Chapter 150: Like a needle drawing sand, a sharp and powerful hair

In the big tent, the stove was crackling with fire, providing warmth for the people inside.

Dong Fox was crawling on the ground, but he felt extremely cold.

Although he was a leader, the number of soldiers under his command was barely over ten thousand.

The majesty of Tuman Khan was based on the fact that he had more than 100,000 soldiers under his control - Tuman had more than 50,000 direct combat soldiers, with the Alakchut tribe starting at 25,000; the Ujumchin tribe had over 30,000; the Sunite, Aohannaiman, Ulut Manchu, Haozit and Keshiche tribes, etc. All the soldiers controlled by Tuman Khan added up to at least over 160,000!
The difference between the two cannot be explained by reason.

This is still the most conservative estimate made by Dong Huli as an outsider. No one knows how many soldiers this Tuman Khan has under his control.

Facing such a Khan who had been in power for 16 years, had enormous power and killed countless people, Dong Huli always felt like he was walking on an icy river and in the most dangerous abyss.

He lowered his head and answered the Khan's questions in a respectful yet firm tone.

"Great Khan, after my brother Yingke's tragic death, the tribe had a blood feud with the Ming army, and I was forced to accept the position of leader."

"After several attacks on the southerners, it is impossible for the tribe to continue to cooperate with the Ming Dynasty."

"Although there are still different voices in the tribe, that's because the Ming Dynasty is tempting my young, simple, and naive people with its abundant supplies. For the sake of the Ming Dynasty's supplies, too many people have bewitched my nephew Chang Ang and tempted him to rebel against the teachings of his uncle."

"It's just that these are all benefits. If the Khan can provide me with food, livestock, and horses, I can immediately eliminate the temptation of the Ming Dynasty."

"By then, many people who can see the situation clearly will wake up and return to my arms. After losing the instigation of these people, my nephew Chang Ang will also become an obedient relative and work with me to manage the tribe."

"Whether this final step can be accomplished depends solely on the Khan's decision."

After saying that, Dong Huli folded his palms together, placed them on his forehead, and bowed respectfully.

Seems very respectful.

But he had been maneuvering between the left and right wings of Mongolia and the Ming Dynasty for many years, and he did not rely solely on obedience.

Nowadays, the tribe has long been treated like leeks by the left and right wings of Mongolia and has been searched back and forth countless times.

Self-sufficiency was already an old story twenty years ago.

People have to eat.

This is why there was a dispute over routes within the tribe - who to eat?
Dong Huli was very humble and argued for this in his words and deeds.

If he wants to support me in uniting the tribe, then he should solve the problem of food for his tribesmen.

Otherwise, he couldn't do it relying on Tuman Khan, but the Ming Dynasty promised to provide food for Chang ang, so how could there be no one to support Chang ang?

What was even more ridiculous was that Tuman Khan had just questioned him why there were people causing trouble in the tribe.

Dong Huli listened to Tuman Khan and organized three invasions in one year, launching attacks and harassing the enemy.

However, since friendly merchants were disturbed and dared not trade secretly, the winter was naturally difficult.

How could the tribe not riot when their tribe became miserable because they followed the decision to attack the Ming Dynasty?

On the contrary, as long as Tuman Khan could provide supplies to Doyanwei, the problem of food for the tribesmen would be solved.

Then Dong Huli, who controls the army, can naturally control the situation easily.

And this depends on Tuman Khan, not Dong Huli.

After Dong Fox finished speaking, he knelt down on the ground obediently.

He was confident that Tuman Khan would agree - wasn't this the value of Duoyanwei?

But he kept waiting for Tuman Khan's reply, but there was no response for a long time.

There was no extra sound in the big tent, which was very frustrating.

As he hadn't received a reply yet, Dong Huli began to feel uneasy.

At this moment, he suddenly felt his vision darken.

He quietly raised his eyelids and was surprised to see Tuman Khan squatting beside him, looking down at him.

Only the voice of Tuman Khan was heard.

"You have a point. Unless I release your tribe's cattle and sheep and return them to the pasture, as long as there are merchants in the Ming Dynasty willing to supply food and livestock, there will always be people who will be deceived and become traitors."

When Dong Huli saw that Tuman Khan agreed with him, the uneasiness in his heart subsided a little.

"So, you saw this and allowed the riots in the department, hoping to use it to put pressure on me, right?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Dong Fox's body trembled suddenly and he raised his head in surprise.

Then he immediately suppressed his strange expression and spoke as calmly as possible: "Khan! I..."

The words are not finished yet.

"Humph!"

Tuman Khan snorted coldly and kicked Dong Huli over.

He didn't give the latter any chance to explain and kicked him to the side of the tent, covered in dust.

