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

Chapter 170 The skin of all the nations under heaven is itching again!
Half a month later, Zhao Shuo received Zhang Lin and Zhang Shijie at Renzheng Hall, which is located behind Da'an Hall.

Zhang Lin is forty-two years old this year. He is tall and robust, half a head taller than the average man. He has broad shoulders and a square face, and a clean-cut beard.

Zhao Shuo was quite familiar with the officers under his command who were at the level of a thousand-household commander.

He had met Zhang Lin dozens of times and knew that Zhang Lin had a nickname, "Zhang the Big Knife." This man was not only brave and fierce in battle, but also worldly-wise. He had once sworn brotherhood with Li Quan and addressed Yang An'er as a brother.

But Zhao Shuo really didn't know that Zhang Lin had talent in naval warfare.

Zhang Shijie was the first person Zhao Shuo met. He looked to be under thirty years old, of medium build, not as robust as Zhang Lin. But he stood tall and straight like a pine tree, with well-defined features, thick eyebrows that reached his temples, and bright, piercing eyes. His demeanor was truly heroic and extraordinary.

The formalities between the emperor and his subjects have been completed.

Zhao Shuo said, "I'm sure you both know why I summoned you here today: it's to discuss the establishment of our navy. The first thing to consider is the location for the navy. What are your opinions?"

Zhang Lin stood up, bowed slightly, and said, "In my humble opinion, our country's naval bases are only two options: Dengzhou Port and Laizhou Port. Both ports are readily available, and Your Majesty can simply issue an order to requisition them."

"Dengzhou Port was the main gateway from the Central Plains to Liaodong, Goryeo and Fusang during the Sui and Tang Dynasties."

"When Emperor Taizong of Tang conquered Goguryeo, his elite naval troops were assembled near Dengzhou Port. They made full use of the waters near Miaodao Islands and Liaodong and Korea to make it easy to replenish food and fresh water, making it the safest and most reliable route."

"Laizhou Port is also good. It connects Wu and Yue in the south and Youyan in the north, making it a 'gateway between the South China Sea and the North China Sea.' It will be very convenient for our country to conquer Goryeo and Fusang in the future, or to conquer the Song Dynasty in the south."

"Moreover, although the route from Laizhou Port to Korea and Japan is a bit longer than that from Dengzhou Port, it is more reliable and safer with current navigation technology."

"Please instruct me, Your Majesty, on the best course of action."

Zhao Shuo did not answer directly, but looked at Zhang Shijie and said, "Zhang Shijie, what do you think? Is Dengzhou Port better, or Laizhou Port?"

Zhang Shijie shook his head slightly and said, "This humble general believes that neither of these ports is very good. Commander Zhang only considered the convenience of future military operations, but did not consider the main purpose of His Majesty in building the navy, which is to completely connect all parts of the fiefdom by sea."

"In that case, Your Majesty needs an unprecedentedly large ship capable of traversing vast oceans. In other words, you need an unprecedentedly deep harbor."

"I have already investigated the situation at Dengzhou Port and Laizhou Port, and I am afraid they do not meet Your Majesty's needs. On the other hand, the port of Banqiao Town in Jiaozhou not only has mild winters and cool summers, but is also a natural deep-water harbor."

"More than a hundred years ago, when Banqiao Port belonged to the Song Dynasty, it was the largest port north of the Yangtze River. Merchant ships from Goryeo, Japan, Arabia, and other countries in the South China Sea frequently docked there, with 'many masts on the sea' and 'thousands of sails standing tall, merchants flocking to the port.'"

"But later, with the rise of the Jin Dynasty, the port of Banqiao Town quickly declined and is now only engaged in private port trade."

"In the long run, I believe that Banqiao Port is the most suitable location for our naval base."

Banqiao Town Port?
Zhao Shuo did have some recollection of it; this port was near the later famous Qingdao Port and could be considered the predecessor of Qingdao Port.

