I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

...

With preparations complete, the three armies of the Great Song Dynasty, advancing westward along their respective routes, proceeded in accordance with the established strategy:

The first route of the Great Song Expeditionary Army advanced westward from the Nassina Peninsula and the Palestinian coast, spreading out its battle line along the Levant Plain and gradually eliminating the feudal strongholds and local separatist forces left behind by the Crusaders along the coastline.

Those stone fortresses, wooden palisades, and knightly estates crumbled and crumbled under the continuous bombardment of Li Lin's cannons and Hu Dun's cannons, proving utterly vulnerable.

The volley of fire from the Divine Arm Bow and the Li Lin Gun tore apart any shield formation that attempted to retaliate.

A thunderbolt was thrown into the fortress, shattering the defenses and shattering morale.

Coastal fortresses fell one after another, and the entire narrow plain on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean was brought under control.

The army continued westward, crossing the great river and hills, entering southern Asia Minor, and then turning into the eastern Balkans. Along the way, they used firearms to breach cities, long-range shots to suppress cavalry, and advanced steadily, avoiding reckless battles and rash advances. They consolidated their positions wherever they occupied them, controlling passes, setting up beacon towers, establishing post roads, and building supply camps. They connected the Levant, the southern edge of Anatolia, and the eastern end of the Balkans into a solid forward base, laying the eastern coastal barrier for their subsequent penetration into the European continent.

Today, although the Byzantine Empire is barely clinging to life, it still attempts to rely on the natural barrier of the strait to maintain its own independent territory. Meanwhile, merchant fleets from Venice and Genoa are sailing and profiting in the Aegean and Marmara Seas, trying to unite various countries to hinder the advance of the Song Dynasty.

The core objective of the first troop of the Song Dynasty was to first break through the Byzantine Strait defense line, eliminate all Italian merchant concessions and strongholds in the eastern Mediterranean, control the Bosphorus Strait and the Dardanelles Strait, and bring the Black Sea and the eastern Mediterranean under the patrol range of the Song Dynasty navy.

At the same time, the Song Dynasty crossed the Balkan Mountains by land, its military force pointing directly to the south bank of the Danube, tearing apart the feudal barriers of Eastern Europe, and planting the banner of the Song army on the Thracian plain. Under the banner of liberating local serfs and captive slaves, it dismantled the foundations of the local lords' rule.

The second route of the Great Song Expeditionary Force deployed its naval warships near the sea, relying on Li Lin's cannons to bombard the fortified villages and docks on the shore, while Shenbi crossbows and Li Lin's muskets blocked the beachhead. Light infantrymen rushed ashore in fast boats, and once ashore, they used thunderclap bombs to break through the fortified villages, Li Lin's muskets to clear the area, and shield formations to stabilize the line.

The light cavalry, short spears, and leather armor of the coastal tribes were no match for the Song army's firepower, and their ports, fortresses, markets, villages, and tribal camps surrendered one after another.

After occupying the major ports, the Song Dynasty immediately repaired the docks, established naval fortresses, stationed warships, and controlled the waterways, turning every good port along the North African coast into a supply node, transit warehouse, construction site, and coastal defense barrier for the Song Dynasty.

From then on, the western Mediterranean, the coast of North Africa, and the coastal waters of Southern Europe were all under our control. Sea routes were unobstructed, and supplies, weapons, personnel, and firearms could be delivered directly to any front line by sea. The vast sea area was like an inland lake of the Song Dynasty, with continuous supply lines, eliminating any worries about the rear.

The third route of the Song Dynasty expeditionary force employed cavalry archery to harass the enemy, Li Lin's cannons to break through enemy lines, heavy cavalry charges to rout the enemy, and Li Lin's muskets and Shenbi archers to clear the field as its core tactics.

European feudal armies still relied on 12th-century phalanxes of lances, longswords, chainmail, and spears. They had neither firearms nor powerful crossbows that could reach far, nor formations to withstand artillery fire. They often collapsed before even engaging in battle, with castles being blasted open one by one by cannons, passes being blocked by long-range shots, and river crossings being quickly taken control.

Along this route, the Song army steadily advanced westward along the Danube and Vistula rivers, conquering states, subjugating feudal lords, pacifying cities, and controlling key routes, thus connecting the East European Plain with the heart of Central Europe, and its military might reached the edge of Western Europe.

Although the three armies advanced separately, they supported each other from a distance. The sea routes, land routes, plains, mountains, coastlines, and inland areas were mutually dependent. Firearms were uniformly allocated, food and fodder were exchanged, signal fires were used, and ships and carts transported supplies. The army was spread as far as the Balkans and as close as North Africa. It reached the Danube River in the north and the heart of Central Europe in the west, all within a vast network of war and control.

As the occupied territories continued to expand, a governance system that conformed to the laws of the Central Plains and adapted to the situation in Europe was established. Core ports, transportation hubs, riverbanks, and fortified towns were designated as directly administered areas, and households were registered and people were registered. Land was surveyed, taxes were unified, post roads and warehouses were built by the government, and private territories, private villages, and private forts were abolished.

