Time is a long road, and life is a relentless journey. We always walk through it in a daze, listening to the passage of time, looking at the vast expanse of the years, never knowing when we’ll arrive at the end, and what’s gone never looks back.
Xiuxoke never looked back. Under the stars and the moon, he traveled day and night with his handful of trusted aides, taking just two days to reach the Lerma River. He climbed a small hill on the river’s edge and looked out. At that moment, another sun was setting, and the rivermouth fortress stood majestic amid the evening glow. The Lerma River flowed mightily to the west, its surface undulating with shimmering waves, like the dazzling ribbons of the Earth Mother Goddess.
"Truly a boon from the spirits! A great river that connects the east and west of the Alliance!"
Xiuxoke gazed quietly at the shining Long River, and each day of the past flickered before his eyes. Vaguely, he seemed to hear the hearty laughter from a decade ago, to see the tiny hands carefully holding a baby. Thus, for the first time, he turned his head and gazed deeply toward the south. After a moment, all that remained was a gentle sigh.
"Flowing all the way from the Capital City to here... What a great river indeed!"
After a moment of contemplation, Xiuxoke’s samurai determination surged in his heart once more. He opened his mouth, about to call out Olosh’s name, but then he paused. After a few breaths, he ordered his men in a low voice,
"Send an envoy, pass the message to the fortress. Prepare the boats quickly; we depart for the east first thing tomorrow!"
The sun set and rose again, and the long night was silent but for the flow of thoughts. The next day, twenty large boats carried six or seven hundred samurai upriver to the east, moving slowly. The journey was indeed long, with hills undulating on both banks and streams converging from the mountains. It wasn’t until vast fields, harvested and exposed, came into view before them that they entered the border of the Alliance’s western city-states.
Xiuxoke stayed here for two days, feasting with nobles who had been friendly with his clan for generations while exchanging the latest intelligence.
In the western expedition, the armies of the western city-states had plundered much, so the banquets of these two days were extremely lavish. Incense burned in the great hall, food was laden with spices, and even the mead had rare herbs added. In contrast, the young kings who took part in the hard work themselves and practiced thrift had much more modest nobility in the Lake Capital City’s fief.
During the night banquet, Xiuxoke ate a piece of roasted venison and drank a sip of mead. He savored it carefully and praised it.
"Good wine! This wine has rich layers and an endless aftertaste... Apart from fruit, did you also add flowers and herbs when brewing it?"
"Haha, the Deputy Marshal is not only brave but also has an exceptional discernment!"
Tepeiter laughed heartily. Sitting in the seat of honor as the night’s host, he was the glorious noble who wielded great power over Tlalocan and the clan leader of the Mountain family. The meaning of his name was "peak." Tepeiter smiled as he stood up, holding his wine cup and approaching, then extended his burly arm and warmly placed it on Xiuxoke’s shoulder.
"Haha, Deputy Marshal, the Mountain family and the Holy City lineage have been friends for generations, our ties spanning decades! Since we are of the same generation, I will call you ’brother’... Brother, in this western campaign, our western city-states exerted all their force. Even my legitimate son died on the battlefield!"
"Chief Divine’s blessing! A warrior who dies in battle for the divine will surely ascend to the Divine Kingdom, to eternal happiness and peace!"
"Yes, the Chief Divine’s blessing! Come, Izel, why aren’t you coming forward to offer your uncle a toast?"
Tepeiter called out loud, beckoning his illegitimate son like he would a servant.
A flash crossed Izel’s eyes before fading away. He stepped forward respectfully, smiled, and offered toasts to his father and "uncle." After the three drank, Tepeiter casually waved his son away and continued speaking to Xiuxoke in a lowered voice.
"Brother, the Holy City lineage has fiefs in the middle of the lake, making many green with envy! What’s even more enviable is that Qinchongcan is a full seven hundred miles from the Lake Capital City! No Royal Decree can reach that far!"
"Hmm? The latest Royal Decree..."
Xiuxoke’s expression shifted, as if in deep thought.
"Yes, the latest Royal Decree!... The priests collecting tribute from the villages is one thing, for paying more to the Royal Family, we could just spend less. But the Royal Family dispatching officials to meddle with core city-states, dividing village communal fields, and reducing the nobility’s private troops, absorbing the direct warriors... This kind of action disrupts the tradition of autonomy in the Alliance!"
Tepeiter’s gaze flickered as he watched Xiuxoke’s expression, his voice filled with indignant whispers.
"The Sun God’s light brings warmth! Only the cold light of the Moon Goddess could bring such a chill... Nobles have fought on battlefields for the Chief Divine, spilling their warm blood. As the war ends victoriously, there are those in the Capital City who blind the King... Brother, now that the Holy City lineage has its fiefs remote, it holds significant actual power as the Prince! With the High Priest in charge internally, all nobles follow willingly. With high hopes, as you make your way to the Capital City, everyone is counting on you to speak just words before the King..."
Xiuxoke’s expression changed. Though not keen on politics, he understood the essence of the King’s reforms and was aware of the sensitive position of the Holy City lineage. He patted Tepeiter on the shoulder and said with calm assurance,
"Don’t worry! Tepeiter, we have known each other for many years. I will certainly speak well of you before the King!"
At those words, a flash of disappointment crossed Tepeiter’s eyes, but in an instant, he was laughing and raising his cup high, exclaiming,
"Chief Divine’s blessing, let’s not return until we are drunk tonight! Come, let’s drink together again, to honor the respected Deputy Marshal! May the divine spirits bless you with a smooth journey ahead!"