Northern Song Dynasty: Starting from the son of Song Renzong

Chapter 324: Kill as many as possible
In the 43rd and 44th years of the Li Yuan Dynasty, there was more than a year of rest and recuperation.

In February of the 45th year of the Li Yuan period, the Chola army and the Western Chalukya army began to attack the northern city-states of India by both sea and land.

India enters the rainy season after the fifth month of the lunar calendar, and the rains are extremely heavy.

Therefore, there would not be much time left for the Chola army to attack the city.

of course!

The other party probably knew this too, which is why he was dismissive of Zhao Xin's words.

The army set out in February and arrived directly at the enemy's capital in mid-to-late March.

What followed was a siege operation that took less than a day and a half.

The first dynasty that Zhao Xin took down was a dynasty called Solange.

can only say……

The further north the army went, the higher the rate at which this armor was equipped became.

Although it is still not as scary as the Song Dynasty's infantry armor and full body armor.

but……

It can be seen that chain mail is also very popular here.

The soldiers here already have some characteristics of Central Asia and West Asia.

of course!

Think about it too.

after all……

The northwest of India is a target that Central and West Asia like to bully. When they come to fight, they will definitely leave some technology and craftsmen to help improve the military equipment here.

and……

Zhao Xin could also see that the number of cavalry here seemed to have increased a lot.

Probably because it is relatively close to Central Asia, trade is relatively convenient.

But Zhao Xin has already found out clearly.

Although the strength of these states is not bad, basically, their total military strength will not exceed 30,000.

It can even be said that any country with more than 30,000 troops can be considered a powerful country.

The number of elephants is generally only between one and two hundred.

After defeating the Solange Dynasty, the Song Dynasty announced to the world that it had occupied Solange.

For example, all officials at all levels who were away from home had to come to the capital to meet the new emperor of Solange.

If you don't come, you won't live.

So officials at all levels came to meet the third brother.

As for what you said about the legality of the invasion and the legality of managing the local people.

can only say……

When you enter the pass, there will be great scholars who will debate for you.

There were many merchants in the Solangi dynasty, and many of them believed in a sect called Jainism.

Jainism has some connection with Buddhism.

Because they all advocate equality for all, they have never been very popular in India.

Zhao Xin thinks that the reason why there is such a sect advocating equality for all is probably because it is the same as capitalism.

After all, only when everyone is equal can businessmen make money.

You treat the people as your own slaves, so who are the merchants going to sell their goods to?

He doesn't have the money to buy you a slave.

of course!

Zhao Xin was just making irresponsible guesses about it.

Anyway...

What people here believe in is a little different from those in other places.

In the entire Indian region, they are considered a relatively special group.

And because there are mostly businessmen here.

nature……

Zhao Xin also asked the third brother to focus on controlling the businessmen.

But to be honest, businessmen are much more difficult to control than ordinary people.

After all, the other party is rich. If they are allowed to get involved in military and political affairs, or if foreign enemies come, these businessmen will sell out the third brother for profit.

After taking the capital.

Zhao Xin personally demonstrated to the third child what to do next.

After all, before this...

He has no experience in governing a country.

The third brother studied very seriously, as if he had turned over a new leaf and decided to be a good king.

But it is also true.

Even if the third brother wants a beautiful woman now, there is none.

Because everywhere you look, you see Indians and other people who are mixed with Indians. How can you find beautiful women in a place like this?

Almost a month after the war ended.

Those relatively distant city-states and countries also gradually received news of Solange's attack.

Northern India is already in chaos.

Now that such a new force has mixed in, it has immediately attracted the attention of all parties.

in……

The Ghaznavid Empire, located northwest of the Solangi Empire, was very concerned about the events here.

of course!

The Ghaznavid Empire is now in decline.

When the Ghaznavid Empire was once powerful, it invaded northern India more than ten times and plundered a large amount of wealth and prisoners of war.

nowadays……

It is estimated that even a decent expedition cannot be afforded.

Further west of the Ghaznavid Empire is the Seljuk Empire, a true overlord of West Asia.

