I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 289 Zhao Yu: I Don't Want to Be a Second Zhu Di
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Sometimes, Zhao Yu, in his arrogance, would think, 'I've already industrialized, why should I be afraid of nomads? Otherwise, I'll just lead the Divine Machine Army and the Four Auxiliary Armies north, and sweep through the Liao, Jin, and Mongol kingdoms all at once!'

But after calming down, Zhao Yu would shake his head and smile wryly, 'This isn't as easy as it seems.'

Despite the fact that Zhao Yu had powerful firearms created by Li Lin and Ma Xiaojiao that seemed capable of sweeping the world, the firearms that the Zhao Song Dynasty possessed at that time were actually about the same as those possessed by the Ming Dynasty.

Historically, the Ming Dynasty had an advantage in firearms compared to the Mongols and the Jianzhou Jurchens. Zhu Di launched several northern expeditions against the Mongols, but he was never able to completely wipe them out. In the later period of the Ming Dynasty, the rise of the Jianzhou Jurchens was also not stopped, and in the end, the Jianzhou Jurchens seized the Ming Dynasty's throne.

The reason for this is that firearms are not actually a panacea.

Let's start with Mongolia.

The Mongol tribes were nomadic, with no fixed abode, and their activities covered a vast area including the Mongolian Plateau and southern Siberia. Although the Ming army had firearms (such as the muskets and cannons of the Shenji Battalion), once they penetrated deep into the grasslands, they found it difficult to track the main Mongol force. The Mongol cavalry were extremely mobile and could use their speed to evade firearms attacks, waiting for the Ming army to run out of supplies before launching a counterattack.

However, firearms are heavily reliant on ammunition and logistics, and the harsh grassland environment and excessively long supply lines limit their ability to sustain combat operations.

This forced Zhu Di to define the core purpose of the Northern Expedition as "deterrence" rather than "extermination."

The problem was that Mongolia was not a unified regime, but rather fragmented into tribes such as the Tatars and the Oirats. Each attack by the Ming army could only severely damage one tribe, but could not eradicate it. As a result, other tribes would quickly fill the power vacuum, making it difficult to maintain long-term suppression.

This meant that the Ming Dynasty could only force the Mongols to submit through military force (such as investiture and tribute), and could not completely occupy the grasslands.

Of course, this is also because the grasslands are not suitable for farming and the cost of governing them is too high. Therefore, the Ming Dynasty did not want to occupy the grasslands, but only wanted these nomadic peoples to stop harassing them and disturbing their happy life.

Furthermore, while the Ming Dynasty's firearms were advanced, early firearms suffered from slow rates of fire and susceptibility to weather conditions (such as rain and snow causing them to misfire), offering limited defensive effectiveness against the concentrated charges of Mongol cavalry. Moreover, the Mongols would gradually master firearms technology through capture and trade, further narrowing the gap.

Let's talk about the Jianzhou Jurchens.

During Nurhaci's reign, the Jianzhou Jurchens had formed a unified regime (also known as the Later Jin), adopting the "Eight Banners System," which combined military and civilian forces and made them highly effective in combat.

Their activity area (the mountains and plains of Northeast China) has complex terrain, which is suitable for cavalry maneuvering and can also be used for defense based on the mountains.

The Ming army's firearms (especially heavy artillery) were difficult to deploy flexibly, making it difficult to attack fortified positions.

Later, the Later Jin gradually established its own firearms force (such as the "Heavy Artillery Battalion") by capturing firearms from the Ming army (such as Yuan Chonghuan's "Red Barbarian Cannon") and recruiting Han craftsmen to imitate them.

By the time of Huang Taiji, the firearms technology of the Later Jin had approached that of the Ming army, and even surpassed it in siege warfare (such as the Battle of Songjin), and the Ming Dynasty's advantage in firearms no longer existed.

In short, firearms are only one of the tools of war, and their effectiveness is constrained by multiple factors such as geographical environment, logistical support, the adaptability of the opponent, national strength and strategy.

It's not that the Song Dynasty, having acquired some firearms, could sweep away the Liao, Jin, and Mongol empires.

Zhao Yu clearly understood that if the Song army suddenly used firearms to fight against the Liao and Jin armies, they would likely suffer repeated defeats in the early stages. However, the idea of ​​completely annihilating the Liao and Jin states, as well as the various Mongol tribes scattered throughout the grasslands, was merely wishful thinking.

