Usurpation of Mongolia: My father-in-law is Genghis Khan

Chapter 148 The First Western Expedition Ends! A Magnificent Victory!
In the blink of an eye, a year and a half had passed.

Qiwa City.

As the morning mist drifted over the Dnieper River and the golden dome of the church pierced the sunlight, Zhao Shuo opened his eyes.

This place was originally the residence of the Kiva "Prince" Metsislav, but now its owner is Zhao Shuo.

Lying beside Zhao Shuo was a new beauty.

Her nose was straight with a subtle curve at the tip, and her full red lips gave her an exotic look. Her skin was fair, and her long, black, curly hair spread like waves across the Sogdian brocade pillow. A faint, delicate fragrance wafted into Zhao Shuo's nostrils.

This woman is Maria Lascarina, the Roman princess whom Zhao Shuo took as a concubine a year ago.

Maria Rascalina, more accurately, was a princess of the Eastern Roman Empire or the Byzantine Empire.

The Eastern Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire were the same country; they were just referred to by two different names.

However, as a princess of this country, Maria Rascalina always insisted that her country was the Roman Empire and that there was no need to add the word "East".

Zhao Shuo let her be.

This is a good thing.

In the future, Zhao Shuo and Maria Lascarina's child will be able to make the claim "since ancient times" to Rome, thousands of miles away.

Maria Rascalina, in the original history, of course did not marry Zhao Shuo.

She was originally to marry Bella IV, the eldest son of King Andre II of Hungary.

This marriage was a political marriage from beginning to end.

The Byzantine Empire practiced Eastern Orthodoxy, while the Kingdom of Hungary practiced Catholicism. Although both were Christian, they were very different and could not get along at all.

However, the Byzantine Empire had already lost vast territories, including Constantinople, during the Fourth Crusade and could only eke out a living in western Asia Minor.

The Byzantine Empire arranged for its princess to marry a Hungarian prince in order to gain the support of powerful nations to reclaim lost territory and to ease relations with the Catholic Church.

However, in reality, the Kingdom of Hungary is not very strong right now.

Just think about it, if Mitchell, the "Prince" of the Duchy of Galicia, could dominate Hungary and earn the title of "the ever-victorious," how much of a future could Hungary possibly have?
Furthermore, in 1218 AD, the King of Hungary participated in the Fifth Crusade and returned defeated. The Teutonic Knights then became restless and caused trouble within Hungary.

Hungary was growing weaker and could no longer offer much help to the Byzantine Empire.

This made the Byzantine Empire deeply regret the marriage arranged in 1212 between its princess and the Hungarian prince.

Unfortunately, in 1220, Zhao Shuo's army swept through the Rus' lands, and the name "God's Scourge" shook Europe.

More than a decade ago, during the Fourth Crusade, the Crusaders were unable to defeat the Muslims, but they conquered a large amount of territory belonging to the Christian Byzantine Empire and established the Latin Empire on these territories.

This is truly a disgrace to the Catholic Pope in Rome.

The Pope issued the largest "excommunication" in history, excommunicating all the Crusaders who established the Latin Empire.

Now, Zhao Shuo's reputation as the "Disaster of God" resounds throughout Europe. The Pope of Rome feels extremely threatened and still needs the Latin Empire to defend Constantinople and stop Zhao Shuo.

So another "pardon" decree was issued, granting amnesty to the rulers and soldiers of the Latin Empire.

Doesn't this mean that the Pope of Rome has completely sided with the enemies of the Byzantine Empire?

How can we possibly improve relations then?

Does marriage alliance not count as an alliance?
Selling your own princess to whomever you want is still selling her.
Therefore, the Byzantine Empire simply broke off the marriage agreement with Hungary and offered Princess Maria Raskalina to Zhao Shuo.

Although Zhao Shuo wouldn't help the Byzantine Empire reclaim its territory, he could at least prevent other countries from bullying the Byzantine Empire.

Furthermore, after conquering Rus', Zhao Shuo continued his offensive into Europe. With Princess Maria Raskarina's connection, the Byzantine Empire's fate was at least much better than that of other nations, wasn't it?
As long as it's better than the fate of the Latin Empire!
Zhao Shuo was also pleased with this outcome.

Firstly, Princess Maria Rascalina was not only very beautiful, but also skilled in court dance, which pleased Zhao Shuo greatly.

