Usurpation of Mongolia: My father-in-law is Genghis Khan

Chapter 275 The Chinese people unleash their marine genes, and the glory of the Han and Tang dynasties returns!
On the eighth day of the fifth month in 1237, Quanzhou, Citong Port.

It has been nearly four years since Zhao Shuo destroyed the Southern Song Dynasty. Three months ago, Fujian, Guangxi, and Guangdong were officially handed over to Zhao Shuo by Zhao Yun.

Actually, Zhao Yun's current situation is not very good.

If the Southern Song Dynasty wanted to attack Annam, there were essentially two routes. The first route was to take advantage of its navy, gather a large force, set off from Guangzhou, transit and resupply through Qiongzhou (Hainan Island), enter the plains of the Red River Delta from the mouth of the Bach Dang River, and strike directly at Thang Long Prefecture.

The second route adopted the attack route of Guo Kui, a famous general of the Northern Song Dynasty.

Guo Kui was a general of the Northern Song Dynasty who was as famous as Di Qing. He once led an army of 300,000 to conquer Jiaozhi.

Using Yongzhou (present-day Nanning, Guangxi) as his forward base and stockpile of supplies, he moved southwest through Simingzhou (present-day Ningming, Guangxi), through border towns such as Luzhou (present-day Pingxiang, Guangxi), and into places like Qiuwen County (present-day Dong Dang, Lang Son Province, Vietnam) in Annam, before advancing southeast to attack its capital, Thang Long.

Ultimately, Guo Kui decisively defeated the Song army at the Battle of Fu Liang River (Red River), and Li Renzong and Li Qiande of Annam surrendered. However, due to the fact that more than half of the Song army had died of disease and that their food supplies had run out, they had no choice but to withdraw their troops.

Both routes have their advantages and disadvantages.

The first route is to capture Thang Long Prefecture and cripple Annam's command center. If successful, the gains will be the greatest.

However, the plains offer no natural defenses. A defeat would likely result in the complete annihilation of the entire army.

The second route, proceeding step by step, was very safe. However, Annam resisted fiercely, and by the time the Song army reached Thang Long Prefecture, they were likely already exhausted and unable to continue their advance, just like Guo Kui.

Although Zhao Yun and the ministers of the Southern Song court were filled with ambition and eager to revitalize the dynasty, when it came to strategic planning, they reverted to the old, conservative approach and chose the second route of attack.

Three years ago, Emperor Zhao Yun personally led an expedition, and 200,000 Song troops invaded Annam.

Although the Song army changed its policy of emphasizing civil affairs over military matters, Annam was not an easy place to conquer. The hot and humid climate, the terrifying malaria, and the dense jungles were all Annam's best allies.

Historical records indicate that Kublai Khan launched three campaigns against Annam, all of which failed. Zhao Yun brought too few elite troops from Lin'an, and the armies of Guangxi, Guangdong, and Fujian were notoriously weak during the Song Dynasty—far inferior to the large armies Kublai Khan had previously dispatched!
Besides, the future of the Southern Song Dynasty was clearly not looking good.

Even if it is necessary to wage war to expand the territory of China, why help Zhao Yun expand the territory now, instead of waiting for Zhao Shuo to take over the three provinces before joining the army to serve the country?

Therefore, Zhao Yun could not mobilize many outstanding Chinese heroes to participate in the war in these three provinces.

Due to multiple factors, Zhao Yun made good progress in the first year, and directly led his army to the banks of the Fuliang River (Red River).

However, for the next two years, they were locked in a stalemate with the Annamite army at the Phu Luong River, unable to cross the river and attack Thang Long Province.

Fortunately, Zhao Yun delivered the required 20,000 slaves to Zhao Shuo each year. After a long period of warfare, the Song army gradually adapted to the climate of Annam.

Zhao Shuo didn't bother with Zhao Yun; it would be best if he could take Annam. Even if he couldn't, a prolonged war would weaken Annam's strength. When Zhao Shuo had the time, he could send a large army to directly invade Annam and deliver a fatal blow.

In any case, Citong Port now belongs to Zhao Shuo.

At this time, the largest port in the south was filled with masts and sails, with thousands of ships of all sizes, making it even more prosperous than during the Song Dynasty.

The most eye-catching of them all was a warship with a pointed bow, twelve zhang long and five zhang wide, and four masts. Although it was not the largest ship in Quanzhou Port, its strange shape and ocean-going capabilities far exceeded those of civilian vessels. The imposing soldiers on board made this ship stand out like a flock of chickens.