If we act blindly, the agricultural civilization and the nomadic/hunting/fishing civilization will inevitably be locked in a long-term struggle.

If the Song Dynasty were to demonstrate overwhelming strength, the Liao and Jin dynasties, in order to survive, might even set aside their grudges and join forces against the Song Dynasty.

It's important to understand that, not to mention that the hatred between the Liao and Jin dynasties hasn't been fully established yet, even in history, when the Jin dynasty destroyed the Liao dynasty, enslaved Liao men, seized Liao women, and desecrated Liao ancestral tombs, many Liao people later surrendered to the Jin dynasty and became Jin people.

Furthermore, the various Mongol tribes scattered across the grasslands, which were not yet unified, posed a significant threat to Zhao Yu.

If Zhao Yu had chosen to act recklessly, he might have become just another Zhu Di, nominally sweeping across the grasslands several times, but in reality, he would have been unable to completely incorporate the vast grasslands into the territory of the Song Dynasty. Instead, he would have exhausted the country's strength in endless tug-of-war, ultimately earning the reputation of being "all talk and no action".

The resilience, fluidity, and adaptability of the tribes on the grasslands are like the wind—invisible yet omnipresent. No matter how fierce the blow, they can always find a crack, tenaciously survive, and rejuvenate. If they cannot be completely conquered, they can only be allowed to roam freely in the vast grasslands, sometimes gathering and sometimes dispersing, like the wolf packs on the grasslands, forever difficult to eradicate completely.

Zhao Yu understood that war was not merely a contest of weapons and brute force, but also a game of wisdom, patience, and strategy. True victory lay not in temporary gains or losses on the battlefield, but in the ability to construct a stable and far-reaching strategic framework.

Long ago, Zhao Yu began to consider how to utilize the advantage of firearms at his disposal, while drawing lessons from history and combining various means such as diplomacy, economy, and culture to avoid repeating past mistakes.

Zhao Yu said to himself, "Conquering by force alone is not only costly but also unsustainable. True wisdom lies not in how many weapons one possesses, but in how to use them wisely to achieve the greatest victory at the lowest cost."

Furthermore, technological advantages can easily be negated by the opponent's mobility and copying of their strategies. Naturally, the later you reveal your trump cards, the less the enemy will fear you, and the more unexpected results you can achieve, thus increasing your chances of final victory.

The key point is that Zhao Yu previously instigated public resentment by implementing the "Equal Grain Payment for Gentry" and "Equalization of Land Tax" in order to resolve the severe imbalance between rich and poor within the Zhao Song Dynasty. Frankly speaking, this caused considerable damage to the Zhao Song Dynasty, which needed time to recuperate and gradually restore its national strength.

But most importantly, what is politics?

To put it bluntly, politics is all about winning hearts and minds.

In politics, the way to defeat your enemy is simple: make as many friends as possible, make as few friends as possible, and then eliminate the enemy in one fell swoop.

Remember, it is a sin not to kill a snake if you see one, and a sin not to kill a snake if you kill one.

Therefore, in this war between Liao and Jin, Zhao Yu would let the two sides fight first. When Liao could no longer hold on, and the hatred between Liao and Jin had developed to the point where some Liao people were irreconcilably at odds with Jin people, it would not be too late for Zhao Yu to step forward and reap the fruits of victory.

Therefore, during the war between Liao and Jin, Zhao Yu fully implemented the reforms he had previously formulated, especially in the Jinghu and Shu regions where the gentry and landlords had not been severely damaged. Furthermore, he exempted areas that had previously suffered heavy losses from the Song Jiang and Fang La rebel armies from taxes, allowing them to recuperate.

In addition, Zhao Yu undertook large-scale infrastructure projects, such as the renovation of the Grand Canal.

The previous Sui and Tang Grand Canal, centered on Luoyang, had a circuitous route. Traveling from the south to Yan (an ancient state in ancient China) required detouring through Luoyang, resulting in long transportation distances and high costs, which could not meet the urgent needs of the front lines for transporting supplies.

If war were to break out with the Liao or Jin dynasties, a large amount of resources would be needed to maintain rule and support the army. By modifying the Grand Canal, supplies from the south could be delivered directly to Yan (the ancient state of Yan), reducing transportation time and losses.

