A strong breeze from the East blew across the sky, and the wind chimes on the high platform rang out once more, sounding like the intense prelude of a symphony.
King Su’angua stood on the platform, silently watching the sky to the east. The summer breeze of the rainy season was so oppressive, with moist water vapor hitting the face, indicating that another heavy rain was imminent.
After a while, the Tarasco King sighed lightly. He lowered his head, gazed at the longbow and copper arrows on the ground, and slowly, solemnly spoke.
"Jinjinni, how goes the study by the master craftsmen? When can we replicate these Mexica longbows?"
The Chief Minister showed a barely visible smile.
"Your Majesty, I have already gathered the master craftsmen of the Capital City and worked together for two days. According to the masters, the technology to make this kind of longbow is not complex. The craftsmen just need to copy the existing form closely. I have just issued a strict order before coming here, instructing the craftsmen to start production immediately; the first copy could be ready within two or three days!"
Su’angua nodded in satisfaction. He looked at the Chief Minister and asked seriously.
"Jinjinni, the Stone Fort in the south is on the verge of collapse, as dangerous as a pile of accumulating bird eggs! The samurai on the front line need this powerful new weapon. Can we produce a thousand longbows within two weeks?!"
The Chief Minister pondered for a moment, then replied frankly.
"Your Majesty, it can’t be done. It’s not possible!"
Hearing this, the King’s eyes widened, waiting for the Chief Minister’s explanation.
"The technical difficulty of Mexica longbows can be overcome. But its bow is long and wide, made from hard wood, which consumes a lot of labor in manufacturing. We lack skilled bowyers, so mass production would begin very slowly. Moreover, these longbows have great drawing force, the arrows used must be strong and well-shaped, making them equally difficult to produce! Additionally, the price for high-quality feathers is expensive, and there is a significant shortage of quality timber..."
Jinjinni patiently listed each point, regardless of Su’angua’s increasingly grim expression. Finally, he spoke with a suddenly loud voice.
"The most crucial point, Your Majesty, is that the longbows and feathered arrows require a lot of manual labor. With the large-scale drafting for war in the Lake Region, we are quickly running out of manpower!"
Upon hearing this, Su’angua’s expression hardened. He spoke in a serious tone.
The Chief Minister bowed respectfully, then extended his right hand, counting on his fingers one by one.
"The total population of the Patzcuaro Lake region is over nine hundred thousand, with more than two hundred thousand able-bodied adults. Currently, with wars erupting simultaneously in the south and the north, and smoke rising everywhere at the border. After two months of warfare, including the militia, we have already lost three to four ten thousand men. The Kingdom has already conscripted fifty thousand militia to enter the battlefield, and will summon another fifty thousand. Many of the remaining able-bodied are in the fiefs of various nobles, making them difficult to conscript forcefully. These people are also needed to maintain the most basic harvest in autumn... Your Majesty, purely in terms of national strength, we only have three-fifths of that of the Mexica Alliance."
Su’angua said nothing. He knew well that, including vassals paying tribute to the Mexica Alliance, the Kingdom’s power was only half that of their enormous enemy. The King reflected for a moment, listening to the chanting of the priests in the wind, then slowly began to speak.
"The nobles are gathered together, awaiting the priests’ sacrificial rituals. I will discuss the prophecy of the gods with the Elder Priests. The gods will surely say, ’The nobles large and small together offer manpower and material resources to resist the invasion of the followers of foreign gods, which will be a test of their devotion!’"
Jinjinni was startled for a moment, then after a brief reflection, his face changed dramatically. He spoke hastily.
"Your Majesty, the nobility are the foundation of the Kingdom..."
Su’angua gestured to stop him, his expression stern.
"Jinjinni, I have my own judgment! Can we divert some of the thousands of craftsmen in the Capital City to specialize in making longbows?"
The Chief Minister bowed his head and calculated for a moment before replying.
"If we stop maintenance on the palaces and temples and compulsorily recruit the craftsmen of the Royal Family, we should be able to gather two to three hundred people."
Upon hearing this, the King’s brow furrowed slightly.
"That number is too small! Draw another three hundred from the bronze-working craftsmen, all to be reassigned to make longbows and arrows."
Jinjinni once again busied himself with calculations. Then, he answered hesitantly.
"If so, the daily output should reach over fifty longbows and more than a thousand arrows. Nearly a thousand laborers will be needed to cut timber and handle odd jobs... But what about the shortfall in bronze soldiers?"
Su’angua nodded, and with a decisive gesture said,
"Carry it out ! The militia defending the fort don’t need bronze soldiers. Allocate a batch of bronze tools to the craftsmen, let them improve their bow-making skills, and master the production quickly. Samurai should supervise intensively, working day and night. Also, urgently select samurai and militia who are good at archery, include them under the direct control of the Royal Family, and prioritize equipping them with longbows!"
The Chief Minister quickly sketched out abstract longbows and figures on a wooden board, marking with tally symbols, recording the King’s orders.
Su’angua turned around and looked towards the five majestic and spectacular "House of Wind" Akatla, where the sacrificial ceremonies had already begun.
Below Akatla, the nobility stood in solemn silence, quietly watching the grand and solemn ceremony. In front of the Temple of the Three Gods, the Sacred Fire blazed fiercely, while the lower priests sang and chanted. They inhaled the smoke of the Divine Kingdom wafting from terracotta gourds, wildly dancing in a delirious intoxication.
The King sniffed the scent in the wind and frowned. Disgusted, he averted his gaze to look at the composed high-ranking priests. These aged priests, holding sharp blades, stood at the top of the temples, receiving one bound Mexica sacrifice after another. The number of sacrifices was not particularly large, but the sacrificial ceremony was very elaborate. Each deity had different preferences, corresponding to different parts of the sacrifices’ bodies.
Su’angua’s expression remained calm, as he watched blood bloom in splashes before the Temple. His thoughts suddenly became somewhat distant.