I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

...

Zhao Yu instructed his six sons, who had become feudal lords, to take the initiative. This did not mean that they should recklessly charge into battle and send troops to attack the Karluks within their respective territories. Rather, it meant that they should activate their contingency plans and launch a propaganda campaign while fighting the Karluks within their own territories.

It should be noted that the Karluks had indeed made contributions during the Song Dynasty's conquest of the Western Karakhanid Khanate.

Before Zhao Yu's sons could fully take over their vassal states, they "discarded the millstone after it had served its purpose," which is a bad thing to say.

Once the Song Dynasty is branded as a "discarding the millstone after it has served its purpose," it will inevitably lose the support of the Central Asian tribes.

It's important to understand that the Western Karakhanid Khanate was merely the starting point of the Song Dynasty's westward expedition, not its end. Not to mention the numerous countries and tribes in Europe and Africa further afield, just considering the Western Karakhanid Khanate, to the west lay the Abbasid Caliphate, to the north the Kipchak Khanate, and to the south the Ghaznavid Dynasty and various Indian kingdoms. Moreover, along the way were dozens of other tribes such as the Kangli and Hephthalites, all of whom were watching how the Song Dynasty would treat the Karluks.

If they see that the Song Dynasty is treating its "meritorious officials" poorly, these tribes might at least refuse to supply them with provisions, or even defect to the enemy. In such a case, the Song Dynasty's western expedition would be in a predicament of "no tribes to aid it and no supplies along the way," which might lead to the failure of the Song Dynasty's western expedition.

More importantly, since the Karluks have already surrendered, they are now vassals of the Song Dynasty. Today, out of fear, the Song Dynasty may annihilate the meritorious tribes, but tomorrow, out of suspicion, it may suppress other surrendered tribes.

If this is not handled properly, the newly conquered former territory of the Western Karakhanid Khanate and the cities in Transoxiana will be filled with fear and insecurity. The Sogdian merchants and the remnants of the Western Karakhanid Khanate who were originally loyal to the Khanate will all harbor rebellious intentions.

At that time, the Song Dynasty would have to divide its troops to guard the new territory, deal with the Karluk rebellion, and prepare for the western expedition. With these three constraints, its military and financial resources would inevitably be dragged down.

In the end, the Song Dynasty's grand plan to conquer the west may come to a standstill in the Western Karakhanid Khanate.

Therefore, Zhao Yu ordered his sons to activate the contingency plan, to both annihilate the Karluks and issue proclamations, thus waging a propaganda war while simultaneously winning the battle of annihilation.

If this propaganda campaign can hit the nail on the head and solidify the claim that the Karluks are "rebellious by nature," the Song Dynasty can completely reverse public opinion and make the "punishment of the rebels" a righteous act recognized by all the Central Asian tribes.

Zhao Yu and his ministers had already discussed this matter. In this proclamation, they would not only list the evidence that the Karluks were currently secretly communicating with the Kangli and harboring rebellious intentions, but also trace their past hundreds of years of betrayal and surrender, so that the mark of "fickleness" would be deeply engraved on the Central Asian land.

Under the embellishment of Song Dynasty literati, the proclamation of the Song Dynasty explicitly stated:

The Karluk tribe harbored disloyal intentions since the Tang Dynasty. In the Battle of Talas, the Tang army was initially locked in a stalemate with the Abbasid Caliphate. It was the Karluk tribe's defection and surprise attack from the rear that left the Tang army attacked from both sides, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of soldiers and the failure of the Tang's Central Asian campaign.

Such acts of betraying one's master for personal gain are already ingrained in the very blood of their people.

They also spread these ideas through storytellers, crosstalk performers, and flower drum performers unique to the Song Dynasty, as well as through Akhen, Dastyar, Hu merchant performers, Sogdian wandering minstrels, and even wandering poets from the West.

There's no need to elaborate on the itinerant performers within the Song Dynasty.

The best among them had long been incorporated into the Song Dynasty court, and the current events they disseminated were actually compiled by the Song Dynasty's propaganda department.

—Even programs performed by artists not affiliated with the Propaganda Department must be reviewed by the Propaganda Department. If any artist's performance fails to pass the review of the Song Dynasty's Propaganda Department, they will be severely punished.

Of course, this wasn't all bad for these wandering performers. You see, as long as they were recruited by the Propaganda Department, the imperial court would give them an extra "salary" if they carried out propaganda work according to the department's instructions. Moreover, the imperial court didn't take the money they earned themselves, making their lives more comfortable than ordinary people.

