Chapter 222: Swallowing Up the Ujiyed

Zhuoxi of the Ujiyed tribe? What sort of thing is that, to be compared with the august Emperor of the Great Ming?

Hearing Hadatuoya's somewhat girlish words, Urmai was truly furious. As things stood, the Ujiyed and the Ongniud tribes were much the same—both were dogs content to submit at Jianzhou's feet. He would never have let his woman marry that Zhuoxi in the first place.

Marrying his daughter to the Great Ming Emperor was no loss. From every angle, the Great Ming Emperor was a hundred thousand li better than that Zhuoxi.

In truth, Urmai had his own considerations. His woman's temperament was the least reassuring thing about her; once she became an imperial consort of the Great Ming, at least she ought to learn some Han propriety and womanly virtue. On the other hand, he himself, as the Emperor's father-in-law, and his clansmen, ought at least to be able to remain within the Pass permanently.

To be honest, beyond the Pass was bitter and cold; no one wanted to come back.

Judging by the current situation, the Great Ming Emperor did not seem to be as feeble as the legends claimed. It was said that last year he had even donned dragon-scale iron armor and led the campaign in person. From last year onward, the Great Ming had also shown signs of thriving day by day.

In truth, Urmai did not understand it—Han dynasties were always so miraculous, always staging a revival at the drop of a hat. And once they truly rose, the surrounding tribes had no second path but submission.

The Central Plains held the lifeline of the grasslands. If they refused to trade with you and cut off your sources of supplies, nine tribes out of ten would collapse. What else could one do but submit?

This current Son of Heaven of the Great Ming sat astride ten thousand li of rivers and mountains, with civil officials and military generals as numerous as clouds beneath his command. He was said to be young and accomplished, keen and enterprising—the veritable number one man of this age.

For his own daughter to marry such a man, at least the latter half of her life ought to be a thousand times better than her father's.

"Since that's the case, then everyone is happy. Come now, bring it up and let the Imperial Father-in-Law have a look!" Feng Quan chuckled, waving his hand in signal. Several Embroidered Uniform Guard officers hurried out and carried in several large wooden chests.

When the wooden chests were opened, the chieftains of the various Uriankhai tribes were stunned. Inside were packed full of all manner of Central Plains jewelry—a dazzling array, everything one could want.

Urmai's expression was shocked; even Hadatuoya, whose face had shown displeasure, stared at the wooden chests without moving her gaze.

Urmai crouched down, took out the most precious jeweled necklace from the chest, and measured it against Hadatuoya's neck. After putting it back, he sighed in admiration. As they said, he was the Emperor after all—the betrothal gifts alone could buy up all the cattle and sheep of their entire tribe in one go.

The other Mongols, in their daily dealings to exchange for the Central Plains' exquisite jewelry, famous tea, and calligraphy and paintings, all had to trade their most precious cattle and sheep. The various tribal chieftains had also married off daughters; the better dowries were merely cattle and sheep, and the lesser ones were just some local goods of their own tribes.

In the eyes of the other Uriankhai chieftains, Hadatuoya was truly a young eagle spreading its wings and soaring to the heavens—marrying once was worth more than their own daughters marrying ten times!

In short, Urmai and Feng Quan each had their own designs—one wanted to marry his daughter to the strongest, the other wanted to win over the tribes beyond the Pass. The two were like dry firewood meeting fierce flame; with not half a sentence of idle talk between them, they struck an instant accord.

Originally Urmai had worried about continued oppression and retaliation from the Jianzhou barbarians. Now that his daughter's marriage to the Son of Heaven was settled, he had backing behind him. Immediately he shifted his identity and asked:

"May I ask when my tribe will move within the Pass? Will my daughter enter the Pass with the tribe, or go directly with Lord Feng to serve the Emperor in the palace?"

Urmai's question came out somewhat hasty. Before Feng Quan could say anything, the other tribal chieftains also shouted in succession:

"Exactly! Move in quickly! In a few more days, those Jianzhou barbarians will come again to conscript men and levy troops and collect annual tribute. Our tribe pays tribute every year, and men are often taken on campaigns—we truly treated him as the Emperor of the world!"

"The Jianzhou barbarians truly push people too far. This time, once we enter the Pass, I will certainly lead my tribe's able-bodied men, following the Great Ming army to trample Jianzhou flat, to avenge this blood-deep hatred!"

