Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia (天幕のジャードゥーガル)

This must be the moment I've been waiting for.

What could we possibly hope to accomplish?

I have knowledge.

Let me serve you as your new jada stone, Highness.

Please lend me your power.

Let the two of us summon a storm.

What have I done?

Not only did I ignore Princess Sorghaghtani's orders...

Wait, I'm...

I'm not Sorghaghtani's slave.

Ah, there you are.

Fatima!

I've been looking for you!

Lady Töregene has bore her undulled pain for longer than I have mine.

If you failed to get in, you should return to Princess Sorghaghtani at once.

Hey, Fatima.

Which is why...

Tell Princess Sorghaghtani this.

I've found my way into a more convenient position.

I-Is that right?

All the better, then.

No need to worry. I understand now.

I know what I must do.

Just you wait, Mongols.

Jaadugar

Brothers

What's this now, Chagatai?

I offer my deepest apologies.

Not only did I challenge the Great Kha'an to a wager,

I displayed the utmost insolence by winning.

Oh, you mean that?

For such a grave offense, I am prepared to face a flogging—nay, a death sentence.

Please do with me as you will.

With this, you are forgiven. You know I am not angered so easily.

Ögedei Kha'an has shown me his mercy!

Praise be his magnanimity!

Huzzah! Huzzah!

Huzzah!

Huh? What?

With this, I take my leave.

I swear, what was the meaning of that?

Prince Chagatai put on that performance for your sake.

Chief Scribe Chinqai

Chinqai.

It hasn't been long since you took the throne as Ögedei Kha'an.

Honor upon your name is what you require most at this time.

And what quality is prized among steppe tribe leaders?

Magnanimity.

Exactly.

Merciless to his foes, yet magnanimous to his subjects.

You've now shown yourself to be just that, Great Kha'an.

I understand, but does he need to be so dramatic?

Oh, I see now.

Magnanimity, is it?

Kurultais were held under Ögedei Kha'an to discuss matters of future policy.

What's more, in the Mongol Empire,

the emperor's consorts took part in these political matters.

Töregene?

What are you doing at a kurultai? I hardly ever see you attend one.

Am I not allowed?

There are some who wish to attend, but cannot.

Temüge's Son Otai

Genghis Khan's Younger Brother Temüge

Listen to me, Uqai.

I'm Otai. Please try to remember my name, Father.

Today's discussion will outline our next military campaign.

Jin Dynasty

Southern Song

Our target is the Jin dynasty, our long-standing enemies to the east.

I hear many of our forefathers were abducted and killed by the Jin.

Yes, but truth be told, that's of little consequence now.

The House of Tolui has the largest military.

House of Tolui

The House of Chagatai, which the Great Kha'an has great trust in.

House of Chagatai

Jochi, the head of the House of Jochi, is dead, and his territory is far away.

House of Jochi

House of Ögedei

House of Temüge

And my own territory, that of the House of Temüge, is close to the Jin.

Now that our houses rule over a great deal of subjects,

we all want a role for ourselves that won't incur losses.

How will the new Kha'an fare in appeasing us all?

What say you, Daritai?

It's Otai.

How will you handle this, Great Kha'an?

I wish to build a capital.

Uh-oh.

A capital?

Yes, a capital.

We will construct a city in the steppe.

One of permanent buildings, not tents.

Wh-What are you going on about?

What of the Jin campaign?

A capital, you say?

Do we have to live there?

Mongols take pride in crossing mountains in pursuit of unseen lands.

Live like settled people? Disgusting.

Everyone, the Great Kha'an hasn't finished speaking.

It will be a capital, but not one for us to live in.

It will provide workshops for crafting weapons and jewelry,

and also serve as a trading post where foreign merchants can gather.

We will continue our nomadic lifestyles.

But at times, we will stop by the capital to spend extravagantly.

In a show of our generosity and magnanimity.

Word of it is sure to attract people and goods from across the land.

What say you?

I don't see the sense in it.

Does my idea lack merit?

Sounds great to me!

A curious proposal, indeed. I think it's worth doing.

Tolui.

By the way, Great Kha'an...

When will we broach the subject of war?

What?

At last, the time is ripe to do away with the Jin, our long sworn foes!

Mongols

Jin Dynasty

Their formerly vast territory has shrunk.

Now they're cornered like tiny rats.

The one to deal the final blow will be our Great Kha'an!

Kaifeng

This war will be just like a circle hunt.

The hunting ground will be the Jin capital, Kaifeng.

The Great Kha'an will first set up camp across the Yellow River, north of Kaifeng.

While the rats tremble in fear, we will pincer them from the south.

That sounds more like hunting deer than rats.

Call them fawns if it makes you happy.

Tolui, the Jin mustn't be underestimated.

Even on the verge of collapse, they vastly outnumber us in soldiers and subjects.

Uncle, that's why I want you to send their citizens running from the east.

Just like you would coax animals into a hunting circle,

if we can chase the Jin populace inside Kaifeng's walls,

all those soldiers and subjects will be trapped in a closed-off city.

After winter passes and their food runs out,

what state will the city be in?

Oh, as for you, Brother Chagatai.

I think it's best if you stay in Mongolia to look after affairs.

We should leave our home to the one the Great Kha'an trusts most.

Right?

Well, that's fine by me.

Jochi's kin won't have a part to play here, I'm afraid.

What?

In exchange, you'll be leading the campaigns to the west.

How does that sound?

Are any of you unhappy with these war plans?

Prince Tolui.

We must enter Southern Song territory to approach Kaifeng from the south.

Through precipitous mountain roads at that.

That poses no problem. The Southern Song considers the Jin an enemy.

The enemy of our enemy is our friend.

As for the precipitous mountains...

We'll persevere.

That's everything I heard at the kurultai.

Thank you very much.

If Tolui's plans succeed, starvation and cold await the people of Kaifeng.

I'm confronted with this knowledge, and yet...

Do you feel unwell, Sitara? You're trembling.

My apologies. I'm fine.

Sitara.

Lady Töregene. Please call me Fatima.

Fatima?

Sitara is my name from when I was a slave.

It'd be improper for someone of low birth to serve the Great Kha'an's consort.

I, too, pass myself off as a Naiman here.