The early spring sun in 1625 was bright, and the great tent of the khan's court was filled with the warmth of spring.
The great Baibagas Khan was enjoying the dance of beautiful concubines while heartily drinking strong wine.
This was his favorite; only fine wine and beautiful women should not be let down!
"Great Khan, drinking too much is harmful to your health, you should drink less," the beautiful Kedun Saihanzhu gently advised, her phoenix eyes glancing with slight jealousy at the beautiful concubines dancing gracefully inside the tent.
According to Mongol rules, only descendants of the Golden Family could be called Khan, Huntaiji, or Taiji.
Leaders not from the Golden Family could only be called Sait, and their wives could not be called Khatun (Empress) or Biji (Concubine), only Aha (Madam).
However, in this era of collapsing rituals and crumbling music, any leader with a bit of power called themselves Taiji, and their wives called themselves Khatun or Biji, with few calling themselves Sait or Aha.
Nonetheless, the Khoshut Tribe was descended from Genghis Khan's brother Hasar, and could barely be considered a collateral branch of the Golden Family.
Baibagas was the most noble by blood among the four leaders of the Oirat, so his calling himself Khan and his wife calling herself Khatun was not too excessive.
"Heh heh, my Khatun, life is short and one must enjoy oneself in time," Baibagas laughed heartily, his lustful eyes fixed on a beautiful concubine with ample breasts and a slender waist.
"Hmph," Saihanzhu snorted softly, full of jealousy , and said no more.
Happy times are always easily disturbed by worldly affairs.
Baibagas's Brother, Sereng Khatan Batur, entered with an unpleasant expression, "Great Khan, we just received news that Qingtaishi is dead.
That fellow Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur took all of Qingtaishi's followers and livestock without reporting to you."
Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur and Qingtaishi were close brothers and also Elder Brothers of Baibagas Khan.
According to Mongol customs, after a person dies, their property is inherited by the closest blood relative.
Qingtaishi had no sons, so after his death, Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur rightfully took all of his deceased brother's property, which was in line with Mongol tradition.
However, Baibagas Khan was a strong Great Khan, possessing absolute authority in Oirat, especially within his directly administered Khoshut Tribe.
All major tribal matters had to be approved by him before being implemented.
Although Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur had the right of inheritance, directly inheriting his deceased brother's property without reporting to him was, in the eyes of this Great Khan, an offense to his authority.
Furthermore, in addition to being lustful and alcoholic, he had another hobby: greed.
The thousand-household of herdsmen and a large amount of cattle, sheep, horses, and camels left behind by Qingtaishi were no small fortune!
To discipline Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur, and also because he coveted the property left by Qingtaishi, he decided to take action.
"Sereng Khatan Batur, immediately assemble your troops and follow me to the south bank of the Salt Lake to seize all the people and livestock left behind by Qingtaishi."
"Yes, Great Khan."
When it comes to fighting over family property, speed is essential; delay and it's too late.
The experienced Baibagas knew this well.
Unable to wait to assemble a large army, he hastily took only four thousand guards and galloped from Urumqi to the Ulus previously owned by Qingtaishi on the south bank of the Salt Lake.
His speed was so fast that Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur had no time to react.
With the Weilat Khan and the Khoshut leader personally present, Qingtaishi's followers dared not resist and obediently submitted.
Baibagas triumphantly led Qingtaishi's followers back to Urumqi.
Logically, having seized someone else's property, he should have returned home quickly, but he believed that even the Khalkha had been defeated by him, and no one in the entire Oirat dared to challenge his tiger's whiskers, so he traveled leisurely, as if sightseeing.
"Taiji, the Great Khan is unjust; he has taken all the followers and livestock that Qingtaishi left to you," his subordinate reported to Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur, who widened his eyes in surprise, "Elder Brother, oh Elder Brother, you are the Weilat Khan, how can you be so unreasonable?"
Although angry, he knew his strength was far inferior to Baibagas, so he grumbled and came to Koke Usu to seek the help of Kundulun Ubashi, another tiger of the Khoshut Tribe.
Kundulun Ubashi was Baibagas's own brother, and only a cousin to Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur, yet he had a strained relationship with his own brother and was as close as hands and feet with his Elder Brother.
His pasture was near Koke Usu (around the Karatal River south of Lake Balkhash) and close to his Elder Brother's pasture.
"Brother, the Great Khan is bullying the weak; he has taken all the followers and livestock left to me by my deceased brother, please uphold justice for me," as soon as they met, Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur burst into tears, crying so much that he was like a pear blossom covered in rain, a sight that would make anyone pity him.
Kundulun Ubashi was a man of passion and loved to champion justice throughout his life.
After hearing the full story, he was so angry that he roared, "Second Brother, oh Second Brother, you are the Great Khan of Oirat, how can you so shamelessly seize someone's inheritance?"
He looked at Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur, "Do not cry, quickly assemble your troops and follow me to reclaim the followers and livestock your brother left to you."
With the support of Kundulun Ubashi, Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur's courage greatly increased.
The two assembled fifteen thousand troops and went to pursue Baibagas.
Baibagas was on his way when he suddenly heard the sound of hooves behind him.
Having experienced countless battles, he knew the enemy's numbers were far greater than his own as soon as he saw the dust raised by the cavalry.
