Tuyuhun: A Tale of Mulan

The China of this tale was no longer the China of the Han dynasty, nor was it yet the China of the Tang or Yuan dynasties. This was the time of the Northern and Southern dynasties. This was the time of a China divided. This tale concerns the Tuoba Wei Khanate, the first and greatest of those Northern dynasties, a dynasty founded by the Tuoba clan of the Xianbei, ancestors of the Mongols.

To the north of the Tuoba Wei Khanate was the Khaganate of the Rouran, ancestors of the Mongols just as the Xianbei were. Ever since the founding of the Tuoba Wei Khanate by their khan Liwei, the Rouran had raided their northern frontier, looting, and pillaging to their hearts delight and so in the sixth twelvemonth of the reign of Tuoba Buri, Third Khan of Tuoba Wei, did the beginning of a great campaign commence to push back the Rouran raids.

Many a famed war hero would be summoned to serve the Khan from the battalion captain Mulan Hu to General Tuyuhun, who had been a member of the Khans guard. Alas, when the Khans messenger reached the village where the Tuyuhun clan dwelt, he found the once great general and guard of the previous khan to be wounded.

Laying within his house, General Tuyuhun slowly rose to look upon the messenger from the Khan. His blue eyes stared at the messenger and with a white hand he stroked his reddish-blond beard. For a moment he looked at his cane before slowly reclining and closing his eyes.

The messenger stared at the General for a moment before looking to a woman, his wife no doubt and most constant companion during his service to Mumo Khan. Next to the woman was a boy, barely looking thirteen twelvemonths of age, a son of theirs perhaps. It was known that General Tuyuhun was a father of four, a brace of sons and a brace of daughters.

”General Tuyuhun… ” u