Desert Eagle Suletan Khan

"Does the Khan feel something is still missing?" Batu and Tan asked quickly.

“I, David, established my nation through military might. I believe that the day after the banquet, I should review the troops outside the Deshengmen to Andingmen gates, so that the people can see the glory of our victorious warriors,” Sultan said proudly.

"The Great Khan is wise! His Majesty is wise!" Upon hearing this, everyone immediately praised his wisdom. Then came the task of compiling expenses and requesting funds from the Ministry of Revenue. The expenses for the suburban celebrations, the presentation of captives, rewards, banquets, and miscellaneous costs totaled over 1.6 million taels of silver. Rewards alone amounted to over 1.1 million taels, accounting for 70% of the total expenditure. The Kingdom of David highly valued military merit, awarding silver to everyone from commanders to ordinary soldiers. General Alatan Cang, the Grand General of the Southern Expedition, received 10,000 taels, while Prince Chen, Suhebalu, and Deputy General of the Southern Expedition, Batu Mengke, each received 8,000 taels. Others, from generals to soldiers, received anywhere from several thousand to a few taels. This did not include other expenses such as pensions for fallen soldiers. Fortunately, the national treasury still had some silver reserves, and the recent sale of the Peacock Throne had yielded over 30 million taels, enough to cover the costs.

Everyone agreed, but when the matter was informed to the Ministry of Revenue, it was met with fierce opposition from Minister Hu Lianqi. Minister Hu, as always, earnestly advised His Majesty the Emperor to cherish the people's resources and not squander the newly accumulated silver in the national treasury. However, this time, the Great Khan did not heed his advice, stating sternly, "Does Minister Hu think I am holding this celebration merely out of vanity? 'The most important matters of the state are sacrifice and war!' This matter is settled; no further discussion is needed!" In truth, his grand undertaking this time was not entirely for appearances. Holding a grand ceremony would demonstrate the Emperor's absolute control over the army to the world, strengthening imperial power; publicly recognizing military achievements would boost morale among the army and the people; and it would showcase the strength of the Great Khanate to all vassal states and potential enemies. In short, there were many benefits, making it indispensable, and it had to be done on a grand scale. With the Emperor's final decision, the Ministry of Revenue had no choice but to obediently provide the silver, and the rest proceeded smoothly.

One after another, proclamations of victory were issued by the southern expeditionary force. Officials along the route announced the victories with gongs, and the people, upon hearing the news, were overjoyed. In addition to these proclamations, the imperial court also extensively reported the glorious victories of the imperial guards in its dispatches to various regions. The entire land was shaken, and the whole country rejoiced.

On September 11th of the thirty-sixth year of the Qianyuan era (1678), the Great Khan of Lotus stood on a temporary altar erected in the southern suburbs, with civil and military officials standing in two rows behind him, wine and sacrificial offerings prepared, awaiting the triumphant warriors.

"Your Majesty, they've arrived," the Master of Ceremonies gently announced.

A mighty torrent surged forth, and the General Who Conquers the South led his troops to the altar, dismounting. Alatan Cang ascended the platform before the Great Khan, knelt, and roared excitedly, "Thanks to the Great Khan's great fortune, we, your humble servants, have fulfilled our mission, conquering the Mughal Empire and expanding our territory by ten thousand miles!"

"Rise! Let me take a good look at my great general!" Sultan kindly helped Alatan Cang to his feet, picked up the wine that had been prepared beforehand, and said, "This time, the great general has made great contributions to showcasing the prestige of the Kingdom of David to afar. Please drink this cup to the brim."

Alatan Khan tilted his head back and drank the wine in his cup in one gulp. Then, an official presented him with gifts of silk, gold, and silver. Afterward, the Great Khan rolled up his sleeves and entered the city, heading straight for the Meridian Gate, with civil and military officials following closely behind.

"The auspicious time has arrived, Your Majesty, please ascend the city wall." Seeing that the time had come, Zuo Shedou, the Minister of Rites, invited the emperor to ascend the city wall.

What a magnificent Khan! Unhurried and with imposing presence, he ascended the city wall of the Meridian Gate. Below, the soldiers of the three armies stood in neat formation, solemn and respectful. Officials from the Ministry of War read out the battle achievements; hearing their accomplishments publicly proclaimed, everyone from generals to soldiers straightened their backs. Then, the Master of Ceremonies shouted, "Present the prisoners!" Rows of captives were led forward, kneeling and pleading for forgiveness. All eyes were on the Great Khan standing atop the city wall; the Emperor held the power of life and death, and the fate of these prisoners rested solely in his words.