Tuman Khan looked at the latter with a cold expression. Although the Doyan Guards were out of reach, they could still plant a few spies.

I don’t know where Dong Huli got the courage to plot against him.

He even started to defend himself implicitly.

What does it mean that Yingke died tragically?

To die at the hands of the Ming Dynasty is called martyrdom!
The phrase "tragic death" was not implying that he had driven Yingke into the pass and used him as a vanguard, indirectly killing him with hatred?

Dong Huli was kicked, but he endured it without saying a word.

After he recovered, he knelt down again to explain, his tone devoid of any extra emotion: "The Khan misunderstood me."

"The southerners once said that it is better to guide than to block. If I don't let people make trouble, I won't be able to kill people in a reasonable way to establish my prestige, nor can I suppress the discontent in the tribe."

"This is not only for the Khan to see, but also for the tribesmen to see. Everything is done from the perspective of leading the tribe."

"The Khan is wise and powerful. He will surely be able to tell whether what I say is honest or not."

Tuman Khan seemed to have found a flaw when he heard this, and he could not help but ask coldly: "Now you admit that you were acting for me?"

Dong Huli buried his head, his expression could not be seen clearly, only his sincere and genuine voice continued to ring out: "Khan, this is not acting."

"The Khan is the son of Chang Sheng Tian. Nothing can be hidden from the Khan."

"It is a fact that the tribe is having difficulty surviving the winter, and the Khan should see it."

"This is also the reason why I came to the Golden Horde to find the Khan."

After saying this, although Dong Huli was covered in dust and dirt, he still folded his hands and knelt deeply meticulously.

As soon as he bowed.

The anger on Tuman Khan's face suddenly disappeared, and he chuckled without any warning.

Then he laughed heartily and heroically: "The Great Ming Dynasty really did not translate it wrong. It is really a cunning old fox!"

"Get up."

After that, he grabbed Dong Fox's arm and pushed him onto a big chair.

Dong Huli wiped the dust off his face and said: "The Khan is the goshawk of the grassland. The fox crawling on the ground and eating will always be reflected in the eyes of the goshawk."

Tuman Khan didn't bother Dong Huli anymore.

He smiled, threw out a booklet that had been prepared long ago, and said, "Your ancestors and I are from the same family, so I won't treat you unfairly. Here are the materials for this reward. You can go to the right tent to collect them later."

As he said that, he threw it towards Dong Fox.

Dong Huli took it lightly, and while feeling relieved, he once again respectfully thanked Tuman Khan.

After getting permission from Tuman Khan, Dong Huli opened the booklet and began to read it.

It is probably some cattle, sheep, clothes, salt, returned pastures and other materials, with the names and quantities listed on them.

But the quantity...

Dong Huli's expression suddenly changed slightly, and he said tentatively: "Khan, this batch of rewards may not be enough to feed my more than 60,000 troops."

Winter is only halfway through.

But don’t we eat in spring?
Either give them some breeding cattle and sheep and return more pastures so that they can support themselves, or just give them more food and he will be at the disposal of Tuman Khan from now on!

What's the point of being so stingy and giving discounts?

This is really going to starve people to death!
Tuman Khan sat down next to Dong Huli. He had a burly figure and as soon as he sat down, he looked like a golden mountain and jade pillar.

He remained unmoved and slowly said, "I just said that I am very dissatisfied with the progress of your work."

"Since we are going to use troops next year, why should we keep the disobedient people in the tribe as feeders instead of using them as vanguards?"

He looked at Dong Huli, whose expression suddenly changed, and said seriously, "I've calculated that if one group dies, the supplies will be enough."

As soon as these words were spoken, there was a moment of silence in the tent.

Tumanhan was well-prepared.

Dong Fox's expression was uncertain.

Finally, Dong Fox gently closed the booklet, exhaled a breath, and opened his mouth to speak.

It is obvious that he has made up his mind, but he just doesn't know how to choose.

But at this moment, Tuman Khan suddenly reached out and grabbed Dong Huli's dusty arm.

The man took the initiative and said, "There is one more thing I want to tell you."

He gently let go of Dong Huli's arm and considerately brushed off the dust he had just kicked. "I plan to hold a kurultai within two years!"

This statement is incomprehensible.

But when Dong Fox heard this, his expression changed.

The kurultai was a system established when Genghis Khan founded the country and was crowned, which was a democratic and centralized meeting.

The kurultai held by the Khan often attracted tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people, making it the largest event in Mongolia.

It has a sacred and supreme status in the hearts of the Mongols and Yuan people, and at the same time has unparalleled political legitimacy.

All matters that can be brought up at the meeting are major issues concerning all the tribes in Mongolia.

