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

Chapter 281 Zhao He's Wedding: A Review of the Strength of the Zhao Shuo Khanate!
In September 1238, Zhao He and his party arrived in Zhongdu.

Accompanying him were Georgian Queen Rusdan, Zhao Shuo's sixth son Zhao Mu, and Batu.

How could Batu not come to congratulate Brother Zhao He on his wedding?

Furthermore, although the Sultanate of Rum was newly established, Batu had already divided it into three parts, granting them to his eldest brother Orda, his third brother Berke, and his fifth brother Shiban.

Batu's Khanate was granted by his elder brother Ordar, and he naturally wouldn't be stingy with his brothers.

With these three kings in charge of the Sultanate of Rum, Batu was naturally able to find time to attend Zhao He's wedding.

Afterwards, people from all walks of life came to offer their congratulations.

The Tolui lineage included Möngke, Kublai Khan, Bocho, and Moge.

Chagatai also sent Mujiye, Saban, Yesu, and Baidar.

Not only did Köden, Köchü, Kharachar, Khashi, Khadan, and Meri all arrive from Ögedei's lineage, but Güyük also sent envoys with gifts.

Annam, Dali, the Bagan Dynasty of Myanmar, the Sukhothai Dynasty of Thailand, the Angkor Dynasty of Cambodia, and many small countries in the Indochina Peninsula also sent congratulatory gifts.

Although they knew that the Zhao Shuo Khanate harbored ill intentions towards them, the more so, the more they couldn't allow Zhao Shuo to find an excuse to attack them. At the very least, after being annexed by the Zhao Shuo Khanate, they could use this wedding as an excuse to ask for better treatment, right?
Even in distant India, the newly enthroned Queen Lazia sent envoys with congratulatory gifts as a gesture of goodwill.

The Kingdom of Bulgaria, the newest kingdom in the West bordering the Zhao Shuo Khanate, also sent envoys to offer congratulations, trembling with fear.

Needless to say, Zhao Yun, the Prince of Song, of the Southern Song Dynasty, was also involved.

After careful consideration, among the countries surrounding the Zhao Shuo Khanate, only Fusang was stubborn enough, or rather, obstinate.

In any case, with the arrival of forty-six active-duty commanders and civil officials from various regions who were allowed to attend the wedding, Zhongdu City became increasingly lively, and the atmosphere surrounding the Crown Prince's wedding grew stronger.

Finally, on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, a grand wedding was held in Zhongdu.

That morning, ninety-nine hot air balloons rose into the sky, showering Zhongdu with gold, silver, and copper coins, so that the people of Zhongdu could share in the joy.

A one-yuan gold coin is worth one tael of gold; finding one is like making a small fortune. Finding one or two more is equivalent to an average person's annual income.

Of course, gold coins are the least numerous, and finding them is not easy.

However, silver and copper coins are also good!

The design on this coin is not the usual currency style; instead, it bears the inscription "Celebrating the Crown Prince's Wedding," giving it significant commemorative value. Furthermore, because the gear-shaped metal coin is impossible to counterfeit, it has considerable potential for appreciation.

Besides, this is free, and it gives me a sense of participation in the prince's wedding ceremony. What more could I ask for?
In the afternoon, things got even worse.

Zhao Shuo, Hua Zheng, along with Crown Prince Zhao He and Crown Princess Shi Rouqing, arrived at the Chengtian Gate Tower to receive the court's congratulations.

The people of Zhongdu numbered 39,000. After investigation, they were found to be of good character, loyal to the emperor and patriotic, and were allowed to attend the ceremony along with more than 1,200 officials of various ranks in Zhongdu.

The first event was a grand military parade.

The first to appear was a square formation of five hundred retired officers and soldiers led by Yang An'er and Liu Erzu. They donned their helmets and armor again, wielding swords and spears, and were reviewed by the imperial monarch, representing the empire's past.

Next to appear was a Mongolian army formation of 500 men led by Gerile.