So why wouldn't these street performers be happy to do it?
Those wandering performers who were not recruited by the propaganda department could also voluntarily go to the propaganda departments at all levels of the Song Dynasty to participate in the assessment. As long as they had certain talents, the propaganda department would recruit them.

This western expedition of the Song Dynasty brought with it a large number of wandering artists recruited by the propaganda department, who were then sent to wage a propaganda war.

However, the performances by these wandering artists from the Song Dynasty were certainly not well-suited to Central Asia, at least not in the short term.

To solve this problem, the Song Dynasty's propaganda department directly recruited the "wandering artists" from Central Asia.

They are Aken and Dastgarh.

The former are "wandering artists" from the Kazakh-Kyrgyz region. They play the dombra, sing epics or current events, and travel to grassland tribes to spread news.

The latter refers to "wandering artists" from the Persian-Central Asian region who told stories and sang tales, traveling between city-states and post stations to convey military, political, and civilian information.

They also turned tribal conflicts and changes of city ownership into songs, targeting herders and ordinary people.

In addition, there were Sogdian merchants and artists, who used their performing arts as a cover to connect Central Asia with the Western Regions and the Central Plains, and to spread news from afar.

These people often performed at markets, post stations, and tribal gatherings, serving as a hub for information among the people of Central Asia, with a wider reach than the official postal system.

Before the Song Dynasty launched its western expedition, it had already begun to recruit these Arken, Dastyar, Hu merchants and artists, Sogdian wandering minstrels, and even Western troubadours, providing them with generous incomes and teaching them the programs that the Song Dynasty wanted them to promote.

After the Song Dynasty invaded Central Asia, it immediately recruited these Akhen, Dastyar, Hu merchants, artists, and Sogdian wanderers, incorporating them into the Song Dynasty's propaganda department to help the Song Dynasty wage propaganda war.

This time, these Akhen, Dastgar, Hu merchants, artists, and Sogdian wanderers were spreading rumors that after the Karluks surrendered to the Western Karakhanid Dynasty, they were granted titles and their pastures, but when the Western Karakhanid Dynasty was in danger, they colluded with the Song Dynasty to divide its territory, leading to the demise of the Western Karakhanid Dynasty, the capture of the royal family and nobles by the Song Dynasty, and the collapse of the country.

The Song Dynasty's proclamation and propaganda department simultaneously launched an attack, stating: Now that the Song Dynasty has marched into Central Asia to quell the chaos and restore peace to the region, the Karluks have shown no gratitude. Instead, taking advantage of the newly established and unstable foundation of the Song Dynasty's vassal states, they have secretly contacted the Kangli, exchanging information and weapons, intending to coordinate an attack from within and without to overthrow the Song Dynasty's vassal states and revive their past ambitions of betraying their former masters and establishing their own independent territories.

Whether it was the proclamation from the Song Dynasty or the performances by these itinerant artists, they all included the contents of secret letters between the Karluks and the Kangli, as well as the marks of military equipment intercepted by the Song Dynasty and testimonies of the tribes gathered by caravans.

Each and every one of these cases is supported by evidence, making everyone realize that this is by no means a baseless rumor.

The Song Dynasty then ordered officials from the feudal states who had pledged allegiance to the Song, Sogdian merchants, and surrendered Karakhanid remnants to spread the various misdeeds of the Karluks, making these crimes known to every household in the Seven Rivers and Transoxiana regions.

In this way, the Karluks went from being "meritorious officials of the Song Dynasty" to "traitors in Central Asia," and the Song Dynasty's campaign against them changed from "discarding the millstone after it has served its purpose" to "acting on behalf of Heaven."

At the same time, Zhao Yu also rewarded the nobles of the Ferghana tribe, who had also helped the Song Dynasty attack the Western Karakhanid Khanate. He granted them a large, very fertile grassland on the grounds that their ancestors had always stood on the side of the Tang Dynasty when fighting against the Abbasid Caliphate. He also promised that if they made any more great contributions, he would grant them a fiefdom.

Upon seeing this, the various tribes of Central Asia would understand that the Song Dynasty was not treating its meritorious officials poorly, but rather severely punishing the rebels.

Those tribes that were originally suspicious will also become wary of the Karluks because of their past misdeeds, and will understand the Song Dynasty's actions.

