Chapter 23 Chapter Twenty-Three

When approaching Saksay Huaman, Jia Boye was very shocked.The city wall where he wrote the siege legend back then has already been partially destroyed by the tragic battle and peak fire.Now, the tower has collapsed, and the soldiers who shot arrows and stones have disappeared without a trace.Only the gigantic pillars still stand proudly there, protecting little more than some mysterious story, or the occasional protection from the wind. Bartholomew stopped his horse, held out his hand and said: "Did you see it?" In the quarries higher up in the castle, children can still be seen playing and chasing each other, wrestling each other to the ground.Their shrill laughter filled the hillside.

Jia Boye smiled slightly. "Wars fought only by children on horseback take no innocent victims." "They will grow up quickly. Ah! Killing is the easiest solution." Jia Boye nodded silently. They walked through fields that were now full of crops, as well as kinua and corn, wheat, barley and oats.The closer they got to the city, the more surprised they were to find that there were rows of cabbages growing in many small gardens. At the foot of the city wall, the green grass was overgrown, and they had already reached the outside of the puma city.He still remembered how sincerely he admired the city when he saw it for the first time, and now he seemed to suddenly see the faint Anna Maya next to Manco, and Pizarro's victory.

Bartolomeo took the clothes from the bag and handed them to him. "We're in a similar situation now," he said timidly, "I thought about..." "I do not need." Jia Boye spoke very gently but firmly.He felt Bartholomew's eyes rest on him.He didn't want to dress up as an Indian like he had done the last time he was back in Cusco to kill Gonzalo.But he wanted to wear this simple garment and symbolize his new relationship with the land: it was a creamy white gown on which the women of Lake Titicaca had embroidered for him at his request. Black cougar. "Brother Bartholomew, it took me a long time to become who I am today. I don't want to be anything else than I am."

Bartolomeo, who respected and surprised him, was silent, and after a moment he tried to persuade him again: "You know what they're going to say, don't you?" Jia Boye didn't bother to answer at all. "Let's go!" he said, giving the horse a light kick with his heels to make it go. He was very happy, as if he had done what a man should do. After entering the city, Jia Boye immediately found that the present is not what it used to be, and there have been great changes here. The most shocking thing is the mess.The canals in the city center used to flow clean water, but now they are blocked by all kinds of things. The only visible things to the naked eye are potato skins and half-bitten ears of corn.The stench of the stagnant water was sickening, a mixture of horse manure and pig manure...

"This is the invasion of culture." Before Jia Boye's disgusted expression, Bartolomeo said sarcastically. He looks up. After Cusco, where the flames of war raged, the thatched roofs had been burned away, and the roofs that were repaired with tiles were the most seen: it looked very abrupt, and the roof of the Inca Palace was covered with Spanish-style tiles.Similarly, Jia Boye saw that the bottom of some trapezoidal doors was caulked to fit into the wooden doors, and a large bolt was installed. "They don't understand stealing," said Bartolomeo. "They bar the entrance with simple sticks, to tell people that no one is in. Another one of our gifts to them..."

A rabbit was chased by two pigs and ran to the feet of Jia Boye's horse. Jia Boye pulled the horse away.He noticed that everyone was staring at him. A foreigner in Indian clothing was more likely to arouse people's whispers than those Indians who deliberately expressed Spanish style in traditional Indian clothing.One of them wore gloves, another a belt, still another breeches... Only the Incas still proudly held on to their original attire. When they walked into Okepata Square, images of the past reappeared in front of Jia Boye: the return of the mummy, the coronation of Manco...but his thoughts of wandering in memory were interrupted by the jingle of the bell.This familiar and distant voice made him froze in place, staring at Bartolomeo, speechless.The monk pointed to the original location of the tower, which is now a mysterious building overlooking the entire square.

