Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters-Chapter 971 - 41_3

Chapter 971: 41_3

At this moment, every tribal leader sitting inside and outside the Red River Tribe’s golden tent had already convinced themselves:

“Whatever the White Lion wants, let it be.”

“Whether it fits customs, rules, or breaks an agreement, let it be.”

“To serve him as lord, if he wins, we share the spoils; if he loses, we return to as before.”

As for the leaders who hadn’t convinced themselves… they had just been bound and taken away.

The tribal leaders were all waiting for old Tashi to speak those words, waiting for the White Lion to nod, waiting for the time to loudly concur.

“[Herde Language] Oh most great and mighty White Lion!” Old Tashi stood still for a moment, then suddenly knelt to the ground, tearfully shouting:

“[Herde Language] I wish to acknowledge you as the Khan of all tribes!

You have become the Khan!

When hunting cunning beasts, I wish to round them up for you!

When facing numerous enemies, I wish to be your vanguard!

Take back both noblewomen and maidens for you!

Take back both palatial tents and treasures for you!

Plunder back foreign women and wealth for you!

If I defy your command, you can disperse my wives and concubines, seize my property, throw my head to the ground!

If I violate your decree, you can kill my offspring, burn my tents, abandon me in a place where no grass grows…”

As soon as old Tashi knelt, all the Herders inside and outside the tent knelt down too.

Old Tashi made a vow, and chiefs, Nayen, Kota, palace guards, and quiver bearers each echoed a vow in turn.

Their voices carried beyond the blue hills, no matter whether from the Red River Tribe or from other tribes, all the Herders knelt facing the golden tent, their heads bowed.

In the vast hunting ground, there was only one person still sitting—the White Lion.

The White Lion watched everyone bow their heads; at this moment, no one dared to look him in the eye.

For many a heroic figure, they had reached the pinnacle of their lives at moments like this, their bodies and souls would tremble, but the White Lion seemed indifferent.

He listened quietly to old Tashi’s oath, and even leisurely took a small sip of mare’s milk to moisten his throat.

“[Herde Language] I…” The White Lion’s voice was calm and carried a hint of a smile: “[Herde Language] Once vowed that in this life, I would not claim the title of Khan, otherwise, I wish to die under a thousand arrows.”

Old Tashi’s body visibly trembled, the tribal leaders buried their heads even lower, nobody dared to move.

If Father Reed were here, he would certainly have some odd things to say; even Winters, who had only learned a fraction of Father Reed’s humor, would probably have a sharp comment or two.

“[Herde Language] Oh White Lion!” old Tashi spoke again, his voice tinged with a plea: “[Herde Language] If you do not become the Khan of all tribes! No one can be the Khan of all tribes!”

“[Herde Language] You have become the Khan!

When hunting cunning beasts, I wish to round them up for you!

…”

The crowd inside and outside the tent, once again, followed old Tashi in reciting the vow.

“[Herde Language] I am not of the Gold lineage.” The White Lion refused again: “Khan Hongyun once made an oath with all tribes that none other than the Gold bloodline could be Khan. I am not qualified to claim the title of Khan.”

“[Herde Language] Oh Khan!” Old Tashi was flustered, his voice now carrying a sob: “[Herde Language] Rivers change their courses! Stones wear smooth! Wild grass grows and withers, withers and regrows! The faces of our tribal descendants change year by year! Even vows must one day be broken!”

“[Herde Language] I am willing to break the vows of the past for you!

You have become the Khan!

When hunting cunning beasts, I wish to round them up for you!

…”

…

This time, Old Tower did not have the chance to finish reading the oath, as White Lion’s majestic command interrupted him.

“Herde Language Shut up!” White Lion shattered the desk, rising proudly: “Herde Language Lift your heads! All of you, look at me!”

No one dared to look up.

“Herde Language Look at me!”

The tribal chiefs slightly lifted their heads, but their chests still touched the ground.

“Herde Language Rivers may change their course! Stones may become smooth! Wild grass may die and come back to life! The younger generation of our tribes has already changed their faces!” White Lion’s voice thundered, echoing through Blue Hill: “Herde Language But the oath of the Herders is more stable than the mountains! More enduring than the rivers! More precious than gold!”

“Herde Language Once I take an oath, I will never break it! Once my ancestors made an oath, I will never break it! You should do the same! Whoever breaks the oath shall be punished by heaven and man! He who takes the oath lightly shall die under a myriad of horses, under a myriad of arrows!”

“Herde Language But…” Old Tower desperately kowtowed, blood streaming from his forehead: “Herde Language If you do not become the Khan of the tribes, no one else can be!”

The tribal chiefs echoed like insects, continuously kowtowing following Old Tower.

“Herde Language Shut up!”

With a roar from White Lion, Blue Hill fell utterly silent.

“Herde Language I will not be the Khan of the tribes! I do not wish to be the Khan of the tribes! I disdain to be the Khan of the tribes!” White Lion released his feelings, the relief extreme.

He swept his gaze below the tent, quietly reveling. At this moment, he truly reached the pinnacle of his life: “Herde Language As long as you obey my laws! Respect my regulations! Uphold my oath! Then I don’t need to be your Khan!

“Herde Language Obey my laws! Respect my regulations! Uphold my oath! I, shall be for the tribes the…” White Lion pushed aside the golden tent curtain, revealing a stele engraved with fine text:

“Herde Language Lawmaker!!”

…

…

“Herde Language First, the great code of Lawmaker White Lion is beyond question;”

“Herde Language Second, the great code of Lawmaker White Lion is unchangeable;”

“Herde Language Third…

When the palace guards of the Red River Tribe read ‘The Codex’ to the tribal chiefs, Kota, and the tribespeople, Winters was not present.

This content is taken from fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm.

He was lying in an ox cart, slowly approaching a valley where gold was buried.

Someday in the future, Winters might regret missing the most spectacular part of what happened on Blue Hill – all Herder tribes’ younger generation snapping arrows to swear together, vowing to forever uphold the law of the Golden Stele.

While the Herders demonstrated how to effectively destroy arrows, Winters was trying to figure out how to trick Father Kaman into massaging his legs.

He lay there stiffly on the hard cart, every inch of his skin and muscle in agony, without the strength even to wriggle his little finger.

Father Kaman sat beside Winters, holding a small silver jug and feeding Winters hot cow’s milk, a bit gleeful yet distressed, chiding: “I truly can’t understand how you’ve managed to get yourself into this state. A normal person would have either fainted or simply died of exhaustion before getting to this point; how exactly did you manage it?”

Sitting on the other side of the ox cart, Colonel Moritz, sipping on his liquor, casually said: “The power of love.”

Father Kaman coldly scoffed: “Truly a realm beyond my understanding.”

“I… want to… go down… with you… all…” Winters, using his astounding willpower, barely squeezed out the words: “…together…”

“Alright.” Father Kaman continued to drip cow’s milk into the corner of Winters’ mouth: “Come on then.”

Winters’ eyes began to moisten: “That old man… the wine he gave me… there was something wrong with it!”

———————————

“…Today, the very first codified law of the Herder culture known to us, ‘The Law of the Golden Stele’, is also the origin of the Herder written language…”

————History·Seventh Grade(Upper) [New Sea Blue Education Publishing]