Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 821

821. Siege of Tenochtitlan (7)

The battle between the native allied forces and the Mexica warriors intensified as it moved deeper into the heart of Tenochtitlan.

Finally, as the battlefield reached the Great Temple and Palace of Tenochtitlan, the Mexica high priests and nobles made their appearance.

“It is finally time for us to step forward.”

As Montezuma and other Mexica leaders revealed themselves, the conquistadors, who had been observing from the rear, began to advance.

* * *

“They’ve finally appeared!”

“Kill them!”

With the appearance of Montezuma and the Mexica leaders, the native allied forces pressed the Mexica warriors even more fiercely.

“The time for revenge has come!”

“Tear open their chests and take out their hearts!”

Driven by burning revenge, the native allied forces surged forward, while the Mexica warriors desperately tried to hold them back.

“Protect the Tlatoani [ruler]!”

To protect Montezuma and the high priests, the last remaining Quachicqueh [elite Mexica warriors] and Pipiltin [Mexica nobles] fought desperately against the natives.

However, already weakened by the long siege and facing overwhelming numbers, many Mexica warriors lost their lives and fell on the steps of the Great Temple.

Instead of the blood of sacrificial offerings, the blood of Mexica warriors began to flow down the steps of the Great Temple.

* * *

Ta-tat-tat!

When almost all the Quachicqueh and Pipiltin were dead, and only Montezuma and a handful of high-ranking officials remained, the conquistadors intervened.

As the native warriors hesitated at the sound of gunfire fired into the air, the conquistador soldiers separated the Mexica people from the natives.

“They will be punished through the Empire’s trial!”

“Boo!”

The native warriors, hearing the conquistador commander’s words through an interpreter, booed and protested fiercely.

However, when the conquistador soldiers immediately raised their guns and aimed, they suppressed their anger.

“This matter has been agreed upon by your chiefs and leaders! Their crimes will be thoroughly recorded and punished through the Empire’s trial!”

Some of the high-ranking native warriors, pondering the meaning of the conquistador commander’s words, questioned him.

“What will happen to the others besides them?”

“Those who surrender will be spared.”

The high-ranking warriors chuckled upon hearing the commander’s words and turned to shout something to their tribal warriors.

“Woo-hoo~.”

The native warriors, hearing the words of the high-ranking warriors, raised their blood-soaked macuahuitls [wooden clubs with obsidian blades] and shouted, then scattered in all directions.

Soon after, the screams of people began to echo across Tenochtitlan.

Hearing the screams coming from all directions, the commander said to the adjutant standing next to him.

“It reminds me of the saying, ‘digging up the grave and flogging the corpse.’”

During the Spring and Autumn period [771 to 476 BCE], Wu Zixu lost his father and brothers to King Ping of Chu. Later, he led the army of Wu to conquer Chu. After successfully conquering Chu, Wu Zixu exhumed the grave of King Ping, who was already dead, removed the corpse, and whipped it with a copper whip. It was said that the corpse was so badly mutilated that it was unrecognizable when Wu Zixu stopped whipping.

The adjutant, understanding the meaning of the classical idiom the commander had spoken, cautiously raised an objection.

“Even so, it is too much.”

“Isn’t that why it’s called digging up the grave and flogging the corpse?”

“The survivors may harbor resentment.”

“Isn’t that why we stepped back with our hands behind our backs?”

“…”

“The battle is our part, but the next part is politics. Our job is done.”

The commander, after speaking meaningfully to his subordinate, turned and ordered.

“Tie up those prisoners well and take them away. From now on, the General will be busy.”

“Understood.”

The officer who received the order directed his men to tightly bind and drag away Montezuma and other high-ranking Mexica officials.

* * *

As the battlefield was somewhat cleared, Yi Jingok entered Tenochtitlan.

With an indifferent expression, Yi Jingok surveyed the ruins of Tenochtitlan and headed towards the conquistador commanders who were waiting for him.

“You have worked hard. You have truly worked hard.”

“You flatter us.”

After praising the commanders, Yi Jingok went to where Montezuma and the Mexica leaders were being held.

Looking at the prisoners kneeling on the ground, bound, Yi Jingok turned his head and ordered the commanders.

“Lock them up in a suitable place. The judges from the Tribunal will be here soon.”

One of the commanders stepped forward and offered an opinion at Yi Jingok’s words.

“Understood. However, the natives’ resentment is deep. Wouldn’t it be better to hand them over to them, considering the future?”

Yi Jingok nodded slightly at the commander’s suggestion.

“In some ways, it might be a good method. However, the Empire has its own laws. And our Imperial Army must follow the Imperial military regulations, the Imperial law, and the orders of His Majesty the Emperor. The military regulations, the law, and His Majesty’s orders all state that they must be handed over to the Tribunal.”

“Understood.”

“And if we kill them now without asking questions, we will feel relieved. But in the distant future, there will be someone who will claim that they were innocent victims and that we were the villains.”

“Surely….”

“If one becomes too eager to elevate their own fame and gain, they will do all sorts of things. That is why the Tribunal’s judgment is necessary. And….”

Yi Jingok paused for a moment and continued his order.

“The Tribunal’s judgment is necessary to prevent such nonsense, and to receive a proper judgment, solid evidence is needed. Find those among the soldiers who are good at drawing and have them create detailed drawings of what those bastards did.”

“Understood!”

* * *

Following Yi Jingok’s orders, the conquistadors selected soldiers to thoroughly record everything in Tenochtitlan, especially the buildings and traces related to human sacrifice and cannibalism.

Many soldiers and artillerymen skilled in drawing were mobilized for this task.