Twenty-nine Han army commanders and fourteen Semu commanders led their accompanying officers and soldiers, forming fourteen square formations of five hundred men each.

The three naval commanders and their accompanying officers and soldiers formed another square formation.

Representatives of soldiers from various prefectures formed five square formations.

A total of twenty formations, all riding Dongfeng steeds and fully armed, passed under Chengtian Gate, representing the present state of the empire.

Even now, although the Dongfeng horsepower still cannot be deployed on a large scale, it is still possible to assemble 10,000 horses.

These unprecedentedly magnificent warhorses greatly impressed both the ordinary people watching the ceremony and the envoys from various countries.

Of course, what's even more astonishing is the number of people.

Apart from the Mongolian formation, each formation represents 30,000 people, and twenty formations represent an army of 600,000!
Indeed, five of the formations were merely representatives of the Fubing (府兵) soldiers. However, the Fubing far outnumbered the Eight Banners soldiers, and these elite Fubing soldiers, when assembled into an army of 150,000, were certainly not inferior to the Eight Banners field army.

Furthermore, this doesn't even include the imperial elites and vassal armies stationed in the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt, Syria, and the area surrounding Constantinople.

The last formation was composed of students from the Zhongdu Martial Arts Academy, representing the future of the empire.

Such a military parade is not only a summary of the military strength of the Zhao Shuo Khanate, but also a blatant display of power to all nations in the world.

You have to understand, those small countries probably don't even have 600,000 able-bodied men in their entire country. Even a large country like the Delhi Sultanate in India, if it really went all out and mustered an army of 600,000, that's not a field army! Just assembling a bunch of able-bodied men to make up the numbers would only result in them being slaughtered when facing such an elite force.

The Chinese people, chests puffed out and bellies bulging, cheered and felt a great sense of pride.

The envoys from various countries forced smiles, their emotions a mix of feelings.

and also!

After the military parade, the sacrificial ceremony will take place.

From the easternmost Ryukyu province to the westernmost Byzantine province, a total of thirty-seven provinces presented congratulatory gifts.

White horses and white camels in Hulunbuir Province!
Sea grapes from the Ryukyu Province!

Sandalwood from the Nanyang Province!

Tea and lacquerware from Fujian Province!

Coffee beans from Yemen!

Musk and Cordyceps sinensis from the Tubo Province!

The Sea Pearl of Basra Province!
Purple silk and enamelware from the Byzantine provinces!

……

These gifts, though not particularly valuable compared to the resources of a single province, demonstrated the vastness of the empire's territory and its powerful economic strength.

The Celestial Empire is vast and rich in resources, possessing everything imaginable. This is not a boast, but an undeniable fact.

Immediately afterwards, envoys from the other four branches of the Mongol Empire, as well as from various countries around the world, presented Zhao He with wedding gifts.

These gifts are worth much more.

Gold was the most common gift, and various rare and precious items were also included.

The people were amazed and felt even more strongly about the power of the Zhao Shuo Khanate.

Then, Zhao Shuo had his heir Zhao He announce three great decrees to the world on his behalf, to congratulate Zhao He on his marriage.

Firstly, all officers and soldiers of the Zhao Shuo Khanate, including those who had retired or even passed away, were each given one tael of silver.

Not only that, starting next January, active-duty officers and soldiers will officially receive monthly salaries. Ordinary soldiers will receive one tael of silver per month. Ten-household commanders will receive two taels of silver. One-hundred-household commanders will receive five taels of silver. One-thousand-household commanders will receive ten taels of silver, and ten-thousand-household commanders will receive twenty taels of silver.

The only exception was the Mongol commanders of thousands, who received salaries of twenty taels of silver per month, the same as Han Chinese commanders of ten thousand.

The officers and soldiers of Zhao Shuo's Khanate originally did not receive salaries. As for the Mongol army, not having to pay taxes was already a great act of benevolence from Zhao Shuo. The Mongol soldiers of the other four branches of the Mongol Empire still had to pay taxes every year.

The Han army operated on a system where seven households supported one soldier. Apart from the distribution of spoils of war, they received only land rent and no salary.