Secondly, she was a princess of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire), and therefore a Roman princess. This would reduce many troubles when Zhao Shuo and Maria Rascalina's child marched into Europe.
Thirdly, the Byzantine Empire was not particularly weak at the time. It not only had 20,000 regular troops but also controlled the Black Sea straits, a crucial trade route between Asia and Europe.

Zhao Shuo currently has no plans to continue his expansion into Europe; instead, he intends to profit from European wealth through trade and commerce.

Thus, the Byzantine princess became Zhao Shuo's concubine.

"Your Highness, you're awake?"

Maria Rascalina sensed Zhao Shuo's movement and quickly got up to help him get dressed and wash up.

Then, with a call, the beautiful Rose maids brought out today's breakfast.

A tricolor bread tower, fried sturgeon with bear fat, smoked pork ribs, silver salmon caviar, and a pot of mare's milk wine—that was Zhao Shuo and Maria Lascarina's breakfast for the day.

Zhao Shuo is interested in food from all over the world, and he was very satisfied with this Ross-style breakfast.

Especially the smoked pork ribs.

At that time in Ukraine, the main activity was not raising pigs but herding them. Herding pigs involved driving them into the forests to eat acorns.

It takes two years to raise a pig, which is a bit slow, but the flavor is much better than that of domesticated pigs.

Of course, there were no Ukrainian white pigs at that time.

However, Zhao Shuo felt that the name "Ukrainian White Pig" itself suggests a close connection with Ukraine.

Ukrainian pig breeds should be quite good.

Zhao Shuo plans to bring some Ukrainian pigs to China to crossbreed with local pigs and see if they can produce a breed with higher yields.

Indeed, Zhao Shuo is returning to his army.

A year and a half later, Zhao Shuo had conquered all of Rus' territory.

Jochi had already taken over the entire Kipchak steppe.

Genghis Khan and his son not only conquered Urgench and swept through all the cities along the Amu Darya River, but also marched into Afghanistan, completely defeating Jalal ad-Din, who succeeded Muhammad Sultan, and fought all the way to the north bank of the Indus River.

Tolui even led his troops independently and conquered all the other parts of Iran that Zhao Shuo had not yet captured, except for Iraq.

Genghis Khan was too lazy to let Tolui continue fighting.

The present-day Great Mongolia stretched from the Dnieper River in Europe in the west to the Compassionate Ridge in Goryeo in the east, a total length of nearly 20,000 li (approximately 10,000 kilometers). From the Indus River in the south to the Siberian jungle in the north, it also reached 8,000 li (approximately 4,000 kilometers). If the unclaimed territories occupied by Khorchi are included, the north-south length exceeds 10,000 li (approximately 5,000 kilometers).

The territory was so vast that even a man of great talent and ambition like Genghis Khan felt he had eaten too much and ordered Zhao Shuo and Jochi to return to their camps and join him in Samarkand.

Therefore, Zhao Shuo concentrated his main force in Qiwa and prepared to return to base.

Today marks the day Zhao Shuo returns with his troops.

After instructing Maria Raskalina to make the final preparations, Zhao Shuo, escorted by three hundred personal guards, arrived outside the city of Qiwa.

There, an army of 160,000 had been waiting for a long time.

After the Battle of the Terek Valley, Zhao Shuo's army of 121,000 was reduced to only 105,000. Including the engineer battalion of more than 3,000, the total number of soldiers was less than 110,000.

However, after conquering the entire territory of Ross, Zhao Shuo's army once again reached 160,000.

Of these, 53,000 were newly recruited Russian soldiers.

The Rus' people practiced feudal serfdom, and the path to advancement for ordinary people was much narrower than in Khwarezm, making it very easy for Zhao Shuo to recruit soldiers.

Zhao Shuo implemented a policy of elite troops, only recruiting the best and not the useless, which is why he only recruited so many soldiers.

The three principalities of Chernigov, Galich, and Galilich combined are only about half the size of Ukraine, with a population of around 400,000.

Zhao Shuo decided to leave 10,000 regular troops here, as the local area could not afford any more.

This army of 10,000 was designated as the 20,000th Household of the Semu Bordered Blue Banner.

The Khwarazmian Eight Banners have now been renamed the Semu Eight Banners by Zhao Shuo.

