I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

...

While the Song army was on its westward expedition, the Song navy was not idle either. They were constantly coordinating with the Song army's offensive by water.

After the Song Dynasty conquered Central Asia, the Song navy and the Song army established contact. Many of the weapons, equipment, provisions and supplies that came from the Song Dynasty were actually delivered by the Song navy from the sea.

In addition, Zhao Yu, who already felt he could unify the world, gave the Song navy a mission: to recover the forces around the Suez Canal, to open up a canal, to open up sea routes between Asia and Europe, to connect the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, and to provide the shortest route from Europe to the Indian Ocean and the lands near the western Pacific.

At this time, there was no Suez Canal between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, only the narrow and arid Isthmus of Suez.

In fact, the ancient Egyptian pharaohs and the Persian Empire built canals connecting the Red Sea and the Nile River.

However, after thousands of years of silting and collapse, it has long been abandoned, with only remnants of sand remaining, no longer suitable for large ships to pass through.

At that time, there were only two treacherous and long routes for ocean shipping between Asia and Europe, with no shortcuts.

The first one is the traditional transit trade route.

In other words, goods would depart from the Song Dynasty, pass through the Strait of Malacca (or through the Kra Canal dug by Zhao Yu's orders), enter the Indian Ocean, reach Calicut and Quilon on the west coast of India, then sail west to the Arabian Sea, enter the Persian Gulf and land at Kurim, or reach the port of Aden at the mouth of the Red Sea. After the goods were unloaded, camel caravans would cross the Arabian Peninsula and the Syrian desert, and then transfer to Alexandria and Tripoli on the east coast of the Mediterranean, before being loaded onto ships and distributed to Europe.

This route involved both land and water transport, with numerous checkpoints and rampant bandits. Various countries, tribes, and powers along the way levied taxes at each level, making a round trip take two or three years and resulting in losses of more than half of the supplies. Military intelligence and supplies were also difficult to deliver in a timely manner.

The second route is the ocean-going route around Africa.

That is, going south along the East African coast, passing through Somalia and Zanzibar, deep into the Southern Hemisphere's westerly wind belt, around the Cape of Good Hope at the southernmost tip of Africa, and then going north along the west coast of the Atlantic Ocean, reaching the coasts of Iberia, France, and Italy in Europe.

This route is entirely by sea, without the need for transshipment by land. However, the journey is long and arduous, with treacherous winds and waves, numerous reefs, and unpredictable monsoons. A round trip can take anywhere from four or five months to half a year. Large ships are easily damaged, and the loss of personnel is extremely high. They can only carry high-value goods and are far from suitable for large-scale military and food supplies for the western expeditionary army. They are even less capable of supporting rapid troop deployment and strategic reinforcement.

These two sea routes, one slow and the other dangerous, one expensive and the other perilous, became the biggest bottleneck for the Song Dynasty's strategy to manage Eurasia and control the four seas.

Thus, Zhao Yu and his fellow time travelers naturally thought of digging the Suez Canal.

The narrowest point of the Suez Isthmus is only a little over a hundred miles wide. The water levels of the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea are similar with no significant difference in elevation. By simply dredging old canals, excavating new ditches, building dikes to reinforce the banks, and connecting the Aral Sea and the Bitter Lake, large ocean-going ships can sail directly through the sea, shortening the voyage between Asia and Europe by more than 70% and linking the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea together.

Therefore, the construction of the Suez Canal itself was not very difficult.

However, the Isthmus of Suez is a strategic location guarding the trade routes between the East and West, a place where various forces and sects are intertwined, each vying for control of this vital passage between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.

Its flank originally belonged to the Zanji Dynasty, which was later defeated by the Song Dynasty.

The remnants of the Crusader states scattered along the coast, namely the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the County of Tripoli, and the Principality of Antioch, were also defeated by the Song Dynasty.

It was precisely because of this that Zhao Yu dared to consider digging the Suez Canal.

but--

The Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt controlled the northern side of the Isthmus of Suez, encompassing the Isthmus of Suez, Alexandria, Dimeyat, and the ancient port of Seyib at the northern end of the Red Sea.

Although the Fatima Empire was already in decline at this time, it still controlled the Egyptian mainland, the Palestinian coast and the entire Sinai Peninsula. It relied on the Red Sea transit tax and the Nile River granaries to support its national strength. Its navy was stationed in Alexandria and at the northern entrance of the Red Sea to prevent foreign enemies from encroaching on the isthmus.

In addition, deep in the Mediterranean Sea were the Byzantine Empire and the Italian maritime city-states. Although they did not directly occupy the Isthmus of Suez, they controlled the trade and navigation rights of the coastal ports through merchant ships, mercenaries, and concessions. Whoever controlled the canal was targeted by them through alliances and counter-alliances.

Zhao Yu ordered the Song navy to advance westward into the Red Sea, wipe out separatist tribes and pirate strongholds around the isthmus, and control key locations such as Aden, Suez, and Port Said; at the same time, he conscripted artisans and laborers from the Song Dynasty to excavate the Suez Canal.