Although his guard troops were extremely elite, they were inevitably outnumbered, and he secretly regretted not bringing more soldiers.
After all, he was an excellent commander.
Alarmed but not flustered, he methodically ordered his subordinates to connect the accompanying carts to form a wagon array to meet the enemy.
"Second Brother, return Qingtaishi's inheritance to Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur, and we will let you return to Urumqi."
"Great Khan, as long as you return the inheritance of my deceased brother, this matter will be considered as if it never happened."
Kundulun Ubashi and Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur shouted, and their response was a volley of arrows; the dignified Weilat Khan was unwilling to yield to his subordinates.
The two were enraged and ordered an attack.
Khoshut fought Khoshut, and the south bank of the Salt Lake became a battlefield.
There were many Dörbet pastures near the Salt Lake, and such a large-scale military conflict naturally alarmed the Taijis of the Dörbet.
Boyile Deng burst into Dalai Taishi's great tent, "Great Taiji, disaster has struck!
Because of the struggle for Qingtaishi's inheritance, Baibagas Khan and the two Taijis, Kundulun Ubashi and Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur, have started fighting."
Dalai Taishi was greatly alarmed.
Although it was currently only an internal conflict within the Khoshut Tribe, it involved the alliance leader Baibagas, and could easily escalate into a civil war among the entire Oirat.
Now, the Khoshut Tribe of the Khalkha was still lingering at the Tianshan North and refused to leave; at this time, the Oirat could not afford to kill each other.
"Quick, Brother, immediately follow me to the Salt Lake; we absolutely cannot let the situation worsen," he shouted to Boyile Deng, hastily taking only a thousand soldiers to the conflict area to mediate.
A person's name, a tree's shadow.
Although the Durbet Tribe suffered great losses in the war with the Khalkha, Dalai Taishi still held high prestige in Oirat.
Seeing him arrive, Baibagas, Kundulun Ubashi, and Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur quickly restrained their subordinates from fighting and waited for his mediation.
Since ancient times, wealth has moved people's hearts, and both sides were diametrically opposed, refusing to yield an inch.
Dalai Taishi knew that legally, Qingtaishi's inheritance should be inherited by his older brother, Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur.
However, Baibagas was the Great Khan of the entire Oirat, and his prestige also needed to be maintained.
Therefore, he decided to let them divide the property equally.
"Great Khan, according to our Mongol customs, Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur is Qingtaishi's older brother and should inherit his deceased brother's inheritance.
Your taking Qingtaishi's followers and cattle and sheep is somewhat inappropriate," he first subtly criticized Baibagas Khan.
Then, changing the subject, he spoke of Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur's fault, "It is understandable that you inherited your deceased brother's inheritance, but how dare you not report to the Great Khan?
Where do you place the Great Khan's dignity?
Such behavior cannot go unpunished.
How about this: you are fined half of the one thousand households of subjects and livestock that you should inherit and give it to the Great Khan as compensation.
What do you think?
Great Khan, is this solution acceptable?"
After speaking, he looked at everyone expectantly.
Baibagas had fewer soldiers and was at a disadvantage, so he was naturally willing to receive half of Qingtaishi's inheritance; although Kundulun Ubashi and Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur were unwilling, out of respect for Dalai Taishi's prestige, they dared not disobey.
Dalai Taishi successfully mediated, and after the two sides divided the followers and people, he set up a banquet in the camp to reconcile the two parties.
When conversation is disagreeable, half a sentence is too much.
Everyone had their own thoughts and quickly ate and drank for a while before returning to their respective pastures with their subordinates.
"That old fellow Dalai Taishi is unreasonable and biased towards the Great Khan, actually violating our Mongol tradition by giving half of my brother's inheritance to the Great Khan.
Detestable!" Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur was indignant.
"My dear brother, do not be angry.
A gentleman's revenge is not too late in ten years.
Let's first return to the pasture to discuss a countermeasure," Kundulun Ubashi comforted him.
As the two were talking, they suddenly saw dust rolling, and over ten thousand soldiers appeared ahead.
Could it be that Baibagas had again dispatched troops from Urumqi?
While they were suspicious, Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur recognized three Taijis from the Torgut, his good friends: Mergen Temuna, Guyang, and Tabentai.
It turned out that in addition to appealing to Kundulun Ubashi, he had also written to these three good friends for help.
Because they were far away, the troops of these three Taijis arrived a little late.
The subordinates of the three Taijis numbered about fifteen thousand, and adding the fifteen thousand soldiers of Kundulun Ubashi and Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur, their combined forces reached thirty thousand.
With more soldiers, courage grew.
The Taijis all advised Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur that the Great Khan had gone too far and this matter could not be left as it was; they should take back all of Qingtaishi's followers and livestock.
"My dear brother, Dalai Taishi has already returned to the Ob River.
Now we have an army of thirty thousand, far more than the guard troops the Great Khan brought.
Why not wait for the Dörbet to go far away, then lead the army to catch up with the Great Khan and force him to hand over the half of Qingtaishi's inheritance he received?" Kundulun Ubashi offered a plan.
"What if the Great Khan refuses?" Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur was a little worried.
"If he refuses, then eliminate him.
In these chaotic times, it's normal for a few people to die on the south bank of the Salt Lake.
At that time, we'll just say the Great Khan encountered Khalkha cavalry and unfortunately perished," Mergen Temuna sneered.
