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

Chapter 267 The Splendor of the World's Capital, Kublai Khan Was Shocked!

Just as Temuge was swearing an oath to raise an army on the banks of the Hailar River, the city of Zhongdu was still filled with singing and dancing.

More accurately, Zhongdu City had never been so peaceful and prosperous.

Zhongdu City, Huitong Hall.

This place was originally where the Jin Dynasty entertained envoys from various countries. After Zhao Shuo captured Zhongdu, it continued to serve a similar function.

Kublai Khan entered Zhongdu more than half a year ago and was naturally arranged to stay at the Huitongguan.

He wanted to visit Zhao Shuo, but Zhao Shuo was not in Zhongdu at the time. Instead, he was on his way from Lin'an to Zhongdu, so Kublai Khan could only continue to wait in Zhongdu.

Unable to see Zhao Shuo, Kublai Khan wanted to visit his aunt Hua Zheng first, but Hua Zheng was ill.

Naimazhen's murder of Bolakh was carried out in secret, but the execution of Telegni was made without any cover-up. Upon learning this news, Huazheng realized that Genghis Khan's favor was coming to an end, and that the Golden Family might have to shed even more blood due to internal strife in the future. Overwhelmed with worry, she fell seriously ill.

It was for this reason that Zhao Shuo hurriedly returned to Zhongdu from Lin'an.

Only after Hua Zheng's illness finally improved was Kublai Khan able to meet with Zhao Shuo and Hua Zheng to discuss the conditions of the Tolui lineage.

Upon hearing that Kublai Khan had started, Hua Zheng excused herself and left the scene, claiming that she was feeling unwell.

The Ögedei and Tolui factions are sworn enemies. Even if Zhao Shuo doesn't take sides, will they stop fighting amongst themselves? How could that be? They'll probably fight even more bloodily and without any limits.

So, which side does Zhao Shuo side with?

Both sides were equally dear to her, and Hua Zheng herself didn't know which one to help, so she simply ignored the question and let Zhao Shuo handle it.

After hearing Kublai Khan's conditions, Zhao Shuo remained noncommittal, telling Kublai Khan that everything would be discussed after Guyuk returned from the west. In the meantime, Kublai Khan could stay in Zhongdu for a while, spend time with Zhao Shuo's children, and take the opportunity to tour Zhongdu.

Kublai Khan was both pleased and worried upon hearing this.

The good news is that Zhao Shuo's lack of interest in the Khanate means he has no intention of marching north to vie for it.

Now that China is unified, the main Mongol force is engaged in westward campaigns, leaving the grasslands vulnerable. If Zhao Shuo were to truly lead his army north, who could withstand more than twenty Han Chinese Eight Banners commanders?
When Güyük Möngke returns with his army, the families of the soldiers who went on the western expedition will be in Zhao Shuo's hands. What kind of trouble can he stir up then?

It can only be said that Genghis Khan treated Zhao Shuo too well, and Hua Zheng and Zhao Shuo were a loving couple who couldn't bear to see him suffer like this.

The worry is that Kublai Khan offered the best terms possible from the Tolui lineage. Zhao Shuo still showed no clear preference, so it seems that the outcome of this struggle for the Khanate is truly uncertain.

Anyway, from then on, Kublai Khan settled down in Zhongdu.

Zhao Shuo now has fourteen sons and twelve daughters. Because Hua Zheng is ill, all of them except for his eldest son Zhao He and Zhao Mu, the son born to Zhao Shuo by Queen Lu Sudan, are in Zhongdu.

Kublai Khan's second son Zhao Yan, third son Zhao Yi, fourth son Zhao Yu, and fifth son Zhao Xuan, having reached adulthood, took turns hosting banquets for him, and Kublai Khan naturally had to reciprocate.

Kublai Khan's other underage sons also had frequent contact with him and exchanged gifts.

Kublai Khan knew his limits and avoided contact with those court officials.

After a while, Kublai Khan began to tour Zhongdu alone with a few attendants.

The more he toured, the more alarmed he became.

This capital city is so prosperous!

Although Zhao Shuo had four capitals: Kharkha Guicheng as the northern capital, Yanjing as the central capital, Barikh in the Khorasan region as the southern capital, and Qiwa in Rus' as the western capital.

However, because Zhao Shuo was stationed in Zhongdu, it had become the de facto capital of the Zhao Shuo Khanate.

Chinese, people from the Western Regions, Persians, Rus', Koreans—the city of Zhongdu had it all. But countless people from Japan, Annam, Dali, Southeast Asian countries, Franks, England, the Holy Roman Empire… came to Zhongdu, whether for trade, travel, or some other purpose.

With the addition of the various ethnic servants and maids they brought, Zhongdu City practically became a world capital, where Kublai Khan could see all the races he knew.

The total population was also large; at its peak, the capital city of Zhongdu had nearly a million inhabitants. Later, as the war progressed, the population of Zhongdu decreased.

But now, the number of people registered by the Zhongdu government has reached 1.3 million.

The most prosperous city in the world was none other than Zhongdu!

Kublai Khan certainly visited Karakorum.