It's a very simple principle. The world is so vast. Zhao Shuo can't just destroy a country and then establish an Eight Banners, can he? He'll destroy so many countries in the future that he probably won't even remember them all.

Zhao Shuo simply incorporated all his troops, except for his own and the Han Eight Banners, into the Semu Eight Banners.

As usual, this 20,000th household of the Semu Bordered Blue Banner was composed of one Han Chinese commander and nine Russian commanders.

This Han Army commander wasn't directly drawn from the Han Army's Eight Banners by Zhao Shuo; rather, he had Han Army soldiers volunteer. Anyone willing to move their families to Ukraine could sign up.

Although Han people are known for being reluctant to leave their homeland, Zhao Shuo gave them so much!

Ukraine's black soil is incredibly fertile.

The Han people couldn't understand why such good land wasn't being cultivated but instead used for grazing pigs. When Zhao Shuo pointed out that the Han army commanders who had settled in Ukraine received three times the land of those in Han territory, the eyes of these Han soldiers turned red with envy.

More than 20,000 people signed up, but Zhao Shuo only accepted 1,000.

The head of the 20,000th household of the Semu Bordered Blue Banner was Guo Dehai, the son of Guo Baoyu and the father of Guo Kan.

In other words, Zhao Shuo had already reserved a spot for Xiao Guo Kan in the second western expedition.

The remaining Russian troops, in addition to replenishing the losses of Zhao Shuo's main force and the Han army, were all incorporated into the Semu Eight Banners.

There are now ten Wanhu (ten thousand households) of the Semu Eight Banners.

Among them, Wu Xian was the banner lord of the Plain Red Banner, with two Plain Red Banner commanders under his command.

The Zhenglan Banner also had two commanders of ten thousand households, Li Quan and Guo Dehai. However, Li Quan's merits were insufficient, and Zhao Shuo did not promote him to banner chief. He and Guo Dehai were of equal status and had no superior-subordinate relationship.

Each of the Semu Wanhu (a type of military household) had a Han army Qianhu (another type of military household).

These thousand households, like the one in Ukraine, were not directly allocated funds, but rather signed up voluntarily.

For the original commanders of a thousand households in the Han army, the prospect of being promoted to commanders of ten thousand households if they stayed outside the territory was quite attractive.

Moreover, the land allocated to Han soldiers stationed abroad was three times that of the Han soldiers stationed in the interior, which was enough to encourage Han soldiers to migrate.

Zhao Shuo planned to leave the three commanders of the Semu Eight Banners in Khorasan.

The other three households remained in Afghanistan.

The Flying Eagle Army and Wu Xian's Plain Red Banner, two commanders of ten thousand households, were stationed in the area south of Afghanistan and north of the Indus River, which is the northwestern part of South Asia.

The Khorasan region, Afghanistan, and northwestern South Asia were to be overseen by Hairig of the Flying Eagle Army, in preparation for future expeditions to India.

Of course, this is just Zhao Shuo's current thought. The territory in northwestern South Asia has not yet been decided for Zhao Shuo.

In addition, Zhao Shuo left a Mongolian troop of a thousand men in the Terek Valley.

They have gathered the remaining Asur people and formed a regular army of three thousand, stationed in the city of Meghes.

The aquatic plants here are so lush.

The nomadic peoples of the grasslands are homeless, living by the water and grass, and are very happy to have such a beautiful grassland.

Of course, Zhao Shuo didn't mean for them to just retire there.

The troops dispatched from the Terek Valley can support both Russia and Georgia. This mobile force, belonging to Zhao Shuo, serves to prevent any unforeseen events.

By the way, Queen Rusdan of Georgia knows what is most important to her.

The issue of bloodline for heirs cannot be ambiguous in the slightest.

After settling things in China, she immediately traveled along the trail between Georgia and the Terek Valley to meet up with Zhao Shuo.

At that time, Zhao Shuo had not yet left the Terek Valley.

From then on, Queen Rusudan stayed by Zhao Shuo's side, begging for his favor.

Her belly was also cooperative, and she had already given birth to a son for Zhao Shuo.

After Zhao Shuo returned to his army, Rusdan took his son back to Georgia.

Yang Miaozhen was somewhat unhappy because her first child was a daughter.

Zhao Shuo didn't care. As long as Yang Miaozhen could give birth, that was fine. There was plenty of time; she would eventually have a son.

