Chapter 404: Support

Liu Chengzong's heart brimmed with compassion, troubled by how many places the Han River floods would submerge, how many fertile fields they would drown, how many common folk they would kill.

Inside the great tent of the Dzungar camp, Baatur Khong Tayiji was utterly dumbfounded.

Listening to Dai Daozi rattle off demands like a string of firecrackers, the Khong Tayiji ran through them once more in his mind after he finished, then without another word fetched two cups, filled them for Dai Daozi, and raised his own with fervent emotion: "Anda, hear me out."

Dai Daozi was extremely cautious about this cup of fermented mare's milk wine.

He wondered, could this wine be poisoned? Why's he calling me brother all of a sudden?

Immediately after, he saw the Khong Tayiji state without the slightest stumble of the tongue: "The Marshal's headquarters shall take charge: station troops in the Tianshan Mountains, establish prefectures and set up counties, confer offices and bestow titles, issue salaries, open markets for trade, and guard the outer defenses."

Dai Daozi ran it through in his mind — it seemed to be that way. He nodded.

Having received a definite answer, Baatur Khong Tayiji patted his chest again, his expression even more earnest: "Our side shall be responsible for declaring vassalage and paying tribute, drawing up maps and registers, dividing up farmland, buying guns and cannons, building cities, and learning to read and write?"

Dai Daozi blinked. That didn't seem to be a problem either, but he still cautiously raised a hand and said: "To be precise, you don't need to worry about building cities. Just don't obstruct the Marshal's headquarters officials when they recruit civilian laborers."

"Furthermore." Dai Daozi glanced cautiously at the Khong Tayiji: "You must also leave behind three thousand six hundred soldiers. Should any matter arise for the Marshal's headquarters, the Oirat must send troops."

Baatur Khong Tayiji, as if deathly afraid Dai Daozi might change his mind, answered with absolute finality the very moment his words fell: "All of it is acceptable!"

What the hell is this, a hundred-billion subsidy?

His mind worked very fast. Even as Dai Daozi spoke, he had already analyzed Liu Chengzong's demands one by one.

Station troops in the Tianshan Mountains, guard the outer defenses.

How many thousand soldiers could the Marshal's headquarters station in the Tianshan? If something really happened, in that vast ocean of Mongols north and south of the Tianshan, what would a few thousand soldiers even count for? This garrison was definitely not meant to deal with them, but rather to provide them with several thousand mercenaries.

Confer offices and bestow titles, issue salaries.

Collecting money every year — regardless of the amount — if kowtowing could bring in money, Baatur felt he could kowtow until the Marshal's headquarters was left utterly penniless.

Open markets for trade, buy guns and cannons.

This went without saying — a tremendous blessing. He had long suffered from having no fixed source of firearms. On this point alone, whoever Liu Chengzong told him to raid, he would go raid.

Establish prefectures and set up counties, build cities.

This was no great boon, but neither was it anything bad. He had wanted to do it all along, only he was constrained by the balance with the Khoshut tribe, worried that doing anything might invite internal strife. Now that Liu Chengzong had kept the Guoshi Khan detained in Xining, the biggest stumbling block had been removed.

As for declaring vassalage and paying tribute, drawing up maps and registers — well, he had lost the war, so this sort of thing was acceptable.

The last items: dividing up farmland, learning to read and write.

Baatur had had his fill of the Oirat being completely illiterate. What did it matter if they learned Chinese? Think back to when their ancestors rose from a small tribe, wearing Western Xia monkey-scale armor, wielding Song-dynasty long pikes, flying Jin-dynasty gyrfalcons, pushing Western Region counterweight trebuchets, and galloping across the realm — what they relied on was a love of learning.

What was good, what was bad — Baatur Khong Tayiji distinguished them very clearly.

He could not see a single point in Liu Chengzong's demands that restricted them in the slightest. Think back to the days of the Great Yuan, when the Mongol court sold its own head to aid Tibet — even they hadn't treated the monks of Ü-Tsang this well!

If that Great Marshal didn't have a tumor sitting on his neck, then in a past life he must have been an Oirat or Tatar!