The reason artillerymen were mobilized was because accurate numerical records of the buildings and facilities where human sacrifices took place were needed.

In order for large and heavy cannons to exert their power properly, properly constructed gun emplacements were needed, and thanks to this, many artillerymen were masters of fortification and surveying.

The problem was that those who were mobilized and engaged in recording work began to complain of severe mental fatigue.

“This is not something a person should do….”

The most definitive example was the structure recorded as the ‘Skull Altar.’

-The Skull Altar is a building with a length of approximately 12 jangs (approximately 36m) [one jang is about 3 meters], a width of approximately 5 jangs (approximately 15m), and a height of 2 jangs (approximately 6m).

-The altar consists of two levels, with a skull tower and a skull wall made of skulls on the second level.

-The skull tower is a tower made by stacking skulls in a circle, shaped like a well. Both height and width are approximately 6 cheoks (approximately 1.8m) [one cheok is about 30 centimeters].

-Behind the skull tower is the skull wall. This skull wall, called Tzompantli in their language, has the shape of the previously recorded skull tower being half-buried.

-The skull wall is made by stacking rows of display stands made of skulls. The front-to-back distance of these display stands is slightly less than 3 cheoks (approximately 0.9m)…(omitted).

While transferring various ornaments made of people’s skulls into drawings and leaving them as records, those in charge of the records complained of mental anguish.

In the end, Yi Jingok had no choice but to divide the soldiers and alternate between rest and work.

Yi Jingok, who received the report they had written after much suffering and read the contents, repeatedly took deep breaths to calm his rising anger.

“Hoo-eup! Hoo~.”

Yi Jingok, who barely managed to calm his anger by repeating several deep breaths, ordered his subordinates.

“Give the captured bastards only enough food to keep them from dying. Make it so they don’t even have the strength to commit suicide.”

“Understood!”

“Put them in shackles and chains!”

* * *

The battle report written by Yi Jingok and the report on human sacrifice written by the conquistadors arrived at the Shinji Imperial Palace using the fastest means of communication.

Hyang, who had safely completed Sejong’s funeral and returned, checked the reports and immediately ordered.

“Send the judges from the Tribunal as quickly as possible!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“And make copies of this report on human sacrifice and cannibalism and send them to the mainland immediately! It will be an important reference for His Majesty the Emperor when he makes his judgment!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Hyang, after giving the order, muttered with a bitter expression.

“I want to tell them to kill them all, but there are laws and justifications….”

In Joseon, as well as in the Empire, it was the king’s responsibility to decide on the death penalty, or rather, the severity of serious crimes.

Through the Tribunal created during the Gyeongjang reforms, the sentencing and indictment of most crimes were carried out, but the Emperor had to decide on the death penalty.

If Hyang were to order the death penalty, it would be a serious overreach of authority.

“But I can use my influence on other matters….”

Hyang began to write a letter to Wan.

The letter written by Hyang headed to the mainland along with the reports, and Wan’s reply could be received through the next regular mail.

-Do as the situation dictates.

Hyang, who received Wan’s answer, began to write an order. Hyang, who checked the contents of the completed order, muttered with a complicated expression.

“In the future, there will be more people who will curse me… Who cares?”

* * *

Yi Jingok, who confirmed the order sent by Hyang, summoned the commanders.

“What are the judges doing now?”

“They are reconfirming whether what is written in the report is true.”

“What is their reaction?”

“It seems there is no objection to the fact that they are guilty.”

“Hmm… I see. The Supreme Ruler has issued an order.”

As ‘Supreme Ruler’ was mentioned, the commanders immediately straightened their posture and looked at Yi Jingok. Yi Jingok conveyed Hyang’s order to the commanders.

-All Mexica people who are not awaiting trial in the Tribunal among the captured Mexica people, and all Mexica people, are to be made into government slaves.

-The Mexica people who have become government slaves are to be put into road construction.

-The roads they will be put into are the section from the bridgehead to Tenochtitlan and the roads connecting to nearby cities.

-Using them, the section currently being built by the engineering corps, the connection between the bridgehead and Tenochtitlan, is to be completed to a level that can be permanently maintained.

-All connections to Tenochtitlan are to be cut off, and it is to be made uninhabitable in the future.

-The Mexica people who have become government slaves are to be forced to live in separate residences, not their original residences, including Tenochtitlan.

-The supervision of the Mexica people who have become government slaves is to be entrusted to the natives who cooperated with the expeditionary force.

-The work performance of the government slaves is to be thoroughly supervised.

Yi Jingok and the commanders, who had confirmed up to this point, all had the same thought.

‘Killing with a borrowed knife.’

These were natives who had suffered a lot from the Mexica people, like the Tlaxcaltecs.

If they were given the right to supervise and rewards and punishments were given according to performance, it was certain that they would treat the Mexica people harshly.

And Yi Jingok and the commanders’ predictions were correct.

The Mexica people, who became government slaves and were mobilized to harsh construction sites, had to work under the supervision of native supervisors.

The native supervisors, fueled by deep-rooted animosity and aiming for rewards, treated the Mexica people harshly, and at some point, the number of Mexica people began to decrease.

Thanks to this, in the distant future, the Mexica people became a minority in this region.

This was the opposite of the situation in the history before Hyang’s intervention, where they were still the mainstream ethnic group in the Mexican region.

And because of this cruelty, it became the most famous of ‘Hyang’s few mistakes.’

However, politicians and historians from native tribes who had suffered at the hands of the Mexica people strongly protested against this.

“If the 1st Emperor had not done this, the Mexica people would still be oppressing us! That decision was the best decision for us who were oppressed!”