Chapter 456: War in America

At night, the Military Camp's bonfires burned brightly.

Chang Yuchun sat in the Central Command Tent, with a Ministry of Works–drawn map of Central America spread before him.

The Yucatan Peninsula, the Mexican Valley, Tenochtitlan, and the Maya city‑states to the south were all clearly marked.

A red arrow ran westward from the Yucatan Peninsula, pointing toward the Mexican Valley.

A blue arrow indicated the territories already under control, covering most of Central America.

A yellow arrow marked the uncontrolled areas, mainly concentrated in the southern Central American rainforest.

"General, Prince Wu should have reached Germany by now, right?" Lan Yu said, sitting opposite, holding a piece of Dry Rations and taking two bites.

Chang Yuchun thought for a moment and said, "He should have arrived."

Lan Yu sighed and added, "What a pity—we're fighting here and can't go to Europe to aid the Prince."

Chang Yuchun gave him a glance.

"Over in Europe the Prince is there himself, along with the Yan King, the Qin King, the Jin King, and Generals Feng and Li; they don't need you."

Lan Yu grinned, saying nothing more.

He knew Chang Yuchun was right; Europe didn't need him, but America was their battlefield.

"General, those Aztec people are said to practice live‑human sacrifice, carving out hearts for their gods. If we charge in, won't they capture our men for sacrifice?"

"If they dare take our men for sacrifice, I'll smash their idols, raze their temples, and bury their priests alive."

Chang Yuchun spoke calmly, but the murderous intent in his tone could not be concealed.

Lan Yu asked no further.

At first light the next day, before sunrise, the Military Camp began its bustle.

Thirty thousand troops formed ranks by the lake, their iron armor glinting coldly in the dawn, Flintlock Guns all pointing upward with a swish.

Warhorses whinnied, and War Flags fluttered.

One hundred breech‑loading cannons lined up in a row, their muzzles aimed at Tenochtitlan City across the lake.

"Fire…," Chang Yuchun raised his right‑handed saber.

The hundred breech‑loading cannons fired simultaneously.

Burst shells tore through the morning mist, trailing long tails, striking the walls of Tenochtitlan City.

Explosions rose and fell, bricks and stone shattered, smoke billowed skyward.

Aztec warriors awoke from their sleep in panic, scrambling up the walls—some brandishing obsidian blades, some wielding wooden clubs, some clad in cotton armor, some bare‑chested.

A few nobles adorned with elaborate feather headdresses rode horses, darting along the walls, brandishing spears and shouting, though their voices trembled.

"Cross the lake…"

Chang Yuchun gave his warhorse a sharp nudge; the horse plunged into the lake. The water was icy, but it didn't reach the horse's belly.

The warhorse whinnied, its four hooves churning the water, splashing huge sheets of spray.

The thirty thousand troops followed closely, their iron armor casting a dim sheen in the lake, Flintlock Guns raised overhead, bayonets glinting coldly in the dawn.

On the opposite shore, Aztec warriors began firing arrows.

Arrows rained toward the Ming forces in the lake.

Yet the shots struck plate armor with a clanging ping, not even bruising the skin.

Flintlock gunners, while crossing the lake, returned fire, rows of bullets pelting the walls, causing many Aztec warriors to fall.

Chang Yuchun was the first to surge onto the opposite bank, swinging his saber left and right.

Several Aztec warriors bearing obsidian blades charged; he cleaved one with a slash, then with a reverse swing cut another's throat.

Behind him, the thirty thousand troops followed his path into the city, firing Flintlock Guns in unison, slashing with sabers.

Aztec weapons were too primitive; though obsidian blades were sharp, they left no mark on plate armor.

Cotton armor was even less effective; a single Flintlock shot made a hole.

In less than an hour, the defending forces outside the city scattered.

Over ten thousand Aztec warriors—some killed, some surrendered, fewer than three thousand fled.

"General, the king has fled, taking a group of nobles northward," Lan Yu said, riding back from ahead, excitement on his face.

"Pursue…," Chang Yuchun flipped onto his horse, gave it a sharp nudge, and the warhorse surged forward.

Lan Yu led five thousand Longxiang soldiers behind, chasing northward.

North of Tenochtitlan City lay extensive fields and villages; Aztec King Montezuma II rode his horse, with hundreds of nobles and guards, fleeing north in a panic.

Chang Yuchun caught up in less than half an hour.

He flanked from the side, slashing Montezuma II's mount, the warhorse whimpering as it fell; Montezuma II tumbled from his horse and was pinned to the ground by several Longxiang soldiers.

"Take him back…," Chang Yuchun halted his horse, sheathing his saber.

Montezuma II was escorted back to Tenochtitlan City, his complexion ashen, his body trembling.

He knelt before Chang Yuchun, muttering incomprehensibly; the interpreter reported that the Aztec king was willing to submit, only asking to spare his life.

Chang Yuchun stared at him, silent for a moment.

"Confiscate the land, register the property, dismantle the pyramids, smash the idols, convert them into habitable towns, enroll the populace, and allocate fields for farming."

The interpreter relayed this, and Montezuma II's face grew even paler.