Baatur clinked cups with the utterly bewildered Dai Daozi, so excited he couldn't help baring his teeth. He hadn't been this happy in many years. He pressed his fist to his lips, sniffling repeatedly.

Examining himself thrice daily, he asked Dai Daozi: "Anda, does the Great Marshal have any enemies?"

"Ene… enemies?"

To be honest, Dai Daozi still hadn't figured out what was going on. The Dzungar Khong Tayiji before him had suddenly gotten worked up.

It was very puzzling. Wasn't the intention to control you people blatantly obvious?

Why did this strange Khong Tayiji look as if he had just stumbled upon a tremendous stroke of luck?

Dai Daozi was very uneasy and asked: "Why are you asking this?"

"I was just thinking maybe I ought to kill a few enemies for the Great Marshal, or something." Baatur Khong Tayiji wiped his face: "Otherwise, with so many benefits, holding onto them feels far too unsettling."

Benefits?

Dai Daozi's eyes widened in astonishment. Could these matters… really be viewed that way?

In reality, for Baatur Khong Tayiji, this was indeed a situation with only benefits and no drawbacks. He could not even fathom what Liu Chengzong's purpose in doing this could possibly be.

After turning it over and over in his mind, aside from Liu Chengzong wanting to help them, there was no other possibility.

Dai Daozi said: "Mutual market trade benefits us as well. The copper and iron ingots, furs, and cultivated cotton that the Oirat produce can all be sold by merchant caravans to Küriye Bay."

"Küriye Bay has provided goods for the Mongols of Qinghai in the past. It's a pity the Tümed were scattered by Choktu who came from the Khalkha, and Choktu in turn died at the hands of the Marshal's headquarters. The Marshal often tells us that the Han, Mongol, and Tibetan peoples are all one body and should not be treated differently."

"He says the wars between us did not arise because we have conflicts, but because of natural disasters. The Han people's grain was not enough to eat, and the Mongols' grain was not enough to eat either — that is why there was war. He wants us to overcome these hard times together, so that more people may live."

Dai Daozi looked at Baatur Khong Tayiji and said: "If you swear never to rebel for all eternity, then you need not worry about the Marshal's headquarters moving against you. The Marshal's opponent is the heavens, not you."

Baatur Khong Tayiji did not care who Liu Chengzong's opponent was. As long as it was not himself, it could be whoever it wanted to be — it made no difference to him.

He had already worked out a route: buy guns and cannons from the Marshal's headquarters, pull in the Yarkent to deal with the Kazakhs. If the Yarkent refused to go, then beat up the Yarkent first, then beat up the Kazakhs.

After beating up those two, head north and beat up the Russians, and attack Tyumen.

Those Cossacks on their little boats? One cannon shot and I'll blast you to the bottom! Grandpa Dzungar will never again suffer the indignity of those damn little wooden forts!

After the fight, we'll just run back home. Why is the Tianshan called the Celestial Mountains? Because the celestial troops are stationed there, you bumpkins!

Seven thousand celestial troops routed twenty-four thousand Khoshut. We won't station too many in our Tianshan — just station seven thousand celestial troops there too. Who could possibly fight their way in?

What do you call this?

The Oirat are invincible under heaven!

At the height of his elation, with a loud slap, Baatur Khong Tayiji suddenly smacked his hand on the table: "Let's go!"

Having only watched the Khong Tayiji grinning foolishly, Dai Daozi was startled by this abrupt, contextless word: "Go where?"

"To kowtow to the Marshal!"

Dai Daozi thought to himself, then we had better go quickly — get out of this camp at once, lest you come to your senses and change your mind.

The two men left the tent together. Baatur Khong Tayiji called out to his companions, summoning over a dozen nobles of the Dzungar tribe, and led them all out of the formation with a swaggering, high-spirited air. They passed through the besieging camp and followed Dai Daozi straight toward Liu Chengzong's main camp.

The manner of it looked as if he were the one who had won.

Ten paces from the Marshal's headquarters' battle lines, Baatur Khong Tayiji raised a hand and patted Dai Daozi: "Anda, go quickly and announce me. I will wait here for the Great Marshal."

