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

Chapter 322 Another foolish empress takes the helm, and the Mongol empire collapses!
Of course, it was impossible for Möngke Khan and Kublai Khan to take action against Köden now.

It's a very simple logic. Ögedei had seven sons, and Güyük had three. What's the point of killing just one Köden?

Moreover, this move would easily provoke the resentment of the Mongol noyans and would be difficult to gain the understanding of the Zhao Shuo and Jochi factions, which is unwise.

They could only wait, until they returned to the Mongolian steppes, and then, through various means, seize the position of Great Khan of the Mongols. Then, they would gradually plot against the Ögedei lineage!
Khoduan could certainly guess what Möngke and Kublai Khan were thinking, but he was even less willing to take action than Möngke and Kublai Khan.

For most steppe warriors, their master was the line of Tolui, and they received orders from the Great Khan of the Mongols.

Now that Köden is no longer the Great Khan of the Mongols, of course he can't command them.

With the limited strength of the Ögedei Khanate alone, how could it pose a threat to the Tolui lineage? Even with the Chagatai lineage included, it wouldn't be enough! As for assassination? Hulagu and Ariq Böke of the Tolui lineage were far away in Iraq. What use would it be to kill Kublai Khan and Möngke Khan alone?

Therefore, although both the Tolui and Ögedei factions knew that the matter could not be resolved amicably, they still maintained a facade of brotherly harmony and cooperation.

Two months later, Chagatai died in Pest, Hungary, leaving a will that Yesu would succeed him as the Chagatai Khanate, and Baidar would establish a new state in Hungary.

Only then did the main Mongol army return eastward with the coffins of Güyük and Chagatai.

Zhao He had just arrived in Bohemia.

Batu had been waiting for a long time in Prague, Bohemia.

Initially, Guyuk ceded the Brandenburg and Lusatia regions to Batu. Batu had already deployed troops to these two areas and was also bringing in immigrants from Rus' to control the region.

Upon hearing that Zhao He was going to personally oversee things in Prague, he went there himself. The two brothers hadn't seen each other for many years and were planning to have a good get-together.

Batu had, of course, heard the news of Guyuk and Chagatai's impending death, but he did not go to Pest.

What's there to see?

Wasn't Jochi's Khanate taken down by Chagatai and Ögedei in a joint effort? It's already good enough that Baba didn't cause them any trouble, why would he send them off on their final journey?
Anyway, Zhao He and Ba Du hadn't seen each other for over a decade, so their reunion was naturally very warm and they drank heartily.

"Brother Zhao He, tell me the truth."

At Batu's signal, Zhao He dismissed the others, and Batu asked, "Now that Güyük is dead, the Mongols are about to elect a new Great Khan. What is Uncle Zhao Shuo thinking? Whom does he support to succeed to the throne?"

Zhao He did not answer directly, but instead asked, "So, Batu, are you interested in the Khanate?"

"Not interested in."

Batu replied without hesitation, “You’ve seen my body; I walk with a limp now. How many more years can I live? Why waste the rest of my life trying to enjoy myself instead of working so hard as the Great Khan of the Mongols?”

"Besides, as the Great Khan, I have to treat everyone equally, right? The Tolui line and the Ögedei line are sworn enemies. With my abilities, I can't possibly settle things with them."

Zhao He asked, "So, who are you planning to support? Ögedei's faction or Tolui's faction?"

I don't support either of these two factions.

Batu poured a cup of wine for Zhao He, then poured one for himself, and said slowly, "Strictly speaking, my Jochi lineage has a feud with the Chagatai and Ögedei lineages."

“But didn’t Guyuk just give me Brandenburg and Lusatia for nothing? After all, it was Ögedei and Chagatai who plotted against my father, not Guyuk. I really don’t want his descendants to suffer the same fate. And most importantly, Uncle Zhao Shuo and Brother Zhao He, you…”

After a pause, Batu looked intently at Zhao He and said, "So? Does your faction have any interest in the Khanate? I will certainly give my full support!"

Zhao He shook his head slightly and said, "My father is Genghis Khan's son-in-law, and I am Genghis Khan's grandson. I am too far away from Genghis Khan, and most Mongols will not support me. Even with your support, we can only resort to war. Genghis Khan has been very kind to my father, and there is also the Empress Dowager's influence. My father really does not want to do this."

"makes sense."

Batu sighed and nodded with regret, saying, "Then, Uncle Zhao Shuo, who exactly does he want to support to ascend to the throne? Tolui's faction, or Ögedei's faction?"

