"Oh, could it be that this Dalan family has a noble family background?"
Liu Jingxin guessed that things in the world would never change without departing from their origins.
Even though the customs are different, the composition of the Xiongnu royal power is always similar.
"Master Liu is really smart, he guessed right.
Today, the most powerful family on the Xiongnu grassland is the Luán Dī family.
The late Touman Chanyu and the legitimate Maodun Chanyu were both from the Luotang family.
However, in addition to the largest clan, the Luotang clan, there are also the Huyan clan, the Lan clan, and the Xubu clan, which are also famous clans in the country. "
"Understood.
Therefore, the Dalan family, which even Mao Dun dare not offend, must come from one of these three surnames? "
"Exactly.
Among these many Yan clans, there are naturally different statuses. The most noble one is called Zhuan Qulan clan, which is also the largest Yan clan.
The current Zhuan Qulan family is the eldest daughter of King Huyan. "
The Xiongnu had practiced clan exogamy for a long time, and different large clans had a tradition of intermarriage with each other. Most of the Chan family members were daughters of famous clans, or came from the families of meritorious officials.
The core Luotang clan was in a dominant position in the entire Xiongnu society. Shanyu, who was born in the Luantang clan, held the highest power in the grassland and also held military power.
The other in-law clans are in an auxiliary position and also control part of the civil and criminal power of the tribe.
"Zhuan Qulan is too hard to pronounce, so I'd better call her Dalan. That's the Queen's wish anyway.
Then...do these major clans have the right to discuss matters in front of the Chanyu?
What I mean is, if there was any major military or national event, would the Xiongnu royal court hold court meetings like ours and rely on the emperor and ministers to brainstorm ideas? "
Liu Jing rolled his eyes and asked a seemingly meaningful question.
***
Nie San scratched his head through his thick furry otter fur hat and said with a simple smile,
“We ordinary people can’t say much about military and national affairs.
It’s just that I watched with cold eyes from the side, and it turns out that when Touman Lao Shanyu was still alive, he would still use the "big Tupu Lanti" when big events happened.
This big Tupulanti is in Hun language, and I can’t tell what it means—”
"——Probably similar to our court meetings, or the princes' meetings in ancient times, right?"
Liu Jing wanted to laugh a little, thinking that I am very familiar with this routine. Isn't it just the old routine of the Central Plains people with a different name?
So, he hurriedly answered the question and inspired Lao Nie to continue talking.
Lao Nie nodded as if pounding garlic.
"That's right, anyway, in the early years, several major clans still had discussions about how to allocate pasture every year, how to decide the marriage of children between clans, and whether to organize and go south to grab things.
Even the choice of the next Shanyu was decided through consensus among the leaders.
However, after Modun Chanyu succeeded to the throne, these rules were changed, and he alone had the final say on all major events at the moment. "
Completely understood, Liu Jing thought to himself, when Maodun Shanyu killed his father and became independent, he slaughtered the then crown prince, the crown prince's mother and many uncles. He was cruel and arbitrary.
Therefore, the so-called big Tupulan proposal is probably in vain and will not have any restrictive effect on him.
"Modun did this. Can the other major clans tolerate this?"
Liu Jing looked at the sheep on the hillside and asked leisurely.
"Ahem, if you can't bear it, it's all two things."
Lao Nie looked back at the long motorcade, and after making sure no one was left behind, he sighed,
"Maodun led all the Xiongnu to defeat the Donghu people, drove away the Yuezhi people, and annexed small countries such as Dingling, Jiankun, Loufan, etc., and opened up large tracts of new pastures.
So now, everyone is still willing to listen to him. "
Liu Jing understood what he meant.
When the arbitrary Maodun can no longer win the battle, that will be the day when the tree falls and the hozen disperse.
The several major clans that were submissive at the moment might not attack him in groups.
The queen really made it right, the Huns are also human beings, and wherever there are people, there will be competition for power.
So, for the Han Dynasty, there was no opportunity to take advantage of it.
***
The group continued to walk north, and Liu Jing felt that it was getting colder and colder, the wind was getting stronger and stronger, and the world was in chaos.
Only the dazzling sun at noon made people sweat all over their bodies, making them unable to penetrate the leather jackets they wore.
Old Nie saw him putting on and taking off his clothes and said with a smile,
"Our locals all say that once you leave Yanmen County, you will be like 'the wild people outside Yanmen Pass, wearing furs in the morning and gauze in the afternoon'.
Sometimes in one day, from winter to summer, and from summer to winter. "
"But," he looked up at the sky and frowned again.
“The wind these days is really unusual, I’m afraid a strong wind is coming.
We have to hurry up, climb over the hillside in front of us, and take shelter in the herders’ felt tents. "
When he mentioned the word "strong wind", Old Nie's usually calm temperament completely disappeared, and his face suddenly changed color, with a trace of anxiety and fear mixed in.
"Strong wind? What's so scary about wind?"
"You don't know, the wind on the grassland might be fatal."
Nie San said, no longer paying attention to the confused Liu Jing, he suddenly clamped the horse's belly, turned around and ran towards the team behind him, telling everyone one by one to speed up.
The large group of people hurriedly and slowly climbed over the mountain. Sure enough, there were several large and small white and yellow felt tents on this side of the slope, as well as circles of cattle and sheep.
At this time, even Liu Jing, a stranger, noticed that an endless black line faintly appeared on the horizon in the distance, like clouds and an overwhelming curtain, and it seemed to be spreading slowly.
Old Nie caught up, dismounted outside the largest felt door, lifted the heavy curtain, and walked in casually.
In less than a moment, he came out with a smile on his face, waved to Liu Jing, and motioned for them to come over too.
"Tie the horses and camels outside the door and tie them tightly.
Then turn out the tarpaulins that Chen Quan prepared for you and cover the goods in the car carefully.
I have already said hello to the leader of this area, and we will rest in the tent and wait for the strong wind to pass before we continue our journey. "
Liu Jing's heart also twitched. It seemed that behind this so-called strong wind, there was probably a heavy rain.
He did not dare to be careless and hurriedly directed his entourage to wrap the soft goods, grain, silk, gold and silverware carried in the motorcade tightly in layers with painted rainproof cloth.
After he finished his work, he discovered that next to each felt tent, there were several herdsmen who were also busy.
I saw them taking out a roll of wool rope as thick as a fist, throwing it over the top of the yurt, and then pulling it down from the side, wrapping the yurt tightly around the left and right, and then tied it tightly. Twist the end of the extra wool rope into a single thread.
At this time, several strong men brought in sacks of sacks, which were filled with earth and rocks and looked extremely heavy.
Seeing the twisted wool ropes tied to these sacks, Liu Jing understood that the grassland people's method of dealing with strong winds was to use these heavy objects of earth and stone to strengthen the felt tents.
He quietly watched the herdsmen perform this complex but skillful work, and then watched the rest of the people following Lao Nie enter each of the smaller felt tents one after another, and then slowly walked into the largest tent. .
