"Haha, Necali, my formidable warrior!"
Xiulote chuckled. He stepped forward, cradling the arm of the Warrior Captain, motioning him to rise.
"You have been in charge of the Main Copper Mine in Qinganbate for four months now. How are things at the mine?"
"Your Highness, the Main Copper Mine is operating normally. We have five large squads of miners, just over a thousand. One large squad of warriors, two hundred strong!"
Necali stood up and responded loudly, as if he were being inspected by the Marshal in the army. He continued with a respectful and detailed report.
"In the late stages of the western campaign, the Qinganbate copper mine fell into chaos. The Tarasco warriors guarding the mine were drawn to the front lines, and most of the old miners fled. The mine area began to recover after the victory of the western campaign, with the assistance of the Head Eagle Warrior. New miners were continuously conscripted from various places... July and August are the peak of the rainy season. The heavy rain halted work at the mine for more than two months, and it was not until mid-September that mining officially resumed. There is a small furnace for smelting ore at the mine, and a new batch of copper material has already been smelted, ready to be transported to the Capital City..."
Xiulote stepped forward, listening to the Warrior Captain’s report as he strode towards the center of the mine. The Head Warrior quietly issued a few orders, and thousands of trusted aides also split into two teams. Half of them stayed outside, occupying high positions to scout, focusing on guarding against the south. The other half, gripping their weapons with stern expressions, followed the figure of the King.
In the solemn footsteps of the trusted aides, the profound and splendid Royal Banner of the Black Wolf was also erected at a high point in the mining encampment. The guarding warriors shouted harshly, and over a thousand miners knelt down like a swarm of busy ants. They bowed their heads deeply, pressing them against the cold, muddy ground, daring not to make a sound or to steal a glance at the King’s face, but silently awaiting his commands.
"Hmm, numb expressions, eyes filled with fear, obedience is good..."
Xiulote observed the miners’ behavior for a while, then waved his hand.
&"Let them continue their work, don’t delay production."
Upon hearing this, the Warrior Captain became fiercely animated, bellowing out.
"The Supreme King has descended upon the mine! Everyone, put your spirits into it, get back to work! Whoever fails to meet today’s quota will be hanged from the railing, every last one of you!"
The miners voiced their fear softly, like bees receiving orders. Quickly, they bowed their heads again and silently busied themselves.
Xiulote looked around and saw the so-called railings. It was a high hill lined with several meters-long wooden poles, from which several heads hung. The autumn in the Highland was still hot, and the heads had already rotted beyond recognition. Swarms of flies hovered around the heads, and a subtle odor, carried by the wind, spread a silent intimidation.
"Your Highness, these are the mining leaders who first caused trouble and were reluctant to go into the mines when work resumed! There are also some conscripted miners who wanted to escape at night... I captured them all that day and beheaded them in front of the miners!"
Necali raised his head, proud of his decisive actions before the King.
"This group of miners was rebellious, just about to cause trouble, but I easily suppressed them! I caught the ringleaders, and after having chopped off a few, the others became much more compliant. We, the Mexica warriors, have emerged from mountains of corpses and seas of blood; there’s no room for these lowly miners to act unruly! Going into the mine might be dangerous, but they need to obey, even if it means dying down there!..."
Xiulote looked on for a moment, expressionless, then nodded slightly.
Mining has always been considered a perilous endeavor in any era. In this era shrouded in myths and ignorance, it was even more so. People generally believed that the underground was the realm of the deceased, harboring irresistible dangers and offending the majesty of deities. Entering the mines was like setting sail at sea, a profession only undertaken out of necessity, with no secure or long-term future. The miners held a very low social status and found it difficult to marry and raise a family.
After the western campaign, the nobility in various places had been wiped out, leaving vast fields unattended and many villages with young widows. Miners, claiming to be refugees, could join in the communal farming in villages, happily marry, and lead long, secure lives. Without violent coercion and constraint, few miners would willingly stay at the mine.
This group of skilled miners was conscripted thanks to the strict military management of the Lake Region. They were identified by savvy village elders, then reported to the main priests and subsequently escorted here by the Militia Captains.
The King pondered for a moment before speaking slowly.
"Necali, forced restraint is indeed essential, but we can’t rely only on that. Even when a Jaguar hunts deer, it leaves survivors. Regarding the treatment of the miners, it can be appropriately improved."
"As you command, Your Highness."
The Warrior Captain immediately bowed to take his orders. Then, he smiled and said.
"Your Highness, our army’s veterans all know of your renowned benevolence, and we all regard you as our towering mountain! After executing the miner leaders, I specially distributed the warriors’ liquor to comfort these miners. Their meals are also well taken care of; you can rest assured, Your Highness!"
"Very good! I will allocate sufficient liquor for you. Necali, I have valued your abilities since you captured the gates of the Capital City with your quick thinking, and I hold high expectations for you! Managing the copper mines is a matter of great importance for the fief, and I am confident in your handling of it!"
Xiulote nodded with a smile, affectionately patting the other’s shoulder.