Taiping Inn

Li Xuandu and Yue Libie arrived at Xiao Yanshi's palace on time, and it was already very lively. Even though Xiao Yanshi had raised the threshold and only invited people with a rank above the level of Na Yan, there were still as many as fifty people who came to celebrate Xiao Yanshi's birthday today, accounting for half of all Na Yans. In addition to the followers brought by these people, there were nearly a thousand people in total.

Of course, Xiao Yanshi alone did not have such appeal. What was more important was that the old Khan and the ten kings would show up, and the number of dignitaries in the royal court was equivalent to the grand court meeting of the Central Plains court.

At this time, the maids under Xiao Yanshi played a role. They led the guests to different places according to their closeness and status. It was Yue Niang who led Li Xuandu and Yue Libie to a huge main hall.

This place has been arranged as a banquet venue. There are no chairs. Each person has a low table. There is a three-step platform facing south and back to the north. There are two tables on the platform, corresponding to the old Khan and the young Yanshi, but the two have not appeared yet. There are twenty positions on the left and right of the platform. The top five positions on the left are the positions of the left five kings, in order: Yuejibe Khan, Batu Khan, Suige Khan, Moge Khan, Zixuebe Khan, and the top five positions on the right are the positions of the right five kings, in order: Yili Khan, Mingli Khan, Shigan Khan, Naiqi Khan, Yaomuhu Khan. Whether on the left or right, they are all arranged according to age.

Li Xuandu's position is on the left, next to Zixuebe Khan, accompanied by Yue Libie, and Yaomuhu Khan's position is diagonally opposite him. It is obvious that he has put a lot of effort into it, and it doesn't even look like the style of the Golden Horde.

Soon, the guests arrived one after another, including Nayan and Yesen Nayan, but the most honorable ones are still the ten kings.

Li Xuandu finally had the opportunity to meet the remaining kings he had never met. The first was Yuejibie Khan, who was Yuelibie's half-brother, so the age difference between the two was huge, just like the brothers Mingli Khan and Yaomuhu Khan, one was still in his twenties and in his prime, and the other was already old and knew his destiny. However, the two had some similarities in their faces, especially their eyes, which were like crescent moons when they smiled. The difference was that Yuejibie Khan's smile was a little fake, and it also had more majesty of a superior.

The second was Batu Khan, a king with brilliant military exploits, second only to Ili Khan among the ten kings. Since Ili Khan was defeated in the northwest, he has been in charge of the Western Regions. Because he led troops outside for many years, his face was quite weathered, and he was even more taciturn. However, when he looked around, his sight made people's backs cold, and people couldn't help but think of the four words "eagle-eyed and wolf-looking".

The kings seemed to have discussed it long ago, and entered in order. After Batu Khan, it was Suige Khan and Moge Khan. The two looked similar, not as tall as Yuejibe Khan, nor as strong and sturdy as Batu Khan, but rather thin and weak. They were two brothers, but both had the title of king. Their father was the eldest son of the previous Khan, but he was weak and sickly, and withdrew from the fight for the Khan's position early, and fully supported the old Khan in the fight for the Khan's position. Therefore, after the old Khan became the Khan of the Golden Horde, he was grateful for his brother's kindness and made his brother's two sons kings, and the treatment was not inferior to his own sons.

Finally, it was Zixuebe Khan, who did not need much introduction, Li Xuandu was already familiar with him.

The Great Wei respected the left, and the Golden Horde respected the right. After the five kings on the left, it was the five kings on the right. The first to appear was Mingli Khan, whom Li Xuandu had already seen, followed by Naiqi Khan and Yaomuhu Khan, who Li Xuandu had also seen. Then it was Shigan Khan, who had once rejected Li Xuandu.

Among the four sons of the old Khan, Shigan Khan ranked second, second only to Mingli Khan. Perhaps because of his years of frustration, Shigan Khan did not have the shrewdness of Mingli Khan, nor the vigor and vitality of Yaomuhu Khan. His brows were always furrowed, his face was full of sadness, his hair was gray at an early age, and he looked old. Shigan Khan's old age was different from Mingli Khan's. Mingli Khan gave people the feeling of a treacherous minister who was behind the scenes in the drama. He was old but not old at heart. Even with white hair and beard, he was still full of energy. Shigan Khan gave people the feeling of being a person who was excluded in the officialdom. He was frustrated and miserable, like a squeezed medicine residue, and he had completely lost his spirit.

After Shigan Khan sat down, Ili Khan, the most famous among the kings, finally arrived.

