05 Dare To Fight, Dare To Fail

Walking along the walkway, Chinua saw that the maids in the palace had begun to decorate the palace in gold and red, and even the lanterns hanging on the beams were neatly decorated. As Chinua turned the corner, she overheard the maid's gossip.

"The Tanggolian are very generous and brought so many dowries."

"Imagine if the princess going to Tanggolia is not the fourth princess, but the third or the second princess, now we might end up with a double wedding."

"Unfortunately, the person the emperor chose to accompany the eldest princess was the fourth princess."

The leading eunuch came out of the corner and shouted to the maids, "Do you longer want to keep your head?"

The maids suddenly fell into silence.

The leading eunuch said, "Next time I hear such gossip again, the person who starts the gossip will be struck fifty times on their back, and those who are engaged in the conversation will receive twenty struck each. Am I making myself clear?"

"Yes," the maids said in unison. The maids quickly dispersed and continued with the decorations.

Chinua chuckled at the maid's action and turned the corner. When the maids saw Chinua, their faces were as pale as ghosts. Chinua greeted them warmly and continued to Batukhan's study room.

When Chinua approached, she saw Tong waiting outside the study room. Chinua found it strange that Tong was standing outside the study room instead of serving Batukhan.

Chinua approached Tong and asked, "Why are you outside instead of inside with father?"

 "Chinua, trouble has arrived," Tong said with a darken expression on his face.

Chinua asked, "What is it?" From a distance Chinua heard Tarkhan talking to another minister who was walking towards them. "Father calling them at this time must be something urgent."

"Chinua!" Batukhan voice sounded from the study room. "Since you're here, come in."

Chinua walked past Tong and walked into Batukhan's study room. She saw Batukhan sitting at his desk, with his elbows on the table and his knuckles massaging his forehead.

"Father," Chinua said, walking to Batukhan.

Batukhan raised his head and said, "I sent Tong to pick you up in person because I was worried that our last conversation would make you not want to come home." 

Chinua said, "Our last conversation will not prevent me from returning home. Here, I still have you, mother, and elder brother."

Batukhan said, "I am glad you are here. Come stand on my left."

Tong pushed Bastsaikhan into the study room with ten ministers. He parked Bastsaikhan on the right side of Batukhan and then stood behind Bastsaikhan. 

When the ministers entered Batukhan's study room, they were surprised to see Chinua standing to the left of Batukhan's left. 

Tarkhan said, "I didn't know that the fourth princess was back."

One minister asked, "Is the fourth princess going to be in this meeting with us?"

Batukhan said, "She is."

The ministers were stunned and looked at each other, because in the history of Hmagol, there had never been a princess who participated in discussing the interest of Hmagol. 

Esen stepped forward and inquired, "Your Majesty has summoned our audience at this hour. What is the urgent news?"

Batukhan sighed and said, "Prince Mandla of Umusa just arrived an hour ago."

Esen asked, "What matters brought the prince of Umusa here?"

Batukhan said, "He came here to ask for help." 

"What kind of help?" one of the ten ministers asked.

Batukhan said, "He came to ask for reinforcements." Chinua, Bastsaikhan and the ministers gasped. "Hosha and Godora is currently being attack, Tulox is sending reinforcements, but they haven't arrived yet according to the timeline, so Prince Mandla knew that they might encounter a problem."

Misheel asked, "Which kingdom is attacking them?"

Batukhan said, "Zasra Kingdom and Biyla Kingdom."

Tarkhan said, "Your Majesty, if Umusa is being attack by these two kingdoms, then we absolutely cannot send help."

Chinua asked, "Why not? We have good relations with Umusa Kingdom. They came to our aid when our southeastern border was flooded. They also came to our aid when we were short of food for many winters. This is the first time they have made a request to us, and if we refuse, then we are the most wretched alliance this land has ever seen and bring great disgrace to our good name."

Misheel said, "Fourth princess, you may not know that Zasra and Biyla kingdoms have a very good relationship with Tanggolia, and right now we are about to become family with Tanggolia."

Chinua said, "What does this have to do with Tanggolia? Although we are about to become family with Tanggolia through marriage, the Razaasia and Biizen soldiers are not Tanggolian soldiers. Even if we go to aid Umusa, the Tanggolian cannot hold this against us because we have not violated any peace agreement with them."

Bastsaikhan said, "Father, I agree with Chinua. Looking at the overall situation, if Umusa falls, it means that Zasra and Biyla will share a wider southeast border with us. In this way, Xin Jianping will have a greater chance to attack us and win. The reasons Tanggolia, Biyla, and Zasra want to take over Umusa is because if the three kingdoms start a war against us, third princes Mönkhbat will not be able to defend our southern border."

