The Chief Steward returned to camp victorious

 

While everyone was busy arranging for the noblewomen to mourn the hero Maerle, Chief Steward Rongtsa Chagen had already galloped across the Yellow River and arrived outside the eastern gate of the Hor camp. Sinba Meruze said, "Hey! From the Shengling army camp comes another reddish figure. It seems to be the Chief Steward, or perhaps King Senlun. Though not the most valiant of men, he certainly won't be up to any good!"

 

White Tent King was very dismissive, saying, "Sinba, don't be so timid. Whether it's the Chief Steward or the old man Senlun, they're just an eighty-year-old putting on armor, a seventy-year-old mounting a warhorse, offering up their white hair and wrinkled brows as gifts, haha!" As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves, stroked his beard, his face glowing with delight, utterly pleased. Duoqin said, "Just let me mount my swift horse and charge over at full speed. That old man is sure to be so frightened he'll fall off his horse!"

 

No sooner said than done, the Chief Steward dropped from the sky like a stone, brandishing his war banner, and leaped into the Hor camp. The soldiers guarding the eastern gate of the Hor camp were knocked down one by one. Among the officers supervising at the gate was a Sinba named Chizalama, who came forward armored and armed, only to be immediately cut down by the Chief Steward's blade. The Chief Steward then fired sixty iron-tailed arrows left and right, killing over sixty men, before brandishing his precious sword and charging straight towards the great white tent of a thousand. White Tent King and Duoqin, terrified, hid beneath the golden throne. By then, the Chief Steward had burst into the great treasure tent. Not finding White Tent King anywhere, he promptly struck the golden throne three times with his sword, overturned the Eight Auspicious Symbols table in front of it, and chopped White Tent King's green jeweled bottle of sweet wine into three pieces. Nearing the west gate, he shot another twenty or so iron-tailed arrows forward, killing many more. Instantly, chaos erupted within the Hor army; they crowded and jostled at the gates, like a flock of sheep fleeing from pursuing wolves, squeezing to escape through the pen entrance. As they were about to break out of the eastern gate, some timid Hor soldiers nearby fainted from fear, and the mule-headed warhorses trampled over them, galloping away swiftly out the eastern gate.

 

At this moment, Tangnazejia's brother, Langji Bentu, an officer of the Black Tent division, gave chase from behind. He wore miasma-black armor, an eight-ridged black helmet adorned with black horsehair, appearing as a dark blur. The Chief Steward thought, since he's chasing me, I might as well wait for him here, resting while he labors. So he reined in his horse, tightened his armor, and waited. Langji Bentu was usually counted among the bravest of the Baturu. When he came within about an arrow's shot, he shouted loudly, "Hey! Listen, you reddish man who came this morning, don't run away like a fox! Come at me!" After saying this, he shot an iron arrow that grazed the tip of the Chief Steward's feather fletching. He shot several more arrows, all of which the Chief Steward dodged. Then he drew his treasured blade and charged. This Langji was truly a formidable man, drawing his precious sword and rushing forward. The two fought fiercely together. In the heat of battle, Langji, growing excited, threw down his sword and grabbed the Chief Steward's lapel. Rongtsa Chagen hooked his arrow ring on his finger, drew a sharp dagger, and thrust it forcefully into Langji's side, then jerked it upward. The tip pierced his heart, and Langji died instantly. The Chief Steward returned to camp victorious.

 

Upon the Chief Steward's return to the main camp, the heroes cheered enthusiastically. Although he hadn't captured White Tent King, the Chief Steward had brought back White Tent King's tiger-skin cloak, greatly boosting the morale of the Ling Kingdom. Niben said excitedly, "Among the descendants of our Dong royal clan, from thirteen-year-old youths to eighty-year-old elders, there is no difference in heroic prowess. You bravely engaged the enemy in combat, fought for such a long time, and in the end, knocked down the fierce Baturu, frightened White Tent King to the point of heartbreak and shattered courage, and even seized his still-warm tiger-skin cloak. How could this not make us feel exhilarated!"

