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

Chapter 270 With the unification of China, Zhao Shuo's uncle is now invincible!

Chagatai nodded and said, “Indeed, personally leading an expedition and establishing military merits is very effective in enhancing the Great Khan’s authority. However, you must carefully choose the destination of the expedition to ensure a complete victory.”

There's something else Chagatai was too embarrassed to say directly: Ögedei Khan's campaign against Goguryeo ended in a humiliating defeat. Not only did he need Zhao Shuo's help to cover for him, but he also suffered an arrow wound that greatly shortened his lifespan. Güyük, are you really up to the task?
"I've already thought about it."

Güyük stood up and pointed to the world map hanging inside the golden tent. This map showed all the countries known to the Mongols.

Although the Mongol court's secret intelligence agency was not as powerful as Zhao Shuo's Black Ice Guard, it still had a relatively good understanding of the world situation by utilizing the Mongol merchant caravans that traveled all over the world.

Guyuk said, "This is the place, the Grand Duchy of Poland. According to my intelligence, the Grand Duchy of Poland is mainly plains, which is most suitable for my Mongol army to roam. Moreover, the total population is only about two million, which is not considered powerful."

"And most importantly, although Poland is nominally a unified Grand Duchy, its nobles, who call themselves 'Schlachtas,' advocate freedom and equality, and they don't even bother to comply with the king's orders; they completely disobey them. The country is divided into four major factions."

"The first part, known as the Duchy of Silesia, was controlled by Henry II and was the most powerful."

"The second part was called the Grand Duchy of Poland, ruled by Przemysław I, and its territory included Poznań and other places."

"The third part is called the Duchy of Lesser Poland, centered in Krakow, and governed by Bolesław V, who is also the nominal personal ruler of Poland."

"Part Four, The Principality of Mazovia: ruled by Conrad I."

It must be said that Guyuk did his homework thoroughly for this imperial expedition.

The Grand Duchy of Poland, both geographically and internally fragmented, was a prime target for conquest.

Moreover, this would not affect the interests of Zhao Shuo, the top military commander of Mongolia.

Mongolia's continued expansion into Europe was essentially in two directions. One was westward from the Sultanate of Rum, attacking the Romanescan Empire (Eastern Roman Empire), whose princess, Maria Raskarina, married Zhao Shuo.

Another option was to launch an attack on Hungary or Poland from Siros. Princess Elizabeth of Hungary was also one of Zhao Shuo's concubines.

Clearly, these two countries were already Zhao Shuo's intended targets for conquest, and Guyuk dared not touch them.

Chagatai thought for a moment, nodded slightly, and said, "The Grand Duchy of Poland is indeed a very suitable choice. When do you plan to send troops?"

Guiyou said, "There is no time to lose. I will personally lead the expedition three months from now."

"inappropriate!"

Chagatai immediately objected, saying, "The warriors of the steppes have just returned from their westward expedition and have finally reunited with their families. It hasn't been long since they were sent on another expedition, which may cause discontent among the troops."

Mongke shook his head and said, "Güyük, even if you want to establish your authority, you have to give your soldiers time to have children, right? Can the children born to women of other tribes during the campaigns of those steppe warriors be used as Mongol warriors? Our foundation still lies with the warriors of the Mongol steppe!"

Guyuk, however, was confident and calmly said, "Don't worry, I've already thought it through. This time, we won't be using the original soldiers from the western expedition."

"So, who are you planning to take with you?"

"First, there's the Kheshig army belonging to the Great Khan of the Mongols. I plan to leave a thousand troops to guard Karakorum, and take the rest with me. Also, Temuge is dead, and I will take his ten commanders to the west. There are also three commanders from the sons of Hasar, three commanders from the sons of Belgutei, three commanders from Anchitai, one commander from Dalitai, and all the commanders under Tolui's lineage who did not participate in this western expedition."

Anchitai was the son of Kechiun, Temujin's brother who died young. He was also assigned three hereditary commanders.

