Chapter 4: The Killing Intent in Spring (Four)

Guerhan nodded slightly; Zhao Cheng's response was consistent with his own intelligence, which reassured him considerably

"Han child, you say you can cook venison, let me see how skilled you are!" someone shouted

It is said that the remnants of Genghis Khan's enemies are living in constant fear south of Mount Ala, and General Zhebie is currently leading troops to pursue them. It is truly surprising that they have managed to cross Mount Alatan and arrive here.

Thank you, Great Khan! Zhao Cheng quickly expressed his unwavering loyalty, saying, "I wish the Great Khan a victorious start tomorrow, to eliminate all the Mongols!"

No one will sympathize with the opponent; killing is the way to survive. For everyone here believes that by eliminating all enemies, the world will return to peace

"There is also the dog named Zhebie under the command of Temujin, inciting our people against us, invading our territory, and destroying our palaces. I wish I could drink Zhebie's blood, dismember him, and boil his remains into dog meat soup!" a guard said through gritted teeth

Half a deer is absolutely insufficient, so Zhao Cheng had to busy himself, roasting various hares and pheasants, working tirelessly without a moment's rest. Everyone else was drinking the Khwarezmian wine, savoring the roasted meat prepared by Zhao Cheng, engaging in lively discussions, while Zhao Cheng could only manage to scrape together a few scraps of leftover meat after others had their fill, barely satisfying his hunger. He was utterly exhausted, his face, which was fairer than that of the Mongols, was mottled black and white from the smoke of the cooking fire.

Zhao Cheng's craftsmanship and the illustrations in the book are quite remarkable. His movements are light and skillful, resembling someone who frequently serves Mongolian nobility; otherwise, it would be difficult to explain his adeptness. Half a deer is being roasted over the fire until it turns golden brown, sprinkled with precious spices from the Western Regions, emitting an enticing aroma

You Han people still have some use, it seems your life is spared for now. From now on, be my cook! Don't make me unhappy, otherwise I won't hesitate to use your skull as a wine cup

The figure before me, the Guren Khan, appears to harbor a deep-seated enmity akin to the heavy blood feud associated with the Altan Mountains against Genghis Khan, yet he has audaciously ventured into Mongolian territory. Zhao Cheng harbors doubts regarding their identities; they sound like a hodgepodge of Tatars, Taichiwu, Merkit, Zhadalan, Kereit, and Naimans—tribes that were once powerful on the Mongolian plateau, all of which collapsed and disintegrated under the onslaught of Temujin, with only a few escaping to unite in resistance.

The most dangerous place may also be the safest place! That ancient Khan may have thought so, but Zhao Cheng himself does not think this way

This is an era where words are spoken through blades and arrows; whoever commands a more powerful army possesses the right to judge. Human life holds little value, yet he doubts that this cavalry of around three hundred can inflict significant damage on the Mongols. Perhaps the actions of these individuals are merely unplanned raids; a single ambush could reveal their whereabouts and invite retaliation from the Mongolian forces

To survive, it is essential to have a larger population, as this will yield more warriors and greater strength, which can be used to eliminate more enemies until all are vanquished. Consequently, this will allow for the acquisition of more pastures and livestock, enabling one to remain invincible on the grasslands. This is the way of survival on the prairie, regardless of whether it is the Mongols, the Kereit, the Naimans, or the various tribal branches before Genghis Khan unified Mongolia.

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The requiem of light and darkness, composed of survival and death, division and warfare, slaughter and forgiveness, self-proclaimed righteousness and conspiracies, resonates in every corner of the grassland. This group of people is no different from outlaws, nor is it distinct from Genghis Khan's army; one is weak, the other strong, one is a rabble, the other organized and disciplined

"Han child, come here!" Guhuhan summoned Zhao Cheng to his side, "You said you came from the nearby Mongolian camp, tell me about the situation there!"

The sun is about to set, and the last ray of light is obscured by the dark clouds on the horizon. The temperature drops sharply, reminding people of the severity of the late spring chill

As everyone saw that Gu Erhan had begun to eat, they rushed over to争食, and some even fought over the best piece of venison, all to be the first to taste it. Zhao Cheng couldn't help but feel some doubt; for such a cavalry unit to stand together and fight against the Mongols could be considered a great miracle.

Zhao Cheng greatly admires the courage of these individuals. For over ten years, within this territory that is under the absolute rule of the Mongols, there has been no war; the Mongols have become the sole masters of this vast area, which is separated by thousands of miles. On the contrary, the Mongols have continuously waged wars against others. The vast Jin Empire is now exhausted under the Mongolian assaults, not to mention the Tangut people. The rulers of the Uighurs, Halalu (Geluolu), and the city of Alimari have all submitted to the Mongols, while the neighboring states cautiously manage their relations with Genghis Khan.

