Ling Attacks Moinyo upon Hearing a Prophesy, and the Four Demons Surrender and the Ling Troops Return Triumphantly
Ten years had passed since the Cham State had surrendered. The State of Ling had grown in force.
One night, Gesar saw a rainbow in a dream and his father Dechoi Ongya came towards him on some clouds and said in a dignified and gentle voice: “Toipa Garwa, though three demons have surrendered, Sintri of Moinyou in the south is still alive. He is doomed to die and this year is the best time to conquer him. Otherwise, it will be impossible to defeat him.”
Gesar replied: “Yes, father. I will leave for Moinyo tomorrow.”
“Oh, no, he committed a grave crime on the Ling with the help of Zhaotoin. You’d better appear in Zhaotoin’s dream to make a request to march against Sintri. The beautiful princess Meto Zholma of the State of Moinyo should be a wife of the Darong family. This is a good chance to marry her.”
Then Dechoi Ongya left on the clouds. Gesar decided to go to the Darong tribe right away and managed to inform Zhaotoin.
Zhaotoin came back to Darong from a remote pastureland. While Zhaotoin was meditating quietly one day, his soul bird flew to his desk and said to him:
“Don’t forget the hated past, the cloud-pattern brocade cloth is still in Sintri’s hands in the State of Moinyo. Two people of the Darong family were killed by Moinyo troops. The 25-year-old Meto Zholma, who is the princess of the State of Moinyo, looks beautiful like Sengcham Cholmo and is waiting for you to marry her. This year is a good year to do it. Don’t hesitate any more! ”
Then the bird flew away fluttering its wings.
Zhaotoin kept the prophecy from the bird firmly in his mind, particularly the marriage with Meto Zholma. After this, he couldn’t meditate any more and ordered the subjects of his family: “To collect and prepare all 700,000 people into an army and to prepare sufficient water, wine, all kinds of meat, butter and cheese.”
Tansa, Zhaotoin’s wife, thought he was bewitched in his mind and stopped the subjects from leaving. She then asked Zhaotoin what he wanted to do.
Zhaotoin, excitedly and impatiently, told her about the prophecy that the soul bird had made to him. Tansa laughed scornfully and said: “Have you forgotten the prophecy made by the Diamond King with the Horse’s Head at the horse racing? How can a 62-year-old man marry such a young girl? You are not young enough any more. Moinyo is such a big state. How can we defeat it? ”
Zhaotoin was very angry and he pointed at Tansa and cursed at her: “You ugly ignorant woman! How dare you teach me, King Zhaotoin, what I should do? Why can we not defeat Sintri and his army? Why would women not love me? I know so much about women. I know what a woman’s disposition is like and the most important thing is not whether my hair is white, but can I fight like a ram. There isn’t any woman who could fail to love me, except you, bad Tansa. I will go to Moinyo as it is deemed at this time. If you come out with any more nonsense I will not spare you! ”
Tansa relaxed herself for a second and said: “Since you have made your decision, why should I stop you! I would just advise you that you’d better let King Gesar know about it. If he agrees with you he would do you a favour.”
Zhaotoin said nothing but put on his clothes and headgear and rode straight to where King Gesar lived….
Gesar knew that Zhaotoin would come because it was he who changed himself into the prophet bird to get Zhaotoin to launch the attack.
“Please come in and sit down, Uncle Zhaotoin, do you have something to tell me?” Gesar asked and his maidservant brought some tea and fruit to Zhaotoin.
Zhaotoin was flattered because of Gesar’s polite tone. In the past, Gesar was always cold to him.
“My good nephew, Your Majesty, I have some very important news for you.”
“Oh? Tell me, please! ”
“Sintri, the king of Moinyo State, is one of the four demons. The other three have surrendered, so why Sintri should be left alone? Remember, he launched an attack on Ling before and killed our people, seized our horses and he still now has the treasure cloth with the cloud-pattern brocade. We were not strong enough to defeat him before but now it is different. Why are we, the State of Ling, not launching an attack on Moinyo?”
Gesar smiled slightly. What a man of honour! Zhaotoin sounds so high and mighty but made no mention about marrying Meto Zholma.
“Let the past be the past. Now the State of Ling is at peace, the people live a happy life, so why would we start a war again? ” Gesar said very deliberately.
“What? If we fail to make Sintri surrender, it would not only harm your reputation as a king but also it is a threat to the State of Ling.”
Gesar feigned indifference but this made Zhaotoin even more eager.
“What? He dared to attack the State of Ling and you don’t want to get revenge?”
“Moinyo has 1.8 million troops and horses almost the same with our State of Ling. King Sintri continues to attack his neighbouring states to expand his territory and army. Once his troops and horses are many more than that of the State of Ling, it will be difficult to guarantee our security.”
“Ah, uncle, this is true. Also I have gotten my father’s prediction that we should attack the State of Moinyo and regain our treasured cloth to wipe out the disgrace of the past. In addition, you can... ” Gesar deliberately stopped here, “perhaps marry a beautiful young woman!”
When Zhaotoin heard his secret revealed, he kept silent and blushed with shame.
Gesar gathered his 1.8 million troops and horses and asked three crane messengers to call Minister Chin’en from the demon state in the north, Tsinpa Merotse from the State of Hor and Yulha Tochu from the State of Cham to get their orders.
Zhaotoin, armed to the teeth, was at the head of the 1.8 million Ling troops on the march toward the mountainous State of Moinyo. One day, they arrived at Dalha Chawo Mountain to the South of Moinyo.
The mountainous landscape here was stunning. The four tribes of the U-Tsang area and the 18 large tribes of Moinyo were apparent in the far distance. Gesar asked for a rest to allow the men of the State of Ling to properly appreciate this picturesque scenery.
During the feast, the bodyguards were serving good wine and tasty food. The Lion King suddenly asked the youngest general, Yulha Tochu, the Cham State Prince:
