35 A Wise Leader

After dinner, the group of soldiers sat around a table and chatted. Chinua sat on the steps of the house, looking at Amgalan who was washing dishes with Delbee at the water jar not far away. She stared at Amgalan, and suddenly she felt sad. Mönkhbat went to Chinua and sat beside her. He put his arms around Chinua's shoulders.

Mönkhbat asked, "What's wrong?"

Chinua said, "I suddenly felt that life is unfair sometimes."

Mönkhbat said, "Life is never fair."

Chinua looked at Mönkhbat and asked, "Why?"

Mönkhbat said, "That's the way life is."

Chinua said, "Tell me honestly, do you hate father?"

Mönkhbat sighed, "I don't hate him, I understand him."

Chinua said, "As the third prince of Hmagol, the great general of the South, you should have lived in a mansion and had servants, but your house is like everyone else's. You should have servants to serve you from morning until dawn, but you have no servants. Your wife is clearly a princess, but she wears dirty clothes."

Mönkhbat heard the helplessness in Chinua's tone and comforted her. "Chinua is also a princess, why doesn't Chinua wear gorgeous clothes like other princesses, but chooses to live among Hmagol's soldiers?"

Chinua said, "I have a duty that I must fulfill."

"I also have a duty to fulfill too," Mönkhbat said with a smile.

Chagatai looked from a distance and said, "I don't want to say this, but the actions of Chinua and General Mönkhbat are very inappropriate."

The soldiers watch as Chinua talks to Mönkhbat while Mönkhbat puts his arm around Chinua.

Erden said, "Although I like Chinua, I feel sorry for the wife when she has to witness General Mönkhbat treat Chinua the way he did." Erden shook his head as he expresses his concern.

Od said, "I agree with you. We need to talk to Chinua."

Timicin said, "Don't you know who General Mönkhbat is?"

Och said, "A general in the South like General Batzorig in the North."

Timicin said, "He is not only a general, but also the third prince of Hmagol."

The soldiers gasped.

Muunokhoi whispered "You mean, Chinua want to climb the stair that way."

Khawn said, "Chinua is not that kind of person."

Och said, "How do you know? Huh? You have only been with her for a few days, we have been with her for two years, and we still don't know she is a woman until recently."

Naksh and Jeet remained silence because they didn't know Chinua that well, so they chose to keep silent and didn't express their opinion with the group of soldiers.

Chaghatai said, "We should just ask Chinua straight forward."

Od said, "Muunokhoi, you go ask Chinua."

Muunokhoi said, "But she is still talking to General Mönkhbat."

Terbish said, "Let's find a good time to talk to Chinua and ask her about her relationship with General Mönkhbat."

Listening to the conversation of the small group of soldiers sitting not far away, Mönkhbat looked at Chinua and asked, "You haven't told them yet?"

Chinua shook her head. "I haven't told them yet," she said. "I made a bet with father that after entering the Northern Camp, I will not seek preferential treatment in my name."

Mönkhbat laughed. "Preferential treatment or not, has nothing to do with telling your close comrades who you are. Listen Chinua, when you walk into the battlefield, it may be the last time you speak to your comrades. To win a battle, you must put your life in their hands, and they also put their lives in your hands. If you and your comrades have doubts, every mission you encounter will fail because of distrust." He patted Chinua on the shoulder. "I suggest you tell them the truth."

Chinua said, "I will find a way to tell them."

Mönkhbat said, "In the future your decisions must be decisive. Your orders must be clear, and if your orders are not clear, it is your fault, not your men."

Chinua said, "I will remember."

Mönkhbat asked, "So, what will happen to the two slaves?"

Chinua said, "Captain Taban told you."

Mönkhbat said, "It's his job to report to me."

Chinua asked, "Are you going to punish me?"

Mönkhbat said, "Taban said, you didn't buy them."

Chinua shook her head, "I didn't. The merchant disowned them because he didn't want to get into trouble with Captain Taban."

Mönkhbat said, "Since there is no transaction between the two of you, it doesn't mean you are breaking any laws."

Amgalan carried the bucket of dishes into the house. Mönkhbat stood up and grabbed the bucket full of dishes from Amgalan. Amgalan smiled and said, "Go to bed early, everyone must get up early tomorrow. I hope everyone doesn't mind sleeping on the floor."

Chinua stood up and said, "Not at all."

Early the next morning, the group of soldiers standing at the door watched as Mönkhbat bid farewell to his wife. Mönkhbat kissed Amgalan on the forehead. "See you in nine months," he smiled at Amgalan.

Amgalan smiled and said, "Be careful."

Zamir said, "Don't worry, we'll take care of her. Go without worry."

Amgalan put Mönkhbat's helmet on his head and gave Mönkhbat his sword. "Be safe," she said.

