Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!-Chapter 1790 - 1284: The King’s Letter

"Chief Divine bears witness! Besides iron armor, forged iron weapons must also be swiftly produced! Iron spearheads are the easiest to forge, can be mass-produced, and gradually reduce the production of Copper Spears until completely replaced... As for more complicated iron weapons, more refined iron forging techniques..."

"Divine Revelation Place will set a significant reward specifically for 'iron forging'! Any breakthrough in skills will receive material rewards. Outstanding advancements in craftsmanship will be like the past achievements in papermaking, bleaching, lacquer coatings, volcano ash cement, and more recently in iron smelting and shipbuilding by the Western Sea craftsmen, earning the rank of Craftsman Master! This time, there will be a full five Craftsman Master title slots to encourage craftsmen to explore!..."

"Ah! Five new Craftsman Masters? Five Military Merit Nobility slots?..."

"Praise Chief Divine! Such extraordinary rewards?!..."

With Divine Revelation Director Talaya announcing the rewards, a burst of excited discussion erupted in the craftsman camp, voices filled with unabating desire.

The status and treatment of a Craftsman Master are equivalent to the Kingdom's Military Merit Nobility, and the ranking is very strict with very limited slots. This time, Divine Revelation Place has offered a full five nobility titles to reward the development of 'iron forging,' demonstrating the Kingdom's emphasis on this matter!

If placed in the Ming Dynasty across the sea, this would be equivalent to offering five scholar or even Advanced Scholar background slots to reward outstanding craftsman talent... That would overturn the heavens, a sign of the downfall of the country! The entire scholar-official community would write condemnations, and there might be hundreds of officials pleading with death to block this kind of strange and dangerous 'evil policy' that threatens the power monopoly of scholar-officials and the distribution of power! This 'evil policy' threatens the 'moral codes-power distribution,' even surpassing the upcoming grand controversy sweeping the Ming Dynasty...

In reality, with the current military-divine authority system of the Kingdom of the Lake, where sacrificial rite can govern, military merit bestows titles, and craftsmen can receive titles as well... If such practices were seen by the scholar-official community of the Ming Dynasty, it would be pure chaos—Buddhist and Taoist interference in state affairs, military arrogance, reversal of social order—is completely 'evil merchants,' 'tyrannical Qin,' 'barbarians'! Such 'barbarians' from the Eastern Sea, disorderly, disrespectful of royal decrees, apart from producing good gold, silver, jade, spices, and timber, are wholly worthless otherwise!...

In contrast, the eunuch group of the Ming Dynasty would naturally be closer. After all, if lowly craftsmen can receive titles, then what does it matter if the emperor's close attendants, the 'Female Snakes,' are granted titles too? Moreover, when Female Snakes receive gold and silver, they are expected to accomplish things, otherwise, their reputation would be ruined. Whereas scholar-officials who receive gold and silver need not actually do anything. They possess control over public opinion and naturally have thousands of methods to protect their prestige...

"Director, a Messenger has arrived! Coming from the Land Amidst the Clouds, is the Envoy of the King, bringing a message for you..."

"Hmm?!... All disperse now, return to your posts, and swiftly complete your tasks! Chief Divine bless the Kingdom! Chief Divine bless Your Majesty!..."

Upon hearing this, Talaya paused momentarily and gave one last instruction to the surrounding technical officials and craftsmen. Everyone also saluted in unison, sincerely praying.

"Chief Divine bless the Kingdom, bless Your Majesty!..."

When the Messenger hastily arrived and entered the side hall for the meeting, he only saw a cool-faced woman sitting at the seat with a mask. He dared not look much, just performed the etiquette, and took out the letter from his waist pouch.

"The King's letter, to Director Talaya..."

"Is there any other verbal message?..."

"It's inconvenient in the camp, there is no verbal message."

"Hmm... You may leave now!..."

The Messenger saluted and left, while Talaya held Xiulote's letter, sitting quietly for a while. She then took a deep breath before opening the letter.

"Talaya, my closest follower, and most reliable partner! When I am not present, only in your hands can Divine Revelation Place bring me peace of mind..."

Reading such a beginning, Talaya paused again, took a deep breath and continued reading. She carefully read every familiar line, especially pausing at important parts, as if hearing her lover's instructions by her ear.

"The Kingdom's West Sea Route has already opened, establishing connections with powerful Western Sea Tribal and even acquiring some Western Sea craftsmen... This brings me particular comfort and excitement, directly feeling the protection of divine spirits! To focus on learning and acquiring the advanced techniques of the Western Sea, to achieve technological breakthroughs for the Kingdom, realizing a technological leap across the realm..."