Due to war and siltation, parts of the Sui-Tang Grand Canal were gradually abandoned, and its route was circuitous (e.g., from Hangzhou to Luoyang and then to Yanjing). Once the Song Dynasty launched an attack on the north, it needed a more direct north-south passage. Specifically, Emperor Zhao Yu ordered the connection of the Wen and Si Rivers, opening up a waterway from the Huai River to Shandong, allowing southern goods to enter Shandong via the Huai River. He also ordered the connection of the Jizhou River and the Imperial Canal, changing the canal route from the circuitous Luoyang direction to a straight line, directly connecting Shandong and Hebei, shortening the north-south distance. Simultaneously, he ordered the connection of Zhuozhou and Tongzhou, ultimately linking with the Bai River, allowing the canal to reach Zhuozhou and even Jishuitan in Yanjing, solving the final transportation problem from Tongzhou to Zhuozhou (and even to Yanjing).

Emperor Zhao Yu's modifications to the Grand Canal did not involve completely "digging" a new canal. Instead, he straightened, dredged, and constructed new sections on the existing canal. Through these projects, a north-south Grand Canal was formed, connecting Hangzhou directly to the Song-Liao border (and even reaching Yanjing). This route was nearly a thousand kilometers shorter than the Sui-Tang Grand Canal, significantly improving transportation efficiency. Strategic materials such as grain from the south could be efficiently transported to the north via the canal, ensuring the Song Dynasty's logistical supply lines during wartime and promoting economic and cultural exchanges between the north and south.

In addition to dredging inland waterways, Zhao Yu also ordered the construction of more ships and seaports to increase maritime transport capacity.

To this end, Ma Xiaojiao even helped Zhao Yu "invent" the shipping container and the simple crane that came with it, and left room for future inventions of trucks and trains.

It is worth mentioning that Qiongzhou Port and Guangzhou Port already have special elephant carts for pulling empty containers, as well as elephants for transporting goods.

In addition, Zhao Yu ordered the construction of roads.

This is both a proactive measure to prepare for future land-based transportation of goods and a way to lay the foundation for future railway construction.

In fact, the Song Dynasty had already been building these infrastructure projects.

By undertaking large-scale infrastructure construction, Zhao Yu provided countless jobs for the people of the Song Dynasty, giving them a means of livelihood. This alleviated the economic shock caused by the initial reforms of "Equal Grain Payment for Gentry" and "Equalization of Land Tax and Labor Service," gradually stabilizing society and subtly improving the people's living standards. The people saw hope in their labor, and the foundation of the nation became increasingly solid.

Emperor Zhao Yu understood that a nation's strength lay not only in military might, but also in the cohesion of its people and the prosperity of its economy. His series of infrastructure projects not only improved logistics efficiency and facilitated the flow of goods between the north and south, but also subtly increased people's income and national cohesion, allowing them to experience an unprecedented sense of national identity while improving their living conditions.

In short, while the Liao and Jin dynasties were locked in fierce fighting, Zhao Yu not only undertook large-scale infrastructure construction but also vigorously developed the military, agriculture, economy, science and technology, commerce, people's livelihood, education, and healthcare of the Song Dynasty, making ample preparations for the upcoming war and laying a solid foundation for the long-term development of the Song Dynasty.

……

In the twelfth year of the Hongwu reign (1389), Wanyan Xieye first led his troops to capture Taizhou. At the end of the year, Wanyan Hanlugu led his troops to a great victory over the Liao army at Jili Mountain, and then seized Xianzhou. Subsequently, seven nearby prefectures also surrendered to the Jin dynasty. The Jin dynasty had essentially controlled the entire northeastern region.

With this expansion of territory, the Jin Dynasty faced more and more problems.

The biggest problem was that, due to years of war, the population of Northeast China had plummeted, fields lay fallow, the economy was in ruins, people were displaced, and society was unstable. Coupled with the long, harsh winters, the food shortage was particularly severe, making life unbearable for the people.

Wanyan Aguda gathered a group of high-ranking officials from the Jin state to discuss countermeasures.

Wanyan Wuqimai, who was in charge of the rear, said in a deep voice: "Everything else can be dealt with later, but the problem of food shortage is the most urgent."

The Prime Minister, Wanyan Sagai, also said, "The unrest here is mostly due to food shortages. If we cannot quickly resolve the food problem, I fear that the newly acquired territories will lose the hearts of the people and shake the foundation of the country." His brows were furrowed, and his words revealed a hint of worry.

