The Burial Mound of Liu Zhaomi in the Tong Valley

Wild Custom

Kunbag fell ill. His younger wife fussed around him with tears in her eyes. But she was soon pushed aside by the stout, powerful daughter of the steppes. The old man was moved to the Big Tent.

— Oh, dear...— groaned the old man. — Even the dog laughs at the old wolf... What to do? Death is an uninvited guest for everyone.

The sick man ordered the Hunnuska to leave. By his command, they called for the Chinese woman again.

— I'm going to die soon, — the old man told her.
— I too. Did you not say: the tail always follows the horse.
— It's not right for youth to leave with old age. For the old — memorials, for the young — weddings...
— What weddings? — the princess became alert.
— I've completely aged, — said the old man. — My loins no longer need either young or old wives.

A smirk flashed in the princess's eyes: was this news to her?

I'm going to die soon, — the old man continued, scratching himself. — The Great Sky will take me to Himself. He groaned a little, adjusting himself more comfortably.

— All these years I have shown you great respect, worthy of your noble blood. We value the friendship of Fugfura (the emperor). Therefore, we have made a decision...

The old man began scratching and groaning again. It was evident that even a ruler sometimes finds it uncomfortable to pronounce certain words.

— You already know our customs: if a father dies, the son marries the stepmother...

The princess finally understood.

— No! No! — she screamed.
— Calm down. My sons have too many wives. And I love you and wish you well. I have an unmarried grandson — the Heir...

The princess immediately remembered this Heir. They rarely saw each other, but each time the Lotus Flower caught his gloomy, tense gaze on her. He frightened her...

The grandson was indeed unmarried, but that didn’t mean he lacked for pleasure with concubines. Once she witnessed this steppe hero, sitting on his horse, strike a slave girl with a whip with all his might; she fell dead.

Raised in luxury, with refined manners, the princess had never seen anyone beaten with a whip. And what if it were her like that?... She shuddered then. A mix of wolf and fox — that’s what this Heir was!

— No! No! — she screamed again. — But you are alive? I don’t want this!
— Think of it as if I am not here. And don’t forget: my grandson is young, your peer. He will be the Supreme Ruler. I said — you heard. And now go: I’m tired and want to take a nap.

The old tiger was mistaken. “I said — you heard” — this categorical formula for the princess of “heavenly blood” turned out to be insufficient. She categorically refused to marry the young Gyuntsyuymi, even though he bore the title of Senzi — Heir.

Kunbag was puzzled:
— You were tormented with me, old man!! And now you don’t want the young one.
— Was I tormented? Who told you that?
— Why speak? If a horse feeds on steppe grass, while nearby is Dawan alfalfa, even a ram knows what’s better for the horse. Your stubbornness will pass like a spring rain over a lake. Then you will be glad.

The princess ran to her tower and there gave herself to sorrowful tears. She recalled all those years. At first, she was afraid of him. Then she became accustomed. Then she became attached. When the Usun language became clear to her, the princess loved to listen to the good-natured tales of the ruler, full of salty but sharp humor — and she knew how to appreciate humor.

Her husband was not as gentle and affectionate as she had imagined in her secret girlish dreams. Yet she was quite satisfied: she needed no other! Oh, Liujiaomi, Liujiaomi, the insensible steppe ram! Foolish, short-sighted...

No, if her husband died, she would return to Chang’an. Wiping her tears, she took her lute — pin and began to play the famous melody “Thoughts of Return.” According to legend, this piece was performed by the beloved of the Wei prince Zhou.

After his death, she did not wish to stay with the new lord and ended her life.

But should she do the same?... The princess cried, sighed, and tormented herself until dawn, until the Morning Star, Taibo, which the Usun lovingly called Cholpon, lit up in the slightly brightening sky...

...The princess was mistaken in considering her husband only good-natured and short-sighted. Kunbag had an iron grip and precise calculation. His enemies had repeatedly realized this. After all, it was Liujiaomi who ended the centuries-old dependence on the Huns and defeated them even before the Chinese victories. And now Kunbag could not allow the Chinese woman to return to her homeland after his death, thus putting the established good relations with the empire to the test.

So, Unbag turned to the next Chinese embassy, which just happened to be in the capital. Fortunately, there were several wise men at the embassy who knew all the Confucian books by heart: the “Five Classics” — “Wu Jing” and the “Four Books” — “Si Shu.”

Clasping their fingers with one-and-a-half-verse nails, the wise men proved to the unreasonable girl that by yielding to the demands of her current husband, she would not violate the principles of virtue and chastity, as interpreted by Confucius.

Obedience is the main virtue, especially in the name of the future husband. Moreover, one must not jeopardize the alliance with such a powerful people — and this is very important!

But the princess refused to understand high politics. It was in vain that the young Gyuntsyuymi galloped on his Argamak in front of the palace. The princess did not want to see him. And the Heir was accumulating resentment. To refuse him when even the grandfather agreed? Well, wait, once you become a wife — we’ll see.

Kunbag Liujiaomi died. He was buried a few li from Chigu. He was buried as a great leader, as a hero. Almost the entire Usun people followed the funeral bearers. Adult men, seasoned warriors, cried loudly, scratching their faces until they bled. What can be said about the women? Their piercing, mournful cries scared away all living things for many li around!

The princess also wept. Her illusory happiness, tinged with bitterness, had come to an end. What awaits ahead?

Kunbag, dressed in luxurious garments, adorned with many gold ornaments, was lowered into a deep grave. Next to him, they placed weapons, jugs of drinks, and bowls of food. At his feet — his beloved horse, so he could ride in the afterlife, as befits a man. And also — a slave and a slave girl, killed for this occasion.

The Lotus Flower asked to place her precious jade box next to her husband: let him not forget about her in the afterlife.

A huge mound was built over the grave. For this, several tens of thousands of warriors worked for many days, carrying earth in leather buckets and even in hats, bringing many river stones from distant rivers and logs of mountain firs.

(This mound can still be seen today, in the Ton Valley along with the mounds of other Usun lords...)

According to custom, the Heir Gyuntsyuymi took both of his grandfather's wives — the Hunnuska and the Chinese woman. The Hunnuska, of course, remained the senior wife, and a year later gave birth to a son — the heir Nimi.

The Lotus Flower quickly withered and died six months later.

But what wouldn’t one do for profitable trade?

The Lotus Flower died, but the alliance with China continued. To strengthen this alliance, the Han house sent another princess.

Time passed — and Gyuntsyuymi also died. The throne was occupied by Gyuntsyuymi's cousin, Ungyuymi, until little Nimi came of age. This ruler was also connected by marriage ties with the Han dynasty. The empire protected its allies, guarding the Silk Road.

In 71 BC, Ungyuymi undertook a campaign (in agreement with the Chinese) against the Huns and took a large booty: 40,000 prisoners and 70,000 heads of cattle.

The policy of the Han house bore fruit. The Silk Road functioned reliably...

How the Palace was Built in Chigu