the Han Land... Should we... should we report this to the southern Tumen Ten Thousand Households?"

"Foolish! Report what? How could this be reported?... With this path, it only benefits us, not harm! Besides, your favorite daughter Pearl, isn’t she married to this ’Jurchen Lord’? I looked carefully; Pearl’s face still bears a smile, though Aguda looks fierce, he doesn’t have the tyrannical habit of those great tribal chiefs... Pearl marrying him is better than marrying a warrior from the tribe! In all aspects, better!"

"Ah! Pearl she..."

Bule stood on the village wall, the eastern sunrise already high in the sky. The warm autumn sun shone on him, turning his reddish-black face flush with warmth and causing him to sweat slightly. After pondering for over two quarters, he gazed at his brother Ao Hala’s fox-like face, with a complex expression, let out a deep sigh.

"Ancestors! May the Heavenly Divine of Han Holm斯塔 protect my daughter Pearl... May she soon give birth to a boy and return to see us!"

"Hmm... May the King of Heaven Holm斯塔 protect our tribe, bringing more victories and tomorrows!..."

The pragmatic prayer resounded on the wall, lasting only moments. Subsequently, the two chieftains, with minds full of concerns, turned and descended the wall. Nothing, nothing was more important than preparing for winter! And presently, early snow mid-October was barely over a month away...

"Chief Divine bless us! Ancestor High Priest, we must hurry the march! Everyone mounts their horses, covering at least over a hundred miles a day... quickly return to Wu Xiong’s garrison village, then rest for two days, and make haste towards the eastern Maha tribe!..."

"Indeed! Chief Divine bless us, we must hurry! It seems this winter can only be spent in the Maha tribe. The food stored within the tribe could be somewhat tight. Even with three ships, several hundred stone of rice..."

"Ancestor High Priest, as long as we make it back to the Maha tribe, the rice will be sufficient! It’s the forage for feeding horses that’s difficult to find in winter, who knows how many horses will die of cold and hunger... Fearfully this winter, everyone must busy themselves cutting grass, no leisure to be had!"

"Haha! Mongolians call me some idle ’Da’erhan’ noble, but I’m accustomed to killing and working! Warriors of the Kingdom, Shandan Archers, definitely won’t sit idly and feast without working, they are all capable hands..."

Zuwaro exchanged a few words with cheer. The exposure to wind and sun seemed like small chisels, chiseling his apparently unremarkable handsome face into a deeply tanned, profound appearance. He rode on horseback, trotting along. Though not particularly skilled, it’s adequate for travel. As he watched the unity of man and horse, the amazing horsemanship of Ali, he pondered for a moment before asking.

"Ali, this time the ’purchase’ of horses is far more than we anticipated! We probably won’t need to buy more from the Mongolians for two years. And as you previously mentioned, your thrice-a-year tribute journey to the Great Ming Liaodong Kingdom, the Kaiyuan City State, is next year?..."

"Yes! It’s next year! We depart next summer, uniting with familiar garrisons along the way, reaching Liaodong Town in the fall! Once in Liaodong, we’ll pay respects to the garrison eunuch representing the Great Emperor, then trade for about two to three months. Until exchanges complete around Winter Solstice, that’s when we can leave! Hmm, in the Kaiyuan Market, you can indeed buy foodstuffs. The court prohibits salt and iron exports, but not much control over food and clothing... Kaiyuan surely is one of the most thriving and splendid cities! Across thousands of miles of wide White Mountain Black Water, there isn’t a city as prosperous as it, like the Heavenly Divine’s dwelling on earth!..."

Chief of Harman Ali nodded vigorously; thinking of the tribute at the Kaiyuan market, he couldn’t help but smile with longing. And Zuwaro, seeing Ali’s genuine smile, felt deep curiosity within. That Great Ming, long heard but never truly seen, seemed like a distant, untouched ’Divine Valley’ to him. Thus, at Sahalien Ula by the Heilongjiang River, he clasped the Golden Amulet around his neck, prayed for a moment, and said smilingly.

"Chief Divine bless! So it’s settled! Next summer, to the southern Great Ming for tribute! Follow the ’big shots’ path you said, buy some goods, and see if we can’t bring back some craftsmen!..."

"Praise the Chief Divine! Ancestor High Priest, with my path, your gold, plus Brother Aguda’s substitute identity... if this southern Great Ming path can be opened, that’ll be truly prosperous tenfold, surpass any other!"

"Haha! Let’s hope so!..."

The sound of horse hooves gradually faded, the marching troop disappeared into the mountain forest. The sunset left golden twilight on the western river waters and eastern distant mountains. The moon rose eastward, circled by a faint silver halo, confronting the sun. Sun and moon shine coexist in the sky, with gold and silver gliding shadows across elements. And from Black River to Liaodong Military Town, the sun and moon’s Great Ming lay in the south, merely two thousand miles away~~