Late Yuan Dynasty: I am the true emperor

Chapter 517 Aztecs
"So this is corn! It's indeed like pearls and agate, crystal clear. It even has a hint of sweetness when eaten raw. But it's too watery, so it tastes like fruit and isn't filling. It must not be ripe yet," Yang Hui said, holding the corn in her hands and eating it while remarking.

The others who disembarked also grabbed a corn cob and started eating. Everyone was very excited. Chen Youliang said, "We're not afraid of it being raw, as long as we can find it. At worst, we can just wait here until it ripens."

"Now that we have food, we don't have to worry about supplies anymore. If we run out of food on the ship, we can just clear land here and farm. We won't starve to death, and we can still gather enough food to go back."

Zhang Chao nodded repeatedly as he listened, saying, "Now that we have indeed found corn, it means that the map of Lizhou's local products given by His Majesty is accurate. If we can find corn, we can definitely find other things. Let's calm down and collect them slowly."

Second mate Wang Zong said somewhat indignantly, "This corn is not bad, but the local people here are not good either. The tenants here are not as well off as the people of our Great Ming. If we hadn't apologized to the landlord with a porcelain bowl just now, the worker would have been beaten to death by the landlord."

Wang Zong was referring to the fact that when everyone first discovered the corn, they got so excited that they couldn't help but break off a lot of unripe ears from the field. And the person guarding this cornfield happened to be a serf.

Then the landowner found out and became angry. Wang Dayuan and his men were traveling on such a large ship, dressed differently from ordinary people, and even carried metal swords. The landowner dared not provoke them easily, so he took his anger out on the serf and almost beat the slave to death.

This serf was the one who first answered Wang Dayuan's question. Seeing that his group's recklessness had caused losses to others, and that the tenant had been severely beaten by the master, and considering that Wang Dayuan and his group were newcomers and still needed to find other seeds, they would inevitably have to continue dealing with these people. Not wanting to leave a bad impression on the locals, they offered to compensate the landlord with a blue and white porcelain bowl.

The local Aztecs had never seen such exquisite porcelain before. Their eyes lit up when they saw the bowl, and they immediately agreed to Wang Dayuan and his group's request, releasing the slave and giving them all the corn from half an acre of land. This led to the scene we see today.

When Wang Dayuan heard Wang Zong speaking out in defense of the beaten slave, he put down the half-eaten corn and addressed the crowd.

"His Majesty once told me that the Aztec Empire was similar to the Shang Dynasty in China. At the top were the king and the high priest, and below them were powerful figures who owned a lot of land, namely dukes, marquises, generals and ministers, who were also the big landowners here."

"Further down, there are soldiers, but the military system here is somewhat special. It is a bit like the military households of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, but not quite the same. They are soldiers for generations, which is similar to military households, but at the same time, they do not have to pay taxes. All the grain they grow belongs to the soldiers."

"Below the soldiers are ordinary people and merchants, who also own land and can do business, but they all need to pay taxes."

"Below the commoners were slaves, also known as 'exiles' in the Mongol Yuan dynasty. Most of them were prisoners of war captured from enemy countries, while others were people from within the country who sold themselves into slavery because they couldn't repay their debts."

"Therefore, the one who was just beaten was not a tenant farmer as you know him, but a slave of this landlord, his private property. Such a slave has the power of life and death in the hands of the master. If he insisted on beating that guy to death, we really don't have any good way to deal with it."

"In short, all of you should be careful and never be as reckless as you were today in the future."

"I see." Yang Hui suddenly realized, then complained, "I didn't expect this place to be so primitive. The people in power are all hereditary nobles. There's no recommendation system or imperial examination. How do they select talents? Do they just rely on the hereditary power of the rich and powerful?"

Yang Hui was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations). Without the imperial examinations, he would never have had the opportunity to become a high-ranking official in the court. As a beneficiary of the imperial examination system, he naturally had to uphold it. Therefore, he couldn't help but complain about the backward hereditary system here.