Li Xuandu knew about the existence of Ili Khan many years ago because of the peace talks between Qi Ying and Ili Khan. Because of this, Ili Khan became famous in the Central Plains. "Khan" is not a part of Ili Khan's real name, but means "king". Ili Khan's surname is Temur, but the people in the Central Plains did not know that there were three-character surnames, so they took the name of the Golden Horde as their surname and called it "Jin Yili" according to the transliteration.

In the 20th year of Ming Yong, the fledgling Ili Khan followed his brother to attack Wei, and defeated thousands of Wei troops in the first battle. In the 22nd year of Ming Yong, Ili Khan led the army alone, and fought fiercely in Liangzhou, Qinzhou and other places, with mixed victories and defeats. In the end, because the Wei army was so corrupt, the Golden Horde army was able to approach the city of Xijing. Emperor Yong of Ming issued an order, and the Governor-General of Qinzhong Qi Ying came forward to sign a city alliance with Ili Khan of the Golden Horde. In the 10th year of Wei Wude, Ili Khan led the Golden Horde army to the south again and captured Xijing. Emperor Wude was shocked and angry, and fell ill and could not manage the affairs. The government was handed over to Empress Xie and the chief minister of the cabinet Zhang Suqing. Under the leadership of Zhang Suqing, the Wei court refused to negotiate peace, mobilized troops from Shuzhou, Zhongzhou, Jinzhou, Yanzhou and other places, and led the army led by the left governor Qin Xiang in person. In Qinzhou, they fought a great battle with the Golden Horde army, and Ili Khan was forced to retreat to Liangzhou. The following year, Ili Khan withdrew his troops due to successive defeats and insufficient food and grass, and Qin Xiang briefly recovered Qinzhou and Liangzhou. In the same year, Emperor Wude, who was seriously ill, died in the Yanbo Palace of Xiyuan, and Qin Xiang had to return to Beijing.

When the old Khan competed for the Khanate, Ili Khan was still a minor. After the old Khan became the Khan of the Golden Horde, all the brothers who competed with him for the Khanate were executed by him, and his frail and sickly brother was also terminally ill. At this time, the young Ili Khan became the old Khan's arm, and gradually became a powerful figure in the Qiexue Army. He eventually became the Grand Commandant of the Qiexue Army, becoming a powerful figure in the royal court second only to the old Khan, and has always been a representative of the pro-war faction.

This was the first time Li Xuandu met Ili Khan, and Li Xuandu had to admit that Ili Khan's image was far from what he imagined. Although Ili Khan was a member of the Golden Tent and was often portrayed in dramas as having a strong body, a bloody mouth, and a full beard, in fact, Ili Khan was of moderate build, elegant appearance, and a resolute look. He did not have the cruelty and violence of Batu Khan, but was in line with the image of the world's famous generals of the time.

He looked at Li Xuandu silently, with a vigilant look, and then sat down in silence.

Shortly after Ili Khan appeared, Xiao Yanshi helped the old Khan into the hall from the east side door. At the moment the two appeared, everyone in the hall stood up together, raised their hands above their heads, and then covered their right hands in front of their chests, and bowed at the same time to show respect.

At this time, Xiao Yanshi was so gentle that she did not look like a powerful mistress of the royal court, but more like a little wife who obeyed her husband in everything, carefully serving the old Khan to take his seat. The old Khan looked good today. He raised his hand and slowly pressed it down, saying, "Don't stand. Sit down, sit down."

The kings, Yesen Nayan, and Nayan thanked the old Khan in unison and sat down in their seats.

The old Khan looked around and accurately landed on Li Xuandu, saying, "The envoy from the Central Plains has arrived."

In an instant, everyone's eyes fell on Li Xuandu. The well-informed kings already knew that Li Xuandu had met the old Khan yesterday, and they had different thoughts.

Li Xuandu, who had just sat down, had to stand up again and said, "Yes."

The old Khan raised his hand and pressed it again, "Don't stand up. Today is Yanshi's birthday. She is the host. I am a guest like everyone else. Moreover, the Golden Tent is not the Central Plains. There are not so many rules. Envoys can be more casual and don't be restrained."

Li Xuandu sat down again and said, "Yes."

The old Khan asked again, "Where is Yue Libie?"

Yue Libie, who was sitting not far from Li Xuandu, raised his hand and said, "Khan, I'm here."

The old Khan smiled and said, "You brought the Central Plains envoy back to the grassland. You have made a contribution. I want to reward you. Tell me, what do you want?"

Yue Libie did not say "I dare not accept the reward", but said directly, "I want a piece of land that belongs to me, where I can graze and run horses."