The Ninth Book of Bao Dan: The Dragon Campaign

When Jen Shu came to the shores of the Sea he had defeated all the vassals of the Great Wang Tihora, and all of his sons, the so-called Dragons of Dawn. For eight years he made war. Before him lay the City of Stones and its imposing walls. Upon its ramparts were the soldiers of his enemy and they were in great fear.

For it was Spring in the year of the Carp, the Golden Tribe had eliminated 65 tribes from the Sea of Grass, burned six cities, and none remember their names. His Bataro numbered 85,000 men and 100,000 horse. His Ordaru had women without counting. The Golden Tribe carried the tarred heads of:

Hako the Oni

Hyun Shik of the Red Stone People

Kang Shin of the Spotted Horse

Chun Mul of the Red Tribe, slayer of a Gaki

Arog the Claw Hand

Ko the Horned

Marhen Gozu Gaki

Wunk Blue-Skin

Grothmak the Andari Slayer

Jin Huk of the White Tribe

Sungyu the Noble of the Great Grass People

Shun the Horseman of the Valley 

Yuudai the Wealthy of the Bamboo People

Taiki the Tall and his son Taikishi of the Yellow River

Monad of the Bush People

Hagga the Kala of the Caves

Shurga the Kala of the Earth

Tihon the son of Tihora who once ruled the City of Wa

Phung the son of Tihora who once ruled the City of Toho

Kurazu the son of Tihora who once ruled the City of Nokane

Then stood Tihora upon his high walls before a sea of men and of horses. And his advisors spoke to him in his dotage and said, "Here is Jen Shu of the Golden Tribe and he seeks your surrender."

"Three sons have I," spoke Tihora. "This siege will not last before my sons and vassals are come to avenge the city of stones and I, their father."

But his advisors spoke again saying, "Great Majesty, your vassals and sons have fallen before the Golden Tribe. For unto each of them this warlord did offer his parley -- the same parley which he has offered all tribes and all people from the ramparts to the sea."

"What is this parley," asked the elderly Tihora.

"To those who accept the silent testimony of his defeated enemy and surrender unconditionally, Jen Shu will offer peace. Their men and their favorite horses will have the right to be abluted in the waters of the Lake of the Clouds and become one with his Bataro. To the women, he offers the right to place their hand on his mother's Stela and so join his Ordaru. To their lords and kings, he offers only a swift death but promises their names will live forever. To those who oppose them, he promises only death and destruction -- and that none would remember their names."

"What choice did my sons make?" asked Tihora.

"They would not see their people destroyed, but neither would they dishonor you," spoke his advisors. "Your sons sued Jen Shu for the right of single combat -- to face him each alone and so spare their people."

"My sons did not dishonor me," said Tihora the aged, "and neither will I dishonor them."

So Tihora rode out from the walls of the city of stones and challenged Jen Shu as had his sons before him. Then turned Jen Shu to his Bataro and bade them to dismount and take the knee. "In all the wide land I have not found as much courage. Truly did the sons spring from this well."

Then Jen Shu cut down Tihora in single combat and placed his head with those of his sons. He celebrated the name of Tihora and promised to remember it always.

But a general of Tihora did not surrender. He led his cavalry out and commanded that arrows be fired from the walls. Then the ground shook with the might of them which bore down upon the Golden Tribe. But Jen Shu and his Bataro slaughtered all who opposed them. Those that fled they cut down, save those who left the shores by fishing vessels and canoes and set out for the open sea.

So Jen Shu spoke to them and cursed them saying, "You who have sought refuge in the waves shall not be safe at any landing. The sea you have chosen and the sea now saves you, but the dry land is closed to you and will be your death forever.

Then the walls of the city were thrown down and its stones were scattered. The people who did not oppose him were spared and joined according to the parley of Jen Shu. Thus ended the last campaign of Jen Shu and he was 20 years beyond 100 when he sat the throne and left the wide land to those generals beneath him.