This is the flagship of the Navy's Plain Blue Flag.

The owner of this flagship was Zhang Shijie, the commander of the Plain Blue Banner of the Navy.

Zhao Shuo originally promised that after conquering Japan and achieving military merit, he would establish the Navy's Plain Blue Banner and promote Zhang Shijie to the position of commander of ten thousand households in the Navy's Plain Blue Banner.

However, plans cannot keep up with changes.

After Zhao Shuo destroyed the Song Dynasty, he reorganized the Xiangyang Navy and the Lianghuai Navy into two naval commanders. Zhang Shijie, as a naval admiral trusted by Zhao Shuo, was directly promoted to the position of commander of the Plain Blue Banner of the Navy.

The original Xiangyang Navy has also been upgraded. Zhao Shuo has equipped it with warships capable of ocean voyages, and it has been training for nearly three years.

Today, the main force of the Navy's Zhenglan Banner has not entered the port; only Zhang Shijie's flagship has arrived.

He's here to pick someone up.

Zhao Bixie.

Zhao Bixie was a member of the Song imperial family and the grandson of Zhao Rushi, a famous minister of the Southern Song Dynasty.

Zhao Rushi was no ordinary man. He once served as the Director of the Maritime Trade Office of Fujian Circuit. During this time, he consulted merchants from various countries and consulted documents such as "Zhu Fan Tu" and "Ling Wai Dai Da". He compiled "Zhu Fan Zhi" in two volumes, which recorded the geography, customs and trade products of coastal countries that traded with the Song Dynasty. It was the first systematic record in China of five international shipping routes from Quanzhou to Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and East Africa.

Unfortunately, Zhao Rushi died in 1231, two years before Zhao Shuo destroyed the Southern Song Dynasty.

Moreover, although his book "Records of Foreign Peoples" was printed in 500 copies and sold in major bookstores in Quanzhou, only a few dozen copies were sold, and it was not very popular. With no other option, the remaining 400-plus copies were shipped back home.

It's a very simple principle. In this era, who cares about "Records of Foreign Peoples" except for large-scale merchants?

After Zhao Shuo conquered the Southern Song Dynasty, Zhao Chongzhen, the eldest son of Zhao Rushi, presented Zhao Shuo with the "Records of Various Foreign Peoples" on a whim.

Zhao Shuo was overjoyed.

Although he could draw the seven continents and four oceans even with his eyes closed, Zhao Shuo was not very clear about the extent to which people in this world understood the world.

With the help of the "Records of Foreign Peoples" and other materials including those from Egypt and Persia, Zhao Shuo was able to commission the creation of a map of the known world.

Only then did the "Edict of Granting Titles Overseas" be issued, encouraging people to sail into the sea and explore the unknown world.

Because of this achievement, Zhao Chongzhen was not only able to continue serving as an official in Jiangnan, but was also promoted one rank, and his current official position is Yanzhou Sihu (Registrar).

The issuance of Zhao Shuo's "Edict on Conferring Titles Overseas" had a significant impact on Zhao Chongzhen's family.

Firstly, the book "Records of Foreign Peoples," which had originally sold less than a hundred copies, suddenly became very popular. Not only did the hundreds of copies of "Records of Foreign Peoples" in the family's inventory sell out, but even two reprints were not enough to meet demand.

After all, what Zhao Shuo released was only a map of the known world.

What are the specific conditions around the world that humanity knows about?
Where is a suitable resupply point?
What are some well-established air routes?
No description is clearer than that in the "Records of Foreign Peoples".

Only after understanding all of these things can we set sail and discover new lands.

Whether they were maritime merchants in major port cities of China or inland people aspiring to sail, they all greatly needed this book, "Records of Foreign Peoples".

The Zhao Chongzhen family was naturally very happy about this.

Making money is a minor matter; the Zhao family is not short of money. Even if they sell 10,000 copies of "Records of Foreign Peoples," it won't mean much to them.

However, Zhao Rushu's painstakingly compiled "Records of Foreign Peoples" became popular throughout the world, which truly made his descendants feel proud.

In fact, it's not just the "Records of Foreign Peoples" that's mentioned.
Ambitious and resourceful inlanders have already set out for major ports. Those with money and resources are preparing to join forces with local maritime merchants to form expedition fleets. The particularly wealthy and powerful have already attempted to purchase fleets, first gaining experience through trade before venturing into the vast, uncharted oceans.