Chen Youliang, however, had a different perspective. Upon hearing this, he immediately retorted, "So, this Az Kingdom has quite a few hereditary standing military households? I wonder how many people they have and how many troops they have. If they have a large army, can we hold the port with only three hundred men here?"

Upon hearing this, Nahachu's expression also turned serious. Wang Dayuan and Chen Youliang would be leaving once their mission was complete, but he and Yang Hui would be staying here for several years and would definitely have to deal with the local people frequently. If any conflict arose, they would be the ones getting beaten up, so he couldn't help but take it seriously.

Wang Dayuan then said, "So we should start this matter from the Aztec court. It would be best to lay a good foundation at the diplomatic level between the two countries in order to avoid conflict between them."

"Secondly, the Aztecs allow the sale of slaves, which isn't a bad thing for us in Lizhou. We've brought quite a lot of goods, and if you feel we haven't brought enough people, you can exchange the goods for some slaves, select some strong locals to train as soldiers, and thus increase the defensive strength of the stronghold. You can also buy some slaves to be tenant farmers and have them help cultivate the land, so you won't have to do heavy work yourselves."

"Third, if the Aztecs really want to attack you, there are ways to deal with it. As I just said, some of their slaves here are prisoners of war from enemy countries. Since there are enemy countries, you can use that to maintain a balance."

Wang Dayuan immediately explained the conflict between the Aztec and Mayan kingdoms in the vicinity. The two countries attacked each other and captured each other's people as slaves. They could take advantage of this opportunity to create a balance of power.

How did the Spanish so easily conquer the Aztecs and Maya in history? It was because the local political system was too simple. All orders came from a few people, including the king and priests. The majority of the people were Maya who had just been conquered and had not yet submitted to the Spanish. Moreover, the ratio of free people to slaves was not much different. The number of free people did not have a significant effect on suppressing the number of slaves.

This led to a situation where once the king and a few key figures, such as priests, were killed or captured, the country immediately fell apart and lost its ability to function. Coupled with slave uprisings in various places, a seemingly large empire was easily dismantled by the Spanish. The Aztec, Mayan, and Inca empires, as well as the three Mesoamerican empires, all suffered the same fate.

In comparison, firearms, horses, and smallpox were secondary; it can only be said that these three civilizations in Mesoamerica were too rudimentary and had too little ability to withstand risks.

In contrast, in China across the ocean, whether it was the siege of Emperor Gaozu of Han at Baideng Mountain or the forced surrender of Emperor Taizong of Tang, even in extreme situations like the Jingkang Incident where the capital fell and the emperor was captured, or the capture of Emperor Yingzong of Ming at Tumu Fortress, as long as the court could continue to function, a new prince could be selected from the imperial family to inherit the throne, and soldiers and grain could be conscripted from the remaining territory to make up for the losses. Although this inevitably caused great damage to the country's vitality, at least a Southern Song Dynasty could be established to prolong its existence for a while.

The three Central American countries, however, were different. As soon as their kings were captured, the countries would collapse immediately. Spain had only a small population and no capacity to send large armies to the Americas. Yet, by using small units to behead their kings, they managed to destroy all three civilizations.

After listening to the introduction of this place, Yang Hui stroked his beard and pondered, "So, it's really not wrong to compare this place to the Yin and Shang dynasties. The Battle of Muye, where King Wu attacked King Zhou, was also caused by a slave uprising and a counterattack, which led to the downfall of the Yin and Shang dynasties."

"According to Governor Wang, as long as they can capture their king, the large number of slaves in the country will become uncontrollable and they will revolt."

"But we're just here to collect seeds, there's no need for us to destroy someone else's country, is there?"

Upon hearing this, Naha immediately said, "It's good if both sides are at peace, but if they have ulterior motives towards us, we might be forced to retaliate."