Judging from the experience of later generations, Qingdao Port was definitely much better than Dengzhou Port and Laizhou Port.

Zhao Shuo immediately nodded slightly and said, "In that case, let's choose Banqiao Port. Besides the reasons Zhang Shijie mentioned, I think that Dengzhou Port and Laizhou Port have a lot of trade, and the navy's requisition of them would probably cause a lot of inconvenience to the people. Banqiao Port has the least trade, so the navy's requisition of it would be the least disruptive to the people."

"Your Majesty is wise!"

"Now that the naval base has been selected, it's time to build ships. What do you two have to say about that?"

Zhang Shijie shook his head slightly and said, "I have been in the Xiangyang Navy for nearly ten years and only know some skills in naval warfare. I don't know much about shipbuilding."

Zhang Lin said, "If Your Majesty only wishes to conquer Goryeo, Fusang, and Song, then the current shipbuilding technology is sufficient. However, if Your Majesty wishes to sail to the open ocean, then better timber must be used for the keel."

"As far as I know, the hardest wood in the world is called ironwood. This wood grows in the deep mountains of Dali Kingdom, as well as Guangnan West Road (Guangxi) and Guangnan East Road (Guangdong) of Song Kingdom."

“Logging giant trees deep in the mountains and then transporting them out intact for sale would certainly fetch a considerable price. Moreover, such a large-scale operation would definitely attract the attention of the Song and Dali governments, who might then try to obstruct it.”

Zhao Shuo thought for a moment and said, "Then let's forget about the ironwood for now. You should build a new type of ship according to the blueprints I gave you. If you really can't do without ironwood, I have my own way."

"Yes."

The blueprints Zhao Shuo provided were roughly what Dutch ocean-going vessels would look like.

Huaxia Shipbuilding mainly uses fir wood.

Fir wood is certainly not as sturdy as oak, and Zhao Shuo was not confident that these fir wood boats could withstand the wind and waves of the deep sea like Dutch ships.

But that's okay.

His navy is only just beginning to be built; he'll start by replicating Dutch ocean-going vessels.

In addition, Zhao Shuo saw a viewpoint on the internet that the ancient Chinese ships were not very resistant to wind and waves, and one important reason for this was the extensive use of mortise and tenon joints.

This structure uses almost no nails, making it a marvel of craftsmanship. However, when used on ocean-going vessels, ships assembled purely with mortise and tenon joints are not as sturdy as those assembled simply and crudely with nails.

Zhao Shuo wasn't sure if this viewpoint was correct, so he instructed Zhang Lin and Zhang Shijie to conduct some experiments during shipbuilding to see which parts were better suited for mortise and tenon joints and which for nails. They should use whatever was strongest, without considering the cost of nails at all.

In addition, Zhao Shuo issued an imperial edict to Guo Dehai in Xidu, ordering him to begin felling huge oak trees along the Black Sea coast in preparation for building giant oak ships in the future.

Freshly cut wood cannot be used for shipbuilding; it must be dried in the shade for at least three years.

We need to start planning ahead now; it will be too late to cram at the last minute.

In addition, Zhao Shuo recalled a historical record.

More than four hundred years later, the Rus' and the Turks fought a fierce naval battle, the famous Battle of the Sea of ​​Azov.

In this great battle, the Turks concentrated all their artillery fire on Peter the Great's command ship. As a result, the shells bounced off the hull as soon as they touched the ship, and although the ship was hit by several shells, it was completely undamaged.

It turns out that this warship was made of "thorny oak" from the Ros Voronezh region. This special oak has a purplish-black surface and looks ordinary, but it is as hard as steel.

Later, Peter the Great designated this miraculous thorny oak as a national treasure and assigned troops to guard it day and night. Voronezh thus entered history as the "cradle of the Russian Navy."

This thorny oak is no less sturdy than ironwood, and it is much easier to mine than ironwood.

Zhao Shuo wasn't entirely sure whether the name "Voronezh" still existed.

