Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!-Chapter 1731 - 1238: Surrounded by "Chu" Songs

The wide and long Xin River, like a jade belt, reflects the magnificent red glow of the setting sun. The lush green forest stretches along the river, extending to the gray-yellow horizon of distant mountains. The Northern Land is so vast and desolate, with the Sakascat Wilderness sprawling over six thousand miles behind the mountains, like a massive bison tied by the jade belt. At the rivermouth of the Great River, the Xin River Village stands like a small knot on the six hundred-mile leading rope "jade belt," lightly held by the oceanic Kingdom's hand, contemplating vast longevity.

At this moment, the sunset gradually descends, and a large number of Feather Clan members flood into the village, scavenging all edible food. The corpses and bloodstains on the village wall quietly gaze at the sky, dyeing with the sunset. While the Hummingbird's Chief Divine banner still flies at the highest point, no Feathered Warrior pays attention. Just like outside the Xin River Village, several warrior boats wander and watch from afar, unwilling to leave—like the little crow Xite Weivei.

To the Feather Clan, they are but migrating wanderers, without the intention or courage to stay long at the rivermouth, naturally indifferent to the ownership of this land and village. What truly matters to them is...

"Ancestors! Clan Leader, there's still a granary here, such a big warehouse!... Huh? Damn it! This isn't a granary! There's not a bit of food inside, just all sorts of colorful, jumbled stones?..."

"Three Gods! This is the village's central and largest warehouse, it must have good stuff! Let the Clan Leader see, he is well-versed!..."

"Fool! The Clan Leader doesn't understand anything, he always pretends... cough! Go and get those few wounded soldiers over here, all fellow Prepetcha countrymen, treat them well and ask clearly..."

"Move aside, you squawking, sightless sparrows! Let me, Feather, take a look!... Hmm? Gray-black shiny stones, this is... seems like the tin ore that Qinchongcan Capital used to collect? Possibly used to make bronze... Ah! So many soft white stones? Isn't this silver? How come there's so much?… This silver is utterly useless, only the Cloud Central Tribes and the Silver Clan we wiped out enjoy this flashy decoration… Hmm?! What is this grayish powdery stone? Crumbles to powder at a squeeze, tastes somewhat salty…"

"Clan Leader! The captured wounded just said this is the good stuff the Kingdom of the Lake priests specifically asked for! It's the Divine Bird Stone that can fertilize fields... Hmm, it's guano rock! It's rock formed by bird droppings!"

"What?!... Guano rock? Gross!…"

Upon hearing, Feather Pengguari widened his eyes, his old face trembling uncontrollably. However, Feather has lived through much in his life; eating a bit of guano is nothing significant. He silently noted the guano rock that can fertilize fields, continuing to inspect other minerals in the warehouse, also asking the captured fellow countrymen.

"Hmm? This black stuff, what kind of stone is it? Stronger than wood, burning black stone coal?… Isn't this what the little crow threatened me with? Where did this come from? Yomei Great Tribe far in the north, needs more than twenty days by boat? So far!…"

"Wow! There are still several sealed wooden boxes here! Open them… Ah! It's actually bronze axes, spearheads, and arrowheads! We've struck gold!… Hmm? These bronze weapons seem to be crude though! Not as good as those from the Kingdom of the Lake… where are these made? Northern Reagan Town, takes nearly twenty days by boat? Isn't that next to the Plum Tribe?…"

"What! That's the major town of the Kingdom of the Lake, guarded by thousands of warriors, and with a Mexica Songbird High Priest? Can't be true! How could the Kingdom place an army corps at the edge of the world, thousands of miles away in the Northern Continent? Not even half an army corps!… Explain clearly! Are they tough Kingdom's Warriors in Reagan Town, or easy-to-defeat Tribal Warriors?!… What? There's both? Specifically, how many, you don't know either?…"

Upon hearing such news, Feather Pengguari questioned repeatedly, eventually walking out of the warehouse with a face shifting between gloomy and sunny. He never expected, after escaping to the world's edge, there's still a powerful Kingdom force waiting far in the north, making him stomp and curse.

"Damn it! Damn it! I fled to the Northern Continent, yet there's still an enemy ahead!… The Kingdom of the Lake that haunts like the water grass in the Great Lake! Damn it all!…"

The sunset reflects late, Feather Pengguari's heart filled with infinite melancholy, all his good mood ruined by this sudden calamity. However, the entire Feather Clan is in a joyous and celebratory atmosphere. After over half a month of difficult fleeing, they finally acquired a precious stockpile of food, enough for five to six thousand tribes to eat for two to three months! They also finally have a decent village where they can rest assured for two days!

Regarding the hundreds of mixed units who died to take down the village, they are just a normal cost, after being used up, more would be captured. But the loss of thirty to forty Feathered Warriors casts a faint gloom over the Feather Clan. Yet, in such a desolate Northern Land, fighting and death become increasingly ordinary. Only survival is everything for clans and tribes. And each rare joy is worth celebration and sharing by all!