Wanyan Aguda looked at Wanyan Xieye and Wanyan Hanlugu, hoping they could capture enough grain for the Jin Kingdom to get through the winter.

Wanyan Xie also shook his head: "Before Yu Du withdrew from Taizhou, he burned a large amount of grain."

Wanyan Hanlugu said, "I do have some, but the people of Xianzhou and other prefectures are barely able to feed themselves, let alone have surplus grain for military use." His voice was heavy, and his face was full of helplessness.

Silence fell over the main hall. Everyone looked troubled, and the atmosphere was so heavy that it was almost freezing.

After a long while, Wanyan Aguda said, "Tell Helu and Dadiwu to go to the Song Dynasty again and buy another 100...2 million shi of grain."

All the Jin people knew that this was the best solution at present, and it would definitely solve the problem of food shortage in the Jin Kingdom.

The problem is that the Zhao Song Dynasty sells grain at too high a price. If they really buy two million shi of grain from the Zhao Song Dynasty, not only will all the battles in these several prefectures be for nothing, but the gold, silver, cattle, and sheep that they have worked so hard to seize will probably all be seized for the Zhao Song Dynasty.

So, you're not going to buy it?
If they don't buy, the people of Jin will find it difficult to survive this harsh winter, their morale will be severely damaged, and the newly acquired territory will become unstable, even at risk of being lost again. At that time, the people's hearts will be scattered, the foundation of the country will be shaken, and the hard-won foundation may be destroyed in an instant, with unimaginable consequences. This is undoubtedly a dilemma, a desperate measure, a situation where one is caught between a rock and a hard place.

For a moment, all the Jurchens in the hall frowned and their eyes darted around. They knew the weight of buying grain, yet they were also distressed by its high price. They were all weighing the pros and cons, considering the future of their country and their current predicament.

The thought of the Song Dynasty taking advantage of the situation to make exorbitant demands weighed heavily on the hearts of Wanyan Zonghan, Wanyan Zongwang, and other young members of the Jin Dynasty.

Wanyan Zonghan gritted his teeth and said, "Buy! Grain is the foundation of a nation and the basis of its people. Even if it costs us everything, we must ensure that the people of my Great Jin can safely get through the winter. As for the greed of the Song people, we will settle that score with them properly after I conquer the Khitan!"

Wanyan Zonghan's words resonated with the younger generation of the Jin Dynasty, including Wanyan Zongwang. Their continuous victories had made them proud and fierce generals, so how could they be willing to endure others' "extortion and blackmail"?
Wanyan Aguda scolded, "Watch your words!"

Wanyan Zonghan and his men were unaware of the gravity of the situation. Wanyan Aguda, who had witnessed the Song army's fighting strength and Zhao Yu's methods, knew that the Song Dynasty was not the Liao Dynasty. They had the potential to defeat the Liao Dynasty, but they could never shake the foundation of the Song Dynasty.

Wanyan Aguda knew very well that although the Jin Dynasty had achieved many great feats on the battlefield, its national strength was still shallow and its foundation was not stable. Compared with the wealthy and powerful Zhao Song Dynasty, there was still a considerable gap.

The key point is that whenever Wanyan Aguda thinks of Zhao Yu's figure that he saw from afar under the city walls of Yanjing, and of the stories he has heard about Zhao Yu over the years, he feels an uncontrollable fear of Zhao Yu.

'Unless absolutely necessary, we must never become enemies with the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty.'

However, the younger generation of the Jin Dynasty, including Wanyan Zonghan, did not think so. They believed that the Song and Liao Dynasties had been fighting for more than a hundred years, and the Zhao Song Dynasty had not been able to completely defeat the Liao Dynasty or recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, which had been longed for by successive emperors of the Zhao Song Dynasty. This was enough to show that the strength of the Song and Liao Dynasties was about the same. Since they could defeat the Liao Dynasty, they could definitely defeat the Zhao Song Dynasty.

Some even thought that Wanyan Aguda was too cowardly, and that their Jin Dynasty would soon become the hegemon of the world.

Ok.

It's too early to talk about these things now.

Furthermore, with Wanyan Agu suppressing them, young people from the Jin Dynasty like Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Zongwang dared not act recklessly.

But Wanyan Aguda will die someday, won't he...?

……

(End of this chapter)