Throughout his life, Anda Khan had countless wives and concubines. San Niangzi Jin Ying was only his third principal wife. He had eight sons in total, with several great-grandchildren already. However, the child in San Niangzi’s womb rejuvenated the aging Anda Khan, restoring his youth and confidence. The old emperor of the Ming dynasty was the same age as him but had died the previous year, while he could still become a father again. What did this prove?
I am more formidable than the Ming emperor!
Anda Khan regarded the child in San Niangzi’s womb as a treasure, unable to tear his eyes away. He stayed by his young wife’s side, completely forgetting about the sect leader Zhao Quan and the matters at hand.
Zhao Quan waited and waited in Anda Khan’s grand tent. He drank three pots of milk tea and even made a trip to the restroom, but Anda Khan still did not return.
By dusk, the guards in the grand tent forcibly escorted him out. Unwilling to give up, Zhao Quan slipped some silver to a guard. "Please inform the Great Khan that I have urgent matters to discuss."
In these lean years, life was hard for everyone. The guard took the silver but did not do Zhao Quan’s bidding. "Zhongjin Khatun is pregnant, and the Great Khan is overjoyed. Who would dare spoil his mood? Leave now and come another day."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Quan hurried back to the White Lotus Sect’s headquarters to send gifts to Zhongjin Khatun.
The news of Zhongjin Khatun’s pregnancy spread throughout Fengcheng, sparking jubilation among the people and excitement in the court. The Great Khan, in his old age, was about to have another child—a sign of his robust health and divine favor upon our Tatar tribal alliance.
On the Ming side, Qi Jiguang, newly arrived to lead the defense, had gained a new understanding of his subordinates after several drills and military exercises—they were far too weak!
The Qi Family Army from the southeast was a valiant force tempered through countless battles against Japanese Pirates.
In contrast, the northwestern army was a demoralized force, beaten into submission by repeated defeats at the hands of the Tatar army.
Since the Jiajing era, the Ministry of War had prioritized quelling the Japanese Pirates along the southeastern coast, leaving the northwest to fend for itself. Military pay was often delayed, and to survive, some Ming soldiers had even resorted to herding livestock for Tatar tribes!
The morale, weaponry, and combat effectiveness here were far inferior to those of the familiar Qi Family Army.
Qi Jiguang had been tasked with this critical mission to train the troops, hoping to forge another elite force like the Qi Family Army. But he needed time. For now, it was like forcing a duck onto a perch—they were simply not battle-ready.
Qi Jiguang said to Lu Ying, "Your plan to lure the enemy into a trap is excellent, but we cannot execute it. Even if you manage to draw Anda Khan’s army into an ambush, our troops are no match for them. Right now, holding our ground is the best we can do."
Lu Ying was frustrated by the situation but had no solutions. This was a deep-rooted problem spanning years of the Jiajing era. Even a renowned general like Qi Jiguang could not instantly turn a pile of rubble into diamonds.
Lu Ying hurried to Fengcheng to consult Ding Wu. The plan had to change—they must prevent Anda Khan from attacking the capital this year. The Ming’s northwestern defense was as fragile as an eggshell, ready to shatter at the slightest touch.
Ding Wu frowned deeply. "Understood. I’ll find a way."
Having spent seven years familiarizing himself with the conditions of the various Mongol Tatar tribes, Ding Wu quickly devised a plan. He purchased several items from Wang Daxia’s Rouge and Powder Shop, then braved the wind and snow to ride to the Ordos tribe on the grasslands for a meeting with their leader, Ados.
Ados was San Niangzi’s former fiancé. Just before their wedding, Anda Khan had stolen away his bride, the grasslands’ foremost beauty, Jin Ying.In recent years, Ados had become the tribal leader. With numerous wives and concubines, the rouge, face powder, and fine silks gifted by Ding Wu were greatly favored by them. When Ding Wu arrived at the Ordos tribe, he received a warm reception.
A lamb rack was roasting over the bonfire, marinated with spices like pepper and cumin. The dripping fat sizzled on the charcoal, casting flickering flames. Ados cut a piece of mutton and placed it on Ding Wu’s plate. "Try it and see how it tastes."
Ding Wu sliced it into small pieces with his knife, dipped it in a bit of salt, and took a bite. "The meat is a bit tough," he remarked.