Those forces that were already allied with the Song Dynasty would be even more determined to submit, and would actively provide provisions and intelligence to help the Song Dynasty quell the rebellion.

Even the Kangli and Hephthalite tribes, who wanted to fight against the Song Dynasty, dared not intervene rashly when they saw that the Song Dynasty had a legitimate reason for its war and that public opinion was in an uproar. Instead, they distanced themselves from the Karluks to avoid being implicated and punished. For the Song Dynasty's western expedition, this laid the groundwork for achieving twice the result with half the effort.

This not only eliminated potential threats in the rear, but also established the Song Dynasty's authority in Central Asia by suppressing the rebellion, and declared to the countries along the route: The Song Dynasty treats those who submit well and punishes those who rebel severely; those who obey us prosper and those who oppose us perish.

If all goes well, when the Song army advances westward, facing powerful enemies such as the Abbasid Caliphate and the Kipchak, the Central Asian tribes will surely surrender and dare not cause trouble. There will be no obstacles to the supply of food and the passage of key roads.

Under the dual blows of public opinion suppression and military pressure, the Karluk tribes will inevitably split internally. Some tribes will surrender voluntarily out of fear of the might of the Song Dynasty, while the stubborn resisters will be weak and powerless due to the loss of external support and popular support. The Song Dynasty will then be able to quell the internal strife at the lowest cost and concentrate all its energy on advancing the western expedition, truly realizing "the legitimate elimination of internal troubles and the far-reaching spread of its prestige and virtue to the western frontier."

In short, only by seizing the initiative in public opinion, erasing the stigma of "discarding the millstone after it has served its purpose," and appeasing the hearts of the Central Asian tribes, could the Song Dynasty legitimately and justifiably eliminate the Karluks without shaking the foundation of its western expedition. This would not only remove internal troubles but also establish the prestige of the Song Dynasty and pave the way for subsequent western expeditions to quell the disturbances caused by its vassal states.

As for whether or not the Karluks can be wiped out?

Yes.

The Karluk tribe numbered in the hundreds of thousands, even millions, scattered throughout the Syr Darya and Fergana Valleys, practicing both nomadic herding and agriculture. They controlled vital passageways for the Song Dynasty's westward expansion. Their people were renowned for their bravery, skill in riding and archery, and were a notoriously warlike tribe of the Central Asian steppes. Historically, the Western Liao Dynasty's campaigns against the Karluks had all failed. If a full-scale war were to break out with them, they might flee into the desert, colluding with the Abbasid Caliphate's Khorasan army to ambush the Song Dynasty's westward expedition, cutting off their supply lines and attacking their flanks.

At that time, the Song Dynasty originally intended to use the vassal states as a rear base for its western expedition, but instead it had to quell the internal strife first, which was tantamount to cutting off its own arm and giving the enemy states in Central Asia an opportunity to take advantage of it.

On the other hand, if the Song Dynasty allowed the cunning, fickle, and powerful Karluks to remain behind its rear, its western expedition would face endless troubles.

Rather than doing that, it would be better to take advantage of the fact that the entire Song Dynasty expeditionary force is in the Western Karakhanid Khanate and wipe out the Karluks with lightning speed, setting an example for future enemies...

……

Without mentioning how the Song Dynasty's expeditionary force and Zhao Yu's sons quelled the rebellion and eliminated the Karluks.

It is said that Zhao Yu's western expedition brought not only a large number of wandering entertainers, but also a large number of literati, poets and painters.

This was also for the purpose of cultural westward expansion.

Zhao Yu intended to let all the regions he conquered experience Eastern culture, and even make Eastern culture the mainstream of the world.

In addition, Zhao Yu also planned to have these people write poems and songs to praise him, or paint pictures of the famous scenes he had experienced.

Furthermore, Zhao Yu also needed scholars to help him defend himself.

After all, Zhao Yu's western expedition, to put it nicely, was about unifying the world; to put it bluntly, it was an invasion.

They definitely need those unscrupulous writers to help them put on a good show.

This isn't for my own reputation, but simply to make it more acceptable to others.

It must be said that the literati that Zhao Yu brought this time were of very high caliber.

Scholars include Yang Shi (the protagonist of Cheng Men Li Xue), Chao Shuozhi (the core of Su Men's later learning), Xu Fu (Huang Tingjian's nephew, a representative of the "school"), and so on.

