The Oirat civil war has lasted for more than four years and is still ongoing. After all, as the dignified Great Khan, possessing the moral high ground and being stronger than his opponents, Baibagas Khan gradually gained the upper hand, pressing and defeating the Taijis such as Kundulun Ubashi, Mergen Temuna, Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur, Guyang, and Tabentai.
Currently, apart from Kundulun Ubashi and Mergen Temuna who still have some strength, the armies of Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur, Guyang, and Tabentai have been severely crippled, with most of their people lost or fled.
The prolonged civil war exacerbated internal conflicts within the various tribes. The Great Taiji of the Torghut, Mergen Temuna, dissatisfied that the chief of his tribe, He Erleke, did not send troops to support him, engaged in armed conflict with He Erleke.
Under the pitch-black night sky, dotted with stars, inside a huge yurt, the dark-skinned, tall and imposing Khuntaiji of the Torghut, He Erleke, could not sleep. He paced back and forth in the great tent, deep in thought.
His eldest son, Shukuer Daiqing, walked in, fuming. He was as tall and imposing as his father, with dark skin, and was usually his father's favorite. "E Qi Ge, that Mergen Temuna actually attacked my Otok, killed three soldiers, and stole eight households of herdsmen. Please send troops to avenge your child."
"Shut up! Why should the descendants of Wang Han kill each other?" He Erleke was furious. The chief of a tribe, when angered, possessed an inherent imposing aura, which scared Shukuer Daiqing into silence.
Wang Han was the Khan of the Kerait. His original name was Tuo Wo or Lin Le. The Jin Dynasty enfeoffed him as Wang, hence he was called "Wang Han," which became Wang Han through phonetic similarity. Because the Kerait Khan's guard army was called Torghut, his direct descendants were called the Torghut. This Khan was a famous figure both in China and abroad. He believed in Nestorianism (the Nestorian branch of Christianity) and was called Archbishop John in the West. He once became Anda with Yesugei, the father of Temujin, and provided assistance during Temujin's difficult times, being called "Khan Father" by him. Later, he was defeated by Temujin and died at the hands of the Naiman. All members of the Torghut considered themselves descendants of Wang Han.
He Erleke had been in a bad mood lately, with a lot of pent-up anger, so he even scolded his son. He couldn't help but be angry; the current survival situation of the Torghut was really too dire!
Initially, although he had a bad relationship with Khong Tayiji Khara Khula of the Dzungar, he was sworn brothers with Baibagas Khan of the Khoshut and Great Taiji Dalai Taishi of the Dörbet. Especially Dalai Taishi, with whom he had formed a deep friendship during the war against the Oros people in the north. The three tribes were as close as family, subtly suppressing the ambitious Dzungar.
Once the civil war started, everything changed!
Because many Torghut Taijis supported the Nuoerwei Zheng Chukur side, although he verbally supported Baibagas, he did not provide substantial support. This aroused the strong dissatisfaction of Baibagas Khan and Dalai Taishi. The Dzungar, who had always been at odds with him, took advantage of the Oirat civil war to develop and grow stronger. Khara Khula and Batu'er, father and son, were brave and skilled warriors. They annexed a lot of pastures and herdsmen and repeatedly harassed the Torghut. Recently, Mergen Temuna also turned against him, causing internal division within the Torghut. How could this not make him furious?
Seeing that his son dared not speak, He Erleke softened his tone and said calmly, "Now that my Torghut are surrounded by enemies and internally unstable, it seems that plan must be implemented immediately, otherwise there is a danger of the tribe being wiped out!"
"E Qi Ge, do you really want to lead us to migrate west to the Eijile River (called Volga River by Russia)? Isn't that a barren land?" Shukuer Daiqing was greatly surprised.
"Haha, don't worry. I have already sent people to investigate the Eijile River. There are endless grasslands everywhere, with lush water and grass, and a mild climate. Originally, the Nogai people occupied that area. After the Nogai Khanate split, their power greatly declined, and they were harassed by the Kazakh Khanate, the Crimean Khanate, and the Oros people, so they had to leave that place. It is truly a good place! This is a gift from chang sheng tian to us Torghut!"
