Spring arrived, and Yingsuo River City was full of vitality.
The sun had already risen, but Sultan, embracing Biji Wuliji Bayar, still hadn't gotten out of bed.
Wuliji Bayar was fifteen years old this year, which in this era was the 'year of the hairpin ceremony' (the age of marriage for ancient women). In Sultan's eyes, she was no longer a budding flower bud, but a woman.
Ever since he learned the secret tantric practice of dual cultivation from Shalpa Khutughtu, he and she had been immersed in the wonders of joyful wisdom, inevitably forgetting the passage of time.
"Great Taiji, the Wensa Lama sent by Lhasa has arrived," just as they were enjoying themselves, troublesome matters came.
"Uh," Sultan kissed his beloved wife on her fragrant cheek and was about to get up and put on his clothes.
Biji Wuliji Bayar wanted to get up and serve him as he changed, but he stopped her, saying, "You sleep a bit longer, I can dress myself."
Sultan put on his Mongol robe, and a maid naturally came to tie the sash for him.
The old minister Batu and Tan were already waiting outside the palace gate. "Great Taiji, Wensa Lama was sent by the Living Buddha of Tashilhunpo Monastery (the Fourth Shigatse) and the Gelug Sect regent Sonam Qunpei.
Ostensibly, he is here to spread the Dharma, but in reality, he wants to persuade our Oirat tribes to send troops to Lhasa to protect the Gelug Sect."
Sultan secretly chuckled upon hearing this. It seemed that the sectarian conflict in Lhasa had reached a critical moment.
At this time, not a single step could be taken wrongly; he had to think clearly before acting.
"Grand Secretary, what do you think of this matter?" he asked Batu and Tan.
"Great Taiji, Your servant believes that no matter what Wensa Lama says, you should just say that you must obey the command of the Oirat State Preceptor Khan."
"Hmm, Grand Secretary, this is truly seasoned statesmanship," Sultan smiled and said, "Let him talk until his tongue is like a wilting Lianhua, I will remain unmoved."
Wensa Lama held a very high position among the Masters in the Snowy Region. He was of the lineage of Sanggye Yeshe, the master of the Fourth Shigatse, and he was the third generation in this line.
He was a Master of the Wensa sect, one of the two major tantric sects in the Snowy Region, and had great prestige within the Yellow Sect.
Furthermore, he had spent many years in Oirat, widely spreading the Dharma, gaining many followers, and maintaining close relationships with the Taijis of the various tribes.
This time, the Red, White, Flower, and Bon sects had united to destroy the Three Great Monasteries.
In the face of this unprecedented crisis, the Fourth Shigatse had no choice but to invite this eminent monk to come out, hoping that with his high prestige, he could persuade the Oirat tribes to send troops to protect the Yellow Sect.
Because of his long-term practice of Tantric Buddhism, the Great Monk, who was over sixty years old, had a rosy complexion with no wrinkles.
Even more remarkably, with just a slight opening of his lips, his words could be clearly transmitted to the ears of the person opposite him.
Could this be the legendary sound transmission into secrecy?
Sultan secretly marveled and treated the Great Monk with great respect, smiling as he said, "Your Master's arrival is the supreme honor of my Huit Tribe!"
"amitabha, Great Taiji is too polite.
Nowadays, the methods of cultivation are too mixed, and the true Dharma is difficult to spread.
The Huit Tribe is the first place where this old monk spread the Dharma, and I hope to gain something," Wensa III smiled and said.
Saying something like "the methods of cultivation are too mixed, and the true Dharma is difficult to spread," isn't that just wanting me to send troops?
Sultan secretly chuckled, pretending not to understand, "Master, just say what you need to spread the Dharma, and my Huit Tribe will go all out."
"Great Taiji, now that Qietu Khan of Qinghai Province, Tsangpa Khan of Later Tibet, and Baili Tusi Yutong Dorje of Kang District have formed an alliance and want to destroy our Gelug Sect, since you believe in Gelug, you should send troops to protect the religion," the Great Monk said the words in his heart in his anxiety.
He was anxious, but Sultan was not.
