Since Shi Jingjiao rebelled, asked the Khitan for help, and ceded the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun, the Central Plains has been unable to recover this vital strategic region after it was reunified. Its loss left the territory of the Khitan Liao State as far as the Great Wall, and the hinterland of the Central Plains, which was almost a horse flat, was exposed to the iron hooves of the nomads. Faced with the situation that there was no danger to defend in the north, the Song Dynasty was almost broken. Even though its military equipment was the most advanced in the past, in the face of the iron hooves of the nomads, as well as the strategic disadvantage, the Song Dynasty was simply unable to inflict large-scale casualties on the nomads who came and went.

The nomadic cavalry, who grew up on horseback and came and went like the wind, gave full play to the power of their cavalry, and then the cavalry tactics reached their peak in the hands of the Mongols. However, the environment of the Central Plains is rarely able to raise large-scale war horses. The loss of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun and the north not only caused a strategic passive situation, but also lost a large amount of land suitable for raising horses. As a result, the development of cavalry in the Song Dynasty has always been in a very awkward position. The lack of cavalry could not pose a threat to the nomadic iron cavalry, and the increase in cavalry was simply a lack of war horses. And no matter how elite the army is, it will always be difficult to compete with large-scale cavalry attrition.

It was not until the rise of a generation of national heroes Yue Wumu that this situation was reversed, but it is a pity that Yue Wumu failed and his ten years of hard work were exhausted, which made it a pity for future generations.

The loss of a large area of land in the north, the isolation of the Western Regions, and the nomadic people's ban on horses flowing into the Central Plains, even if horses were brought into the Song by merchants, most of them were castrated horses. It is impossible to breed, and there are fewer war horses, and it is impossible to form a certain scale. The lack of horses in the Song Dynasty is a well-known thing.

But there is one point, the Song Dynasty's industry and commerce were very developed, with more than 2 million square kilometers of land, he created an economic value that will be staggered by future generations.

Based on the US dollar in 1990, after 960 AD (when Zhao Kuangyin established the Song Dynasty), the per capita GDP of Chinese was US$450 and reached US$600 by the end of the Song Dynasty. And Europe, in the darkness of the Middle Ages, was only $422. After the defeat of the Opium War in 1840, China's economy collapsed, and in 1870 the GDP per capita was 530 US dollars. Due to the civil war, by 1950, the per capita GDP of Chinese was only 439 US dollars, which was not enough to catch up with the 450 US dollars in the early Song Dynasty. In 1952 it reached $537, but it was still below $600 at the end of the Song Dynasty.

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

However, when Zhao Song Junchen learned that the descendants of the Anxi Army of the Tang Dynasty were thousands of miles away from the country and established a country and became hegemonic, and there were many good horses and horses in the country. Zhao Song began to have a different kind of thought in his heart, if he could introduce the war horses of the Tang people through overseas trade, would he be able to form a certain scale in the country, so as to form a strong and invincible cavalry?

There is only one thing that they have to consider, that is, the cost of transporting war horses thousands of miles away must be amazing. However, they can't help but try to introduce war horses, even if it costs a lot. After all, the other party always has the same blood in their veins!

"When your envoy returns home, please convey it to the lord of your country and show him my greetings." Zhao Guangyi's face was flushed, and he said with a smile. The envoy to the Song Dynasty naturally replied, and then Zhao Guangyi said: "Your envoy once said that there are many good horses in your country like cow hair, I don't know if it is true, or is it an exaggeration?" ”

The Tang envoy looked displeased, and he said: "The good Pope knows that although our country is small, it is by no means that my country does not have the strength to seize foreign lands. But there is no need for that at all, the barbarian land, there are many savages, and it is like chicken ribs. However, our country dominates the Mediterranean Sea and deserves to be the hegemon. Whether it is Europa, Africa, these four kingdoms are all respected by our country. Even the Great Food Country, which fought with our ancestor Anxi Army back then, joined forces to attack more than 20 years after the founding of the Tang Dynasty, but they were both defeated by our country. Therefore, Your Majesty has no need to doubt the strength of our Tang people. The number of horses in my country is as numerous as the stars in the sky. ”

Zhao Song Junchen glanced at each other, although there were still some doubts in his heart, but he was rendered by the strong mentality in the other party's words, and he couldn't help believing it in his heart. However, although Zhao and Song are very developed in overseas trade, the specific trade between the two countries still needs to be carefully discussed. To this end, Zhao Guangyi began to try to talk about the establishment of trade between the two countries.

