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

Chapter 260 China's Top Talents Open Their Eyes for the First Time, and Rule the World!

Meanwhile, inside the Imperial Palace, in the Chui Gong Hall.

This hall was where the emperor of the Song Dynasty conducted his daily affairs. It was six zhang long and eight zhang and four chi wide. The precious nanmu wood was carved into vermilion dragon pillars, and octagonal glazed palace lanterns were hung high. The carved beams and painted rafters were exceptionally beautiful.

Now, the owner of this place has naturally become Zhao Shuo.

"Your Majesty, we pay our respects! Long live the King! Long live the King! Long live the King!"

Shi Songzhi, Zheng Qingzhi, and Qiao Xingjian all knelt before Zhao Shuo and paid their respects with great ceremony. By now, although Zhao Shuo had not yet declared himself emperor, it had become commonplace for his ministers to address him as "Long Live the Emperor."

At this moment, Zhao Shuo was sitting at his desk, reviewing some memorials.

During the day, after Zhao Shuo entered the city, he first received the homage of his ministers again in the Chongzheng Hall of the Imperial Palace, and then announced a banquet to celebrate the unification of China.

Zhao Shuo left the table after drinking three cups of wine.

After all, with him sitting there, everyone was extremely respectful and dared not make the slightest mistake; no one could eat or drink properly.

After he left, his four sons who had come with him—the second son Zhao Yan, the third son Zhao Yi, the fourth son Zhao Yu, and the fifth son Zhao Xuan—along with about thirty officers of the Eight Banners Army with the rank of commander or above, and nearly a thousand surrendered Song officials, were able to relax considerably.

While we're at it, we can also take the opportunity to observe Zhao Shuo's four sons and see what kind of talent the State of Song has that we can recruit for our own use.

The world is too vast; with the technological level of this era, establishing a unified nation is completely unrealistic.

Zhao Shuo will always grant his sons fiefdoms; now is the time to begin preparations.

In addition, this also served as a team-building activity, providing an opportunity for his northern and southern officials to interact and deepen their understanding of each other. Jiangnan had just been incorporated into Zhao Shuo's territory, and these people would inevitably have opportunities to cooperate in the future.

In any case, Zhao Shuo has a tight grip on military power, so he is not worried about causing any trouble.

After finishing his lunch and taking a short rest, Zhao Shuo began to handle the nation's military and political affairs. After finishing his dinner, he continued to review memorials while summoning the three prime ministers of the Song Dynasty for a meeting.

Zhao Shuo put down the memorial in his hand and said, "No need for formalities, please sit down."

"Yes."

The three of them had been to the Chuigong Hall countless times, but this was the first time they had the right to sit there. The new dynasty brought a new atmosphere, and they were all filled with a sense of novelty and excitement.

Zhao Shuo said, "After Zhao Yun abandoned Lin'an, you all made great contributions to stabilizing the region, and the court will naturally not treat you unfairly. As for what positions you will hold in the new dynasty, I would like to hear your opinions first."

"I wish to go to Egypt!"

No sooner had Zhao Shuo finished speaking than Shi Songzhi eagerly began to speak. Of the three prime ministers of the Song Dynasty, Shi Songzhi was the youngest, only forty-five years old this year, and also the most eager to make achievements.

"shameless!"

Upon seeing this, Zheng Qingzhi and Qiao Xingjian couldn't help but curse inwardly.

Everyone knows that Egypt is at the forefront of national expansion. Going there would allow them to nurture their people and make Egypt a base for the nation's advance. It would also provide the crown prince with strategic advice and opportunities to gain military merit.

Who wouldn't want to go to Egypt?
However, due to the reserve of the literati, Qiao Xingjian and Zheng Qingzhi were still carefully choosing their words when Shi Songzhi spoke frankly and beat them to it.

Zhao Shuo was very satisfied with Shi Songzhi's performance. Shi Songzhi was a talent in the Song Dynasty, capable in both military and political affairs, and quite outstanding in everything he did.

Zhao Shuo said, "Very good! Egypt is in dire need of reconstruction and needs a high-ranking official to oversee it. An imperial decree will be issued shortly, appointing you as the Pacification Commissioner of Egypt."