What was supposed to be a tall tower with a conical top is now a construction site.There are no rocks there, but the skeleton of the house has been put up.The workers hung the unique clock on the beam, and the bang-dang sound echoed throughout the square, causing all the Indians to look sideways. "Victory (Spanish)!" Bartolomeo said. "They built a bell tower to commemorate the victory of the siege. Some say that a painter will come here from all over the ocean from Spain to paint a tribute to the sacred things that happened here... " "What holy relic?" "It is the apparition of the Virgin Mary to extinguish the fire, and at the same time there is a heroic story of a cavalryman on a white horse who is invulnerable."

"I don't quite remember these things happening," Jia Boye said. "There are very few people who don't need holy signs and can still have the strength to live." "I kind of get it." Jia Boye dragged Bartolomeo to the other end of the square, until he reached Hardong Quad.They stopped in front of a smaller palace, the gates of which were covered in alpaca fur.Jia Boye got off his horse and handed over the reins to an old man who was in charge of leading the horse. "What are you doing?" Bartholomew asked. "Someone is waiting for me." Jia Boye said calmly.

"When did you make an appointment?" "In another world. How should I put it, you inspired me to believe in holy miracles... Will you come with me?" Bartholomew made a mysterious movement with his fingers connected, and gave Jia Boye a negative answer, then smiled and walked away. Walking through this palace is like walking through the stage background of a play.The waiting hall, the aisle, the servants in uniform, the young female servants—Jia Boye has an inexplicable sense of humor about all these, like an actor who is suddenly on the stage, but the director forgot to give him his lines.He was growing impatient waiting in a drapered room when, looking back, he heard a hearty laugh.

"Sabatian!" "Don't you remember these places? To be honest, the situation here was not so good before..." Jia Boye thought hard, and then he remembered that this is the wall that was blackened by the fire, and the roof was completely burned. It was here that Sai Batian rescued him from the prison cell and made him look brand new. "No, I didn't get into the situation." Jia Boye sighed. So, the two of them hugged wantonly.Although he knew Brother Bartholomew very well, there had never been such a close relationship between Jia Boye and him as he and Sai Batian shared weal and woe.After laughing and high-fiving with Sai Batian, he finally had time to take a good look at his friend.