Hearing the chieftains' words around him, Feng Quan knew in his heart that each of them was anxious to enter the Pass and settle down. Since these barbarian tribes were so eager, then he himself need not be. With a slight smile, he said slowly:

"Now you are the Imperial Father-in-Law of the Great Ming, your status nobler even than the false emperor of the Jianzhou barbarians. The imperial edict has already been issued—what is there to be anxious about?"

"Of the three great Uriankhai tribes, apart from your own, this official has also heard that among the Ujiyed there are not a few who oppose the Jianzhou barbarians. It's just that Zhuoxi's father, Haisainandaxi, is close to Jianzhou. Now that you are leaving, why not send the Jianzhou barbarians a great gift?"

"Lord Feng means—?" Urmai's eyes lit up, and he leaned in.

Several days later, a sallow-faced grassland youth ran happily into the dwelling, followed by a burly man—none other than the Ujiyed tribe's young master Zhuoxi and chieftain Haisainandaxi.

"Urmai, if you want to marry off your daughter, there's no need to be so hasty!" Haisainandaxi clearly had not noticed the changes in his surroundings. Looking at Urmai seated at the highest position, he said with a laugh: "Calling me here—what exactly has happened?"

"Tuoya? Where is Tuoya?" Zhuoxi was extremely excited, looking left and right without cease after entering the door.

"Stop looking!" Urmai sneered and said: "Tuoya will not marry you. The Tuoya of today is already a noble consort of the Great Ming court to the south. You are not worthy of her!"

"What did you say—a noble consort of the Great Ming!?" Hearing this, the excitement on Zhuoxi's face turned in an instant to hatred. Gnashing his teeth, he roared: "You're lying to me! Tuoya always said the Han were feeble, that only a warrior like me could be worthy of her. How could she marry a Han?"

"The Emperor of the Great Ming is the most feeble of all the Han—how could Tuoya be willing? You must have forced her! I want to see Tuoya!"

Zhuoxi's feeling now was like certain office workers of later generations who came home early from work to see their wives, only to discover their wives lying entwined with another man in bed.

Hearing this, Haisainandaxi had not expected such a thing to happen either. His voice sank: "Urmai, you actually married your daughter to a feeble southerner?"

"Do you know how the Ming treated our requests in past years? Did they ever give any response?"

"Response? This time it was the Great Ming that came of its own accord to seek a marriage alliance with me, Urmai. What, you haven't received any news? Hah! It seems you're not qualified enough!" Urmai suddenly rose, leaped down two steps, and struck at the two before him with an eagle-claw technique.

As the chieftain of the Ujiyed tribe, Haisainandaxi was naturally no weakling in fist and foot techniques. Unhurriedly he sidestepped, clenched his hand into a fist, and drove it straight back.

Seeing this, Urmai withdrew his claw and, refusing to be outdone, swung a punch over.

Clearly, Haisainandaxi was no match for Urmai in a head-on clash. After only a few exchanges he was beaten black and blue. Feinting a move, he turned to flee.

Urmai had publicly defeated Haisainandaxi in a few punches and kicks. Standing there, he did not rush to give chase, only sneering without cease.

"Where do you think you're running?"

Suddenly, a row of the feeble southerners Haisainandaxi had spoken of appeared at the doorway. Feng Quan stood behind the Embroidered Uniform Guard officers with a lewd smile, waving and shouting: "Come now, cut his head off for this official. When I return to court, I'll present it to the Son of Heaven for his amusement!"

The Embroidered Uniform Guard officers were numerous and powerful, each one a hand-picked elite. In no time they subdued Haisainandaxi. Especially the Squad Leader at their head—though he could not match Haisainandaxi, a genuine sturdy Mongol, in a head-on fight, he was slippery as a loach, every so often popping out from behind to stab a knife in.

Once the other Embroidered Uniform Guard officers had Haisainandaxi pinned down, the Squad Leader stepped forward a few paces and sneered: "In your next life, don't oppose the Great Ming again. With what you've got, you'd best lie prostrate beneath our Great Ming Emperor's feet!"

With that said, the Squad Leader's blade rose and fell, and a large head rolled to the ground.

The Squad Leader's motion of drawing the blade, cutting off the head, and sheathing it again was done in one smooth flow. Such practiced decapitation made even Urmai gasp in admiration—it seemed these Embroidered Uniform Guard officers were truly not to be trifled with.