The Silk Road trading routes that had existed for about a thousand years by the time the Mongols made the scene had fallen into disuse. But the Mongols valued trade because they could tax it. And they did a great job of keeping their empire safe. It was said that a man could walk from one end of the Mongol Empire to the other with a gold plate on his head without ever fearing being robbed. Two, the Mongols increased communication through Eurasia by developing this pony express-like system of way stations with horses and riders that could quickly relay information. It was called the Yom system, and it also included these amazing bronze passports, which facilitated travel. Three, another thing that traveled along Mongol trade routes was cuisine.