The group of the northern soldiers, Khawn, and the two brothers followed Mönkhbat out of the house and into the side street. On the street they met Taban and other soldiers.

Chinua and others followed behind Haitao.

Hye grabbed Chinua's hand and asked, "Why did you drag me to the Southern Camp?"

Chinua said, "General Mönkhbat ordered you to come with us. Now, it is too late for you to leave."

Hye said angrily, "I am a civilian who has not received military training... I am not worthy to fight side by side with these powerful southern soldiers."

Chinua looked at Hye and sneered, "That's not my problem now." She quickly followed Timicin.

Khawn grabbed Hye's arm and said, "Just follow Chinua."

Hye said frantically, "I'm not her slave."

Naksh pushed Hye's back. "Now you are," he looked at Hye with a smile.

The small group of one hundred soldiers walked out of the small village onto the open road, they could see thousands of armed men waiting for them.

Haitao asked Taban, "Captain, those soldiers?"

Taban said, "These are the five thousand soldiers we are taking to the camp to release those who has been in the camp for more than six months."

"So, there's a deployment rotation?" Timicin asked.

Taban said, "Yes, General Mönkhbat ordered a rotational deployment and those who wanted to stay voluntarily stayed longer."

Och said, "General Mönkhbat is so mighty and upright. No wonder the people serving under him refuse to leave him."

Erden said, "It's a pity that General Mönkhbat is not the crown prince."

Terbish said, "I agree."

Muunokhoi said, "General Mönkhbat will be an excellent ruler."

Chinua asked, "What's wrong with crowned prince Bastaikan? Do you think he would not be a good ruler?"

Och said, "I heard that he can't walk, he cannot fight in battle."

Chinua said, "Although he cannot enter the battlefield, it does not mean that he can use others to fight for him."

Terbish said, "That doesn't count."

Chinua said irritably, "One must have a brain to govern a country. Governing a country is more important than combat skills. Ruling a country is not just about how many victories it has won. The ruler also must deal with many issues, such as politics, war, diplomacy, and economy. Although crowned prince Bastaikan could not stand up and lead his soldiers to the battlefield, he used his brain to fight for the development of the country."

Od looked at Chinua and said, "Why are you suddenly angry?"

Chinua said, "I'm talking reasonably."

"I have to agree with Chinua," Timicin said. "General Mönkhbat may look like a leader, but he only has military experience. You can't rule a country with military rules."

Muunokhoi said, "Chinua, we're just talking in general terms, don't get mad."

"I am not," Chinua said, and she charged forward, riding beside Mönkhbat.

Mönkhbat turned to look at Chinua and asked, "What's wrong with you?"

Chinua sighed heavily and looked at Mönkhbat. She asked, "Do you think Bastaikan is unworthy of inheriting father's throne?"

"I think he is the most suitable one. He has a lot of knowledge of how to rule the country," Mönkhbat said, glancing back at the soldiers walking behind them. "Did they speak ill of crown prince Bastaikan?"

Chinua said, "They say you'll be a better leader than Bastaikan."

Mönkhbat said, "Don't take it to heart. Many people will see it differently. We can't force everyone to think like us. You must learn to let go of the little things that don't matter so they don't affect you when you make important decisions judgement."

Chinua said, "I'll try."

Mönkhbat said, "What are you going to do with your four men? They are not soldiers from the Southern or Northern Camp. Here, I don't mind if they stay, but once you go back to the North, I'm sure Batzorig will not allow them into the training camp."

Chinua said, "I haven't thought that far yet. Now I'm thinking, I need people who are willing to sell me their life and never betray me."

Mönkhbat looked at Hye who was sitting behind Khunbish and said, "Chinua, force people to sell their lives to you, never persuade them wholeheartedly."

"How do I convince them?" Chinua asked.

Mönkhbat rubbed Chinua's head with a smile. "You have to ask yourself the same question. What does it take for you to be willing to lay down your life for another person?" Mönkhbat said. "Seizing and coercing people through fear and force will not make them willing to sell their lives to you. Do you remember how I always taught you how to treat your men?"

Chinua said, "You taught me that I must love my men as my own son."

Mönkhbat smiled and said, "A wise leader has to remember that he has to love all his subordinates equally. You must treat everyone like Khunbish and Khenbish. You can't make other people under you think you prefer one over the other."

Chinua smiled strangely at Mönkhbat, "Why did you tell me these rules all of a sudden?"

Mönkhbat said, "Because now you don't just have Khunbish and Khenbish, you have three more people under you."

"I don't agree that first brother cannot rule the country after father, but I agree with them on one point," she said, looking at Mönkhbat. "I do think that if one of father's sons should be the first crown prince, I think that title suits you better than the other brothers."

Mönkhbat said displeasingly, "Don't talk about it in the future, understand?"

Chinua nodded and said, "I understand."