The judiciary was based on the laws of the Central Plains, with serious crimes judged according to the law and minor crimes judged according to old customs. Official schools were set up throughout the directly administered areas, and writing, laws, arithmetic, and etiquette were gradually promoted. Naturalized citizens had the same rights as those registered in the Central Plains...

With the continuous advance and strict governance of the three armies, the Mediterranean Sea and the inland plains were connected into one.

It is worth mentioning that during the Song Dynasty's westward expedition to Europe, a large number of Central Asians and West Asians (namely Arabs, Persians, Turks, etc.) joined the Song expeditionary force and marched westward to Europe with the Song army.

This was mainly because Europe and the Near East at that time were experiencing the most intense religious fanaticism and the most brutal warfare. The Roman Catholic Church ruled over the nations with divine authority, advocating that it was the only orthodox religion and that all religions were sinful. It denounced all those who did not follow its beliefs as heretics and enemies, allowing no coexistence whatsoever, and there was absolutely no freedom of religion to speak of.

Since the late 11th century, under the continuous calls and incitement of the Pope, feudal lords, knights, refugees and devout believers in Western Europe launched two Crusades one after another. Countless armed believers raised the holy banner and rushed to the East with extreme zeal and plundering ambition. Wherever they went, they burned, killed, looted, slaughtered pagans, seized cities, and levied exorbitant taxes, causing lasting and profound disasters to the Islamic communities in the Levant, Asia Minor and even the border areas of Egypt.

These crusaders were largely consumed by religious fanaticism, disregarding life and death and valuing martyrdom. They were fearless, violent, and tyrannical, and were regarded as the most fanatical desperados on the battlefield. Although the Islamic forces along the entire eastern Mediterranean coast fought hard, they were in a passive and defensive position for a long time due to internal divisions, numerous states, and uneven military strength. The Arab, Persian, and Turkic tribes were repeatedly invaded, towns were destroyed, homes were occupied, and believers were slaughtered. Resentment had accumulated to a deep extent, but they were powerless to reverse the crisis on their own.

It was precisely for this reason that when news spread that the Song Dynasty's expeditionary force was marching westward from Central Asia, its advance aimed directly at the Crusader states, the Islamic world regarded it as a righteous army that was relieving suffering and saving those in dire straits.

In the eyes of the Arab, Persian, and Turkic tribes, who had suffered a century of Crusader invasions, the Song army's campaign against the Crusader nations, which were extremely exclusive and used faith as a pretext for plunder, was nothing less than acting on behalf of Heaven and upholding justice, and was a way to avenge the entire oppressed Eastern world.

At this time, Central Asia and West Asia were almost completely controlled by Zhao Yu's sons. The major powers that once dominated the region had all been wiped out, the territory was unified, and order was restored. The remaining small states, tribes, forces, and local magnates had no will to resist and could only submit to Zhao Yu and his sons, respectfully accept the imperial calendar, and accept the rule of Zhao Yu and his sons.

More importantly, the Song Dynasty advocated freedom of religion, did not establish a state religion, did not force conversion, and did not persecute those with different beliefs. It respected the beliefs, customs, religious traditions, and community autonomy of all ethnic groups within its territory, and only used laws to regulate behavior and maintain order in the region.

This tolerant and pragmatic approach to governance stands in stark contrast to the Crusaders' extreme prejudice of "those who obey me live, those who oppose me die," which has given the various Central Asian tribes, who have long struggled with religious warfare, a sense of security and trust.

In addition, Zhao Yu's sons who were enfeoffed in Central and West Asia were all well-versed in the art of governing the people, reducing taxes and levies, appeasing former subordinates, making good use of local talents, repairing the damage caused by war, ensuring the smooth flow of trade routes, protecting religious sites, and respecting tribal traditions.

Most importantly, the Song Dynasty liberated slaves and treated ordinary people well.

This series of policies to appease and secure the borders were implemented in succession, and in just a few years, the Song Dynasty's rule in Central and West Asia won the hearts of the people. It made the Arab, Persian, Turkic and other tribes truly feel the stability and benefits, and gradually they moved from fear of power to gratitude, and from passive submission to active recognition.

Furthermore, the unparalleled fighting prowess of the Song Dynasty's expeditionary force was one of the reasons why the people of Central and West Asia submitted to it.

In short, the Song Dynasty's westward expedition to Europe was supported by the hearts and minds of the people of Central and West Asia, as well as their full support in terms of manpower and resources. With guides, provisions, and intelligence, the Song expeditionary force was greatly enhanced and became unstoppable.

Thus, with the three armies of the Song Dynasty advancing in unison, the royal army marched westward, invincible in its path. The fortified castles of the Crusader states collapsed under the cannon fire, and the cavalry charges crumbled before long-range arrows and firearms. The feudal states of Europe fought their own battles and did not help each other, and religious fanaticism was no match for absolute power.

In the thirty-second year of the Hongwu reign, the first expeditionary force of the Song Dynasty reached Constantinople.

Less than a hundred miles from Constantinople, the first route of the Song Dynasty expeditionary force fought a decisive battle against two hundred thousand Christian crusaders.