"Heaven cherishes life, and I, too, do not wish to kill too many lives, lest it offend Heaven's harmony. Therefore, I hereby order them all to be sent to Ningguta to guard the border," the Great Khan said, sparing the lives of over 20,000 Mughal prisoners with a single sentence. Then, with eagle-like eyes fixed on the army below the city, he delivered a loud speech. The royal guards relayed his imperial edict to the entire army, row by row: "Warriors, take up your weapons, stand tall, and let me see your valiant forms! Since the southern campaign, you have fought bravely despite hardships, leaving your invincible mark in all the important cities of the Mughal Empire. You have shown those who dared to offend David that nothing can stop the hooves of David's army! Rejoice, invincible warriors! For honor! Rejoice!"

"Haorui~ Haorui~ Haorui~" A deafening roar came from beneath the Meridian Gate. The roar was so powerful that it shook the earth and quickly spread from the Meridian Gate in all directions.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"... From the palace to the imperial city, the capital, and the outer city, everywhere was filled with shouts of welcome for the Emperor.

Amidst rousing cheers, the Great Khan led his ministers to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to offer sacrifices to their ancestors, then to the Temple of Heaven to offer sacrifices to Heaven, and finally to the Qian Yuan Hall to reward meritorious generals and soldiers. Prince Chen Suhebalu was granted the stipend of a double prince; Alatancang was promoted from second-class Duke of Kucha to first-class Duke of Kucha; Ebodui Wulanghai was restored to the second-class Marquis of Hoboksari; Chuyi was promoted from third-class Marquis of Arukorqin to second-class Marquis of Arukorqin; Batu Mengke was promoted from first-class Earl of Jianchang to third-class Marquis of Jianchang; Jiancun Jiangqu was promoted from first-class Earl of Yazhou to third-class Marquis of Yazhou; Gesang was promoted from first-class Earl of Pali to third-class Marquis of Pali; Xin Sizhong was enfeoffed as first-class Earl of Murtan; Zheng Guoyin was promoted from third-class Earl of Wuzhou to second-class Earl of Wuzhou; Ma Zhilin was enfeoffed as third-class Earl of Allahabad; Deputy Commander of Ten Thousand Households, Lamadash, was promoted to Governor of Deli; Deputy Governor of Yunnan, Ma Anbang, was promoted to Governor of Bengal; Chief of a Thousand Households, Qimukuer, was promoted to Governor of Bengal; and all other generals received titles and rewards. After finishing all this, the civil and military officials and soldiers were inevitably hungry. The compassionate Khan ordered a victory banquet to be held in the Imperial Garden to reward the victorious generals, and also provided a feast for the ordinary soldiers in the barracks. When the news spread, cheers erupted.

"Today is a joyous occasion, so let's not stand on ceremony. All of you should enjoy yourselves to the fullest. I will first compose a poem, and you may follow suit. Those who don't know poetry can sing to add to the merriment!" During the banquet, the Great Khan, in high spirits, began to recite:
"Six States Song: Laughter and Empty Wine Cups"

The garden flowers are in full bloom, and the wine cups are empty with laughter.

Galloping swiftly, the good news arrives.

In laughter and conversation, we share life and death, and our courage and loyalty are as strong as those of heroes.

Boasting of martial prowess, vying for supremacy, wielding swords and spears.

A martial artist's spirit, joyful yet hurried.

A true man should unite the nine provinces.
Enjoy drinking among the flowers.

Laughing at the passing years, white hair falling like a carved bow.

In the past, Fei Hong was a hero. Born of exceptional talent, Fei Xifeng...

With the support of the righteous masses, we will achieve great things in building the nation.

The bugles sounded, and the enemy soldiers trembled.
The whole country is united, and we feast our guests.

Who can understand such spirit?
A hero's dream, poured into a wine cup.

Stop striking the chimes, just pour some wine, and take your time.
Drinking and singing loudly, autumn colors float on the cold wine jar.

This joy is boundless.

The garden is full of kindred spirits; my heart is suddenly at peace.
The moon sets on the western pines.

"The Great Khan's words are bold and powerful, and your servant admires them greatly!" "Indeed, such words should only exist in heaven. The Great Khan is the reincarnation of Padmasambhava, which is why he was able to compose them!" "Simple and unadorned, yet powerful and moving, we, your servants, are deeply moved and almost shed tears." As soon as the words were finished and the ink was not yet dry, a sea of ​​flattery suddenly surged up in the Imperial Garden.

It was said that there was no distinction between ruler and subject, no adherence to etiquette, yet the emperor, indulging himself to the utmost, wrote whatever he pleased, while the ministers dared not act freely, composing mostly sycophantic poems. Some wrote, "The emperor bestows a banquet in the imperial garden, all the civil and military officials rejoice. The music and strings intoxicate the ministers, the world is at peace, bathed in the glorious years," and others, "The general returns victorious from the southern expedition, the wild geese finally return with their majestic winds. A glorious event for a thousand autumns and ten thousand years, the crabapple blossom is the most beautiful," and so on. Some military generals, unskilled in poetry, simply drank and sang wildly, their sycophancy far more fervent and passionate than that of the literati.