However, the current overlord of West Asia is also troubled by the Crusades.

There was no time to pay attention to the situation in Ghazni.

even……

He had to accept the Ghaznavid dynasty's proposal of marriage so that he could concentrate all his forces to deal with the enemy that had reached the eastern coast of the Mediterranean.

Be reasonable!
Developed to this point in time today.

Many civilizations in this world are in a stage of decline.

In fact, if it weren't for Zhao Xin, the Song Dynasty and the Liao Dynasty would have almost perished.

When Zhao Xin heard names like Cai Jing and Li Shishi, he knew that the Song Dynasty was nearing its end.

of course!

The same cannot be said about the Song Dynasty after it was influenced by him.

at least……

While other dynasties have slowly fallen into a dead end, the Song Dynasty is now undergoing a transformation at an extremely slow pace.

……

A month after the capture of the capital of the Solange Dynasty, all the major city-states received the news one after another.

Two months later, some city-states began to express their willingness to pay tribute, but Zhao Xin felt that they had ulterior motives.

Why do I say so? Because they also had to pay tribute to the Ghaznavid Empire, so they planned to use the tactic of driving the tiger to swallow the wolf, saying, if you destroy the Ghaznavid Empire, then we will pay tribute to you.

The abacus was making such a clacking sound that Zhao Xin, who was 1,600 miles away, could hear it.

But there is one thing to say...

They really should have a good communication with the Ghaznavid Empire.

to this end……

Zhao Xin also sent envoys out to have a chat with Masood III, the emperor of the Ghaznavid dynasty.

Masood III said that the Solange Dynasty used to pay tribute to him on time every year. Now that the Song Dynasty has conquered Solange, isn’t that a bit impolite?

Unless the Song Dynasty pays tribute to them, otherwise...

It is also full of threats.

But the envoys who returned from the Ghazni capital did not think so.

after all……

If Ghaznavid really had such ability, then Masood III would have directly said that he would lead his army to attack. Therefore, the Ghaznavid dynasty was obviously not confident.

Also, consider that the northern states of India have long been at odds with Ghazni.

If soldiers from the Ghaznavid Empire really wanted to invade, would the northern Indian states give way to them? Or even cut off their retreat and prevent them from returning?

Unless Masoud III ordered his soldiers to cross the desert to the west.

But it is obvious that crossing the desert and attacking them from a distance of two thousand miles is definitely not a good deal.

therefore……

To put it bluntly, the threat posed by the Ghaznavid Empire to them was just that.

After hearing what the envoy said, Zhao Xin naturally felt that it made sense.

Then there is no need to worry about the other party. First, bring the surrounding cities, villages, etc. under your rule.

can only say……

Although commerce is the pillar industry here, it is mainly export-oriented. This leads to the fact that although you say you are rich, you are rich, but the money is earned with the hard-earned money of the people.

therefore……

When you go outside the capital, most of what you see is farmland.

If we really talk about development, of course, it cannot be compared with those city-states deep in northern India.

But...it doesn't matter!
After all, it's good to have a base by the sea.

Since the local area was at the end of its period and still had to pay tribute to countries like Ghazni, naturally, the local people could not be said to have a very good life.

even……

Coupled with the oppression of merchants, the local people lived in even greater misery.

Zhao Xin deliberately lowered some of their taxes for this purpose, so much so that the local people couldn't help but wonder if these people had problems with their brains.
How can someone not even make money?

but……

It is precisely because of this that we left the locals with the impression that we are very easy to get along with.

Arrange officials to take over local affairs, rectify taxes, and count the local population and land.

Since it is the only way for maritime trade, although the rural areas outside the capital are poor, the capital is culturally prosperous.

There were quite a few businessmen and scholars, or Jains, among them, who were studying philosophy, history, and writing poetry.

Zhao Xin also communicated with some of them.

Debate with them.

Jainism is divided into the Jain sect and the White-cloth sect, and the White-cloth sect is the main one here.

