Chapter 441
wasn't about those 22 raisins.
...
The Hall of Nourishing Heart.
Li Lin showed Zhao Yu a grassland map that Han Shizhong had found in Khabul's royal tent, which was said to have been passed down from their ancestors:
"This is actually a map of Eurasia, which mainly records the distribution of the Eurasian steppes."
“From west to east, starting from the Danube River basin, this part is grassland, this part is also grassland, and put together, it is a vast grassland.”
"Then, here is the Ural Mountains, the geographical dividing line between Asia and Europe."
"Continue east, and there's another grassland."
"Next is the Altai Mountains, the dividing line between Central Asia and East Asia, also known as the Jinwei Mountains or Jinshan Mountains."
"Once you cross the Altai Mountains, you'll reach the northern desert, where it's still grassland."
"This grassland extends all the way to the Hulunbuir Plateau, which borders the Greater Khingan Mountains and is the ancestral home of the 'Donghu' nomadic tribes."
"This long grassland belt stretches from east to west, almost traversing the entire Eurasian continent."
“There are several patterns along this grassland belt.”
"The first rule is that, throughout history, nomadic regimes have always been 'strong in the east and weak in the west'."
Why? Simply because this grassland belt is 'bitterly cold in the east and abundant in the west'.
“Look to the east first. The grasslands are harsh and cold, which means that there are relatively few livestock that can be raised there, and the population that can be supported is also relatively limited.”
"As a result, if the population here becomes too large and exceeds the carrying capacity of the grasslands, the nomadic peoples here will begin to engage in involution."
"First, there was intertribal conflict, with large tribes attacking small tribes, and small tribes attacking even smaller tribes."
"If this back-and-forth fighting can deplete a portion of the population, then so be it, at least resources and population will reach a balance."
"I'm afraid that if we keep fighting, not many people will die, but instead a 'Gu King' tribe will be created."
As Li Lin spoke, a name flashed through Zhao Yu's mind—Genghis Khan Temujin!
Zhao Yu thought to himself, 'According to Li Lin's theory, this Gu King is Temujin and the Mongol Empire he founded, and the grasslands are the breeding ground for Gu, right?'
Li Lin continued, "So usually, this tribe would head south to cause trouble."
"What if the south happens to be a unified Central Plains dynasty, or the border general is particularly fierce, like my Great Song Dynasty, then this nomadic tribe will have no chance at all?"
Before Zhao Yu could answer, Li Lin answered his own question: "Then let's head west."
Then, Li Lin pointed to the grassland in the middle: "This grassland in the middle, namely the Western Region, is more fertile than the grassland in the east due to the climate, but it is not as dense. Therefore, the density of native tribes supplied here is not as high as in the east. Consequently, the organization of the alliances formed by these tribes is not as good as in the east. Moreover, what came from the east was not an ordinary tribe, but a 'Gu King' tribe that had emerged from internal strife."
"So when the 'Gu King' tribe came, the nomadic tribes in the Western Regions were either wiped out on the spot, annexed, or driven further west."
"And to the west, there is the sea and the grasslands are very fertile. In theory, the resources provided could support a powerful nomadic dynasty and enable it to expand eastward."
"However, the grasslands to the west are too fertile, and there is still a lot of arable land here. Most of the nomadic peoples who go here will never return."
“At that time, if the nomadic tribes that had previously fled from the Mongolian Plateau to the Western Regions continued to run west and reached the western grasslands, they would most likely not return. However, if they were only temporarily avoiding risks in the Western Regions, they would return sooner or later.”
"Therefore, the Great Song Dynasty is determined to take over the Western Regions. Otherwise, these grassland tribes will spread like wildfire. Even if Your Majesty has wiped them out, they will spring up again with the spring breeze. Only by completely eliminating them or driving them to the western grasslands, where they have a better place to go, will they not return."
The reason why Zhang Chun and Li Lin were explaining the situation on the grasslands to Zhao Yu today was because Tong Guan presented Zhao Yu with a memorial entitled "Recovering the Western Regions".
In his memorial "On the Recovery of the Western Regions", Tong Guan wrote:
Your humble servant Guan Jin, disregarding the risk of death, submits this memorial:
Your Majesty, in accordance with Heaven's will and the people's wishes, has pacified the northern frontier, all the tribes in the northeast have submitted, the grasslands have all come under your rule, and all within the four seas look up to your virtue.