 

Other heroes also presented Khata scarves, praising the Chief Steward's bravery and spirit without end. Gyatsa thought to himself: Uncle's achievements are praiseworthy and commendable, but after all, he is of advanced age and still had to don armor and go into battle. Younger brother Gesar entrusted me with the heavy responsibility of guarding the Ling Kingdom, yet I have utterly failed to fulfill my brother's instructions. Gyatsa felt immensely sorrowful, sitting silently to the side with reddened eyes.

 

Queen Zumu's Counsel for a Strategic Withdrawal

 

The ruler and his ministers gathered together. Zumu once again offered wine and tea to everyone, then said, "Oh, ruler and ministers, all of you! My fine wine is like sweet rain after a long drought, please drink heartily! My song is like the cuckoo's cry, its lyrics like bountiful ears of wheat, please listen carefully!"

 

Geser of Jambudvipa,

Went to the north to subdue demons for the people.

White Tent King in Yaze City,

Plots and schemes for himself,

Single-mindedly desires to enslave Lingga.

The people's affairs bloom like brilliant flowers,

He is like a severe frost seeking to destroy the blossoms.

The people's affairs shine brightly like a lamp in all directions,

He is like a fierce gale trying to extinguish the lamp.

Now, our heroes of the Ling Kingdom,

Disregarding life and death, rise together in fury,

Swinging war blades without cease.

From Prince Chizong and Yellow Tent King above,

Down to the fierce general Langji Bentu,

We have already made them separate head from body,

Half the enemy army has been slain.

The ancients had a saying:

"If the snow lion crouches without knowing restraint,

It will become no different from a towering mountain;

If the fierce tiger boasts of its thick fur without restraint,

It will become one with the dense mountain forest;

If the white vulture soars without knowing restraint,

It will become as boundless as the sky;

If the gray wolf eats greedily without restraint,

It will choke on the fat meat of the sheep;

If a traveler journeys without knowing restraint,

Excessive trekking will lead to exhaustion."

If heroes' valor has no restraint,

Even an army of a hundred thousand will suffer losses.

Now the seasons wait for no one;

The three autumn months have passed, harsh winter approaches.

Snow seals the mountains left and right of the Yellow River,

The snowy plateau is swept by bitter winds.

The Yellow River crossings are frozen solid.

Staying trapped here will hardly bring success,

It would be better to return and defend our city.

The elders of old had a saying:

"During the three glorious summer months, the scenery is wondrous,

Roaming the grasslands brings endless joy.

Lush grass and trees, brilliant flowers,

A delight to the senses, making one reluctant to leave."

During the three winter months of wind and snow,

It is better to return to the city.

Drink wine, savor tea, enjoy to the full,

Happiness and fulfillment, free from illness.

The territory of the Senju capital is vast,

Let the three brothers of the noble ruler go to oversee it,

Accompanied by the two young princes, how perfect.

When others are happy, one is also at peace.

If the Hor wish to stay here long,

Let those thieves dwell here for a lifetime.

Otherwise, if we fight a protracted war of attrition,

The Ling Kingdom's forces will surely be depleted.

When King Gesar went to the north,

He earnestly warned, saying:

"If the helmet is not firmly fastened,

Do not recklessly assault a fortified city.

If the armor is not tightly bound to the body,

Do not lightly face sharp blades.

If sharp arrows are not prepared in abundance,

Do not casually plunge into enemy formations.

If the warhorse's stamina is not fully trained,

Do not charge into the great plain.

Unless coordinating with the main force,

Never flaunt bravery and charge the enemy camp alone."

Are these warnings still remembered in your hearts?

The common saying is truly apt:

A man who can grasp the moment of battle is a hero.

Now there is no need to remain here,

It would be better to return to the city immediately.

On the right, the Tangzong Renmao city on the sunny side of the river,

On the left, the Jieri Laze city on the shady side of the river,

Are vital thoroughfares for people coming and going.

Leave several hundred men to guard each city.

Our ruler, the great King Gesar,

May return as early as next year,

At the latest, he will certainly return the year after.

Prudent defense is safest,

Please consider this carefully.