The Mongol general began to sing a long, drawn-out pastoral song, instantly stirring up the Great Khan's homesickness. He thought of the Yulduz grassland where he was born, and his own sons, Eqige and Ene, and his eyes welled up with tears. After drinking a full cup of mare's milk wine, he sang with his neck stiffened: "Waves of grass stretch to the distance where horses' hooves disappear, pure lake waters ripple. Sheep graze across the sloping grassy slopes, chewing the shadows of clouds into tiny starlight. How beautiful, my Yulduz grassland! Snow-capped mountains cannot hold back the pine forest's sideburns, white clouds cannot conceal the eagle's pride. The knots of the ge'er tie the surname tightly, the wind hums the ancestral tunes in the piles of stones. How beautiful, my Yulduz grassland..."

The song moved the assembled officials, especially the generals from the Khoshut tribe of the Oirat Mongols, who spontaneously joined their emperor in singing, "The herdsman measures the seasons with his lasso, the scent of milk from the earth falling from his mane. The fishing rod guides the infant offspring, growing strong under the protection of the Eternal Heaven. Great Khan, that is your Yulduz grassland. Gesang flowers cling to the hem of melting snow, marmot burrows hide last year's pasture. The old man lights his oil lamp with calf hide, the yurt is like a foot pressing down on countless years. Great Khan, that is your Yulduz grassland..."

The songs echoed through the long night, bringing the banquet to a climax. Although everyone was told to enjoy themselves, the generals dared not drink too much, because a grand military parade was to be held outside Deshengmen the day after the banquet, and no one dared to get drunk and cause trouble.

At 9:30 AM on the 12th day of the 9th month of the 36th year of the Qianyuan reign (1678), the victorious army, in neat square formations, slowly marched from Deshengmen to Andingmen. Both gates were north gates of the capital, one to the west and the other to the east. Deshengmen was originally named "Jiandemen." In the first year of the Hongwu reign (1368), General Xu Da captured the Yuan capital, and subsequently renamed the western gate of the northern wall, "Jiandemen," to "Deshengmen," signifying celebration of victory. Andingmen, on the other hand, was the gate through which victorious troops returned. The significance of holding a military parade outside these two gates was self-evident. The area between Deshengmen and Andingmen was packed with onlookers, awaiting the triumphant return of the imperial army and their emperor.

First to enter were the cavalry, in formations of a thousand, riding with the horses almost evenly spaced, a testament to their excellent training. Their dashing appearance drew cheers. Next came the pikemen, swordsmen and shieldmen, archers, musketeers, supply troops, pack cannons, and small artillery, each formation eliciting a new wave of jubilation. Finally, the heavy artillery formation appeared. Seeing these massive, imposing machines arrive with such grandeur, deafening cheers erupted both inside and outside the north city wall, pushing the parade to its climax. After entering the open space outside Anding Gate, the warriors re-formed their ranks, awaiting the arrival of the Great Khan, the master of all lands.

The Great Khan has arrived! He mounted his steed "Chasing the Wind," a gleaming silver spear in his left hand and a Khan's sword in his right. Clad in golden armor and a red cloak, he rode on foot, protected by a troop of the most elite imperial guards. Due to the heavy burden of state affairs and his advanced age, His Majesty could no longer personally lead campaigns as before. To satisfy his craving for war, he insisted on following in the footsteps of his victorious soldiers, personally riding from Desheng Gate to Anding Gate, as if he himself had participated in the great battle against the Mughals.

"Clatter~ clatter~ clatter~" The old emperor skillfully rode his warhorse, galloping along the open space from Deshengmen to Andingmen.

"Haorui~Haorui~Haorui~" "Long live the Emperor~Long live the Emperor~Long live the Emperor~" Upon seeing His Majesty the Emperor arrive in person, the soldiers and people along the way cheered in unison, and the sound wave shook the north city wall.

The old emperor, emboldened, gently nudged the belly of his divine steed with his feet. "Wind Chaser" understood its master's intention and began to accelerate. "Clatter clatter clatter~ clatter clatter clatter~ clatter clatter clatter~" it ran faster and faster, swift as lightning.

"Neigh~ Neigh~ Neigh~" Suddenly, it neighed, its four hooves leaving the air, and it leaped into the sky. Both horse and rider vanished into the endless void.
-
"Where am I? Where is my Chasing Wind? Where is my army?" Su Leteng woke up, kicked off the blanket, and murmured incoherently.

"This child must be having another wonderful dream! Su Leteng, get up and have breakfast," his mother's gentle call shattered his fantasy.

"No, I am Suletan, not Suleteng~" Two lines of clear tears slid down the face of the commoner child.

(This novel has come to an end. Thank you for your support!) (End of Chapter)