章 4: Battle at Muu Undur
A scout of Temuujin has shot upwards a lit by fire arrow, signaling that Wan Khan's troops are retreating.
"My lord, the scout has given a signal on the Northwest side. Wan Khan is retreating." said a Captain of a company.
/Mongolian troops has 10-men squad, 100-men company, 1000-men batallion, and 10,000-men divisions/
"Let's chase Wan Khan. But do not march too deep. We must kill the enemy troops as many as possible. Retreat swiftly when commanded" commanded Temuujin to his 10 company captains.
"Yes sir" replied his captains and it is soon followed by lashes on the back of horses.
"Chuu!"
Wan Khan's troops has travelled around 500 km from Tuul river to Muu Undur. Their horses are exhausted while Temuujin's troops' horses are at their best form.A thousand elite troops is riding the best horses of Temuujin's camp. The galloping sound was as loud as a thunder.
After around 30 minites of chase, Temuujin's troops reached 200m range of Wan Khan's rear troop
"All troops fire!" commanded Temuujin, raising his bow, and shooting down a Wan Khan's soldier from behind.
"Uukhai!" a loud war cry could be heard. Seconded by a rain of arrows. By this instance 500 soldiers of Wan Khan are shot down.
Some of the Wan Khan's horses are shot as well.And the riders of the fallen horses would either be trampled down by thousand of horses or if he is lucky, he would be slashed by the sabers of Temuujin's troops, having an easy death.
"Wan Khan! Temuujin is chasing us! We need to stop and confront him" said Altan of Borjigin clan.
"Confront Temuujin? It was your idea to camp and sit idle. And now you want to confront him while our troops are disorganized, and our horses are exhausted. Sengum is wounded as well! We need to make a tactical retreat!" said Wan Khan with an enraged face.
If Altan, Daridai, Khuchir, and Jamukha was not here, Wan Khan would command 10,000 troops. But they would never lose precious time to make decision, ending up in this humilating situation.
"Wan Khan, Altan said wrong last time, but this time Temuujin's troops that are chasing us seems to be few, let's confront his troops and make a battle here! We have advantage in number of Troops" said Jamukha of Jadran clan.
"Jamukha, Sengum is wounded, we need to treat him as soon as possible. If you want my youngest son to die here from a wound of an arrow, lets make a battle here" said Wan Khan feeling irritated by the other tribe leaders.
"Wan Khan, I didn't mean to sacrifice Sengum. So let's organize our troops and attack Temuujin later after we treat your son. But we cannot lose our troops while we are being chased, let our troops shoot arrows while they are being chased, at least we can take down some of Temuujin's troops by this way." said Jamukha.
"So let it be Jamukha, you go to the rear and command the troops to shoot down the enemy" said Wan Khan while riding his horse galloping far away.
Jamukha slowed down his horse's pace and neared the rear of the march.
"All troops, try to shoot backwards while retreating" commanded Jamukha, leaning backwards on his horse, shooting an arrow.
Eventually, Wan Khan's troops followed Jamukha's style of shooting arrow and started to take down Temuujin's troops. It is not an impossible feat for Mongolians, because they learn to ride horse before they even learn to walk when they are children.
As a result, when Temuujin is taking down ten of his enemies, he started to lose three of his men. The chase has continued for around two hours.
"All troops retreat!" commanded Temuujin gazing sternly to Jamukha, his childhood friend last time while pulling the bridle of his horse.
Since the chase has concluded, all the remaining troops have retreated to Muu Undur, the millitary camp of Temuujin.
Soon, in an hour of time, Temuujin has reached his camp unmounting and entered his command ger.
"My lord!" his generals bave bowed to Temuujin, placing their right hands on their chests.
"What is the battle outcome, how many did we kill, and how many did we lose?" asked Temuujin while being seated on the northest side of the ger.
Only after when Temuujin has taken his seat, all generals except Chagatai, Temuujin's second son have taken their seats.
"Father, not including your chase, we have killed 2000 of Wan Khan's troops, has taken 500 soldiers in captive and lost around 400 of our soldiers. Around 200 of our soldiers are wounded." said Chagatai.
"We lost 400 soldiers?" asked Temuujin, making a face of suffering.