 

As she sang, Zumu filled Gyatsa's bowl with strong liquor, offered a cup of strong wine to each of the other heroes, and then presented each with a cup of fragrant flower tea. Gyatsa, Niben, and Dapan disagreed with returning to defend the city, advocating that regardless of how the battle situation developed, they should persist in fighting to the end on the great plain! However, the Chief Steward, Senda, Danma, Gade, and the royal father Senlun all agreed with Zumu's opinion, believing it better to temporarily return to the city for defense. The Chief Steward said, "Zumu's words are very reasonable. Although this matter was first raised by Zumu in song, the men and women of Sacred Ling are all thinking the same in their hearts. Although we have eliminated many of the Hor scoundrels, their numbers are still great now, and signs of our victory are hard to see. Although our nephew, the Lion King, went to the north to subdue demons, he will return sooner or later. During this period before his return, we should focus on holding our fortified cities. This way, our men and horses will not suffer losses. Skillfully defending our cities and preserving our strength—this is the best strategy!"

 

Deliberation and the Decision to Withdraw

 

After the Chief Steward spoke, everyone expressed agreement. If an ordinary hero were sacrificed, it wouldn't matter much. But if the three brothers—Gyatsa, Dapan, and Niben—were to come to harm, who knows how King Gesar would reprimand everyone upon his return! In this freezing weather, it was better to hold the castles. Staying stubbornly trapped in this small camp was just asking for trouble. So, the commanders and troops, both high and low, all said they agreed to withdraw to the city.

 

Gyatsa and Niben remained silent. Dapan said, "If we abandon defending the Ling Kingdom's territory and heroes burrow into holes like foxes, how could the people of Ling agree? Moreover, brothers Gyatsa and Niben, and the two young princes have not been injured. What benefit is there really in going back to defend castles? But if we fight a war of attrition to the end, once the Ling army is completely wiped out and the heroes are all sacrificed, if the Hor people come to dominate Ling, from the white-haired elders down to the white-toothed children, none will likely escape the slaughter of the Hor. Yet, if we don't fight, letting the Hor army continue its invasion is also no good for Ling. As the saying goes, 'The topic of discussion is raised by the elders; the decision of the meeting is carried out by the youth.' What do you all think? Whether to fight or defend, ultimately, it still requires Gyatsa's decision!"

 

At this point, no one knew what Gyatsa was really thinking in his heart, and Dapan hadn't made his meaning entirely clear, so everyone fell silent. Then, the Queen Mother Guomu rose from her seat, holding a snow-white Khata scarf in both hands, and said, "The meeting has risen shining like the sun, so why do you all fall silent again, as if shrouded by black clouds? I agree with Zumu's words. Returning to firmly hold our cities and wait for Gesar's return is more appropriate!"

 

Guomu was the birth mother of King Gesar. Everyone felt that not listening to her was akin to not listening to King Gesar himself. No matter how much reluctance he felt, Gyatsa had to agree. He said, "We came here to take revenge on those murdering, arsonist Hor bandits. Only by uprooting the Yellow Hor from their foundation will the hatred in our hearts be resolved. We never thought to bully others, but the royal fathers, mothers, and sisters-in-law do not see it this way. Therefore, for each of us, even if we fight bravely, aside from disturbing our own peace of mind, there is no other benefit. If younger brother agrees to defend the city, then I agree too!"

 

Dapan understood Gyatsa's pain very well: "Elder brother speaks rightly. If King Gesar were to return from the north, there would be no difficulties. Let's do it that way now! According to the wishes of the royal father, uncle king, queen mother, sisters-in-law, and the multitude of heroes, let us temporarily hold the castles firmly!"

 

Once opinions were unified, everyone settled their minds. The next day, at dawn, after finishing breakfast, packing up the tents, saddling the horses, securing the loads, and each leading their own warhorse, they awaited orders. The white conch shell sounded, and the troops divided into three routes to begin their departure. Gyatsa, along with the young generals Alubasen and Renqing Daru, these three, plus the Chief Steward, royal father Senlun, Sanxia, Tabei Suonan, and others, set out escorted by a thousand cavalrymen. Niben, Dapan, and ten other fierce heroic commanders crossed the Yellow River, circled past the Hor barracks, and galloped back majestically along the north bank of the Yellow River. The Hor troops watched them wide-eyed, but none dared to leave camp to harass them.