However, the root of the border troubles has not been eliminated, and the danger to the grasslands remains. I have been thinking about this day and night. I believe that the Western Regions are the key to the eternal peace and security of the Great Song Dynasty. If we do not take them today, it will surely cause future troubles. Therefore, I have written this petition with great sincerity, and I earnestly request Your Majesty to allow me to lead troops westward to recover the Western Regions.
The troubles of the grasslands in the past had their origins. In previous years, the Central Plains were plagued by unrest, and the northern borders were not yet pacified, allowing those people to run rampant. Now, the northern borders of our Great Song Dynasty are secure, our border generals are brave, and the route of their raids has been cut off. If we do not occupy the Western Regions, they will surely flee westward to the Western Regions, recuperate, and then turn their attention back to the Central Plains, like wildfire reigniting, which is difficult to eradicate.
The Western Regions are the throat of the grasslands and the hub between East and West. Controlling them would cut off the westward escape route of the grassland tribes, achieving the effect of "closing the door to beat the dog"; losing them would mean that the tribes of the Western Regions would either be annexed by the grassland tribes or driven by them, and when they grew strong enough, they would surely become a threat to the western border of our Great Song Dynasty.
Moreover, the Western Regions are rich in resources, including fine horses, jade, and spices. They can not only make up for the shortages of our Great Song Dynasty, but also open up the Silk Road. Using the wealth of our Great Song Dynasty to exchange for the treasures of the Western Regions would be of great benefit to the country and its people.
Now, our Great Song Dynasty has well-trained troops and ample provisions, enjoys the support of the people, has pacified the northern border, and is at the height of its military might. I am deeply grateful for the Emperor's great favor in bestowing upon me the authority to oversee military affairs in the western frontier. I am willing to lead an army of 100,000 men out of Yumen Pass, cross the Pamir Mountains, reclaim the former territories of Wusun and Khotan, and restore the old borders of Shule and Yanqi.
At that time, the Western Regions will submit, the grassland tribes will have nowhere to hide, and they will surely be subdued by our Great Song Dynasty. The northern border will be forever secure, and the whole world will be at peace...
Tong Guan was an extremely ambitious man. He was unwilling to be just a eunuch serving others, and he disdained to live a mediocre life. He always wanted to make a name for himself.
Perhaps, for Tong Guan, only real military achievements and unparalleled feats could wash away the mark of his eunuch background and make him famous in history.
Tong Guan, a historical figure, volunteered to go to the northwest to supervise the army. He helped the Northern Song Dynasty recover Qinghai and expanded its territory by thousands of miles, making great contributions and becoming a powerful figure in the northwest.
Later, when Fang La rebelled in Jiangnan, half of the Jianghuai region was shaken. Tong Guan was once again appointed to lead a large army south, and swiftly quelled the rebellion of a million men. For a time, his achievements were unparalleled in the court.
At that time, Tong Guan was nearly seventy years old. He had made real military achievements and was granted the title of Duke. He was favored by others. If it were anyone else, they would have retired long ago, rested on their laurels, enjoyed wealth and honor, and lived out their old age in peace.
But Tong Guan was different. The victory in Qingtang and the pacification of Jiangnan were just appetizers in his eyes. What he wanted was the ultimate achievement that would make him "famous for all time".
The loss of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun to the Khitan by Shi Jingtang and their subsequent fall into the hands of the barbarians has been a source of deep concern for the Central Plains dynasties for centuries, and it is also a source of deep concern for successive emperors of the Song Dynasty who have longed to recover them. Emperor Shenzong of Song even left behind the ancestral precept that whoever recovers Yan and Yun will become king.
Tong Guan believed that as long as he could recover this lost territory, he could become someone who surpassed all eunuchs and even rivaled famous generals of all dynasties.
Therefore, in his twilight years, Tong Guan strongly advocated for an alliance with the Jin to destroy the Liao and recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, insisting on personally leading the royal army to complete this "unparalleled feat".
However, Tong Guan ultimately overestimated the military strength of the Northern Song Dynasty and underestimated the extent to which the extravagance and debauchery of Emperor Huizong and his ministers had emptied the Northern Song Dynasty.
As a result, the plan to unite with the Jin to destroy the Liao and recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun ultimately became a laughing stock. Tong Guan not only failed to recover Yan and Yun, but also let the Jin see the true strength and weakness of the Northern Song Dynasty, thus sowing the seeds for the later "Jingkang Incident".