Ados carved the mutton, wrapped it in a baked naan, and rolled it up to eat. "We should be grateful to have anything to eat. The pastures are dry this year, and the sheep aren’t getting enough grass. They’re not putting on much meat. Your White Lotus Sect grows grain in Bansheng Land. When you have the chance, get me a few cartloads. This winter will be harsh. We can follow your Central Plains method—add water to cook it into porridge, distribute a bowl each day. It won’t fill us up, but it’ll keep us from starving."
Ding Wu replied, "Although the farmland in Bansheng Land was saved by digging deep wells and building irrigation channels, and we harvested some grain in the autumn, a few days ago, Anda Khan asked our sect leader for provisions. The leader sent him forty thousand dan, leaving only ten thousand dan as rations. Even the fifty thousand people of Bansheng Land, who toiled hard for over half a year, will go hungry. I really can’t spare any more."
At the mention of Anda Khan’s name, Ados bit fiercely into his naan-wrapped meat. "He’s acting early this time."
Observing Ados’s expression, Ding Wu said, "The Han court is about to have another mouth to feed. Naturally, Anda Khan is preparing ahead."
Ados stopped chewing, a vague suspicion forming in his mind, though he found it unlikely. "What do you mean by that?" he asked.
Ding Wu said, "Zhongjin Khatun is pregnant."
That old lecher!
Enraged, Ados washed down the food in his mouth with a gulp of liquor and cursed, "How shameless! He seized his own granddaughter as a wife! And got her pregnant! When that child is born, will it be his son or his great-grandson?"
"Of course, it will be his son," Ding Wu picked up the tin pot and refilled Ados’s cup. "Your engagement to Zhongjin Khatun has long been void. Now that she’s pregnant, what’s done is done. Getting angry won’t help—don’t ruin your health over it."
Ados drank cup after cup, drowning his sorrows. Having his wife taken by someone else was a great humiliation, but the other party was Anda Khan. The ancestors of the Ordos tribe had sworn allegiance to Anda Khan’s father, the Little Prince. There was nothing he could do.
Seizing the opportunity, Ding Wu advised, "However, you did have an engagement with Zhongjin Khatun, so you have a point in this matter. Now is your chance. Zhongjin Khatun is pregnant, and your Ordos tribe is suffering from drought. Go to Fengcheng and find Anda Khan. Ask him for winter provisions. Exchanging grain for your wife and child is not an unreasonable request. Anda Khan is already in the wrong; he won’t refuse you. He’ll give you something, at least."
As the leader of the Ordos tribe, Ados had a responsibility to ensure his people survived the harsh winter. Convinced by Ding Wu’s reasoning, he set off for Fengcheng with him the next day. There, he bought some gifts to present to the pregnant Zhongjin Khatun.Ados sought an audience with Anda Khan and said, "This year, the pastures have all dried up, leaving our livestock with nothing to eat. We had to slaughter them prematurely before they matured, so there's barely any meat. Winter is approaching, and our tribesmen will go hungry. We beg Anda Khan to grant us some grain. The loyalty of our Ordos tribe to Anda Khan will never waver."
As the leader of the tribal alliance, Anda Khan faced a drought affecting the entire grassland. Every tribe was asking for grain, and the 40,000 dan of grain he had just obtained from the White Lotus Sect was far from sufficient to distribute.
However, since he had taken another man's wife, some compensation was necessary. Anda Khan allocated 2,000 dan of grain to Ados.
Ados was deeply disappointed. He had thought that, given Zhongjin Khatun's influence, he could secure 10,000 dan—or at the very least 5,000 dan. Yet, what he received was merely a fraction. Ding Wu comforted him, "Your Ordos tribe has already received the largest share. Hurry and transport the grain away to avoid it being seized by others."
"This still won't be enough to feed everyone," Ados replied. "Ding Yuanpan, you have Zhongjin Khatun's trust. Take me to see her. I'll beg her to help secure more grain to take back. I've heard her words carry weight with Anda Khan; she can persuade him."
Ding Wu shook his head, "That won't do! You and Zhongjin Khatun are cousins and were once betrothed. There's a saying in the Central Plains: 'Don't adjust your hat under a plum tree, and don't tie your shoes in a melon patch'—you must avoid suspicion. Zhongjin Khatun will not see you."
