The two guards took positions opposite Kachiun and Arslan, clearly marking their men in the event of trouble. For their part, the two generals stared back impassively. They were mere spectators at the meeting, but neither man would be taken by surprise. If the king planned their deaths, he would not survive the attempt.

Arslan frowned at a sudden thought. None of them had seen the king before. If this was an impostor, the army of Yinchuan could smash the pavilion flat from the walls and lose only a few loyal men. He stared at Ho Sa to see if he was unusually tense, but the man showed no sign of expecting imminent destruction.

Rai Chiang began to speak in the language of his people. His voice was firm, as might be expected of one so used to authority. He held Genghis's stare with his own and neither man seemed to blink. When the king had finished speaking, Ho Sa cleared his throat, his face carefully blank as he translated the king's words.

"Why do the Uighurs ravage the land of the Xi Xia? Have we not dealt fairly with you?"

Barchuk made a sound in his throat, but the king's gaze never left Genghis.

"I am khan of all the tribes, Majesty," Genghis replied, "the Uighurs among them. We ride because we have the strength to rule. Why else?"

The king's brow furrowed as he listened to Ho Sa's translation. His reply was measured and betrayed no hint of his anger.

"Will you sit outside my city until the end of the world? It is not acceptable, lord khan. Do your people not bargain in war?"

Genghis leaned forward, his interest roused. "I will not bargain with the Chin, majesty. Your people are enemies as old as the land, and I will see your cities broken into dust. Your lands are mine and I will ride the length and breadth of them as I please."

Genghis waited patiently as Ho Sa rendered the words for his king. All the men in the tent could see the sudden animation that sparked into Rai Chiang as he heard them. He sat up straight and his voice became clipped. Genghis tensed warily, waiting for Ho Sa to speak. Instead, it was Barchuk who took up the translation.

"He says that his people are not of the Chin race," Barchuk said. "If they are your enemy, why do you delay here in the Xi Xia valley? Great Chin cities lie to the north and east." Barchuk nodded to himself as the king spoke again.

"I think they are not the friends they once were, my lord khan. This king would not be displeased if you make war on the Chin cities."

Genghis pursed his lips in thought. "Why would I leave an enemy at my back?" he said.

Rai Chiang spoke again once he understood. Ho Sa had paled as he listened, but spoke before Barchuk could.

"Leave an ally, lord khan. If your true enemy is the Chin, we will send tribute to your tribes for as long as we are bound together as friends." Ho Sa swallowed nervously. "My king offers silk, falcons, and precious stones, supplies and armor." He took a deep breath. "Camels, horses, cloth, tea, and a thousand coins of bronze and silver to be paid each year. He makes the offer to an ally, where he could not consider it to an enemy."

Rai Chiang spoke again, impatiently, and Ho Sa listened. He grew very still as his king spoke, and dared to ask a question. Rai Chiang made a sharp gesture with his hand and Ho Sa bowed his head, clearly disturbed.

"In addition, my king offers you his daughter, Chakahai, to be your wife."

Genghis blinked, considering. He wondered if the girl was too ugly to marry off amongst the Xi Xia people. The bounty would please the tribes and keep the small khans from their plotting. The idea of tribute was not a new one for the tribes, though they had never been in a position to demand it from a truly wealthy enemy. He would have preferred to see the stone city smashed, but not one of his men could suggest a plan that might work. Genghis shrugged to himself. If he ever found out how, he could come back. Until then, let them believe they had bought peace. Goats could be milked many times but killed only once. All that remained was to get the best bargain he could.

"Tell your master his generosity is well received," he said wryly. "If he can add two thousand of his best soldiers, well armed and mounted, I will leave this valley before the moon turns. My men will dismantle the fort across the desert pass. Allies need no walls between them."

As Ho Sa began to translate, Genghis remembered Barchuk's interest in the libraries of the Xi Xia. Ho Sa paused to hear as Genghis spoke again, interrupting the flow of his words.

"Some of my men are scholars," Genghis said. "They would enjoy the chance to read scrolls of the Xi Xia writing." As Ho Sa opened his mouth, he went on. "But not philosophy. Practical matters, subjects that would interest a warrior, if you have them."

Rai Chiang's expression was unreadable as Ho Sa struggled to repeat everything he had heard. The meeting seemed to be at an end and Rai Chiang made no counteroffer. In that, Genghis saw his desperation. He was about to rise when he decided to push his luck.

"If I am to enter the cities of the Chin, I will need weapons that will break walls. Ask your king if he can supply those with all the rest."

Ho Sa spoke nervously, sensing Rai Chiang's anger as he understood. Reluctantly, he shook his head.

"My king says he would have to be a fool," Ho Sa said, unable to look Genghis in the eye.

"Yes, he would have been," Genghis replied with a smile. "The ground has dried and you can load up the gifts on new carts, with axles well greased for a long trip. You may tell your king that I am pleased by his offer. I will show that pleasure to the Chin."

Ho Sa translated and Rai Chiang's face showed no sign of his satisfaction. All the men rose together and Genghis and his companions departed first, leaving Rai Chiang and Ho Sa alone with the guards. They watched the Mongol generals mount and ride away.

Ho Sa considered keeping silent, but he had one more question he had to ask.

"Majesty, have we not brought war to the Chin?"

Rai Chiang turned a cold gaze on his officer. "Yenking is a thousand miles away and guarded by mountains and fortresses that make Yinchuan look like a provincial town. He will not take their cities." The king's mouth quirked slightly, though his expression was stony. "Besides, it is to our advantage when our enemies attack one another. Wherein lies the danger to us?" Ho Sa had not been present for the meeting of ministers and did not recognize the words.

The mood among the tribes was almost that of a festival. It was true they had not taken the stone city that sat in the distance, but if the warriors grumbled at that, their families were thrilled with the silk and spoils that Genghis had won for them. A month had passed since the meeting with the king and the carts had come from the city. Young camels snorted and spat among the herds of sheep and goats. Barchuk had disappeared into his ger with Kokchu and Temuge to decipher the strange writing of the Xi Xia people. Rai Chiang had provided scrolls with the Chin script under their own, but it was a laborious business.

Winter had come at last, though it was mild in that valley. Khasar and Kachiun had begun to drill the warriors Rai Chiang had given to them. The Xi Xia soldiers had protested the loss of their fine mounts, but those animals were far too good to waste on men who could not ride as well as Mongol children. Instead, they were given spare ponies from the herds. As the weeks fled and the air turned colder, they learned how to handle the bad-tempered, hardy beasts in a line of war. The army readied itself to move, but Genghis fretted in his ger as he waited for Rai Chiang to send out the last of the tribute and his daughter. He was not able to predict how Borte would receive the news. He hoped this Xi Xia princess would be attractive, at least.