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

Chapter 330 By the mandate of Heaven, may your life be long and prosperous!
Without delay, the next day, Kublai Khan, accompanied by his trusted advisor Liu Bingzhong and escorted by 500 Mongol cavalry, headed towards Zhongdu.

This Liu Bingzhong is the only Han Chinese in the Yuan Dynasty to be granted the title of one of the Three Dukes, as recorded in historical records. He was Kublai Khan's prime minister, instigated the war between Kublai Khan and Ariq Böke, and helped Kublai Khan ascend to the throne of the Great Mongol Empire. He also established the name of the Great Yuan Dynasty and planned the capital city of Dadu.

At the same time, this person had also served as Guo Shoujing's teacher in history.

More than a decade ago, when Zhao Shuo was preparing to build the Suez Canal, he had considered Liu Bingzhong. However, Liu Bingzhong was probably not yet an adult at the time, and Zhao Shuo did not know where he was, so he entrusted the task to Hu Ju and Qin Jiushao.

In fact, Liu Bingzhong was not yet born when the Mongol Empire first invaded the Jin Dynasty; his father, Liu Run, had already surrendered to Genghis Khan.

Later, Liu Run joined Tolui's forces.

Liu Bingzhong is thirty-three years old this year and has already become Kublai Khan's trusted advisor.

However, just as Kublai Khan and Liu Bingzhong set off, a major event occurred in China.

"What? It's really found! Haha! Heaven is helping Jia Sidao! Heaven is helping the King!"

Jia Sidao stared at the wooden box in front of him, which emitted a strong, damp, and unpleasant odor, his eyes practically shining.

Since joining Zhao Shuo fourteen years ago, Jia Sidao has experienced ups and downs in his official career, and three years ago he had already reached the position of Vice Minister of Works.

During the Jin and Song dynasties, the position of Langzhong in the Ministry of Works was a sixth or seventh-rank official. The Zhao Shuo Khanate valued the Ministry of Works, and this position was of a higher rank, a lower fifth-rank official, placing it among the mid-level officials of the state.

To be fair, Jia Sidao's rise in rank was not slow.

However, considering that Jia Sidao's sister, Lady Jia, was one of Zhao Shuo's concubines and had given birth to two daughters for him, this promotion speed was by no means fast.

In fact, Zhao Shuo thought Jia Sidao was a talented person, but influenced by historical records, he felt that Jia Sidao's character was not good. Therefore, he never deliberately promoted him. He specifically instructed the Secretariat to promote or demote Jia Sidao in a step-by-step manner, without giving him any preferential treatment.

The problem is, Jia Sidao himself didn't know that!

He was always thinking about pleasing Zhao Shuo and getting promoted.

Two years ago, Jia Sidao found an opportunity and secured the post of "Ambassador for Dredging the Sanggan River".

There were two reasons why the Zhao Shuo Khanate established this post.

Firstly, the Sanggan River flows through the North China Plain and the Loess Plateau, carrying a large amount of silt, and its downstream Lugou River is very close to Zhongdu.

During the flood season, the Sanggan River could easily flood and threaten Zhongdu. Therefore, it is necessary to dredge this river.

Secondly, Zhao Shuo did not build a separate "Yuan Dadu" as the Yuan Dynasty had done in history, but instead made Jin Zhongdu the capital.

As the population grew, the urban area of ​​Zhongdu City gradually became insufficient to meet the needs of the people.

Zhao Shuo wanted to build another "Luocheng" outside Zhongdu to expand the area of ​​Zhongdu city, which required a large amount of timber.

In addition, the newly built railway of the Zhao Shuo Khanate also requires a large number of sleepers.

The timber supply near Zhongdu is insufficient, and it would be detrimental to the environment near Zhongdu if too much damage were done.

This requires the support of timber from Shanxi and Hebei.

Transporting these timbers via the Sanggan River was the cheapest way to do so.

Of course, Jia Sidao didn't fight for this assignment for either of those reasons.

The Sanggan River project was just one of countless projects within the territory of Zhao Shuo Khanate. Even if the task was completed beautifully, it was not a remarkable achievement.