The appetite of the crowd greatly increased, yet no one dared to rush forward to seize the food, for their Gūrkhan was present. Zhao Cheng respectfully offered the best leg of deer to the Gūrkhan, who took a satisfying bite and remarked appreciatively:

Note 1: The individuals known as Zhebie, Hubilai, Zhelemi, and Subutai are collectively referred to as the "Four Dogs" under Genghis Khan's command. Additionally, there are the "Four Heroes" and the "Four Adopted Sons," all of whom were powerful assistants in Genghis Khan's military campaigns

"Before sunrise tomorrow, these two hundred ironwood commoners will become the ghosts under our blades!" someone laughed loudly.

This group of people is well-equipped with ingredients. Zhao Cheng's residence is geographically situated among the various nomadic regions of Mongolia, being the closest to the Western Regions as described in Han historical texts. However, it is also one of the most remote areas on the northwest slope of the Alatan Mountains; further north lies the Siberian forests. Merchants from the Uyghur, Khwarezmian, and Kara-Khanid states typically prefer to transport Western jewelry, specialties, and spices to the basins of the Onon River, the Kherlen River, and the Tuul River—these areas are the core of the Great Mongol Empire, with the highest population density, in exchange for higher-value currency. Few merchants are willing to conduct business here.

Note 2: The Khara-Khanid Khanate (also known as the Karakhanid Khanate, among other names) was a state in Central Asia during the era of Genghis Khan, which successively submitted to the Mongols. The latter was a state established by a branch of the Uighurs that migrated westward in conjunction with the Gokturks. In Turkic, "kara" means "black," thus the Khara-Khanid dynasty is also referred to as the Black Khanate, and the Khara Khitan is known as the Black Khitan.

That ancient Khan set up camp in a valley by the riverside. He was very cautious, as making a fire in the valley would be difficult for outsiders to detect, while the lookout posts situated on the surrounding heights provided him with a greater sense of security

Gulhan said nothing, but his eyes revealed an unmasked ferocity.

Dear Guhuhan, there were originally five hundred people in that camp, but due to the insatiable Temujin waging war against the Tang Wutai and the Jin Dynasty, he has conscripted all the able-bodied men who can ride and shoot, leaving now fewer than twenty young men, with over two hundred elderly, weak, women, and children remaining. Zhao Cheng honestly replied, and he could swear that he had concealed nothing.

Dear warrior, please wait a moment, I will certainly satisfy you Zhao Cheng flattered while secretly cursing in his heart

Zhao Cheng was skillfully roasting some game brought by these people over the fire while observing them. The group appeared quite complex; some spoke authentic Mongolian, others spoke Uyghur, and there were also languages that were quite similar to Mongolian. Additionally, there were some who spoke languages he could not understand at all, including a few individuals from the West with prominent noses, deep-set eyes, and lighter skin tones.

Note 4: "Alimari City" is located northwest of Huo City in present-day Xinjiang. According to Ye Liu Chucai's "Journey to the West Record," it is referred to as "Alima City." Locals call a type of fruit "Alima," which means apple. Therefore, Alimari City signifies an apple orchard

Countless ethnic groups or tribes were born, grew, flourished, declined, merged, and even perished on this plateau: the Xiongnu in the 3rd century BC, the Xianbei in the 3rd century, the Rouran in the 5th century, the Turks in the 6th century, the Uyghurs in the 8th century, the Khitans in the 9th century, and the Jurchens in the 10th century all successively ruled over this vast expanse of grasslands, deserts, lakes, and mountains. Just 15 years ago, this extensive area centered around Mount Altai was the domain of the Naimans. At the height of their power, the Turks of the 6th century, the Uyghurs of the 8th century, the Khitans of the 9th century, and the Jurchens of the 10th century all successively ruled over this vast expanse of grasslands, deserts, lakes, and mountains. Just 15 years ago, this extensive area centered around Mount Altai was the domain of the Naimans. When the Naimans were strong, Temüjin's ancestors and he himself were still embroiled in bloody conflicts with their own kin—typically, battles resulting in hundreds or thousands of deaths, merely over a pasture that was neither vast nor fertile, or simply because someone had stolen a few of their horses. Temüjin's ancestors and he himself were still embroiled in bloody conflicts with their own kin—typically, battles resulting in hundreds or thousands of deaths, merely over a pasture that was neither vast nor fertile, or simply because someone had stolen a few of their horses.

Note 3: The "Wanan River" is now the Enen River in Mongolia; the "Qielv Lian River" is now the Kherlen River in Mongolia; the "Tuwula River" is now the Tula River in Mongolia. These three rivers are all the birthplace of the ancient Mongolian people. Between them lies the Buerhan Mountain (now known as Kent Mountain in Mongolia)