Eagle Shooting Hero 1(36)
After looking at them, Wanyan Honglie praised each one some what, and then awarded all of them with a big cup of koumiss.
“On the battle field today, there was a general with a black cape who led the charge through enemy formations, nobody could stop him; do you know who he was?” Wanyan Honglie inquired after the
‘Four Aces’ had finished their drinks.
“That's a Squad Leader that I just recruited,” Temujin answered. “Everyone calls him Jebe.”
“Then why don't we invite him in for a drink as well?” Wanyan Honglie suggested. Temujin turned and issued the command.
Jebe entered the ger and properly gave thanks for the reward of a drink. He was just about to drink when he was interrupted.
“How dare you, a measly Squad Leader, drink from my gold cup?” Senggum shouted. Jebe was shocked and furious, but stopped the cup as it came up to his lips. He looked over at Temujin for the proper course of action. In Mongolian culture, stopping someone from drinking is an enormous insult. Not to mention that this was done in front of all these people, how could anyone bear such an insult?
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“For my adopted father's sake, I'm going to let Senggum get away with this insult.” Temujin decided turning to Jebe.
“Bring it over here. I'm thirsty, let me drink it!” He took the cup from Jebe's hands and drank all of its contents in one gulp. Jebe shot an angry look towards Senggum, turned, and began to walk out of the ger.
“Come back here!” Senggum commanded fiercely, but Jebe just ignored him and walked out of the ger with his head held high.
“Even though Brother Temujin has his ‘Four Aces’, I have something that could defeat all four of them as soon as I let it loose.” Unhappy that things were not working out to his liking, Senggum changed the subject. He chuckled when he said that. Even though he called Temujin brother, he was not an anda of Temujin; he only did it because his father was Temujin's adopted father.
“Really? What could that be? What could be that powerful?” Wanyan Hongxi's interest was piqued by that statement.
“Well, we can go outside and I can show you.” Senggum said.
“We are having a good time drinking, what are you trying to stir up now?” Ong Khan objected.
“Just sitting here and drinking is getting boring, let's see something different.” Wanyan Hongxi very much wanted to see some trouble started, so much so that he had already stood up by the time he finished his sentence and walked out. The others had no choice but to follow him.
The Mongolian troops had started several hundred camp fires and were celebrating beside them.
When the Khans exited the ger, there was a huge rumble as the large section of troops to the west stood up immediately. They were lined up in perfect formation, not one of them was moving. They were none other than Temujin's troops. To the east, the Ong Khan's troops, slowly and disorganized, picked themselves up from the ground; there were even faint sounds of joking to be heard within their ranks.
“Even though the Ong Khan's troops are much more numerous, they can't compare with Temujin's troops!” Wanyan Honglie concluded upon seeing this display.
“Wine!” Temujin called. He had noticed, in the glow of the fire, that Jebe's face was still showing fury. So he ordered that a big jug of wine be brought to him.
“Today's tremendous victory over the Naiman was a result of everyone's hard work and dedication!” He loudly declared to everyone.
“It's because we were led by Ong Khan, Temujin Khan, and Jamuka!” All of the soldiers answered in one voice.
“Today, I saw someone who was especially brave, charging the enemy's rear no less than three times. He shot down several dozens of the enemy, who was he?” Temujin asked.
“Squad Leader Jebe!” The soldiers answered again.
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“No, not Squad Leader, but Company Commander Jebe!” Temujin corrected. Everyone was momentarily taken aback before realizing what he meant and began to cheer.
“Jebe is a great warrior! He well deserves to become a Company Commander!” They all shouted with approval.
“Bring my helmet to me!” Temujin instructed Jelme. Soon Jelme returned with the helmet and presented it to him.
“This is the helmet that I wear onto the battle field! This is the helmet that I wear as I kill my enemies!” Temujin raised the helmet high above his head for everyone to see. “Now this will be a cup for a warrior to drink from!”
He opened the jug of koumiss and poured all of its contents into the helmet. Bringing it up to his lips, he took a huge gulp from the helmet, and then offered it to Jebe.