For example, the birth of the Great Khans of all generations, whether they were appointed by the previous generation or obtained through manipulation or robbery, had to go through the kurultai.

Or large-scale military operations such as national wars require the kurultai to reach a consensus.

Or... reform a new system.

Dong Huli lowered his eyes, trying not to let his expression reveal too much of his inner thoughts: "The Khan convened the kurultai, what is he going to discuss?"

He actually had some guesses.

It certainly won't be a change of adopted son - the current adopted son, Borjigin Buyan, although not capable enough, is still much better than other brothers and side branches.

So, should we start a war or reform the system?
Fortunately, Tuman Khan did not allow people to speculate too long.

He stared at Dong Huli, and said solemnly: "The left and right wings have been divided for a long time. After Altan Khan submitted to the Ming Dynasty, the unification of the Mongols is even more hopeless."

"On the other hand, after the new emperor ascended the throne, he swept away the decadent state, raised the banner of reform, made frequent moves, and even began to prepare for war!"

"The two dynasties were divided into the north and the south, but now one is rising and the other is falling. It's shocking to me!"

"As the Great Khan, if I don't make changes, I'm afraid that you and my tribe will be destroyed sooner or later!"

The left and right wings of Mongolia were actually the six left and right Wanhu appointed by Dayan Khan after he unified Eastern Mongolia.

It is divided into 30,000 households on the left wing, including Chahar 10,000 households, Khalkha 10,000 households, and Uriankhai 10,000 households, and 30,000 households on the right wing, including Ordos 10,000 households, Tumed 10,000 households, and Yongshebu 10,000 households.

Now, all the ten thousand households on the left wing serve under Tuman Khan, while the thirty thousand households on the right wing obey the orders of Altan Khan.

In Eastern Mongolia today, there are two suns in the same sky.

But having said that, Altan Khan on the right wing did not have the same ability as Tuman Khan.

After his grandson's wife became an outcast and caused his grandson to defect from the Ming Dynasty, his prestige plummeted.

He was even later conquered by the Ming Dynasty taking advantage of this opportunity and was named King of Shunyi.

At the same time, Altan Khan's wife, Sanniangzi, was the daughter of a tribal leader. She was smart and brave, good at riding and shooting, and she personally participated in several major battles and cultivated many confidants.

It can be said that Sanniangzi’s prestige in the Mongolian right wing now exceeds that of Altan Khan.

But Sanniang had been flirting with people from the Ming Dynasty time and time again. Whenever they were doing business, she would sneak into the residence of Wang Chonggu, the governor of Xuanda, and no one knew what she was doing.

It is said that Altan Khan's acceptance of tribute was always led by Sanniangzi.

With this person around, even if Tuman Khan persuades Altan Khan to join forces to restore Mongolia's glory, he probably won't be able to get past Sanniangzi.

That is why Tuman Khan said that the left and right were divided and unification was a long way off.

The Northern Yuan Dynasty was in a difficult time, and Tuman Khan had long hoped that the new policies would come to an end after the death of the old emperor of the Southern Dynasty.

Unexpectedly, even before the emperor ascended the throne, he continued to implement the new policies.

Even now it is gradually becoming a trend!

Tuman Khan was in a high position, so how could he not take any action when seeing all this?
Dong Huli, who heard this, seemed to be thinking about it, and murmured again: "Reform the old and establish the new..."

After he had digested it, he came back to his senses and asked, "What is the Khan going to do?"

This word can often be seen in the new newspapers of the Southern Dynasties.

As a scout, Doyanwei was the one who presented this newspaper most frequently to Tuman Khan, and he certainly read it often himself.

He naturally understood what the Khan in front of him meant.

He also realized the implication expressed by Tuman Khan's mention of this matter - the so-called reform and innovation will inevitably lead to major changes that will offend countless people, but will also bring great benefits to win over countless people.

I'm afraid he is promising me a favor in advance!
Tu Manhan leaned forward, full of pressure: "I have three."

"The first one is the third living Buddha of Buddhism, Dalai Lama Sonam Gyatso."

Dong Fox had expected this and was not too surprised.

Now that the left and right wings have been divided for a long time, both sides have forgotten that they come from the same family.

Especially after Altan Khan surrendered to the Ming Dynasty.

The left and right wings often fight with dog brains.

In this case, if we want to bridge the conflict, we may have to turn to the state religion for help!
The status of Buddhism in the hearts of the Mongols is like that of Confucianism in the literati of the Southern Dynasties.

As long as Buddhism is willing, what it says is more effective than the Khan - for many people, religious beliefs touch the soul more than interests.