Soon, small campfires lit both inside and outside the Xin River Village. Rising cooking smoke dispersed into the red-black sky. The aroma of grains wafted through the village, the most intoxicating scent. Feathered Warriors ate corn cakes and drank hot fish soup. Clan families ate pumpkin bean paste and drank wild vegetable soup. After a rare full meal, everyone wore bright smiles on their rosy faces.

The sky gradually darkened, and the bonfire illuminated faces in a red glow. When the oldest elder of the Feather Clan began to sing the melancholic folk song by the bonfire, many clan members couldn't resist joining in, lifting their heads to watch the Great River sing clearly.

"Cupatitzio! The river is singing!... It sings the song of the water, yearning for the Great Lake and river of home! Children who have left home, do you miss your lakeside village, miss the flower-wearing mother by the river? That mother's clear smile is like the beautiful Great Lake, like the sacred red cicada flower!... Mother is the glorious flower of the Great Lake!"

"Cupatitzio! The river is singing!... It sings the song of the sky, longing for the blue sky reflected in the lake! But we are traveling butterflies, having flown too far, reached the end of the Great River where there are no red cicada flowers! We can no longer return, can't return to the Great Lake of our mother, can't see the flourishing flowers by the lake... We are the withered butterflies at the river's end!"

The light and lively song gradually crescendoed, then faded into a lull, allowing the flowing water of the Great River to be heard clearly. Thousands from the Feather Clan sang while smiles adorned their faces, tears flowed from their eyes. Such light yet melancholic and familiar folk songs left Feathers Pengguari standing silently, with old tears streaming down.

"Alas!... Patzcuaro Great Lake, Chapala Great Lake... The red cicada flowers by the lake, the Akatla temple of the ancestors... I, Feathers, in this life, am afraid I cannot return! Alas!"

The folk song traveled far, flying into the vast ocean. The small raven fleet patrolling the rivermouth paused in silence. Moments later, the low song was also sung by the warriors of the fleet, the same familiar folk song of the Great Lake, the same resonating melancholic melody.

"Tsitsiki! The sacred flower blooms!... It blooms the song of the earth, longing for the fields through which lake waters flow! Motherland's mothers, do they long for their distant children, for the butterflies flying towards the horizon? The young man's running legs are like the freely flowing Great River, like the wings of fluttering butterflies!... Children are the butterflies flowing in the Long River!"

"Tsitsiki! The sacred flower blooms!... It blooms the song of flowers, longing for the butterflies that flew away from the flowers! But we are the red cicada flowers by the lake, nurturing the young worms with nectar, blooming and withering by the lakeside. The children have flown away! They can never return to the resting flower pistils, never see the fallen petals... And we are the dead flowers, the deceased mothers, let us remain in the dreams of the flying butterflies!"

The Long River quietly flowed, surrounded by swirling folk songs, each note breaking one's heart. Little Raven's eyes shed tears, reminding him of his grandfather going to the Divine Kingdom, and of his childhood by Atoyac Lake. He lowered his gaze towards the sea, unable to see his blurred eyes clearly, nor the hunter who quickly wiped away tears and secretly watched him.

"The hearts are mournful, the clan is truly exhausted! But the situation on the Northern Continent... Yomei Tribe, Reagan Town, the Kingdom's northern army... Where exactly is the Great Lake where the clan can truly rest?... The north is so vast, I know too little!"

The mournful folk song, Feathers Pengguari stood on the village wall, squinting his bird-like small eyes, staring at the few firelights on the ship by the sea. He pondered for a long while before turning his head, looking towards his weeping nephew Brother Peng, and sighed lowly.

"Ancestors! They were all fellow villagers of the Prepetcha, all descendants of one tribal ancestor... Little Raven remains on the ship, eating cold dried food, drinking raw river water... As his uncle, I really cannot forgive myself!... Brother, take some people and row over, invite Little Raven over, let him have a proper warm meal in the village!"

"Ah? Clan Leader, Uncle! How could Little Raven possibly come over? We just fought a battle with him and took his village..."

"Three Gods bear witness! We took his food because the clan had no way to live, really had no choice. But now we have food, we won't stay here long, this village must be returned to him! The chaotic tin ore, silver, guano rock, black stone, the clan can't take it, will also be left for him as is! Even the flags on the walls, I've told the clan not to touch. We treated the wounded fellow warriors..."

Speaking of this, Feathers Pengguari's expression was sincere, a face of a simple elder, earnestly instructing his nephew.

"The Great River flows mightily, I've already sworn by the Great River that I would not harm him a bit! For now, inviting him over serves to turn enemies into friends, giving the Kingdom another path of contact. Who knows, we might ask for his help in the future... The second is to discuss how to return the village, goods, and captives after the tribe leaves... Brother, you sincerely go invite him yourself! Little Raven will definitely come!"

"Ah! For another path for the clan?... I understand! Clan Leader, I'll go now!"

Nephew Brother Peng nodded heavily, showing seriousness and sincerity on his face. He wiped away tears and ran out of the village, carrying no weapons. He jumped on a small boat, and paddled towards the seaside firelights, amidst the resonating Prepetcha folk songs.