He began removing his armor as he spoke.

The Dzungar princes and nobles behind him had no idea what was going on. They simply felt that their Khong Tayiji had fought a losing battle and it seemed to have broken his brain.

People looked toward the rows of dark, gaping gun muzzles along the Han army's line, whispering among themselves. Then they saw Khung Taiji turn his head and rebuke them: "No talking. Remove your armor, quickly."

These men had no idea — the great opportunity for Oirat and Dzungar expansion had arrived.

How could this be a defeat? This was a great victory. For five hundred years to come, people would remember this day — the day the Dzungar tribe met its turning of fate!

Inside the command tent, Liu Chengzong was receiving Sacu Taiji.

Sacu Taiji had come on behalf of his elder brother, Khundulen. His eldest brother still wore the look of that down-and-out Khan, but circumstances were stronger than men. The Marshal's great army had the Dzungar tribe surrounded so tightly not even water could seep through — and was this not, in turn, a siege upon the hearts of the Chahar tribe?

Liu Chengzong felt that Khundulen simply could not bring himself to put on the airs of a Northern Dynasty Khan issuing imperious orders to a petty Southern Dynasty prince, and so had sent Sacu Taiji instead.

Sacu Taiji had come to Liu Chengzong mainly for two matters.

One was to demand a piece of territory for the Chahar tribe. Khundulen felt that Eight Corner City was quite good and gave him a strong sense of security.

The second matter was to ask Liu Chengzong for his wives.

All eight ordos of the Chahar Khan were in Liu Chengzong's hands, and the wives and children of every single Chahar survivor were likewise all in Liu Chengzong's hands.

But Liu Chengzong was not very inclined to give them back.

He would not give Eight Corner City. He had already assigned the Chahar tribe their location long before the battle, and that decision would not change.

And as for the Chahar dependents, to be honest... it was not that he would not give them back, but that he was not very inclined to. This had been a rather long war. It had already been over two months since they had taken in the Chahar women.

Give it another two months, and quite a few of them would be remarrying.

At this critical juncture, to have him return these people — his heart could not bear to part with them.

Yet facing Sacu Taiji, an honest man, Liu Chengzong did not know how to refuse him. He could only ask: "How is your brother? He did not even come in person. A matter as great as besieging a mortal enemy — I saw he did not even take the field. Is he still holed up inside Eight Corner City?"

Sacu Taiji nodded slowly, looking as though he wanted to speak but held back.

But before Liu Chengzong could press further, at that very moment, Dai Daozi reported from outside the tent: "Great Marshal, the Dzungar Taiji has come to surrender. He is already waiting before the formation."

Liu Chengzong raised his brows, cast Khundulen to the back of his mind, and said to Sacu Taiji: "Come, let us go see the Dzungar Taiji."

From a distance, they could see soldiers standing in two columns outside the gate. Not far down the passage between them, a dozen or so Mongol nobles with shaved bald pates and only a small queue at the back of their heads stood waiting in two rows.

Before Liu Chengzong could step forward, Dai Daozi ran ahead a few quick paces and announced in a loud voice in the Mongol tongue: "The Grand Marshal arrives!"

At the very front of the crowd, Baatur Khung Taiji glanced left and right, gave the others a look, then without the slightest hesitation prostrated himself on the ground. Striking his head to the earth, he declared in the Mongol tongue: "Eldest son of Khara Khula of the Dzungar tribe, Choros Khoto Kochin, kowtows to the Qinghai Grand Marshal!"

Following him, the entire host of nobles prostrated themselves one by one. For a moment, the proclaimed names and titles layered one upon another so thickly that even Dai Daozi did not know how to translate them all. He could only say to Liu Chengzong: "Great Marshal, the one at the very front is Baatur Khung Taiji of the Dzungar tribe."

Liu Chengzong was extremely satisfied with the surrender attitude of the Dzungar chieftains. He stepped forward to help Khung Taiji to his feet and said to Dai Daozi: "Tell them all to rise."

