Journey of the Infinite Wizard

Ever since Shi Jingtang rebelled, asked Khitan for help and ceded Youyun Sixteen Prefectures, the Central Plains had been unable to regain this vital strategic area after the reunification of the Central Plains. 【】Its loss brought the territory of the Khitan Liao Kingdom straight to the Great Wall, and the heart of the Central Plains near Yimapingchuan was exposed under the iron hoof of the nomads. Facing the unsafe situation in the north, Song Yichao almost broke his brain. Even though its military equipment is the most advanced in history, the iron hooves and strategic disadvantages of the nomads made it impossible for the Song Dynasty to cause mass destruction to the nomads who came and went like wind.

The nomadic cavalry, who grew up on horseback since childhood, came and went like the wind, fully exerting the power of their cavalry, and then the cavalry tactics reached its peak in the hands of the Mongols. However, the environment of the Central Plains rarely supports large-scale war horses. The loss of Youyun Sixteen States and the north not only caused a passive situation in strategy, but also lost a large amount of land suitable for keeping horses. As a result, the development of the cavalry in the Song Dynasty has always been in a very awkward position. There are fewer cavalry, and they cannot pose a threat to the nomadic iron cavalry, while increasing the cavalry simply lacks horses. And no matter how elite the army is, it is always difficult to consume with large-scale cavalry.

It wasn't until the rise of a generation of national hero Yue Wumu that this situation was reversed, but it was a pity that Yue Wumu failed, and the ten years of hard work were exhausted, making future generations regretful.

Large areas of land in the north were lost and the Western Regions were cut off. In addition, the upstream herdsmen prohibited horses from flowing into the Central Plains. Even if horses were brought into the Song Dynasty by merchants, they were mostly castrated horses. It cannot be cultivated, and there are fewer horses, and it is impossible to form a certain scale. It is a well-known thing that led to the lack of horses in the Song Dynasty.

But there is one thing. The Song Dynasty's industry and commerce were very developed. With more than two million square kilometers of land, he created economic value that stunned future generations.

Based on the US dollar in 1990, after 960 AD (when Zhao Kuangyin established the Song Dynasty), China's per capita GDP was US$450 and reached US$600 by the end of the Song Dynasty. In Europe in the dark of the Middle Ages, it was only $422. After the defeat of the Opium War in 1840, China's economy fell into a slump, with a GDP per capita of US$530 in 1870. Due to the civil war, by 1950, China's per capita GDP was only US$439, which was not as high as US$450 in the early Song Dynasty. It reached US$537 in 1952, but it was still lower than the US$600 at the end of the Song Dynasty.

Moreover, his military strength is not weak at all, but sadly caught up with a bad era. Not only is there a lack of war horses, but also a passive strategic situation where there is no danger to defend. The only thing that led to the martial arts of the Song Dynasty was indemnity...

However, when Emperor Zhao Song learned that the descendants of the Anxi Army in the prime of the Tang dynasty that year, the country was founded thousands of miles away from a foreign land to dominate, and there were many good horses in the country. Zhao Song began to have a different mindset in his mind. If he could introduce the horses of the Tang Dynasty through overseas trade, would he be able to form a certain scale in the country and form a powerful and invincible cavalry?

There is just one thing they have to consider, that is, if the horse is transported thousands of miles away, then the cost of one horse must be astonishingly high. However, they have to try to introduce war horses, even if they spend a lot of money, they will not hesitate. After all, the blood vessels of the other party and theirs always keep the same blood!

"After your envoy returns to your country, please tell the lord of your country and express my greetings to him." Zhao Guangyi said with a smile on his face with a red face. The envoy to the Song Dynasty naturally responded in one mouth, and then Zhao Guangyi said: "Your envoy once said that there are as many good horses as a cow in your country. I don't know if it is true or is it an exaggeration?"

The Tang ambassador was displeased. He said: "The good Pope knows that although our country is small in size, it is by no means that our country does not have the strength to seize foreign lands. It is not necessary at all. There are many barbarians and there are many savages. It is like a chicken rib. But our country dominates the Mediterranean and is a well-deserved hegemony. Whether it is Europa or Africa, these four countries are respected by our country. Even if it was a food country that fought with our ancestor Anxi Army, Twenty years after the establishment of our country, the two countries joined forces to invade, but both were defeated by our country. Therefore, our Tang people’s strength, your majesty, need not doubt. The number of horses in our country is as numerous as the stars in the sky. ."

Junchen Zhao Song glanced at each other. Although he still had some doubts in his heart, he was exaggerated by the powerful mentality in the other party's words, and he couldn't help but believe it in his heart. However, although Zhao Song is very well-developed in overseas trade, it is still necessary to carefully discuss how the two countries will trade. For this reason, Zhao Guangyi began to try to talk about the establishment of trade between the two countries.