"Divine Revelation Place is responsible for technological progress and production transformation... The study of Western Sea technology should be especially inclined towards military industry shipbuilding, iron smelting, gunpowder, and civilian animal husbandry, agriculture, vehicles... Just as I have told you many times before, the improvement of productivity, the enhancement of transportation efficiency, these are the foundations of all politics, military and economy!..."

"Currently, we have already obtained mature iron smelting technology from the Western Sea, and are using it as a new direction... Now, it is time to formally allow private Bronze workshops to be established, and permit the Kingdom's Bronze techniques to spread outward! The optimal ratio of copper and tin for different Bronze tools, the effects of adding lead, will no longer be strictly guarded secrets, but the cornerstone for enhancing production capability across the realm..."

"It is time to spread the technology of bronze smelting and production from the Capital Region's Divine Revelation Place to various states and even the entire realm! The Kingdom must lift restrictions on copper mining, allow and encourage private mining operations, and loosen control over private bronze instrument casting... In this era of East-West integration, only by maximizing production capability and elevating the production levels of various tribes can we protect the future of the Jiao People and resist the endless invasion of evil demons!..."

Upon seeing this, Talaya pursed her lips, stared blankly ahead. In her cold eyes, emotion gradually welled up uncontrollably. Before her eyes appeared a man of impressive charisma, broad-mindedness, and heroic appearance. That man never had the limitations of tribe or territory, always treating everyone equally. He regarded the future of the realm as his own future, treated all the citizens of the realm as his people!...

"Xiulote... my King..."

Talaya remained silent for a long time, then continued reading.

"The shipbuilding, iron smelting, and gunpowder of the Western Sea... Shipbuilding shortens lengthy communication time, iron smelting enhances the Kingdom's production ability, gunpowder then becomes a surpassing military weapon... And when iron smelting technology becomes sufficiently mature, gunpowder weapons will emerge beyond cannons, creating a new era-changing branch, the Matchlock Gun!..."

"I am not clear on the specifics of Matchlock Gun design. But according to Divine Revelation Place's vision, it should generally look like this, with a long tube, gunstock, and match cord... Its use has different stages. The initial stage is relying on terrain and buildings to guard fortresses. When fortresses are set with sufficient firing holes and intersecting firing passages... and once Matchlock Gun matures, it can coordinate with spear military formations to build a larger Great Schiltron. As for a more distant future, there will be a purely musketeer-composed linear formation..."

Talaya widened her eyes, looking at what seemed to be clearly drawn with care, yet still somewhat abstract of what 'Matchlock Gun,' what 'Great Schiltron,' what 'linear formation'... After a while, she gently smiled, the corner of her mouth under the mask curling brightly.

"My King... when you return, I'll teach you to paint, okay?..."

There was no response within the side hall, only the King's instructions continued jumping on paper. Those instructions became text, pictures, a beam of light pointing to the future, surpassing the distant space-time, falling into Talaya's heart, clarifying the direction moving forward.

"Talaya, the exploration of the Western Sea has achieved results and needs increased investment. But the cost of navigation is too high, returns are too distant, real power nobility of various states are actually reluctant... This requires Divine Revelation Place as the central control, coordinating and allocating resources, supplementing various state's expenses... stimulating maritime exploration, accelerating coastal colonization of the Northern Continent!..."

"Talaya, my most trusted partner. Only you can understand the significance of all this. Only you, who controls Divine Revelation Place, can properly allocate and arrange all this!... You must firmly grasp Divine Revelation Place, this 'military-industrial complex' core! Besides you, it is hard for me to find someone who can oversee the whole situation, trustworthy, and knows my intentions..."

"I am also aware of the undercurrents surging in the Capital City and Kingdom... Within this letter, there is a formal royal decree, which can be publicly announced to Legion Commander Olosh and Sage Jatili... I will formally lift the force restrictions on Divine Revelation Place, allowing you to organize a guard force under Divine Revelation Place! Remember the Matchlock Gun and Great Schiltron I mentioned before, it is a surpassing weapon, capable of enabling skilled militia and even armed craftsmen apprentices to defeat elite Heavy Armored Warriors!..."

"Chief Divine bears witness! As long as I remain here, the undercurrents of the Capital City will forever remain merely undercurrents, never turning into a storm. And if I am no longer here, and chaos descends... you will need to cooperate with Olosh and Jatili to firmly hold Divine Revelation Place's military-industrial system, and control an armed safeguard system to reorganize the Kingdom!..."

Reading the final instructions, Talaya's heart trembled, her palm suddenly clenched tightly! After a long time, she finally let out a wistful sigh, sincerely praying.

"May Chief Divine bless!... my King..."