However, nowadays, thanks to the construction of water conservancy projects, the equal-field system, and the extensive use of bird droppings, grain production has increased significantly.

Grain itself is becoming increasingly worthless. With the booming of industry and commerce, if you want to make money, you still have to work in a workshop or have a side job.

The soldiers and officers of the Zhao Shuo Khanate received relatively lower treatment compared to ordinary people.

Therefore, Zhao Shuo decided to officially pay salaries to the field army, in addition to land.

Of course, their original treatment was already quite good, and their salary wasn't much.

Secondly, all officials of the Zhao Shuo Khanate will be granted one tael of silver. In addition, starting from January of next year, salaries will be increased by 10%.

In this era, there was no doubt that the officials of the former Song state enjoyed the highest treatment.

The salaries of officials at all levels in Zhao Shuo Khanate were based on those of the Jin Dynasty, not the Song Dynasty.

Now, the empire's economy is becoming increasingly developed, and officials at all levels still receive their original salaries, although their benefits have been relatively reduced.

Zhao Shuo decided to raise the salaries of officials by 10%.

Who doesn't like getting paid or a raise?
The officials and soldiers present erupted in cheers.

The third imperial decree was for the common people.

Zhao Shuo decided that, in celebration of the Crown Prince's wedding, land taxes across the country would be waived by half the rate next year. The following year, taxes would be collected as usual.

In addition, all provinces in northern China will be exempt from corvée labor next year.

In the Jiangnan region, corvée labor will be reduced by half next year.

There are too many malpractices associated with corvée labor. Local officials who are even slightly unscrupulous can ruthlessly and legally exploit the people.

Zhao Shuo's ultimate goal was to exempt all corvée labor within the territory of China.

However, given the country's current strength, it is far from being able to do so.

Since Annamite slaves were being continuously transported in, Zhao Shuo decided to use the Crown Prince's wedding as a pretext to alleviate the burden on the Chinese people for a year.

In the future, corvée labor will be gradually reduced based on the development of the empire, until it is finally abolished.

The common people were only allowed to attend the crown prince's wedding ceremony before, but they had never heard of any imperial decree!
Just now, when Zhao He, acting on behalf of Zhao Shuo, announced the imperial decree to increase the salaries of court officials and soldiers, he was somewhat envious and jealous.

Now, upon hearing that he too would benefit so greatly, he was both surprised and delighted.

The cheers of "Long live the King! Long live the Crown Prince! Long live the Crown Prince!" resounded through the sky.

After the grand wedding ceremony, all the teahouses and taverns in Zhongdu City were packed, both to celebrate the prince's wedding and to wish him a better life.

That evening, firecrackers crackled and countless fireworks soared into the sky, creating a dazzling spectacle that lit up the night sky – a truly magnificent sight.

Inside Yelü Chucai's residence.

"Zhu'er, what do you think of the Crown Prince's wedding ceremony today?"

Yelü Chucai looked at his second son, Yelü Zhu.

He had two sons, the eldest Yelü Xuan and the younger Yelü Zhu. Yelü Xuan accompanied Zhao He on his western expedition but remained in the west and did not return with Zhao He.

The second son, Yelü Zhu, is not only exceptionally intelligent and expected to follow in Yelü Chucai's footsteps, but he is also seventeen years old this year and can already be considered an adult.

Yelü Zhu said, "The King holds such a grand wedding for the Crown Prince for two reasons. First, to strengthen the Crown Prince's position and let the whole world know that the Crown Prince is the rightful heir."

"Secondly, it's an opportunity to showcase our national strength to the world, using the Crown Prince's wedding as a pretext. Even I, not to mention others, am greatly encouraged. There are two lines of poetry from the Tang Dynasty: 'The palace gates open to the heavens, and the officials of all nations bow before the emperor.' Now, the grandeur of my Zhao Shuo Khanate far surpasses that of the Tang Dynasty! Just thinking about it fills me with pride!"

