At Gurbantünggüt Desert beside the Ili River, Hanak Tushitu, Sereng Khatan Batur, Buyan Hatan Batur, and other Khoshut princes and nobles waited silently, waiting for the arrival of the "Guoshi Khan".
Among the welcoming crowd, Hanak Tushitu was the most respected, standing at the very front, anxiously looking out.
A cavalry troop flew in, led by a young general who was not tall but burly and strong; it was his eldest son, Bingtu Dalai Wubashi.
"You brat, didn't I tell you to wait for your fourth uncle up ahead? Why did you sneak back?" Hanak Tushitu scolded.
Bingtu Dalai Wubashi pointed forward with his finger, panting heavily, "E Qi Ge, they're here, fourth uncle's great army is here."
Hanak Tushitu looked in the direction his son was pointing, and a vast army appeared in their sight.
This army numbered over ten thousand and had come from the Heshuote stronghold of Urumqi and Barkol.
The commander of the army was named Tulubaihu, forty-eight years old this year, with a handsome face, distinct features, a long beard, and a slightly lean physique.
This man, who appeared refined on the outside, was very famous among the Khoshut and even the entire Oirat.
He was benevolent and charitable, aiding the distressed and helping the poor.
At the age of thirteen, he led his army to defeat the hui, and later, due to his achievement in mediating and quelling the Oirat and Khalkha war, he was granted the title of "state preceptor" by Dong Ke Er Hutuktu and the various Khalkha Mongol tribes, thus being called "Guoshi Khan".
After receiving Baibagas Khan's order in Barkol to rendezvous at Ili and suppress the rebels, he immediately led his elite troops to Ili.
Unexpectedly, the arrogant Baibagas did not wait for his arrival and launched the campaign against the rebels, dying on the battlefield.
Upon receiving the news of his second brother's death, Tulubaihu immediately galloped into Ili.
While on the way, he exchanged letters with various Taiji.
"Giddy-up! Giddy-up! Giddy-up! Whoa!" A rider arrived in a cloud of dust; the Guoshi Khan had arrived.
"Fourth brother, we finally waited for you," Hanak Tushitu said, greatly pleased.
"Yes, fourth brother, a snake cannot move without a head, everyone is waiting for you to preside over the overall situation," Sereng Khatan Batur and Buyan Hatan Batur also expressed their loyalty.
This was actually a hint; they were about to nominate him as the one who would hold the Khoshut's whip.
Tulubaihu smiled slightly, quickly dismounted, and warmly performed the embrace and greeting ritual with his brothers.
After exchanging pleasantries and asking about their well-being for a while, he suddenly asked with a slight frown, "Why haven't saikhan zhu Khatun and worthy Nephew Oqiertu come?"
They hadn't come, not because they weren't nearby, but because they refused to come.
Inside the Khan's main tent, Oqiertu asked Saihanzhu strangely, "Ehe, fourth uncle has arrived, why won't you let your son welcome him?"
"Hmph!"
Saihanzhu snorted coldly, her phoenix eyes majestic without anger, "Oqiertu, you are the sovereign, the legitimate eldest son of Weilat Khan Baibagas; no matter how many soldiers your fourth uncle has, no matter how much he is supported, he is merely a subject.
Since ancient times, only subjects see the sovereign first; how can there be a principle of the sovereign seeing the subject first?"
"But, Ehe," Oqiertu was a little uncertain, "I heard that first uncle, fifth uncle, sixth uncle, and the others are all planning to support fourth uncle as the chief?"
"Damn it! These people are all opportunists, seeing that your fourth uncle's power is great, they run to him.
My son, do not fear, Ehe has made preparations; at worst, we will fight to the death!"
The so-called "preparations" were actually a military remonstrance.
Before Baibagas's death, he had a "guards army" of sixteen thousand men.
