Usurpation of Mongolia: My father-in-law is Genghis Khan

Chapter 269 Mongolian custom: When there is internal discord, take it out on foreign countries!

Meanwhile, at Zhaoming Palace, Longhui Hall.

This place has always been the sleeping quarters of the empresses of the Jin Dynasty, and now it has naturally become Hua Zheng's residence.

Snapped!
Hua Zheng placed a black piece on the chessboard.

"My sister's chess skills have improved more and more."

Her opponent, Wanyan Ningjia, gave a thumbs-up, resigned, and began tidying up the chessboard.

Zhao Shuo taught Hua Zheng Go when she was a child.

Since moving to Zhongdu, what has Huazheng been able to do? As the queen, she always goes hunting in a grand procession, which is too disruptive to the people and has a bad influence.

Boating on the Taiye Pond within the Imperial Palace becomes less interesting after a few times.

Of the traditional Han Chinese arts of playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, Hua Zheng had little interest in these. However, Go, which she had learned from Zhao Shuo, became one of her main pastimes.

Princess Wanyan Ningjia of the Jin Dynasty became Hua Zheng's main chess partner.

Although Wanyan Ningjia intentionally let her win, Hua Zheng's chess skills have indeed improved a lot.

"One more plate, please."

Hua Zheng was in high spirits today, and this time she took the white pieces and continued her battle with Wanyan Ningjia on the chessboard.

However, at this moment—

Deng Deng Deng~~
With a series of hurried footsteps, a eunuch entered the main hall, bowed deeply, and said, "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened!"

"What is it?" Hua Zheng didn't even look up, continuing to look at the chessboard.

The eunuch said, "The Temuge in the northeast has raised an army, using the pretext of Empress Naimajin's misconduct, and attacked Karakorum. His Majesty is furious and has already issued a joint edict with Chagatai Khan, Güyük Khan, and Möngke Khan, calling for a united front against them!"

"Okay, I see."

Hua Zheng paused slightly before placing a white piece on the chessboard: "Go down. In the future, when my Mongolian relatives come to visit me, you can naturally introduce them. However, you no longer need to report to me about major military and political events that occur on the grasslands."

Unlike Chagatai, who was often fighting alongside Genghis Khan, Huazheng had a deep affection for her uncle Temuge, who often stayed behind to take care of the women and children.

But, so what?
What happened to Temuge today is merely the beginning of many bloodshed events to come.

Since recovering from that serious illness, Hua Zheng has come to terms with things.

She couldn't save Tore from death. Nor could she save Tregni from death.

What's next?
Will more people die in the infighting, including even her brothers' offspring? That's almost certain.

She's probably still powerless to do anything.

That's it!

These are all men's matters.

Let them be!
No matter how much internal strife there is in Mongolia, she doesn't care, and she can't control it.

She would be content as long as her husband and children were safe and healthy.

……

……

The joint edict issued by Zhao Shuo, Chagatai, and others was merely a statement of the attitude of the four Mongol lineages.

The only ones we can actually use now are the three Mongol commanders Zhao Shuo left in Harka Guicheng, Hulunbuir Grassland.

At Zhao Shuo's command, the urgent message arrived in Harka Guicheng, and three Mongol commanders immediately set off to march towards Karakorum.

At this time, Ögedei's son, Köden, who remained in Kashgar, also learned of the news and led three Mongol commanders to rush to Karakorum.

Therefore, when Temuge's troops arrived near Karakorum, they faced 10,000 Kheshig soldiers and six Mongol commanders within the city.

Temuge, however, only had 10,000 soldiers.

When Temuge originally raised his army on the banks of the Hailar River at the western foot of the Greater Khingan Mountains, he naturally considered the presence of 10,000 Kheshig troops.

However, he felt that Empress Naimajin had lost the support of the people, and as the most senior member of the Golden Family, if he stepped forward to set things right at this time, the Kheshig army would not resist with all their might, and the chances of success were still very high.

With just one command from Helin, given his prestige, wouldn't he be able to command the grasslands?
After Guyuk and Möngke returned, the families of the soldiers on the western expedition were in his hands. What trouble could they possibly cause?

Zhao Shuo would also support him because of his merit in killing Nai Mazhen.

However, he never dreamed that Zhao Shuo would not only not support him, but would also send three Mongol commanders over!

What was even more unexpected was that the four Mongol factions, which were originally united in name but actually at odds, jointly issued an edict calling for "the whole world to punish them"!

So what he's doing now isn't pure rebellion?

In that case, how could the Kheshig army not fight desperately to protect Helin?
How could Zhao Shuo's three commanders and Kuo Duan's three commanders not resolutely oppose him?

What can Temuge's 10,000 steppe warriors do against Karakorum, which has 16,000 troops?
Even if he manages to capture Karakorum, he will not be able to command the grasslands.

Not to mention, Zhao Shuo still has more than twenty Han army commanders under his command. Even if he takes over the entire grassland, he can still wipe him out.

