Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

With such thoughts, De La Cosa first went to the Wooden Church to visit the Priest for a confession. During the confession, he repeatedly mentioned his compassion and sympathy for the "Eastern Natives" to probe the Priest’s stance. Upon receiving the Priest’s clear response that he hoped to "educate the Eastern Natives and spread the Gospel of the Almighty," De La Cosa’s eyebrows furrowed again.

The Priest hoped to "shepherd the flock," while the expeditionary army was recklessly "slaughtering the flock," forming a conflict of interests. That is to say, when the fleet returns, the Church will surely report the situation to the Granada Archbishop, and the Queen will hear of it sooner or later. He must come up with a way to justify the various behaviors of the expeditionary army, at least in front of the Queen, to account for them!

"Almighty bless! Firstly, these Eastern Natives absolutely must not be deemed slaves! This way, the Queen’s reputation will be entirely destroyed, and there’s no way to explain to the Roman Church..."

"Then, how about calling them Indios Encomendados, ’Guarded Indians’?"

Bartholomeo Columbus thus asked. Among the many martial naval officers, he was the most adaptable, even talked about as a versatile figure. The Columbus family was able to continue in Castile with nobility status, likely due more to this Brother’s contribution than Columbus himself. As Columbus’s Brother, he also had a clear and subtle ability to influence Columbus.

"Indios Encomendados, ’Guarded Indians’?"

Upon hearing this term, De La Cosa pondered silently. Within the fleet, he enjoyed conversing with Bartholomeo. It made him feel that he could finally raise his intellect to a high level like a "fox or viper," rather than being dragged down to a "stubborn mule full of stupidity" by Columbus, and then defeated by the rich experience of stupidity from the other.

"Yes! The wards! Almighty’s Citizens, the wards with ’faith protection’!"

In the newly built wooden house by the Taino slaves, Bartholomeo answered with a smile. De La Cosa raised his eyebrows, thoughtfully asking.

"You mean... under the guise of ’guardianship and education,’ actually enslave these Eastern Natives?..."

"Yes! It’s not enslavement, it’s ’education and protection’! The duty of the ’Guardian’ is to bring the brilliance and protection of the Almighty to these ignorant Eastern Natives. Everything they do, including physical punishment, is to bring ’education’ to the Natives, which the Natives must accept. And the Natives sign a sacred contract, from themselves to their descendants, all follow the ’Guardian,’ obeying everything they command, including unpaid labor, handing over their produce... It’s like, well, the Divine Son and his Disciples!"

Bartholomeo smiled cunningly. Inspired by the craftsman apprentice system in the Genoa City State, he further strengthened the authority of the "Guardian," took away the freedom of the "wards," and added a layer of "Divine Enlightenment" legalization. De La Cosa squinted his eyes, meditated for a moment, and asked the most critical core question.

"Bartholomeo, the ’wards’ are undoubtedly the Natives we have conquered. So who is your envisioned ’Guardian’?"

"Huh? Guardian? Guardian would be the nobility, priest, officer, or soldier? Assign the Natives to them as their sla... ahem! wards. This way, soldiers have another form of legitimate spoils of war! Even the current dissatisfaction caused by the lack of spoils can be effectively appeased!"

"No!... This won’t work! Or rather, it cannot be directly announced like this, the Royal Family will not agree."

Upon hearing this, De La Cosa shook his head. This Columbus Brother was clever and nimble, but still had in his mind the "merchant’s thinking" from the Italian commercial city-state. For the real rulers of Europe, for the Kings of Europe, ensuring their supreme ruling power, even if nominal, is the foremost priority! Just like how the Church with great fanfare hunts, kills, and burns heretics, ensuring its supreme interpretation rights over faith!

"Bartholomeo, the ’guarded’ Eastern Natives must first be vassals of the Castilian Royal Family, under the protection of the Church’s faith. Secondly, the Royal Family and the Church permanently grant such specific rights to educate the ’wards’ to the colony’s nobility, officers, soldiers, and sailors!"

"Such guardianship rights over the Natives should not be inherited from generation to generation by the ’Guardian’ families, otherwise it becomes another kind of feudalism? The Royal Family dislikes feudalism. It should cease upon the Guardian’s death, return to the Royal Family, and then be granted to another Guardian by the Royal Family or its representative Governor..."

"This way, the colony’s nobility, military, Church, and Royal Family all rejoice, everyone can be satisfied! And the Eastern Indian Natives, too can continuously receive the teachings of the Almighty’s Gospel under the supervision of the Royal Family and the Almighty!"

Upon hearing this, Bartholomeo’s eyes shimmered, admiringly praised.

"Sir De La Cosa, you understand the intentions of the Royal Family and the Church better! This truly is a grand system, one that satisfies everyone! Before, my brother Christopher was too remiss with you. On behalf of my brother, I sincerely apologize to you!"...

As he spoke, Bartholomeo pressed his hand to his chest in salute. Then, the two laughed together, their laughter filled with self-satisfaction.