The Third Living Buddha is the founder of Buddhism, the person with the highest attainments in Buddhist teachings, and even the incarnation of Eternal Heaven.

There are now two Great Khans on our left and right, but there is only one Living Buddha.

Letting a living Buddha bridge the conflict between the two Khan tribes will surely have miraculous effects if the top leaders of both sides have a tacit understanding!

Dong Huli asked Tuman Khan with admiration, "Did the Khan invite the Third Living Buddha?"

Tuman Khan shook his head, then nodded: "I sent an envoy to deliver a letter last year, and the reply to my letter came back last month. Apart from some hesitation, there is no other concern."

"I have resolved his hesitation and plan to send another letter in the spring. Once he receives the signal, he should be ready to come."

The so-called hesitation naturally means that the price has not been agreed upon.

But Tuman Khan was a man of great courage, and he immediately decided to make concessions just so that the kurultai could be held smoothly two years later.

Dong Huli couldn't help but exclaimed: "Changshengtian has spirit."

This was said for free, just a casual compliment. He was not very touched in his heart. After all, this had nothing to do with his current predicament - the affairs of the Mongols were not as important as the tens of thousands of mouths of the Doyan Guards.

Tuman Khan stood up and walked towards the bed in the tent: "Second rule, the legal code."

As he spoke, he fished out a book from under the bed.

Dong Huli followed Tuman Khan and stood up and walked over.

He looked carefully and saw a book in Tumen Khan's hand with a long title "Tumen Khan Code" written on it.

Tuman Khan handed the book out and nodded to Dong Huli.

Dong Huli hesitated and took the code handed to him.

Tuman Khan patted Dong Huli on the shoulder and said proudly, "The things you can't see are not on it, so don't worry about it."

Dong Huli then felt relieved and began to read the book carefully.

This code has obviously been prepared for a long time, otherwise it would not have covered such a wide range of areas.

The official system, wars, sacrifices, property, criminal law, marriage, etc. are all listed in it.

Of course, there is still some time before the book is completed, and missing, pending and other items can be seen on every page.

No wonder the conference was scheduled for two years later.

"Eternal Heaven used the stories of Dayan Khan and Yesen to inspire me. If you force your people to unite by force, they will eventually fall apart."

"I should formulate a unified rule that suits all households and most people!"

"Only by establishing a new order can we have a chance to unify Mongolia!"

Tuman Khan made an impassioned speech while Dong Huli carefully flipped through the manuscript without saying a word, appearing to be very serious.

But when Dong Huli took it seriously, he couldn't help but feel a little frightened.

The content of this code is complex, but every article touches on interests.

This included cutting the flesh of the left wing and giving it to the right wing; it also included peeling off the bones of the lower layer and replenishing the blood of the middle layer; and it even included the way of treating the Han people, Jurchens, Koreans, and Oirat people who surrendered.

Many people were won over, but many people were offended as well.

Dong Huli looked at Tuman Khan, seeming to want to say something but stopping himself.

Finally, he gritted his teeth and uttered his doubts: "Great Khan, can this really be implemented?"

Tuman Khan did not feel unhappy.

Instead, he met Dong Huli's gaze seriously and said solemnly: "So, there is a third rule, which is used to win over the various departments."

Dong Fox was startled for a moment, then he showed a curious look as if he was listening carefully.

Obviously, this one is closely related to his personal interests.

Tuman Khan slowed down his speech, speaking each word with emphasis: "I plan to learn from the Southern Dynasty and bridge the differences between the left and right wings... I will try my best to unify the various departments and establish a cabinet system of governance!"

"I have reached a consensus with several Wanhu. Chahar Wanhu Amudai Hongtaiji, Nei Golka Barin chief Weizheng Subahai, Ordos Wanhu Kutuktai Chechen Hongtaiji, Yongxiebu Wanhu Nomudala Nuoyan, and Tumed Wanhu Chelike Hongtaiji all have seats in the cabinet!"

"From now on, we will establish regulations for the various ministries to discuss politics!"

"I only hope that the descendants of Changshengtian can put aside their grudges, follow me back to Dadu, take off the head of the Southern Dynasty emperor, and offer sacrifice to Changshengtian!"

At this moment, Dong Fox was so shocked that he couldn't speak.

How could I tell him about this top-level restructuring?

Is it...

Tuman Khan looked at Dong Huli and said seriously, "Dong Huli, help me integrate the Wuliangha Wanhu."

"At that time, you will be in full command of the Wuliangha Wanhu's troops. I will not interfere anymore. You can also take back the Wuliangha pastures that have been encroached upon."

"As long as you nod now, I can propose a proposal at the kurultai two years later..."

"You'll be allowed to join the cabinet!"

(End of this chapter)