Yelü Chucai shook his head slightly and said, "Is that all you've thought of?"

"So, what does Father mean..."

“As your father, I think it’s fine for me, but for your generation, you should change back to your original surname.”

"Change back to your original surname?"

Even with Yelü Zhu's intelligence, he was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

After the Jin dynasty destroyed the Liao dynasty, in order to crush the Khitan people's will to resist, they forced the Khitan people to change their surname from "Yelü" to "Yila".

Yelü Chucai, hasn't it already been changed back?

What else needs to be changed?
However, then, a thought suddenly struck him, and he said, "You mean I should change my surname to Han, to Liu?"

"Yes, that's right."

Yelü Chucai said, “We Khitans are descendants of the Han people. Later, the Khitans established the Liao Dynasty, and there were two royal surnames: one was the Khitan surname Yelü, and the other was the Han surname Liu. The later surnames were the Khitan surnames Balibi and Yishi, and the Han surname Xiao.”

“Although I am a Khitan, I am well-versed in Han Chinese poetry and literature and can speak eloquently. However, I do not know a single word of the Khitan script. Since that is the case, why cling to the Khitan surname and insist on passing it down? You and your elder brother should both change your surname to Liu, which will be a return to your original surname.”

Yelü Zhu's eyes lit up, and he said, "That's right, the Khitans are just a branch of the Han people! Now, who still has the surname Balibi or Yishi? They all call themselves Xiao. Our Yelü clan is only now changing back to the surname Liu, which is already considered late."

Actually, there was something else he didn't say.

Zhao Shuo repeatedly claimed that he was "willing to share the world with the Han and Mongol people".

It's too conspicuous that Yelü Chucai, a Khitan, is the prime minister of the empire.

When Zhao Shuo first entered the Central Plains, he was eager to find talented people, which gradually led Yelü Chucai to his current status.

Later, although Yelü Zhu believed his talent was no less than Yelü Chucai's, the empire now had too many talented people.

It was already difficult for him to reach Yelü Chucai's position. Add to that his Khitan heritage, and it became even more impossible!

It's better to change your surname!
From now on, he will be a true descendant of the Han Dynasty, Liu Zhu!
In fact, it wasn't just Yelü Chucai who wanted his son to change his surname to Han.

The officials, soldiers, and civilians of Zhongdu were mostly Han Chinese, but there were also many Khitans, Jurchens, and Bohais. Countless people had long been considering changing their surnames. It was just that this grand wedding, which showcased the power of the Zhao Shuo Khanate, accelerated their decision.

Although the Han Chinese soldiers and civilians didn't have many thoughts about it, they still talked about the wedding with great interest and were still reminiscing about it ten days or half a month later.

The discussion about the wedding only subsided after the envoys from various countries left and returned to their home countries, and the focus then shifted to the heated discussion of conquering Japan.

At the same time, the conquest of Fusang was also put on the agenda for discussion in the imperial court.

Inside the Da'an Hall of the Imperial Palace.

"What? Father, you intend to personally lead an expedition against Japan?"

Zhao He originally thought that Zhao Shuo had transferred him back to Zhongdu for two reasons: first, for his wedding, and second, to let him lead troops to conquer Japan.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Shuo personally led the expedition!
Zhao Shuo nodded and said, "That's true. Firstly, the official figure for Japan's total population is around six million. However, as you know, the registered population is always less than the actual population. I estimate that Japan's population is around seven or eight million, and its army should number in the hundreds of thousands. It's best for me to personally go on a long sea expedition to such a country. And there's the most crucial point..."

"what?"

"He'er, this empire will eventually be handed over to you. You should try to manage such a vast country. When I go to conquer Fusang, you will oversee the capital, with Yelü Chucai as your assistant."

"Then how many troops do you intend to mobilize, Father?"

"All three naval commanders (ten thousand households) will be mobilized. The remaining Han army banners will each select three of their most elite chiliarchs, commanded by the commander of the ten thousand households. A total of 120,000 troops will follow me to destroy Fusang!"

(End of this chapter)