Xinjing Honglu Temple. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

An official walked into the lobby and bowed to Hong Xu and reported: "My lord, Lord Crerius, the envoy of the Eastern Roman Empire to our country, is asking to see you outside the door!" ”

"What is this guy doing here?" Hong Xu muttered, thought about it and instructed the officials: "Go and invite him in and bring him to the reception room next to him to serve tea!" ”

"No!"

Led by the clerk, Clerius went to the reception room and sat down, and served tea.

When Crrilius drank half a cup of tea, Hong Xu's laughter sounded outside the door, and soon he walked in with a smile on his face and said to Crrilius: "Your Excellency, I'm sorry, I've kept you waiting!" ”

Crilius stood up and pressed his right hand on his chest and bowed, "It's okay, but I'm suddenly visiting to disturb Lord Hong!" ”

Hong Xu waved his hand and said: "Don't say the kind words, Your Excellency the envoy, please sit down, sit down and say!" ”

The two sat down separately, and Hong Xu asked with the tea sent by the official: "Your Excellency the envoy came to Honglu Temple this time, I don't know what the official can do to help Your Excellency?" ”

Clelius said: "Lord Hong, on behalf of the Eastern Roman Empire, I strongly oppose your country's sale of weapons, armor and bows and crossbows to the Bolgar Khanate!" Your Excellency should know that our country and the Bolgar Khanate have been at war and strife for centuries, and that the Bulgars are extremely aggressive, and that this act of your country will encourage the arrogance of the Bolgar Khanate, and that they will surely invade our northern borders when they receive your weapons, armor and crossbows. I hope that your country will immediately cease this behavior and detain these weapons, armor and crossbows that have already been shipped, otherwise it will seriously affect the relations between your two countries! ”

Hong Xu pondered for a moment and said to Clelius: "Your Excellency, I am sorry that my country cannot agree to this request. First of all, China and your country only have normal diplomatic relations, and any diplomatic move by our country does not need to be considered and responsible for your country's security, unless your country is a strategic ally of our country, but your country is not; Secondly, China's sale of weapons and equipment and crossbows and other ordnance to other countries is only one of all commercial trade, if your country needs, you can also buy weapons, armor and bows and crossbows from China, and China can sell them to your country at the same price and ensure the quality; Thirdly, King Bolgar Khan has already paid for this batch of ordnance and equipment, and the weapons and equipment have also been shipped, which means that this deal has been reached and completed, and our country cannot go back at this time, which is not good for our country's credibility in all the neighboring countries, and this kind of thing that harms itself and others will never be done! ”

Crilius did not give up, "Lord Hong, what you said makes sense, and you are all right. But please think about it, in addition to the Tang Dynasty, among the neighboring countries, the relationship between the Eastern Roman Empire and your country is the most friendly, my country's annual trade volume with your country is the largest among all neighboring countries, and most of the porcelain, silk, brocade, paper, and tea produced by your country and Datang are sold to our country, I hope that your country can take seriously and face up to our country's protests, and do not do anything that damages the relationship between our two countries! ”

Clerius's words made Hong Xu feel the pressure, and he had to admit that Clelius found an entry point, and he was not bad at all, although the power of the Eastern Roman Empire has declined, it is still one of the most powerful countries in the world, and it still has a huge consumer market, more than 25% of all the goods exported by Western Qin and the Tang Dynasty have entered the market of the Eastern Roman Empire, once the Eastern Roman Empire closes the trade route with Western Qin, then the economy of Western Qin will suffer considerable losses.

Hong Xu thought for a while before he said to Crrilius: "I need to remind Your Excellency that it is not only our country and the Tang Dynasty whose goods enter your country to benefit from it, but also the people of Constantinople and your country, because our country and the Tang Dynasty goods are respectful to your country, and your country can collect a large amount of taxes, and the people of your country also need these goods in their daily lives, it is precisely because there is demand that there will be supply, I hope Your Excellency will not threaten our country with such a thing!" However, what Your Excellency has just said, this official will convey to our royal court that it is impossible for this batch of ordnance and equipment that has been sold to be recovered under any circumstances, and I ask your Excellency to forgive me for this. ”

Clelius knew that even if he continued to talk about it, he would not be able to make Hong Xu change his mind, and Hong Xu had no decision at all in this matter, and it was Zhao Ziliang, the king of Western Qin, who had the right to decide.