"Crown Prince, but we will have good relations with Tanggolia through this marriage. They will not go to war against us," said a minister.

Chinua said, "You have forgotten that the person who married Princess Ankhtsetseg is crown prince Geming, not one of Jianping's sons. If he wants to go to war with us, he will probably take the De-Lia River as the boundary, occupy the entire eastern Tanggolia, and establish a new kingdom for himself."

"The fourth princess is correct. I agreed with crown prince and the fourth princess to send assistance to Hosha City," One minister said. "Only this way, can we be sure that our eastern border remains safe."

Esen said, "Well, we absolutely cannot let the third prince to go aid Hosha City, although this is what they hope for the most. Once the third prince leaves the southern border, Xin Jianping will invade us."

One minister said, "Right now, the Ginmiao seems to be ignoring our border. The second prince or General Dawa can go to help."

Tarkhan said, "Just like the third prince, what if the second prince or General Dawa comes to help Hosha City and the Ginmiao decides to attack?"

Misheel said, "Minister Tarkhan, we are certain that Xin Jianping will attack. However, regarding the second prince and General Dawa, one of them could remain, and our army would remain unchanged."

Gegeen said, "The north, west and south cannot change. Crown Prince Umusa came to ask for assistance, how about we send our own crown prince to assist them."

Out of anger, Chinua grabbed the inkstone from Batukhan's desk and threw it at Gegeen standing in front of her. The ink in the inkstone splashed on Gegeen's clothes and chin.

"Before the Crown Prince goes to the battlefield, all ministers like you must have already sacrificed your life for this kingdom. If the ministers are still standing, the Crown Prince has no reason to set foot on the battlefield," Chinua said angrily, knowing that these ministers did not respect Bastsaikhan because of his disability. "How about you volunteer yourself? You seem to be a very capable person."

"Chinua!" Batukhan's deep voice sounded, staring at Chinua angrily.

Bastsaikhan said, "Father, please forgive Chinua. I agree with what Minister Gegeen said. Although I may not be able to enter the battlefield, I can use my knowledge to assist." He put his hand into his sleeve and handed the handkerchief to Tong. "The fourth princess is still young, so please forgive her, Minister Gegeen."

Tong walked over and handed Bastsaikhan's handkerchief to Gegeen.

For as long as Chinua could remember, she was supposed to be Bastsaikhan's legs and represent him in battlefield, and now was the time, she had to be Bastsaikhan's legs. Moreover, this is also her chance to prove herself, to prove that she is worthy of being Bastsaikhan's legs, and the title of General of the East of Hmagol. 

Chinua stepped forward and knelt before Batukhan. "Father, I volunteer to bring my trained soldiers to aid Hosha city to fulfill our peace agreement." 

"Fourth Princess..." Tarkhan said. "Fourth Princess is a princess, and sending a princess to aid Umusa is an insult to our kingdom and the kingdom of Umusa."

Chinua said, "Does minister Tarkhan look down on Chinua's combat skills?"

Tarkhan said, "No, I have no doubt that Her Highness is well-trained, but after all, Her Highness is still a princess."

"Father, I volunteered myself for two reasons," Chinua said.

Batukhan said, "Stand up and speak."

Chinua said, "Father, the first reason is that we have fulfilled our alliance. Even if I failed to save Hosha City, our soldiers and border control will still not change. Therefore, Xin Jianping's plan also failed. But if with luck, my soldiers can defeat or drive the Razaasia and Biizen soldiers out of Hosha City, which will not only send a clear message to Xin Jianping, but to the other kingdoms that still want to seize our lands that if a Hmagol female general can defeat the Razaasia and Biizen armies, then the male general of Hmagol can do much more." She looked up at Batukhan. "Your Majesty, I dare to fight, and I dare to fail. I must do so if it is to preserve our peace agreement with the Kingdom of Umusa."

Batukhan slowly stood up and said, "Chinua Mongke, fourth princess of Hmagol step forward and takes your order."

Chinua knelt down on one knee and put her right-hand on her left chest. "Yes, Your Majesty," Chinua said.

Batukhan put his hand into his robe and took out his general's seal. He looked at the wolf's head engraved on the seal. He stroked the word "East" engraved on all sides of the seal with his thumb and sighed. He said, "I give you the title General of the East." The ministers in the room were all surprised and looked at each other in disbelief. "In addition, I also gave you three hundred elite palace guards to set off to assist our friend Umusa Kingdom and fulfill our alliance." He placed the Eastern General Seal on Chinua's hand.

"Chinua, obey His Majesty's order," Chinua said, looking at Bastsaikhan holding the seal tightly in her right hand.