Free Web NovelChapter 2144: Chapter 1558: Tenggeri! Are the Tumen Ten Thousand Households Going Southward to Levy Conscripts?
In the early autumn of September, the Heilongjiang River is mild in climate and moderate in water levels, making it the most suitable time of the year for navigation. In the past, when the Nurgan Metropolitan Authority was still in existence, the Ming Army would seize this best month to conduct official ship inspections and transport supplies. Large official ships carrying food, weapons, and daily necessities would sail down the Great River, heading to the mid-to-lower reaches of the entire Heilongjiang River, becoming the most critical lifeline for maintaining the garrisons of Outer Northeast.
At this time of the year, the river water is wide and deep, with a flow speed neither fast nor slow, resembling a silver ribbon meandering across the vast Northeastern land. And when two wide ribbons, from north to south, converge at the midstream of the Heilongjiang River, they stir up the black silt on both banks, revealing a glimpse of the "Black River" appearance. This is also where the kingdom’s horse-buying team reaches.
"Chief Divine’s blessing! We have seen the vast downstream of this Great River, but never thought the upstream is just as wide?... But which is the true upstream of this Great River, as both the Northeast and Northwest have a vast upstream river?"
"Haha! Ancestor High Priest, the winding waterway from the Northwest originates from the heartland of the Mongolian tribes and is said to be connected to the true ’Divine Mountain Holy Lake.’ In the legacy left by the Ming Dynasty, this is the longer upstream of the Huntong River, extending into the Mongolian heartland’s ’Bu Yu’er Sea!’ As for the river path flowing from the Northeast, it is broader but, like our route, comes from the mountains of the Xing’an Ridge in the Northeast. This is another important passage for the Northern Mountain Wild Man Jurchen coming south, leading to the dangerous forest sea and mountains..."
Chief of Harman Ali squinted his eyes, gazing at the confluence of the two rivers, "Black River." The magnificent Great River gathers here, merging with sparse forest land, shrub plains, and swamp grasslands, as well as the black soil by the river. The further you go upstream to the north, the more different the landscape of these two Great Rivers becomes apparent.
The upstream of the Northwest river, leading to the Mongolian Plateau side, seems significantly flatter, with an unobstructed view. The long grass sways in the autumn wind, like a golden ocean. Scattered birch and Mongolian oak trees are interspersed, with even the leaves shimmering in golden sunlight. From afar, one might see dots moving on the grassland by the river, possibly roe deer, elk, or herded livestock. Birds of prey circle the sky, occasionally swooping down and rising again; the small dots in their claws must be the plump wild rabbits of autumn.
As for the upstream of the Northeast river, leading to the Northern Mountain of the Jurchen, it reveals denser forests and towering mountains on the horizon. The tall trees transition from sparse to dense, with birch, red pine, larch, aspen, and cold fir forming the main body of the forest. The leaves gradually change color in the autumn wind, forming a sea of gold and red. With the cover of the forest, no signs of life can be seen within. Instead, the faint sounds of bears, horse deer, roe deer, and wild boars, all major forest-dwelling animals, can be heard.
Of course, the Northeast old forest also harbors the most dangerous two-legged beasts, the wild Manchurian Jurchen, who consume raw meat and blood, lead hunting dogs, carry bows and maces, and even lead horses southward. Before the winter cold wave descends each year, the Wild Man Tribes who cannot survive will migrate south ahead of time, embarking on a one-way journey of life and death...
"Chief Divine of the Eastern Sea bears witness! This wide river from the Northeast is also called ’Jingqili River,’ or ’Sahalien Ula’!"
"Hmm? Why does it have two different names? Sahalien Ula? Isn’t that Aguda’s name for the Huntong River?"
"Yes! Two different names representing different tribes’ names! Sahalien Ula is what our Jurchen tribes call it. In our Jurchen tribes’ view, the river flowing south from the Northern Mountain of the Xing’an Ridge is the true upstream of the Huntong River, the ’Sahalien Ula,’ the ’Vast Black Water!’..."
At this point, Ali glanced at the thoughtful Maha Agudah, smiled, and pointed west towards Mongolia’s direction, speaking again.
"And in the eyes of the Mongolian Tribes, this Eastern Great River is the ’Jingqili River,’ known as the ’Quiet Great River’ in Mongolian. The ’quiet’ here often signifies danger. The forest blocks the view, far more dangerous than the grassland, also the reason the nomadic Mongolian tribes have always struggled to penetrate deeply..."
