"Aztec Eternals ( Find the latest chapter!

For the next few days, Shilot was still in a hurry. He was like the breeze across the Texcoco Lake, galloping around the capital city in the lake, chasing the light that cut through time and space.

Outside the embankment in the southeast of the capital city in the lake, there are two small islands with a large area, one is called Zakatramanco and the other is called Etakata. The name of the island is roughly related to "salt water", "saline land" and "reed bush", which also shows the desolate appearance here.

These islands are located in saltwater lakes and have remained uninhabited without the potential to be reclaimed into chinampas. Only roosting waterfowl, and the occasional moored merchant. Now, Avit has given both small islands to Shilot to be used as experimental grounds for gunpowder research and development.

The boy came by boat in the early morning with dozens of guard samurai. He landed on the northern island and looked around. It's about an hour or two away from the capital, and it's quiet and uninhabited. Looking to the north, the Great Temple in the center of the capital is majestic and tall, the Qinanpa is green and verdant several miles away, and the business fleets on the lake are constantly coming and going, a scene of civilization and prosperity. And looking to the south, there is another island of its own not far away.

Shirot watched quietly for a while, and then continued to evaluate the two islands. The two islands each have several hundred hectares. The North Island is slightly smaller and closer, so he named it Tianhuo Yidao, which is specially used to store nitrate, extract soil nitrate, and try gunpowder formula. The South Island is bigger and farther, so it is called Tianhuo Erdao. It is used to test future firearms and is temporarily idle.

The boy took the guards and samurai around to check around to determine the terrain of the island. The lower edge part may be submerged in the rainy season when the lake is flooded, and it is necessary to raise soil in the center of the island, build a high platform, and then set the research and development site on it. Backlit dry warehouses will also be built to store the extracted soil nitrate and prepared gunpowder.

The group was inspecting, but Bertard suddenly changed his face and took a step forward to block Sherlot. The samurai chief pointed somewhere with his thumb, then silently took out his longbow and attached it to the armor-piercing bronze arrow.

Xiulott looked carefully into the distance, his face was solemn, and two or three hundred meters away, a small section of the hull was exposed in the reeds. He also took out his shield and battle stick and prepared for battle. The dozens of guard samurai behind him are well-trained. Half of them bent bows and arrows, half held sticks and shields, and gradually spread out into a circular formation, protecting His Highness in the center.

The guard warriors approached cautiously, entering the best shooting distance of 150 meters. Bertard told the warriors to stop. He first put on a whistle arrow, aimed a little, it was a quick arrow, and a sharp whistling sound came immediately. The arrowhead of the whistle arrow is equipped with a bone horn whistle, and it is a specially made blunt tip to avoid accidental injury.

There was a rustling sound from the reeds. The warriors of the guards were all equipped with bronze arrows, and as long as there was an unidentified warrior, they would do it without hesitation. Bertard held his bow and waited for a long time, but after a while, the movement in the reeds disappeared again. He frowned slightly, then scolded the reeds.

"Who's in the grass? Come out! If you don't come out, you're going to shoot!"

There was another sway in the reeds, but the people inside still didn't show up.

Bertard waited no longer. He waved his left hand in awe, and more than 20 bronze arrows shot out, pinning them around the wooden boat in the reeds. There were a few exclamations from the reeds, followed by a panicked response.

"Stop, stop! We are not enemies, we are diligent and loyal citizens of the capital!"

The samurai chief frowned again. He looked at Shilot, the young man pondered slightly and nodded. It really doesn't look like an enemy.

"Get out of the grass, all!" Bertard shouted again.

After a while, five or six shivering people came out of the reeds. The longbow of the guard samurai immediately aimed at the vital point.

Xiulote first looked at their hands, both empty and without weapons, but with a short dagger around his waist. Then, the teenager looked at their clothes again, no one was wearing armor, just a long robe and a cloak that covered his figure. The cloak and robe are low-key in color and simple in pattern. At first glance, it looks like a commoner, but if you look closely, it is made of high-quality fabrics. Some people also wear wide-brimmed conical hats on their heads, half covering their faces.

The teenager was a little confused, this look... always gave him an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

Bertard watched for a moment and determined that it was just a group of dubious civilians. He observed the reeds again, but there was no movement. So, the samurai captain waved his hand forward, and five or six strong leather armored samurai rushed up. They took off the conical hats of the suspicious people, tore off the large cloaks and robes, and took away the daggers from their waists. After fumbling up and down for a while, they nodded to the samurai chief.

Bertard nodded slightly and shifted the direction of the longbow. He pointed to the dense reeds again, and ten more warriors stepped forward cautiously. After a short search, they returned with a few small clay pots and two dark cloth bags.

"His Royal Highness, there are two small boats inside, one is a luxury of a dozen jars of herbs and spices, and the other is a bag of golden sand and a few bags of salt."

The samurai guards came to report back. Shirot looked at the samurai chief.

Bertard took a marked jar, opened it, and fumbled for a while. A strong aroma wafted up, and it was just allspice. Then, he opened two more cloth bags, one was heavy and dazzling golden sand, and the other was white and grayish salt.