Zhao He said, “Of the five Mongol lineages, my father’s lineage is the strongest. Now that Chagatai is dead, my father is the only remaining Khan of the older generation, and he has the highest prestige in Mongolia. If he makes a statement, wouldn’t the throne be secured? Inevitably, some people will say that my father manipulated the Kurultai. Why should my father get involved in this mess?”

“He had already decided to remain neutral and let the two factions fight it out! Whoever gains the support of the majority of the Mongol noyans will inherit the throne of the Mongol Great Khan. My father has no objection.”

Batu's heart skipped a beat, and he said, "What if the two sides are evenly matched and it is difficult to elect a new Khan? What if they even start fighting and slaughter each other on the grasslands? I'm afraid that's not what Uncle Zhao Shuo wants to see either."

Zhao He said, "If they really go too far, Father will naturally take action to stabilize the situation on the grasslands. Guyuk's last words were right: Genghis Khan's founding of the Mongol Empire was not easy, and this great Mongol Empire cannot just fall apart like this."

“Okay, I understand.” Batu nodded thoughtfully.

……

……

Meanwhile, in Helin City, inside the Wan'an Palace.

"Fool! Guyuk is a complete fool! What is Khoduan? Why should he inherit the Khanate? He has sons! He has brothers! What's the point of letting Khoduan inherit? I think he was delirious from his illness! Or maybe someone forged the will!"

A Mongolian woman in her forties, wearing a crown made of birch bark and colorful satin, adorned with several strings of large pearls, and topped with a peacock feather symbolizing power, let out a series of resentful roars.

With her fierce roar, the beads on her crown shook violently, clattering and making a chaotic, agitated sound. The gold-threaded floral patterns on her crimson Nash robe seemed to writhe subtly with her anger, like a venomous snake that had been stepped on.

She was Queen Hai Mi, the wife of Gyu-hyuk.

According to the Mongol system, theoretically, Empress Haimish is now the first person in the Great Mongol Empire, holding military and political power in Mongolia until a new Great Khan is elected by the Kurultai.

The main force of the Mongol army is still far to the west, but Haimishi has already learned of Guyuk's last words through the urgent courier service, and he is furious. The reason is simple: in Guyuk's view, the most crucial thing now is to ensure the ascension of Ögedei's lineage.

Guyuk's sons were too young and had no military achievements, so their chances of becoming the emperor were practically nonexistent.

Köden and Köchü were roughly equal in ability, but Köchü was younger and less accomplished in military affairs than Köden. Therefore, Köden was the most likely candidate to succeed to the throne. In short, the choice of successor was determined entirely from the perspective of what was most advantageous for him to inherit the throne of the Mongol Great Khan.

But the Lost Ones of the Sea didn't think that way.

If Güyük were to allow her son, Huchü or Naohü, to inherit the Khanate, then she, Haimishi, would be the Great Khan's biological mother, holding a high position and great power.

Unfortunately, Guyuk clearly stated in his will that none of his three sons were allowed to inherit the Khanate, thus completely jeopardizing Khamis's position as Empress Dowager!

If all else fails, it would be good to let Khochu inherit Guyuk's Khanate!

On the surface, Güyük, Köden, and Köchü were all born to Ögedei and Empress Naimajin. However, in reality, only Güyük is definitively considered to be Empress Naimajin's biological son.

Who Kuochu was born to is impossible to verify. He may have been born to Empress Naima Zhen, or he may not have been. No one knows now.

Köden, however, was actually born to Ögedei and his third wife, Kilighutani, a fact that was almost an open secret in Ögedei's court.

Since Noma's death, this secret has become even more widely known.

Therefore, Guiyou and Kuoduan are half-siblings, so how could Kuoduan be close to Guiyou?
Most importantly, Kuochu's wife, Hetaheshi, was on good terms with Queen Haimishi, while Kuoduan's wife did not have a good relationship with Haimishi.

If Kuo Chu could still share some power with Hai Mishi after taking the throne, then if Kuo Duan took the throne, everything would be over for her!

It must be said that this Queen Hai Mi Shi, like her mother-in-law Queen Nai Ma Zhen, was an expert in internal power struggles but an incompetent one in external ones; they were a pair of complete fools.

The position of Great Khan of the Mongols is far from being firmly in the hands of Ögedei's faction.

The focus of this Queen of the Sea was not on ensuring that someone from Ögedei's faction would take power, but rather on securing her own position.

Historical records describe her behavior as even worse.

After Güyük's death, Haimish ruled as regent for over three years according to custom. He was a devout follower of witchcraft, spending his days with shamans, leading to political chaos. He and his sons, Hucha and Naohu, opposed supporting Möngke as Khan. After Möngke ascended the throne, he had Haimish executed by drowning on the pretext that Haimish had colluded with other princes to defy orders.

