Chapter 1137: The Great Emperor Khutuktu (Please Subscribe)

"We have also heard of these two lamas. They are not only versed in the Buddhist Dharma, but also well learned in Confucian studies, and they even understand something of military affairs. They are rare talents indeed! With them assisting Sengge, the Zunghar Kingdom should be able to grow large."

When Zhu Cilang mentioned the words "grow large," Galdan grew somewhat nervous and hastily said, "No matter how large the Zunghar Kingdom grows, it will still be a vassal of the Celestial Dynasty, and will absolutely never harbor disloyal thoughts."

"We know, We know," Zhu Cilang said with a smile and a nod. "We know Sengge would not dare. Sengge has long been on the western frontier and deeply understands the hardships of the Yellow Sect and the weakness of the Mongol strength. Without the Celestial Dynasty's protection, sooner or later they would be broken by the nations of Arabia or by Russia!"

"What Your Majesty says is most excellent," Galdan said. "My elder brother said the same to me."

Historically, the one harboring disloyal thoughts was not Sengge at all, but the very Galdan standing before the Zhu Emperor!

Unlike Sengge, Galdan was a Khutuktu with divine status! Naturally he was rather more formidable, which was why he dreamed of restoring the Great Mongol State, yet overlooked the powerful enemies in the west.

But the present Sengge, under the impetus of Zhu Cilang, Galdan, the Mingzhu Lama, the Sanbao Lama, and others, had turned the spearhead of expansion toward the Khanate of Bukhara, and moreover wished to establish a Zunghar Kingdom. There would be plenty of headaches ahead — were the Muslim believers of Central Asia so easy to deal with? These Buddhist believers would draw so much hatred there! With the strength of the Zunghar tribe, without the Celestial Dynasty's backing, they could not hold out for more than a few years at all.

If Sengge then thought of campaigning east against the Khalkha Mongols, that would truly be brainless. Historically the Zunghar Khanate was extremely brainless, and in the end it benefited outsiders. Galdan was truly a sinner against the Mongols and the Yellow Sect!

Moreover, once Sengge grew comfortable as a great king, he would become the landlord of the three prefectures of Tashkent, Chu River, and Kokand. Why would he still be willing to roam as a nomad? How hard is the nomadic life?

Zhu Cilang looked at Galdan, paused, and said, "Has the matter of the Zunghar and Khoshut split been settled?"

For the Zunghar to establish a kingdom, they had to split from the Khoshut. By removing the Khoshut from the Oirat alliance, the Choros clan could stand alone, and there would be no problem in proclaiming kingship. If the Khoshut were not removed, then this scrap of the Golden Clan would pose a lasting threat to the Choros clan — that is how the Mongols are, always unable to forget the glory of the Genghis Khan Empire!

"It has already been settled," Galdan said. "The Khoshut will take half of the Ili River valley and the pastures between the Altai Mountains and the Tianshan. Ochirtu Khan's son, Erdeni Khong Tayiji, has also come to Yingtian. Your Majesty may summon him to the hall to inquire."

"Summon Erdeni Khong Tayiji, Redan Tayiji, and the Great Lama of the Snowy Land." Zhu Cilang summoned three people in one breath. Besides the eldest son of Ochirtu Khan, he also summoned Redan Tayiji, the eldest son of Dayan Ochir Khan, the Khoshut khan of Tibet, and the Great Lama of the Snowy Land.

These three were all waiting outside the Hall of Imperial Supremacy for the Zhu Emperor's summons, so they entered at once. The leader was a great lama, around forty years of age, round-faced, high-bridged nose, wearing a mustache, dark-skinned, robed in a kasaya, and wearing a yellow pointed monk's cap on his head. His bearing was solemn and majestic — this must be the supreme Great Lama of the Snowy Land.

Upon seeing Zhu Cilang, the Great Lama did not kneel, but performed a bow with clasped hands, and spoke in Chinese at once: "This humble monk, Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso, respectfully inquires after the Great Emperor's sacred well-being, and wishes the Great Emperor ten thousand years of boundless life!"

"Grant him a seat!" Zhu Cilang smilingly granted the Great Lama a seat.

The two tayijis who had entered together with the Great Lama, Erdeni and Redan, had to kneel and kowtow, performing the full rites between sovereign and subject. After the audience was complete, they too were granted seats. Both tayijis wore Ming official robes. Redan Tayiji was very young, only in his twenties. Erdeni was older, in his forties or fifties.

Unlike the Great Lama, who could speak fluent Chinese, the two of them could not speak Chinese, so Galdan served as interpreter.

"Great Lama, have you met the Retired Emperor?" Zhu Cilang did not first speak of military and state affairs, but instead asked about the Great Lama's meeting with Chongzhen.

"I have already had an audience with the Retired Emperor." The Great Lama had a pair of protruding, watery eyes, and as he spoke he carefully fixed his gaze on Zhu Cilang. Suddenly he nodded again and said, "Just as I thought!"