A shadow of despair fell over Ados's face. Ding Wu then proposed another plan, "If all else fails, I can help you find a way to trade for grain in the Central Plains. The grassland's fox furs, sheepskins, and other pelts, as well as fine horses, are in high demand there—they'll buy as much as we can supply. However, due to the frequent wars between Anda Khan and the Ming Dynasty, the official horse and cattle markets for trading with the Central Plains have been shut down by the Ming court. Money can make the devil turn the millstone; if it can't be done openly, we can smuggle goods secretly. I have connections to trade furs and horses for grain, but we must keep it hidden from Anda Khan. I cannot bear the charge of colluding with the Central Plains."
Ados grasped Ding Wu's hand as if clutching a lifeline, "Good brother! It's settled then. I won't let you work for nothing. If this succeeds, I'll give you a ten percent cut of the profits."
Ding Wu said, "There's no time to waste. Once heavy snow blocks the roads, nothing can be done. Prepare your furs and horses. I'll use my connections to get the goods past the Ming border for delivery. Your men should wait at the border to receive the grain. This winter, I guarantee not a single person in your tribe will starve."
Ados hurried back to his tribe to gather the goods. He had plenty of furs and horses—after all, without fodder, the horses would starve anyway, so it was better to trade them for grain.
Just as Ding Wu was gradually leading Ados into the trap, on the other side, at the Khanate Court, San Niangzi was pregnant, and Anda Khan was immersed in the joy of love and becoming a father again, preoccupied with his young wife's condition.
As for motherhood, San Niangzi felt both excitement and anxiety. She was a young and beautiful stepmother, disliked by Anda Khan's eight sons and grandsons.
The more favor San Niangzi received from Anda Khan, the greater the hostility from her stepsons. Now that she was pregnant, this child would inevitably claim a large share of land, slaves, livestock, and various riches in the future—"Aren't we already struggling to divide what we have?"
Moreover, Zhao Quan, the leader of the White Lotus Sect, came to the Khanate Court daily, urging Anda Khan to launch a southern campaign against the Ming capital, which only deepened San Niangzi's unease.Ding Wu advised San Niangzi, "Childbirth places a woman halfway into the coffin—it's extremely perilous. My sworn sister, a physician, once said that giving birth is like passing through the gates of hell. A soiled cloth, unboiled water, or a rusted pair of scissors could cost a mother her life."
"In such a large-scale war, Anda Khan must personally lead the tribal armies and campaign for at least half a year or more. If the Hatun gives birth alone in the Khanate Court and someone seizes the opportunity to cause trouble, how will she manage?"
San Niangzi took this to heart. She barred Zhao Quan from entering the Khanate Court, complaining of back pain one day, stomach aches the next, and nightmares the day after, keeping Anda Khan anxiously hovering around her. Preoccupied with his young wife and her pregnancy, he found himself unable to leave. Instead, he summoned his subordinates and ordered them to dispatch troops to the northwest for a quick raid, plundering nearby spoils to prepare for winter.
As for leading the expedition himself, Anda Khan had set aside the idea, waiting until San Niangzi safely delivered their child. He still had the ability to father children, and there would be plenty of opportunities in the future.
This time, the White Lotus Sect's guides targeted the prosperous region of Shanxi's Datong, leading the Tatar army toward it.
Meanwhile, Ding Wu instructed Ados to prepare to retrieve the grain. "The grain has already been transported. We've bribed the Ming border guards to let them through. The exchange point is at the border of Shanxi's Datong. Bring plenty of men and be cautious of ambushes along the way."
Overjoyed, Ados made preparations and set off to collect the grain.
Author's Note: The cunning Ding Wu and Lu Ying are a perfect match—firmly holding high the banner of the "Parrot CP"! Also, dear readers, given my diligence, please shower this with flowers and leave a comment. I truly enjoy reading your thoughts on the plot and characters. Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated the story with nutrient solutions between 2020-10-15 19:52:07 and 2020-10-16 02:28:44.
Thanks to the little angels who threw landmines: Zhai Nü Dudu, Er San Jin Ah—1 each.
Thanks to the little angels who irrigated with nutrient solutions: Tue□□amr—30 bottles; Q, Tu Yang Tu Sen Po 2.0—10 bottles; Lan Miao Miao Er—7 bottles; Er Qi, Lulby, Sui Ying Sha—5 bottles; Su Shi Zhou, Xiao Miao San Qian, Kong Kong Bu Shi Kong, Hua Shao, Xiao You De Zhu Ren—1 bottle each.
Thank you all for your support—I will keep working hard!
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