According to Zhao He's report, they have only taken Lower Egypt and captured Cairo so far. The western expeditionary force is currently attacking Upper Egypt, and Zhao He has not yet conquered the entire Egyptian territory.

However, Lin'an is more than ten thousand miles away from Egypt.
Zhao Shuo estimated that by the time Shi Songzhi arrived, it would be about the same.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Shi Songzhi gladly accepted the order.

"Your Majesty, I wish to go to North India!"

Zheng Qingzhi and Qiao Xingjian, no longer caring about being reserved, spoke in unison.

The Chinese are naturally familiar with India, which they have always considered to be the second richest place after China.

Zhao Shuo's vision of unifying the world is obvious; he will definitely wage war against India in the future. This is the second easiest place after Egypt to achieve great things.

Zhao Shuo thought for a moment and said, "Northern India has a hot and humid climate and is a long way away. Zheng Qingzhi is younger, so you can be the Pacification Commissioner of Northern India. Minister Qiao is too old, so it's better for him to stay in China. Besides, all three of you are meritorious officials. It would be too disrespectful of me to send you all to the West."

"Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty!"

Zheng Qingzhi, with the demeanor of a prime minister, tried his best not to show his joy, but the corners of his mouth still turned up slightly.

Zhao Shuo was very satisfied that Zheng Qingzhi was willing to go to North India.

He had never been entirely at ease with Wu Xian, so having Zheng Qingzhi as a check on him would be a good thing. Moreover, Zheng Qingzhi was knowledgeable in military affairs, so there was no need to worry about discord between the civil and military officials, which could delay important matters.

Zhao Shuo then looked at Qiao Xingjian and said, "I have three arrangements for Minister Qiao, you can choose one."

"I am all ears."

"The first arrangement is that the State of Song has fallen, and it's time to put an end to its history. You are a scholar of great learning and have served as the prime minister of the State of Song. You can write the history of the State of Song."

As a surrendered official, Qiao Xingjian couldn't possibly expect to retain his rank and become Zhao Shuo's prime minister. At least for now, that was completely impossible; he had to establish sufficient merit.

However, according to the political tradition of China, compiling the history of the previous dynasty was already considered one of the tasks of the founding prime minister.

If it were just a normal change of dynasty, Qiao Xingjian would definitely have agreed without hesitation.

However, isn't this because Zhao Shuo has the ambition to unify the world?
Qiao Xingjian wanted to make real contributions, so he looked down on the task of compiling history for the previous dynasty.

He asked, "May I ask, Your Majesty, what is this second option?"

Zhao Shuo said, "You will gather the best talents in the world to revise a formal law for me."

Zhao Shuo's laws consisted of the laws of the Jin Dynasty, Genghis Khan's Great Yassa, and various decrees of Zhao Shuo; there was no written, formal law.

Now that China is unified, the formulation of formal laws has been put on the agenda.

Compiling the history of a previous dynasty and formulating laws for a new dynasty are both guaranteed to be recorded in history books. However, formulating the laws of a new dynasty has a far greater impact on future generations than compiling the history of a previous dynasty.

Qiao Xingjian's eyes lit up, and he wanted to agree immediately.

But in the end, he managed to suppress such a strong urge.

The second option is far better than the first, so what about the third option?
Qiao Xingjian said, "It's not that I'm greedy, but Your Majesty's kindness is too great. I'd like to hear a third option."

Zhao Shuo said, "The third option is also simple. I appoint you as Vice Minister of Rites and concurrently Director of the Religious Affairs Bureau, overseeing all religions in the realm."

After a pause, Zhao Shuo explained briefly, “You know, in the vast regions outside my homeland of China, most people believe in religion. Some believe in the True God religion, some in Roman Catholicism, some in Buddhism, and some in other religions.” “Except for Buddhism, almost everyone believes that those who believe in their own religion are the most favored by the gods and are the best in the world. However, according to the rules I have set, the people are divided into four classes, with Han Chinese and Mongols being the first. Currently, I have many elite warriors under my command, and I have killed countless people, making them temporarily submit, but this is not a long-term solution.”

"Qiao Xingjian, you are a scholar of profound learning and have served as the prime minister of the Song Dynasty, possessing considerable political acumen. You should find a way to establish a doctrine that proves the division of the people into four classes, with the Han Chinese being the first and the Mongols being the first, is a divine arrangement and perfectly reasonable. Then, I will make this doctrine the primary tenet of all religions under my rule."

