Zuchi khankhuu

Fourteen days later at Temuujin's camp at Buir lake.

Dorj and his group has finally got back at Borjigin clan's settlement after a month of journey. They barely arrived at Buir lake before the freezing cold wind from Siberia dropped the air temperature below -30 degree celsius.

'This journey is not a success. However Zuchi khankhuu and his royal consort princess Ukhaa can sleep at ease knowing that Mandukhai is safe and sound.' Thought Dorj. He is worried that lord Temuujin may impose harsh punishment, but he is not afraid. In a modern MOBA game, a there is a goblin proverb that says 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger'

The past fourteen days on the horse, Dorj passively read Weaponry engineering books and found creating modern weaponry to be quiet difficult to produce at the current development.

First of all, he needs to create smokeless Gunpowder in order to make bullets. The base chemical compounds he need to create the bullet propellants are mainly nitrate, glycerol, and cellulose. With those three compounds alone, he will be able to produce nitroglycerin and nitrocellulose needed for the bullet.

Secondly, for igniting the propellers he need to make a primer, that would ignite the propellers to combust and explode.

The current development of weaponry in the 13th century is that the Western Xia and the Song dynasty has a limited amount of black powder produced for fireworks.

'I may need to go to Western Xia on how and where they exploit their materials' thought Dorj and crossed the boundary of Temuujin's settlement.

"Squad leader Tseren and guys you did a good job. You must have missed your families. Thank you for accompanying me. You can report to Zuchi khankhuu tomorrow. You are dismissed" claimed Dorj.

"Yes sir." Placed their right hands on their chests and the squad troops have rushed to their respective families.

Dorj turned his head to his guard Jegei and smiled. "Jegei, you can also go home now. Good job." Patted Dorj on Jegei's shoulder.

"My lord, thank you!" replied Dorj and he lashed his horse.

'Hiyah!' Jegei rode his horse till he has reached his ger.

Dorj calmly rode his horse till he got near the main ger of Temuujin. He unmounted from his horse and got near the big cart where the ger is built on.

Two guards of Temuujin's ger has noticed Dorj to come near. They whispered to each other.

"Hey isn't that the rumored Minister Dorj, did he come back?" asked one guard while observing Dorj's facial features, to make sure he is not mistaken.

The other guard has seen Minister Dorj beforr, so he sure and replied. "Yes, it's definetely him. Before he escape, let's catch him and bring him to Lord Temuujin."

They has rushed to Dorj and catched him pushing him on the ground and tied his hands.

"Hey! What's going on? Don't you know who I am? I am Minister of Millitary Inventions Dorj" he tried to reasoning with the guards, but the guards has finished tying Dorj down on the ground.

The first guard roared. "Silence you bastard! Lord Temuujin will judge your sin." and pulled him on top of the cart.

The second guard announced respectively. "Lord Temuujin, the escaped Dorj is captured"

From inside the ger, Lord Temuujin instructed with a furious voice "Let that bastard come in!"

Dorj is surprised to hear Lord Temuujin to be this furious. 'I let a girl escape, true, but how come Lord Temuujin is this furious to call his Minister a bastard due to a mere woman?' thought Dorj.

When Dorj apprehended by two guards, and draggin into the main her, Lord Temuujin was with his queen Burte, and his three sons Tsagadai, Ugudei, Tolui, amd Khukhchu Shaman. Ugudei khankhuu is fourteen and Tolui khankhuu is eight years old.

Tsagadai rushed to Dorj and punched him on his face!

Due to the force, Dorj has fallen on the ground, and bleeded from his lips.

'Ouch! Why did Tsagadai khankhuu just punched me?' thought Dorj uncertain of the situation. He is unsure what crime he did to be punched on his face by Tsagadai!

"Bastard! Tell me what curse did you put on my brother Zuchi" said the furious Tsagadai khankhuu.

Dorj's eyes widened as he made a puzzled expression.

"What are you talking about? A curse?" asked Dorj for confirmation.

Tsagadai khankhuu grabbed the hilt and unsheathed his sword.

"Father let's kill him. So that we can lift the curse" said the enraged Tsagadai and lifted his sword ready to slash.

"Halt!" decreed lord Temuujin and stood up from his tone.

