Unlike the Celestial Empire, there wasn’t a developed class of small peasant farmers here. The peasant farmers were just beginning to emerge in economic and political terms, providing very few "good families’ sons" or "household troops."
"The Tarasco Alliance, Eight States, 1.6 million people, 50,000 Samurai/25,000 directly controlled, 100,000 Militia." This was the first time Xiulote had a clear understanding of a tribe’s specific military strength.
Naturally, he developed a more concerning question, "How many people do we have in our Mexica Alliance? How many Samurai?"
Aweit smiled confidently, "Not counting those vassals, the great Mexica Alliance actually controls eleven states. The core is the Texcoco Lake District of the Mexican Valley, which has four thriving large states, about 1.5 million people in total."
"The state where the capital is located has more than 500,000. And the capital of Mexica, the Lakeland City of Tenochtitlan, is unparalleled with 250,000 people! It is the ancestral land of the Mexica, the holy site on the lake, the giant city of White Stone, and the center of the world! No other city can compare to it." Unknowingly, Aweit’s voice took on a sacred chant.
Xiulote also nodded longingly. At this time, Tenochtitlan was the miracle city of Central America and the most magnificent city in all of America — not that section he saw in the future, hidden beneath the ground in ruins and remnants.
The young man snapped out of his reverie, curious, "Aweit, how do you know all these numbers?"
Aweit smiled slightly, his confidence filling the Commander’s grin with charm, "In the entire Mexica Alliance, you can only ask me to find out these specific numbers. I am the chief Intelligence Officer of the Alliance, and here, only you can surpass me in mathematics."
"Great! Please continue." Xiulote tiptoed, trying to pat his teacher and good friend on the head, but Aweit casually brushed it aside.
"Texcoco Lake District has 1.5 million people, a domain directly controlled by the Royal Family, capable of mobilizing an overwhelming force of 50,000 directly controlled Samurai. This time, the King brought a full 40,000 direct troops to command the city-states. Of course, after several detachments and casualties along the way, he now has only 10,000 direct troops under his command."
Aweit winked at the youth, who nodded in confirmation, receiving the information.
"With the Lake District as the core, the two states in the west have 500,000 people, the three states in the south have 700,000 people, the two states in the north have 300,000 people, the entire Mexica Alliance has over three million people, firmly occupying the rich and prosperous highland valley!"
"What about the eastern city-states?"
"To the east of the Texcoco Lake District lies towering mountain ranges, within which are the smoking, fire-spouting mouths of demons; where are eastern city-states? Further east lies the territory of the Tlaxcala people."
Xiulote was startled, then realized that to the east of the capital stood the towering Popocatepetl Volcano, also one of the few places in the Mexica Plateau where ice and snow could be seen.
"West, south, north - seven states together also have 50,000 Samurai, similar to the four states directly under the Royal Family. The city of Teotihuacan is also one of the origins of royal lineage," Aweit said as he glanced at the youth with a smile.
The youth was calculating seriously, "Mexica Alliance, Eleven States, three million people, 100,000 Samurai/50,000 directly controlled, 200,000 Militia." Indeed, it was the absolute dominant power of Central America.
"What about our age-old enemies, the Tlaxcala people? How are they doing?" Xiulote couldn’t wait to know more about this world.
"The Tlaxcala people have four large states. The status of the four states actually isn’t much different; they support each other, without the concept of being directly under the capital. The northern state of Tlaxcala and the southern state of Tepeyacak are stronger, each with 400,000 people. The central states of Weisoqinke and Cholula each have 200,000 people."
"Cholula’s center is the Holy City of Cholula City, home to the Nava religion, a position much elevated." Aweit explained seriously the intelligence of their archenemies,
"The Tlaxcala people, like us Mexica, have an efficient military mobilization system, and their ratio of Samurai is also around one to thirty."
Xiulote nodded in understanding; culturally and racially close, they were actually relatives loathe to kill each other.
"Tlaxcala Alliance, Four States, 1.2 million people, 40,000 Samurai, 80,000 Militia."
"What about the Otomis we are currently subduing?" The youth looked toward the north.
"The Otomi, they are a very loose alliance, centered only on Otapan City as their ancestral and defensive heartland. Mainly four states, Xilotepec State with 300,000 people, Otapan with over 200,000, Pamus with 200,000, Guamare with 300,000.
Above all, Pamus and Guamare have many Chichimeca Canine Descendants, who do not submit to the Otomi Alliance but coexist interchangeably. Sometimes they integrate and at other times, they fight among themselves. In fact, the Otomi have long intermarried extensively with the various Canine Descendant tribes; the name of Guamare State itself comes from the Guamal Canine Descendants."
Xiulote was somewhat surprised; could the Otomi really number nearly a million? Now... he recalled the red crossed circle on Totec’s wooden board and the brutal sweeping by the army along the way, and could only shake his head.
"Otomi Alliance, Four States, approximately 600,000 people, more than 20,000 Samurai, Militia not known."
Standing atop the high Watchtower, the youth and his teacher were immersed in discussion about this world as if they held the world in their hearts. Before them lay a bustling and vast world. Their desire for the world fervently burned!
"Chichimeca Canine Descendants are everywhere in the northwest highlands and deserts. They continuously migrate, roughly divided into eight tribes, without formal Samurai but the whole nation participates in the military. Near the four states of the Otomi, at least 700,000 Canine Descendants."