Jia Sidao was interested in a historical record.

"In the second year of Emperor Tianzuo's Baoda reign, the imperial seal was passed down at the Sanggan River!"
If we could find the Imperial Seal of the State by taking advantage of the opportunity to repair the Sanggan River, wouldn't we be rich?
Now, Zhao Shuo has not only conquered all of China's ancient lands, but has also expanded his territory by tens of thousands of miles. Yet he is only known as "King Zhao Shuo" and "Khan of the Zhao Shuo Khanate"!

Countless Han Chinese people hoped that Zhao Shuo would go further and become emperor, as there was still the Mongol Khan above him, and everyone was dissatisfied!
However, Zhao Shuo had initially executed Xuan Zeng, the envoy of the Song state, and refused to declare himself emperor. Later, he didn't reveal any further information, and no one had a good opportunity to do so.

If the Imperial Seal of the State were to reappear, wouldn't that provide a legitimate reason to urge him to ascend the throne? As the one who presented the Imperial Seal of the State, how could Jia Sidao not rise to prominence?

Jia Sidao refused to believe that Zhao Shuo was truly uninterested in that supreme position.

So for the past two years, he has been diligently repairing the river while also organizing people to salvage ancient artifacts from the Sanggan River.

A considerable number of items were salvaged, mostly relics from the Liao Dynasty, including a one-foot-tall gold Buddha. However, the Imperial Seal of the State remained missing, causing Jia Sidao great anxiety.

Today, the Imperial Seal of the State has finally been found!
"This should be the Imperial Seal of the State. Please take a look, Master Jia."

Li Ming, Jia Sidao's deputy, opened the wooden box, revealing a rotten silk fabric. He then carefully peeled back the fabric, and a jade seal appeared before Jia Sidao.

"Lantian white jade! It is indeed top-quality Lantian white jade!"

Jia Sidao's father, Jia She, held the highest official position of Huaidong Military Commissioner, concurrently in charge of the troops in Jingdong and Hebei. In the Song Dynasty, he was a typical high-ranking official in charge of a region.

Jia Sidao had a privileged upbringing and belonged to the upper class of playboys. He had considerable knowledge of jade and could tell the material of this object at a glance.

Then, pick it up and examine it carefully.

Historical records do mention the dragon-tiger knob!
There are cracks on the dragon horns of the dragon-tiger knob. Legend has it that it was broken by Empress Ping when Wang Mang usurped the Han throne.
The seal should have the inscription "Great Wei received the Han throne" engraved on its shoulder. This was done after Cao Pi usurped the Han throne.

The eight characters “受命于天，既寿永昌” (Shouming yu tian, ji shou yong chang) written in seal script by Li Si, the prime minister of the Qin state, are said to be even more remarkable!
What could this be but the lost Imperial Seal of the State, lost by Emperor Tianzuo?!

"Quickly! Send someone with the Imperial Seal of the State to Zhongdu by express courier, covering 800 li, to report the good news to the King!"

Jia Sidao was extremely excited. He felt that God was looking out for him and that he would surely rise to prominence because of this.

Two years ago, when he was vying for the post of "Ambassador for Dredging the Sanggan River," it was simply because the people were eager for Zhao Shuo to ascend the throne.

What now?
On the steppes, a bloodbath ensued in the struggle for the throne of the Mongol Khan. Not only that, but Heaven was enraged, unleashing an unprecedented catastrophe upon the steppes. Countless steppe people changed the songs they had originally dedicated to Genghis Khan to Zhao Shuo!
To say that "Zhao Shuo's intentions are obvious to everyone" might be inaccurate. After all, Zhao Shuo never hinted at wanting to become the Great Khan of the Mongols. Nor did his actions contribute to any internal strife on the steppes.

However, it is always true that "Zhao Shuo was the Great Khan of the Mongols, the popular choice, and in accordance with the will of Heaven and the people."

Both Han Chinese and Mongols hoped that Zhao Shuo would ascend to the throne, end the bloodshed on the grasslands, and maintain the Great Mongol Empire.

