I have found hope in Emperor Ögedei and yourself.
The wisdom you two display makes you fit to rule this world.
You truly think so?
But of course.
There's no need to be so nervous, Töregene.
I have something to discuss with you.
Winter, A.D. 1232
Good tidings, Great Kha'an.
Tolui has crossed the Han River.
The enemy troops are scurrying southward.
You've done well, Tolui.
All right. Let us also make our move and cross the river before us.
Jaadugar
So my brother has crossed the Yellow River?
Yes. Reinforcements from the Great Kha'an are headed our way.
We should convene forces.
Convene, you say?
Know a good location?
Mount Sanfeng should serve us well.
Tengri
Ögedei Army
Yellow River
White Bank Crossing
Ögedei Army
Yellow River
White Bank Crossing
Ögedei Army
Yellow River
White Bank Crossing
Ögedei Army
Yellow River
White Bank Crossing
Kaifeng
Yellow River
White Bank Crossing
Kaifeng
Approximately 130 kilometers from the Jin capital, Kaifeng,
Yellow River
White Bank Crossing
Junzhou
Kaifeng
White Bank Crossing
Junzhou
Kaifeng
White Bank Crossing
Junzhou
Kaifeng
Mount Sanfeng
Hanzhong
Raofeng Pass
Tolui Army
Hanzhong
Raofeng Pass
Tolui Army
Hanzhong
Raofeng Pass
Tolui Army
Raofeng Pass
Tolui Army
Mount Sanfeng
Junzhou
Kaifeng
Mount Sanfeng
Tolui's army positioned themselves at the foot of Mount Sanfeng
Mount Sanfeng
Junzhou
Kaifeng
Mount Sanfeng
Junzhou
Kaifeng
Mount Sanfeng
Junzhou
Kaifeng
White Bank Crossing
Mount Sanfeng
Junzhou
Kaifeng
White Bank Crossing
Mount Sanfeng
Junzhou
Kaifeng
White Bank Crossing
to await the arrival of reinforcements.
And although the opposing Jin army appeared ready to confront them...
You bring orders to launch an attack at once?
My men are exhausted.
The same can be said of the enemy.
Their main force has its sights on the capital.
Do away with them immediately.
What shall we do?
We must follow orders. It's fortunate we outnumber them.
We will encircle them.
They have us completely surrounded.
The enemy's army is more than 150,000 men strong.
Oh? What about us?
A little under 40,000.
Oh, come on.
If the Great Kha'an's reinforcements don't make it in time, we're done for.
They will, so there's no need for concern.
Okay, in that case...
How about we entrust our fate to Tengri?
Come again?
Bring me a soldier who can perform the jadamishi.
The jadamishi calls forth a storm, does it not?
What does Prince Tolui hope to accomplish with this?
It's...
...snowing.
And the wind's picking up.
Tengri, you would grant our wish?
Listen up, men!
Start digging trenches at once!
Have all the men and horses take cover before the storm arrives!
Hurry!
Cover the horses in blankets.
The men should bundle up as much as they can!
The storm raged for three days and nights...
swaying the fates of the two armies.
And on the fourth day,
the 150,000-strong Jin army, subjected to cold and fatigue in their haste...
...found themselves powerless against the Mongol offensive.
Fire!
And were annihilated.
We must return to the capital.
Made it in time.
Brother!
Tolui.
You really did it.
I did nothing.
It was Tengri who sided with your flag in battle, Brother.
I'm blessed to have such a fine younger brother.
General, is something the matter?
Just reminiscing on the past.
Back when Genghis Khan was at war with the other steppe tribe leaders,
the enemy performed the jadamishi.
But it began to storm not above Genghis Khan, but the enemy army.
When I look upon Prince Tolui, it's almost as if...
General, let's leave it at that.
Forget I said anything.
After winter had passed, and spring was almost as its end,
Ögedei and Tolui set off back to Mongolia,
leaving capturing the Jin capital, Kaifeng, to their veteran generals.
They were enough to do the job.
Two years after this, the Jin dynasty would come to an end.
Looks like the circle hunt strategy was a resounding success.
Wouldn't you agree, Boroldai?
I'm Otai, Father.
And while I didn't lose out in the end, I didn't exactly gain much, either.
Which of them was it that gained the most?
Shanxi Region House of Ögedei Front-Line Camp
Let me congratulate you on your triumphant victory.
I'm glad to see you looking so well, Boraqchin.
I've acquired a gift for you.
It should be arriving soon, so look forward to it.
The banquet preparations have been made. Please come this way.
Say, Great Kha'an, what's this gift? Is there some for me?
Why, of course.
Oh? What could it be?
Shira!
Hey. It's been a while.
What are you doing here?
Princess Sorghaghtani ordered me to serve Prince Tolui for the time being.
Brother, where shall we invade next?
First, I'd like to build a capital.
Fatima.
Yes, Lady Töregene?
You can take your leave for today.
And please don't disturb me in my tent.
What?
Lady Töregene doesn't say much to me anymore.
It's almost like she's avoiding me.
And don't disturb her in her tent?
The Great Kha'an?
Along the Onon River
Partway through Ögedei and Tolui returning to their own territories...
Great Kha'an?
Great Kha'an!
Halt!
