Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

Chapter 1912

"Friends with white skin who arrived on the large ship! Thank you for the gift of leather armor! This set of leather armor is better than all the leather armor in the tribes... The Great Chief is very pleased! This is a return gift for you!...""Ahaha! The Almighty blesses us! This is truly... hiss! Gold?... Ah! So much? Could it be 200 grams? Thank the Almighty! Thank you!..."

A shining handful of sand gold was handed out by the Taino Chief, eagerly received by Boatswain Haroldo's hands, tightly gripping it in his palm! He pulled out a personal fire starter bag, emptied the flint and fire starters onto the ground, and then carefully poured the sand gold into it grain by grain. Subsequently, unable to resist, he examined the quality of the sand gold grain by grain under the smiling gaze of the Taino Chief!

"Ha! Friends with white skin! Rest assured... this is very pure yellow stone... there is more in the tribe... as long as you bring weapons, bring armor, bring Thunderbolt Ritual Artifacts to barter!..."

"Holy Mother! It really is excellent sand gold! It can be used as True Gold for gold coins!..."

At this moment, smiles blossomed on their faces, like the "cotton" on Haiti Island. Hmm, when the land cotton on the island blooms, it's a very bright red and pure white, quite lovely and evokes a sense of prosperous wealth.

"Ancestors! If he really is... then... perhaps? Should I? Should I speak up?..."

On the other side, Shushu's mind was racing, with countless thoughts and emotions colliding. His understanding of the "Native Kingdom" on the western Cuba Main Island was far more extensive than Bruno imagined!

On one hand, after being taken by Columbus' fleet, he heard many sailors' curses and learned about the "Native Kingdom" attacks, hearing about the "Samurai" distinct from Taino tribes. On the other hand, over the past month, those Taino natives taken aboard had talked about many things: including "those appearing on the longship, from the West," "Highland War God, faith in the Hummingbird," "White-skinned Demon prophecy, unending and eternal"... These specific details were understood only by him! When translating, he also withheld many details from Bruno.

"Hmm! Be brave, Shushu! This might be your only chance!... If you leave here... the fleet will return! Back to the nest of the white-skinned people!..."

At this moment, Shushu's turbulent mind was like the waves of the Caribbean Sea. At the final moment before the decision, he thought of Ah Yue's eyes filled with hatred and resolve, thought of the dozen tribe members captured and taken aboard, leaving only him... He finally raised his head to look at the calm "ordinary militiaman" opposite him, and said low and nervously in Taino language.

"From the West... Highland War God... Weiqi Radishes... are blessing us!..."

"Hmm?..."

The ordinary militiaman's expression moved. He first glanced at Boatswain Haroldo, mesmerized by the gold, then deeply looked at Shushu's Taino face. After a moment, he maintained his expression, gently speaking in Taino language.

"The Chief Divine protects you and me!..."

"...!..."

Hearing the strange accent of the other, Shushu's heart immediately shook violently, and his gaze began to change. However, at this moment, Haroldo finally finished examining the quality of the gold. Satisfied, he heavily patted Shushu's shoulder, laughingly said.

"Phew! Regardless of whether it is a Demon or the Almighty... Gold is gold; it's the most sacred gold!... Haha! Shushu, why are you stupefied? Help me thank this generous Chieftain! And ask them what else they need?... We wish to trade more gold... Oh no! Yellow stone!..."

As Haroldo paddled the dinghy, bringing a bowed Shushu back to the ship, the entire crew erupted once again. Because this time, Haroldo exchanged 200 grams of gold for a set of refined leather armor! And converted into gold coins circulating in Western Europe, it's at least 50 pieces, 50 Venetian Ducats!

Besides these gold pieces, the Native Chieftain also expressed a willingness to continue trade! Whether it's "sharp weapons, sturdy armor," or "small Thunderbolt tubes, large Thunderbolt barrels," even "four-legged horses, four-legged cattle, four-legged goats"... they are willing to exchange for pure gold!

