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Winter, Twentieth Year of the Xin Zhuo Emperor
Morha waited in the snow, flakes slowly accumulating upon her snout. A thick blanket and her fur kept the purple dragon reasonably warm, and her discomfort was more from the individuals she was meeting with.
The Eluts.
The fearsome and dreaded nomads of the North.
The rest of the rebel alliance leadership had assembled a good li behind the mušḫuššu, behind a massive guard of human archers, spearmen and shenjiying standing at the ready alongside a powerful contingent of dragons, qilin, phoenixes, guardian lions and onis. King Fa was present to observe the proceedings, along with Governors Huang and Ce and Generals Ma, Cai, Mengho, Yi, Arshak and Vrana, but they weren’t about to put themselves at personal risk against the fickle and dangerous Eluts. Qing absolutely refused to even be present when the nomads arrived. The blue long absolutely hated them, that much was clear: she had some traumatic history involving the raiders.
Morha huffed. “Fine, I’ll do it.”
So the purple dragon stood alone atop the pass of Juyong Gate to welcome the Eluts, representing the entire rebel coalition fighting the Imperial forces.
“They respect strength.” Qing had debriefed the mušḫuššu. “Your renown has grown far and wide, the pet that became a general and a queen, daring to defy the Emperor of the greatest empire in the world and question the Celestial Mandate. Use it.”
Morha was glad that someone appreciated her efforts.
Minister Kong quickly gave his master a brief history about Bodonchar, the Great Khan. "Of noble blood, raised as a commoner, Bodonchar has defeated and unified all 33 of the Northern tribes a decade ago and now rules a powerful empire stretching across the steppes from the Eastern Ocean to the Great Inland Sea. He fields an army of up to a hundred thousand riders, loyal to him personally. He speaks Tanghua. He is intelligent. He is dangerous. Do be careful."
Then the minister taught Morha some simple protocols and tips to deal with the Eluts, before stepping back to join the mass of officials and officers behind the army arrayed in preparation for a confrontation.
Soon enough the thunder of hooves heralded the arrival of the nomad horsemen; tens of thousands of them, covered in furs, with bows upon their backs, riding atop snorting horses. Some were riding massive stallions in full lamellar armor, snow steadily dripping from the tips of their lances. The Eluts stopped and assembled in an arc around the purple dragon, thousands of pairs of eyes evaluating the dragon representative like the hunters they were. Close behind the humans hovered giant eagles, 30 chi in height, beaks 1 chi in length and talons half chi in length. The avians landed thunderously and stared at the purple dragon with large predatory eyes. Finally the ground rumbled and a quartet of massive death wurms erupted from the ground like minor volcanoes. Hundreds of chi in length, the massive reptiles distantly related to longs towering over all other the members of the two sides.
Morha gulped.
After a long pause, a delegation of humans broke from the horde and approached the dragon on horseback. Gradually, a single figure rode out in front.
“Have you rested well?” Bodonchar, the Great Khan of the Eluts, personally called out in Tanghua.
The Great Khan was clad in a fine silk robe with a sable overcoat and a large shovgor lined with snow fox fur. Like every Elut rider, a recurred composite bow hung on his shoulder. Only the ornate pommel upon his saber and the golden pommel atop his hat denoted the Khan as someone other than a normal warrior.
Morha definitely felt daunted, but the purple dragon reassured herself that she could handle things; after all, she had dealt with military forces, cultists, governors and enemy suo.
She could do this. Kong was a good teacher.
The mušḫuššu gave a slow, polite bow, neither arrogant nor submissive, a polite acknowledgement of equals.
“I have, thank you. Have you rested well?”
“I have.” Bodonchar looked up at the snow falling from the sky. “It is a fine day: the Heavens honor a meeting of warriors with a test of resilience!”
“I see.”
Kong had advised more pleasantries, to ease into conversation. Morha had misstepped.
Silence ensued, before the nomad leader suddenly laughed.
“Nothing more to say? No more obsequious acts or ceremonial rituals you need to perform? Truly, you are not Tangxia. Well, we are the people of the Golden Steppes. Let us get to business.”
Morha paused, glancing back at the rebel leadership for guidance. King Fa nodded. Minister Kong gave a thumbs up. She noticed Qing finally and warily arriving in the distance.
The mušḫuššu shrugged.