"Your country and my China are blood brothers, and I will not hide some words from your envoy."

"Your Majesty, please speak."

Zhao Guangyi nodded, and then said: "Since the unification of our dynasty, we have never been able to fully contribute to the battle. Good horses are scarce, and it is a pity that they cannot be fully recovered. I heard that there are many good horses in your country, but I wonder if you and I can trade with each other? ”

"Your Majesty, do you mean to establish trade with our country and sell war horses?"

"Exactly!"

After hearing this, the Tang envoy was silent in thought, and then said: "Trade with the homeland, I, the Tang people, are naturally willing, but you and I are thousands of miles apart. There are many dangers and barriers on land, and there is a vast sea outside, how to trade? He added: "And there is no need to travel by land at sea, for the storms and waves are unpredictable, and there are constant turbulences, and when we set out from our country, cross Egypt, cross the Red Sea, and come to our homeland, I am afraid that there will not be one good horse left." As a result, the price of a good horse that can come to the homeland alive may rise to a sky-high price. How to reduce costs is a question that both parties must settle. ”

Zhao Song Junchen was silent, this is indeed a problem, if it can't be solved, reduce transportation costs. Then the price of a horse can climb to a sky-high price. As a result, the trade could not be carried out at all. Because at that time, the price of a horse may be more expensive than gold. Even if their treasury is rich, they can't afford it.

The Silk Road on land was blocked by foreign races, and even if there were many good horses outside the territory, they could not be introduced on a large scale. The Khitan, the overlord of the grassland, will not sit idly by and watch the Southern Dynasty have good horses. Although the Maritime Silk Road is prosperous, as just said, there is no one in ten trade war horses. The cost is so great that I can't afford to buy it. What's more, if you want to form a huge cavalry, then the scale of horses must be large in order to maintain a continuous supply of war horses. Fighting a war not only kills people, but also war horses.

This is also the reason why the overseas trade of the Song Dynasty 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 had no shortage of good horses, but, as mentioned above, such trade was too expensive to be worth it. The cost of buying war horses was enough for them to arm a large number of infantry.

Suddenly, the Tang envoy seemed to think of something, and he said: "Your Majesty, I have an idea, but the specific matter still needs to be reported to my king when I return to China to determine whether the matter can be carried out." ”

"Oh? Your Excellency, please speak. Zhao Guangyi was a little interested.

"If Your Majesty can send troops to recover the southwest, and include this place in the territory, then establish a good harbor at the mouth of this river, and lead directly to the sea, then the war horse trade may be possible." The Tang envoy took a huge map, first pointing to the southwest Dali country, then to Burma below the Dali country, and then to the mouth of the Irrawaddy River. After repairing, it went up the river, and the city was built where the river flowed, so that the horses could rest all the way, and finally opened up a road to the southwest. can be sent into your country. ”

"And our country can take the land of Egypt, and establish good harbor cities in the land of the Red Sea, and build great ships, and there will be many islands along the way, and also establish transit resting places for men and horses, so that the loss of war horses will be reduced. However, it will still be expensive, but it will definitely be acceptable to both parties. ”

"But the southwest is mountainous, and the roads are rugged and difficult to walk, so people can't help but be cautious when walking here, let alone horses who come all the way here. If you accidentally damage a horse's hooves or fall into a mountain stream, isn't it a failure? Moreover, it costs a lot to attack the city and destroy the country. Building cities and roads along the way is not a one-day effort, and I am afraid it will take at least 20 years. The cost in the middle is a sky-high price! Converted, it is enough for our dynasty to build an army of millions! Moreover, there are many miasma in the southwest, epidemics are rampant, there are many poisonous insects and beasts, wild people, and a lot of labor and money, and whether the results can be seen is not mentioned. Just the resettlement of immigrants and the conscription of conscripts are enough to make the already stable people complain. Hearing the bad idea of sending the Song envoy, a minister of Zhao Song immediately refuted, finished facing the monarch, bowed down, "Your Majesty, this is a move to shake the foundation of the country and bring disaster to the country and the people, and it is absolutely not feasible." ”

After the Tang envoy heard this, Fang realized that he had said something stupid, so he remedied, "Your Majesty, the foreign minister is talking nonsense, and I beg your Majesty to forgive me." ”

Zhao Guangyi waved his hand generously, "Your envoy has been far away from the Central Plains for hundreds of years and doesn't know geography, how can I blame him?" Then he sighed, "Alas, in this way, the lack of horses in our dynasty is still difficult to solve after all!" ”