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It was not long before Vang Khan saw that all was lost. He gave up the contest and fled. A small troop of horsemen, consisting of his immediate attendants and guards, went with him. At first the fugitives took the road toward Karakorom.
He accordingly now determined not to pursue the fugitives any farther, but to proceed at once to Karakorom, and postpone all farther operations against Kushluk and Tukta until the next season.
Karakorom was accordingly by no means a great and splendid city. It was surrounded by what was called a mud wall that is, a wall made of blocks of clay dried in the sun.
It seems that the Monguls had been for a long time accustomed to pay some sort of tribute to the Emperor of China, and many years before, while Genghis Khan, under the name of Temujin, was living at Karakorom, a subject of Vang Khan, the emperor sent a certain royal prince, named Yong-tsi, to receive what was due.
Temujin pursues Tukta Bey and Kushluk. Retreat to Boyrak's country. The various tribes submit. Fall and destruction of Kashin. Proclamation. Temujin returns to Karakorom. Boyrak's precautions. Great battle. Boyrak is taken and slain. Flight of Kushluk and Tukta Bey. Ardish. River Irtish. Tukta Bey's adherents. Genghis Khan pursues them in winter. Difficulties of the country. Death of Tukta Bey.
In the mean while Temujin promised to enter at once into Vang Khan's service, and to devote himself faithfully to promoting the interests of his kind protector by every means in his power. Temujin's popularity. Rivals and enemies appear. Plots. Yemuka Wisulujine. Yemuka's disappointment. His rage. Conspiracy formed. Progress of the league. Oath of the conspirators. The oath. Karakorom.
For a time they all had reason to expect that Temujin, after having taken and destroyed Kashin, would continue his pursuit of the prince, and Boyrak began accordingly to make preparations for defense. But when, at length, they learned that Temujin had given up the pursuit, and had returned to Karakorom, their apprehensions were, for the moment, relieved.
For a time he concealed himself, or at least kept out of Vang Khan's reach, by dwelling with hordes whose range was at some distance from Karakorom. He soon, however, contrived to open secret negotiations with one of Vang Khan's sons, whose name was something that sounded like Sankum. Some authors, in attempting to represent his name in our letters, spelled it Sunghim.
He was not mistaken, it seems, however, in thinking how great a favorite Temujin was at Karakorom, for his secret design was betrayed to Temujin by two of his servants, who overheard him speak of it to one of his wives.
Still, however, it is supposed that there was a great prince who at least encouraged the missionaries in their work, and allowed them to preach Christianity in his dominions, and, if so, there is little doubt that Vang Khan was the man. At all events, he was a very great and powerful prince, and he reigned over a wide extent of country. The name of his capital was Karakorom.
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