Desert Eagle Suletan Khan

The Great Khan's heart was as unfathomable as a deep abyss, his moods unpredictable, hence the saying that serving a ruler is like walking on thin ice. The Great Khan could tolerate Alatan Cang embezzling some spoils of war, and could turn a blind eye to his misappropriation of Mughal treasury funds for military supplies and pay distribution. After all, his soldiers risked their lives; a little extra money was insignificant to him. However, there was a bottom line: the interests of the Khanate must not be violated. Accepting lavish gifts from vassal states to help them acquire land "belonging" to the Kingdom of David crossed this line, even if that land was originally won by Alatan Cang and his soldiers through bloody battles. The older he got, the stronger his suspicion became. At sixty-two, the Great Khan was long past the age of innocence and could no longer fully trust his subjects, especially his generals leading troops in the field. He was highly wary of them, fearing they might harbor rebellious intentions, even those old ministers who had followed him through thick and thin for many years and remained loyal.

Sultan felt he could no longer allow his childhood friend, a powerful general, to remain stationary in his old post; he needed to relocate him. Coincidentally, two veteran officials—Prince Yongning and Governor-General of Gansu and Qinghai, Tuoli, and Prince Turpan and Governor-General of Jiangnan and Jiangxi, Xirimo—were getting old. Recently, the emperor, mindful of his long service, had summoned the two princes back to Dadu (Beijing) to retire, leaving two governor-general positions vacant. Sultan then issued an edict reassigning Alatan Cang from Governor-General of Yunnan and Guizhou to Governor-General of Jiangnan and Jiangxi. Although both were governorships, Jiangnan and Jiangxi were far more prosperous than Yunnan and Guizhou; this was clearly a reward for a meritorious official, and Sultan Cang himself would surely be satisfied. Furthermore, being transferred meant his generals would no longer be familiar faces, rendering any potential rebellion impossible. This would neither discourage the meritorious official nor eliminate a threat to the Khanate—a win-win situation.

As emperor, his considerations went far beyond this. A large-scale military expedition was not only extremely expensive but also prone to unforeseen events. Now that the situation in the south had stabilized, it was time to return to the capital! He issued another decree ordering the southern expeditionary army to return to the capital, receive rewards from the court, and then return to their original garrisons. To consolidate the newly occupied territories, the former Mughal Empire's lands were divided into three provinces: Bengal, Delhi, and Kabul, with a Southern Governor-General appointed to oversee the military affairs of these three provinces. Dash, the Governor of Ü-Tsang, had long served on the frontier and was familiar with the customs and traditions of the Mughal region. He had also actively prepared military supplies and provisions during the Mughal expedition, earning significant merit, and was promoted to the first Southern Governor-General. Furthermore, he promoted the Ü-Tsang Provincial Governor, Pilenlezamusu, the Yarkand Provincial Governor, Ikuli, to Kabul, Bayasgulang, the Kangrong Provincial Governor, to Delhi, and Li Yuanze, the Gansu Provincial Governor, to Bengal. The vacant position of Governor-General of Gansu and Qinghai was given to Tuyebai, the Imperial Commissioner stationed at the Aghanheba Myriarchy. Tuyebai had long been stationed at Aghanheba fighting against the Russian army, displaying bravery, tenacity, and unwavering loyalty, and deserved promotion. The position of Governor-General of Yunnan and Guizhou was given to Fang Yuxuan, the Governor of Yunnan. Fang Yuxuan had made outstanding contributions in the southern campaign, offering valuable advice and strategies, and his promotion to Governor-General was well-deserved. Furthermore, Zhang Chongren, the Provincial Treasurer of Guizhou, had rendered meritorious service in raising military supplies, and was thus promoted to Governor of Yunnan.

Having finished these tasks, the Great Khan happily ordered his chief minister Batu Hotan, his second chief minister Tiemoer, Grand Secretary Liu Haogu of the Jianji Hall, Minister of Rites Zuo Shedou, and Minister of War Halahuli to prepare a celebration ceremony for the triumphant return of the southern expeditionary army. He, who was fond of grand achievements, specifically instructed his ministers: "The victory celebration must be grand and magnificent, so that all the people of the land may know of my glorious military exploits!" Understanding the emperor's intentions, Chief Minister Batu Hotan dared not delay and, along with a group of officials, quickly compiled the entire procedure and related matters and reported them to the palace. "Great Khan, this is the procedure for the victory celebration that we have discussed. Please review it," the old chief minister said tremblingly, presenting a memorial.

The Great Khan of Lotus sat on the fearless lion throne in the West Warm Pavilion of the Qianqing Palace, calmly flipping through the memorials, and saw that the entire process was divided into five parts.