Regardless, Zhao Shuo's western expedition was incredibly fruitful. His regular army reached 160,000 men, and he even gained his own fiefdom. Khorasan, Afghanistan, Georgia, half of Ukraine, the Terek Valley, plus northwestern South Asia—this vast territory was roughly equivalent to half of China.

In addition to some young and beautiful female slaves, Zhao Shuo also gained three women with special identities: the White Tara of the Western Liao, the Queen of Rusdan of Georgia, and a Byzantine princess.

Finally, Zhao Shuo had a son and a daughter born.

His soldiers also reaped a very rich harvest.

"Soldiers!"

Zhao Shuo's gaze burned as he looked at the 160,000-strong army below the command platform, and he proclaimed loudly, "In this western expedition, we have traveled over 28,000 li, conquered 37 countries, and massacred 316 cities. Such glorious achievements are unprecedented in history. Are you not happy?"

"Happy!"

"We have acquired land as vast as the sea and wealth as plentiful as mountains. Are you pleased?"

"like!"

"If one day you are asked to lead another expedition to the west, would you still be willing to come?"

"willing!"

“Very well, then let’s set off! Some of you will return to your camps to enjoy the lands, wealth, and women you’ve conquered! Others will take all your spoils and come home with me to show your families your achievements!”

"I am willing to die for your majesty!"

The 160,000-strong army shouted in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.

The 10,000-strong army, led by Guo Dehai, returned directly to Qiwa City.

Three Han Chinese commanders and ten Semu bannermen will follow Zhao Shuo to Samarkand to join Temujin.

Five Han military commanders, more than 3,000 artisans, and more than 30,000 carts, along with more than 8,000 Russian beauties, will head directly back to the Hulunbuir Grassland.

These Rus' beauties were private slaves captured by Zhao Shuo, his own troops, and the Han Chinese Eight Banners in Rus'.

Those 30,000-plus carts carried a massive amount of spoils of war from the Han Chinese Eight Banners and Zhao Shuo's main force.

The Earth is round.

The higher the latitude, the closer the distance between east and west.

Starting from Kiev, passing through the Kipchak Grassland and returning to the Hulunbuir Grassland, it's only about 12,000 li.

These people, carrying a large amount of supplies and women, will be able to return to the Hulunbuir Grassland in less than a year.

If Zhao Shuo led an army of 100,000 without carrying a large amount of baggage, and traveled through Azerbaijan, Iran, and Khorasan to Samarkand to meet up with Temujin, and then returned to the Hulunbuir Grassland, the journey would probably exceed 20,000 li.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, both sides should return to the Hulunbuir Grassland almost simultaneously within a year.

It is entirely conceivable what kind of shock their return will cause.

Most of Khwarazm was formerly Persian territory. And Persia, since the Tang Dynasty, has been known as "Rich Persia."

Zhao Shuo not only robbed the Khwarazmian treasury twice (Samarkand and Qajiyun), but also directly swept through the two richest provinces of Persia!
Furthermore, the gold and silver treasures accumulated over thousands of years in places like Khorasan, Western Liao, Mesopotamia, and Rus' lands all became spoils of war for Zhao Shuo's troops.

Even the most ordinary soldier received over five hundred taels of silver.

What does 500 taels of silver mean?
The wealthiest country in the world at the time, the Southern Song Dynasty, had an annual income for its top-ranking imperial guards that, when converted to silver, would not even amount to thirty taels of silver.

Not only would the superior deduct from these thirty taels of silver, but after daily expenses such as food, drink, and excretion, how much would be left?

Zhao Shuo's soldiers, however, had all their belongings left over.

Roughly speaking, the soldiers under Zhao Shuo's command served for four years, which is equivalent to at least forty years of service by the top-ranking imperial guards of the Southern Song Dynasty!
Under the reward, there must be a brave man.

It's easy to imagine the sensation they'll cause upon their return to the Central Plains!
It turns out there are such fast ways to make money in the world, without needing to scheme or study hard, you just need to be willing to grab it like crazy.

It turns out that there is so much gold and silver in the west of China, and the soldiers' harvest is proof of that!

It turns out that there are so many fertile lands to the west of China, and the soldiers' descriptions are proof of that! With everyone speaking with the same voice, how could it be false?

What kind of turmoil will be stirred in the hearts of the Chinese people?
(End of this chapter)