After some communication, Zhao Xin found that they were quite peace-loving.

There is a way to say it.

It's like the Buddhist feeling that if you use violence against me, I hope to influence you with non-violence.

Zhao Xin said to the third brother: "This group of people are really kind people."

But that’s fine!

It is relatively easier to rule in this way.

of course!

Although this is the requirement of their sect, just like Buddhism in the Central Plains, it is inevitable that some people will sneak in to fish in troubled waters and just want to make money and do evil in the name of religion.

Regarding this group of people, Zhao Xin also warned the third brother to pay attention to them as well.

After all, saints are a minority in this world.

It will be fine as long as the third brother doesn’t get fooled by the other party in the end.

At last……

Zhao Xin was still a little worried about this, so he reviewed with him what he had said to Zhao Zhe.

I don’t know whether Zhao Zhe has taught them.

After a rainy season lasting four or five months.

The political orders from top to bottom gradually fell into the hands of the third brother.

Of course!
In fact, the area they can control today is still very limited.

But then...

It means expanding outward step by step.

By the end of the 46th year of the Yuan Dynasty, they had gradually taken control of the entire villages and cities of the Solange Dynasty.

The city-states around the Solange Dynasty, such as the Jaiswa Dynasty in the southwest, Balamala in the northeast, Johan in the north, and Gushilo in the northwest, watched helplessly as the Song Dynasty encroached upon these lands and made them their own.

It’s not that they don’t want to send troops to stop Zhao Xin.

But...

Whoever sends out troops will suffer losses.

and so……

You look at me, I look at you, and then neither of us will send troops.

Zhao Xin did not send anyone to persuade them to surrender.

Even if they offered to surrender, Zhao Xin was reluctant to accept it.

after all……

He launched wars abroad and also needed to pay salaries to his subordinates.

If he cannot completely eradicate the other party's royal family, in the end, Zhao Xin will still have to support their royal family.

therefore……

From the end of the 46th year of the Li Yuan Dynasty to March of the 47th year of the Li Yuan Dynasty, Zhao Xin first launched an attack on the Jeswara Dynasty southwest of the Solange Dynasty.

The main reason is that the Jaiswa Dynasty is also on the coast, which will have some impact on their maritime transportation.

In order to avoid having their retreat route blocked by the enemy from the sea, Zhao Xin had no choice but to let the Jeswa Dynasty disappear second.

After a fight.

The Jaiswa Dynasty, which was already weak, was soon completely destroyed.

And at the same time...

The Ghaznavid Empire also gradually came to its senses.

Although it is not easy for them to attack the Song Dynasty right away.

but……

You say that just watching the Song Dynasty erode their tributary states step by step is not a good idea.

to this end……

This year.

Although the Ghaznavid Empire had no real plan to attack Zhao Xin, Masood III still had his men prepare for a southern expedition.

As for Zhao Xin...

All I can say is...

The Indian rainy season greatly slowed down his efforts to unify northern India.

The forty-seventh year of the Li Yuan Dynasty.

December.

Zhao Xin began to attack the Qiao Han Dynasty to his north.

The Qiaohan Dynasty knew that it could not win, so it negotiated surrender with Zhao Xin while asking for help from the Ghaznavid Dynasty.

He also told Masood III that if Masood III's army did not come, he would no longer pay tribute to the Ghaznavid Empire.

After hearing what the other party said, Masood III was speechless.

and so……

He might really fight this battle.

of course!

The Chauhan dynasty not only called Masood III, but also the Paramala dynasty to the east and the Gushilo dynasty to the west.

He said to the other party: "If we, Qiao Han, are dead, then the next step will be you. While their army is heading north, you can attack the soldiers they left behind to cut off their retreat."

Qiao Han Dynasty had a nice idea.

Let Masood III, as well as the Balamala and Gushilo dynasties come to rescue him.

So many helpers.

This is also the reason why it is difficult to unify so many city-states in northern India.

of course!

These are no big deal to Zhao Xin.

can only say……

They can kill as many enemies as they come.

(End of this chapter)