Chapter - 43 Boundless Desert (12) (1/2)
That was the reason Temujin was elated on hearing that Ong Khan would be granted a title as well. ”Is the Great Jin Empire going to grant titles to anyone else?” He asked.
”No, that's all.” Wanyan Hongxi replied. ”But that's entirely because, up here in the North, there are only two great heroes: Ong Khan and the Great Khan yourself.” Wanyan Honglie immediately added onto his brother's statement. ”None of the others are worthy.”
”There is another person around here that perhaps Your Excellencies haven't heard of.” Temujin replied.
”Really? Who?” Wanyan Honglie asked.
”He just happens to be your humble servant's sworn brother, Jamuka. He's a righteous man who is very adept at commanding an army. I humbly request that the Third Prince and the Sixth Prince consider granting him a title as well.”
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Temujin and Jamuka were childhood friends who grew up together and at that time they became sworn brothers. When Mongolians become sworn brothers, they call it swearing ”anda”, which was Mongolian for sworn brother. Mongolian tradition dictates that when swearing anda, the sides must exchange gifts. At the time, Jamuka gave Temujin a granite stone that resembled a deer thighbone while Temujin gave Jamuka a granite stone that looked like it was made of brass. Mongolians used small granite rocks to hunt rabbits, but Mongolian kids often played catch with them and competed to see who threw them the furthest. After the two became andas, they went and threw rocks on the frozen Onon River. The next Spring, while the two of them were out shooting arrows with their own little wooden bows, Jamuka gave Temujin a noisy-arrowhead that he carved himself using two little ox horns, Temujin returned the gift with a cypress tipped arrowhead and the two of them swore to become anda once more.
[Note: noisy arrowheads are arrowheads that are carved with slits in them so that they create a very loud screeching noise once they were shot. These arrows are often used to relay messages and orders in battle.]
After they grew up, both of them lived with Ong Khan's tribe and were still very close. Everyday they would compete to see who got up earlier; whichever one got up earlier would get to drink one cup of koumiss out of Ong Khan's own jade cup. Later, after Temujin's wife was kidnapped and was rescued with the combined help of Jamuka and Ong Khan, Temujin and Jamuka exchanged gold and horses and became sworn anda to each other for a third time. The two of them drank out of the same cup in the day and slept in the same ger at night. However, having to migrate with the changing weather and rain, they and their tribes parted. As Temujin's tribe rose in fame and power, Jamuka's tribe was growing nonstop as well. Their friendship was still as strong as ever and was deeper than blood brothers. That's why Temujin, realizing that his brother was not being honored, would ask for him to be honored as well.
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”There are so many Mongolians, where can we find all the titles if we give one to each of them? How many titles do you think we have?” Wanyan Hongxi, half drunk, casually answered back without much thought. Wanyan Honglie shot his brother numerous meaningful looks trying to get him to stop, but was ignored.
Feeling slighted because of the remark, Temujin offered: ”Might Your Excellencies consider giving your humble servant's title to him instead?”
”Are you belittling the titles of the Great Empire of the Jin?” Wanyan Hongxi smacked his leg and shouted.
Temujin slammed his palm down on his table and stood up in anger. Finally, barely holding back his fury, he did not say another word and grabbed his cup and drank its conger in one gulp. Wanyan Honglie immediately told a joke and changed the subject.
The next morning, Temujin and his four sons organized five-thousand troops to escort Wanyan Hongxi and Wanyan Honglie to Ong Khan.
By the time the sun was barely peeking over the distant horizon, Temujin had already mounted his horse and the five-thousand soldiers had already lined up in perfect formation. The Jurchen soldiers and generals, however, were still fast asleep.
At first, Temujin was impressed by the Jurchen army's grandeur and organization. But after seeing what an undisciplined and fun seeking group they were, he humphed and turned to Muqali, ”What do you think of the Jin army?”
”A thousand of us Mongolian troops can defeat five-thousand of theirs!” Muqali observed.