Dalitai is Temujin's uncle, who once betrayed him, and now commands a hereditary commander of a thousand households.

This is one of the benefits of the Great Khan of the Mongols.

In addition to commanding Tolui's subordinates, he can also conscript the armies of other members of the Golden Family.

The armies of the other members of the Golden Family, when added together, numbered twenty thousand households, which was a considerable military force.

Mongke calculated carefully and said, "That means you're bringing almost all the steppe warriors who didn't participate in the eldest son's western expedition, which would amount to sixty thousand-household units?"

"That's fair to say. Besides them, I will also mobilize 40,000 troops from the Khanate of Ögedei. The Western Liao people were originally quite strong. Subutai, one of Genghis Khan's four heroes, will also be going on the expedition with me. I refuse to believe that with 100,000 troops, plus Subutai and me, we can't take down little Poland?" Guyuk said confidently.

In fact, Guyuk was in such a hurry to send troops because he had no other choice.

Firstly, due to his alcoholism and drug addiction, Guiyou's left hand trembled uncontrollably. Almost everyone could see that his lifespan wouldn't be long, and how could Guiyou himself not know this?

Secondly, Subutai, the last precious sword Genghis Khan left to his descendants, is also quite old. Who knows how much longer this sword can be used?
Thirdly, the fighting strength of the steppe warriors cannot be hidden. Guyuk also clearly felt that the steppe warriors newly added to the army were getting weaker year by year.

If we don't seize the opportunity while the grassland warriors are still relatively strong to expand our territory and make great achievements, we may not have another chance later.

With these three factors combined, Guyuk was compelled to personally lead the expedition as soon as possible.

In addition, this move has another advantage.

Güyük only mentioned Subutai and not Möngke, which clearly meant that Tolui's sons were not allowed to participate in this western expedition. As the Great Khan of the Mongols, he certainly had the authority to mobilize troops.

Batu was far away fighting in the Sultanate of Rum and couldn't get involved.

Zhao Heyuan is currently in Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula; his next target should be the Romanian Empire.

If all goes well, Guyuk will be able to use the wealth gained from conquering Poland to feed his westward expeditionary army and gain the genuine loyalty of the other members of the Golden Family.

When Güyük passes the throne again, he will not be in such a predicament as Ögedei did this time.

The next Khan will likely fall into the hands of Ögedei's faction.

Zhao Shuo cautioned, "That's true, but our Mongols are too powerful. During your conquest of Poland, you must be wary of the European coalition. They not only share a common faith, but are also overseen by the Pope. They might very well form a coalition like the nations of the True God Church."

"We are not afraid of them coming out, we are afraid of them not coming out! Looking at the world, in open field battles, who can be a match for our Mongol army?"

As soon as he spoke, Guiyou glanced at Zhao Shuo somewhat guiltily.

The elite Han Chinese Eight Banners troops were probably even stronger than the steppe warriors, as proven by the Battle of Baghdad.

Therefore, he did not mention the steppe warriors, but instead used the term "Mongol army".

The Han Chinese Eight Banners should also be considered part of the Mongol army... right?

Seeing that Zhao Shuo made no comment, Guiyou regained his spirits.

It would be wonderful if Europe could form an alliance and fight him in the field!

After annihilating the main force of Europe in one battle, we can seize the opportunity to march south and take control of the entire continent! Not to mention the Tolui faction, we would even dare to challenge Zhao Shuo and Guyuk!
Zhao Shuo, of course, couldn't be bothered to argue about whether the Han Eight Banners were considered part of the Mongol army.

He wasn't very optimistic about Guyuk's western expedition.

Historically, the Mongol expansion was halted in Poland and Hungary. This was partly due to internal strife within the Mongol Empire, and partly due to the considerable strength of the European nations.

Historical records indicate that after Batu Khan retreated from Vienna following Ögedei Khan's death, he attempted to invade Europe again. Ultimately, however, he failed and abandoned Europe.
Is Guyuk really more capable than Batu? The extra Mongol soldiers probably couldn't make up for the difference in ability between Guyuk and Batu.

