Chapter 59: Nomadic Philosophy (Bonus Chapter for Patron You Na)

"This plan might sound a bit far-fetched, but it is actually feasible." Seeing Toghon look somewhat awkward, Guo Kang quickly stepped in to bridge the gap. "First of all, all four of our factions have clear territorial or security demands regarding these destinations, giving us sufficient reason to persuade everyone into unified action. Secondly, we do not need complex tactical coordination; we only need to form a strategic synergy."

"The reason nomads are difficult to deal with is not because they are formidable fighters, but because they are elusive." He walked over to the map and gestured. "Fortunately, we now have a much more precise understanding of world geography than people did during the Pre-Qin, Western and Eastern Han, or even the Tang Dynasty."

"Starting from the western Liaoyang Province," he pointed from the western Liaoning region to Buir Lake, "to the northern desert, the Kipchak Steppe, southern Rus, and Hungary—all these places are actually connected."

"To solve the nomad problem, we must understand the nomads, even better than the nomads understand themselves." He withdrew his hand and explained, "We must first clarify three questions: What is nomadism? Where do nomads come from, and where are they going?"

"Mr. Guo, are you a philosophy teacher?" Joan suddenly chimed in.

"Uh, no..." Guo Kang was momentarily choked by her question.

Theodora couldn't help but let out a snicker, and the Empress immediately turned around and glared at her. Zhu Wenkui also hurriedly turned to try and stop his sister, but Joan simply resumed her sweet, innocent smile and remained silent. Powerless to do otherwise, he could only ask her not to blurt out random comments.

"Philosophy? What philosophy? Why do we need philosophy?" Toghon asked, still looking bewildered.

"It's nothing, nothing at all," Guo Kang quickly brushed him off.

"Please go on. This is indeed very important." Having dealt with his sister, Zhu Wenkui stepped in to smooth things over.

"Oh, right..." Guo Kang scratched his head, thought for a moment, and continued, "First, why is there a threat from nomadic forces? Because there are people herding on the steppe. Why are people herding on the steppe? Because the steppe is right there."

"You just said you weren't a philosophy teacher," Joan interjected again.

However, having already experienced one awkward moment, Guo Kang's mindset was much better this time. He thought for a moment and replied, "Philosophy is our tool for understanding the world. If philosophy helps us recognize the essence of our enemies and discover their weaknesses, then I hope everyone here can become a qualified philosopher."

"Adults are talking, children shouldn't interrupt!" Zhu Wenkui scolded Joan once more, then hurriedly turned back to Guo Kang, "Young Master Guo, please pay no mind. Do go on..."

"The biggest problem on the steppe is poverty," Guo Kang nodded. "In places like the southern desert, Hungary, and Crimea, the land and climate conditions are relatively favorable, making them regions suitable for both agriculture and animal husbandry. Compared to herding, agricultural yields are higher and more stable, so when conditions permit, herders naturally want to farm more land."

"Similarly, because this model yields higher output, these herders hold an advantage over other factions. The reason the Xiongnu and the Tuoba Xianbei rose to prominence from the southern desert is precisely because of this logic."

"Then what about your country?" Ignoring her brother's discipline, Joan continued asking questions.

"Our founding ancestor, Bayan Temür, came from the nobility of the Golden Horde. But strictly speaking, he actually originated from leading these farming herders," Guo Kang pondered and said.

"However, in terms of proportion, unlike the Xiongnu and Tuoba Xianbei I just mentioned, he was more like the Southern Xiongnu, Murong Xianbei, and Duan Xianbei. Rather than settled herders, this group is better described as a 'borderland conglomerate,' because a large number of agricultural residents joined them from the very beginning."

"To summarize, it was probably even more 'agricultural' than that model. The reason we were able to develop and ultimately defeat the various factions of the Golden Horde is likely because of this."

"Now I understand," Joan nodded. "You guys are basically the same as Liu Yuan. His Xiongnu Han was the Great Han, and your Mongol Qin is the Great Qin..."

"There's nothing wrong with saying that," Toghon said proudly. "We truly are the Great Qin."

"..."

His attitude left Joan completely speechless, finally allowing Guo Kang and Zhu Wenkui to heave a sigh of relief.

"Having covered that category, we can look at the next tier," Guo Kang continued. "In the Northeast, the western desert, southern Russia, and northern Central Asia, there are other regions that are relatively fertile."

"In some of these places, the climate is less than ideal; in others, agricultural cultivation has been insufficient. In any case, the proportion of agriculture is already very low, serving at best as a secondary occupation. However, the pastures are relatively lush, allowing for the establishment of relatively long-term, stable camps. These sedentary pastoral zones can sustain a considerable scale of nomadic groups and thus represent a vital force on the steppe."

"Finally, we have the poorest places—the core region of the steppe." He drew a circle in the middle of the map. "This area is the true 'nomadic' zone in the strict sense. Due to harsh natural conditions, the pastures cannot sustain herds large enough to support a tribe, forcing them to move frequently between various pastures. Because of this, it is called 'nomadism.'"

"Over on our side, many people engaged in lifelong farming have never even laid eyes on the steppe. Their decision-making is not necessarily aligned with reality, which is why I am specifically explaining this to everyone." He pointed to the northern desert region.

"Take a place like this, for example. The so-called steppe is not a single, boundless expanse of uniformly distributed grass, but rather consists of clearly defined zones. Even within the most orthodox 'steppe,' only a few pastures with abundant water sources and lush vegetation can support large tribes."

"Consequently, conflicts and blood feuds among these tribes are extremely frequent. If that's hard to grasp, just look at how farming societies fight over water sources—in the harsh living environment of the steppe, these contradictions are even more intense, and the resulting conflicts and wars are far more frequent."

"Many things on the steppe, such as culture and social organization, are products of this environment," Guo Kang concluded. "For instance, why do they so often produce a Great Khan? One of the main reasons is that the Great Khan relies on violence and authority to control and mediate these endless conflicts and disputes."

"It's not just the people of the Central Plains or the French who desire unification; the people of the steppe want it too. Because one Great Khan is always better than dozens of chieftains—a logic easily understood by herders who have experienced it firsthand."

"Another function of the Great Khan is to lead the herders of various tribes in trade and raiding, thereby compensating for the innate predicament of material scarcity on the steppe."