Overwhelmed with gratitude and with lowered head, Jebe knelt down on one knee to receive the helmet and finished the rest of the koumiss.
“Even the most precious diamond studded gold cup in the world cannot compare with my Khan's helmet.” He said in a low voice. Temujin smiled as he took his helmet back and put it back onto his head.
The Mongol troops had all caught word of how Jebe had been humiliated by Senggum and felt bad for him; even those troops under the Ong Khan had thought that Senggum was wrong in what he did. Now, seeing how Temujin treated him, they all burst out with a great cheer.
“What a man among men this Temujin is! At this moment Jebe would gladly die one thousand times for him!” Wanyan Honglie thought to himself. “Back in the Imperial Court all the officials insisted that the north is populated by brainless barbarians; it's obvious that they have grossly underestimated these people.” But Wanyan Hongxi was only concerned with finding out what was that thing that Senggum claimed could defeat all four of the ‘Aces’.
“So what is it that you have that's so powerful that it could defeat all four of the ‘Aces’?” he said, as he casually sat back down onto the tiger-fur covered chair that his personal servants had carried out.
“I invite Your Highness to get ready to see something very special. ‘Four Aces’ my foot; they probably won't even measure up to those two bastards of mine.” Senggum quietly said with a smile before turning around to the troops and loudly asked. “Where are my Brother Temujin's ‘Four Aces’?”
The four men came walking up and saluted their superiors. Senggum turned and whispered something to the trusted servant at his side who nodded before running off. Soon after, the sound of roaring beasts could be heard as a pair of huge golden leopards came gracefully out from behind the ger. As they slowly approached in the darkness, the leopard eyes glowed like a pair of jade lanterns.
This gave Wanyan Hongxi quite a fright as he immediately gripped the handle of his saber tightly.
Only when the leopards walked close to one of bonfires did he see that, in fact, there was a leash and collar around their necks and each leopard had a big fellow on the other end of the leash. Both had a long stick in their other hand, and, as it turned out, they were specially charged with raising and taking care of the leopards. Mongolians love raising leopards for hunting purposes. Not only do Eagle Shooting Hero
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leopards run faster than hunting dogs, they are especially feisty; being caught by the leopard means instant death for whatever they are set upon. The only draw back was that the leopards consumed a great deal of food; so only royalty or top officials could afford to keep leopards. Although the leopards were restrained by men, they were still snarling and clawing while glaring viciously at everyone. The muscles on their bodies looked as if they contained boundless energy within them, ready to explode at any moment. Wanyan Hongxi felt his heart get a little fluttery and he was exceedingly uncomfortable. From the power and might that these two leopards were showing, it looked as if they could easily break out of the grip of their masters should they choose.
“Brother, if those ‘Four Aces’ of yours are truly great warriors and can subdue these two leopards of mine bare handed; then I'll be truly convinced.” Senggum said, turning towards Temujin.
The ‘Four Aces’ were furious as the same thought ran through their minds. “You humiliated Jebe, now you are going to humiliate us? Are we just game? Are we wild wolves? Why should we fight your leopards?”
Temujin was far from happy about this whole proposal as well. “I love my men like my own life, how can I let them fight a leopard?”
“Is that so?” Senggum burst out with a loud laugh. “Then why claim to be ‘Four Aces’ or whatever you want to call them. They’re not even brave enough to fight my leopards!”
Of the ‘Four Aces’, Tchila'un’s temper was the shortest and he could not stand such an insult any longer. He took a huge step forward. “My great Khan, it doesn't matter if they laugh at us, but we cannot allow you to be shamed.” He said to Temujin. “I'll fight the leopards!”
Wanyan Hongxi was ecstatic to hear this. So much so that he removed a bright red ruby-studded ring from his finger and tossed it on the ground, proclaiming, “If you can beat the leopard, then that's yours.”
Tchila'un did not even give the ring a look before lunging forward, only to be held back by Muqali.
“Our names are known throughout the Steppe because we have defeated so many foes. Can a leopard command an army? Can a leopard ambush or surround enemies?” Muqali reasoned loudly.