Ch.253The Central Plains (3)

I returned to my ger after the meeting ended.

As soon as I arrived, Munglig followed right behind me.

“Isn’t it a shame to give up Jeju? Brother?”

I immediately nodded at Munglig’s words.

“It is a shame. It’s an incredibly valuable territory.”

As I’ve mentioned repeatedly, Jeju was located at a strategic transportation hub.

If we occupied this place, we could control even the sea routes.

“But why then…”

“Too much of a good thing becomes harmful.”

“What do you mean, brother?”

“When the Song Dynasty falls, where do you think many of its people will flee to?”

“Ah…!”

When a nation falls, many common people often follow their new rulers.

But there are also many who don’t.

Those Song people who refuse to be governed wouldn’t have many places to go.

North of the Yangtze River was Ulus territory, and across the Yellow Sea were Goryeo and Japan, which had become Ulus territory.

This meant that the only places they could escape to were, in modern terms, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

Among these, Taiwan was the closest, so they would most likely head there.

“Then couldn’t we just capture them and force them into labor?”

“That might work with other nations, but the Song Dynasty is different.”

The Song Dynasty was the first human civilization to achieve the remarkable population of 100 million.

Of course, without current statistics, I couldn’t be certain if they really had 100 million people.

However, as I’ve mentioned before, considering the Song Dynasty’s tax revenue and military power, it was highly likely they were close to 100 million even now.

A nation with 100 million people collapses.

That means at minimum hundreds of thousands to millions of displaced people.

Just looking at the modern era, we could immediately see what kind of aftermath refugees bring.

Setting aside ethics and morality, everyone knew what happened when 670 Syrian refugees spread throughout the world.

But what if the Song Dynasty with its population of 100 million collapses?

It was clear there would be an aftermath incomparably larger than any land we had conquered so far.

“If we conquer the Song Dynasty, a massive population migration will occur.”

“Couldn’t we suppress them sufficiently by deploying military force?”

“Even that has its limits.”

The Song Dynasty was the nation with the most splendid civilization and economy in this era.

Though not entirely comparable, if we were to compare it to the modern world, it would be equivalent to the United States.

Imagine if the United States, defeated by what it considered an inferior civilization, had its entire territory occupied.

Would Americans, who believed they had a superior civilization, want to be ruled by North Koreans?

Obviously, they would want to escape by any means necessary.

“Besides, the Song people are different from the people we’ve conquered so far.”

In fact, though I haven’t mentioned it much, this kind of exodus has been happening in the territories we’ve occupied.

However, we’ve minimized such population flight by either maintaining the local political system, having my sons become kings, or by my accepting their culture.

Western Xia, Western Liao, Iran, and Japan were handled this way.

This was possible because Ulus civilization was somewhat similar to their level.

Of course, there were exceptions.

In the Mashriq, we mitigated this issue through a massive transfer of knowledge after occupying Baghdad.

In the case of the Byzantine Empire, though we occupied it, I was crowned as co-emperor, so there wasn’t much population outflow.

Additionally, the fact that our base was in Asia, far from their living areas, played a role as well.

But the Song Dynasty was different.

They knew exactly who we were.

Nomads.

According to the Song Dynasty’s black and white logic, we were barbarians who didn’t belong to civilization.

“Moreover, they’ve experienced the Jin Dynasty, so they’ll more actively resist our rule.”

“But we can’t just leave them be, can we?”

“That’s right. However, as I said earlier, there are limits to coercive methods. So we’ll need to use appeasement tactics as well.”

“Appeasement… Ah!”

Munglig finally seemed to understand and nodded.

Then, looking at me, he murmured softly.

“You’re trying to give them a way out.”

“Exactly.”

A cornered mouse will attack a cat.

But a mouse with an escape route will choose to run away.

If I were a Song person, I would think like this:

“They’ll think nomads can’t sail ships. So they’ll choose to flee to Jeju, where many mainland Chinese have already settled.”

Despite the achievements of the Mongol Pirates, many Song people still thought Mongols were vulnerable at sea.

This was unavoidable because there was a strong preconception that nomads traveled on horseback.

Many people who didn’t know history in detail were unaware that after Genghis Khan’s expedition, the Mongols trained a navy and used sea routes to attack Vietnam.

If even modern people think this way, it would be even more pronounced in the medieval era with its slow information transfer and exchange.

“Then Goryeo will have to accept Song refugees.”

Munglig smirked, raising one corner of his mouth.

I nodded at his words.

“They wanted Song territory, so I gave it to them. And trading through this land is their benefit. However…”

There was a high possibility that the damage would outweigh this benefit.