In any case, that very evening, the Imperial Seal and Jia Sidao's memorial arrived at the Secretariat.

The news spread like wildfire throughout Zhongdu the next day.

It wasn't that Zhao Shuo's Secretariat was riddled with holes, but rather that the Imperial Seal of the State had been unearthed—a good thing, so why hide it? The Imperial Seal of the State was seen by countless laborers.

With so many people seeing this, wouldn't the tabloid reporters know too?
The next morning, there were already four or five private newspapers advertising that "the Imperial Seal of the State has appeared."

In Zhongdu, within the Imperial College, in one courtyard.

The Imperial Academy was the highest institution of learning for scholars in the Zhao Shuo Khanate. Half of its students came from outstanding sons and nephews of Mongol nobles, Han soldiers, members of the Semu Eight Banners army, and civil officials of the fifth rank or above who aspired to a literary career. The other half were bright individuals from the common people who entered through examinations. Tuition was free, and three meals a day were provided. Furthermore, those with excellent academic performance could receive scholarships.

This place can be said to be the place with the highest loyalty to Zhao Shuo's court.

"It is the Mandate of Heaven, it is the Mandate of Heaven for our King! Now the Great Mongol Empire is without a ruler, and the Imperial Seal has reappeared. Your Majesty should be the Son of Heaven! I am going to Chengtian Gate to petition Your Majesty to ascend the throne as Emperor, the Great Khan of the Mongols. Will you go?"

"Go! Why wouldn't we go? A country cannot be without a ruler for even a day. The Great Mongol Empire has been without a ruler for two years! Heaven has brought the Imperial Seal into existence to urge the King to ascend the throne!"

"If the king does not ascend the throne, what will become of the people?"

……

Students of the Imperial Academy responded enthusiastically.

One Mongolian student, around fifteen or sixteen years old, shouted, "Let's go! Let's go! We beg the King to ascend the throne and become the Great Khan of the Mongol Empire!"

"Ok?"

Seeing all the students looking at him, the student said, "Why are you all looking at me? I truly hope that Your Majesty will become the Great Khan of the Mongols!"

There are reasons why the students view him this way.

This man was named Tuorchi, the second son of Manggesar, a general in the line of Tolui.

He began to explain, “Logically, I should have hoped that Tolui Khan’s lineage would ascend to the throne. However, since this war for the throne began on the steppe, I have thought about it a lot.”

"After Genghis Khan's death, there were some setbacks when Ögedei Khan succeeded to the throne. Later, when Güyük Khan succeeded to the throne, the steppe was only one step away from war. After Güyük Khan's death, war broke out directly."

"After much thought, I believe the root cause is that Genghis Khan gave most of the army to Tolui's lineage, but the Khanate to Ögedei's lineage. The title and the reality did not match, so how could the Great Mongol Empire not be in chaos?"

"Even if Zhao Shuo Khan is virtuous and mediates this conflict, what about next time? As long as the title and reality continue to be inconsistent, war will surely break out again when it comes to the succession of the Khanate, and the Mongols will suffer terribly."

"To fundamentally eliminate the threat and prevent the grasslands from going to war over the Khan's throne, the title must be consistent with reality."

"Currently, Zhao Shuohan is the most powerful. If he doesn't become the Great Khan, who will? At the very least, it should be Crown Prince Zhao He!"

"The great calamity on the grasslands and the appearance of the Imperial Seal of the State indicate that the Eternal Heaven also intends this! Of course, I must support Zhao Shuo Khan's ascension to the throne!"

Tuerchi's words were both reasonable and persuasive, and immediately drew cheers from the crowd.

The students were greatly encouraged and went together to the square outside Chengtianmen to petition.

Of course, just because they want to petition doesn't mean Zhao Shuo should meet with them. That doesn't make sense.

The students of the Imperial Academy were told that they were all students and should focus on their studies; important matters of the court were not for them to meddle in, and that the king had his own plans. They were then sent back.

However, it didn't matter, the students from the Imperial College went again the next day.