"Almighty! A set of refined leather armor, 50 gold Ducats!... You have to know, to buy such a set of refined leather armor in Lisbon only takes 2-3 Ducats! And if it's squeezed under the name of the Kingdom Navy for military supplies, the price doesn't even reach 2 Ducats! This back-and-forth is 25 times the profit!..."

Seeing the sand gold brought back by Haroldo, Matim immediately calculated the accounts, enviously his eyes turned red! You have to know, according to the ship's rules, it's Haroldo who brought back the gold twice. When dividing the spoils of war, he will be counted as three people, taking two extra shares!

"Holy Mother bless! Haroldo, you indeed did well! Hmm... Shushu, you did well too! When dividing the spoils later, you will also be counted as one share according to the rules!..."

Seeing such gains, Bruno was very satisfied, even generously promising a share of the spoils to Shushu. Meanwhile, he couldn't suppress more greed towards golden wealth! It's the lack of enough military force on the ship at present that necessitates using real goods for trade...

But, to speak truth, this reverse hand profit, which is more than 20 times, is indeed enough to sell one's soul!

And you have to know, the military supplies used for trading on the ship were all funded by the Kingdom of Portugal. Upon return, as long as a loss is reported, and a portion of the benefits are concealed, handing over a little half to Nuno Chief Officer and the Royal Family... the remaining half profit is all for the ship's crew, the captain directly takes thirty percent!

"Almighty! Is this the East? No, even if it's not the East... this kind of profit is quite like trade with the East, isn't it?!..."

"You have to know, in Lisbon... a set of standard Knight Full Armor is only 20 Ducats. And a set of Squire Heavy Armor costs 8 Ducats. A set of Knight Attendant Armor is 6 Ducats. If it's that kind of new breastplate armor, not including helmet, arm armor, leg armor, just like the few pieces of breastplates brought on the ship.... then only 2-3 Ducats!… Right! You can sell the surplus breastplates to the natives! Each ship sells 5 pieces, each piece turns ten times, 20 gold Ducats!..."

At this end of the 15th century, the productivity of Western European countries was indeed rapidly developing and progressing. Various water-powered workshops were built along rivers. Original expensive armor had started becoming affordable and widespread. Especially the new water-powered workshops in Shenluo and Italy, mass-producing armor plates using hydraulic machines, dramatically driven down the price of Half-body Armor, it's an explosive impact on the entire armor market!

"As for weapons... standard sailor's scimitar, 1 Ducat for 10 pieces! To sell, just 1 Ducat per piece! Matchlock guns are much more expensive, 1 piece is worth 1 Ducat, selling to natives for 10 Ducats!..."

"As for 8-pound cannons, you simply can't buy them on the market. But the cost for Kingdom Navy to pay the cannon workshops is roughly 50-100 gold Ducats, depending on how much kickback is given... If calculating market price, at least twice, 160 Ducats? Selling to natives, then flipping five times, no, ten times!..."

"Wait! How can the ship's 8-pound cannon be sold to natives?! Am I out of my mind?… Hmm… the 8-pound cannon absolutely can't sell! However, the four 2-pound cannons on Silvira's ship can be sold, at least for 200 gold Ducats each!… But, if natives really can put forth ten times the price?… Giving 1600 gold Ducats, which is 6 kilograms of gold… hiss! 6 kilograms of gold! This 8-pound cannon... isn't impossible to 'report lost'..."

Under the lure of gold, not only were the flagship Captain Bruno and the officers, but even Captain Silvira on the other ship was similarly lost in the golden dream.

The fleet's meeting had gradually turned into a buy-and-smuggle market. Both captains had their eyes flashing with thoughts of reselling military supplies! And among the crew still maintaining clarity may be just one, no, two "people"...

"Damn! Almighty! Exactly how much shining gold does the native tribe here have?! If they have enough gold, just enough gold... after replenishing food and preparing for return! They can sell all the military supplies from the ship to them!..."

"Hmm... such astonishing profits, reporting to Lord Joao... by next year, I can return with more fleets, more military supplies!… At that time, let's see what the native tribe's strength truly is! To decide whether it's a friendly trade, or... Holy Mother bless us! Demon also bless us!..."