Xiulote and Aweit stood side by side on the hilltop. Neither spoke, simply watching the sun fully set and night slowly descend. Even though they had been apart for only a day, they suddenly felt much more distant from each other.
There was no moon tonight. Dark clouds had already obscured the sky.
"It's going to rain," Xiulote said.
"Yes. Tomorrow's journey won't be easy," Aweit replied with a smile.
"Yesterday's battle was a great victory," Xiulote stated, "What do you think the king will reward you with when we return?"
"Fighting with the Otomi people, where's the great victory in that?" Aweit chuckled. "Besides, the main credit for the battle belongs to Casal's decisive attack, followed by Balda's support. I was just watching from the hilltop."
Xiulote paused, then hesitantly asked, "But wasn't your steadfast defense the most arduous task? And don't you want to claim any military merit?"
Seeing the simple, puzzled expression on the young man's face, Aweit finally burst out laughing. "Xiulote, what use is military merit?"
"To receive the king's reward? To attain a higher position?" Xiulote guessed after a moment's thought.
"What meaning do these hold for me?" Aweit countered.
Xiulote thought for a moment. Aweit was the king's brother, and until recently had been in charge of the royal family's intelligence and security. In TV shows, such characters seemed to always bide their time.
"Then what is meaningful?" Xiulote asked.
Aweit did not answer directly but instead asked, "Why did over a hundred samurai follow you today?"
"They seem to be relatives of the deceased, and last night I presided over the funeral to guide the souls of the dead," Xiulote answered cautiously.
"Hmm, did you earn any military merit yesterday?"
"No." After a moment's hesitation, Xiulote faced the truth.
"So, what is power?" Aweit continued to ask.
"What is power," Xiulote mulled over the question. As someone with memories of the past, he did not believe in bloodline or theocracy.
"An esteemed position?" Xiulote thought of King Tizoc.
Aweit just smiled and said nothing.
Xiulote continued to wrack his brain, thinking of memories from different eras. Suddenly, a phrase he had learned in class flashed into his mind: "Power comes from the people!"
Aweit was taken aback and stared at Xiulote for a while before slowly nodding, "You are right, power comes from the hearts of the people. You indeed possess inherent wisdom."
"What is the heart of the people?" Aweit asked seriously, looking at Xiulote.
"The actions that make people revere," Xiulote recalled this era's daily rituals performed by his grandfather and the king, the funeral held for the deceased warriors yesterday, and the ceremonies held in the name of the gods. He finally thought of the "rites and music" of the Zhou Dynasty.
"The actions that bring benefits to people." Xiulote recalled the cheer of the samurai during yesterday's great victory, remembered the importance of productivity, and thought of the power of wealth from his memories.
"Long-lasting customs." Xiulote thought of the historical inertia, the long theocratic era in Central America, extending to the Warring States Zhou Dynasty, and the millennia-old religion.
There must be something more. Xiulote pondered all his memories. The heart of the people, which is rule, the legitimacy of rule, the source of legitimacy. However, an inexplicable force had blurred his past memories, preventing him from thinking further.
Perhaps, time would tell him everything.
"I don't know." Xiulote ceased struggling and instead waited expectantly for Aweit's response.
However, Aweit did not continue the earlier conversation, nor did he suddenly pick up a wooden stick to hit Xiulote's head hard and ask, "Have you realized it yet?"
He was just quietly observing the night sky.
Xiulote also gazed at the night sky, filled with countless stars. On a summer night in Central America, amidst a Middle Ages' bonfire, the Milky Way was so brilliant, and the universe so vast.
A thousand years is but an instant to the starry sky. Could the rise and fall of human affairs truly influence the changes in the heavens?
Xiulote was watching the Ziwei Star in the north, which resided at the center of the northern sky, so bright and eye-catching, as if it carried innate authority. He seemed to hear a voice saying, "Grasp the hearts of the people, and you will grasp this nation."
A gust of wind blew, bringing a light rain that dampened both their Feather Crowns.
"It's starting to rain, let's go back."
Aweit turned and walked towards the camp.
The night passed without words.
In the days that quickly passed, the rainy season of June began to heat up. The relentless rain made the forest even more difficult to navigate. A new path emerged in the forest, lined with fallen Otomi captives' bodies, stretching to the gates of Xilotepec City. Soon, the vegetation would cover the path and along with it, the lives returning to the earth.
The Mexica Samurai were initially excited by their victory, but their spirits were soon dampened by the endless rain and dense forest. Thankfully, the road was not long. Soon, Xilotepec City appeared before them.
If they had to march to Otapan afterwards, such a journey would extend over half a month. Xiulote frowned at the thought, considering it a disaster.
Casal led the procession. Today, he wore his official Sun Stone cloak and a splendidly crafted Feather Crown. Behind him marched flag bearers with various banners, followed by the Nobility of the Jaguar, escorting over two thousand five hundred Otomi captives.
Casal's usually stoic face bore a smile, and alongside him, Balda wore the formal attire of the Eagle Nobility, striding with proud satisfaction.
As the victorious procession approached the western gate of Xilotepec City with the captives, idle warriors from various states also passionately cheered and howled.
Xiulote finally saw the troops from Teotihuacan, his father looking vigorous, accompanied by Olosh and a familiar group of samurai coming to watch the spectacle.
After nearly two months, father and son were reunited at last. Xiuxoke strode forward and embraced Xiulote tightly in his arms. It seemed they had a thousand words to share, yet neither knew how to start.
Olosh came over, happily slapping Xiulote hard on the shoulder, "Hey, Xiulote, haven't seen you for a while, kid. You seem much matured."
Seeing Olosh's casual gesture, Bertade, who had been following Xiulote closely, frowned and stepped forward, slightly shielding Xiulote. The two Jaguar-ranked Samurai exchanged glances, sizing each other up, their eyes gleaming with a fiery combat spirit.
Xiulote quickly introduced the two parties. Upon hearing that Olosh was his Martial Arts teacher, Bertade stepped back and slightly bowed to the Jaguar in apology.
And upon hearing that Bertade was Xiulote's follower, Xiuxoke and Olosh exchanged surprised glances, their astonishment evident.
Subsequently, father and son eagerly shared their experiences. They hadn't talked long before Xiulote saw Aweit standing not far away, smiling warmly at them.
Xiulote hurriedly introduced, "This is Ahuizotl Zotl, the King's brother, my best friend."
Upon hearing this, a satisfied curve appeared on Aweit's handsome face, then he looked at Xiuxoke with a smirk-like smile.
Xiuxoke's expression tensed, a hint of unresolved concern crossing his resolute face. Clearly, he had already heard of Aweit.
The two exchanged greetings.
"Respected Commander Xiuxoke, you indeed have sired a son of natural intelligence," Aweit sincerely exclaimed with a smile.
"Not at all. Xiulote has always been slow, ignorant of common affairs. Natural intelligence is just a rumor; at best, he is somewhat proficient with numbers," Xiuxoke explained somewhat nervously.
"The King is already waiting for the victorious corps. We must be going now," Aweit said with another smile, then turned to leave.
Xiulote could only follow.
Before leaving, his father tightly grasped his hand and mouthed, "Be careful!"