Qiao Xingjian said, "Conversion of faith is extremely difficult. I may have to resort to drastic measures when the time comes."

“That’s natural.” Zhao Shuo smiled slightly and said, “The Inquisition has five thousand cavalry. Anyone who does not accept this doctrine is a heretic and can be burned at the stake!”

If we don't occupy the propaganda front ourselves, the enemy will.

If Zhao Shuo doesn't promote the Han and Mongol people as the best, then the barbarians can promote their own as the best, saying things like "chosen by the gods," "the land promised by the gods," and "infidels must either die or become slaves."

Decades or even centuries later, the consequences will be dire.

Historically, weren't all the Khans of the Western Khanate of Mongolia devout followers of other religions?

Since that's the case, why not take drastic measures?

"The minister obeys the order!"

No sooner had Zhao Shuo finished speaking than Qiao Xingjian eagerly kowtowed to express his gratitude.

Chinese Confucian scholars all share a dream, or rather, their ultimate goal: to become the teacher of emperors.

But then again, how can an emperor's tutor compare to the best tutor in the world?
To subjugate the beliefs of almost all foreign tribes and win their hearts back to the Chinese—what does that mean? What an achievement!
Qiao Xingjian wasn't very confident in dethroning Confucius and becoming the "Teacher of Ten Thousand Generations" himself.

However, sitting alongside Mencius and being called the "Second Sage," Qiao Xingjian felt that if he could accomplish this, it wouldn't be a big problem.

He even noticed that Zheng Qingzhi, who had been overjoyed just moments before, was casting an envious glance at him.

This feeling is wonderful!
Then think about it: it feels even better to let those who believe in my theories live on while those who don't believe in me are burned at the stake!
Although Qiao Xingjian was old, he truly felt full of energy at this moment and could serve the new dynasty for another fifteen...twenty years!

After arranging the duties of the three prime ministers of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Shuo continued, "Also, look here."

As he spoke, he stood up and pointed to the huge map behind him, saying, "This is the Red Sea, this is the Mediterranean Sea, and this is Egypt. The Crown Prince and I have decided to use the manpower of Egypt and Syria to build a 400-mile-long canal to connect the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. This will not only benefit the country's control of its vast territory but also its trade."

"This canal could be named the Suez Canal. Chen Wei recommended Hu Ju as the person in charge of its construction. You should also think carefully about who else would be a suitable candidate?"

Shi Songzhi was the youngest of the three and the quickest-thinking. Besides, he was about to become the Egyptian pacification envoy, so it was clear that the Suez Canal would be the most important part of his work going forward.

He hesitated for a moment, then bowed slightly and said, "If we're talking about who's suitable to oversee the construction of the Suez Canal, I really can't think of anyone more suitable than Hu Ju. However, I can recommend someone to be Hu Ju's deputy."

Zhao Shuo asked, "Who?"

"The current prefect of Hezhou is Qin Jiushao. He is not only a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) of the Song Dynasty, but also a capable official who has gained experience in local affairs. More importantly, he is well-versed in astronomy, music, arithmetic, poetry, archery, swordsmanship, and architecture... Although I have not heard that he is an expert in water conservancy, I believe that all knowledge in the world is interconnected. Since he is proficient in mathematics, he will certainly be of great benefit to the construction of the Suez Canal."

Actually, Shi Songzhi doesn't need to explain too much.

How could Zhao Shuo not know who Qin Jiushao is?
The author of "Mathematical Treatise in Nine Sections," a figure featured in textbooks, was able to solve higher-order equations!
He is considered by later historians to be one of the most outstanding mathematicians of the 13th century!

However, Zhao Shuo was also unsure of Qin Jiushao's birth and death dates, and with so many officials under his command and Qin Jiushao's low rank, he was unaware that Qin Jiushao was serving under him.

Immediately, Zhao Shuo happily said, "Good, let's do as you say. We can transfer Qin Jiushao to be Hu Ju's deputy and send him to Egypt to build the Suez Canal. After the Suez Canal is completed and we have accumulated enough engineering skills and experience, we can transfer them to China to manage the Yellow River and ensure that the Yellow River will never be a problem for China again."

