i ▁Khan , ▁heard ▁of ▁the ▁great ▁k han ' s ▁death ▁at ▁the ▁Hu ai ▁River ▁in ▁China . ▁ ▁R ather ▁than ▁returning ▁to ▁the ▁capital , ▁he ▁continued ▁his ▁advance ▁into ▁the ▁W uch ang ▁area ▁of ▁China , ▁near ▁the ▁Yang t ze ▁River . ▁Their ▁younger ▁brother ▁Ari q bo ke ▁took ▁advantage ▁of ▁the ▁absence ▁of ▁H ul agu ▁and ▁Kub la i , ▁and ▁used ▁his ▁position ▁at ▁the ▁capital ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁great ▁k han ▁( kh agan ) ▁for ▁himself , ▁with ▁represent atives ▁of ▁all ▁the ▁family ▁branches ▁proc laim ing ▁him ▁as ▁the ▁leader ▁at ▁the ▁kur ult ai ▁in ▁Kar ak orum . ▁ ▁When ▁Kub la i ▁learned ▁of ▁this , ▁he ▁sum mon ed ▁his ▁own ▁kur ult ai ▁at ▁Ka ip ing , ▁where ▁virt ually ▁all ▁the ▁senior ▁princes ▁and ▁great ▁no y ans ▁resident ▁in ▁North ▁China ▁and ▁Man ch uria ▁supported ▁his ▁own ▁candid acy ▁over ▁that ▁of ▁Ari q bo ke . ▁ ▁Civil ▁war ▁ ▁Batt les ▁en su ed ▁between ▁the ▁arm ies ▁of ▁Kub la i ▁and ▁those ▁of ▁his ▁brother ▁Ari q bo ke , ▁which ▁included ▁forces ▁still ▁loyal ▁to ▁M ö ng ke ' s ▁previous ▁administration . ▁ ▁Kub la i ' s ▁army ▁easily ▁elimin ated ▁Ari q bo ke ' s ▁supp or ters ▁and ▁seized ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁civil ▁administration ▁in ▁southern ▁Mong olia . ▁Further ▁challeng es ▁took ▁place ▁from ▁their