Mount Bogda in Urumqi stands like a human head; Mount Eren Habirga is on either side of the head. Surrounded by mountains, the terrain is rugged and wild beasts roam.
Howl~
The giant roar was like thunder, with immense power, the wrath of the king who rules over all beasts, shaking the mountain forest.
"Guoshi Khan, that's the sound of the mountain king," the Khoshut warrior Nor Wei Zheng came before a Bai Ma.
A person sat atop the Bai Ma, with a handsome face, well-defined features, a long beard, and was slightly thin.
"Oh, it seems our luck is good today, we might hunt a tiger skin," the person's eyes gleamed, and he smiled slightly, instantly radiating immense presence.
This person was Tulubaihu, the third of the Heshuote Five Tigers, known as "Guoshi Khan".
Speaking of the Khoshut, they are descendants of Hasar, the brother of Genghis Khan, a collateral branch of the Golden Family. Nine generations from Hasar, came Bobei Mirzah, who was called the Weilate Khan; after Bobei Mirzah's son Hani Nuoyan Hongguoer succeeded him, he continued to be called the Weilate Khan. In 1580, Hani Nuoyan Hongguoer was defeated by Abadai Sain Khan of the Khalkha Mongol Tüsheet Khanate and died on the battlefield. Before his death, he had five brave and skilled warrior sons with his Khatun (title for a Khan's wife) Ahai: Baibagas, Kundulun Ubashi, Tulubaihu, Sereng Khatan Batur, and Buyan Hatan Batur, who were known as the "Heshuote Five Tigers".
Each of these five tigers possessed exquisite martial arts skills and strategic minds. Except for the second brother Kundulun Ubashi who was not on good terms with the eldest brother Baibagas and moved west to Koke Usu near Kazakhstan, the other four tigers all pastured near Urumqi. Thus, this area became a "tiger's den".
In fact, strictly speaking, Baibagas, the eldest of the five tigers, was only the "Eldest son" (legitimate eldest son), he couldn't be considered the eldest brother, only the second brother; he also had an elder half-brother Hanak Tushitu, but because he was born of a concubine, his status was not high, and gradually, he was forgotten by the world.
Mongol warriors matured early; Tulubaihu led troops to battle at thirteen, defeating ten thousand soldiers of the "Guo Ga'er" Hui Tribe and gaining great fame; that year, when he was twenty-four, his birth mother Ahai Khatun passed away, he used all his wealth, widely distributed alms, and performed rituals for his mother's salvation, his filial piety moved the world and won the support of his people; in the same year, because he successfully mediated and settled the conflict between the Oirat and Khalkha, he was jointly awarded the title "Great State Preceptor" by Dongkoer Manzhu Xili Hutuktu and the leaders of the various Khalkha Mongol tribes. His people then called him "Guoshi Khan", and over time, it was passed down as "Gushri Khan" or "Gushi Khan".
Although Tulubaihu had a refined appearance, Nor Wei Zheng did not dare to be negligent in the slightest and respectfully asked for instructions: "Guoshi Khan, should we send men to drive that mountain king before your horse to shoot it?"
"Mm, go ahead," Tulubaihu instructed calmly.
A team of elite soldiers, holding long spears and torches, went up the mountain to drive the tiger, while dozens of personal guards formed a line before his horse, protecting his safety.
Howl~ Howl~ Howl~
The mountain king's peaceful dream was disturbed, and it became enraged. With a few leaps, it ferociously pounced from the mountain towards Tulubaihu below. Its tail swished, raising gusts of eerie wind; its claws were sharp, flashing with silver light; its maw was ferocious, emitting a Fishy smell. This was the king of all beasts, the king who struck fear into the mountains!
"Well met!"
Tulubaihu took out an iron thumb ring and put it on his hand; this prevents injuring the finger when shooting an arrow. He unhurriedly took his large recurve bow from behind his back, and took out a heavy arrow fletched with eagle feathers from his quiver, effortlessly drawing the bow to full draw.
As the mountain king was roaring, an arrow pierced its mouth.
Hiss~ Ho~ Roar~
The mountain king was in extreme pain and rolled on the ground.