He wrote another letter to Jochi, telling him the approximate location of Voronezh and asking Jochi to help him find it.

Of course, even ordinary oak is enough to build ocean-going vessels. Finding this magical "thorny oak" is just icing on the cake; it's okay if you can't find it.

Days passed by, and in the blink of an eye, ten months had gone by.

Zhang Lin was appointed as the commander of the 10,000th unit of the Navy's Plain Red Banner, and Zhang Shijie was appointed as the commander of the 1,000th unit of the Navy's Plain Red Banner.

The current number of households is not full.

Zhao Shuo transferred Zhang Lin's unit, the commander of a thousand households, from the Han Army's Bordered Black Banner to serve as the backbone of the Navy's Plain Red Banner.

Then Zhang Lin was allowed to recruit 4,000 soldiers from fishermen along the Shandong coast for training.

The shipyard was also set up, and Zhao Shuo temporarily set a quota of three thousand craftsmen.

The craftsmen in these shipyards were treated the same as those in Zhao Shuo's other workshops. Not only were they well paid, but they were also richly rewarded for their inventions.

Zhang Lin was also in charge of this shipyard, and they began to imitate Dutch ocean-going vessels.

The fourth batch of 300,000 migrants has already set off for distant West Rus' and South Asia.

Zhao Shuo's Han Army Eight Banners began to expand, and the 20,000th Household of the Plain Red Banner and the 20,000th Household of the Plain Blue Banner were newly established.

After all, Shandong and Hebei have 15 million people, and 80,000 field troops are indeed not enough. Zhao Shuo is not in a hurry. He will first expand the army by 20,000, so that the total number of Han Army Eight Banners can reach 100,000.

During these ten months, Ögedei Khan began to tour the grasslands, bestowing generous rewards and overtly or covertly strengthening his authority.

His drinking problem remained unchanged. Before his death, Temujin had decreed that he should not drink excessively more than three times a month. Chagatai, worried about Ögedei, left a wine supervisor behind before returning to his fiefdom to oversee Ögedei's adherence to Temujin's last wishes. However, the result was... well, let's just say it didn't work out. Chagatai was too far away and could only helplessly accept it.

Besides, the Chagatai Khanate had only been established for a short time, and with so many domestic affairs to attend to, it really couldn't manage so many things.

Jochi was not busy. His health was not very good, so he entrusted the military and political affairs of the fiefdom to his eldest son Orda, with his second son Batu assisting him.

Tolui did not return to Persia but remained on the Mongolian steppe. On the surface, he and Ögedei were brothers, but behind the scenes, countless struggles were brewing.

Hasar died.

Everything he owned was divided equally among his three sons, Yeku, Tuohu, and Yixiangge.

In short, during these ten months, the Mongol tribes, including Zhao Shuo's, were dealing with their internal affairs, and the whole world was at peace.

In fact, since Genghis Khan's death, the world has maintained peace for roughly two years.

Inside the imperial palace in Bianliang, the new capital of the Jin Dynasty.

The current emperor of the Jin Dynasty is no longer Emperor Xuanzong Wanyan Xun, but his third son, Wanyan Shouxu.

"...The sun rises above the treetops, orioles flit through the willows, yet I still lie beneath the fragrant quilt. The warmth melts, the soft clouds droop, and all day I wearily comb my hair... By the window, with only rough paper and ivory brush, I am forced to recite lessons. Always by her side, never to be separated, I idly pick up needle and thread, sitting beside her. With me, let our youth not be wasted..."

The sounds of string and wind instruments were melodious and graceful. The beautiful woman's singing voice was charming and sweet.

Today is the birthday of Emperor Wanyan Shouxu of the Jin Dynasty. He has summoned the main civil and military officials of the court to this place to drink and make merry while watching the graceful singing and dancing of eighty-eight beauties, sharing in the peace and prosperity of the world.

When Genghis Khan returned from his westward expedition with hundreds of thousands of troops, how majestic and awe-inspiring he was! The Jin emperor and his ministers were practically terrified.

