Volume Fifteen元朝秘史 卷15

Prince Mungge and the officer Alchidai and the rest reported, "Chinggis once gave a decree: 'Matters of the field are settled only in the field; matters of the household are settled only in the household.' Now the affair of Guyuk belongs to the matters of the field. It is best to hand it over to Batu and let him deal with it himself." Ogodei's anger died down. He summoned Guyuk to come and bow before him, and he reproached him and taught him, saying, "When you went out to fight, on the way you beat the soldiers all around and broke their spirit. Do you dare to think that the Russian people surrendered because they feared you alone? Do you dare to insult your elder brother as if he were an enemy? Our Emperor Chinggis once said, 'When men are many, men are afraid; when the water is deep, men die.' Now Subeetei sheltered you from the front, and it was together with the others that you won these few Russian tribes. By yourself you have not accomplished anything as straight as the hoof of a ram. A fine fellow, who first steps out the door and at once stirs up trouble." Because Mungge and the others urged him, he let the matter rest. "This affair is a matter of the field. Go with Kharkhasun, and let Batu settle it. As for Buri, let his elder brother Chagadai be told of it."

Emperor Ogodei proclaimed once more, from the beginning and according to the old rules, the duties that each man held among the night guards of Chinggis's time and among all the day guards.

Emperor Ogodei said, "My Emperor Chinggis founded the state through hardship. Now I will let the people live in peace and gladness, and not let them wear themselves out." So he took up the things that ought to be done and talked them over with his elder brother Chagadai. "One thing. From the people's flocks of sheep, let only one gelded two-year-old sheep be sent out each year for the broth, and out of every hundred sheep let only one be sent out to help the poor of that tribe. One thing. Whenever the princes and the sons-in-law and the rest gather, it is not right to levy upon the people. Let each company of a thousand send out mares every year, along with the men who herd them and the men who milk them, and let those men and horses always be relieved in their turn at the proper time. One thing. As for the gold and silk and weapons and storehouses that are given in reward, and the men who guard them at all times, let men be raised in each place to keep watch over them. One thing. Let the people be given lands of their own, each to set up camp and dwell there; and as for the men who make that division, let them be chosen from within each company of a thousand. One thing. The land of Chille had no water before, so there were only wild beasts and no people living there. Now, if the people are to be spread out and settled there, let Chanai and Uighurtai, the two of them, go and walk the ground to find places fit for camps, and let them dig wells. One thing. When envoys come and go and pass through the places where the people live, the business is slowed and the people too are worn out. Now let each company of a thousand send out men and horses and set up post stations. Unless the business is urgent, they must ride the post horses, and they shall not pass through the places where the people live. These several things Chanai and Bolkhadar spoke of to me, and I too think they may be done. Let my elder brother Chagadai know of them." Chagadai heard these words and said of them all, "It is right. Only do it in this way." He said further, "As for the post stations, I will set mine up from this side to meet the stations you set up, and I will have Batu set his up from that side to join the stations I set up." So the word came back.

Emperor Ogodei then made this matter known also to the princes and the sons-in-law and the rest. The princes and the sons-in-law and the rest all said, "It is fitting. It is very good." After that he sent men to gather from every place the sheep and horses named above, and the households that were to guard the storehouses and man the post stations. The stations that were laid out he ordered Arachan and Tokhuchar, the two of them, to put in order. At each station twenty horse-keepers were set. Within it, fixed rules were made for the post horses and for the provisions given to envoys, and for the sheep and horses and the carts and oxen. If anything fell short, half the goods of that household were to be taken by the government.

Emperor Ogodei said, "Since I sat upon my father's great seat, I have added four things. One was that I brought the state of Jin to peace. One was that I set up the post stations. One was that I had wells dug in the places without water. One was that I placed tammachi troops inside each of the walled cities to hold them. And I did four things wrong. One was that, having succeeded to the great seat, I sank into wine. One was that I listened to a woman's words and took a daughter of the people of my uncle Otchigin. One was that I secretly did harm to Dokholkhu, who was loyal and righteous, out of a private grudge. One was that, fearing the wild beasts Heaven had made would run off into my brothers' lands, I built walls and stockades to shut them in, so that there were words of resentment."

This book was finished in the writing at the time of the great gathering, in the seventh month of the year of the rat, when the camp came down at the place of Kodee Aral on the Kerulen River.