 

The Hor Advance and Desecration of Ling Land

​

Following Dapan's orders, various divisions quickly set up defenses in their respective castles. Herdsmen drove their herds of cattle, sheep, and horses to the Zamaorenbo Stone Mountain gorge area—a place where an old woman could guard the pass and a thousand men could not breach it. Here, with abundant water and grass and dense forests, the herdsmen settled down peacefully. The chieftains then dispatched a hundred cavalrymen from each of the three army divisions to conduct defense.

 

Upon hearing the news that the Ling forces had withdrawn from the Yellow River bank, White Tent King was wild with joy and immediately summoned the commanders of the various tribes for a meeting. White Tent King said, "Ya! Hey! Great army of the Yellow Hor! Those overconfident Ling youngsters clearly couldn't hold on any longer and have fled backward like foxes. Let us cross over to the other side of the Yellow River!"

 

White Tent King was so overjoyed he couldn't contain himself, but Sinba Meruze put a damper on his thought : "White Tent King, you deceitful and cunning man! You are already the sun setting in the west, yet you still want to radiate your remaining authority. Our brave and fierce sons are nearly wiped out by aconite poison. Can't you see? The Ling people have returned to hold their own castles!"

 

White Tent King flushed red with shame and embarrassment. After a while, he said, "Sinba compares me, the Heavenly King, recklessly and spews malicious words—truly disrespectful! You dare not fight before the Ling troops, yet you chatter with half-understood talk. When facing the enemy, you dare not kill a single man; your horse doesn't even dare to break a sweat. Yet before the multitude of Hor warriors, you know no shame, singing songs, quoting verses, and boasting endlessly. The ancient proverb says, 'Although a chief may fall into decline, a dog's tail still cannot be wrapped around his head!'"

 

White Tent King believed Sinba Meruze did not hold him, the king, in regard and pointed at his face, harshly reprimanding him, advising him not to be so self-righteous and talk nonsense in the future. Seeing White Tent King so unwilling to listen to good advice, Sinba Meruze was so furious he didn't know where to vent his anger. He could only turn his head, mount his precious steed, and gallop straight out onto the grassland for several laps.

 

A few days later, Hor scouts confirmed that the Ling forces had indeed withdrawn due to the cold weather. The Hor then deployed their three armies as they had when setting out from the great plain, strictly enforcing military discipline, and divided the forces into two groups. The center army, with the great white tent of ten thousand at its core, was led by White Tent King, the master teacher Yamu, Sinba Meruze, Duoqin, Tangze Yuzhou, Baturu Qiangla, Tangga Zegu, and others. They commanded the Hor White Tent, Yellow Tent, as well as the Riba, Tamba, Bumba, and Gengga divisions—a total of five hundred thousand troops. They crossed the Yellow River, reached the vicinity of the Ling Kingdom's Jieri Laze city, and set up camp about an arrow's shot away from the city.

 

On the other side, centered around the ceremonial tent of the Yellow Tent King, a massive force of five hundred thousand troops—led by Prince Lawu, the Black Tent King, Garwa, Nianjia, Chabao, Chaxiao, Dunba, and others—set up their military camp. Their position was just an arrow's flight away from the foot of the Tangzong Renmao city of the Ling Kingdom on the Yellow River's bank. At this time, thick smoke and haze enveloped both shores of the Yellow River, casting a gloomy pall over the sun.

 

During their five-month occupation of the Yellow River beaches, the Hor army's horses completely devoured the green grass on the sunny slopes of the Ling region's mountains. The Hor soldiers felled every last tree on the shaded slopes. They utterly destroyed the altars of the sacred Machen Pomra Mountain. Moreover, they wantonly wrecked the temples, pagodas, and Buddhist shrines upon which the castles relied. As for the tonsured monks and nuns, some were killed, others were taken captive. They truly committed every evil across the three realms, exhausting all human conscience and heavenly virtue.