Wang Dayuan immediately nodded, "That's right, that's exactly what I mean. It would be best if we could coexist peacefully, but if they attack you, you could either flee north or seek refuge with the Maya or Inca to the south. Wait a year; His Majesty will definitely send someone again after that. From now on, our work won't just be about collecting seeds. The Aztecs and Maya also have a lot of gold and silver. We'll definitely engage in long-term trade, earning back all the gold and silver they possess. Then we'll assess the situation and decide whether to keep or leave Lizhou."

Yang Hui and Nahachu both nodded in understanding. Chen Youliang then asked again, "Now that we have found this Aztec country, should we continue south to find this Xiangmeng Port?"

Wang Dayuan looked at the situation on the beach and immediately said, "Let's go take a look. There is no port here. If we just leave the ship on the beach, we might lose it if a strong wind comes. It will also be inconvenient to load and unload cargo. This place is not suitable for building a base for you. Let's walk and look for a suitable place to build a city."

Everyone nodded, and then boarded the ship again and sailed south.

Not long after passing Colima, the group quickly found a very suitable location to build a city. This place, later known as 'Las Rocadenas', is a promontory that juts slightly out of the coast. It was considered suitable for building a city because it was located at the mouth of a freshwater river.

Having freshwater rivers means being able to survive. Farmland can be cultivated along the banks of the rivers, and inland waterway vessels can be built. Development can proceed inland along the rivers, and transportation is convenient. There is also a natural harbor with a small mouth and a large belly next to the estuary, where ships can be moored. The only drawback is that the area inside the harbor is not particularly large. For ships like the Yuanwang, it can only accommodate a dozen or so at most, so it can only be considered a small harbor.

Wang Dayuan measured the local latitude and found that this was not Xiangxun Port as marked by Lu Jin. Therefore, he did not immediately decide to set up camp here, but marked the place on the nautical chart first. Then the Yuanwang continued south to check Xiangxun Port (Acapulco) mentioned by Lu Jin. If the situation there was not as good as here, they could come back later.

A few days later, the Yuanwang finally arrived in Acapulco. After carefully scouting the area, it was discovered that the situation there was mixed compared to the previous 'Lazarusca'.

The advantage is that the natural harbor here is indeed as Lu Jin described, with a small opening and a large belly, shaped like a mushroom. The area inside the harbor is large enough to accommodate at least dozens or even hundreds of large ships like the Yuanwang.

Furthermore, there are small, curved hills on both sides of the harbor that shelter the inner harbor. This terrain is very suitable for resisting typhoons. There is also a ring of flat land between the hills and the inner harbor, where houses and warehouses can be built for people to live in. Military facilities such as lighthouses, watchtowers, and gun emplacements can also be built on the hills on both sides.

Moreover, the small hills on both sides of the harbor are like a large bowl, protecting the entire harbor. However, there is a gap on the side facing inland, leading directly to the flat land inland. In other words, as long as they can block this mountain pass leading inland, they can prevent the natives from attacking the port area. The defensive value of the terrain is maximized.

In terms of conditions for establishing a seaport, the terrain here is absolutely perfect. The only drawback is the lack of fresh water, making it unsuitable for farming. If people were to live here, how to supply drinking water and food would be a problem, which is a matter of survival.

Fortunately, there are two freshwater rivers nearby that flow into the sea. The downside is that it is a bit far from Xiangxun Port. One of the large rivers has a large volume of water and is more than 40 miles away from Xiangxun Port. The other small river has a small volume of water and is 8 to 10 miles away from the port. Moreover, it is outside the port's mountain range, making it very inconvenient to draw water unless an artificial canal several miles long is dug to bring the small river into the port.

After much discussion, the group finally decided to set up camp at Xiangxun Port. The reason was simple: the port conditions there were excellent. It provided shelter from the wind, had a large area, and was easy to defend on all sides. As for the lack of fresh water and food, they could simply divide the area into urban zones, building cities and markets within the port and cultivating farmland near the rivers outside the mountains. Since it was only a few miles away, turning it into a city and countryside wouldn't be a problem. As for digging canals to bring in water, they could do that later when the population grew.