To this end, Zhao Yu also recruited merchants from the Song Dynasty to come to this place, select a site to build a cement plant, and purchased a large amount of steel bars and explosives from the Song Dynasty.

Of course, distant water cannot quench immediate thirst, so Zhao Yu still hired a large number of local artisans and laborers to dig the Suez Canal through a work-for-relief program.

Basically, without the intervention of the Song army, the Song navy alone eliminated or at least drove away all the forces on both sides of the Suez Isthmus that had not submitted to the Song.

And the Suez Canal construction started as scheduled.

It's no wonder that Emperor Zhao Yu and his ministers were in such a hurry; indeed, opening up this artificial waterway would be a benefit for the Song Dynasty for generations to come.

First, the supply lines for the Song Dynasty's western expeditionary army could be transported by both land and water, providing double protection. Crucially, land transport was occasionally disrupted by resistance forces in newly reconquered territories who would dismantle railways or loot.

Therefore, the availability of water transport ensured the continued fighting capacity of the soldiers at the front.

In addition, the Song Dynasty's naval warships could be quickly deployed to defend the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, controlling the key points of Europe, Asia, and Africa, leaving European countries and West Asian tribes with no natural defenses to rely on. The Song Dynasty's military might could reach the heart of Europe, and the pace of unifying the world would no longer be hindered.

More importantly, all transit checkpoints were abolished, and all commercial taxes went to the Song Dynasty. Silk, porcelain, tea, glass, soap, cotton cloth, and light and heavy industrial products could be directly transported to Europe, while European gold, silver, furs, spices, ores, and timber could be directly delivered to the Song Dynasty. The cost of ocean trade was greatly reduced and efficiency was doubled, making the Song Dynasty the center of the world. The annual revenue of the Song Dynasty's treasury doubled, the people became wealthy, and the country became even stronger.

Most importantly, the Song Dynasty's navy would control the world's most crucial waterways, breaking the Islamic forces' millennia-long monopoly on East-West trade routes. By controlling land power with sea power and defining the landscape with waterways, the Song Dynasty would not only become a hegemonic dynasty on land but also the first dynasty to achieve maritime hegemony across Asia, Europe, and Africa, completely rewriting the trajectory of human navigation and geopolitics.

Historically, it took Egyptians nearly eleven years to dig canals across the desert.

This is mainly because their technology is inadequate and their funding is severely insufficient; otherwise, it wouldn't have taken so long.

With the help of explosives and concrete, the Song Dynasty dug the canal in just over a year and less than two years.

It is worth mentioning that after the Suez Canal opened, Cairo would become one of the richest places in the world, so rich that Emperor Zhao Yu was reluctant to give it up easily. Therefore, Zhao Yu did not grant it to any of his sons, but instead sent his trusted confidants to manage it, intending to make some money from it first.

With the opening of the Suez Canal, the Song Dynasty's westward expeditions continued.

At this time, Europe was shrouded in darkness, with broken order, impoverished people, and suppressed thought. The last vestiges of the unified politics and civilization of the Roman Empire had long since vanished. No regime was able to establish effective rule covering a vast territory. The king's power was divided among layers of nobles, knights, and the church. The nominal sovereign was merely a figurehead, while local lords held their own armies, and private wars, plundering, and armed conflicts became the norm. Peace and tranquility were luxuries enjoyed by only a very few.

At this time in Europe, religious fervor fueled the Crusades, leading to constant warfare on the border between the East and Europe. Countless young men died on the battlefield, farmland was abandoned, and villages were destroyed. The already fragile productivity collapsed repeatedly in the war. Famine, like an inescapable shadow, followed closely behind the war. Even if ordinary people escaped the ravages of war, they were often driven to despair by crop failures and soaring food prices. Scenes of cannibalism and starving corpses were everywhere.

At that time in Europe, cities were small, dirty, and crowded, with sewage flowing through the streets, garbage piled up, and human and animal excrement and rotting debris left unattended, making them breeding grounds for disease.

At that time, Europe had neither a public health system nor scientific medical knowledge. Disease outbreaks were seen as God's punishment. Treatment relied mainly on church prayers, holy water ceremonies, or unfounded folk remedies such as bloodletting and herbal medicine. Even small-scale plagues could spread rapidly, taking countless lives. Life expectancy was extremely low, and infant mortality was commonplace.

At this time in Europe, education and the transmission of knowledge were monopolized by monasteries and church schools. Only a few priests and nobles were literate, and the vast majority of commoners remained illiterate throughout their lives. Theology was the only recognized orthodox discipline, while philosophy, science, and literature were relegated to the subservience of theology. Any thought or exploration that violated religious doctrine was denounced as heresy, and those who violated it were punished or even killed. The spiritual world of the entire society was closed and repressive, and rationality and the spirit of exploration were completely suppressed, causing the progress of civilization to stagnate for a long time.