Tulubaihu shot another arrow, hitting the tiger's eye. This time, the king of all beasts choked twice, and then fell silent.
"Guoshi Khan's divine shot~ Guoshi Khan's divine shot~ Guoshi Khan's divine shot~" His subordinates cheered excitedly.
Tulubaihu stroked his long beard with satisfaction and smiled, "You have all helped me slay the tiger, we will prepare wine later to celebrate, and not return until drunk."
"Thank you, Guoshi Khan!" At this, the cheering grew even louder, rising and falling.
Tulubaihu suddenly furrowed his brow and saw a fast horse galloping from afar; the messenger on the horse looked hurried; it seemed another major event was about to happen!
"Guoshi Khan, the Great Khan orders you to immediately proceed to the Barkol great tent; there is an important matter to discuss."
After the Khoshut migrated west, their people were concentrated in the Barkol and Urumqi areas.
The great Oirat Mongol alliance leader, and the eldest of the Heshuote Five Tigers, Baibagas Khan, was pasturing on the Barkol grasslands. He liked this place; the mountains and rivers were beautiful; crossing the Barkol Mountains to the south led to Hami. That was a beautiful and fertile land; he particularly enjoyed leading his army to plunder the Uyghurs of Hami, from whom he could obtain large amounts of wealth, slaves, and livestock.
Around forty years old, with a full beard and a dignified appearance, this was the esteemed countenance of the Oirat people's great hero Baibagas.
Yes, a great hero! Becoming a great hero in Oirat Mongol is easy; it means not fearing death, risking one's life to fight with their sworn enemy, the Khalkha Mongol.
The Mongol proper (Tartar) has, since the time of Dayan Khan, continuously attempted to conquer the Oirat (Wala). The Tumed, Ordos, Khalkha, and other Tartar tribes constantly attacked the Oirat, driving them west of the Altai Mountains. In 1510, Dayan Khan divided the conquered lands and tribes into 6 Tumen (ten thousand households), placing them under the rule of his 11 sons. His youngest son Geresenzazalier, who commanded the 7 tribes west of the Khalkha River on the Outer Mongolia grasslands, led his people to continue attacking the Oirat to the west, finally conquering their old enemy, the Oirat, during the time of his grandson Abadai. Afterward, the Oirat rebelled, killed Abadai's son Bugudai, and regained independence. However, this good fortune did not last; Geresenzazalier's great-grandson Laihū'er reconquered the Oirat in the early 17th century and appointed his cousin Shuo Lei Ubashi as Huntaiji, serving as a Khalkha outpost to control the Oirat, and thus the Hotogoid Tribe was born.
Over a hundred years of war, although the Oirat tribes bravely resisted, they had few victories and many defeats due to insufficient strength, suffering heavy losses, and were forced to gradually migrate west towards the Celestial Mountain, constantly enduring the cruel exploitation of the Khalkha Mongol princes and nobles. In their hearts, they had long since forged a blood feud with the Khalkha Mongol.
Therefore, after each successive leader of the Oirat Mongol alliance ascended, they would lead the various tribes to fight with the Khalkha Mongol. Fighting the Khalkha Mongol was politically correct; whoever fought the fiercest was the great hero in the hearts of the Oirat Mongol people.
When Baibagas Khan was young, he dared to fight the Khalkha Mongol desperately; he had a father-killing feud with the Khalkha Mongol; his old man, Hani Nuoyan Hongguoer, died at the hands of Abadai Sain Khan of the Khalkha Mongol Tüsheet Khanate. After his father's death, he led his people in many bloody battles against the Khalkha Mongol, accumulating high prestige, and was publicly elected as the Oirat alliance leader; even the Master in Lhasa traveled thousands of miles to bestow upon him the title of Khan.
Now, Baibagas Khan was getting on in years; he was middle-aged, with graying temples. But even an old tiger retains its might, and his reactions in all aspects were still sharp.
On this day, he was reviewing documents in the great tent when suddenly his ears perked up; he chuckled and said towards outside the tent, "Fourth brother, you're back from hunting? How was your haul?"