Chapter - 81 Decoy Deployment On the Cliff (11) (2/2)
”Are you misusing that name, or not?” Ke Zhen'E demanded in an icy voice. ”The 'Dragon King of the Demonic Group' is a renowned personage, how could he have disciples as miserable as you?”
”Misusing a name?” the axe man said. ”This is Elder Brother Shen Qinggang, nicknamed 'Saber Breaks Down The Soul'; this is Second brother, Wu Qinglie, nicknamed 'Lance Seizes Life'; this is Third brother Ma Qingxiong, nicknamed 'Whip Captures Spirit'; and I, Qian Qingjian, am nicknamed 'Axe Buries Family'.”
”So,” Ke Zhen'E said, ”it seems to be true. You really are the 'Four Demons of the Yellow River'. You occupy a certain position in the Jianghu world; how could you lower yourselves to attack four against one?”
Wu Qinglie said cunningly, ”What, four against one?” he argued. ”Isn't your disciple helped by all these Mongols? Indeed, we are four against several hundred!”
”Third brother,” Qian Qingjian demanded of Ma Qingxiong, ”this blind person appears to be very boastful. Who is he?”
He had asked the question in a low voice but Ke Zhen'E heard him. Very upset, he leapt forward and struck with his staff at Qian. Grabbing him by the collar he threw him to the bottom of the hill. Ke Zhen'E, already among them, grasped them one after the other and pitched them far away. The Mongolian soldiers called out joyfully. The 'Four Demons of the Yellow River', covered with sand, rose painfully to their feet with their limbs aching and shame on their faces.
At that moment, immense dust clouds rose in the distance, as if tens of thousands of horsemen were coming. A flutter of nervousness immediately moved through Senggum's army.
Temujin, delighted to see reinforcements arriving, knew that iron discipline reigned in the army of Jamuka. Its officers and soldiers were all battle hardened. Senggum, protected by the reputation of his father, was a less formidable commander in chief. Temujin pointed to the left wing of Senggum's army and shouted, ”Attack in that direction!”
Jebe, Borchu, Jochi and Chagatai signaled the first ones. One could hear the faraway cries of the warriors of the relief column. Muqali swept his saber down on the nape of the neck of Dukhsh and shouted, ”Get out of the way! Get out of the way!”
Senggum, who was going to order his men to intercept them, hesitated upon seeing that his son menaced. In a wink, Temujin's small troop moved to the foot of the hill. Jebe carefully aimed and loosed an arrow headed for Senggum's head. He shielded himself quickly, but the projectile struck his left cheek and he tumbled down from his mount. Seeing their chieftain fall, his men made their escape in pitiful disarray.
Temujin and his companions broke out of the siege, firing arrows at those that pursued them. Several li away, in the cloud of dust, was Tolui and his soldiers. The pursuers had always feared the bravery of Temujin. Now that they no longer had the advantage of numbers, they turned tail.
It turned out that because Tolui was young, the chieftains and generals refused to obey him since he didn't have Temujin's command seal. He could only convince a few thousand young soldiers to follow him here. He then conceived the idea of attaching branches to the tails of the horses, so that quantity of dust thus raised concealed the number of his soldiers. The ploy was a success.
Temujin's army returned to his camp. On the way they met Hua Zheng leading a small company of soldiers. When she saw that they were unharmed, she was so happy that she wouldn't stop talking.
That evening, Temujin gave a large banquet to reward his soldiers, but he placed Dukhsh in the place of honor, which caused general indignation. The Khan offered three toasts to pay homage to Dukhsh and said, ”Ong Khan, my adoptive father, and my brother Senggum have always treated me well. There is no reason for hatred between our families. Please present my excuses to them, which will be accompanied with gifts of great value. I won't hold a grudge against you because of what you have done. After you return, you will prepare for your marriage to my daughter. We will hold a great feast and we will invite the chiefs of all the tribes. There will be great rejoicing. You will be my son-in-law and thus my son. From now on the two families must be united as one and not let themselves be divided by gossip.”