He opened his mouth, seemed about to speak, then swallowed it back.

The Aztec Empire, from today onward, became Great Ming's territory.

At dusk, Chang Yuchun stood atop the pyramid of Tenochtitlan City, gazing at the conquered city.

Soldiers were clearing the battlefield, herding prisoners out of the city in groups.

Several Longxiang soldiers wielded iron shovels to smash the stone idols atop the pyramid; the shattered fragments tumbled down, striking the ground and raising a cloud of dust.

The Sun Pyramid and the Moon Pyramid will become traces of history.

"General, the Gold and Silver inside the city have been counted; the gold is about two hundred thousand taels, the silver over one million taels, and there is also a large amount of gems and jade." Lan Yu walked up from below, holding a list in hand.

Chang Yuchun took it, glanced over.

The Aztecs are indeed rich; just the gold filled five whole houses.

"Gold and Silver will be melted to cast silver ingots, the gems and jade will be kept, and later sent back to Great Ming."

Lan Yu replied, then asked, "What about the pyramids and the temples?"

"Tear them down; keep the Stone, to use later for building cities."

Chang Yuchun paused, then said, "Those statues and murals and the like, smash them all, we can't leave any trace. The Aztecs' live‑human sacrifices are too barbaric; the common folk have been deceived by those priests for centuries, now they must awaken."

"Yes…"

Chang Yuchun stood alone atop the pyramid, gazing at the distant lake surface.

The setting sun sank in the west, dyeing the whole lake golden.

On the lake, several Longxiang Army patrol vessels skimmed, their steamship smokestacks belching black smoke.

The empire is advancing step by step, solid and steady.

On the west bank of the Ge La River, before dawn.

Eighty thousand troops had already completed their formation by the river, five hundred rear‑mounted Line Cannons lined up in a row, their barrels aimed at the Saxony camp across the bank.

The river was shrouded in heavy mist; the tents and flags on the opposite bank were invisible, only the Horn Sound and war drums could be heard from across.

The Germans were evidently also prepared.

Zhu Yong rode his horse, holding two drum‑pot golden hammers, each hammer weighing twelve hundred jin, their dark‑gold glinting in the morning light.

Zhu Di rode to his left, his saber already drawn, the blade flashing coldly in the mist.

Feng Sheng rode to his right, gripping a long spear; though the veteran's hair was silver, his back was upright, and his eyes shone with keen light.

Zhu Qiong Jiong bore a Wolf Fang Club, riding a deep‑red horse, staying close behind his father.

"Fire the cannons…"

The rear‑mounted Line Cannons fired simultaneously.

The shrapnel shells tore through the morning mist, trailing long tails, striking the Saxony camp across the river.

The explosions rose and fell, tents were blown away, powder barrels detonated, flames shooting skyward.

Armies from three directions moved out together.

Zhu Di led twenty thousand men northward, the hoofbeats like muffled thunder.

Feng Sheng led ten thousand men southward to encircle, their iron armor glinting coldly in the dawn.

Zhu Yong led fifty thousand men to cross the river head‑on, Double Hammers flashing dark‑gold in his hands.

Across the river, the Saxons' Formation was in chaos.

The shrapnel shells burst in the camp, soldiers jolted awake from sleep, barefoot they fled, some blown away, some trampled, some fell to their knees and surrendered.

Zhu Yong was the first to charge onto the opposite bank, swinging Double Hammers to both sides.

A few Saxon cavalry rushed forward, their spears thrust toward his chest.

He smashed one hammer to break the spear shaft, the other hammered the horse's head; the warhorse whinnied and fell, the rider was flung and his neck snapped.

Behind him, the fifty thousand troops followed his path into the Saxon camp, Flintlock Guns firing in unison, sabers slashing.

The Saxons' Formation was completely shattered.

The soldiers didn't know where to run, the officers could not locate their units.

Forty thousand men dissolved in less than two hours.

Zhu Yong halted his horse, hung the hammer back onto the saddle, and wiped the blood from his face.

"Send word: round up the captives, clean the battlefield."

Wang Gui replied, and led men away.

Zhu Di rode back from the north, blood still dripping from his saber.

"Second Prince, the Brandenburgers fled eastward."

"Give chase; don't let them run back to Berlin."

Zhu Di replied, and led men eastward in pursuit.

Feng Sheng returned from the south, carrying a Saxon noble's helmet.

"Prince, the minor lords in the south also fled southward; I pursued them twenty li, cut down a thousand men, the rest scattered."

"Well done, General Feng."

Zhu Yong took the helmet, glanced at it, and tossed it onto the ground.

These German nobles are poor at fighting, but they run away quite fast.

"Prince, the captives have been rounded up, about twenty thousand; including the dead, wounded and those who fled, roughly forty thousand." Wang Gui rode back.

"The captives will be conscripted as auxiliary troops and sent to mine."

Wang Gui replied, and turned away.

Zhu Yong stood on the east bank of the Ge La River, gazing at the eastern horizon.

There, lies the direction of Saxony, of Brandenburg, and the deep interior of the European continent.

The road is still long, but the German main force has already been finished.

What remains is to capture city after city.