The fall of the Jin Dynasty and the fall of the Mongol Empire were both related to the flooding of the Yellow River.

Controlling the Yellow River was one of the major projects Zhao Shuo planned to build for China.

The Yellow River is relatively calm now, and another large-scale flood is not expected for decades, so there's no rush now.

Moreover, Zhao Shuo only knew that the successful experience of later generations in managing the Yellow River was to control the water flow to attack the sand, but he didn't know much about the specifics.

He originally planned to start managing the Yellow River after Guo Shoujing grew up.

But now it seems that Qin Jiushao and Hu Ju, working together, might not be inferior to Guo Shoujing. After they finish repairing the Suez Canal, they can then begin to manage the Yellow River.

Zheng Qingzhi said, "I also think of someone who might be of benefit to Your Majesty in building the Suez Canal."

"who?"

"This man is a monk named Daoxun, who is famous throughout the world for his skill in building bridges."

Zhao Shuo had never heard of the monk Daoxun before, but since Zheng Qingzhi had personally recommended him, he must be very capable.

He said, "Building bridges without permission is one thing, but the Suez Canal doesn't need bridges. However, the person you suggested is excellent. We can recruit this monk as an official and have him build bridges in China to facilitate the people's travel."

After a pause, Zhao Shuo looked at the three men and said, "Actually, we don't need to limit ourselves to people with expertise in water conservancy. People with expertise in other areas can also be mentioned. The new dynasty needs all kinds of people to serve the court."

Qiao Xingjian said, "What about legal talents? There is a man named Song Ci who is skilled at resolving wrongful convictions and is also famous throughout the country. However, he is not currently under the jurisdiction of the imperial court, but is serving as the judicial commissioner in Guangzhou."

Song Ci and Zhao Shuo certainly knew each other!
The author of "Collected Cases of Injustice Rectified" had unique insights into examination of injuries, autopsies, blood type identification, bone examination, differentiation of death and injury, identification of poisons, as well as emergency treatment and treatment for poisoning!
One of the most renowned crime-solving experts in Chinese history!
Zhao Shuo said, "It's alright, I can issue an imperial decree to Zhao Yun, ordering him to send Song Ci here and appoint him as a vice minister in the Ministry of Justice."

Shi Songzhi's heart skipped a beat, and he said, "So, Your Majesty is preparing to pardon the false emperor Zhao Yun?"

"It's not that easy."

Zhao Shuo said, "Whether or not to kill Zhao Yun depends on his future performance. Let it go this year, but starting next year, make him send 20,000 foreign slaves every year to help build water conservancy, roads, and even bridges for China. If he fails to send the required number in any year, the court will send troops to attack and take his life."

This is how KPIs are set for Zhao Yun.

Don't think that just because you occupy a small piece of land and continue the Song Dynasty's rule, you can rest easy.

If you don't meet your KPIs, you'll be killed immediately!
In fact, even if Zhao Yun escaped to the island, Zhao Shuo wouldn't be afraid.

Just then, a decree was issued to the world, promising a great reward to anyone who found Zhao Yun, thus ushering in a new era of maritime exploration for all.

Next, the atmosphere at the scene became completely enthusiastic.

Physician, agronomist, astronomer, geographer, renowned craftsman... Qiao Xingjian and his companions continuously recommended various talents from all over China.

Zhao Shuo was overjoyed. The Song Dynasty had so many talented people, and now that he wanted to revitalize China, they were exactly the kind of people he needed.

The three prime ministers were also very pleased.

They were aware of these talented individuals before, but due to the system of the Song Dynasty, they were unable to give them important positions. Now, with the new dynasty and its new atmosphere, they can finally make the best use of everyone's talents.

Shi Songzhi was reminded of a saying: "The Han dynasty, with its prestige and authority, commands all nations; wherever the sun and moon shine, all are its subjects!"

In the past, the Song Dynasty was a disgrace to China, even having to pay tribute to the Western Xia. It was practically a vassal state of all nations.

Zhao Shuo not only expanded the territory, but also treated Han Chinese and Mongols as the first class, and used slaves from foreign lands to repair rivers and roads for China. This was the true meaning of submitting to all nations and bringing great prosperity to China!
(End of this chapter)