Ch.340Conclusion (End)

The Kurultai was held, and everything proceeded smoothly.

As per the first agenda item, I became the Khagan.

Honestly, I didn’t expect it to happen so easily.

Even though I had positioned myself well for the Kurultai.

Of course, it wasn’t just my positioning that made me Khagan.

The biggest reason was Batur Khan’s declaration of support.

His reason for supporting me was simple.

It was because I had promised to marry his daughter.

Batur Khan was older than me.

Though younger than my father, he was clearly a middle-aged man with gray hair.

Batur Khan had only three daughters.

So even if he became Khagan, there would be no one to inherit his position.

In that situation, I was an excellent son-in-law candidate.

From a modern perspective, this situation might be difficult to understand.

However, in this era, marriages between relatives were common.

So strengthening bonds through such unique marriages was a common practice.

“Regardless of how common it is, I’m not particularly thrilled about marrying a distant descendant…”

I had lived in Yesugei’s body and then settled in the body of his descendant, Tolui Khan.

In that state, marrying yet another descendant was difficult to accept emotionally, even if I understood it intellectually.

While thinking about this, I felt something whispering in my head.

I listened carefully to that whisper.

“Are you really okay with this?”

A single statement that he was fine.

I silently nodded at those words.

He had reached the level where he could make his own judgments and offer me his opinions.

I could feel that the time had come.

“Yes. Now is the time I should return your body to you.”

Tolui Khan had died from Mongke Khan’s abuse.

In that state, this fragile nephew had called out to his ancestors for help.

I responded to that call and acted according to my descendant’s wishes.

The earnest wish to escape the life of abuse from his father Mongke Khan while living cautiously in Goryeo.

Throughout this process, Tolui Khan, the original owner of my body, gradually regained his strength.

Feeling this, I sensed that the time was approaching when I should return the body to my descendant.

Of course, my descendant was politely refusing this, but still.

“This body belongs to you. I merely helped you. You are a child with sufficient ability to forge your own destiny.”

I comforted my descendant with these words.

This young soul tried to persuade me with polite words.

I will remain just a supporting character.

Ancestor, you who raised the Yeke Mongol Ulus with bare hands.

Please lead the empire in place of my inadequate self, he said.

To this, I shook my head.

“This story has already ended. That’s why you agreed to this marriage, didn’t you?”

At this, my descendant fell silent.

Despite persuading him several times, he still seemed uncertain.

Seeing this, I smiled and reasoned with Tolui.

“I am a ghost. I merely responded to a descendant’s call. Now I will return to rest.”

Of course, I didn’t come here by choice.

I was shot in modern society and dwelled here following my descendant’s desperate call.

“You know that fact better than anyone.”

Tolui shared my memories.

Just like Yesugei in the past.

So at first, the young descendant couldn’t accept this fact.

But after glimpsing my memories, he understood everything.

“When the enthronement ceremony takes place at Mount Tai, I will return.”

Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I could really return to my original world.

But I felt like I would be able to return at that time.

Of course, there was no physical evidence or basis for this.

It was just my conjecture.

Anyway, Tolui Khan, sensing my firm resolve, said nothing more.

“Before that.”

I said this and rose to my feet.

There was something I needed to do before the enthronement ceremony.

“Go Yoon.”

When I called for the magistrate, he entered my room.

I looked at him and spoke.

“There’s a place I want to go with you.”

* * *

A quiet hill.

I knelt down at this empty place.

As if welcoming me, a gentle breeze wrapped around my body.

“Have you been well, Munglig?”

This was Munglig’s grave.

This vast, empty plain.

“You didn’t need to follow me in choosing such a place for your grave.”

Before I died, I had told Temujin something.

When I die, place my body somewhere no one knows.

Let eagles come and eat my flesh.

Let me shed my physical shell and fly to the sky to find freedom.

Following my request not to make a separate grave for me, Temujin must have placed my body on this plain.

Of course, future history books mention that my grave exists prominently, but the filial Temujin would certainly have placed my body here.

In front of Mount Iji, the highest mountain near the Great Capital, there was a vast plain.

