Ch.44Fall (1)

I waited for a response to our surrender envoy.

After several days, a reply to our surrender offer finally came from Khara-Khoto.

“We will surrender.”

I nodded at the messenger who introduced himself as Li Deyun’s advisor.

“I accept your surrender. However, since you rejected our initial offer of surrender, you must pay a price for that.”

From the beginning, the first surrender proposal was merely a strategy to divide the enemy.

Therefore, I had low expectations that the enemy would actually surrender to our first offer. However, I had no intention of revealing this in a diplomatic setting.

This was because, from our perspective, we had clearly offered surrender first,

and the enemy had rejected it by beheading our messenger.

“What kind of price would be acceptable?”

In response to the messenger’s question, I instructed my attendant to bring the prepared list of demands.

The attendant handed the paper with our requirements to the messenger.

As he slowly read through it, the enemy messenger looked surprised and addressed me.

“This… this is too excessive. We don’t have the ability to offer this much tribute.”

“Are you refusing my demands?”

At this time, most states allowed their city lords to conduct independent diplomacy.

In some ways, it was similar to Western feudalism, but Western Xia was slightly different from Central Plains or Korean peninsula states in that they required the emperor’s final approval.

Anyway, as an invader, I had no need to be understanding of Khara-Khoto’s situation.

So I shook my head and firmly stated my position.

“If you refuse, we will attack you again. And this time, instead of showing mercy, we will completely destroy Khara-Khoto.”

Again, from the Mongol perspective, we didn’t have the ability to occupy and maintain control of Khara-Khoto.

Therefore, destroying it would be much more beneficial.

However, there was no need to reveal this to the enemy, so I used it to intimidate them.

“I… I understand. We are… g-grateful for the Khan’s mercy.”

“Good. Return to your lord and inform him to send tribute beginning this winter.”

The messenger bowed and left the ger.

As soon as he disappeared, Bulqa approached me and spoke.

“They won’t send the tribute.”

“That’s exactly what I’m hoping for.”

We needed the enemy to withhold tribute so we would have justification to attack again.

This justification was necessary to convene a kurultai and order attacks throughout Western Xia without hesitation.

Again, war was an extension of politics, and wars without justification always invited resentment.

“Great Khan.”

Munglig entered the ger, bowed to me, and began his report.

“The entire army is ready to return.”

“Good.”

It was time to go back.

We needed to move quickly to prepare for the upcoming all-out war with Western Xia.

* * *

When the warriors returned to Khamag Mongol, celebrations broke out everywhere.

These were to celebrate their safe return.

“Hahaha! Let’s drink and get drunk today!”

“Let’s enjoy ourselves!”

The warriors were genuinely happy and enjoying the festivities.

This was because the raid near Khara-Khoto had been extremely successful.

Mongol people had always lived by raiding settled states.

But since this raid had yielded twice as much loot as usual, everyone couldn’t help but be happy.

It was enough wealth to live on without doing anything until next year.

As a result, warriors from other tribes were looking at the Khamag Mongol warriors with envious eyes.

“I heard that the goods brought from Khara-Khoto were so plentiful that even two horses weren’t enough to carry them. Is that true?”

“Haha! Since Khara-Khoto was a trading city, there was certainly a lot in the surrounding villages.”

“That’s right! I heard Tanguts keep expensive incense in their homes, and it was true.”

“There were even gold-plated Buddha statues.”

Other tribal warriors’ eyes sparkled at the Khamag Mongol warriors’ tales of valor.

They carefully approached the warriors and asked:

“I heard we’re attacking again in winter. Can we join then?”

“I heard that too. I really want to participate in the next raid…”

The Khamag Mongol warriors nodded generously with hearty laughs.

“Our merciful Ulaanbaatar is the Khan of the steppe, so of course he’ll take you along.”

“I heard there will be another kurultai.”

The warriors licked their lips as they drank fermented mare’s milk.

Their minds were already filled with desire.

I was sitting not far from where the warriors were.

Being close enough to overhear their conversation, I could understand exactly what they were discussing.

“The other tribes seem quite envious, Father.”

Temujin poured me some fermented mare’s milk as he said this.

I nodded in agreement with my son’s words.

“Yes, they should be envious. This way, all tribes will vote in favor of conquering Western Xia at the next kurultai.”

Wars were typically initiated by the decisions of leaders.

This often meant that soldiers who directly participated in battle were likely to be discontented.

To preemptively address this, I deliberately spread information,

making warriors from other tribes voluntarily want to participate in battle.

Soldiers would only fight enthusiastically if they understood how it benefited them.

While I was thinking this, Temujin was staring at me intently.

So I looked at my son and casually asked:

“What is it?”

“I feel this every time, but Father, you are not only brave but also deeply strategic.”