The samurai chief sighed in relief. He nodded to the boy, confirming it.

Shilot pondered slightly. The alliance has recently enacted a commercial law that imposes heavy taxes on luxury goods. Obviously, this is a private luxury transaction, and will not be taxed according to law. One of them was a big businessman with connections, and the other carried a large sum of golden sand and salt, so he should be a great noble in the capital city with a fief.

Shilot took a few steps forward and carefully observed the faces of several people. Two of them saw the teenager's high priest uniform, their expressions changed, and they immediately lowered their heads subconsciously, and then the warriors pinched their chins and forcibly lifted them up. The young man looked at the two for a long time, without the slightest impression in his mind, so he looked to the other side,

After scrutinizing for a while, Shulot gently said "Huh", and there was actually an old friend he had seen.

"I remember you. You are a big businessman in the capital market and have a luxury store. What's your name?"

What the boy did not mention was that he had personally seen the other party buy honey at a low price and then resell it. But for a quarter of an hour, it was three or four times the huge profit, so it was very impressive.

"Ah, no, I'm not... esteemed lord, you must have misremembered..."

Before the big businessman could finish speaking, he saw the young priest in front of him frown slightly. Afterwards, his hair was lifted, and the middle-aged warrior behind him had put the battle stick across his neck. The big businessman's neck was cold, and then there was a slight tingling. The sharp sharp piece had already cut through the skin, and the bright red traces slowly oozing out.

"Yes, I am! I am Okatel of the Capital Market! ... Your lord, you remember me. I must have worked for you, spare my life!"

Okatl was horrified. The big businessman looked at him in horror: high-level priests in black, fifty or sixty elite leather-armored warriors, and dozens of powerful longbows. He wanted to cry without tears, and under the powerful long-range threat, he couldn't even prepare to escape.

I just sell a few jars of vanilla to old customers, and secretly earn a little hard-earned money. Even if it violates the newly promulgated commercial law, it will not use so many high-level temple guards, right? Looking at this equipment, looking at the number of people, it is enough to attack an ordinary noble manor!

Thinking of this, the big businessman finally shed tears of grievance.

Shirot looked at the big businessman with no expression on his face. He raised his hand first, and the middle-aged warrior who threatened the big businessman stopped. Then he pointed to the two who had bowed their heads just now, and the samurai pushed them aside. Then, the boy approached Okatl. The middle-aged warrior immediately hit his knees, and the big businessman knelt down in pain, without His Highness looking up.

Afterwards, Shulot dignifiedly interrogated Okatl. The big businessman started talking nonsense, and the teenager frowned again. The middle-aged samurai exerted pressure several times, and grasped it just right. Soon, amid the unpredictable horror of life and death, Okatl's psychological defense finally collapsed. He cried bitterly and told the truth.

Only a few days after the commercial law was promulgated, the formal luxury trade in the urban market has been greatly reduced. The local big businessmen are unwilling to bear the high business tax, and they have started private transactions one after another. They have been rooted for many years, have a long-term cooperative relationship with the nobles of the capital, and are familiar with the geography and people, so they can easily transfer the trading venue.

Now that the capital has been patrolled by temple guards, and the influence of priests in each community is very strong, the private trade locations of local businessmen and nobles have finally been transferred to hidden islands in the lake. This island is covered with reeds as tall as one person, and it is not far from the capital, so Okatel took a fancy to it as a place for his private trade.

The New Year's ritual is about to begin, and the nobles have a large demand for luxury goods. Almost every day, Okatel would come here to trade with different nobles, sometimes a big noble, sometimes a few minor nobles. Occasionally, we will meet colleagues, and we will miss each other tacitly, and at the same time be careful not to report each other.

Today, Okatel brought two guards and came to trade with the servants of the great nobles in the capital. From the most hidden reeds, exchange herbs and spices for the salt produced by the sands and fiefs. He also has a way to sell the salt.

"I heard that there are big nobles who specialize in trade intermediaries. They provide low-tax secured transactions for foreign businessmen who come from afar and don't know their roots in their own fiefs."

In the end, Okatl wept bitterly and gave a vague and important message.

Hearing this, Shilot frowned deeply, the implementation of commercial law did not seem to be going well.

The autonomy of the great aristocracy is too huge. They have enough power and enough greed to violate the commercial laws of the alliance. If the inspection is too strict, a large number of luxury goods trade will be transferred to the fiefs of the great nobles. It will be difficult for the Alliance to intervene directly, except by force.

The enforcement of Union laws is always closely related to the control of the government. The same is true for the various taxes of the alliance. The local governments will withhold different levels of tribute according to the level of autonomy, coupled with the corruption of the bureaucracy.

Ultimately, the actual revenue of the government will always strike a balance between local control, autonomy, and corruption, which Scholot calls taxation efficiency.

In this era, most of the tax revenue of the feudal state would flow to the nobles, officials and gentry at all levels, and the more the dynasty was at the end of the year, the more so. For example, the Ming Dynasty more than 100 years later...