Those who had neither money nor power inquired about ways to join the various merchant fleets.

Under Zhao Shuo's guidance, the Chinese people's interest in the ocean has soared to unprecedented heights.

After all, Zhao Shuo's kingdom is too vast. Anyone with a modicum of knowledge knows that times have changed, and maritime transport will be the best way for Zhao Shuo's kingdom to unite. Even if they don't discover a new continent, the maritime industry still has great potential.

After all, this is the third path to becoming an official, after joining the military and studying literature, and there is no precedent to follow. The earlier you join, the easier it is to reap the first rewards.

Secondly, there was Zhao Bixie, the grandson of Zhao Rushi and the son of Zhao Chongzhen.

Zhao Bixie was only twenty-one years old this year and had not yet entered officialdom in the Song Dynasty. However, he was intelligent from a young age and came from a family with a strong scholarly tradition. He was not only quite learned but also fluent in various languages.

Zhao Bixie originally planned to take the imperial examination and become an official in the court.

However, this "Edict Conferring Titles Overseas" presented Zhao Bixie with another opportunity. Why did Zhao Shuo publish this edict? It was a deliberate attempt to influence the maritime nations!
After passing the imperial examination, one had to start from the bottom as a minor official. Even if everything went smoothly, it would take ten or twenty years to become a high-ranking official in the court. How could it be as quick as making meritorious contributions at sea?

Of course, he didn't intend to discover new lands overseas. After all, Zhao Bixie's grandfather, Zhao Rushi, was not a navigator, but rather someone who painstakingly consulted merchants from various countries who came to Quanzhou Port, and compiled this book, "Zhu Fan Zhi" (Records of Various Foreign Lands), by gathering these materials and other previous information.

While the Zhao family was wealthy, they simply didn't have the financial resources to organize a fleet. Furthermore, his own abilities might not be up to the task.

Zhao Bixie, on behalf of his father Zhao Chongzhen, wrote to the court requesting to serve as an envoy to persuade the various maritime nations to submit.

Zhao Shuo was naturally pleased with this outcome.

During the height of the Han Dynasty, not only did military generals expand the territory, but numerous civil officials also played a significant role.

Ban Chao abandoned his pen for the sword!

Fu Jiezi slays Loulan!

Which one hasn't been celebrated throughout the ages?

There are simply too many maritime nations. Sending large armies to subdue them would consume too much of the navy's resources, making it inefficient.

Since someone is willing to act as a "sea-based superintendent" to persuade those countries to surrender, Zhao Shuo will naturally agree.

Zhao Shuo's first target was the Ryukyu Islands.

The Ryukyu Islands are located southeast of Japan, roughly the same distance from both China and Japan. To destroy Japan, the Ryukyu Islands would also be an excellent forward base.

Let's try to take the Ryukyu Islands under our control for now.

Therefore, Zhao Shuo issued an imperial edict appointing Zhao Chongzhen as the acting assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites, a fifth-rank official.

If Zhao Chongzhen can persuade Ryukyu to submit, then the word "temporary" will be removed from his title. Zhao Chongzhen will officially become a mid-level official in the Zhao Shuo Khanate.

If Zhao Chongzhen messes things up, then sorry, he'll just have to go home and eat rice again.

Of course, Zhao Shuo didn't expect Zhao Chongzhen to persuade Ryukyu with just words; military support was still necessary.

Why did Ban Chao dare to kill the Xiongnu envoy? Why was Fu Jiezi unharmed after killing the King of Loulan? It was because the powerful Han Dynasty stood behind them!
Currently, the Navy's red flag is being emigrated from Jiangnan to Egypt, and Zhao Shuo has sent Zhang Shijie with the Navy's blue flag to support Zhao Chongzhen.

"Zhao Chongzhen pays his respects to Commander Zhang!"

After Zhao Chongzhen arrived at the flagship of the Navy's Plain Blue Flag, he paid a deep bow to Zhang Shijie.

"No need for formalities, sir."

Zhang Shijie personally helped him up with his hand and said, "Young Master, you are so young yet you have such ambitions. You are truly a force to be reckoned with! I wonder what your thoughts are on persuading Ryukyu to surrender? And in what way do you need the assistance of the Plain Blue Banner of the Navy?"

