Ch.7Buh (3)

# Burkhan Khaldun Mountain.

Looking at dozens of gers gathered in front, thousands of thoughts crossed my mind.

“I never expected so many tribespeople would gather to watch the bokh…”

“Well, it’s a major event before the spring hunt, so naturally many would want to participate, brother.”

At Munglig’s comment, I nodded.

It felt like all four tribes of the Khamag Mongol had gathered. Additionally, seeing people from minority tribes like the Oroods, Mangods, and Erchens, I could tell everyone took this life-or-death wrestling seriously.

And for good reason—this wrestling match would determine the next leader of the Khamag Mongol. As I mentioned before, bokh was a sport where people risked their lives, and only one participant would survive.

Of course, with proper restraint, one could spare an opponent’s life. But I had no intention of sparing Juchi and Ambaghai Khan, who were thorns in my side, as I planned to completely take over the Khamag Mongol and become its legitimate ruler.

That’s why I built these muscles, and now it was time to use them.

“B-brother, are you… perhaps angry?”

“…What are you talking about, Munglig?”

Instead of answering my question, Munglig pointed at my shoulder. Following his gesture, I looked at my triceps.

“…”

My deltoid muscles were clearly defined in three distinct lines along my shoulder. The posterior deltoids also prominently displayed their muscular beauty.

“Look at that. That must be the batur who survived being poisoned by those Tatar bastards.”

“Indeed. But was he really poisoned?”

“Looking at that massive body… it’s hard to believe the rumors about poisoning…”

The Mongol people looked surprised at my tensed deltoids. I took a deep breath to calm my body.

Gradually, my deltoid muscles relaxed. There was no reason to waste energy when the bokh hadn’t even started yet.

While I was thinking, someone approached me hesitantly. Munglig stepped forward to intercept them.

“Who are you to approach Yesugei Batur, the wolf of the steppe and Khan of the Kiyan?”

The man immediately lowered his body. He had the typical Mongolian hairstyle and wore red Mongolian clothing.

From his attire, I could immediately tell he was from the “white bone” lineage rather than the “black bone” lineage—meaning he was from a branch family that couldn’t be elevated to Khan.

“Brave warrior Yesugei Batur, who defeated the Tatars and made your name known throughout the Mongol ulus, I am Jadaran Elunka, leader of the Jadaran clan.”

“Jadaran Elunka…”

An unfamiliar name. But the clan name he mentioned wasn’t strange to me.

Jadaran…

Jadaran…

“Ah!”

“Do you recognize me? As a descendant of Bukatutsalji…”

“Of course I remember. Don’t you have two sons and a daughter?”

Elunka looked surprised. But being of lower rank than me, he quickly regained his composure and answered calmly.

“That’s right. My eldest is Jamukha, my second son is Juchi, and my youngest is a daughter named Oo’elun.”

Jadaran Jamukha.

Anyone who knew history would recognize this name.

Jamukha was Temujin Genghis Khan’s lifelong rival and sworn brother. Temujin, who lost his father at a young age, once served under Jamukha, who was like an insurmountable mountain to him.

Temujin wanted to overcome that mountain. He broke away from Jamukha’s forces and fought against his former lord and anda at the Battle of Dalan Balzhut.

Jamukha, who was overwhelmingly superior in both influence and military power, not only defeated Temujin at Dalan Balzhut (near the modern Onon River in Russia) but also chased him all the way to the Hulun River in China.

This defeat forced Temujin into seclusion for four years. His whereabouts were so mysterious during this time that there were even speculations in the Mongol Yuan records that Genghis Khan had been living in Solongos (Goryeo), indulging in women.

More likely than these speculations, Temujin was probably captured by the Jin Dynasty’s Mohe army that controlled the land near Hulun and lived as a slave.

Anyway, Jamukha had inflicted an indelible humiliation on Temujin. He had put Temujin in danger in several subsequent battles as well, making him truly worthy of being called the greatest rival of Genghis Khan, the lord of the four corners of the world.

And here was Elunka, Jamukha’s father. I thought it would be good to establish a good relationship with him.

“Pleased to meet you. Your bravery and that of your ancestors are widely known, serving as an example for all of Khamag Mongol.”

Elunka smiled awkwardly at the somewhat excessive praise. But recognition from a white bone clan member was rare, so he brightened up and expressed his gratitude for my words.

“You flatter me.”

“Not at all. I’d like to become friends with you. What do you think?”

Elunka looked surprised. He bowed his head in gratitude, as if honored.