That was under the condition that the European countries were governing themselves.

If the European nations united, Zhao Shuo didn't think Guyuk would have any chance of winning with only 60,000 steppe warriors and 40,000 vassal Western Liao warriors. Besides, how could Guyuk be so sure that the European nations would definitely engage him in a major open-field battle? Creating such a favorable war situation wasn't easy.

He said, “It is good that you have such ambition. However, there is a saying in the military books of the Han people: ‘Predict defeat before victory.’ If the war goes against you, I will give you a saying: ‘If you save the land but lose the people, you will lose both the land and the people. If you save the people but lose the land, you will save both the land and the people.’”

Guiyou stood up, bowed slightly to Zhao Shuo, and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Uncle Zhao Shuo!"

Even so, a fleeting look of disdain crossed his eyes.

Although Zhao Shuo noticed Guiyou's unusual behavior, he said nothing more.

Zhao Shuo had advised Borhu not to underestimate the Tumat people. Borhu, however, disregarded this advice and fell into their ambush.
If Guyuk is courting death, Zhao Shuo won't expect to persuade him with just a few words. He'll just do his best and leave the rest to fate.

Besides, Guyuk's lifespan is short anyway, so what difference would it make if he died in Europe?
The steppe warriors were all cavalry; even if they were defeated, most of them should have been able to escape, right?

With the plan settled, Zhao Shuo and the others left the Khan's Golden Tent and returned to their own tents.

"Brother, would you like some milk tea?"

"What happened?"

Is Temuge still alive?

……

As soon as Möngke returned to his tent, his brothers Kublai Khan, Hulagu Khan, Ariq Böke, Bochok Khan, and Mogölü Khan surrounded him and inquired about the outcome of the meeting.

Mongke downed the cup of milk tea that Moge handed him in one gulp before speaking: "Temuge has been executed, and Guyuk has decided to personally lead the expedition..."

He briefly summarized the results of the meeting.

Kublai Khan was most concerned about Zhao Shuo, and said, "So, Uncle Zhao Shuo, you don't actually think highly of Güyük's personal expedition this time?"

Mongke nodded and said, "Judging from his words, that should be the case. However, I estimate that Güyük is blinded by the throne and will not listen. He already lacks authority, and after the defeat in Europe, how will Ögedei's line continue to hold the throne? I'm afraid he will continue to harbor illusions until the war is completely out of control."

"If Uncle Zhao Shuo's prediction is correct, that would be wonderful!"

While listening to Möngke's account, Ariq Böke felt that Tolui's faction had suffered a great loss because Güyük had not allowed them to lead the western expedition.

However, upon hearing that Zhao Shuo was not optimistic about this western expedition, he immediately became happy again.

It is universally acknowledged that Zhao Shuo was the most capable fighter among the Mongols.

Zhao Shuo was not optimistic about Guyuk's western expedition; he really had a high chance of failure!

Mongke calmly replied, "Uncle Zhao Shuo isn't a god; he can't possibly predict everything. In short, regardless of whether Güyük's westward expedition to Europe succeeds or fails, let's focus on doing our own thing first."

"First, after Guyuk left, we opened our treasuries to compensate our soldiers on the western expedition. They had been on the campaign for over three years, but had gained very little. To win the hearts of the steppe people, we must not only compensate them like Guyuk did, but also give them 20% more."

"No problem." Everyone nodded in agreement.

With the youngest son guarding the hearth, Tolui not only inherited most of Genghis Khan's army, but also most of Temujin's private property.

Unlike Ögedei and Güyük, who generously bestowed gifts to win people's hearts, these people have accumulated considerable wealth over the years.

Mongke continued, "Secondly, the newly recruited steppe warriors are becoming increasingly weak. During the time that Guyuk is away on his expedition, we must diligently train our soldiers and strengthen the combat capabilities of the steppe warriors remaining behind."