Lord Temuujin turned his head to Khukhchu Shaman and asked. "Khukhchu, if we slay this bastard today, can my son Zuchi's curse be lifted?" asked Lord Temuujin with a worried tone.

Khukhchu shaman contemplated for a moment and replied.

"My lord, after few divination, it is revealed that the curse is placed on the night with full red moon. Tomorrow night, we will have a full moon again, if we sacrifice the curse caster and make a ritual tomorrow, we surely can lift the curse." said Khukhchu shaman and made an eye contact with Tsagadai khankhuu.

Lord Temuujin eased and decreed. "Good, as long as Zuchi survive, we can wait one more day! Guards, prison him in a wooden cell! Tomorrow we will make living tribute and lift my son's curse" decreed Temuujin.

Upon hearing his father's decree, Tsagadai khankhuu sheathed his sword back and sneered at Dorj.

"Bastard, my father let you live for another day! It's his last mercy for you" said Tsagadai.

As the guards drag Dorj away, Dorj defends himself and pushed the guards away with his body.

"Lord Temuujin, I am innocent. This is the first time I have heard about the matter of Zuchi khankhuu being cursed! If.." shouted Dorj.

But to no avail, before Dorj could finish his sentence, Tsagadai khankhuu hit Dorj on his foregead by the hilt of his sword and knocked him unconscious.

'Thud!' the unconscious Dorj fell on the ground.

Meanwhile at Zuchi's ger, Zuchi khankhuu is bedridden and his royal consort, princess Ukhaa is tending his illness.

'Cough, cough, cough!'

Weak coughing sound of tired Zuchi khankhuu is heard on the bed.

The six months pregnant royal consort princess Ukhaa wiped her sweat off from her forehead and put a boiled herbal concoct on Zuchi khankhuu's mouth. By one hand she lifted his head a bit and by the other hand she gave him his medicine.

Unfortunately before Zuchi khankhuu could drink his medicine, he coughed again and the bowl of concoct flipped.

Royal consort princess Ukhaa hurriedly wiped the medicine off from the blanket and sighed.

"My love, if you leave your child behind, who will guard him in the future? Please, be strong!" vibrated the voice of princess Ukhaa.

"My lord, Squad leader Tseren arrived here to report!" a man shouted from outside the ger.

Royal consort princess Ukhaa's eyes sparkled with hope and she hurriedly answered. "Come in."

Instead of directly going back to his family, squad leader Tseren wanted to meet his master Zuchi khankhuu to report about Mandukhai thay she now safe. When Tseren entered the ger, he finds that his strong and wise master Zuchi is now on his bed, lost much of his weight with no power to respond.

Squad leader Tseren rushed to his master and held his right hand.

"My lord, are you unwell? How can I help you?" asked squad lsader Tseren.

Zuchi khankhuu opened his dark eyelid to find the image of his squad leader Tseren who went on a mission to accompany Dorj. He asked with a weak voice.

"Is... Dorj... here?" asked Zuchi.

Squad leader Tseren replied "My lord, Minister Dorj has concluded themission. Even though we couldn't bring your sister in law Mandukhai, she is now at reindeer herders' tribe. She is now protected by them."

After hearing her sister is safe, royal consort princess Ukhaa's heart eased a bit. But on the kther hand, Zuchi khankhuu's eyes widened and he said.

"Dorj.. is... in... danger...!" said Zuchi khankhuu with a weak voice and lost his consciousness.

"Darling!" weeped Royal consort Ukhaa

"My lord!" called squad leader Tseren but Zuchi khankhuu is already fainted and he would not reply.

Dorj has a dream...

In his dream he is amidst a snowstorm and completely lost. Wherever he goes, there is endless blizzard raging on and he doesn't have any way place to shelter from the chill.

He walked for a mile, but he didn't see any trace of a human anywhere across his path.

In Dorj's dream, his crystal bear amulet on his neck shined brightly illuminating his path to move forward. Any snowflake that is within 2 meter radius of the light is melting instantly.

'Where am I?' asked Dorj from himself. Even though Dorj walked for a mile, he couldn't feel any exhaustion nor chill.

'Youngster, are you lost?' a hoarse voice vibrated through ears of Dorj.