“It is an honor for the Jadaran family that a batur of the white bone clan and legitimate heir of the Borjigin line shows such friendliness.”

“Haha. Don’t think too much of it. Aren’t we both from the Borjigin family?”

As the warm atmosphere continued, I brought up my main point after establishing some rapport.

“Do you have any plans for spring?”

“As any man would, I’ll lead my mingghan on a hunt. And let the livestock graze a little…”

“Hunting, is it? As it happens, my son Temujin has grown enough to lead a mingghan. How about your son?”

Elunka immediately understood what I was getting at. He nodded in agreement.

“As it happens, my son Jamukha is also old enough to hold the reins and draw a bowstring.”

Mongolian children who went hunting from an early age. For Mongolians, hunting was both a survival activity and a form of play, as well as a social activity.

“Is that so? Since they’re about the same age, how about they go hunting together?”

“As soon as the bokh ends, I’ll prepare bows as smooth as the soft grass of the spring steppe.”

“I look forward to it.”

After strengthening my friendship with Jadaran Elunka, Munglig approached me and spoke quietly once the conversation ended.

“He is of lower rank than you, brother, a trivial figure. Why treat him so kindly?”

Again, Mongolian society had a strict hierarchy. One’s status was determined by lineage, distinguishing between direct and branch lines.

By this hierarchy, Jadaran Elunka was far below me in status. So Munglig’s question was reasonable.

“Because he will be of great help to me.”

“…It seems the poison has given you some kind of clairvoyance.”

Munglig’s sarcasm. Since we were originally from the same ten-man unit and addressed each other as brothers, his joking didn’t disrupt the hierarchy.

But regardless, Munglig had irritated me. Looking at him, I thought I should warm up before the bokh.

“I need to warm up before entering the bokh.”

“I-I’m sorry, brother.”

“Get ready now.”

“B-brother!”

Munglig was dragged to a corner by force. Continuous screams began to emerge from his mouth.

* * *

In an ornate ger, a middle-aged man sat on a luxurious chair imported from the Song Dynasty, dressing for the bokh competition while muttering to himself.

“That impudent batur. I’ll teach him a lesson.”

Juchi was planning to discipline his ill-mannered nephew in the bokh. He even thought about completely crushing the batur and absorbing his tribe.

While he was thinking, the tent flap opened. The person who entered was none other than Ambaghai.

“You’ve arrived, elder.”

“Yes. Are the preparations complete?”

“They are. All preparations to teach that ill-mannered batur a lesson are finished.”

Ambaghai nodded at those words. He looked around to make sure no one was listening, then carefully spoke.

“This time we must deal with him decisively to receive what Megujin-se’uldu promised us.”

Juchi nodded at Ambaghai’s words. It was no coincidence that Yesugei had visited a Tatar village on his way back from taking his son Temujin to the Khongirad as a son-in-law.

In fact, it was possible because Juchi had informed Megujin-se’uldu of Yesugei’s route in advance.

Again, from the Tatars’ perspective, Yesugei was a mortal enemy. He had built his reputation by fighting against the Tatars.

Because of this, many Tatars hated him.

Originally, Juchi had planned to rise as the new Khan in alliance with Ambaghai Khan. As a result, Juchi disliked Yesugei as much as the Tatars did.

This was because the higher Yesugei’s reputation rose, the further away the position of the next Khamag Mongol Khan became for him.

Anyway, Juchi and Megujin-se’uldu found common ground. Additionally, Ambaghai, an elder of the Khamag Mongol who wanted to establish a coalition government with Juchi, joined in the plot to eliminate Yesugei.

“I understand. This time it’s a life-or-death bokh, so no matter how much he’s blessed by Tengri, he won’t survive like last time.”

Juchi smiled wickedly. Then he showed Ambaghai a shiny, sharp weapon hidden in his sleeve.

“While you hold the batur, I’ll approach from behind and secretly thrust this poison-coated dagger into his back.”

“If we’re caught, both you and I will be ruined.”

“He survived drinking the deadly poison prepared by the Tatars, so this much is necessary to end his life.”

Ambaghai reluctantly nodded at Juchi’s explanation. A wound from a blade would inevitably be discovered. But Juchi and Ambaghai, blinded by power, couldn’t make even this simple judgment.

They were caught up in the petty thought that they could cover it up once they became Khan.

As the two conspired, suddenly the sound of a leather flute announcing the start of the bokh echoed from afar.

Pwooooooo.

“I’ll teach that arrogant batur a lesson right now…”

Juchi said as he left the ger. But he couldn’t continue speaking when he saw the massive figure before his eyes.