History is as vast and deep as the ocean, filled with unpredictable possibilities. At times it is calm and tranquil, at other times, waves sweep over it. Countless warm currents surge beneath the sea, flowing toward a perhaps predestined faraway place. The civilizations of various ethnic groups move forward in the lightless deep sea. They follow the currents, waiting for encounters they know nothing of.
Only a fish that has traversed through time, falls from the distant sky into the water. It sees the path of the future clearly, struggles forward with all its might, desperately squeezes to the front of the school, and finally becomes a young leader. It searches for new directions, explores new possibilities, and leads the school behind it towards a brand new uncharted path!
North of the Equator, the summer monsoon bridges the sea and land. It carries the exploration ships from Portugal to the Southern Continent, and it sends the moisture from the Caribbean Sea toward the western Lake Region. Amid the warm and abundant rainfall, the Lake Region’s farmlands are lush and brimming with vitality. August thus passed in the rain, and September arrived with the wind.
The weather in September was extremely hot, and layers of relaxed clouds enveloped Qinchongcan City. Xiulote looked up, observed the recently ceased cloud and rain, as well as the clear sky after the rain. He turned to the Head Warrior and laughed.
"Haha, the heavy rain these past few days was really strong! It’s as if the Great Lake in the sky had sprung a leak, who knows if it might have dropped any fish down?"
"Your Highness, during the rainy season, the Valley in the Lake Region is actually still fine, at most there is just a lot of rainwater. If it were the low-lying lands by the sea where the Vastec people live, almost every one or two years, the Wind God would become enraged. When that happens, roaring wind beasts would sweep across the sky, destroying villages and farmlands they encounter, and truly drop countless leftover sea fish! Therefore, along the coastal regions, the faith in the Wind God is often second only to the Feathered Serpent Divine," Bertade explained with a calm expression. Behind him, two hundred Personal Guard Warriors clad in armor, holding their weapons, closely protected the traveling King.
Xiulote was taken aback upon hearing this. After a moment of thought, he nodded his head.
The Gulf of Mexico region is hot and rainy, often hit by typhoons during the rainy season, and typically these are disastrous hurricanes that even modern times find difficult to deal with. Once these hurricanes make landfall, they tend to deal a destructive blow to the agricultural society of this era. Therefore, the two groups Vastec and Totonac along the eastern coast, despite having fertile land, have never been populous. And their coastal lands cannot serve as a lasting foundation for operation.
"Your Highness, I inquired with the old farmers of the Lake Region. Although this year’s precipitation is high, it is still within normal levels. Lake Patzcuaro has risen only slightly, so it won’t affect the farmlands along the lake too much. The substantial rainfall in August is actually good for the growth of maize, which will increase the harvest in October!"
Upon hearing this, the young ruler showed a smile. His gaze passed over the busy camp of craftsmen and looked towards the horizon beyond the city.
"This year’s planting was late, and the villages were all a bit rushed. I do not ask for a large harvest in the Lake Region, just a decent yield, so that the hearts of the people of Prepetcha and the soldiers stationed in the fields can settle down! Then I can also free up my hands to deal with the nobility in the south..."
As they were talking and laughing, Black Wolf Torc had already walked out of the camp of craftsmen with his chest puffed out and his head held high. He bowed his head to the King.
"Your Highness, the inspection of the craft camp has been completed, and the Personal Guard Warriors have been positioned! The craftsmen of Prepetcha are all prepared and await Your Highness’s inspection!"
Xiulote nodded and led the way into the craft camp. The Head Warrior and Black Wolf followed closely, along with a large group of guards.
The army had only conquered Qinchongcan City a few months ago, and the craft camp now contained more than two thousand craftsmen who had been incorporated. When entering the camp for inspection, one must always remain extra vigilant. Once craftsmen from Tenochtitlan of Mexica relocate to the Capital City, the Divine Revelation Place near the palace area will officially start operating. At that time, the craftsmen in the camp will be further classified into ranks, organized into groups, and allocated to different places.
Soon, the young King entered the craft camp and looked around. The entire camp was enclosed by sturdy bronze stone walls, occupying a vast amount of land. The warehouses in the camp stored large amounts of wood, stones, cotton, and leather. According to the current functions of the craftsmen, they could be roughly divided into four main areas, with two for civilian use and two for military production.
Xiulote continued walking without stopping, first passing through the center for production of nobility goods. Previously exclusive to the Tarasco Royal Family, producing exquisite and luxurious palace wares, it was now used to make expensive trade goods.
The young ruler’s gaze lingered briefly on various exquisite palace colored pottery, nobility clothing, and gold and silver ornaments, then he walked away without a second glance. The Head Warrior followed close behind, equally undistracted. Black Wolf, a step behind, looked around curiously at the noble utensils along the way.
Next, they came to the bustling center for the production of farming tools and wheelbarrows. The young King stopped, surveyed briefly. The managing warriors shouted loudly, and the busy craftsmen all bowed down, awaiting the King’s inspection.
Whether in the military or civilian settlements of the Lake Region, strict farming practices were enforced, and the per capita cultivated land area had to be significantly larger than before. Commonly used stone tools wore down easily, hence they needed constant repair and replacement. The production of wheelbarrows, crucial for transportation and challenging to make because the wheels had to be reinforced with metal, also easily broke. To improve efficiency, Xiulote had allocated a large number of craftsmen and sufficient bronze tools, specially to provide logistical support for the military and civilians in the fields.