"And these two different tribal names represent the meeting place of the Mongolian tribes and the Jurchen tribes! Currently, the Mongolian tribes are strong, and the rivers and tribes here belong to Mongolia. But if one day, the Jurchen tribes grow strong, this place will also belong to Jurchen... It’s just unknown whether such a day will indeed arrive..."
"The confluence of two Great Rivers, westwards is Mongolia, eastwards is Jurchen..."
Across the expansive mountains and waters, the grass grows, and the eagles soar. Zuwaro opened his eyes wide, gazing at the grand grassland he had never seen before. After watching deeply for a long time, he asked another question.
"Chief Divine’s blessing! Ali, did the Southern Ming also come here? What name did they call this place?"
"Yes, they did come! Even further north they came..."
Ali replied with a smile, then lowered his eyes, his voice dropping as well.
"In the Ming’s legacy, building on Northern Yuan’s records, here had no special name, just called ’Huli,’ meaning ’by the river’ in Mongolian. There should have been a court-established frontier village here called ’Huli Ping Village,’ meaning ’flat village by the water’... But it’s long gone! This northern village was long conquered by the Mongolians!..."
"Huli Ping Village, flat village by the water? Let me think, since there was a village, there must have been a tribe settled here, and it must have been a strong tribe in this area to keep watch?... That should mean finding the village would lead us to tribes we can trade with?... Hu Nu, bring my Divine Eye Glasses!"
Zuwaro, sitting on horseback, lifted the Divine Eye Glasses, scanning the northern boundless grassland. After a moment, he shook his head and issued an order.
"Continue north! Along the Great River... slow down, pay close attention to the surroundings, and look for tribes!..."
The horse-buying team of over 160 infantry and 37 cavalry continued northward, amidst the vast Great River and grassland, like a group of ants on a march. However, the weapons they carried, the armor worn or transported, and the greatbows they bore all represented the most fundamental "logic." Only by mastering this "logic" could they engage in rational dialogues and "friendly" trade with encountered nomadic tribes, regardless of size.
"Hmm! Chief Divine’s blessing! I see a four-legged beast! Huge... no, it doesn’t seem that big a four-legged beast... gray-white, gathered like cotton, a peculiar beast..."
"Ahem! Ancestor High Priest, that should be a flock of sheep. Sheep are the most raised and most important livestock of herders. The milk produced by sheep grazing is the primary food of the tribe... Where there’s a flock, there are herdsmen! Which direction?..."
"Northwest, along that river, slightly to the east... see it? Hmm, it’s too far; you’ll need the Thousand-Eyed Mirror to see... Agudah, send a few cavalry over, find those herders and ask them! Just in the direction I’m pointing... everyone else, pick up the pace!..."
"Wushu? Go! Take some people over there, find the herders and bring them back!"
"Got it, boss!"
"Tap, tap, tap..."
The hoofbeats quickly faded away, returning after about two or three quarters. In front of Maha Wushu’s horse now was a disheveled, ragged pastoral slave. The slave was so skinny, merely skin and bones, wearing just a tattered robe, pressed down on the horse’s back by Wushu with one hand. As the horse galloped, he swayed east and west in fear, not daring to struggle, afraid of provoking the "Wulusi" cavalry holding him, leading to a beheading.
"Ali, go ask him questions! Don’t reveal our details..."
"Okay!..."
Ali nodded, rode forward. Maha Wushu had already stopped his horse, lightly lifting the pastoral slave off the horse. Mainly because this pastoral slave was too light, probably not even ninety pounds, likely one of the poorest eating three days and starving five meals in the tribe.
"Ugh..."
"Raise your head!"
"Yes... yes! Master Wulusi... oh no! Master Lord!..."
That pastoral slave, dizzy and overwhelmed, managed to kowtow twice, then raised his head to look, immediately startled. He had thought it was some small tribe’s camp, being questioned by passing "Wulusi" cavalry, but to his shock, he saw dozens of cavalry and over a hundred robust, armored warriors with bows on their backs!
This was certainly no small tribe. It must be from a big tribe from the south, possibly sent by the Tumen Wanhu of Fuyu, Tai Ning, or Duoyan. And only a Leader of the Tumen Wanhu could command such an elite team. It certainly wasn’t just a Decury Leader "Alban Lord," but at least a Century Leader, "Zha Wen Lord," maybe even a Thousand Leader "Min Han Lord" was possible!
"Tenggeri, great heavens, why would so many warriors suddenly come from the south? Armored warriors with weapons never bode well. September is the time of lush grass and fat horses... could the southern Tumen Great Masters be conscripting men for another southward expedition?!"