“Yes, let's. The rebel alliance wants your raids to end and establish a treaty between our factions. Overthrowing the evil Emperor is of paramount importance to Jiangshan, and your attacks have become a distraction.”
Bodonchar spread his arms. “Sure! We can be friends, though it will cost you.”
Qing abruptly appeared beside Morha, eyes blazing with fury. “Why would we do that? You raid Jiangshan, burning, looting, killing and enslaving! You want us to reward your crimes?”
The Eluts glowered at the newcomer. Eagle eyes focused upon the blue dragon. The wurms grumbled ominously.
The long defiantly stood her ground in presence of her opponents. “Better that we destroy your people, and bring this mockery to an end!”
Immediately the situation tensed up. The nomads’ arrows were notched in bows now held in their hands, spears, lances and three eyed guns were lowered, and the smell of water and earth pervaded in the air.
King Fa was already sending members of his delegation over to join the dragons. Minister Kong was shaking his head as he slowly stormed over.
The Great Khan however simply shrugged.
“I make no apologies. We are the Peoples of the Golden Steppes. Our land is good for raising horses and sheep, but not for farming. We take what we must to survive. When Jiangshan is strong, the Emperor sends his troops North, to take our horses and livestock and our pastures, and make us pay homage to him. Now Jiangshan is weak, and we return the favor. Give us gold, give us silk, give us grain and treasures, for we are strong and you are not.”
“We can still be stronger than you, barbarian.” Qing hissed.
“Do you really want to test me, long? I am a Great Khan. I have united the 33 tribes of the steppes. If I wanted to, I could make your land bleed from the Hetao to the Fei Rivers.”
Morha put her paw on Qing's chest.
The two looked at each other.
Trust me. The purple dragon's eyes said.
Qing stopped. Her eyes still blazed, but that fire was gradually tampered down.
I'm sorry, I will give you a chance. The long finally said, wordlessly.
“My companion shows the depth of Jiangshan's anger against the Eluts.” Morha explained. “There is a history of crimes from both sides. But I am an outsider. I want to move forward. Work with me.”
“I have little interest in Jiangshan's political games, dragon.” Bodonchar dismissed. “If I do not maximize the benefit to my people, I will be killed, and I will deserve to be killed.” The Great Khan stroked his beard. “But I am feeling generous. The Jochi state has been troubling me, and I would rather gain glory there than bleed my armies fighting against your infinite hordes of peasants.”
“What are your terms?” Morha asked as Kong approached, followed by Governor Ce, General Menghuo and Arshak.
“This. 100,000 taels of gold. 1 million taels of silver. 10000 rolls of silk. 10 million taels of wheat, barley or millet. Traders will be allowed to cross the Long Wall and engage in commerce between the Imperial City and the Khangate City.”
“This is robbery.” Kong exclaimed in shock.
Bodonchar shrugged again. “It is fair trade to spare your Empire racked by war. I’ll even be kind and offer one Tumen of my forces under Muqali in your rebellion against the Emperor, who has clearly lost the Mandate of Heaven.”
“I agree to these terms.”
Everyone turned to see Arshak, storming up to join the rest of the delegation.
“What?” Kong was taken aback.
“What?” Morha exclaimed.
“What?” Qing looked like she would get a stroke.
The Berang leader folded his arms. “I want my wife back. I want the Emperor gone. My people will be able to bear this burden.”
The chief minister was shaking his head. “This is like 10 million taels of silver, Ashak. That’s five years’ worth of Imperial revenue.”
“The Berang are not to be trifled with. I want my wife back.”
Governor Ce was smiling. Even the Great Khan seemed momentarily stunned that his demands were so readily accepted.
“Okay.” Bodonchar bowed and gestured for an Elut scholar to approach the delegation. “I am glad that our Mao gui friend here has such generosity. Very well, I accept the terms.”
***
In short order a treaty was written up between Kong and the nomad scholar, and both Kong Fa and Bodonchar signed after counseling with advisors, though the Great Khan stated that a Kurultai would need to be held before the Eluts conclusively agreed to the terms.
Ashak signed as well, as the main financial backer of the agreement. He stared at the document, blotted his golden seal in the red ink, then paused before firmly pressing it upon the paper.
“The Empire would be wise to take our sacrifices in this war into account.”
Fairy2 (Ling Zhixuan and Meng Lan)- Snow Telling the Departure Song 雪诉离歌
From
keihound!