As a result, Genghis Khan did not attack the Jin Dynasty, but instead rested for a year before attacking the Xia Dynasty first.

After the Xia Dynasty was destroyed, Genghis Khan died.

For two years after that, the Mongols did not wage war, and the nobles of the Jin Dynasty could once again indulge in pleasure. What else could this be but a peaceful and prosperous era?
Of course, there were also high-ranking officials of the Jin Dynasty who saw the deadly crisis hidden beneath this seemingly peaceful and prosperous world.

After the dance ended, Chizhan Hexi, the Vice Chancellor and Acting Deputy Privy Councilor, suddenly stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to say!"

"What are you talking about?" Wanyan Shouxu's eyes were unfocused. He said, "If it's official business, we can talk about it tomorrow. If it's personal, you can speak freely. Minister Chizhan is an important minister of the state, and I will certainly find a way to handle things properly."

Chizhan Hexi stiffened his neck and said, "Although this is an official matter, I really have to speak my mind today! Now, our Great Jin has lost parts of the Northeast, Shandong, Hebei, and Shaanxi, and even the capital has been forced to move from Zhongdu to Bianliang. It is truly a time of national crisis!"

"Today is His Majesty's birthday, and indeed we should celebrate. But is such a scale excessive? Furthermore, in the past two years, our Great Jin has been complacent in both civil and military affairs, and the nobles have been indulging in pleasure, showing no interest in the restoration of the dynasty. I am deeply worried about this!"

"Be bold!"

Before Wanyan Shouxu could speak, the current prime minister, Yilapua, had already vehemently rebuked him.

Since Yilapua's surname was "Yila", he was naturally not a Jurchen, but a Khitan.

When Emperor Xuanzong of Jin, Wanyan Xun, was critically ill, Wanyan Shouxu's half-brother, Prince Ying, Wanyan Shouchun, had already entered the palace to attend to him. Wanyan Shouxu knocked on the door of the East Palace to request an audience and ordered Pu'a to wear armor and lead troops to garrison Genyue in preparation for any unforeseen circumstances.

After Wanyan Shouxu ascended the throne, he exclaimed, "If it weren't for Pu'a, where would I be today?" As a result, Yila Pu'a was continuously promoted and ennobled, and has now become the de facto prime minister of the Jin Dynasty.

Wanyan Shouxu indulged in pleasure partly because he wanted to do so himself, and partly because he was instigated by Yilapua.

Yilapua said, "Chizhanhexi, what do you know? What national crisis? The only country our Great Jin fears is the Mongol Empire. Since Temujin's death, has the Mongol Empire ever launched a single attack? They have long been embroiled in internal power struggles and have no time to care about our Great Jin. Why can't we enjoy ourselves?"

"That's exactly right! As the saying goes, a country cannot be without a ruler for a day. After Temujin died, the Mongols couldn't elect a new Great Khan for a whole year, which shows that their internal power struggles were too fierce, and they couldn't even decide on a ruler!"

“I have heard that Temujin’s will stipulated that his third son, Ögedei, should succeed him as Khan. However, after his death, the will became useless, and the Mongol nobles simply ignored it and insisted on electing a Khan through a Kurultai.”

"Elect a Great Khan? How can a ruler of a country be elected? It's utterly ridiculous! The Mongol barbarians are indeed barbarians, crude and uncouth, they have no idea how to govern a country! I'm afraid their rise will be swift, and their fall will be just as sudden!"

"I also heard an interesting story. Temujin passed the throne of Great Khan to Ögedei, but gave the main military force to Tolui. The two fought fiercely and almost came to blows in front of all the Mongol nobles!"

"Ögedei Khan can't even sit securely on the throne of the Mongol Khanate, how could he possibly dare to attack our Great Jin? Haha!"

……

Many powerful and influential figures from the Jin Kingdom flocked to Yilapu Ahe.

Filled with sorrow, Chizhan Hexi knelt down as the voices of the crowd subsided, saying, "It is true that there is infighting among the Mongols. But shouldn't our Great Jin take this opportunity to attack the Mongols and reclaim our lost territories? In any case, we should not forget the humiliation of Da'an and indulge in pleasure. I beg Your Majesty to see the truth!"

"Uh……"

To be fair, Wanyan Shouxu was by no means a foolish ruler; he simply enjoyed pleasure and was easily influenced, taking everyone's opinions seriously. When he encountered an unreliable minister, he would do unreliable things.

He also felt that what Chizhanhexi said made some sense. Looking at Yilapua, he said, "Yila, what do you say? We can't leave our homeland unrecovered. Shouldn't we launch an attack outwards and see how strong the Mongols are now?"

Yilapua thought for a moment and said, “Your Majesty is wise! In my opinion, Shandong and Hebei are occupied by Zhao Shuo, the Mongol prince consort. He is known as the greatest warrior in the Mongol Empire and is not to be trifled with. However, there are no famous Mongol generals guarding Shaanxi. Your Majesty can order the Loyal and Filial Army to attack and recover Shaanxi. If the Mongol troops in Shaanxi are easily defeated, then our Great Jin can try to recover Shandong and Hebei.”

"That's excellent, let's do it that way."

Wanyan Shouxu felt that he had adopted the opinions of the two senior ministers and that his decision was perfect.

He waved his hand and said, "What are you all standing there for? Keep the music playing! Keep dancing!"

……

……

Meanwhile, in Iraq, also in the city of Sifahang.

Isfahan, later known as Isfahan, belonged to Iran. However, during this period, it and Hamadan to the north were part of the Arabian region of Iraq. Much of what would later become Iraq was known as the Arab region of Iraq during this time.

"Your Majesty Sultan Jalal ad-Din. Your subject, Toghon Tashkent, was tempted by the devil and broke his vow of loyalty to the Sultan of Khwarazm, betraying Khwarazm. His sins are truly grave. I will have no complaints as you decide my fate."

Tughman Taishi, who ruled over the Iraqi region, knelt respectfully before Zhalandin.

Zhalandin was accompanied by an army of 50,000.

When Zhao Shuo captured Kejiyun City, beheaded the Khwarazmian Sultan Muhammad, he also killed most of the nobles in Iraq.

Taking advantage of the situation, the nobleman Tuohuan Taishi who remained in Iraq rose to power and occupied parts of Iraq.

Jalal ad-Din was pursued by Genghis Khan and fled to the south bank of the Indus River, leaving him with only 8,000 troops. However, after Genghis Khan led his main force away from Khwarazm, Jalal ad-Din led his 8,000 troops by sea to Iraq.

In the original history, Jalal ad-Din traveled by land, but half of his men died in the desert, and only four thousand made it to Iraq, where the struggle was extremely difficult.

Now that the land route has been occupied by the Mongol army, Jalal ad-Din could only travel by sea. Ironically, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as all 8,000 troops arrived in Iraq intact.

Over the course of more than three years, Jalal ad-Din won a series of victories, amassing a total force of 50,000, and today finally forced Toghon Taishi to surrender.

The whole of Iraq has fallen completely into Zaladin's control.

"My loyal and brave soldiers of Khwarazm!"

Jalal ad-Din looked at the 50,000 soldiers behind him and shouted, "With Temujin dead, Mongolia has fallen into internal strife and has no time to worry about its distant territories. For example, Tolui Khan is fighting with the Great Khan Ögedei on the Mongolian steppe and hasn't even returned from Persia. This is God protecting me, Jalal ad-Din! Protecting Khwarazm! Everyone, follow me back, conquer Persia, and restore Khwarazm!"

"Invade Persia and restore Khwarezm!"

"Invade Persia and restore Khwarezm!"

……

The 50,000-strong army shouted in unison, as if the true god was protecting them. The Mongols were doomed, and the restoration of Khwarazm was just around the corner!
(End of this chapter)