"What is it?"

The Great Lama rose to his feet and made another respectful bow to Zhu Cilang. "I pay homage to the Great Emperor Khutuktu!"

"We are also a Khutuktu?" Zhu Cilang asked with a smile.

Khutuktu contains two layers of meaning: first, a reincarnate — one who possesses memories of past lives; second, a holy supreme one.

The two meanings together make a reincarnated supreme one!

Therefore Zhu Cilang was indeed a Khutuktu!

"Your Majesty is the reincarnation of the Great Ming's Exalted Emperor Taizu, and is of course a Khutuktu. However..." The Great Lama now narrowed his eyes and carefully scrutinized Zhu Cilang again, as if he had noticed something amiss.

"However what?" Zhu Cilang asked.

"However, Your Majesty is not the second incarnation..." The Great Lama nodded. "Your Majesty should be the Exalted Emperor Taizu's reincarnation after many generations. Exactly how many generations, this humble monk cannot tell."

Zhu Cilang laughed. "Perhaps a dozen or so generations!"

"That seems unlikely, does it not?" The Great Lama shook his head. "Even if one generation is counted as fifty years, ten generations would be five hundred years. A dozen or more would be six or seven hundred years."

"Oh?" Zhu Cilang asked with a smile. "Does the Great Lama think reincarnation can only proceed from the past toward the future, and cannot proceed from the future toward the past?"

"Ah..." The Great Lama was stunned.

The true essence of the Buddhist Dharma is emptiness!

Since all things are empty, then why can time not also be empty?

"The Great Emperor is truly a genuine Khutuktu. This humble monk has been taught!"

Zhu Cilang smiled. "Great Lama, you too are a genuine Khutuktu! We wish to keep you here for a period of time. Is that acceptable?"

"This humble monk was just thinking the same!" The Great Lama naturally would not refuse. After agreeing to Zhu Cilang, he said to the two tayijis in Mongolian: "The Great Emperor is also a Khutuktu!"

The Great Lama was the leader of the Yellow Sect. To these two tayijis, his words represented the Buddha himself, so of course they dared not disobey. The two Mongol tayijis dressed in Ming official robes immediately rose and performed the full prostration of five points touching the ground before Zhu Cilang.

Zhu Cilang smiled. "Since you revere Us so greatly, then what We say you should also obey. Otherwise, the wrath of the Great Emperor Khutuktu is something you cannot bear!"

His words were translated into Mongolian by Galdan, and the two tayijis naturally promised repeatedly — even if the Great Emperor were not a Khutuktu, he was still not someone they could oppose.

Zhu Cilang said, "We enfeoff Ochirtu as the Great Ming's Protector-General of Beiting, and We establish the Beiting Protectorate between the Ili River valley and the Tianshan and Altai Mountains. The seat of the Protectorate shall be in the Ili River valley, and the court shall fund the construction of Yining City for the use of the Beiting Protectorate.

Furthermore, the court shall dispatch troops to garrison Yining, to protect the Beiting Protectorate!"

His words were again translated into Mongolian. Ochirtu's son, Erdeni Khong Tayiji, prostrated himself once more and said, "This petty subject thanks the Great Emperor Khutuktu for his grace!"

Zhu Cilang then continued, "We further enfeoff Dayan Ochir as Military Governor of Ü-Tsang, to govern the land of Ü-Tsang, with his seat at Lhasa.

Furthermore, the court shall also dispatch troops to garrison Lhasa, to protect the peace of the clergy and laity of Ü-Tsang!"

Redan Tayiji had not expected that the Zhu Emperor wished to station troops in Ü-Tsang. For a moment he could not make up his mind, and so he looked toward the Great Lama.

The Great Lama had already risen to his feet and performed a Buddhist salute to Zhu Cilang: "The Great Emperor Khutuktu's dispatch of troops to garrison Tibet is truly a blessing for the clergy and laity of Ü-Tsang. This humble monk is endlessly grateful!"

Since even the Great Lama was endlessly grateful, Redan Tayiji had no choice. He hastily kowtowed and said, "This petty subject also thanks the Great Emperor Khutuktu for his grace!"

Zhu Cilang said with a smile, "All of you, be seated. We still have some words to say to you."

He paused, and once the others had taken their seats, he said, "Now all the Mongols and the Yellow Sect have come under Our governance. Henceforth the Han, the Mongols, and the people of Ü-Tsang shall all be one family. And the Yellow Sect, Han Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism shall also be one family. Yet even within one family, it is not certain that there will be no conflicts at all. Even quarrels and scuffles are within reason.

But We hope you will firmly remember this: the various religions and nations of the west are ultimately outsiders. If they are allowed to prevail, there will be no Mongols, and no Yellow Sect!"

(End of Chapter)