“Oh, glad you asked~. I was going to mention it next~.” Akulina chirped in response to Nove.
“First things first, I’m going to talk about the Monggu Empire first-hand. They are the largest land empire in history of the known world.”
As soon as the Ruuzian princess said it, she projected the holographic image from her smartphone, showing map of the extent of the Monggu Empire. The Monggu Empire, the empire of the horselords, in Iclamian history is considered to be the most feared empire that had destroyed everything in its path, leaving nothing but deaths and ruins. But there’s more to this stereotypes of ‘barbarian nomads’. Despite their nomadic origins and being depicted in history as savage barbarians by the West and Middle-East, the Monggus were actually highly-disciplined warriors, whose taste for conquest and their eagerness to learn, adapt and embraces changes that had led to the founding of the Monggu Empire, world’s largest contiguous empire in Iclamian history, leaving behind a unforgettable legacy that shall live on as long as there’s people who walked on the Earthly world. It is said no armies or nations have fought enemies so numerous and theatres so than Monggu warriors, unlike past steppe empires founded earlier. The Monggus succeeded not only in destroying their foes but also rebuild and ruled the civilizations which they have conquered. And their rule has lasted for centuries. But this great empire of the horselords has ended with the fragmented into four separate empires, each pursuing their interests and objectives, all of them fell in their own time. While the Monggu Empire is gone but impact on the world of Iclamia was huge. The descendants of the founders of the Monggu Empire lived on as emperors of the Qing Dynasty of Minroz.
“The Monggus are steppe nomadic race of brutal conquerors originated from Central Yazhou, hailing from the region called Mongguria. Emerged from Central Yazhou steppes, they unified themselves and the Turkic tribes into the Monggu Empire. They are like the demons pouring out of the pits of hell, waging destruction in their paths. Even the demons themselves can’t stop them. They have conquered many nations like locusts devouring the crops, Mother Ruuz is no exception but alas we were divided land at that time, full of bickering kingdoms and princes, and it didn’t took long for the Monggus to conquered the lands of Great Ruuz. We called this dark day, the Tatar Yoke. The Ruuzians feared their Monggu overlords until one king rose up to challenge them.” Akulina spoke like a storyteller as if she’s telling a tale about evil spirits. Realising her behaviour she coughed softly to compose herself before continuing, “He is one of the most famous of our princely rulers, a king more-like, is King Ivan the Stern of Moskovy~.”
She typed few buttons on her smartphone a second time, the projection changes to a sullen-looking nobleman in boyar robes and next to him is a beautiful blonde girl of teenage age.
“This gentleman is Prince Ivan the Stern and his oldest daughter Princess Vladimira at his side, one of Kyivan Ruuz greatest witch-warrior. Two are of Rurikovich bloodlines, inherited from their Kyivan Ruuz ancestors. Back then, his kingdom was one of the Ruuzian states to be spared of Monggu invasions, thanks to the shrewdness of his ancestors. However, the Kingdom of Moskovy is ruled by the Monggu-led empire called Golden Horde. King Ivan drove out the Tatars, our Monggu overlords, from our land. From then on, Prince Ivan crowned himself as the First Tsar of all Ruuzians~.”
Akulina sips her water bottle before finished her explanation.
“Although, Sechsman contemporaries portrayed his name as ‘Ivan the Terrible’, I mean terrible not in the sense of evil.” Akulina clarified, waving her hands frantically. “I-it’s from the old meaning of the word grozny, it’s meant formidable in awesome sense~. But he’s a great man who had thrown off our former Monggu overlords, kicking them off our land and united Ruuz as one nation. Isn’t history awesome~?” She beamed with enthusiasm. In truth, Akulina knew the first tsar of united Ruuz is not a saint as portrayed in his contemporaries. She’s putting up her ‘cheerful’ face and selective words in hoping that her Wolfen charges won’t be queasy by stories about one of the most notorious tsars in Ruuzian history. Let alone the first leader of Ruuz to take the title of Tsar.
Despite Ivan's sometimes bloodthirsty acts the "Terrible" in his name is not reflective of meanness or evil, but conveyed that he was "formidable." That is much of a truth, he was also outrageously wealthy and created laws that virtually enslaved the peasant class in Ruuz. He was known for acts of cruelty including the slaughter of Novgorod inhabitants and the accidental killing of his own son during an argument. Because of the outrageousness of these acts some of Ivan's accomplishments are overlooked. During his early reign he was known as a reforming leader who created a standing army and revised the law code. It was only after the death of his wife that Ivan became progressively less balanced and more ruthless.