Unfortunately, at this time, Temuge received another piece of news.

Subutai, leading an army of 30,000 Mongol soldiers, has reached the Yemili River in northwestern Mongolia and is rushing day and night toward Karakorum!

Then why fight?
Temuge didn't even dare to flee back to his fiefdom.

If the Central Plains dynasties had few effective solutions for dealing with tribes on the remote grasslands, then the grassland people certainly had many.

If Ögedei Khan had not had sufficient support, would he have been able to order his army to rape four thousand women from the Temuge tribe in broad daylight?

If Temuge were to flee back to his fiefdom, he would not only be unable to survive, but he would also implicate his eight sons who remained there.

To be honest, Temuge feels extremely wronged right now.

Indeed, he raised an army because he wanted to become the Great Khan himself. But wasn't it a fact that Naimajin was corrupt? Shouldn't he have raised an army? And wasn't Telegni wrongly killed? He wanted to kill Empress Naimajin to avenge Telegni, but it was all out of public interest!
Now, even if he wanted to attack Karakorum and kill Naimazhen at all costs, it was unlikely. After hearing that the four Khans had issued their decrees, the steppe warriors, who had been full of energy when they raised their army and deeply hated Ögedei for disgracing their wives and daughters, had visibly wilted, and some even deserted.

After much deliberation, Temuge decided to summon Khoduan out of the city for negotiations.

After the two met, Khoduan accused Temuge of raising an army and rebelling, which was treason, and that he must be captured.

Temuge sneered and said, "Khoduan, I heard that Yalaowachi offended Naimazhen and was protected by you. Naimazhen asked you for people, and you replied, 'Even birds can hide in the grass to escape a fierce hawk, so naturally I cannot ignore those who want my protection. They are all ministers, so let the Khuriltai Assembly punish them if they are guilty.' I wonder if this is true?"

Kuodian nodded and said, "That's true, so what?"

"Now, I'll say the same thing to you. If I'm guilty, let the Kurultai Assembly deal with me. Until then, you must guarantee my safety. Otherwise, my steppe warriors have a blood feud with your Ögedei line, who have suffered the humiliation of their wives and daughters. They'd rather fight you to the bitter end than let the blood flow like a river!"

Khoduan thought for a moment and said, “Alright. Your army must return to its fiefdom now. You can take eighty guards and stay in Karakorum to await the Khuriltai. We’ll discuss your matter after a new Khan is elected.”

"Then let's do it that way." The subsequent Kuriltai Conference was not held in Horin City.

Because the city of Karakorum itself is not large, and the Mongol noyans have many descendants and numerous branches, plus their guards, the city simply cannot accommodate them.

After discussing the matter, Zhao Shuo and Chagatai decided to hold the Kuriltai in Dalandabash.

The land of Dalandabas, located on the upper reaches of the Orkhon River, a tributary of what would later become Mongolia, near western Karakorum, served as the summer palace of Ögedei Khan and became an important site for political activities in the early Mongol Empire.

Four months after the "Fish and Algae Alliance," the Mongol noyans and their sons and nephews gathered in the land of Dalandabas.

The tents stretched as far as the eye could see.

The meeting place was inside a huge tent that could accommodate two thousand people.

The large tent was surrounded by a fence with two large gates for entry and exit.

One gate is reserved for the Great Khan and is unguarded. Since the Great Khan has not yet been chosen, anyone who enters or leaves through this gate is guilty of treason and will be immediately beheaded.

The other gate was for the Mongol noyans to enter and exit, and it was guarded by five hundred armored soldiers.

Genghis Khan has long since passed away, and of his four legitimate sons, only Chagatai remains. Of the four fierce warriors and four heroes who accompanied him in his conquests, only Subutai remains.

When Zhao Shuo arrived at the main tent for the meeting, he found that he didn't recognize most of the people there, and only a few were familiar faces.

However, it's enough that those few familiar faces recognize Zhao Shuo.

Who among the grassland people doesn't know the importance of Zhao Shuo?

Taking advantage of this rare opportunity, everyone introduced their nephews and nieces to Zhao Shuo, asking him to take good care of them.

To Zhao Shuo's delight, Horchi was still alive.

There's really no reasoning with this. Khorchi and Temujin were about the same age. Temujin had been dead for over ten years, but Khorchi was nearly seventy and still very active.

Not only did he introduce all twenty-six of his adult sons to Zhao Shuo, but he also gifted him three rare polar bear pelts.

The Kuriltai proceeded as scheduled thereafter.

In the morning, the noyans would hold lively discussions in their large tents, debating who should be the new Great Khan of the Mongols. At noon, they would eat mutton and drink wine, and in the afternoon, they would go hunting, or a few close friends would go to their respective tents to chat and even arrange marriages for their children.

It's really just a formality.

What trouble could possibly arise from something that the five Mongol lineages have jointly agreed upon?
These days, Guyuk is already enjoying the treatment of the Great Khan. When he goes out, he is not only guarded by armored soldiers, but also accompanied by a band playing solemn and grand music.