In any case, in Queen Hai Mishi's view, letting Kuo Duan ascend to the throne was worse than killing her!
"Speak up! Both of you, speak up!"

Queen Hai Mi, with nowhere to vent her anger, looked at the man and woman kneeling in front of her.

Don't get me wrong, these two people are not a couple.

One of them, named Hutu, was an elderly shaman who claimed to be able to communicate directly with the Eternal Heaven and had gained the favor of Queen Haimishi.
One was named "Naren"—meaning "slender moon." She was a witch who was said to be able to see fragments of the future under the moonlight, and she also gained the favor of the Queen of the Sea.

Queen Haimishi roared, "Didn't you all keep saying that I would be the most powerful woman in the Great Mongol Empire, and that I would be embraced by the Eternal Heaven? Why are you all silent now? Once Köden ascends the throne, what right do I have to be the most powerful woman in the Great Mongol Empire? Were all your predictions just bullshit!"

"Great Queen!"

Hutu knelt on the ground and said calmly, "Before you returned to the Heavenly Kingdom, you were the most powerful woman in the Great Mongol Kingdom. This is indeed the will of the Eternal Heaven."

Naren, the witch, also tried her best to remain calm and echoed the old shaman Hutu's words, saying, "I also saw your future in the shadow of the moon: you will still hold great power over the Great Mongol Empire, like an eagle overlooking the earth."

Hai Mishi sneered and questioned, "Then what's going on now? Guyuk's dying wish was for Godan to succeed him! Unless... unless Godan returns to the embrace of the Eternal Heaven, Guyuk's dying wish can be overturned and someone else can be chosen to inherit the Khanate. Even then, my son still cannot inherit the Khanate, after all, that foolish Guyuk has already made his word."

Although Hu Tu appeared very calm before, it was merely out of the instinct of a charlatan.

What he just said was all nonsense, just trying to buy time and come up with something to fool Hai Mishi.

Now, Hai Mishi's words suddenly stirred something within him. He said, "It is now impossible for your sons, Hucha and Naohu, to inherit the Khanate. However, even if Kuoch ascends to the throne, it does not necessarily mean he will disrespect you, nor does it mean he will not place you above his empress! After all, without Guyuk Khan's dying wish, how could he have ascended to the throne?"

The witch Naren understood what Hutu meant at this moment, and said meaningfully, "If you have also done a great favor for Kuochu, that would be even better."

"Great favor? What great favor could I possibly have done for Kuochu?"

Queen Hai Mishi pondered for a moment and said, "Could it be... that you mean not that the Eternal Heaven will summon Godan, but that I should attack Godan? This... this is probably not appropriate, is it?"

Hu Tu smiled sinisterly and said, "There's nothing wrong with it. If you ask me, King Kuo Duan must die."

"why?"

"Your Majesty, consider this: Tolui's faction is powerful. Even if we unite with Chagatai, we might not be a match for Tolui's faction. And even if Köden were alive, would he necessarily be able to seize the Khanate?"

The sorceress Naren, an expert in intrigue, said, "However, if King Köden dies under mysterious circumstances, the blame can be pinned on Tolui's lineage. In that case, who do you think the Mongol noyans, Zhao Shuo Khan, and Batu Khan would support to ascend to the throne of the Mongol Great Khan?"

"With your support, wouldn't the position of Great Khan of the Mongols fall into the hands of Khochu? And how could Khochu not be grateful for your kindness? It's truly a win-win situation!"

Khutu nodded repeatedly, saying, "In this way, the Ögedei lineage has gained the position of Great Khan by sacrificing one Köden. I presume that even if King Köden knew, he would understand you in the heavenly kingdom of the Eternal Heaven. And the spirit of Güyük Khan in heaven would not blame you."

"It makes sense!"

Queen Haimishi's eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly, saying, "I eliminated Köden not only for myself, but also for the greater good of Ögedei's faction. I have a clear conscience. Good, good, good, you've really given me a great idea! Let's do it this way!"

The more she spoke, the more righteous she felt, and her voice became even more assertive. She said, "If it weren't for me, how could Ögedei's line have so easily inherited the Khanate again? Güyük's marriage to me is truly a blessing for Ögedei's line! Haha!"

However, she didn't consider that whether it was Khoduan, Khochu, Möngke, Kublai Khan, Zhao Shuo, or Batu, they were all outstanding figures of their time. How could they be manipulated by her?
Because of her reckless interference, the Great Mongol Empire began to slowly slide towards the edge of the abyss!
(End of this chapter)