Baatur Khung Taiji stood up. He first studied Liu Chengzong, then swept his gaze around at the Han army commanders to either side. Spotting a few Mongol faces among them, he asked Dai Daozi: "These Mongols beside the Grand Marshal?"

Dai Daozi, at this moment, did not steal the Marshal's thunder. He merely translated the question for Liu Chengzong, and Liu Chengzong, smiling, introduced them: "This is Ahai Dayching and Dayching, formerly of the Khalkha tribe. That is Xie Erhu of the Yongshiebu tribe. And this is Sacu Taiji of the Chahar tribe."

At the mention of the others, Baatur Khung Taiji showed no reaction whatsoever. It was only when he heard that Sacu Taiji was of the Chahar tribe that his gaze could not help but sharpen with ferocity.

Liu Chengzong, however, did not notice. He asked him: "Khung Taiji, my terms — General Dai has already relayed them all to you. I am quite sincere. What do you think?"

"Grand Marshal, I am extremely grateful for the Marshal's help. However, I feel that some of the details within can still be refined a little further."

When Baatur Khung Taiji spoke up at this moment, it truly left Dai Daozi dumbfounded. He had thought everything had been fully settled inside the tent. How was it that the Dzungar Taiji was changing his tune now?

But at this point, there was nothing he could do. He could only relay Baatur Khung Taiji's words verbatim to Liu Chengzong.

Liu Chengzong, as it turned out, was not angered. He merely asked: "Where do you feel it is unsuitable?"

"It is all very suitable. I am very grateful, and so I have an idea." Baatur Khung Taiji once again cast his gaze toward Sacu Taiji and said to Liu Chengzong: "I will first send men to finish off Ligdan Khan. The skin vessel is no issue. Let the State Preceptor dispatch Dorji to seek out all the living Buddhas and great monks across the grasslands and Ü-Tsang, and have them declare the Qinghai Grand Marshal to be the reincarnation of Genghis Khan."

"Whoever disagrees, we will send them to parinirvana. And finally, the million-strong multitude of the Oirat will acclaim the Qinghai Grand Marshal as Khan of all Mongolia!"

When Dai Daozi heard these words, his head buzzed. Sacu Taiji's expression, in an instant, turned utterly dreadful.

Liu Chengzong, his face full of puzzlement, asked Dai Daozi: "What did he say?"

Dai Daozi relayed the words verbatim to Liu Chengzong, and even Liu Chengzong's eyes went wide.

He laughed. "These words of the Dzungar Taiji — are they sincere and from the heart?"

Baatur Khung Taiji beat his chest and declared: "Sincere and from the heart! The Grand Marshal is willing to help us, far more worthy than that Chahar Khan of all Mongolia who holds nothing but an empty title!"

"I will keep this gratitude of yours in my heart." Liu Chengzong smiled. "However, I, Liu Chengzong, do not believe in gods or spirits, nor in any talk of reincarnation, and still less in the bloodlines of emperors and khans. I believe only that Heaven hears as my people hear, and Heaven sees as my people see."

"From the day I raised my troops until now, there has been no will of Heaven, no miraculous sign, no noble bloodline. Everything has been won through the united will and bloody, desperate struggle of us all."

Having said this, Liu Chengzong laughed heartily and clapped Baatur Khung Taiji on the shoulder. "Do not bring this matter up again. The same goes if you wish to become the leader of the Oirat — so long as you can bring the Oirat people a life of warmth and plenty, the people will support you."

"I have no further demands of you. Let us never again make war upon each other, but bind our houses in eternal friendship. Guard the northwestern fence-line for all under Heaven. Any who trespass from the northwest — leave not a single one alive, kill them all. Then I will support you."

Liu Chengzong turned his head. As he heard the crowd break into loud laughter, he saw that Sacu Taiji's expression was terrible.

He could not help but pull Sacu Taiji aside and ask: "What is wrong with you? Do not take his words to heart."

Sacu Taiji shook his head. He pondered for a long while before turning to look at Liu Chengzong. In his eyes, there was little sorrow — more a sense of bewilderment and loss. He opened his mouth and said: "Great Marshal... my brother has contracted smallpox."

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Good evening!