Unfortunately.

* * *

After the meeting with Goryeo, I entered the state of Liaodong by land.

As soon as I arrived, Belgutei welcomed me.

“Congratulations on your victory, Father.”

“Thank you, my son.”

“But…”

Belgutei naturally looked at the palanquin behind me.

Seeing this, I immediately explained.

“She’s to be Khasar’s wife.”

I shared the story of the meeting in Goryeo with my son.

After hearing this, Belgutei nodded and smiled.

“Now that Khasar is getting married, he’ll finally become an adult. Haha.”

In the medieval era, there was a tendency to believe that one became an adult through marriage.

So even older unmarried individuals were sometimes not respected as elders.

For this reason, Belgutei still didn’t recognize the unmarried Khasar as an adult.

Of course, he wasn’t serious—it was just teasing.

Anyway, after our conversation, we moved to the banquet hall.

There, I comforted the Mongol and Liaodong troops who had participated in this war.

After the banquet ended, I had a private conversation with Belgutei.

“I heard from my father-in-law in Goryeo.”

“I don’t mind. Goryeo’s claim is legitimate.”

Although I wasn’t pleased that they wanted Song territory, giving up Jeju was an acceptable compromise.

Moreover, since it benefited us as well, I didn’t want to make an issue out of nothing.

“Thank you for saying so, Father.”

Only Belgutei, caught between me and Yi Uibang, was suffering emotionally.

So I looked at my son and offered words of comfort, telling him not to worry.

“Don’t worry, my son. Nothing will harm your and your wife’s happiness.”

Belgutei was devoted to his wife.

In his position, if any problems arose with his wife or their marriage, he might become twisted.

Like King Gongmin of Goryeo.

So it was better to protect Belgutei’s marriage.

“Thank you so much for saying that.”

Judging by his expression, Belgutei had been quite worried about this.

But when I told him not to worry, he let out a sigh of relief.

“By the way, Father. There’s something I’d like to ask.”

“What is it?”

“When do you plan to start the war with the Song Dynasty?”

“I haven’t decided exactly yet.”

From the moment the Song Dynasty intervened in the conflict with Japan, their downfall was practically a foregone conclusion.

However, the Song Dynasty’s intervention didn’t immediately lead to war between Ulus and Song.

Timing was crucial in war.

Attacking at the right moment allowed one to subdue the enemy with minimal damage.

“It hasn’t been long since the eastern expedition ended, and the Crusades are already underway.”

“So at the earliest…”

“Next spring, I suppose.”

“Isn’t that too soon, Father?”

War in a year.

In terms of timing, it was indeed early.

“Look at me, son.”

“…”

“My head, which once fluttered with black hair across battlefields, is now beginning to be covered with snow. And sword scars have burrowed into my wrinkles, becoming part of them.”

I was old.

This was an undeniable truth.

“You can rest now, Father. Don’t we have Temujin?”

“Not just Temujin, but Bekhter, Khasar, and you.”

I pointed at Belgutei with my index finger.

Belgutei just looked at me without saying anything.

“I want my sons to live in a broader world. A better life.”

“We’re quite satisfied as it is.”

“I am not satisfied.”

Then I turned my head to look at the map.

Ulus’s vast territory.

There were many enemies threatening that territory.

Among those enemies, the strongest was undoubtedly the Song Dynasty.

“Father, I don’t think Ulus can’t defeat the Song Dynasty. So I hope you won’t misunderstand my advice.”

I nodded at Belgutei’s respectful words.

And I gestured for him to continue.

“I believe the Song Dynasty is stronger now than when it ruled all of China.”

“Tell me why.”

If one makes a claim, one must provide evidence.

Claims without evidence are just empty words.

“The Song Dynasty has gunpowder weapons, and they’re wealthy enough to provide expensive armor to the soldiers who operate these weapons.”

“That’s right.”

“There are over a million such soldiers. Moreover, their enormous rice production, which exceeds the total tax revenue of the entire Ulus, supports this.”

“Accurate.”

“The person leading this massive nation is the current emperor. He improved relations with the Jin Dynasty, changing it from a lord-vassal relationship to an uncle-nephew relationship.”

“He excels in diplomacy, military, economy, and politics.”

When I added this comment, Belgutei looked dumbfounded.

“Attacking an empire led by such a figure right now doesn’t seem like a good idea.”

“That’s precisely why we must conquer the Song Dynasty.”

“What do you mean?”

To Belgutei’s question, I answered without hesitation.

“If we leave the Song Dynasty as it is, it will only grow stronger.”