Due to years of warfare, this army had lost more than half its numbers, leaving only eight thousand, but most of them were seasoned veterans who had fought in many battles and were very elite, led by the loyal Sainser Tengji.
At this moment, this army became the final reliance for this mother and son.
The wind picked up by the Ili River, and the Noyan of the Khoshut gathered together, holding a noble council, with the purpose of electing the new Khoshut chief.
The white-haired Hanak Tushitu was the first to speak, "Everyone, a flock of geese needs a lead goose, and a wolf pack has a wolf king; our Khoshut Tribe cannot be without a leader.
I propose that today we elect a wise person to hold the Khoshut's whip."
The old man spoke a long string of words and was about to propose a candidate when Baibagas Khan's widow, Saihanzhu, spoke first, "First uncle, what is there to discuss?
My son Oqiertu is the great Khan's eldest son; it is right and proper for him to succeed."
This woman was quite formidable; with the phrase "right and proper," she directly denied the legitimacy of other candidates.
As soon as these words were spoken, the main tent immediately buzzed with discussion.
Unfortunately, although the Oirat Mongol had the tradition of inheritance by the eldest son, there was another tradition: the great Khan is the one with strong soldiers and horses.
"Cough~"
Hanak Tushitu coughed sternly.
His sister-in-law's reaction was so strong, it was beyond his expectation, but how could the choice of the Khoshut's great Khan be decided by a mere woman?
"Sister-in-law, it is indeed the custom for the eldest son to inherit the khanate.
However, our Khoshut Tribe is currently surrounded by enemies; we need a brave and skilled leader.
Our great Nephew is too young and has no military achievements; he cannot bear this heavy responsibility.
I propose that fourth brother Tulubaihu hold the Khoshut's whip."
The old man spoke unhurriedly, and his remark about having no military achievements immediately drew widespread agreement.
"That's right, fourth brother has fought in the north and south and has brilliant military achievements; if he succeeds, I will be the first to obey!" Sereng Khatan Batur shouted.
"Fourth brother already has the title of 'Guoshi Khan'; it is right and proper for him to succeed and be called Khan!" Buyan Hatan Batur also shouted.
"We are willing to support Tulubaihu Taiji as Khan!" A large group of people knelt down in the main tent.
Seeing this scene, the young man Oqiertu was at a loss, his face flushed red.
Seeing that the situation was not good, Saihanzhu disregarded her dignity as Khatun and burst into tears, "Great Khan! Open your eyes and see!
As soon as you left, someone is bullying us, the prince and his widowed mother.
It is against heavenly principles that your legitimate eldest son Oqiertu cannot succeed!"
When a woman throws a tantrum, no one dares to provoke her!
Moreover, the one throwing the tantrum had a noble status, being the late Khan's Khatun.
This crying was very undignified, but it was very effective.
Some old officials who had intended to support Tulubaihu, remembering the late Khan's kindness, became hesitant again.
Tulubaihu, watching coldly, frowned deeply; it seemed things were not as easy as he had thought!
"Woo~ woo~ woo~"
A mournful and distant horn suddenly sounded, and several thousand guards, bows drawn and arrows nocked, surrounded the main tent.
Sainser Tengji, dressed in military attire, entered the tent with his left hand holding a saber and his right hand holding a spear, followed by several old generals who were the late Khan's confidantes.
Seeing him, everyone's heart couldn't help but tremble.
Back then, this fierce general had moved freely among tens of thousands of troops, personally killing Shulei Ubashi, the Huntaiji of the Khoshut Tribe.
"We only acknowledge the descendants of the late Khan, nothing else!" Sainser Tengji shouted to the crowd, his sharp eyes fixed on Tulubaihu.
Tulubaihu suddenly felt locked onto by a sharp aura, feeling very uncomfortable all over.
"How dare you! What are you, to dare discuss the matter of succession!" A newborn calf is not afraid of a tiger; Dayan Ochir, Tulubaihu's eldest son, in his twenties, also drew his curved saber.