This time, students from Zhongdu Martial Arts Academy and Zhongdu Craftsmen Academy were also included.

On the third day, the citizens of Zhongdu City began to join the petition.

By the fifth day, Chengtianmen Square was packed with over 100,000 people. Only then did Zhao Shuo arrive at Chengtianmen.

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

Hundreds of thousands of people knelt down in unison, and there was complete silence.

Standing atop the Chengtian Gate tower, Zhao Shuo showed no joy on his face and said in a deep voice, "Ordinary people are one thing, as are the Zhongdu Martial Arts Academy and the Zhongdu Craftsmen Academy. But the students of the Imperial Academy have truly disappointed me in their performance on this matter."

"Yes, Jia Sidao retrieved an imperial seal from the Sanggan River, which could very well be the one lost by Emperor Tianzuo of Liao."

"However, you are well-versed in history, do you not know how to distinguish truth from falsehood? During the Later Tang Dynasty, the last emperor Li Congke and his entire clan, along with Empress Dowager Cao, committed suicide by burning themselves in the Xuanwu Tower, and the Imperial Seal of the State was destroyed in the fire."

"Later, the Liao Dynasty, in order to prove that it had the Mandate of Heaven, forged an Imperial Seal. The Song Dynasty, not to be outdone, also forged one. The Song Dynasty's forged seal has long been in the national treasury! Now, isn't the Liao Dynasty's forged seal also in the national treasury? What's so surprising about that?"

"Moreover, the so-called Imperial Seal of the State is, in the final analysis, nothing more than the national seal of the Qin and Han dynasties. I don't have the Imperial Seal of the State, yet I still possess the Zhao Shuo Khanate spanning tens of thousands of miles, and I still have a million elite warriors. Can the Qin and Han dynasties really compare to my Zhao Shuo Khanate? Even if the Imperial Seal of the State made from the He Shi Bi jade were to appear in the world, what would that prove?"

"Furthermore, since ancient times, the stability of a nation has depended on virtue, not on strategic location, and certainly not on any imperial seal!"

"In short, let this matter rest. Never mention my ascension to the throne again! All of you, go back! Especially the students of the Imperial Academy, cancel your vacation this month and study hard so that you can serve the country in the future."

After speaking, Zhao Shuo turned around and, escorted by armored soldiers, descended the Chengtian Gate tower and returned to the palace.

Hu~~
A man in his thirties in the crowd breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this.

This person was Kublai Khan.

He hadn't even arrived in Zhongdu City when he heard the news of the Imperial Seal of the State appearing in the world. He was extremely anxious and only arrived in Zhongdu City today.

Kublai Khan said in a low voice, "Judging from Zhao He's uncle's words, he still seems uninterested in the Khanate of the Great Mongol Empire. We still have hope."

What hope is there?

Liu Bingzhong said with a wry smile, "Fourth Prince, you're really letting your concern cloud your judgment."

What he actually wanted to say was "wise all his life, but foolish for a moment," but he swallowed the words back down.

Liu Bingzhong said, "Take a close look. Did those students from the Imperial Academy show any signs of dejection after being reprimanded by Zhao Shuohan? Besides, with so many outstanding students and learned scholars in the Imperial Academy, how could they not know the background and consequences of the Imperial Seal?"

Kublai Khan frowned slightly and said, "You mean, they knew the Imperial Seal was fake, but they treated it as real, just to have an excuse to put Zhao Shuo on the throne, because that's what the people want?"

"What do you mean by real or fake? It's just an imperial seal. As long as the court is willing to acknowledge it, even a fake one is real. If the court isn't willing to acknowledge it, even a real one is fake. And the most crucial thing is..."

After a pause, Liu Bingzhong sighed and said, "When the emperor of China ascends the throne, he is expected to decline the throne three times. The execution of the Song envoy at the Meridian Gate was the first time. This reprimand of the students of the Imperial Academy is the second. I'm afraid it won't be long before Zhao Shuo 'receives the mandate of heaven and enjoys a long and prosperous life'!"

(End of this chapter)