Tong Guan's illustrious military achievements in the first half of his life vanished, and he was nailed to the pillar of shame of the "Six Traitors," ultimately meeting a tragic end with his head severed from his body.
To be fair and objective, Tong Guan could have enjoyed his later years in peace based on his past achievements, but because he couldn't let go of his burning ambition, he ultimately harmed himself and destroyed the entire Northern Song Dynasty.
Although Tong Guan made significant contributions in this life, Zhao Yu consistently implemented a dual leadership system and did not fully trust Tong Guan, who had previously fled the battlefield when the Jurchens invaded the south. Crucially, Zhao Yu maintained a balance within the military, never allowing any single military figure to become too powerful. As a result, Tong Guan was always "frustrated and unfulfilled," feeling that his abilities were not being fully utilized.
To put it simply, in this lifetime, Wang Hou led the campaign to reclaim Qinghai and Tibet; Zhang Jie and Lü Huiqing led the campaign to reclaim Western Xia; Zhao Yu personally led the campaign to reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun; Zhao Yu personally led the campaign to destroy Liao and Jin; Zhao Yu commanded the campaign to destroy Goguryeo, and Chen Gou and others led the campaign; and Wu Yong and others led the campaign to reclaim Japan.
From this perspective, it's clear that Tong Guan had virtually no part in expanding the territory of the Song Dynasty.
Tong Guan's greatest achievement was merely suppressing the Fang La Rebellion for the Song Dynasty.
Even so, half of it was taken by Song Jiang and the other Liangshan heroes.
It's not just that Tong Guan isn't included when discussing famous generals of the Song Dynasty; even when discussing famous generals of Zhao Yu's reign, Tong Guan might not be included.
Tong Guan had heard that Zhao Yu was planning to build the Zhaoxun Pavilion.
Tong Guan estimated that, given his current achievements, he would most likely not be able to enter the Zhaoxun Pavilion.
Therefore, Tong Guan was always looking for an opportunity to make a great contribution.
The Western Regions were Tong Guan's chosen target.
Over the years, Tong Guan had been studying how to recover the Western Regions and how to persuade Zhao Yu to do so.
After years of preparation, Tong Guan was confident that he could recover the Western Regions for the Song Dynasty.
Coincidentally, when Zhao Yu recovered the grasslands, many nomadic tribes fled to the Western Regions for refuge.
Tong Guan saw this as a golden opportunity, so he presented Zhao Yu with the memorial "Recovering the Western Regions," hoping that Zhao Yu would agree to let him lead troops to recover the Western Regions.
To be honest, Zhao Yu hesitated a bit regarding Tong Guan's request!
Zhao Yu's hesitation stemmed primarily from the opposition of his ministers.
When many ministers learned that Tong Guan wanted to recover the Western Regions, they all submitted memorials requesting Zhao Yu to reject Tong Guan's request.
As for the reason?
Very simple.
For more than twenty years since Zhao Yu ascended the throne, the Song Dynasty was almost constantly at war.
Even now, the Song Dynasty is still sweeping across Japan, conquering the Jurchens and Japanese who refuse to submit to it, as well as those tribes on the grasslands who are still unwilling to submit to it.
And that's not all; Zhao Yu's sons also had small-scale conflicts with local natives in the Prince Continent or other regions.
These ministers felt that the Song Dynasty should stop its external expansion and at least stop it to allow the people of the Song Dynasty to recuperate for a few years.
Moreover, most of the kingdoms in the Western Regions had already submitted to the Song Dynasty. Kingdoms such as Kucha, Gaochang Uyghur, and Khotan traded with the Song Dynasty, paid tribute to the Song Dynasty, married their princesses to Zhao Yu, and voluntarily expressed their willingness to recognize the Song Dynasty as their suzerain state.
Even those small Western Region countries that were unwilling to submit to the Song Dynasty did not become enemies of the Song Dynasty. On the contrary, they all rushed to trade with the Song Dynasty.
Isn't this good enough? Why do we have to reclaim the Western Regions?
To be honest, after fighting for so many years, Zhao Yu also wanted to take a break and let the people of the Song Dynasty recuperate for a few years.
However, Zhao Yu felt that if he did not recover the Western Regions, Tibet, and Dali, which originally belonged to China, he would be incompetent as emperor.