Morha waited in the snow, flakes slowly accumulating upon her snout. A thick blanket and her fur kept the purple dragon reasonably warm, and her discomfort was more from the individuals she was meeting with.
The Eluts.
The fearsome and dreaded nomads of the North.
The rest of the rebel alliance leadership had assembled a good li behind the mušḫuššu, behind a massive guard of human archers, spearmen and shenjiying standing at the ready alongside a powerful contingent of dragons, qilin, phoenixes, guardian lions and onis. King Fa was present to observe the proceedings, along with Governors Huang and Ce and Generals Ma, Cai, Mengho, Yi, Arshak and Vrana, but they weren’t about to put themselves at personal risk against the fickle and dangerous Eluts. Qing absolutely refused to even be present when the nomads arrived. The blue long absolutely hated them, that much was clear: she had some traumatic history involving the raiders.
Morha huffed. “Fine, I’ll do it.”
So the purple dragon stood alone atop the pass of Juyong Gate to welcome the Eluts, representing the entire rebel coalition fighting the Imperial forces.
“They respect strength.” Qing had debriefed the mušḫuššu. “Your renown has grown far and wide, the pet that became a general and a queen, daring to defy the Emperor of the greatest empire in the world and question the Celestial Mandate. Use it.”
Morha was glad that someone appreciated her efforts.
Minister Kong quickly gave his master a brief history about Bodonchar, the Great Khan. "Of noble blood, raised as a commoner, Bodonchar has defeated and unified all 33 of the Northern tribes a decade ago and now rules a powerful empire stretching across the steppes from the Eastern Ocean to the Great Inland Sea. He fields an army of up to a hundred thousand riders, loyal to him personally. He speaks Tanghua. He is intelligent. He is dangerous. Do be careful."
Then the minister taught Morha some simple protocols and tips to deal with the Eluts, before stepping back to join the mass of officials and officers behind the army arrayed in preparation for a confrontation.
Soon enough the thunder of hooves heralded the arrival of the nomad horsemen; tens of thousands of them, covered in furs, with bows upon their backs, riding atop snorting horses. Some were riding massive stallions in full lamellar armor, snow steadily dripping from the tips of their lances. The Eluts stopped and assembled in an arc around the purple dragon, thousands of pairs of eyes evaluating the dragon representative like the hunters they were. Close behind the humans hovered giant eagles, 30 chi in height, beaks 1 chi in length and talons half chi in length. The avians landed thunderously and stared at the purple dragon with large predatory eyes. Finally the ground rumbled and a quartet of massive death wurms erupted from the ground like minor volcanoes. Hundreds of chi in length, the massive reptiles distantly related to longs towering over all other the members of the two sides.
Morha gulped.
After a long pause, a delegation of humans broke from the horde and approached the dragon on horseback. Gradually, a single figure rode out in front.
“Have you rested well?” Bodonchar, the Great Khan of the Eluts, personally called out in Tanghua.
The Great Khan was clad in a fine silk robe with a sable overcoat and a large shovgor lined with snow fox fur. Like every Elut rider, a recurred composite bow hung on his shoulder. Only the ornate pommel upon his saber and the golden pommel atop his hat denoted the Khan as someone other than a normal warrior.
Morha definitely felt daunted, but the purple dragon reassured herself that she could handle things; after all, she had dealt with military forces, cultists, governors and enemy suo.
She could do this. Kong was a good teacher.
The mušḫuššu gave a slow, polite bow, neither arrogant nor submissive, a polite acknowledgement of equals.
“I have, thank you. Have you rested well?”
“I have.” Bodonchar looked up at the snow falling from the sky. “It is a fine day: the Heavens honor a meeting of warriors with a test of resilience!”
“I see.”
Kong had advised more pleasantries, to ease into conversation. Morha had misstepped.
Silence ensued, before the nomad leader suddenly laughed.
“Nothing more to say? No more obsequious acts or ceremonial rituals you need to perform? Truly, you are not Tangxia. Well, we are the people of the Golden Steppes. Let us get to business.”
Morha paused, glancing back at the rebel leadership for guidance. King Fa nodded. Minister Kong gave a thumbs up. She noticed Qing finally and warily arriving in the distance.
The mušḫuššu shrugged.
“Yes, let's. The rebel alliance wants your raids to end and establish a treaty between our factions. Overthrowing the evil Emperor is of paramount importance to Jiangshan, and your attacks have become a distraction.”