At this time in Europe, the strict feudal hierarchy divided people into three distinct groups: clergy, nobles, and commoners. There was almost no possibility of mobility between classes. Nobles and clergy, by virtue of their status and privileges, possessed the vast majority of land and wealth, enjoying luxury without engaging in production. Meanwhile, the vast majority of the population, namely commoners and slaves, could only depend on the lord's land, bearing heavy labor, taxes, and various exorbitant levies. Their personal freedom was strictly restricted, and their fate was completely controlled by the upper class, with no dignity or rights whatsoever.

Against this backdrop, classical slavery was still prevalent in many parts of Europe, with the complete possession of people as its core. Slaves, as the private property of slave owners, had no personal rights and could be bought, sold, transferred, punished, or even killed at will.

In short, Europe at this time was politically divided, economically backward, ideologically stifled, and subjected to class oppression. Crucially, Europe at this time had a large number of slaves who lived lives worse than animals.

Based on this, Zhao Yu continued to launch attacks on Europe under the slogan of "liberating slaves and building a prosperous, strong and civilized new society".

In military matters, Zhao Yu and his ministers devised a strategy and tactics that involved advancing layer by layer from south to north, from sea to land, and from east to west.

Specifically, the Song Dynasty's expeditionary force was divided into three routes:

The first route, with Yue Fei as Grand Marshal and Wu Yong as Supervisor, took the route through the Sinai Peninsula and the Palestinian coast, advancing westward along the Levant Plain, sweeping away the remaining Crusader feudal strongholds and Islamic local forces on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean, and directly penetrating southern Asia Minor and the eastern end of the Balkan Peninsula.

Along this route, the navy entered the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal, and advanced northward along the line of Cyprus, Rhodes, and Crete, providing flank cover and supplies for the army. After capturing each city and port, the navy took over coastal defense, built docks and supply depots, and advanced step by step to the outskirts of Constantinople.

The second route, with Han Shizhong as Grand Marshal and Zhao Li as Supervisor, will rely on the convenient waterway of the Suez Canal. The main force of the Song Dynasty's navy, carrying lightly armed elite troops, will advance westward along the western coast of the Mediterranean. They will first eliminate the Berber tribes and separatist forces in western Egypt and the coastal areas of Libya, and control key North African ports such as Tunisia, Algiers, and Oran, turning the southern edge of the Mediterranean into the Song Dynasty's inland sea supply line.

Subsequently, the naval fleet crossed the Strait of Sicily, captured Sicily and Sardinia, and destroyed the resistance of the Arab separatist regimes and Norman feudal nobles. Using this as a base, it then divided its forces into two routes:
Heading north all the way to the southern part of the Apennine Peninsula, landing along the Naples-Rome route, striking directly at the heart of the Papal States and the Italian city-states, dismantling the Church's secular rule;

The other route crossed the Mediterranean to the west, landing in the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula. From the east coast of Gibraltar, they moved north to sweep away the remaining Moorish forces and the feudal armies of Christian kingdoms such as Castile and León. At the same time, they controlled the Strait of Gibraltar, locking down the western gateway to the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean, thus preventing the countries on the western coast of Europe from fleeing for help or colluding with each other across the ocean.

This route was centered on naval warfare, supplemented by land battles. Utilizing the tonnage, firepower, and speed advantages of Song Dynasty ships, it traversed numerous peninsulas and islands in the Mediterranean, avoiding the enemy's strength and striking directly into the heart of southwestern Europe. It bypassed the natural barriers of the Pyrenees and Alps, and was able to sustain operations through sea supply lines. In each place it reached, it liberated local slaves and serfs, dismantled feudal manors and church prisons, and replaced Europe's dark system of vigilante justice, private warfare, and personal dependence with Song Dynasty law, turning the oppressed into allies of the Song army.

The third route, led by Wu Jie as Grand Marshal and Li Yanxian as Supervisor, consisted mainly of newly annexed cavalry corps from Central and West Asia and heavy infantry from the Song Dynasty. It marched south and north from the Caucasus Mountains, crossed the southern section of the Ural Mountains and the Carpathian Mountains, entered the heart of the East European Plain, and advanced westward along the middle reaches of the Danube and the Vistula River, with its target being the feudal kingdoms of Central Europe, including the German states, Poland, Bohemia, and Hungary.

This route was the main land route of the Song Dynasty's westward expedition, inheriting the military might that swept across Central Asia and Persia. It utilized the open and flat terrain of the East European Plain, leveraging the advantages of the Song Dynasty's cavalry raids, infantry formations, and firearms for siege warfare. At the same time, it relied on natural waterways such as the Volga and Dnieper Rivers, with the Song Dynasty's inland and ocean-going naval fleets dispatched to transport provisions, gunpowder, and siege equipment upstream, avoiding the long and arduous journey of purely land transport.

Three armies set off simultaneously, determined to bring Europe, mired in darkness, division, war, and enslavement, under the global order of the Song Dynasty...

...(End of this chapter)