A hundred birds sang, a hundred flowers bloomed red, and the Great Taiji returned to his great tent.
Noyan Ubashen's safe return was met with cheers and encouragement from Subude Biji and his civil and military confidantes, and the birth of his son made Noyan Ubashen ecstatic.
He hugged the tender little baby, kissing him left and right, his beard tickling him, making Sule Teng kick him with his small feet in frustration.
"Taiji, you haven't named the child yet," Subude said bashfully.
"Hmm, my Ike Mian clan are descendants of yabu ganmiergan, and every one of them is a towering hero and brave man, so let's call him Batur," after speaking, Noyan Ubashen laughed heartily, proud of the name he had come up with, and picked up the little fellow, repeatedly calling out: "Batur."
"Good! Taiji is a great hero, and the child will also be a great hero when he grows up, so let's call him Batur, this name is good!"
Subude echoed, genuinely feeling that her husband's name was not bad.
"Batur"?
Although Sule Teng didn't understand the Mongol language, he heard these three words repeatedly and guessed that they were naming him.
Too common!
This name, in later generations, if not a thousand, there were eight hundred; it was overused and worthless!
He was very dissatisfied, his little face flushed red, and he desperately wanted to shout "My name is Sule Teng."
But the baby's small mouth was weak, and no matter how hard he tried, he could only utter the three sounds "su~ le~ teng."
"Sultan?"
Noyan Ubashen and Subude exclaimed in surprise in unison.
"Sule Teng," the homophone in Mongol language is "Sultan," which is also a very common Mongol name and not strange in itself; what is strange is that a baby less than a hundred days old could actually speak, even if only a few sounds, this is extraordinary!
"Taiji, listen, our baby can speak, he wants to be called Sultan," Subude cried out in surprise.
"It's Sule Teng," Sule Teng heard the pronunciation was wrong and wanted to correct it, but speaking just now had exhausted his strength, and he couldn't utter any more words.
"Subude, you don't know, legend has it that when the person named Ike Ming'an fished our ancestor yabu ganmiergan out of the river, the ancestor was also a baby, not only could he speak, but he could also walk, run, and had infinite strength.
Although our baby is not as imposing as the ancestor, he can speak, and he will surely be an amazing great hero when he grows up!"
Noyan Ubashen shouted happily, "Hmm, Sultan~ Sultan~, since the baby wants this name, let's name him Ike Mingean·Sultan.
Come, invite all the Noyans of the Huit Tribe to the great tent to attend my son's 'passing the hundred-day mark.'"
'Passing the hundred-day mark' is a Mongols custom; the Mongol ethnic group holds a celebration ceremony called 'passing the hundred-day mark' on the hundredth day of a newborn.
This custom has a long history, originating from the distant hunting period.
The family who had the child would host a grand banquet on this day to entertain relatives and friends.
The Great Taiji, as the head of a tribe, had a noble status; his family having a child was a big deal, and almost all the prominent figures of the Huit Tribe, such as Eluo Li Ke Heshuoqi, Namu Zhan, Aledar Heshuoqi, and Erke Taiji, came.
Only his two brothers, Noyan Ubashen and Buyanbu'erhan, were not present.
To show solemnity, Noyan Ubashen appointed Zalguqi Batu and Tan as the ceremonial officials.
This was an efficient person; he not only prepared a rich feast but also arranged for song and dance, and invited monks from the temple to pray for the baby.
"Great Taiji, it's getting late, shall we not wait for those two?"
Batu and Tan respectfully asked for instructions.
Today, the internal conflict within the Ike Mian clan was already known to everyone; as Noyan Ubashen's confidantes, Batu and Tan referring to the master's two brothers as "those two" was a sign of loyalty.
Noyan Ubashen took out a broken arrow from his robe sleeve; this arrow had almost taken his life a few days ago, and he couldn't help but sneer, "As the han saying goes, a guilty conscience needs no accuser!"
"Reporting to the Great Taiji, Buyanbu'erhan Taiji has arrived," just as he was about to order the banquet to begin, his third brother suddenly arrived.
Noyan Ubashen suppressed his displeasure and ordered him into the tent, "third brother, why are you so late?"
Could it be that you don't want to see your great Nephew?
Where is second brother, why didn't he come?"
Buyanbu'erhan saw Noyan Ubashen questioning him with vigor, and couldn't help but feel a burst of disappointment; the archer said he had shot the brother in the chest, but judging by his voice, he had plenty of energy and no internal injuries.
Could it be that he missed?
What a waste!
He composed himself and said with a playful smile: "Upon hearing that brother had a son, I thought about preparing some gifts for the great Nephew.
However, brother knows that my place is poor and there aren't many good things.
I had no choice but to catch a little something to give to the great Nephew."
After speaking, he clapped his hands, and a follower brought out a fierce bird, with sharp eyes, pointed claws, white feathers, and brown spots on its back and wings; it was a haidongqing.
This bird is known as the "god of ten thousand eagles"; the "History of the Khitan State" records: "East of the Five Kingdoms (referring to the five tribes in the Heilongjiang River basin) bordering the great sea produces famous eagles," and they are extremely difficult to catch and tame; such a white-feathered one is even rarer.
Seeing such a valuable item, Noyan Ubashen's anger subsided slightly, and he asked: "Where is second brother?
Why didn't he come?"
