"A beauty sends off a hero, holding a golden scar in hand.
The north wind is biting and fierce, her figure like fallen trees.
The beauty speaks to the hero, 'Go now without delay.
Live to achieve fame, die following the drum and banner.
Do not become a surrendered captive, leaving me without dignity!'
The hero laughs and claps his hands, 'Why speak so much!
I have a seven-treasure saber, it sharpens my resolve and awaits this moment.
I have waited for this day for a long time, and now I have it.'"
Around Gurban Khusuutai on the west bank of the Ili River, the beautiful Kedun Saihanzhu was fastening the battle robe for her husband, the Great Khan of Oirat, Baibagas.
The Oirat civil war was drawing to a close; over four years of war had left the tribes' lands flowing with blood.
The great Baibagas Khan was determined to end this war, and the only way was to completely eliminate the "culprit," his Elder Brother Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur.
The tribes of Hanak Tushitu, Sereng Khatan Batur, Buyan Hatan Batur, and others were ordered by the Khan to gather in the Gurban Khusuutai area, increasing the size of Baibagas's army to twenty thousand.
The only drawback was that his fourth brother, Tulubaihu, and Khara Khula of Dzungar, had not yet arrived due to the distance; Dalai Taishi of the Durbet was at odds with the Torghut and could not provide aid; Sultan, the Great Taiji of the Huit Tribe, had readily promised to send troops to help, but there was only the sound of the stairs, and no one came down.
Just as he was waiting anxiously, news arrived: Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur, Guyang, Tabentai, and other Taijis had fled to Mergen Temuna's pasturage in the lower reaches of the Syr Darya River, and Kundulun Ubashi had also left his old base, Koke Usu, and led his people there.
Although the enemy's numbers were similar to his own, both around twenty thousand, they were mostly remnants and defeated soldiers, not difficult to break.
Therefore, Baibagas Khan decided not to wait any longer for the tribes of Tulubaihu, Khara Khula, Dalai Taishi, and Sultan, but to win this battle on his own, achieving success in one fell swoop.
This was the heroic spirit of the Great Hero of Oirat!
"Great Khan, I sewed this battle robe myself; seeing the robe is like seeing the person," Saihanzhu said with a slight blush.
"Mm, I will wear this battle robe every day," the lustful Great Khan of Oirat said solemnly, stroking the Khatun's soft hand.
"Oqiertu, come quickly and wish E Qi Ge a triumphant return," Saihanzhu called for Baibagas's eldest son, the fourteen-year-old Oqiertu.
"Your son wishes E Qi Ge victory and a triumphant return," the young man said loudly, his demeanor calm and proper.
"Good~ Good~" The old father laughed even more happily.
"Great Khan, Abalai and I also wish you a swift suppression of the rebels and a victorious return," a voice as sweet as an oriole chirped.
The twenty-two-year-old Gaoyun Biji walked over, holding her five-year-old second son, Abalai.
Gaoyun, in Mongol, means beautiful and enchanting, and at twenty-two, she was at the age of exquisite beauty.
Her voluptuous figure made Baibagas's heart flutter, and he extended one hand to also grasp her soft hand.
"Good~ Good~, you should also wait for your husband's triumphant return in the camp.
When I return victorious, we will pour out our hearts to each other.
Hahaha!"
Baibagas burst into laughter, then suddenly released their soft hands and mounted his horse.
His whip pointed west, and behind him were twenty thousand Khoshut warriors.
"Baibagas's army is heading towards us.
Everyone, let's discuss what we should do?"
The Great Taiji of the Torghut, Mergen Temuna, looked at the other four unfortunate brothers in the main tent with a worried expression.
Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur, Guyang, and Tabentai looked at each other, their forces already battered and scattered, their courage gone.
"Great Taiji, our army has been defeated repeatedly, and the soldiers have no will to fight.
It would be better to continue north, along the Syr Darya River, through the Aral Sea, and retreat to the area around the Ural River," Guyang suggested.
"That's right, Khuntaiji has already moved to the Eijile River (Volga River) west of the Ural River.
They are all Torghut, and we can get protection from Khuntaiji, that elder, if we go to the Ural River," Tabentai echoed.
Guyang and Tabentai were both Taijis of the Torghut.
Although they had a falling out with Khuntaiji and Oerleke because they were dissatisfied that they did not send troops to help, they were still from the same tribe, and after being defeated, they wanted to seek help from their own tribe.
"Hmph," Mergen Temuna snorted coldly.
Although he was also a Great Taiji of the Torghut, unlike Guyang and Tabentai, he had had military conflicts with He Erleke and feared retaliation.
"Do you think you can get protection by seeking refuge with my Elder Brother?
My Elder Brother is a stingy and ungrateful person.
If we come to him after being defeated, he will see that we are isolated and will surely have the idea of annexing us.
At that time, I'm afraid we won't get protection, and we might not even be able to save our lives."
"This..."
Guyang and Tabentai exchanged glances, feeling that what Mergen Temuna said was not unreasonable.
Mongols believe that the strong are kings, and there have been too many instances of the strong preying on the weak.
There have been countless cases of Noyan from the same tribe annexing each other.
Understanding this point, the two could only steel their hearts.
"Either way, it's death.
We might as well fight that fellow Baibagas!"
"Alas!
Although our army still has twenty thousand left, most are defeated soldiers with low morale.
How can we defeat Baibagas's twenty thousand elite soldiers?"
Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur's brows were deeply furrowed with worry.
He regretted it greatly.
If he had known it would come to this, he would have given his brother Qingtaishi's inheritance to Baibagas Khan in the first place.
"Ha~ Ha~ Ha~"
The Great Taiji of the Khoshut, Kundulun Ubashi, burst into laughter.
As the second of the Kheshuote Five Tigers, although he had completely fallen out with the other four tigers due to the inheritance war, his laughter still had the power of a tiger roaring in the mountains and forests.
"Oh dear, my Great Taiji, the fire is burning up to our eyebrows, and you can still laugh?"
Mergen Temuna stamped his foot in anxiety.
"I'm laughing at how foolish and dull you are.
If He Erleke refuses to send troops to help, don't you know to find other Taijis to help?"
This enlightening sentence reminded everyone, especially Mergen Temuna, Guyang, and Tabentai, who were from the Torghut.
That's right, if Khuntaiji refuses to send troops, they can find other Taijis with whom they are friendly!
Mergen Temuna mused, "I have been close to He Erleke's second son, Gunbu Yiledeng, since childhood.
His Otok is on the eastern bank of the Salt Lake not far from us.
I am willing to go and persuade him to send troops to help us."
"Then we will trouble you," Kundulun Ubashi, Guyang, Tabentai, and Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur all bowed to him.
Now, they could only rely on this last straw.
Since moving to the Eijile River (Volga River), the Torghut had gained a temporary respite.
This grassland was too vast, and the Oros people were currently out of reach.
The Kazakh had just finished their civil war and needed to rest.
The Nogai had already split into pieces.
The Crimeans were confronting the Oros people.
Without foreign enemies, it was a good time to recover.
Seeing that the pasturages of his second son Gunbu Yiledeng and third son Ursang were very close to the Dörbet's pastures, He Erleke specifically ordered them to be careful and cautious, and to try not to have conflicts with the Dörbet, so as not to disrupt this hard-won peace.
Military orders were like mountains, and Gunbu Yiledeng did not dare to start a war with the Dörbet, so he could only lead his people to graze.
One day, as he was boredly watching the cattle and sheep on the grassland, a confidant came forward to report, "Taiji, your Uncle, Mergen Temuna, is requesting an audience."