Kublai Khan added, “Furthermore, our fiefdom in the Northeast was originally the territory of the Eastern Jurchen Kingdom. These Jurchen people in the Northeast are fierce, bloodthirsty, and barbaric by nature, making them one of the best sources of soldiers in the world. My idea is to build a Jurchen vassal army that can fight, modeled after the military training methods of my uncle Zhao Shuo.”

"Although the vassal armies in Iraq are not strong, there are vast plains between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers with fertile soil. If we manage them well, they can be a great source of wealth. With Iraq's resources, we can support our steppe warriors and Jurchen vassal armies, and there is great potential for the future."

Hulagu said, "That's right. The reason why Zhao Shuo's uncle is so powerful is because he has the Han Eight Banners. The Jurchen soldiers' fighting strength is not necessarily inferior to that of the Han people!"

"If we work diligently to govern, but Guyuk is defeated in Europe, then who should inherit Guyuk's throne? Is there even a question?"

"Iraq is a famously wealthy land, and it certainly deserves to be well managed!"

……

Hulagu, Ariq Böke, Bochok, and Mogöl all expressed their agreement.

Möngke nodded approvingly and said, "Kublai Khan, you have considered things from a long-term perspective. Let's do it this way."

The atmosphere inside the tent was lively, with Möngke and the others filled with anticipation for the future.

However, Kublai Khan, who proposed the idea of ​​forming a powerful vassal army for the Jurchens, did not have much of a smile on his face.

It's too late!
Zhao Shuo has already conquered all of China. Given time, how many Eight Banners Han Army commanders can he build? The fighting strength of those Semu commanders is also quite good!
Even if the Jurchens within the sealed territory were all mobilized, how many people would Tolui's faction have?
It has to be said that Zhao Shuo is now virtually invincible. No matter how much the Tuolei faction tries to maneuver and work hard, they are no match for Zhao Shuo.

But is Zhao Shuo really willing to let the strongest faction, Tolui, take over after Guyuk's death?

"If Zhao Shuo and Zhao He both suddenly die after Gui You's death, that would be perfect!"

Suddenly, a wicked and outlandish idea surged into Kublai Khan's mind.

Zhao Shuo, of course, could not have known that Kublai Khan would have such thoughts.

Even if I knew, I wouldn't care.

Although Kublai Khan is the famous Yuan Emperor in history, in this era, he was just a nobody.

Many people wish Zhao Shuo and Zhao He were dead, so who did Kublai Khan think he was?

After the Great Khan was chosen, the Noyans returned to their fiefdoms, but Zhao Shuo, Chagatai, Möngke, and Orda did not leave.

Because they need to oversee the fulfillment of Guiyou's promise.

Naima really must die!

Guyuk acted swiftly and decisively, showing no intention of reneging on his promise. The day after the assembled officials dispersed, he dealt with Naimajin's two favorite ministers, Odurahman and Fatima.

Two months later, Naimajin, "overwhelmed with grief," followed Ögedei Khan in death, dying in the same manner as Empress Bolahjin.

After handling Naimajin's funeral, Guyuk invited the retired Nianzhuchongshan back to serve as the Left Chancellor of the court, and appointed Yalaowachi, the former Chancellor of the Ögedei Khanate, as the Right Chancellor. He also declared that all decrees issued by Empress Naimajin were null and void.

With this rectification, Guyuk's prestige on the grasslands is indeed rising steadily.

Taking advantage of the situation, Güyük ordered the carving of his own Great Khan's seal, which read, "The Emperor of Heaven, the Emperor of Earth, the Power of the Eternal Heaven, and the Emperor of All Mankind."

Then, he stamped the imperial seal on his edict announcing his personal expedition.

Sixty thousand-household units of the Mongol army and forty thousand-household units of the Ögedei Khanate, totaling one hundred thousand-household units, followed Güyük's army to Europe!
(End of this chapter)