On other hand, princess Akulina didn’t seem to realize her tour group are technically ‘pagan heathen infidels’ in the eyes of Fundamentalist Trithinism. Luckily, it is modern-day Ruuz where the locals are quite tolerant of foreigners albeit with raised eyebrows of confusion in regards to foreign cultural practises. On the other hand, they prefer outsiders especially non-Iclamians not to interfere in their affairs.
Unbeknownst to tour group of Wolfeners, there’re three people are walking towards their direction and they’re Minrozians. One is beautiful woman of blond Slavic heritage and two are East Asian Orientals.
However, these three Minrozians aren’t ordinary folks. In fact they’re members of one of the most powerful noble families in the Middle Kingdom. They’re Aleksandra Remanova, Borjigin Ling and Sanggiyanci, patriarch of the Aisin-Gioro clan and Khan of Manjuria, the North-Eastern areas of Minroz beyond the Changbai Mountains. The women accompanying him happened to be his wives. Dressed in what appears to be modern-style traditional Chinese clothing, they’re here for a holiday as well as paying visits to their Ruuzian friends. They’re apparently on their way, walking on the streets of Moskov for rendezvous.
“Been a long while we’ve seen Red Square. Nothing much has change.” Sanggiyanci mused out his thoughts.
“Getting little nostalgic, are we?” Ling chuckled. “You can be unbelievably romantic, honey.”
“Oh? All these years, this sounded strange, coming from you, Princess Ling. You wouldn’t say something that nice when we’re in highschool.” Aleksandra teased her twin-tailed counterpart.
“Aiya that was ages ago, Remanova.” The black-haired woman made a mock pout. “Come to think of it, your words sound rich, coming from a woman who used to be quite uptight about duty.” She gave out her cat-like smile to the blonde-haired woman to which Aleksandra laughed.
“Haha that was good times, we used to fight each other before we got married to the same man.” The blonde said, sounding bit nostalgic. “There’re times I missed those days. But I don’t regret marrying Sanggiyanci with you together.”
“I feel the same, sister.” Ling quipped. “It is funny though. Let’s see, a daughter of the emperor and a granddaughter of the Remanov exile, marrying the man who is a scion and heir to the noble family who used to rule the Middle Kingdom as the Jin Dynasty. I feel it’s not a common occurrence in marriages, political or otherwise.”
“I find it strange as well. But I’m also blessed with you two and we have good children together.” Sanggiyanci chuckled. “I still love you both.” The redhead man gave his wives quick peck on their cheeks to show his affection to which the women childishly giggled.
“Thank you, honey~.” Ling quipped.
“Which reminds me? Where’s the café you used to like here? Fifty years is too long to remember.” Aleksandra asked her fellow wife.
“Er…hehehe…”
“We could’ve stopped here and take a look.” Sanggiyanci suggested as he looked around the streets.
“Don’t worry honey, it’s not like I’m that fussy about-oof!“ She bumped into the Wolfen girls by mistake. Akulina and Ratmir were shocked by what happened. Startled by what she’s done, Ling is quick to apologise. Sanggiyanci and Aleksandra were shocked by what happened and were quick to rush to her side.
[“AH! I’m sorry! Are you alright, dear?”] Ling spoke in her fluent Ruuzian as she knelt down with concern. She mistook the Wolfeners for locals but she did made genuine attempt at her apology. However to the Wolfeners, her appearance reminded them of the certain Archduchess back in their fatherland. But what made her set apart from Crown Princess Eva is her East Asian ethnicity and in terms of personality, easily-approachable as if she’s giving out auras of maternal-like compassion. Giving off her warm smile, Ling tries to help some of the Wolfen girls up.
[“I apologise for earlier, I wasn’t even looking where I am.”] The twin-tailed woman chuckled.
Sanggiyanci and Aleksandra gave out apologetic bow to the Wolfeners and their tour guide handlers. [“We apologised on her behalf. Sorry about it.”] He apologised, speaking in fluent Ruuzian.
[“A-ah…it’s okay. After all, it’s a crowded street.”] Akulina replied sheepishly. However, she and Ratmir didn't seemed to recognised Aleksandra, Ling and Sanggiyanci as Minrozian nobles due to the fact that the latter three wore casual civilian clothes of the Middle Kingdom.