"Let their families have reinbursements, a real warrior may die in battle, but his family that are left behind must have support" said Temuujin.
"My lord, during the chase after Wan Khan, we have killed around 2500 of our enemies, wounded around 1000 soldiers, while we lost 300 of our soldiers" said a company captain, who engaged in the chase of Wan Khan.
"So in total, we killed 4500 of our enemies, holding 500 in captive while we lost 700 of our troops?" Temuujin contemplated.
This battle may be a major victory, but the overall situation is still dire. Wan Khan has still twice the amount of troops he currently have.
"Lets' retreat back to our main settlement, Wan Khan and his troops will take a while to attack us" commanded Temuujin.
"Yes my lord" His generals bowed, and started to leave.
"Oh, Mukhulai before you go, I want you to bring Khukhchu shaman in this ger. I want to ask a question from the Tenger" commanded Temuujin.
"As your wish, my lord" Mukhulai has bowed again and went out to bring Khukhchu shaman to his lord.
In a moment, a big bulky man with clothes.decorated by various types of bird's feathers has come in to the ger.
"Lord Temuujin, have you summon me?" asked the bulky man.
"Yes Khukhchu, I have a question from the Tenger. You may take a seat." Temuujin pointed to the left side of the ger.
Khukhchu shaman placed his drum and beat on the table, and took a seat at the left side of the ger.
"Temuujin, what do you want to ask from the Tenger?" asked Khukhchu.
"There is a white prison ger unlike the other black prison gers at our main settlemeny. I want to ask what or who is inside the white prison ger at this moment?" said Temuujin looking at Khukhchu, seemingly with an interesting face.
Prior to this battle, Boorchi, his general has brought an interesting fellow, self claimed as the messenger of Tenger. During the Khuraldai, that fellow suggested to use deception against Wan Khan.
In a result, the strategy to use deception was a success, and Temuujin made a heavy blow to Wan Khan.
Soon, Khukhchu the shaman put his veil in front of his face, hiding his identity.
He started to sing, cry, and hum with a deep throat.
"Hum, Hum..... Hum" the voice of Khukhchu shaman started ring, followed by beating of his drum.
"Bang, Bang, Bang..."
"Oh, the Tenger and the ancestor of Temuujin.
The bloodline of Burte wolf, the righful leader of Mongolians.
Wants to know what or whom is inside
the White ger made as an prison for his enemies.
Oh, the eternal blue sky's might,
The bloodline of yellow light,
Unveil the mystery." hummed Khukhchu shaman, and throwed four sheep ankle bones on the table in front of him.
Soon after, the drum beat has stopped and Khukhchu shaman has looked at the sheep ankle bones, in front of him.Looking puzzled.
"Temuujin, you may be the leader of Mongolians, but you must not ask a meaningless question from the Tenger" warned Khukhchu.
"Khukhchu, what do the ankle bones say?" asked Temuujin.
"Nothing! There is nothing or a mystery in the white ger that the Tenger doesn't know" says Khukhchu, looking tired.
"If there is nothing else, pardon me. I will take my leave" said Khukhchu, ready to get up.
"Khukhchu, there is someone in the ger. I think your ankle bones are confused today, what about you ask the Tenger, when the person is in front of you?" said Temuujin, not believing in the foretelling of Khukhchu this time.
"What a person? My ankle bones does not lie Temuujin, then lets go to our main camp and see who he really is" said Khukhchu shaman surprised and interested in whose fate can mislead his ankle bones.
Khukhchu shaman is the most renowned shaman among Mongolians. His ritual has never been unsuccessful and foretellings have always come true.
"You may leave now. Khukhchu, we will leave this camp in a half a day and retrest to our main camp." commanded Temuujin.
Khukhchu shaman left the ger, looking at his ankle bones with a peculiar gaze.
"Interesting fellow I may say. But your little trick will be in avail in front of spirits." murmured Khukhchu in his mouth.
In the ger, Temuujin was contemplating the result of the war, as well as feeling curious towards the person who suggested to use deception as his strategy against Wan Khan.
"So, you are not a spy, indeed. Then I will soon know who you truly are, young man" said Temuujin, looking forward.
-- 贈り物
が届きました 
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット