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

Chapter 220 The magnificent 13th century, the eldest son's westward expedition!
Empress Naimazhen quickly advised, "Great Khan, please calm your anger! Chagatai sent his eldest son to Zhao Shuo because you are too ill to handle state affairs, and thus had no choice but to send your eldest son to feign compliance with Zhao Shuo. He had no intention of betraying you."

Guyuk also spoke up, saying, "Jochiran may not be on good terms with us, but he wouldn't be happy to see Mongolia split up. The situation isn't beyond repair yet, Father Khan, you must pull yourself together!"

"I...I understand."

Ögedei tried his best to calm himself down. After thinking for a while, he said, "Are Zhenhai and Henzhu Chongshan here? Summon them in."

"Yes."

Before long, the two prime ministers of the Mongol Khanate entered the hall.

Wohetai closed his eyes slightly, conserving his energy, and said, "You all know what has happened to Mongolia recently, right? Now Jochi himself, Chagatai, and Tolui's eldest son are all going to Zhao Shuo Khan to discuss matters. What should the court do?"

He Zhe Chongshan bowed and said, "This humble subject believes that the Great Khan should declare that he is now able to govern and convene a Kurultai to regain control of the Mongol government with the Great Khan's authority."

"That's not right."

Henian Chongshan was a Jurchen who rose to the position of Right Chancellor of Mongolia through Ögedei Khan's trust.

Although Zhenhai was a Uyghur, he had long since joined the Mongols and was one of the twenty-two members of the Banzhuni River faction. His understanding of Mongol political traditions was much stronger than that of Henian Chongshan.

He shook his head slightly and said, "If I may say something I shouldn't, even without the Kurultai, the Great Khan still has the right to rule Mongolia. Once the Kurultai is held, you will lose even that support. At that time, the people will agree that the Great Khan is seriously ill and should abdicate. What can the Great Khan do then? What if the people agree to let Möngke or Jochi become the new Khan? You will then have no room for maneuver."

Ögedei Khan took a few deep breaths and said, "Then what do you think, Zhenhai?"

"The best solution now is for the Great Khan to go to Zhongdu in person and have a frank discussion with Jochi and Zhao Shuo, such as guaranteeing their power and ensuring that something like what happened to Tolui Khan will not happen again. But given the Great Khan's current physical condition, I'm afraid he cannot make the trip."

"In that case, why not let the eldest prince, Guiyou, go to Zhongdu? Aren't they going to discuss important matters concerning Mongolia? The eldest prince certainly has the right to participate. Then, the Great Khan can decide based on the outcome of this meeting."

Ögedei pondered for a long time, then sighed and said, "I'm afraid this is the only way. Güyük!"

"exist!"

"Go to Zhongdu for me and ask them what they really want to do."

"Yes!"

……

……

At this time, Jochi had not yet arrived in Zhongdu. He was in poor health and could not endure the long journey on horseback, so he traveled by carriage.

Therefore, Jochi actually arrived around the same time as Guyuk.

Zhao Shuo presented Jochi with the grandest welcome ceremony.

Together with Hua Zheng, he personally led the civil and military officials of Zhongdu to greet Jochi and his entourage twenty li outside the city. A grand banquet was also held in the palace to entertain Jochi and his party.

For the next two weeks, Zhao Shuo did not handle any major military or political affairs. Instead, he accompanied Jochi on a tour of Zhongdu, and even rode in a hot air balloon with Jochi to enjoy the magnificent view of Zhongdu from above.

Jochi was quite interested in the hot air balloons and planned to take a few with him on his return journey. He wanted to ride in them and see the vast land he was leaving to his descendants.

Guyuk, Mu'atugan, and Möngke were received by Zhao Shuo's sons Zhao He, Zhao Yan, and Zhao Yi.

The dozen or so brothers not only toured Zhongdu, but also watched the polo matches that had recently become popular in Zhongdu.

Horses in the Central Plains are expensive, and polo has always been a sport for the aristocracy.

However, Zhao Shuo's kingdom is vast, and there are pastures in the three prefectures of Fu, Chang, and Huan to supply warhorses. In addition, the people have a martial spirit, so there is no shortage of horses.

After a long period of peace in Zhongdu, polo began to become popular among the people.

The imperial court, taking advantage of the situation, encouraged various towns and cities to form polo teams to compete, relying on ticket sales and advertising revenue to maintain operations.

For a time, watching polo matches became one of the most important forms of entertainment for the people of Zhongdu.

Guiyou and the others had certainly played polo before, but they had never seen such an intense match watched by tens of thousands of people before, and they exclaimed how exciting it was.

Some even got carried away and formed a polo team with their followers, holding open polo matches on the field, drawing huge crowds.

After a full two weeks of fun and games, the meeting that would decide the fate of Mongolia was finally held in the Da'an Hall of the Zhongdu Imperial Palace.

Zhao Shuo and Jochi sat upright in the center.

Mu'atugan, Zhao He, Guyuk, Möngke, and Jochi's eldest son Orda and second son Batu were on either side.

“Jochi, you’re older, why don’t you speak first?” Zhao Shuo looked at Jochi.

Jochi nodded slightly and said, "Very well. First, we need to talk about the matter of the Great Khan's murder of my fourth brother. Almost everyone in the world knows about this, and we must give an explanation today. I discussed it with Ashoka, and we think it would be better for him to issue a decree of self-reproach."

“How can that be?” Guyuk immediately became anxious and said, “Your suspicion that Father Khan murdered Fourth Uncle is just your guess. How can that be taken as evidence? Besides, if Father Khan issues an edict of self-reproach, what will become of his face and authority?”

Jochi snorted coldly and said, "Now, he has no authority whatsoever! If it weren't for the unity of Mongolia, I would have led the Kipchak cavalry to avenge my fourth brother long ago!"

Zhao Shuo said, "You know about the Song Dynasty's advice to me to declare myself emperor, right? For the sake of Mongol unity, I'm even willing to give up the throne. Does your father, the Khan, care about some loss of face?"

"Muatugan, what do you say?" Guiyou asked unwillingly.

Mu'atugan knew, of course, that he should side with Ögedei's faction. However, no matter how close he was to Ögedei, he would feel a sense of loss and sorrow over Tolui's death.

He carefully chose his words, saying, "The fact that the Great Khan killed my fourth uncle had a terrible impact, and this must never happen again. The Great Khan's edict of self-reproach serves as a warning to others and is not wrong. Besides, the Great Khan's admission of his mistake and his subsequent correction will not damage his authority."

Jochi looked at Mu'atugan approvingly and said, "Very good, Mu'atugan, your words are very insightful. No wonder Genghis Khan liked you so much when he was alive. Fratricide must never happen again in our Mongol Empire!"

Möngke stood up, bowed slightly to Zhao Shuo and Jochi, and said, "Thank you, uncle and aunt, for upholding justice for my father. However, is my father's life only worth a mere edict of self-reproach from the Great Khan? Isn't that a bit inappropriate?"

Zhao Shuo said, "Of course, it's not just an edict of self-reproach. Didn't the Great Khan just acquire Iraq? So let's give this place to you brothers. In short, we want future generations to think that secretly harming one's brothers is a losing proposition."

"In that case, I have no objection."

Losing Persia but gaining Iraq isn't too bad, so Möngke sat back down.

Guyuk looked to Mu'atugan for help, but Mu'atugan turned his head slightly to avoid his gaze.

Guyuk could only say, "Whether it is the edict of self-reproach or the cession of territory, both are too important for me to decide. I must go back and ask my father, the Khan, to make the decision."

Jochi nodded and said, "That's fine."

Zhao Shuo softened his tone and said, "I know Iraq has already given you your territory, so don't feel too bad about it. What's a little land? The world is so vast, there's plenty of land to make your fiefdom." "Uncle means..."

"Hmph, with our Mongol Empire in turmoil, the Song Dynasty actually took the opportunity to urge us to ascend the throne, attempting to incite a civil war within the Mongols. Their intentions are truly despicable! And the Western nations are even trying to establish some kind of True God Alliance. They're asking for trouble! This time, let's wipe them all out!"

"Then who destroyed the Song Dynasty? Who destroyed the western countries?" Guyuk pressed.

Zhao Shuo said, "Of course, I will take on the task of destroying the Song Dynasty. As for the Western countries, that's up to you brothers."

Jochi added, “Ashuo and I discussed it, and we decided that this world will eventually be passed on to you descendants. Therefore, we plan to send 30,000 men from each branch to form an army of 150,000, led by the eldest son of each branch, to march westward. Firstly, to destroy the restless western states. Secondly, since you brothers are so many, you will need more land to be distributed when you grow up.”

"it is good!"

Guiyou almost blurted it out.

On the surface, it seems that he and Subutai spent nearly three years killing Zaladin and taking over Iraq.

However, most of the time was spent traveling. A large army cannot travel 800 li by express courier; even if it were all cavalry, it could only travel a little over 100 li a day.

Therefore, the actual duration of the campaign was only one year.

Within that year, they not only pacified vast areas of Iraq and destroyed the wealthy city of Baghdad, but also acquired enormous wealth and women.

In particular, the secret pool in the Baghdad palace contained a large amount of gold and silver, each ingot containing one hundred taels, so densely packed that it almost dazzled the eyes of the well-informed Guyuk.

He racked his brains but couldn't understand why the Caliph, facing such a critical situation, wouldn't use the gold and silver to reward his soldiers and help him defend Baghdad. Now, however, it all benefited the Mongol army.

In any case, with this substantial gain, Guyuk has won over a significant portion of the army's hearts and has accumulated a considerable amount of capital.

What does Iraq even mean?

They were all killed by Guyuk and his men, leaving almost no survivors. There's really not much to gain in the short term.

However, the countries west of Iraq still possess almost endless land, wealth, and beautiful women, waiting for him to conquer and expand them!
Of course, there is one thing that must be discussed and clarified before setting off.

Guyuk asked, "I have no objection to each of the five factions sending 30,000 elite troops on a western expedition. However, we grasslands have a saying: birds and beasts need heads to live, and clothes need collars to function properly. Who should be the commander-in-chief of this 150,000-strong army?"

Zhao Shuo countered, "Guiyou, what do you think?"

"I……"

According to Guyuk, he was the son of the Great Khan Ögedei, so the position of commander-in-chief of the western expedition should naturally belong to him.

Moreover, he and Subutai killed Zaladin and conquered Iraq, truly making military achievements in expanding territory.

However, isn't it because Ögedei has a bad reputation? Who knows if he, when he becomes the commander-in-chief, will follow Ögedei's example and scheme to kill his other brothers?

To put it bluntly, if anything were to happen to any of the other brothers, suspicion would likely fall on him.

But if the commander-in-chief of this western expedition was not Guyuk, then who could it be?

Why did Mu'atugan become the commander-in-chief? Among the five factions, Chagatai's power was the weakest. What qualifications did Mu'atugan have to be the commander-in-chief?

Zhao He? Zhao Shuo's prestige was already unparalleled. If Zhao He were to lead the western expedition as commander-in-chief, wouldn't Mongolia become the Zhao family's territory?
Tadahul strongly disagrees!
I doubt Mu'a Tugan would agree to that!
Guiyou could only say, "I am not sure who should be the commander. I would appreciate your advice, Uncle and Elder Uncle."

Zhao Shuo and Jochi exchanged a glance and said, "The eldest sons of each branch are the heirs of their respective branches, and they are all proud and arrogant. I'm afraid that if we appoint any one of them, the others will not be satisfied. How about this, the eldest son of each branch will be the deputy commander. As for the commander-in-chief, how about Batu take on the role?"

"I?"

Jochi was in poor health, so Orda and Batu escorted him to Zhongdu.

Jochi had already discussed with Batu the appointment as commander-in-chief of the western expedition. However, discussing it was one thing, hearing it with one's own ears was quite another.

When Batu heard Zhao Shuo announce that he was the commander-in-chief of the western expedition, his heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would jump out of his chest!
However, he was, after all, one of the most outstanding people of his time, and at this critical moment, his expression remained unchanged.

Batu stepped forward solemnly, bowed slightly to Zhao Shuo and Jochi, and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "If Father Khan and Uncle trust me, and my brothers have no objections, I am willing to be the commander-in-chief."

"also."

As long as Zhao He isn't the commander-in-chief, Guiyou said, "Batu will be in charge of general military affairs. We brothers will discuss and handle any major matters. However, all the land, wealth, and women we acquire will be distributed according to our respective military achievements."

Zhao Shuo said, "Alright. Didn't you conquer Iraq together with Subutai? You can say you're quite familiar with it. This time, Subutai, why don't you also serve as the deputy commander-in-chief? If you brothers argue endlessly and can't make a decision, just ask Subutai's opinion."

Subutai and Guyuk conquered Iraq together, and Guyuk believed that he and Subutai had some connection.

He originally thought that only Mu'a Tugan was on his side. However, with Jochi, Zhao Shuo, and Tolui's faction showing signs of forming an alliance, he was truly outnumbered and outmatched.

Now that there's a mediator like Su Butai, things are much better.

He nodded and said, "In that case, I have nothing more to say. I will do as my uncle says."

Mu'a Tugan and Mongke also said in unison, "We have nothing more to say."

Thus, the plan for the eldest son to lead the western expedition was finalized.

……

……

Ten days later, in Helin City, at Wan'an Palace.

"An edict of self-reproach? Ceding Iraq to the Tolui faction? The eldest son's western expedition?"

After hearing Guyuk's report, Ögedei remained silent for a long time.

He certainly didn't want to issue a self-reproach edict and cede Iraq's Quecq. But he understood that this was probably the best way to resolve the Tolui case and satisfy all parties. Otherwise, what could he do? Convene a Kurultai and have the noyans force him to issue a self-reproach edict?

The eldest son's westward expedition was the best way to divert internal conflicts from the Mongol Empire to external forces, given the intense internal strife within the Mongol Empire. Besides, which of the five lineages didn't have more than five sons? They certainly needed more land to distribute among themselves.

"So be it!"

Ögedei looked at Güyük and said, “I won’t live much longer. Whether you can win over your brothers and successfully inherit my throne depends on your performance in this western expedition.”

"Your son will certainly live up to your father's expectations!"

(End of this chapter)