Speaking of this, He Erleke's eyes shone with divine light. Although rough on the outside, he was meticulous on the inside and had long planned to migrate west. Ten years ago, he sent loyal and reliable people to the Caspian Sea coast and the lower reaches of the Volga River to conduct on-site investigations. He was very satisfied with the environment there.
But at that time, he and old brothers like Baibagas and Dalai Taishi fought against the Khalkha Mongol together and resisted the Oros from the north, forming a deep friendship. Even Khara Khula was not as tyrannical and bullying as he is now. The entire Oirat was generally harmonious, with a strong sense of brotherhood, and he was truly reluctant to leave!
The weather is unpredictable, and misfortune can strike at any time! The various Oirat Mongol tribes, who were originally as close as family, are now fighting each other, killing each other, and their blood is almost flowing dry! Now, Khara Khula has become his mortal enemy; his old brothers Baibagas and Dalai Taishi resent him for not helping, and are friendly on the surface but not in their hearts; the Great Taiji Mergen Temuna of his own tribe has also turned against him. He is truly surrounded by enemies. Without moving to a safe place, the Torghut cannot be peaceful! If there is no place for him here, there will be a place for him elsewhere. He must leave!
"But E Qi Ge, I heard that after the Oros people annexed the Kazan Khanate and the Astrakhan Khanate, they set up armies, officials, and churches in both places. Going to the Eijile River (Volga River), I'm afraid we will be harassed by the Cossacks and may not be able to establish ourselves," Shukuer Daiqing was still worried.
"Hahaha," He Erleke burst into laughter, "My child, do you know how vast the grasslands there are? The Oros's small population simply cannot control that area. Don't worry, I will lead you to establish the Khanate of the Torghut there!"
It is difficult to leave one's homeland, and such a major event as the migration of the entire tribe to the west naturally could not be decided by the Khuntaiji alone. Therefore, He Erleke presided over a tribal meeting. The main attendees were himself and his six sons: Shukuer Daiqing, Gunbu Yiledeng, Ursang, Shechen, Luo Bu Zang, and Sengge, plus Taijis such as Ulu Chechen and Buli Han. Because he had fallen out with Mergen Temuna, Mergen Temuna and his brothers Peiboke, Zhasabatu, Shangdu Batur, Shang Ka Yi, Qing Batur, Kudete, and other Taijis did not attend.
As the chief of the Torghut, and with most of the attendees being his sons, He Erleke's words were naturally decisive. The matter of migrating west to the Eijile River was approved, and the remaining details were how to implement it.
"E Qi Ge, the Taijis such as Buzhu, Baoyin Wudun, Baolan Aga Lehu, and Mang Hai in the Duo Gan Qinghai Lake area, and the Taiji E Ji Nei Tai Shi in Ili, do not yet know about this news. Should we send someone to inform them?" The eldest son, Shukuer Daiqing, asked.
He Erleke thought for a moment and said, "Buzhu and Baoyin Wudun are Mergen Temuna's uncles, and they may not be willing to come. Now we have many enemies, and the matter of migrating west must be kept secret, so don't inform them. As for the other Taijis, you secretly send someone to inform them."
"Yes!"
Everyone discussed the preparations needed for the migration. Suddenly, the second son, Gunbu Yiledeng, spoke up, "E Qi Ge, there are also several thousand households of Dörbet and Koshut who are nomadic with us. Should we take them with us?"
This question was very sensitive. These people were not members of the Torghut tribe, and taking them away might cause conflict with the Khoshut and Dörbet. The Khoshut were involved in a civil war and could not spare any attention. But the Great Taiji Dalai Taishi of the Dörbet was not to be trifled with.
He Erleke was stunned and hesitated. Thinking that he was about to migrate west and establish a state, and what he lacked most was population, he gritted his teeth and roared, "Don't worry about so much. Take them all. Tell those Khoshut and Dörbet herdsmen that if they don't come with us, they will all be killed."