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B??riKhanwaspleased.Hisplanswereunfoldingbrilliantly.TheEmperorwasshakinginhisshoesandgatheringtogetheraweakarmymadeofcivilianboysandoldmen.Meanwhile,B??riKhan’ssesshadgarneredhimtheattentionofalheotherRourantribes,whohadsenttheirownleaders,knownasTegins,tomeetwithhimaswastheancientcustom.NowtheTeginsstoodinsidehislargeyurt,whileoutsidetheirbanners—theblackbear,snowleopard,serpent,redfire,andwildstallion—whippedandsnappedinthewind.Itwasthefirsttimeinyearsthatallfiveofthegreatesttribeshadgatheredinoneplace.

AnditwasallbecauseofB??riKhan.

Lookingoutovertheroughgroupassembledinhisyurt,B??riKhaneyedeachoftheleaders.TheystoodamidabreathtakingarrayoftreasuresstolenbyB??riKhanandhismen.Pilesofsilksandscarvesandheapsofjewelrylitteredtheroomhaphazardly,asthoughKhanhadsomuchtreasurehedidn’tcareifitfelothefloorandgottrampledupon.Hehadmadesuretoprovideplattersoffoodandjugsofdrinkofwhichafewofthemennowpartook.However,despitetheapparentcelebration,theroomfetense.ThetribeshadspetosupportB??riKhan,butthatdidn’tmeantheysupportedoneanother.Theirhatredforeachotherrandeepandtrue.

“HowcanIsharewithKilifuTegin?”

Lookingover,B??riKhansawTuluguiTeginstaringdaggersatasmallermanacrosstheyurt.Tuluguiwasperhapsthemeanest—oratleastmostverbal—ofthebunch.Astheroomfilledwithmurmurs,Khanliftedahandtosilencethem.ThenhenoddedforTuluguitocontinue.

“Heandhispeoplehavebeenraidingourcampssincethetimeofmygrandfather’sgrandfather,”Tuluguifinished.

Instantly,Kilifuwentonthedefensive.“Theraidsbeganwithyourpeople,”hesaid,outraged.

“Kilifuisright!”BatiTegin,theleaderofoneofthesmallertribes,shouted,jumpinginandcuttingTuluguioffbeforehecouldrespond.“Tuluguialsoraidsmycamp.I’veseenitwithmyowneyes!”

Theyurteruptedinroars.Broughttogether,oldwoundshadquicklyreopened.B??riKhanwatched,lettingtheothermenshoutandspewinsus.Heonceagainliftedhishand,andwithasingleshout,hesilencedthem.“Onandonyougo,likeabasketofvipersbitingeachother’stails.”Ashespoke,hetookthetimetolookateachtriballeader.Hewantedthemalohearhim.“Fighting,tribeagainsttribe.Doyounotseethebountybeforeyou?”