The fact that Zhao Shuo and others did not raise any objections to Guiyou's treatment is quite clear, isn't it?

After seven days of discussion, the Noyans finally decided to follow Ögedei Khan's dying wish and enthrone Güyük as Khan.

Güyük declined the position of Great Khan seven times, citing poor health, before finally agreeing.

Inside the golden tent, Chagatai supported Guyuk's left arm, Zhao Shuo supported Guyuk's right arm, and Jochi's eldest son Orda supported Guyuk's waist as they sat on the throne symbolizing the Great Khan of the Mongols.

Then, all the Mongol noyans paid their respects to Guyuk with great ceremony.

Guyuk then led the Mongol noyans out of the golden tent, bowed three times to the sun, thanked the Eternal Heaven for its protection, and told the Eternal Heaven that Guyuk would henceforth be His own son.

Thus, the ceremony was completed, and Guyuk ascended the throne as the Great Khan of the Mongols.

Then came a seven-day feast, with fine wine, delicious food, and beautiful women for the Mongol noyans to enjoy themselves to the fullest. Guyuk's authority was even less than Ögedei's; to win over the people, he adopted the same method as Ögedei—lavish spending!

He opened the treasury belonging to the Great Khan of the Mongols and distributed a huge amount of wealth, totaling 140,000 taels of gold, to the crowd of noyans, who cheered loudly.

Seven days later, when the Noyans were about to return to their fiefdoms, they discussed the matter of Temuge.

The noyans all declared that Temuge was a member of the Golden Family and that he must be interrogated and dealt with by the Mongol princes; the others would not participate.

And so, on the evening of the eighth day, the trial of Temuge officially began.

Inside the large tent, Guiyou sat in the center.

Chagatai and Möngke accompanied him on the left. On the right were Zhao Shuo and Orda.

All five branches of the Mongolian people were present.

“Temugh, the Kurultai has now authorized us to deal with your crimes. Do you know your crimes?” Guyuk’s left hand was still trembling uncontrollably, and his cold gaze fell on the bound Temugh.

Temuge, however, remained unfazed, scoffing and saying, "There's a saying among the Han people: 'The victor is king, the loser is villain.' Now that you, Güyük, have ascended to the throne, I am naturally an unforgivable sinner. However, there is something I wish to ask for fairness on."

Guiyou said, "You speak."

Temuge said, "I have committed treason, so execute me according to the rules. But what crime did Telegni commit that led to her execution by Naimazhen? Ashu, I am about to die, and I want to hear your honest opinion: what crime did Telegni commit?"

Zhao Shuo solemnly declared, "Tregni is innocent!"

"Chagatai, what do you say?"

"Not guilty!"

Before Temuge could continue questioning, Orda and Möngke declared in unison, "Telegni is innocent!"

Guiyou nodded and said, "Tregni is innocent."

"Very well. Since Teregni is innocent, isn't Naimazhen, who executed her, guilty? Why don't you punish her? Even if it's a matter of the victor taking all, Naimazhen isn't the Great Khan, she's just the Great Khan's mother."

Temuge knew he was doomed and had no intention of begging for mercy. He only wanted to take Naimazhen with him, both to avenge Teregni and to disgust the new Khan Guyuk.

Anyway, when he raised his army, all eight of his sons remained in their fiefdoms. Since they hadn't participated in the rebellion and were all members of the Golden Family, what could Guyuk do to them?
Moreover, Teregni was Genghis Khan's most beloved granddaughter, and other Mongol noyans would owe him a favor.

"Okay, I see."

Of course, Guyuk knew that if he wanted to secure his position as Khan, the matter of Teregni was an insurmountable obstacle.

Although he has now ascended to the throne with the support of Zhao Shuo and Chagatai, the Khans, though they don't say it aloud, are not convinced of his authority as the Great Khan.

Guyuk took a deep breath and said, "Temuge, go in peace. Mother has done something wrong, and even if I don't punish her, I'm sure the Eternal Heaven won't stand idly by."

"Alright, I'm relieved to hear you say that. Come on!"

Temuge closed his eyes slightly.

Naturally, armored soldiers came and dragged him out of the golden tent, wrapped him in a cloth bag, and trampled him to death by wild horses.

Gui was in a very bad mood at this moment, feeling a surge of anger with nowhere to vent it. He looked at Zhao Shuo and the others and said, "My military achievements are not outstanding. It is only thanks to the protection of the Eternal Heaven and your recommendation that I have been able to sit on the throne of Great Khan. In the long run, I am afraid that I will be ridiculed, and some people may even look down on my Great Mongol Empire because of this. Therefore..."

He paused, then said solemnly, "I intend to lead the army myself. What do you think?"

This is an old trick used by Mongolians.

When internal conflicts proved unsolvable, Mongolia once again bared its fangs to the outside world!

(End of this chapter)