Are you all right, Great Kha'an?
Great Kha'an? Someone fetch a physician!
...Emperor Ögedei was struck down by a sudden ailment.
Great Kha'an!
I'm sure he's just tired from the long journey.
Oh, the poor thing!
It will be all right.
I can't shake off this ominous feeling.
Something here is strange.
Slave girl.
Come with me.
The Great Kha'an was poisoned.
Poisoned?
It's not just my false belief this time.
Boraqchin said so herself.
Slave girl, you saved Boraqchin's life.
That's why I'd rather not cast doubt on you.
What do you mean by that?
The Great Kha'an is showing the same symptoms Boraqchin did.
He was poisoned with rahj al-gar.
What's more, the rahj al-gar in Boraqchin's possession has disappeared.
Only a few knew of its existence and location.
Lady Möge!
I swear I know nothing of what happened!
I would never aim to take the Great Kha'an's life—
It wasn't you? What a relief.
Huh? I haven't made my case or anything yet.
It's fine. It's not like I'd understand any of it.
But you know, while I may not be the brightest,
I can tell pretty well whether someone's lying or not.
You must be lost.
Hey! I can see the doubt on your face.
But if it wasn't you...
That would mean it was Töregene.
Slave girl.
Töregene turned out to have the rahj al-gar.
She's being held prisoner while they investigate.
Lady Töregene.
It can't be. How? Is this some sort of plot?
That being said, slave girl... I have a favor to ask of you.
Empress Boraqchin's tent?
Go inside.
Pardon the intrusion.
Fatima.
Thank you for coming.
I've called you here for one reason.
I'd like you to save the Great Kha'an.
What do the physicians say?
Töregene may very well have conspired with a physician.
At present, we have no idea who we can trust.
I beg of you. Please help him.
His symptoms are the same as the ones you exhibited.
It's safe to say this is a case of poisoning by rahj al-gar.
I've already used more than half of the stone.
Let me serve you as your new jada stone, Highness.
Empress Boraqchin, may I ask you one thing?
What is it?
Why would Lady Töregene poison the Great Kha'an?
Oh, that's right. Töregene was your mistress.
I imagine this comes as a great shock to you.
However, that woman is a fool.
She has openly shown resentment towards the Great Kha'an time and time again.
And upon gaining your wisdom, she was driven to commit this foul act.
I'm sure she intended to lay all the blame on you and evade justice.
That can't be!
I don't believe it.
How can you be so sure?
After all...
She was willing to tell me everything.
Everything she'd kept sealed away in her heart.
Even of the people she'd once loved.
And the anger she bears to this day.
Is that really so?
What?
Fatima.
You served Sorghaghtani before you came here.
Töregene's shrewd enough not to trust you so easily with that in mind.
Think back carefully.
Has she really done nothing you found suspicious?
Could Lady Töregene really have...
Empress Boraqchin.
Please grind up this stone and have the Great Kha'an take some every day.
If you run out, please find another jada stone.
One with a similar color to this stone if possible.
You have my gratitude.
Brother has fallen ill?!
How does he fare? Can it be cured?
It was unknown what disease had befallen him,
but physicians from east and west have convened to tend to him.
I hear he is already showing signs of recovery.
Is that right?
Boraqchin Khatun has called for kams to perform an exorcism,
and asks that you attend as well, Highness.
Got it! I'll come right away!
Wait, Tolui!
Sorghaghtani.
He suddenly fell ill? Something doesn't seem right.
Shira, what did Fatima say?
Well...
There are many who won't take kindly to relying solely on foreign physicians.
That is why they are adhering to Mongol tradition with an exorcism.
At least that's what I've been told.
That makes sense.
Pass this message to Princess Sorghaghtani.
Please do not fret.
Empress Boraqchin is clever and worthy of your trust.
I have heard tell of how clever Boraqchin Khatun is.
You worry too much, Sorghaghtani.
It's only an exorcism. Why treat it with suspicion from the very start?
Tengri has sided with my brother in battle in the past.
I'm sure Tengri will protect him here as well.
Yes.
"Why treat it with suspicion from the very start?"
I suppose that's true.
I shall put my faith in Fatima's words.
The Great Kha'an has fallen ill?
I've heard rumors someone put a curse on him.
Shh! You mustn't speak so frivolously of curses.
Lady Töregene.
I want to see her again so we can talk.
Perhaps now's my best chance, amidst all this commotion.
The evil spirits have been sealed away in the water in the bowl.
The guardian spirits have spoken.
Saving the patient requires a sacrifice in his stead.
One of you must drink every last drop of this water.
Let me do it.
I'm past my prime already.
Please wait.
A blood relative would make a better sacrifice.
What?
That is to say, the Great Kha'an's child or grandchild.
Or perhaps a brother.
So it should be me.
Uncle.
O Tengri.
If it is for my brother's sins that you have made away with his soul,
you know of a soul with deeper sins than his.
It is I who have taken more lives and plundered more than he has.
Wait, hold on.
What if he was summoned for his talents, to serve at Tengri's side?
Well, even then, I'm the better choice.
Translation: John K. Timing: Andy Ellis
Editing: SMR Quality Control: Alicia Ashby Translation Check: Sriram Gurunathan
Wisdom
Next time: "Wisdom."