Although it was the capital of the Great Mongol Empire, and the Great Khan who lived there called himself "Emperor of all mankind," in terms of prosperity, it was far inferior to Zhao Shuo's northern capital, Harka Guicheng, let alone Zhongdu.

That's fine then. The grasslands don't have enough carrying capacity. Growing radishes on land near Helin would be big news. It's not shameful that it's not as prosperous as Zhongdu.

But how many ethnic groups can you see in Hohhot?

Perhaps, although Mongolia was already a global empire, Zhongdu (the capital city) could be called the "world capital"!
It's not just about having many races.

Every evening, kerosene lamps would light up, illuminating the main roads of Zhongdu all night long. Zhongdu was the only city in the world that never sleeps!

Is there a library in Zhongdu next to the palace?
After conquering the Southern Song Dynasty, Zhao Shuo sent all the precious books collected by the Southern Song court to Zhongdu and ordered them to be copied.

These copied books could be accessed by scholars at the Zhongdu Library after following certain procedures.

It is fair to say that if you want to learn the most, the best place in China is the Zhongdu Library.

In fact, it's not just the classics of China.
Precious books from the Western Liao, Uyghur, and Persian periods are also included.

The best place in the world for doing academic research is also the Zhongdu Library!

Kublai Khan even discovered that a huge construction site had begun next to the Zhongdu Library.

It is said that Zhao Shuo wanted to build a Zhongdu Museum there.

Rare cultural relics from all over the world were not kept in the royal treasury, but in the Zhongdu Library, where soldiers and civilians could visit them freely.

Within the city of Zhongdu, there was even a Zhongdu Zoo, which housed every large animal known to humankind that could survive in the city's environment. Ordinary people could visit freely for just ten coins.

Within the city of Zhongdu, there were also hot air balloons available for ordinary people to enjoy.

This is more expensive; it costs 100 coins to go up once and tour the entire city of Zhongdu in a hot air balloon.

Don't complain about the price; it's still in short supply.

Flying! It has been humanity's dream since ancient times.

Aside from Zhongdu City, no matter how much money you spend, can you have this kind of enjoyment?

Only in Zhongdu City could ordinary people fly into the sky.

What is the charm of a world capital? This is the charm of the world's imperial capital!
In addition, what impressed Kublai Khan the most was the wealth of Zhongdu.

As the Zhao Shuo Khanate grew stronger, Zhongdu's status rose accordingly, and its commerce flourished.

Firstly, it attracts dignitaries from all walks of life, with prominent officials favoring to purchase property in Zhongdu. This area boasts the strongest consumer spending power within the Zhao Shuo Khanate, naturally drawing countless merchants from across the land to trade. Secondly, Zhongdu itself possesses a strong capacity for economic development.

During the Jin Dynasty, Zhongdu had over 100,000 artisans, and artisans for all aspects of life, including clothing, food, housing, and transportation, could be found.

When the Mongols attacked Zhongdu, a large number of artisans were sent to the grasslands.

However, after Zhao Shuo completely took Zhongdu, he not only ordered a large number of the original craftsmen to return, but also moved some of his less core workshops to Zhongdu.

With the return of these artisans, the variety of goods in Zhongdu has become increasingly abundant.

The numerous goods they produced were then bought by merchants and sold to countries all over the world, forming a virtuous cycle.

The workshops that now house the largest population in Zhongdu are cotton textile workshops.

Cotton textiles do not require much physical strength, providing employment opportunities for ordinary women in the city.

Of course, due to the strict separation of men and women, these cotton textile workshops were divided into men's workshops and women's workshops, with strict access control.

However, now, the men's textile workshops have only about 3,000 people left, while the women's workshops have as many as 30,000 people.

It's a very simple reason: there are so many job opportunities in Zhongdu. For a man, an income of one guan a month is really not very attractive.

However, for a woman, one string of cash a month is quite a lot.

After all, if some men could tolerate the wages, how much more so should women? In feudal society, women had very few job opportunities.

Most women were able to earn money for their families, which further increased the spending power of families in Zhongdu, and promoted the development of various businesses, making Zhongdu even more prosperous.

In fact, Kublai Khan could have accepted Zhongdu if it were merely a prosperous city.

Wasn't the original Jin Dynasty far more prosperous than the Mongol Empire? Wasn't it still swallowed up piece by piece by Genghis Khan?

The key point is that Kublai Khan saw terrifying war potential in this city.

Zhao Shuo intended to cultivate a martial spirit among the people, not to mention the numerous martial arts schools scattered throughout the countryside, and the abundance of horses as well!
Zhao Shuo already possessed high-quality pastures in the three prefectures of Fu, Chang, and Huan, as well as the Hulunbuir Grassland. The entire grassland was completely exempt from Zhao Shuo's embargoes. In addition, Zhao Shuo encouraged a martial spirit, and the people of Zhongdu were wealthy, making horseback riding a common practice in Zhongdu.

Kublai Khan estimated that there were over 150,000 horses in the entire capital city of Zhongdu, and with the addition of mules, donkeys, camels, and other livestock, the number could probably reach 300,000. Anyone of even a modicum of status would be embarrassed to go out without a good horse.