Poets included Li Qingzhao, Chen Yuyi, Lü Benzhong, Zhu Dunru, Zhang Yuangan, Zeng Ji, and others.

The artists included Zhao Ji, Zhang Zeduan, Li Tang, Liu Songnian, Xia Gui, and others.

These literati were all delighted to be able to travel to an unfamiliar world at public expense to "collect folk songs," and to have the opportunity to perform in front of Zhao Yu, the first emperor of all time, and thus obtain an official position.

Some of these people surrounded Zhao Yu, helping him compose poems and paint pictures.

For example, not long ago, Xia Gui painted a picture called "The Emperor's Western Expedition" for Zhao Yu, which recorded the scene when Zhao Yu got off the train in Chang'an.

For example, when the Song Dynasty's expeditionary force captured Samarkand, the capital of the Western Karakhanid Khanate, symbolizing the Song Dynasty's formal entry into Central Asia, Zhang Yuangan wrote a poem praising Zhao Yu's achievements:

The autumn wind howls fiercely over the vast desert. Dragon flags unfurl, a long march of ten thousand miles, swords drawn against frost and snow. They shatter the misty paths of the Pamir Mountains, striking directly at the renowned cities of Central Asia. Behold the red flags, fluttering in the sky. Where once the pride of the nation reigned supreme, now all bow in reverence to the Eastern festival. Natural barriers are crossed, borders expanded.

The emperor's divine might forged a new path. Commanding the royal army, a thunderous strike terrified all barbarian tribes. From this day forward, literature and customs reached even the most remote lands, his military prowess not only renowned. His deeds were recorded in history, and wise men followed in his footsteps. His glorious achievements will be inscribed on Yanran Mountain, shining through the ages, his loyalty and bravery illuminating the world. The universe was at peace, and the world was vast.

Another poet wrote a seven-character regulated poem for Zhao Yu:

A long march of ten thousand miles broke through distant barbarians, and the Pamir Mountains stretched across the sky, where the sun and moon shone.

Where the dragon banners point, the smoke and dust clear; where the tiger-like troops stand guard, the fortifications crumble.

The desolate lands are first touched by the king's rain, and the western regions now recognize the Han dynasty's rule.

Why must one's achievements be recorded on Yanran Stone? A grand chapter will surely be written in simple terms.

In addition, many literati, poets, and painters, instead of waiting for Zhao Yu who was reluctant to go west, directly followed the Song Dynasty's expeditionary force into Central Asia, thus beginning a cultural westward expedition.

Soon, Yang Shi and his disciples began to teach in cities and towns in Central Asia, expounding on the Cheng-Zhu school of thought. The audience was large, and many Central Asian scholars came to ask questions. From then on, the teachings of the Central Plains spread west of the Pamir Mountains. Chao Shuozhi and Xu Fu traveled to various cities and states, studied local customs and recorded foreign traditions. They wrote articles and compiled books that integrated Eastern classics, histories, philosophical works and literature with the customs of Central Asia to pass on to future generations.

Chen Yuyi climbed to the top of the Pamir Mountains and wrote a poem to express his feelings; Lü Benzhong recorded the comings and goings of merchants at the post station; Zhu Dunru wrote a poem about the moonlit night in Central Asia; Zeng Ji wrote about the scenery of the Gobi oasis. Their words were full of Eastern spirit. Their poems were copied and circulated among the army and Central Asian tribes, allowing these Central Asians to get their first taste of the charm of Song Dynasty poetry.

The painters also showcased their talents. Zhao Ji's paintings of Central Asian flowers and birds and tribal figures all carried the style of Song painting. Zhang Zeduan painted "Central Asian Market Scene", which meticulously depicted the various aspects of the local market and the bustling trade between Chinese and Western merchants. Li Tang, Liu Songnian, and Xia Gui accompanied the army, painting the majesty of the expeditionary force, the landscape of remote mountains and rivers, and the scenes of tribal submission. These paintings not only preserved the grand scenes of the westward expedition, but also spread the painting skills of the Song Dynasty throughout Central Asia. Many Central Asian painters came to learn from them, and the Eastern painting techniques took root in Central Asia from then on.

This group of literati used their pens as weapons, expanding the territory alongside the Song Dynasty's expeditionary force. They used culture as a bridge, allowing Chinese rituals, music, poetry, and painting to be deeply imprinted on the land of Central Asia along with the banners of the Song Dynasty...

...(End of this chapter)