Bodonchar spread his arms. “Sure! We can be friends, though it will cost you.”
Qing abruptly appeared beside Morha, eyes blazing with fury. “Why would we do that? You raid Jiangshan, burning, looting, killing and enslaving! You want us to reward your crimes?”
The Eluts glowered at the newcomer. Eagle eyes focused upon the blue dragon. The wurms grumbled ominously.
The long defiantly stood her ground in presence of her opponents. “Better that we destroy your people, and bring this mockery to an end!”
Immediately the situation tensed up. The nomads’ arrows were notched in bows now held in their hands, spears, lances and three eyed guns were lowered, and the smell of water and earth pervaded in the air.
King Fa was already sending members of his delegation over to join the dragons. Minister Kong was shaking his head as he slowly stormed over.
The Great Khan however simply shrugged.
“I make no apologies. We are the Peoples of the Golden Steppes. Our land is good for raising horses and sheep, but not for farming. We take what we must to survive. When Jiangshan is strong, the Emperor sends his troops North, to take our horses and livestock and our pastures, and make us pay homage to him. Now Jiangshan is weak, and we return the favor. Give us gold, give us silk, give us grain and treasures, for we are strong and you are not.”
“We can still be stronger than you, barbarian.” Qing hissed.
“Do you really want to test me, long? I am a Great Khan. I have united the 33 tribes of the steppes. If I wanted to, I could make your land bleed from the Hetao to the Fei Rivers.”
Morha put her paw on Qing's chest.
The two looked at each other.
Trust me. The purple dragon's eyes said.
Qing stopped. Her eyes still blazed, but that fire was gradually tampered down.
I'm sorry, I will give you a chance. The long finally said, wordlessly.
“My companion shows the depth of Jiangshan's anger against the Eluts.” Morha explained. “There is a history of crimes from both sides. But I am an outsider. I want to move forward. Work with me.”
“I have little interest in Jiangshan's political games, dragon.” Bodonchar dismissed. “If I do not maximize the benefit to my people, I will be killed, and I will deserve to be killed.” The Great Khan stroked his beard. “But I am feeling generous. The Jochi state has been troubling me, and I would rather gain glory there than bleed my armies fighting against your infinite hordes of peasants.”
“What are your terms?” Morha asked as Kong approached, followed by Governor Ce, General Menghuo and Arshak.
“This. 100,000 taels of gold. 1 million taels of silver. 10000 rolls of silk. 10 million taels of wheat, barley or millet. Traders will be allowed to cross the Long Wall and engage in commerce between the Imperial City and the Khangate City.”
“This is robbery.” Kong exclaimed in shock.
Bodonchar shrugged again. “It is fair trade to spare your Empire racked by war. I’ll even be kind and offer one Tumen of my forces under Muqali in your rebellion against the Emperor, who has clearly lost the Mandate of Heaven.”
“I agree to these terms.”
Everyone turned to see Arshak, storming up to join the rest of the delegation.
“What?” Kong was taken aback.
“What?” Morha exclaimed.
“What?” Qing looked like she would get a stroke.
The Berang leader folded his arms. “I want my wife back. I want the Emperor gone. My people will be able to bear this burden.”
The chief minister was shaking his head. “This is like 10 million taels of silver, Ashak. That’s five years’ worth of Imperial revenue.”
“The Berang are not to be trifled with. I want my wife back.”
Governor Ce was smiling. Even the Great Khan seemed momentarily stunned that his demands were so readily accepted.
“Okay.” Bodonchar bowed and gestured for an Elut scholar to approach the delegation. “I am glad that our Mao gui friend here has such generosity. Very well, I accept the terms.”
***
In short order a treaty was written up between Kong and the nomad scholar, and both Kong Fa and Bodonchar signed after counseling with advisors, though the Great Khan stated that a Kurultai would need to be held before the Eluts conclusively agreed to the terms.
Ashak signed as well, as the main financial backer of the agreement. He stared at the document, blotted his golden seal in the red ink, then paused before firmly pressing it upon the paper.
“The Empire would be wise to take our sacrifices in this war into account.”
Fairy2 (Ling Zhixuan and Meng Lan)- Snow Telling the Departure Song 雪诉离歌
From
keihound!
Category Artwork (Digital) / Fantasy
Species Dragon (Other)
Size 1698 x 1419px
File Size 962 kB
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