"Your country and my China are brothers of blood. If there are some things, I won't lie to your envoy."

"Your Majesty, please speak."

Zhao Guangyi nodded, and then said: "Since the unification of my dynasty, I have never been able to recover the clouds and conquer the northwest. Good horses are scarce, and I cannot do my best. It is regrettable. I heard that there are so many good horses in your country. I don’t know. Can your two countries communicate with each other in trade?"

"Your Majesty, are you talking about establishing trade with our country and selling war horses?"

"exactly!"

After hearing this, the Tang ambassador was silent, and then said: "Tang people are naturally willing to trade with the homeland, but you and me are thousands of miles apart. Lu is separated by many dangers, and there is a vast sea outside. How to trade?" He again Said: "Moreover, the sea does not have to be land. The winds and waves are fickle, and the turbulence is constant. Starting from my country, crossing Egypt, crossing the Red Sea, and coming to the homeland, I am afraid that there are no good horses. In this way, the good horses who can live to the homeland Ma, the price may rise to sky-high prices. How to reduce costs is a question that must be resolved by both parties."

Zhao Song Junchen was silent, this is indeed a problem, if it can not be solved to reduce transportation costs. Then the price of a horse can rise to sky-high prices. As a result, this trade simply cannot proceed. Because by then, the price of a horse may be more expensive than gold. Even if their treasury is rich, they cannot afford it.

The Silk Road on the land was blocked by foreign races, and even if there were many horses outside the region, they could not be introduced on a large scale. Qidan, the overlord of the grassland, would not sit back and watch the Southern Dynasty possess a good horse. Although the Maritime Silk Road is prosperous, as just said, there is no one in ten trade war horses. The extra cost is so great that you can't afford it. What's more, if you want to form a huge cavalry, then the scale of horses must be large to be able to maintain a steady supply of war horses. Not only will people die in war, but horses will also die.

This is also the reason why the Song Dynasty's overseas trade was so developed, but there was still a shortage of horses. At that time, the Maritime Silk Road, Southeast Asia, South Asia participated, and the Arabs also participated. The Arabs do not lack good horses, but as mentioned above, such trade costs are too great to be worthwhile. The cost of buying war horses is enough for them to arm a lot of infantry.

Suddenly, Tang Shi seemed to have thought of something. He said, "Your Majesty, I have an idea, but for specific things, I still need to return to China to report to my king before I can determine whether things can go ahead."

"Oh? Your envoy, please say." Zhao Guangyi became interested.

"If your majesty can send troops to regain the southwest and put this place into the map, then build a good port at the mouth of the river, direct access to the sea, then war horse trade may be feasible." Tang Shi took a huge map, first pointed to the southwestern Dali country, tightly. Then he pointed to Burma below Dali, and then to the mouth of the Irrawaddy River. He uttered, "Once this place is under the rule, then the horses transported by our country can land here. After trimming, they will go up the river. , And the place where the big river flows is to build a city for the horses to rest all the way, and eventually open a straight road into the southwest. It can be sent into your country."

"And our country can seize the land of Egypt, build a good port city in the land of the Red Sea, build large sea ships, have many islands along the way, and also establish transit rest places for people and horses to rest. In this way, the loss of war horses will definitely be reduced. However, it will still be. Very expensive ~www.NovelMTL.com~ but it will definitely be acceptable to both parties."

"But the southwest has many mountains and rivers, and the roads are rugged and difficult to walk. People walking here can't help but be cautious. What's more, horses that come here for thousands of miles? A careless, damaged horse's hoof or fall into a mountain stream, wouldn't it be a failure? Moreover, the city is destroyed, and the country is destroyed. It costs a lot. Building cities and roads along the way is not a day’s work, I am afraid it will take at least 20 years. This intermediate cost is another astronomical price! After the conversion, it is enough to build a million army in our country. Besides, the Southwest is full of miasma, epidemics, poisonous insects and beasts, giving birth to savages, laboring the people and hurting money, and it is not mentioned whether the results can be seen. Just resettling immigrants and enlisting servitude is enough to make the already stable folk complain." Hearing the bad idea of ​​sending the Song Dynasty envoy, a minister of Zhao Song immediately rebutted. After facing the monarch, he bowed himself and said, "Your Majesty, this is an act that will shake the country and harm the country and the people. It is absolutely impossible."

After Tang Envoy heard this, Fang realized that he had said something stupid, so he remedied, "Your Majesty, the foreign minister is talking nonsense, please forgive your Majesty."

Zhao Guangyi waved his hand graciously, "Your envoy has been away from the Central Plains for hundreds of years and doesn't know the geography. How can I blame it?" Then he sighed, "Oh, in this way, the lack of horses in our country is still difficult to solve after all!" .

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