Clelius stood up and said, "Lord Hong, in this matter, I will never give up, I will come again, farewell!" ”

Hong Xu got up and arched his hand: "Your Excellency the envoy will go slowly, don't send it!" ”

Crrilius returned to the embassy angrily, and the deputy envoy asked, "My lord, are the negotiations with Western Qin not going well?" ”

Krarius exclaimed angrily: "This Hong Xu doesn't make sense at all, I threatened him with trade, but he threatened me in turn, judging from his attitude, the high-level of the Western Qin State is afraid that they will not let go of their mouths on this matter, and it is basically impossible for us to make the Western Qin State stop selling weapons and equipment to the Bolgar Khanate!" ”

The deputy frowned and said, "What then?" There are nearly 200 warriors in Telertz and his party, all of them are fierce barbarian warriors, our strength on the side of Western Qin is too weak, and in the country of Western Qin, we have no choice but to watch him take these weapons away! ”

Clelius thought for a long time, and finally sighed: "There is no other way now, in the sphere of influence of the Western Qin State, we can't do anything else, now we can only pass the news back to Constantinople as soon as possible, so that Constantinople can respond as soon as possible, after Terretz returns to the Bolgar Khanate with this batch of weapons, he may lead an army to invade the north of our country at any time, we must prepare early!" By the way, I asked you to check the number of weapons and equipment in this batch, have you checked it out? ”

"Got it checked!" The deputy envoy nodded, took out a list and handed it to Krilius, "Look, this is the list of this batch of weapons and equipment, the quantity is not very large, but the Western Qin Kingdom is all forged into the style of Western weapons and equipment according to the requirements of the Bolgars, and the quality is not inferior to our country!" ”

Krilius took the list and looked at it, and said: "The number of weapons and equipment in this batch is not large, but you must know that this is the first time that the Bolgar Khanate has purchased ordnance from Western Qin, and he is also worried that the weapons and equipment are not easy to use, so he can only buy less for the first time, but if this batch of weapons and equipment is easy to use, then they will increase the number of purchases for the second time, and with the trust of the first time, I am afraid that the second transaction will be more convenient and easy!" I already feel that the severity of the situation is increasing, and I will send someone back to Constantinople as soon as possible to tell the emperor and his ministers the news, and let them go and worry about it! ”

"Understood, I'll arrange it right away!"

June 20, Ice Palace.

"Tell me, what's the matter?" Zhao Ziliang, who was meditating and refining qi on the practice platform of Wangtianya, opened his eyes and looked at Dugu and said.

Dugu asked: "King, Huang Zhanpeng, the envoy in Baghdad, sent someone to send back an urgent express, regarding the seizure of ten warships and 300,000 catties of metal ore purchased by China from the Papal States, he has negotiated with the relevant officials of the Great Food Country, and the Great Food Country agreed to release it, but my country has to pay a deposit of 2 million guan, a berthing fee of 1,000 guan per day and a loan of 2 million guan!" ”

Zhao Ziliang sneered: "So the compensation we got from the Great Food Country is not enough to pay this ransom?" ”

Dugu asked, "Yes!" ”

After weighing for a moment, Zhao Ziliang asked, "How much did it cost us to buy these ten warships and 300,000 metal ores from the Papal States?" ”

"800,000! And there were no weapons on these ten ships! ”

"Bump!" Zhao Ziliang exploded on the spot, slapped the practice platform he sat down, and snorted coldly: "Hmph, 800,000 yuan is not worth anything, they actually asked for more than 4 million yuan, they really dare to open this mouth!" Whether it is communication or game between countries, we must always talk about rules and reasons, and this big food country does not talk about rules and reasons at all! Four million guan, it's not that my Western Qin Kingdom can't take it out, this king is angry that the Great Food Kingdom actually used such despicable and scoundrel means to bully my Western Qin in disguise, which is unbearable! If I don't make some reactions in this case, how will this king explain to the people of the world after the news spreads? Where does my Xiqin face exist? Come, inform all the civil and military officials above the third rank of the yamen to come to the Cold Ice Palace tomorrow to participate in the court meeting! ”

"No!"

The next day, June 21.

At the beginning of the court meeting, Zhao Ziliang ascended to the throne of His Majesty, and all the ministers paid homage!

"All the Qing are flat!"

"King Xie!"

Waiting for the ministers of civil and military affairs to stand on the left and right sides, Zhao Ziliang said to Dugu: "Prime Minister, tell the ministers about the detention of the ten sea ships and warships that China purchased from the Papal States and the 300,000 catties of metal ore purchased from the Frankish Kingdom!" ”

"No!" Dugu agreed, and immediately stood up to introduce the situation: "?????? After the incident came out, under the instructions of the king, the Government Council quickly sent someone to inform our envoy in Baghdad Huang Zhanpeng, let him negotiate with the Great Food Country, the results of yesterday's negotiation from Baghdad back to Xinjing, after consultation, Huang Zhanpeng also did his best, the final bottom line of the Great Food Country is that China has to pay a deposit of 2 million guan, a daily berthing fee of 1,000 guan and a loan of 2 million guan, and the total value of the ten sea ships and warships and 300,000 catties of metal ore is less than 800,000 guan. In other words, the Great Food Nation wants us to redeem these ten warships and 300,000 catties of ore at five times the price! ”

After Dugu's words fell, the court suddenly exploded! The courtiers were furious, this is still worth it, how can there be such a bully?

Some of the ministers clamored to send troops to look good at the Great Food Country, and to let the monarchs and ministers of the Great Food Country know that Western Qin could not be easily offended. Other courtiers called on everyone to exercise restraint, and if they could avoid fighting, it was better not to fight, and it was better to settle the matter through negotiation. This part of the people was strongly despised by the main war faction, and the generals were even eager to rush up to fight the officials of the main peace faction.