"Luwei, my daughter... remember your daddy’s words. Tonight you must hide inside here and not come out! No matter what you hear, don’t come out!"
The old militiaman Chiwaco squatted in a corner of the hut, whispering the instruction again and again. He reached out his hand towards the ground, and his palm disappeared into thin air.
The fire pit inside the hut flickered with a dim glow, illuminating the simple straw hut and outlining the shadows in the corner. Unbeknownst, a small hole had appeared in the earthen floor. Hidden within the hole was a small figure. The old militiaman affectionately touched the figure’s head, unable to resist repeating himself.
"Don’t come out no matter what! Wait for daddy to come back."
In the cramped hole, the young Luwei nodded timidly. Beside her was a jug of water, a few pieces of cornbread, and a small basket of dried fruit. Chiwaco squatted down to look at his daughter for a while before remembering the gift he had brought back. He fumbled in his bosom for a moment and pulled out a rare piece of dried deer meat, carefully handing it into the hole.
Smelling the aroma of the dried meat, Luwei’s eyes lit up. She took the meat from her daddy’s hand and started nibbling on it. The meat was thin and not too hard; Luwei chewed it carefully, like a little hamster gnawing.
A tender smile emerged on Chiwaco’s face. After watching his daughter for a while, he could not resist pinching Luwei’s little cheek before sighing and saying.
"Luwei, daddy has to go now. Daddy has many things to do today... I have to avenge you, your brother, and your mother... If I don’t come back, you have to take care of yourself..."
Luwei shook her head, struggling to free her little face from Chiwaco’s hand. Then, she continued to cheerfully gnaw on the dried meat, seemingly unaware of her daddy’s words.
Chiwaco sighed again. How could such a small daughter possibly take care of herself? He watched her a while longer before reluctantly getting up, carrying over two bundles of straw to cover the entrance of the hole, leaving a gap for ventilation. Then he looked around the shabby home, flung the clay pot to the ground to smash it, overturned several clay jars, and kicked the straw bed around so it was scattered everywhere.
After creating the appearance of a ransacked home, Chiwaco took one last look toward the hole. Luwei obediently hid inside, not making a sound. The old militiaman smiled, extinguishing the fire in the hearth, pushed the door open, and left it ajar as he departed.
At the doorway, Weizti wrapped in a headscarf, holding a spear, stared blankly at the moon, lost in thought. It was more than a week into May, and the waning half-moon hung in the night sky like a half-eaten biscuit. The old militiaman stepped forward and forcefully patted the shoulder of the daydreamer.
"Weizti, is everything taken care of?"
"Hmm. There wasn’t much to take care of."
Weizti replied in a low voice.
Chiwaco nodded and then, gripping his spear, strode toward South City.
"Let’s go. Time to hit the road!"
Soon, the remaining old brothers gathered one after another. The group didn’t speak, quietly advancing under the faint moonlight.
The Capital City at night was like the waning moon. The half near the city gates was the Civilian District, desolate and rarely lit by firelight. The half closer to the inside was the Nobility District, bright with lights and still bustling.
In the distance, the towering House of Wind stood tall, its Sacred Fire illuminating the skies. The solemn and sacred hymns drifted in the wind. Priests prayed throughout the night, beseeching the spirits for blessings, victory, and that the grand Capital City would never fall.
Amidst the priests’ chanting, a cold smile played across Chiwaco’s lips. Soon, the cold smile gave way to a forced grin. A patrol of samurai passed by, with the leading nobleman asking a few detailed questions before gesturing for the militiamen and samurai to "scram."
Silently, the men continued their walk, heads bowed, until they reached the South City gates. Puap had already been anxiously waiting there with a dozen samurai.
"Old Chiwaco, have you made all the arrangements?"
"Yes, I have. What about you, master?"
"Ha! Arrange? What’s there for me to arrange? If I die tonight, will my wife and kids survive? Besides, there are too many people at home; if I really arranged something, it might leak out."
"The master is wise and resolute, fit for great undertakings."
Chiwaco spoke in a low, sycophantic tone. Then, he glanced at the city walls nearby and cautiously asked.
"Master, what about the militiamen on the city walls?"
"They’re all in the houses. Today, I collected a supply of fruit wine, then found an excuse to gather the militiamen together. They’ve been drinking all night, and by now they must be sleeping like logs in their places."
Puap was clearly edgy. Following the old militiaman’s gaze, he glanced at the sparse figures on this section of the wall and spoke impatiently.
"Relax, the few men on the walls are ours. The secret doors below have been cleared. Now we just wait for the Mexica to arrive!"
Chiwaco nodded. He turned to the youngest, Ayuli, and said.
"Little Ayuli, you’re the most agile. Take the token for the rendezvous and wait outside the city."
Ayuli blinked and headed toward the secret door. Chiwaco looked around for a moment more, then moved into the shadows at the base of the wall to wait patiently.
Puap glanced at the deep night sky, then at the distant palace flames. He paced back and forth restlessly, then couldn’t help but blurt out.
"Why haven’t they come yet?"
The old militiaman raised his head, checked the position of the moon, and answered patiently.