First, he expressed his indignation, saying, "As followers of the Gelug Sect, it is our bounden duty to eliminate demons and protect our religion."
Then, he changed the subject, "However, my Huit Tribe is a vassal of the Dörbet tribe, and we must obey the command of the Oirat State Preceptor Khan.
Without the Great Khan's order, we dare not send troops on our own."
Seeing him push the responsibility onto the Kheshuote people and the Dörbet people, Wensa III shook his head.
Who doesn't know that the Huit Tribe is now strong and well-mounted, and has long since stopped obeying the Dörbet people?
In order to win over the Huit Tribe, Dalai Taishi even married his granddaughter to You.
Even the State Preceptor Khan of the Kheshuote tribe may not be able to command You.
As an enlightened eminent monk, he saw through it but did not say it, and with a slight bow, he said, "In that case, this old monk will go to the Ili River to ask the State Preceptor Khan to order the troops to be dispatched."
With a few steps like Lianhua, he disappeared in an instant.
Since State Preceptor Khan Tülubaishihu ascended to the position of Oirat Khan, he moved the Khan's tent from Urumqi to the Ili River.
This place is good, with abundant water and grass, and it is located in the center of the tribes, which can awe the various tribes.
Of course, in the areas of Urumqi and Barkol, there are still Otoks of the Kheshuote tribe.
In fact, the reason he moved his herds to the Ili River was also to prevent surprise attacks by the Dzungar people.
After five years of civil war, the Kheshuote tribe's strength had weakened.
Although he had worked hard to govern, it would take time to regain strength.
On the other hand, the Dzungar tribe was becoming increasingly powerful.
After expelling the Khoshut Tribe, they almost occupied the entire Tianshan North.
That Khara Khula father and son were very overbearing, and their ambition to dominate Oirat was known to all.
Although he had temporarily suppressed the Dzungar people's ambition by uniting with the Dörbet people, it was not a long-term solution!
There can only be one leader in Oirat.
There were only two paths before him: one, lead his tribesmen to fight to the death with the Dzungar people.
If he won, he would rule Oirat; if he lost, he would be annihilated.
He did not have absolute certainty of defeating the Dzungar people, and even if he won, it would inevitably be a Pyrrhic victory.
The Kheshuote tribe, severely weakened in the civil war, could not withstand such turmoil.
The other path was to lead his tribesmen to migrate and avoid the harassment of the Dzungar people.
But migration required high-quality pastures, and where could he find such a good place?
While Tülubaishihu was anxious, Wensa III's Dharma carriage arrived beside him.
The fifty-one-year-old Oirat Great Khan opened the letter written to him by the Fourth Shigatse.
The letter was very sincere, explicitly hoping that he would bring troops to Lhasa to protect the religion, and that they would enfeoff him as "Gushri Danzin Chogyal" (State Preceptor · King of the Dharma Holder).
The calculating Tülubaishihu stared intently at Wensa III's face, hoping to discern the credibility of the letter.
But how could he see through the thoughts of an enlightened eminent monk? What met his eyes was a calm as still as an ancient well.
The State Preceptor Khan sighed, "The Gelug Sect is in trouble, and this Khan is duty-bound, but I am worried about the Dzungar people to the north!"
Wensa III showed no emotion, "Is the Great Khan worried that the Dzungar people will not follow you to send troops?"
"Not so.
I am worried that when the Kheshuote army is on a distant expedition to Lhasa, the Dzungar people will take the opportunity to attack our pastures, kill our relatives, and seize our cattle and sheep."
Having said that, Tülubaishihu fully explained the current situation in Oirat and the conflict between the Kheshuote and Dzungar tribes.
Wensa III gasped upon hearing this.
He had heard that there was discord within Oirat, but he never expected the conflict between the Kheshuote and Dzungar tribes to be so great!
It seemed that in order to get the State Preceptor Khan to lead the entire Oirat to support the Gelug Sect, he had to go to the Dzungar tribe and persuade their Huntaiji Khara Khula!
Thinking of this, the Great Monk said with emotion, "This poor monk is willing to go to the Dzungar tribe to persuade Khara Khula to protect the religion with you!"