Sebatian's clothes are very special, from the multicolored tights to the lace placket that imitates Pizarro.He pretended not to see Sai Batian and looked at his clothes with the same surprise on his face. "Look! How to dress like this!" The two of them said almost at the same time, and then looked at each other and laughed. "I took a little effort to distinguish myself from those black slaves from Panama." Sebatian said, "What about you? Have you become an Incas?" "When you become the governor, I will become an Incas." "That may not be the case. At that time, we will be the best allies, and after successfully burning Gonzalo into a suckling pig, we will celebrate the peace of the world... No, we have to fill our pockets first, In case the situation goes bad in the future.” "You seem to have a perfect plan on your side." Sebastian pouted. "You just can't imagine," he said, "that every day is an endless, exhausting battle." He flicked two fingers, and soon two maids stepped forward.He gave no orders, and they brought a glass jug of red liquid and two silver tumblers on a silver tray.The red liquid in the jug reflected brilliantly under the torch. Jia Boye hadn't tasted wine for a long time, and when he took the first sip, his face immediately turned red. "That's good," he said, licking his tongue, "but not as good as the . . . what's the name of that tavern?" "'Drink the jug of liberty'!" cried Sebatian, "ah, that venerable liar, and his counterfeit wine, unforgettable... You are right, there is nothing like That taste!" There is a strong nostalgia in Sai Batian's voice.Jia Boye didn't speak, and the two fell into an awkward silence. "Tell me about your life," Sai Batian finally said, "There are rumors that you became a general over there, I mean Lake Titicaca..." "Saibatian, I'll talk to you later. Bartolomeo told me some news, and I need you to give me more complete information... First of all, you tell me what your wealth is all about." "I'm rich, and you see it. But I feel threatened, too. Because I was a poor slave, and when you met me, only Gandhia protected me..." "Why are you threatened?" "Since Almagro died, I feel that people in that circle look at me with contempt and envy... because no matter what I think, Almagro protected me before he died. Although he has many shortcomings , but never forgot that I saved his life. Also, I told you, black people come here every day, and they have nothing on them. Good wine, my three wives, and all the rest, will think I'm reckless, against God's will. He'll find someone soon, corner me in some dead end, and kill me with a knife, or I left it in the pasture and let those mad pigs..." "Couldn't you have been more...precautionary? Hide everything in the cellar under the floor, like you used to store your treasures?" Sebastian laughed. "I didn't expect you to tell me to do this!" "That's different." The black Sai Batian interrupted him with a smile. "You're right, it's different. I don't know what your reason is, but I can't forget what I said to you: There's an ocean between us, and there's no navigator, not even the most agile , and can't cross it. That's it." He tasted the wine slowly.He smiled gracefully at one of the young girls, holding his glass.The girl refilled his drink again. "I will not change, even if I have to die for it, I must have worked so hard, so cunningly, and swallowed so much to get what I am today. I can't trade all this for an uncertain and pathetic rest of my life. If I tomorrow If I have to die, I must be holding Toledo's sharp sword in my hand, with my own blood on my collar." "I see." Sai Batian made a movement, as if to get rid of these overly pessimistic conversations. "You're not here to hear me worry about the future. You're here for her, aren't you?" Jia Boye looked uneasy. "Her, the princess with eyes like lake water," Sai Batian said more carefully, as if he had to say so, "you know, of course..." Jia Boye's heartbeat was as strong as the victory bell ringing in the square. "I don't know, no, Brother Bartholomew didn't say anything. What happened?" "In the name of the precious blood of Jesus Christ, go to war! Haven't you heard about going to war?" Jia Boye stood up from his seat and overturned his tumbler, spilling the rest of the wine on the thick wool carpet. "Tell me!" he almost growled, "tell me what happened." "It has been two full months since they set off on the order of the governor," Sebatian said sullenly, "Gon Salo commanded 300 people, plus Paul led a large number of Indians and generals who opposed Manco. ...they pursued them deep into the jungle with a clear goal: to capture Ana Maya and the large gilded figure, which they knew she carried with her wherever she went, as if she were married to him in a way." There was silence again. "Why her?" "They think that Manco is weak and separated from his main generals. Also, if she is caught, it should be a fatal blow for him. Then, they just wait to catch the fish in the urn. And They're going crazy for the gold of that statue. You've probably heard what happened to Gandhia..." Jia Boye became irritable and impatient. "Tell me that story next time. I'm sure it'll be interesting. Does anyone know what they've done?" "Probably not, otherwise, the news of the victory has spread all over the world. And Paul hasn't come back yet to ask Mr. Francisco for reinforcements." Jia Boye grabbed Sai Batian and asked: "I must see them. Where are they?" "It should be in the Governor's Palace in Gasana. Otherwise it is in Paul's place, the Colcampata Palace, which has been occupied since Paul's coronation." When Jia Boye walked to the door, he gently waved away the young maids in front of him. "Sai Batian, I may have to ask you a few more questions..." "what is the problem?" "I don't want to talk about it just yet. But if I asked you to do me a favor, would you?" Jia Boye only heard his friend sigh, so he said quickly: "I didn't say anything, sorry." "I can't pretend I didn't hear you. I don't know what you've got, but forget it, leave me alone, okay! I'll help you." After Jia Boye hugged Sai Batian quickly, he avoided many servants and those maids who looked like wives and concubines, and left by himself. Bartholomew was waiting at the gate of the mansion.Jia Boye jumped onto the horse without saying a word. "Where are we going?" asked Bartholomew. "To Colcampata. Why didn't you tell me?" "I do not……" "It shouldn't be me, Bartolomeo, and it shouldn't be you! Don't say you don't know anything about Gonzalo's expedition." "Jia Boye, what can you do by yourself, you should be very clear." "I know what I can do and what I can't do." When the horse's hooves clattered on the floor tiles, Jia Boye tried to calm down his anger, and tried to control the deep and chaotic anxiety and uneasiness in his heart.