Harvest October passed amid the fresh fragrance of corn. From the Lake Kingdom in the west to the Mexica Alliance in the center, joyful smiles showed on the faces of millions of villagers. A year of toil had finally eased a little at this moment. It truly had not been easy!
And in the land of Tlaxcala in the east, on fields thick with wild grass, the warriors of the Alliance and the kingdom also wore excited expressions. They rubbed their fists and palms, waiting for the battle soon to come, their hearts full of the rewards that would follow victory.
The mobilization for the eastward campaign had already spread through the whole army. The horn of war had arrived as scheduled. November's wind was filled with killing chill, and a new conquest was about to begin!
The great camp outside Tree Snake City was busy everywhere, and all kinds of supplies had been fully prepared. Black Wolf Toltec's envoys had also come several times to ask about His Highness's arrangements for the march.
In truth, according to Xolotl's original plan, he had meant to lead the army east in mid-October, after the new grain had been harvested. But three matters had delayed his plans. The first was Nashu's late delivery, two weeks later than expected. The second was the arrival of the new batch of gunpowder, at the end of October. As for the third...
"King Avet's decree has finally arrived!"
Xolotl opened a scroll of orders and saw Avet's royal seal at a glance. Then he carefully read the contents of the decree and fell into silent thought.
The Mexica Alliance's centralizing reforms were still advancing, while its legal and administrative system remained rough and sparse, like that of steppe tribes. This decree in name was more like