The competition between polo teams in different neighborhoods of Zhongdu further popularized horsemanship training among the people of Zhongdu.

Furthermore, as Zhao Shuo's workshop grew larger and more collaborative, the workers naturally became more disciplined.

Those workers, once they're all assembled, aren't they qualified soldiers?
In other words, Zhao Shuo was determined and could instantly assemble a reasonably strong army of 300,000 men using only Zhongdu City.

Such war potential is truly terrifying!
Recently, things have gotten even more outrageous. Zhao Shuo issued an imperial decree to establish the Zhongdu Martial Arts Academy.

The students recruited by this martial arts school were half from the Eight Banners army and half from the general populace.

After graduating from martial arts school and passing the examination, they were directly recruited into the Eight Banners Army.

In fact, Kublai Khan, a man of exceptional talent, had already sensed that the fighting strength of the steppe warriors was declining.

The reason is simple: before Temujin unified Mongolia, the steppe warriors lived in a dark age. Children who weren't brave enough simply didn't grow up, and even if they did, they would be eliminated in brutal battles.

However, nearly thirty years have passed since Temujin unified the grasslands.

Most of the warriors from the Dark Ages had left the Mongol army, and the new generation of steppe warriors had not undergone such a brutal natural selection.

Furthermore, the steppe warriors, having fought alongside Temujin, amassed so much wealth that the new generation of young steppe men became pampered and spoiled.

During their upbringing, their fathers were away fighting for long periods of time, and they lacked the opportunity to inherit various combat skills.

The problem isn't too serious yet, but Kublai Khan estimated that the steppe warriors who would be added later would probably be far inferior to the current batch.

He originally thought that Zhao Shuo's Eight Banners Army was probably like that too.
Over time, they will gradually degenerate and become far inferior to their parents.
However, to everyone's surprise, Zhao Shuo started to establish a martial arts school!

What does it matter if they lack parental guidance? Zhao Shuo will provide unified upbringing!

Life is good now, so what's a little pampering? There are too many Han people, so Zhao Shuo has no trouble finding suitable talent to train.
Will the martial arts established by Zhao Shuo also begin to degenerate over time? It's very possible!

However, for at least the next twenty or thirty years, even if Zhao Shuo dies and Zhao He ascends the throne, the Eight Banners Army will maintain its current fighting strength.

Furthermore, due to their rigorous and unified training and the guidance of renowned generals, while their courage and bravery may not be as great as their fathers', their combat skills and even their military prowess are probably superior.

Kublai Khan estimated that the Eight Banners army's combat strength would likely improve to some extent within the next ten years!

Now, the Han Chinese Eight Banners are strong enough to rival the steppe warriors.

Ten years from now, with the balance of power shifting, how large will the gap in combat strength between the two sides be?

Unfortunately, there were too few grassland warriors!
Even if Kublai Khan wanted to emulate Zhao Shuo and establish a martial arts system, it probably wouldn't have much effect. Besides, Kublai Khan was no longer the Great Khan of the Mongols, and even the Tolui lineage listened to Möngke Khan, not him. There was very little Kublai Khan could do.

Kublai Khan felt despair whenever he thought of this.

Of course, he still had to help Möngke secure the position of Great Khan of the Mongols.

Firstly, even if Möngke became the Great Khan of the Mongols, he couldn't do much against Zhao Shuo. After all, Zhao Shuo's main force consisted of over twenty 10,000-household units from the Han Chinese Eight Banners, not the ten 1,000-household units from the steppes. However, this still had a significant impact on the Chagatai Khanate, the Ögedei Khanate, and the Tolui Khanate.

"Holding the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords"—the title of Great Khan of the Mongols was indeed very important to Tolui's lineage.

Secondly, this means command of hundreds of thousands of grassland warriors.

This is the second most terrifying military force in the world, second only to the Han Chinese Eight Banners. With an army, how could they possibly struggle to seize territory?
Third, the Tolui lineage and the Ögedei lineage were sworn enemies.

Only by ascending to the throne can Tolui's lineage avenge that blood feud!
Conversely, if Guyuk ascends to the throne, it's uncertain when Tolui's line will be able to exact revenge. If Zhao Shuo no longer protects Tolui's line, they will struggle to even protect themselves against Ögedei's line.

Is it okay not to fight?
"We have news! We have news!"

Just as Kublai Khan was lost in thought in the meeting hall, Yao Shu hurriedly entered the room.

He was Tolui's trusted advisor and continued to serve the Tolui family after Tolui's death. This time, he accompanied Kublai Khan to Zhongdu.

Kublai Khan suddenly stood up and asked, "What news is there about Güyük?"

"Yes."

Yao Shu said, "Güyük and Chagatai will arrive in Zhongdu in three days. Zhao Shuo Khan has decided to personally go out to greet them!"

Given Chagatai's status, he certainly deserves Zhao Shuo's welcome.

"it is good!"

Kublai Khan lightly slapped the table, his eyes gleaming, and said, "What's meant to happen will happen. Who will inherit the future Mongol Khanate will depend on this!"

(End of this chapter)