Zhao Chongzhen said, "Most of Ryukyu is now ruled by a unified dynasty called the Shuntian Dynasty. Other islands that do not belong to the Shuntian Dynasty also pay tribute to the Shuntian Dynasty and become its subjects."

"However, the ruler of the Shuntian Dynasty is weak and easily deceived by powerful ministers. It should not be difficult for me to persuade him to surrender with my silver tongue. After all, once that powerful minister usurps the throne, he may not even be able to save his own life."

Zhang Shijie frowned slightly and said, "Even if the Ryukyu king is willing to surrender, won't the powerful ministers who hold great power interfere?"

Zhao Chongzhen said, "Commander Zhang, there's no need to worry. Although Ryukyu has many islands, the population on those islands is only around 50,000. They currently have only a few thousand soldiers, and hardly any armor. Wouldn't they panic upon seeing your large army?"

"That powerful minister's subordinates can't be a monolithic group. How many people are actually willing to fight to the end with him?"

"As long as Zhang Wanhu first displays his military might outside Ryukyu Island, and then gives me fifty armored soldiers to accompany me to the island to persuade Ryukyu to surrender, I am 80% confident that I can persuade Ryukyu to join my Chinese territory."

"Fifty armored soldiers... Alright! Here you go!"

Without asking, Zhang Shijie understood what Zhao Chongzhen was planning.

If they could successfully persuade Ryukyu to surrender, that would be ideal. If not, Zhao Chongzhen would have to follow the example of the sages of the Han and Tang dynasties and use these fifty armored soldiers to stir up trouble in Ryukyu.

The danger of this action is, of course, extremely great.

However, fortune favors the bold.

China has never lacked people who risk their lives for wealth and status, let alone those who would leave a lasting legacy.

Zhao Chongzhen has probably made up his mind: if he doesn't succeed, he will die trying!

If all else fails, use his head as a pretext for Zhang Shijie's army to annex Ryukyu!
"set off!"

With Zhang Shijie's order, the flagship of the Plain Blue Banner Navy slowly sailed out of Citong Port, joined the main fleet of the Plain Blue Banner Navy, and headed towards Ryukyu.

……

……

"set off!"

Shortly after Zhang Shijie and his group set off, Zhang Youming, a member of the Zhang family in Quanzhou, gave an order, and another fleet also sailed out of Quanzhou Citong Port.

The fleet consisted of more than sixty ships of various sizes, with a total crew of over two thousand.

Their owners were mostly sons and nephews of prominent Fujian merchants who had served the emperor.

While serving the emperor, they not only shirked their duties but also eagerly awaited the great maritime era that Zhao Shuo would bring. No one understood better than them just how many opportunities and riches the sea held.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Shuo not only ushered in a new era of maritime exploration, but also issued the "Edict of Granting Titles Overseas".

With the imperial court so encouraging of going to sea, what are we waiting for?
It's important to understand that discovering new land is definitely easiest in the early stages, and the difficulty increases significantly as you go on.

Of course, the sea not only offered enormous profits but also endless risks. To mitigate these risks, the merchants of Quanzhou, who frequented the seas, jointly organized the first overseas exploration team.

This was the first Chinese fleet to explore overseas, and it was registered with the government.

The government specially allocated a naval warship as their flagship. It was not as magnificent and imposing as Zhang Shijie's flagship, but its long-range sailing capability was still quite considerable.

After completing their planned exploration, they can use this flagship for further voyages to try and discover more distant lands.

In addition to this warship, the government also provided them with one hundred sets of iron armor, two hundred sets of leather armor, and fifty powerful crossbows.

As for weapons such as swords, spears, bows, and arrows, they naturally provided their own.

Such an armed force was naturally powerless against the imperial army. However, it was more than capable of dealing with pirates and natives of unknown islands.

Besides, their main task is discovery, not war.

Once new land is discovered, a preliminary exploration is sufficient. If you can't win, you can always run away!
Later, the imperial navy will naturally follow the sea routes they have provided to go and wipe them out!

And so, the team left Quanzhou Port and sailed into the vast sea.

In the future, even more fleets will sail to the ocean, exploring every inch of China's land under the sun.

The great age of seafaring for the Chinese people has arrived!

Perhaps the Columbus and Magellan of China will be born from among these people!
The pioneering and enterprising spirit of the Han and Tang dynasties has also returned to China!
(End of this chapter)