“Haha. Flattering me won’t get you anything.”

When I laughed and said this, Temujin understood it was a joke and smiled along.

Looking at my son, I handed him the fermented mare’s milk.

“When winter comes, I will lead the ulus to attack Western Xia. This might be the last time I pour you mare’s milk.”

“Father…”

“I’m proud of how you’ve grown, my son.”

“…Thank you.”

My son bowed his head in gratitude.

Then, as if he had something to say, he carefully spoke:

“Before you leave for Western Xia, I wish to receive one final teaching from you. Would you grant me this?”

“Teaching? Do I still have something to teach you?”

Temujin was already an adult.

I couldn’t help but wonder what my son, who had become a full-fledged man, might need.

Normally, I could speak calmly.

But now, being quite drunk, I felt the urge to speak my mind.

“What I want to ask is how to be a leader.”

“As a leader?”

“Yes. If I conquer settled states, should I follow their customs?”

Following their customs.

That also meant accepting their culture.

Just as the Liao Dynasty occupied Northern China and eventually became Chinese.

Just as the Jin Dynasty is currently struggling not to become Chinese after conquering the Central Plains.

Whether desired or not, the minority inevitably becomes absorbed by the majority.

In modern times, according to nationalist ideology, the Han Chinese used the term “Sinicization” to describe how they assimilated other cultures.

While modern society viewed this negatively,

it was difficult to say this method was wrong in this era.

As conquerors, conquering new lands and adapting to local cultures—

this had been a long-standing practice since humans began waging war.

As just an ordinary modern person, I wasn’t qualified to explain this.

However, as the Khan of the ulus, I felt I could tell Temujin what actions would benefit him.

“My son. We were born on the steppe and grew up as wolves. Meanwhile, settled people were born as sheep and have lived in societies full of sheep.”

Wolves and sheep.

Wolves had to eat sheep to survive.

“When you conquer a society of sheep, you will eventually have to wear the golden wool they offer you.”

“Wool… you say?”

“Yes. A wolf wearing wool will gradually mistake himself for a sheep. Because everyone around you will be sheep, and the stiff fur covering your body will have changed to soft wool.”

“…”

“As time passes, the son born to your wife will forget he was ever a wolf and live as a sheep. And his son will forget that his ancestors were wolves.”

Temujin looked at me as if he had something to say.

I nodded at my son, indicating it was okay to speak.

“Father, you are right. But as a leader… wouldn’t it be better to live as a king of sheep for the sake of family and tribe?”

“You’re right. However, you’ve forgotten something.”

“What have I forgotten…?”

“That even if a wolf acts like a sheep, it remains a wolf. The sheep will always be ready to bring you down.”

The sheep’s lie was simple.

They told the wolf it could become a sheep, making it forget how to hunt.

When the wolf forgot it had sharp teeth and claws,

the sheep would simply overthrow what had become just a large sheep.

“Then what should I do?”

At Temujin’s question, I stretched out my hand to point at where the sheep were gathered.

Then I asked my son:

“Son, do you remember how to distinguish our sheep from another family’s sheep when they get mixed together?”

“Of course. Don’t we brand them with our mark to tell them apart?”

“Yes. That way, we can distinguish our sheep from others’, and even tell apart the sheep you manage from those Bekhter manages.”

Temujin looked at me as if wondering what this had to do with our conversation.

After taking another sip of mare’s milk, I shared with my son the eternal truth that a leader must possess.

“Don’t look at the sheep as a whole, but divide them until they cannot be divided further.”

“Ah…”

“Divide them by religion, race, origin, and more. In every society, there are those who feel marginalized. Give power to the marginalized. The powerful minority will fight against the majority. Then they will forget that you remain at the very top.”

Divide and rule.

This was a principle that had applied from ancient times to the modern era.

“And keep wolves by your side. Having wolves who might become enemies at any moment will remind you, your son, and your grandson that we came from the steppe and are wolves who eat sheep.”

Hearing my words, my son nodded with an expression that suggested he had understood something.

Then he adjusted his posture as if to organize his thoughts.

After speaking, I felt like I might have said things I shouldn’t have due to the alcohol.

Feeling like I might have been lecturing him, I stood up to stop myself before saying anything inappropriate.

Just then, I made eye contact with Munglig who was approaching me.

“Brother! You should have a drink from your younger brother too!”

“…Have you grown a lot?”

Munglig immediately shrank back.

Looking at him, I sighed and asked:

“By the way, where are the kheshig?”

“Why are you looking for the kheshig?”

“I need to tell them what to train for before we begin full-scale war with Western Xia.”

When the war with Western Xia began, my personal guard, the kheshig, had specific tasks.

Contrary to my thoughts, Munglig’s face turned pale at the mere mention of training.