This plain was a sunny expanse with a view of the entire North China Plain.

My body would have disappeared here, becoming food for birds.

And Munglig, following my request, would have asked Temujin for a sky burial as well.

So after I died, Munglig, whose life had ended, would have finished his life here too.

This was Munglig’s real grave, not the one in the Great Capital.

“I’m going to return now.”

At my words, the wind whispered to me.

Why are you returning so soon, brother?

“I’ve seen you, that’s enough.”

That’s not what I mean.

Your posture when opening this Kurultai was different from before. Are you exercising properly?

“You’re still nagging even after death. Tsk tsk.”

I clicked my tongue and stood up.

Then I sprinkled the Buroktan I had brought onto the plain.

Immediately, a strong wind rushed in.

Saying, how could you waste such a precious source of protein?

“Even as a ghost, you’re still going on about exercise.”

As if having nothing to say, the wind calmed down.

Sensing a slight sulkiness, I spoke to appease Munglig.

“You’ve been watching that fellow.”

Munglig moved flower buds with the wind to indicate agreement.

“Watch over him well. He’s someone who will serve Tolui, the original owner of this body, well.”

At my words, the wind moved and wrapped around Go Yoon, who was standing at a distance.

Surprised by the sudden whirlwind, Go Yoon made a startled expression.

“Wh…whoa!”

“You still haven’t changed your old habits.”

With these final words, I stood up.

The whirlwind subsided, and Go Yoon, freed from the wind, approached me.

“I was startled by the sudden strong wind.”

“It’s a good omen.”

“What do you mean…”

“Now we should return to the Great Capital.”

“Are we returning to the palace?”

“I want to visit Temujin’s… no, the Yongyuan Mausoleum near the palace to pay respects to my ancestors.”

Yongyuan Mausoleum was where my son Temujin was buried.

And next to it, the Gong Mausoleum was where my grandson Ogodei was buried.

“I will escort you there.”

* * *

After the Kurultai, all the princes gathered again at Mount Tai.

The enthronement ceremony.

Since the first Khagan, Yesugei, all leaders of the Yeke Mongol Ulus had performed the enthronement ceremony here.

To become emperor.

Tolui Khan was no exception.

He climbed Mount Tai to announce to his ancestors that he had become the legitimate Khagan of the Yeke Mongol Ulus.

Thus, the enthronement ceremony began.

Standing before all the princes, Tolui Khan shouted in a loud voice:

“Heaven, Heaven, ever-blue Heaven.

God, Tengri, and ancestors who protect the boundless sky.

A warrior of the steppe reports to Heaven.

Tolui Khan.

Tolui Khan.

Tolui Khan.

I report three times to the noble ones.

The first is to report to God.

The second is to report to Tengri,

And the last is to report to the ancestors.

Merciful beings,

Please accept this pure milk.”

Tolui Khan sprinkled milk into the air to announce himself to Heaven.

Then, with palms together, he continued:

“Tolui Khagan. Tolui Khagan. Tolui Khagan.”

At Tolui Khagan’s words, the princes began to stamp their feet.

And his retainers around him responded:

“Bearer of Heaven’s call, bring glory to this land.”

“The Khagan is strong.”

“The era of order returns again.”

When the foot-stamping reached its climax, Tolui Khagan raised his hands high.

And let out a long sigh.

“From now on, it is my era.”

At that moment, Tolui Khagan’s eyes changed.

As if he were a different person.

* * *

“Huff… huff…”

“His Majesty has regained consciousness!”

“Quickly call an ambulance! Hurry!”

I had returned.

To the time when I was to ascend as emperor after the Empress.

When the bullet pierced my body, I thought I had died.

But I didn’t die.

My return was proof of that.

Men in black suits moved about frantically.

And among them, I saw women shedding tears.

I felt sorry.

So to calm my wives, I smiled and looked at them.

“I’m back.”

I had returned to my era.

After finishing everything.

At my words, my wives pushed past the Kheshig and approached me.

Then they embraced me and began to cry endlessly.