Buyanbu'erhan still had a cynical expression, "second brother originally wanted to come, but the day before yesterday, he accidentally fell from his horse and broke his leg.
He asked me to see the great Nephew for him and also prepared a string of eastern pearls for the great Nephew."
"Hmph!"
Noyan Ubashen snorted coldly, thinking to himself: If both of his brothers had come, he could have captured them on the pretext of attempting to assassinate him and annexed their tribesmen.
But now that one came and one stayed, it was difficult to make a move.
If he captured the third brother now, it would inevitably trigger a civil war within the tribe, and the Dörbet and some other greedy large tribes were all eyeing him covetously.
It seemed that now was not the time to punish them.
Since he couldn't punish them, he would first win them over.
Having figured this out, he affectionately took Buyanbu'erhan's sleeve, "After all, we are brothers, third brother, you are thoughtful, quickly come to the table with me, you and I, brothers, will not return until we are drunk today."
A maidservant brought the little "Sultan," and Batu and Tan took oil and meat and respectfully smeared it on the little fellow's thumb as a blessing for the baby.
The monks began to chant scriptures, and the maidservant held the baby's hands to make him kowtow to his parents and elders; although the little fellow was unwilling, his head was forcibly held down, and he kowtowed repeatedly.
A row of young men and women entered the great tent, singing and dancing, and the atmosphere of "passing the hundred-day mark" was pushed to a climax.
Everyone was enjoying eating and drinking when suddenly, there were bursts of buddhist chanting, and a monk with a solemn appearance, wearing a yellow hat and yellow robe, chanting buddhist scriptures, entered the great tent.
Although the tent was crowded with people, the Great Monk chanted to himself as if there was no one there; he was truly profound in buddhism, form is emptiness.
"Oh, it's the Dongkoer Manzhu Xili Hutuktu master from Lhasa."
"It really is him, I heard his buddhist teachings are profound, the third son of the Durbet Great Taiji is his Toyin (Master of noble origin)."
"It's not just the Durbet, I heard that the sons and Nephews of various Great Taijis are monks under him."
"Oh dear, what is this living buddha doing here?"
Noyan Ubashen was startled and ran to the Great Monk with a face full of joy, "The master's Lianhua steps have set foot on the pastures of my Huit Tribe, this is the glory of all huit!"
"amitabha, auspicious light has suddenly appeared, there must be a sage born.
This humble monk did not come for the Great Taiji, but for the sage."
Noyan Ubashen's expression was simple, "Sage?
Please master, tell me, who is the sage of my Huit Tribe?"
"This humble monk was just chanting a mantra when he suddenly had a feeling and followed the trace.
As for the sage, it should undoubtedly be the Great Taiji's son."
"Ah!
The sage is my son?
Are you saying this boy?"
Noyan Ubashen picked up his son and handed him to the Great Monk to look at.
"A full forehead, a square jaw, accumulated karma eliminated, wisdom naturally arises, truly the appearance of a sage!"
Dongkoer Manzhu Xili Hutuktu looked at the little fellow's appearance for a while and then asked: "Have you named him yet?"
"Reporting to master, this baby is called Sultan, Ike Mingean·Sultan," Noyan Ubashen's voice trembled with excitement; in this era, religious belief was no small matter, and his son being called a "sage" by a master of the Gelug Sect was extraordinary!
It would bring immense benefits not only to his son but to the entire family!
"Sultan?"
The Great Monk paused for a moment and then spoke, "The name Sultan contains the meaning of wisdom, it is truly a good name!"
After speaking, he placed his hand on the baby's head, muttering incantations, and chanted scriptures and prayed for the child.
"Oh dear, the master has traveled thousands of miles to attend my son's 'passing the hundred-day mark,' this is the glory of the entire Huit Tribe!
Please quickly take your seat and have some food," Noyan Ubashen cordially urged his guest.
"amitabha, no need to trouble yourself.
This humble monk came here only to chant scriptures and pray for the sage.
The scriptures have been chanted, and it is time to take my leave," saying this, the Great Monk bowed and left, yellow hat, yellow robe, yellow skin, quickly disappearing into the vast yellow sand.
The wind began to blow!
The news that the little baby of Huit Tribe's Great Taiji Noyan Ubashen, who had just passed his hundredth day, was called a sage by Dongkoer Manzhu Xili Hutuktu master spread with the wind, and everyone looked at this hundred-day-old baby with awe.
After eating the hundred-day banquet, Subude Biji was so excited that she couldn't sleep, holding onto Noyan Ubashen's neck.
"Taiji, I didn't expect our Sultan to be a sage, and it even attracted Dongkoer Manzhu Xili Hutuktu master to visit."
"Yes, I didn't expect it either."
"Taiji, how noble is the master's status, how could he come to our house?"
"Maybe it's a coincidence."
"Coincidence?"
Subude looked at Noyan Ubashen with her big, watery eyes, "Is it really a coincidence?
But this is too much of a coincidence, it's like someone deliberately arranged it."
"Hahaha!"
Noyan Ubashen laughed heartily, "You guessed right, someone did deliberately arrange it.
To invite this Great Monk, I generously donated two hundred horses and a thousand sheep."
"But Taiji, why did you go to such lengths to do this?"
"You don't understand, this move is called building momentum.
I am building momentum for my son's future; with the title of sage, who would dare to look down on our son in the future?"
Noyan Ubashen smiled wisely.