Shiloh shook his head and took back Piaoyuan's thoughts. He looked at Okatl, who was kneeling and weeping, and was silent.

Okatl was shocked, knowing that the critical moment of life and death had come. Mexica society has always been strict, and the priests have just promulgated commercial laws. At this time, if the high priest was arrested and returned to the capital, it would definitely be taken as a model and sent to the altar of sacrifice to shock everyone.

The big businessman struggled hard, ignoring the sharp battle stick, and slammed into the young priest's feet. He grabbed the other's priest's robe hard, cursed and swore.

"Master Priest, spare my life! In the name of the patron saint, I am willing to sacrifice all my property, and I am willing to swear allegiance to you!"

Shirot has already made a decision in his heart. He shook his head slightly and looked at the middle-aged warrior.

The middle-aged warrior nodded clearly. He bent down and grabbed Ocartel's shoulder with one hand. Then, stretch out the other hand and squeeze firmly behind the other's elbow. The big businessman's arm suddenly became painful and numb, and his fingers loosened uncontrollably. The middle-aged warrior exerted his strength slightly and directly dragged the big businessman forty or fifty meters from the ground. Two more warriors came up around, and Okatl was completely controlled.

Shulot looked at the middle-aged warrior with interest. In his thirties, he has an ordinary appearance. With a frosty face, his eyes are calm, but quite clever. In the previous interrogation, he was observant, and the pressure was just right. The young man couldn't help but feel a little bit of love for talent.

"What's your name? When will you join the guard?" Shiloh beckoned and asked the middle-aged warrior to come over.

The middle-aged warrior's expression remained unchanged. He walked quickly and bowed respectfully.

"Your Highness, I am Esco, a warrior from the holy city of Teotihuacan. I once followed Captain Hussock and fought against the Otomi people with you. The high priest came to the capital of the lake, A group of holy city knights were selected, and I followed the high priest at that time, guarding around. Then I was assigned to join your guard."

Shulot nodded slightly, without a family name, it turned out to be a civilian warrior from the Holy City. Esco could be chosen by his grandfather and be dispatched to the guard beside him, and he must be trustworthy in loyalty.

Since arriving in the capital, various affairs have been carried out continuously, and the young man has increasingly felt the lack of talents, especially the lack of people who can lead the way. For him now, in important tasks, he must first ensure the loyalty of the people, and then consider the ability, and he doesn't care about his background.

After thinking for a moment, Xiulote looked at the middle-aged warrior with sharp eyes, and asked questions while examining the school.

"Esco, what do you think should be done with this merchant."

Esco thought for a while, his eyes flashed, and then replied respectfully.

"His Royal Highness, the nobility law is about to be promulgated, and the situation in the capital is tense. It is not appropriate to continue to stimulate the nobles with luxury goods. As for this businessman, you can take care of it directly here."

Shilot first nodded in satisfaction, then shook his head slightly.

Not long ago, my grandfather and I had a long talk all night, planning a lot of future. If the big businessman is arrested and returned to the capital, the priests will follow the vine, and I am afraid that they will bring out a large group of nobles who violate the commercial law, and they will once again become the center of the capital.

Now is the time to keep a low profile, and this is not the time for a complete confrontation between priests and nobles. As for the big businessman, putting him to death doesn't solve anything.

After pondering for a moment, Shilot ordered to Esco.

"Esco, I'll give you a few warriors, and I'll leave the rest to you. Confiscate all the things on the boat and give a little punishment. Then appease the nobles' servants, and let them all go after we leave. Now~lightnovelpub.net~ As for that Okatl, let him hand over the list of trading nobles and let him go. In the future, you will provide us with news regularly. Well, it is up to you to contact him."

Hearing this, Esco bowed his head deeply. He suppressed the joy on his face and bowed respectfully. Then, with a strange smile, he walked towards Okatel not far away.

After dealing with all this, Shirot looked at the samurai chief and smiled.

"Bottard, it was just a false alarm just now. This is at the foot of the capital, and today is a temporary decision. How can there be so many dangers!"

Bertard was silent. He has been quietly watching all this, and his attention is 80% on the surrounding environment. He looked around at the lush reeds, uninhabited bays and remote islands. After a while, the loyal samurai chief spoke in a low voice.

"Your Highness, if someone does it, this is the best place."

Shilot was stunned for a moment. He pondered over the words of the samurai chief, anyone? Does anyone know here. Do it? What to do. The young man was suddenly silent. After a while, he shook his head in a deep voice.

"I trust him. You think too much, why is this?"

Bertard's face was serious. He lowered his head and bowed in salute.

"His Royal Highness, I don't believe it. Neither does the high priest. Even if he is worthy of trust, the people around him are not worthy of trust. Your safety cannot be placed on trust."

Hearing the words of the samurai chief, Shulot slowly closed his eyes, feeling the throbbing and changes in his heart. After a long time, he sighed deeply.

"The most difficult thing in this world is mutual trust. The higher the height, the colder it is. How can it last for a long time when everyone speaks of gold and destroys bones? It's terrible, terrible!"

The young man shook his head. He strode forward, looking at the distant capital, his heart was still firm and full of light.