The first step was to announce the victory with a proclamation. When the army returned to the capital, a fast horse was dispatched to deliver a proclamation (a document announcing victory) to the city. Along the way, officials would announce the victory with gongs, and the proclamation would reach the palace gates. In reality, the war was already over, and the proclamation had already reached the palace gates. However, Batu and Tan, sensing the emperor's intentions, knew that the emperor wanted all his subjects to know of his glorious military achievements. Therefore, they specifically instructed Alatan Cang to send another proclamation, making sure it was a grand spectacle and known to everyone. This was exactly what the emperor wanted, and the emperor smiled with satisfaction upon seeing it.

The second step was to hold a suburban celebration. An official from the Ministry of Rites was appointed as the Imperial Envoy, who set up an altar and prepared wine and sacrificial offerings in the southern suburbs of Dadu (Beijing) to welcome the victorious army. Then, the victorious generals led their troops in formation, bowing to the Imperial Envoy representing the Emperor, presenting them with banners and rosters symbolizing their military achievements. The Imperial Envoy then poured wine to reward the commanders and bestowed silk, gold, and silver upon them. Upon seeing that the Ministry of Rites had appointed the Imperial Envoy, Suletan frowned and slowly said, "This southern expedition has destroyed a great nation and expanded our territory by thousands of miles. Such merit deserves my personal welcome." Hearing that the Emperor intended to personally welcome them, Batu and Tan were startled and quickly flattered him, saying, "The Great Khan understands the hardships of the soldiers and is personally welcoming them; this is truly a blessing for the entire army." Suletan waved his hand, "The warriors fought for the country, risking their lives to achieve this great victory. It is only right that I welcome them. Besides, I haven't seen the General Who Conquers the South for a long time; I truly miss him." This statement was half true and half false. While missing his old minister was one aspect, the more important reason was that the emperor wanted to greatly enhance his prestige and let the world know about his martial prowess. Personally welcoming him outside the city was a good way to create a stir. In addition, Alatan Cang had fought a truly brilliant battle. Leading over 100,000 troops drawn from various provinces of diverse backgrounds, he had easily destroyed the Mughal Empire and seized a large amount of gold and silver from the enemy's treasury. The peacock throne alone added more than 30 million taels of silver to David's treasury without increasing the Khanate's financial burden. Therefore, a welcoming ceremony was justified.

The third step was the presentation of the captives. The prisoners were escorted to the Meridian Gate, where civil and military officials lined up. Then the emperor ascended the gate tower, and officials from the Ministry of War read out the war achievements. The master of ceremonies shouted "Present the captives!" and the captives knelt and begged for forgiveness. The emperor then decided on the punishment (pardon, imprisonment, or execution), demonstrating the "power of life and death of the Son of Heaven." In reality, Alatan Cang had already sent important captives, such as the two Mughal emperors and members of the royal family, to the capital. The presentation of the captives was merely a formality; the important thing was to display national power at the Meridian Gate.

The fourth step was to report to the ancestral temple and offer sacrifices to Heaven. The emperor led his officials to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to worship the ancestors, and then went to the Temple of Heaven to offer sacrifices to Heaven and the ancestors, reporting the victory to Heaven and the ancestors, thanking the ancestors for their protection, and demonstrating that the mandate of Heaven had been bestowed upon them.

The fifth step was to reward meritorious service. Based on the military merit register, meritorious soldiers were awarded titles and honors. The awarding ceremony for important generals was held in the Qian Yuan Hall, while the titles for other soldiers were drafted by the Ministry of War and awarded subsequently. After the awards were given, a banquet was held in the Fengtian Hall or the Wuying Hall to reward the meritorious generals; the specific location was to be decided by the emperor. Upon seeing this, the Great Khan was delighted. "The Fengtian Hall or the Wuying Hall are too solemn. Our warriors have fought for the country, risking their lives to return to the capital in triumph. How can they enjoy themselves in such a solemn place? How about this, the banquet will be held in the Imperial Garden, without formalities, so that the hardworking and meritorious soldiers can truly enjoy themselves!" Hearing this, two elderly ministers with white hair—Batu Hetan, First-Class Duke of Tang, Grand Secretary, and Grand Secretary of the Zhongji Hall; and Tie Moer, First-Class Duke of Yan, Second Grand Secretary, and Grand Secretary of the Zhongji Hall—hurriedly led the other ministers to kneel down, shouting, "The Great Khan is wise!"

Just when everyone thought the process was settled, after the ministers hailed him as wise, the wise Lotus Khan uttered another question: "Why do I feel like something's still missing?" (End of Chapter)