Moreover, Zhao Yu believed that he was still young and energetic, so he could still expand outwards. He was really afraid that in a few years when he got old, he would become complacent and just drift along.
More importantly, without recovering the Western Regions, Zhao Yu would not be able to secure enough fiefdoms for his sons in Central Asia, Europe, and Africa.
Furthermore, with the Song Dynasty's repeated victories and the incorporation of enemy troops, the Song army now exceeds 1.5 million, and these are all highly capable and skilled soldiers. This large army is severely redundant, and even without fighting, it would be difficult to manage such a large number of troops. If things go wrong, they could become an internal threat.
Therefore, Zhao Yu summoned Zhang Chun and Li Lin, who possessed a vision and mindset that transcended a thousand years of this era, and asked them for their opinion on the matter.
After Li Lin finished speaking, Zhang Chun pointed to the Western Regions and said:
"Your Majesty, the Western Regions were originally part of the Liao Dynasty. After the Liao Dynasty was destroyed, the various tribes were without a leader and thus became a scattered mess."
Although the Gaochang Uyghurs and Khotan paid tribute, they were internally divided into numerous tribes with weak monarchical power. Moreover, they had long-standing grudges with the Karakhanid Dynasty and were constantly at war with each other. The other small states were either ambiguous or attached to powerful tribes, seeking only self-preservation and lacking any sense of cohesion.
Furthermore, some of the fleeing remnants of the grasslands, after entering the Western Regions, either plundered various tribes or colluded with local forces, using the Western Regions to recuperate and build up their strength, which is truly a major threat.
If our Great Song Dynasty abandons the Western Regions and does not pursue them, a great change will surely occur within ten years.
Furthermore, as far as I know, the Karakhanid Dynasty has always harbored ambitions to expand eastward. If our Great Song does not restrain them, they will surely annex Khotan and Kucha, unify the core of the Western Regions, and once their power is fully grown, they will surely covet our Hexi Corridor.
Meanwhile, the remnants of the steppe, having obtained fine horses and provisions from the Western Regions, will gather tens of thousands of troops again. At that time, whether they fight or form an alliance with the Karakhanid Dynasty, they can harass our western frontier and repeat the calamities caused by the Xiongnu and Turks in the past.
Even worse, the Western Regions are a crucial hub of the Silk Road. If they fall into the hands of others, our Great Song's trade routes will be cut off, and the national treasury's revenue will plummet. Meanwhile, the enemy will use the benefits of the Silk Road to enrich their country and strengthen their military. This disparity will lead to endless troubles in the future..."
Zhang Chun is using the historical background of Yelü Dashi's western expedition and the current environment of the Western Regions to help Zhao Yu analyze why he should reclaim the Western Regions.
In Zhang Chun's view, the Western Regions at present are fragmented, with the Gaochang Uyghur Kingdom, the Karakhanid Dynasty, and other forces constantly fighting each other. The Gaochang Uyghur Kingdom is internally divided into numerous tribes with weak monarchical power; the Karakhanid Dynasty has split into eastern and western parts, and the eastern Karakhanid Dynasty is also mired in internal strife due to discord between its monarch and tribal leaders. Numerous small tribes and forces are looking for reliable patrons everywhere. It can be said that the various forces in the Western Regions at this time are like a heap of loose sand, without a unified and powerful enemy. The small tribes and forces are looking for a strong patron to protect them and allow them to live in peace.
Furthermore, as a hub of the Silk Road, the Western Regions had abundant grain and fine horses, providing the material foundation to support the regime.
At this time, if a powerful force suddenly rises in the Western Regions, it may unify the Western Regions by using political, military, and diplomatic means. Then, it can replenish its military strength with the population, food, and warhorses of the Western Regions, and the strategic locations there can serve as its base. It can then advance to attack Central Asia or retreat to compete with the Song Dynasty for the Central Plains.
Zhao Yu knew that what Zhang Chun was talking about was the route taken by Yelü Dashi in history.
Although Yelü Dashi has been killed by Zhao Yu and the Liao Dynasty is completely wiped out, it is hard to guarantee that a second Yelü Dashi will not emerge.
The key issue is that if the nomadic tribes that have retreated to the western grasslands are not eliminated or driven to the western grasslands, they are likely to make a comeback.
In addition, Zhao Yu also had a plan to "distribute the whole world" in his mind.
Zhao Yu finally made up his mind: to send troops and recover the Western Regions!
...(End of chapter)