This battle was the last struggle of the Eastern Roman Empire, and almost the entire army that the Eastern Roman Empire could send to the battlefield was mobilized.

Unfortunately, the difference in strength between the two sides was too great. Even though the first Song Dynasty expeditionary force was far smaller than the Eastern Roman Empire's crusaders, it still easily defeated the crusaders.

After this battle, the first Song Dynasty expeditionary force took advantage of the situation to enter Constantinople, and the Eastern Roman Empire fell.

A dozen days later, the first Song Dynasty expeditionary force reached the Vatican.

Like Jerusalem, Zhao Yu did not allow anyone to touch the Vatican. Instead, he sent a thousand non-believers to protect it, thus turning it into a true holy site.

Subsequently, the first Song Dynasty expeditionary force swept across the entire Eastern Roman Empire.

In fact, the Eastern Roman Empire had long since declined.

It can be said that long before the first Song Dynasty expeditionary force arrived, the Eastern Roman Empire was already just an empty shell.

Crucially, the last 200,000 crusaders of the Eastern Roman Empire were defeated by the first expeditionary force of the Song Dynasty.

This brought the Eastern Roman Empire, no, the Roman Empire, to the brink of oblivion.

……

same year.

After the second route of the Song Dynasty's expeditionary force destroyed the capital of Hungary, it also advanced into Poland in several routes.

At this time, Poland was divided into several small fiefdoms. King Bolesław only governed the directly controlled territories, while the remaining fiefdoms were independent of each other.

In early July, the second route of the Song Dynasty expeditionary force successively captured Sandomier, a city under the jurisdiction of Polish leader Boleslav.

In September, the second Song Dynasty expeditionary force defeated the Polish army, captured its capital Krakow, and then attacked Silesia, a Polish vassal state. They crossed Odhe by raft and attacked its capital, Froslav.

Henry I, King of Silesia, retreated to Legnica and assembled an army of 30,000 men from Poland, Germany, and the Teutonic Knights to prepare for battle.

Upon learning this news, Han Shizhong abandoned his attack on Froslavl and instead advanced to the vicinity of Legnitz to lure Henry into battle.

In early November, Henry led his army into battle. Han Shizhong feigned defeat and retreated, and Henry pursued him.

Taking advantage of Henry's fatigue, Zhao Yu's sons, led by Zhao Li, launched a sudden counterattack, annihilating his army. Henry was captured and executed...

……

same year.

The third route of the Song Dynasty expeditionary force captured Kiev (which later became the capital of Ukraine).

Located on the west bank of the middle reaches of the Dnieper River, this place is a key waterway connecting the Dnieper River to the Black Sea and has been known as the "Mother of Cities".

In order to seize this strategic location, Wu Jie and Li Yanxian divided their forces into three groups:

They marched south from the lower Volga River towards Rus';

Heading north, they first conquered Mordova and the city of Murom on the upper reaches of the Oka River;

Finally, they conquered cities such as Perejaslanv and Chernikov, while simultaneously plundering the city of Lower Calouya to the northeast and extending east to the Don River, cutting off the Kiva's supply lines and isolating it.

After clearing out the cities along the way, the third route of the Song Dynasty expeditionary force crossed the frozen Dnieper River and besieged Qiwa. They used airships to bombard the people in the city from the air, and then, with the cover of Li Lin's cannons, they stormed into the city and then fought for it point by point.

Although the Qiwa defenders put up a fierce resistance, they were eventually overwhelmed by the third route of the Song Dynasty expeditionary force.

This victory provided the third route of the Song Dynasty's expeditionary force with a forward strategic base for advancing into Eastern Europe.

After capturing Qiva, the third Song expeditionary force continued westward, capturing the capital of the Principality of Galicia, Vladimir-Volyn (later known as Vladimir-Volynsky in the Volyn Oblast of northwestern Ukraine), and other cities within its territory.

Soon after, Rus' was completely occupied by the third route of the Song Dynasty's expeditionary force.

After Zhao Yu's sons took control of Rus', the third Song expeditionary force continued westward, then split into two routes:

They destroyed Poland's foreign aid in the Mazars campaign;

Another route heads north to Lithuania, with the destination being Northern Europe...

……

The second route of the Song Dynasty expeditionary force marched south in victory, entered Moravia, and then went to Mazar to join the third route of the Song Dynasty expeditionary force.

Meanwhile, the third Song expeditionary force bypassed the Carpathian Mountains and entered Mazar, successively capturing cities such as Rudan and Waladin.

At the end of December, the third and second routes of the Song Dynasty expeditionary forces joined together.

At this point, the Danube River froze over.

The two Song Dynasty expeditionary forces joined together to cross the Danube River, and then separated.

—The third Song Dynasty expeditionary force went to attack Germany, and the second Song Dynasty expeditionary force went to attack France…

……

Spring of the thirty-third year of Hongwu (1386).

The third Song Dynasty expeditionary force conquered the entire territory of Germany, while the second Song Dynasty expeditionary force pacified the entire territory of France.

Two months later, Zhao Yu's dozen or so sons led their personal guards across the English Channel.

Thus, the Song Dynasty expeditionary force officially landed in Britain...

...(End of this chapter)