Chapter 88: The Strategy of Winning Hearts

In 1196, the Jin Chancellor Wanyan Xiang led troops to attack the Tatar tribe. Hearing this news, Temujin was overjoyed and immediately allied with his adoptive father Wang Han to attack the Tatars; the Tatar people, already shattered by the Jin army, were naturally no match for Temujin and his allies.

Temujin broke through the Tatar fortresses at the Onon River, captured their leader, and "seized all their carts, horses, and provisions."

Jin Chancellor Wanyan Xiang, very pleased, specially invited Temujin and Wang Han to the main army to receive rewards. Temujin and Wang Han went without hesitation, but upon arriving at the banquet, they discovered there was yet another person dressed in Tatar attire at the table.

Wanyan Xiang saw their confusion and warmly introduced: "Come, come, let me introduce you to this person. He is the leader of the Buluhui Tatar tribe. Thanks to his timely repentance and revealing the Tatar army's route to us, we Jin forces, though victorious, would have suffered considerable losses otherwise."

After hearing Wanyan Xiang's introduction, Wang Han and Temujin felt a surge of contempt in their hearts. To curry favor with the Jin people by betraying his own kin—this man was truly shameless.

Yet, though contemptuous inwardly, outward courtesy was still required. Wang Han politely addressed Nie Huaishang: "Young brother, to become a tribal leader at such a young age is truly a sign of great promise."

Temujin, also very enthusiastic, could not help but sigh: "If the Tatar tribal leaders were as pragmatic as you, then today the Tatars would not be facing us in battle."

Nie Huaishang fanned his fan and said apologetically: "Is that so? Coincidentally, the Chancellor will also grant us royal titles here, ordering my tribe to lead all Tatar tribes. In the future, our Tatar tribe and your Mongols will serve the Great Jin together; our two tribes must surely live in peace."

Hearing Nie Huaishang's words, Temujin spoke coldly: "If your tribe is willing to hand over the former leader, Zhen Buhe, then the hatred between Mongols and Tatars will blow away lightly like the wind across the grasslands."

"Moreover, he not only caused the death of my father and grandfather, but is also an enemy of the Great Jin. Do the Tatars intend to shelter an enemy of the Great Jin?"

Nie Huaishang pondered for a moment and said: "But Zhen Buhe did have merit to the Great Jin, did he not? I recall your grandfather Ambaghai, refusing Jin rule, was sent to the Jin by the Tatars. Later, your father Yesugei, also refusing Jin rule, was poisoned by Zhen Buhe, removing a great threat for the Jin."

Hearing Nie Huaishang's words, Wang Han turned pale with fright. How could this leader of the Buluhui tribe speak so without restraint? Previously, Temujin's great-uncle Ambaghai Khan, to ease relations with the Tatars, had led his daughter and the eldest son of Khabul Khan, Qurban Barqan, to the Tatar tribe to arrange a marriage, only to be directly bound by the Tatars and sent to the Jin.

Ambaghai Khan was nailed to a wooden mule by the Jin and executed. Before dying, he stared fiercely at Emperor Xizong of Jin: "I have many sons and nephews; there will surely be a terrible revenge."

To avenge Ambaghai Khan, Temujin's father Yesugei led troops to attack the Tatar tribe, killing the leader Temujin Wuge. However, while passing through a Tatar settlement, he drank their wine and was poisoned to death.

Once Yesugei died, his uncle rebelled and drove Temujin's family away. Moreover, they had to face the pursuit of Yesugei's enemies. Temujin was captured several times; once, even his bride was taken and later gave birth to a son.

According to the Han people's saying, Temujin already had a blood feud with the Han. If it were his son Sangkun being provoked so, he would surely draw his sword and fight to the death.

However, Temujin did not erupt in rage; strictly speaking, he showed no sign of anger at all. He merely said indifferently: "My ancestors and father betrayed the Great Jin, so they received the punishment they deserved. But Jamukha betrayed the Jin, causing the Jin to lose so many soldiers. Is it not right to execute him to honor those fallen soldiers?"

After Temujin finished speaking, he looked at Wanyan Xiang in the main seat. At that moment, Wanyan Xiang was watching Nie Huaishang and Temujin clash with great interest. The deeper their conflict, the more fiercely they fought, the more beneficial it was for the Great Jin.

Wanyan Xiang coughed several times and said: "Huaishang, Temujin speaks with reason. Not executing Zhen Buhe would indeed fail to account to the fallen soldiers."

Nie Huaishang's expression dimmed, and he sighed helplessly: "If handing over these tribal leaders can save the Tatar people, then every tribal leader should have the spirit to sacrifice for this cause."

"Good! That you have such realization means my memorial to the Emperor granting you a royal title to lead the Tatars was not in vain." Wanyan Xiang, delighted, patted Nie Huaishang's shoulder.

Meanwhile, Temujin looked at Nie Huaishang leisurely. He had originally intended to completely sever the Tatars' ties with the Jin, planning to destroy the Tatars with his adoptive father Wang Han once his strength grew. Now, it seemed this calculation was utterly useless.

However, thinking that this Buluhui tribe was merely one branch of the Tatar tribes, not very strong in power, and that the Jin would not give him much help, he wondered how he could hand over the leaders of other tribes to the Jin.

That night, the Tatar camp fell into panic. These few days were absolutely the darkest for them. First, the usually close Jin inexplicably sent a massive army to attack them.

When they fled after being shattered by the Jin, they ran straight into Temujin and Wang Han. Not only was their leader killed, but a large number of livestock were also seized by Temujin.

Now, their Tatar strength was greatly diminished. To the east, they had offended the Jin; to the west, Temujin held a blood feud with them. More critically, Ambaghai's dying words echoed: "Even if you grind your five fingernails bare from drawing bows, and wear down all ten fingers from friction, you must swear to avenge this wrong."

Even if the nails on the five fingers were worn bare from drawing bows, and all ten fingers were worn down from friction, one must still swear to avenge this wrong.

What made countless people panic even more was the rumor spreading in the tribe of Yesugei's dying words to Temujin: "Kill all Tatars taller than a cart wheel." This rumor spread wider and wider among the Tatars.

The people in the tribe began to feel uneasy, and no one knew how to resolve this crisis. Just then, nobles from all Tatar tribes received a letter stating that the leader and shaman of the Buluhui tribe had been granted a royal title to govern the entire Tatar tribe, and the Jin markets would remain open to the Tatars as usual.

As a price, Nie Huaishang needed to hand over the leaders of each tribe to the Jin as an apology. Almost everyone who read the letter burned it immediately, fearing the tribal leaders would discover they had seen it.

However, how could these tribal leaders be unaware of their own tribes' situations? That same day, they summoned all tribal nobles to inquire. Seeing that no one had received the letter, they could only replace the guards of these tribal nobles on one hand, and order soldiers to kill several herdsmen spreading rumors on the other, hanging their heads for public display.

Seeing the heads hanging high on the poles, those under guard thought secretly: "Today, it is those herdsmen hanging on the poles. Next time, will it be our turn? If this continues, we will either be killed by a suspicious leader or slain by Temujin. Rather than that, it is better to stage a coup and hand the leader over to the leader of Buluhui."

On that day, Guo Jing and Nie Huaishang received countless letters of surrender. The two exchanged a smile; it seemed the strategy of winning hearts had taken effect, and it was time to swallow the Tatar tribe whole.