Moreover, Xiangxun Port is divided into an inner harbor and an outer harbor. The inner harbor is a large harbor surrounded by mountains, while the outer harbor is a small harbor outside the mountains. Although it is not sheltered from the wind by mountains, the advantage is that the small harbor outside is closer to the Tamsui River. They can set up camp here first and develop the large harbor inside when they have the ability later.

Having made up their minds, the group immediately disembarked and set up camp next to the small harbor. The three hundred death row inmates on the ship were finally released. Seeing that this would be their future home, they couldn't help but sigh. They never expected to be exiled tens of thousands of miles away in their lives. However, the more resilient ones had already begun to adapt to the new environment. After unloading the living supplies from the ship, the group began to discuss how to manage the place.

The twenty-odd huskies and Alaskan Malamutes were also released onto the shore and began to run around wildly.

Looking at the dogs, Yang Hui said sadly, "I should have brought some livestock like pigs and sheep. Otherwise, we can't keep eating dog meat. I wonder if the local people here have any livestock. Maybe we could buy some so that it would look like a home."

Wang Dayuan immediately said, “There are no livestock like pigs, sheep, cattle, horses, donkeys and mules here. However, I heard His Majesty say that there is a kind of animal called alpaca in Lizhou. It is similar to a sheep and a camel. The local people raise it to replace cattle and horses. Merchants rely on it to carry goods. I will buy some to take back this time. I will leave some for you later.”

"Having livestock is good, it's better than having nothing. But if you come again next year, please don't forget to bring some young livestock," Yang Hui said with a sigh of relief.

Wang Dayuan nodded. "I will report to His Majesty. However, it is hard to say when we will return or when we will come again. In any case, you should set up camp here first. I will try to contact the local people and see if I can meet their king as an envoy."

"Ah."

After several busy days, the group finally set up a temporary camp in Xiangxun Port. It was built in the style of a military camp, with wooden walls on the outside and some tents and thatched huts temporarily inside. They planned to upgrade the camp to wooden houses and adobe houses later when they had time. They also wanted to see if there was any lime nearby and figure out how to burn some ash and bricks.

Nahachu and Yang Hui were temporarily left in the harbor to build a camp. Zhang Chao and Wang Zong were still responsible for guarding the Yuanwang ship. Wang Dayuan and Chen Youliang rowed the three small boats that came with the Yuanwang ship upstream along the inland river next to Xiangxun Port, hoping to see if there were any indigenous villages nearby, and then contact the local dignitaries and find their king.

Finally, their hard work paid off, and they managed to find a local landowner in the vicinity. After presenting a gift, the landowner agreed to introduce their business to a nearby nobleman.

After several twists and turns, Wang Dayuan and his group finally made contact with a high-ranking Aztec nobleman who was willing to take them to the capital to find the king.

The current Aztec king was named Tenoch, who is said to be the founder of the dynasty. The earliest Mexico City was only started in 1325. Now it is 1354 AD, which means that the Aztecs have been the capital for less than 30 years, and the first king is still alive.

When Tenok learned that people from overseas had come to visit, he was very pleased and immediately sent people to warmly receive Wang Dayuan and his party.

The main reason was that the gifts sent by Wang Dayuan and his group were too exquisite. The clothes made of silk brocade looked extremely luxurious, the swords made of steel were even more extraordinary, and the exquisite porcelain and iron pots were many times better than the local coarse pottery. Just these unprecedented overseas luxury gifts alone made it impossible for him not to value Wang Dayuan and his group.

Wang Dayuan and his men made special preparations. He and Chen Youliang changed into magnificent brocade robes, and the soldiers changed into clean clothes, wearing armor and helmets, carrying swords and muskets. A group of slaves followed behind, carrying other gifts. In this way, they arrived in Mexico City, which was still under construction, amidst the astonished gazes of the local natives.

(End of this chapter)