Chapter 4851 Ambitious
Chapter 4851 Ambitious
Abu Awal sat at the table. He didn't want to eat the food because he didn't know how to use chopsticks. The wine was spicy and burned his heart and stomach. Even his right-hand men were suspected of "defection to the enemy". He felt increasingly depressed.
He was under someone else's roof and the situation was too passive, leaving him no room for bargaining. If he could not appease the Tang people and completely resolve the problems here before the news of the defeat was reported back to Damascus, he would surely be dismissed and investigated by the furious Caliph.
"Dismissal and investigation" is not just about holding people accountable. Given the caliph's greed and tyranny, his family will be destroyed, his property will be confiscated, and his people will be sold...
The Tang people must have known about these things and insisted on this.
What else could I do?
Sighing, Abu Awal said dejectedly: "What are the specific requirements? You might as well list them in detail and we can discuss them one by one."
"The Governor is quick to speak, so I am being rude. Someone, come here!"
Yang Zhou called out and asked the military commander to hold a piece of paper in front of Abu Awal, and said with a smile: "This is the bottom line of the Tang Dynasty. There is no need to discuss it. The governor can just act according to the rules."
Abu Awal's face darkened as he pushed the paper in front of the interpreter. He cursed in his heart that the Tang people were really overbearing. We can't even talk. Whatever you say is what it means.
Deceiving too much!
Buser was a little embarrassed. He was a person who knew Chinese characters and Chinese, and the governor showed the paper to the interpreter...
The interpreter looked at the dense handwriting on the paper, swallowed his saliva, and translated it to Abu Awal word by word. With each translation, Abu Awal's face became uglier. By the time he had finished translating four items and dozens of small items, Abu Awal's square face had already turned as black as the bottom of a pot...
Allow the Tang Dynasty to establish the "Honglu Temple" in Shilafu Port to manage all Tang affairs?
All Tang people in the port of Shilafu are managed by the "Honglu Temple". Even if they commit crimes, the "Honglu Temple" will deal with them according to the laws of the Tang Dynasty. The Arab Kingdom and the port of Shilafu have no right to interfere?
Abu Awal shook his head repeatedly: "This is absolutely impossible. Although I was defeated, it does not mean that the Arab Empire was defeated. The port of Shiraf has not fallen. How can your country make such an unreasonable request?"
Once this agreement is signed, he will be a certified "traitor to the Arab world". If someone investigates him in the future, the charge of "treason" will never be washed away.
Yang Zhou had been relaxed and smiling, showing great hospitality. He said gently, "The Governor must have misunderstood. It's not that the Tang Dynasty wants to trample on the dignity of your country. It's just that the Tang Dynasty and the Arabs are thousands of miles apart, and the customs of the people are very different. In addition, the Arabs have too many rules in their customs. If the Tang people accidentally violate them, they will be severely punished by your laws. Isn't that unfair? Therefore, if a similar incident occurs, it is handled by the 'Honglu Temple'. It can not only give the Tang people a warning and admonition, so that they will not violate it again, but also reflect the dignity of your country. It is really necessary."
Abu Awal remained silent.
He knew that he could not resist any of the clauses proposed by the Tang people, but he needed an excuse for those clauses that involved national sovereignty.
Now that Yang Zhou had given an excuse, Abu Awal thought it was perfect, so he no longer objected.
But he pointed to one of the clauses: "Compensation for the dead Tang merchants, looted goods, the loss of Tang warships, and compensation for the casualties of soldiers. This is no problem, but the amount needs to be discussed. Three hundred thousand gold coins... I can't afford it anyway."
Buser explained: "Taxes from the port of Shiraf have to be repatriated to Damascus every month. The governor gave a lot of money to the eunuchs around the caliph for this position. He has been the governor for a short time and has not yet made back his investment... He certainly cannot afford the money. How about using slaves to offset it?"
Yang Zhou immediately shook his head: "The Tang Dynasty is a civilized country with a sense of propriety. How could it do such ignorant, cruel and unscrupulous things? Human trade is something that only the lowest countries would do. The Tang Dynasty would never do it."
Abu Awal and Busr looked at each other, puzzled.
The port of Shilaf is a huge international port, handling trade between the Arab Empire, the former Persian Empire, the Tang Dynasty, India and many overseas countries. Information transmission is very convenient. As far as they know, a large number of "Kunlun slaves" are sold to the Tang Dynasty every year to engage in heavy labor such as mining, city building, and canal construction. Why did this general say that the Tang Dynasty did not allow slave trade?
Fu Yulong whispered, "Let's put this on hold for now and discuss it later."
Abu Awal: "..."
……
In general, the negotiations went very smoothly. After all, Abu Awar was at the mercy of others. The Tang army had won a great victory and was approaching with a large force. Abu Awar had to face pressure from the Tang Dynasty while guarding against unexpected events in Damascus. It was like driving a tiger out of the front door and letting a wolf in from the back door. He had no right to bargain at all.
One by one, item by item, except for minor modifications, they are gradually implemented.
When the sun set and its afterglow spread over the sea, Abu Awal politely declined Yang Zhou's invitation to a banquet. He got down from the "Prince of Wei" in a basket, feeling heavy-hearted and depressed, and returned to the Governor's Mansion in Shirov Port on his own warship.
Just as he entered the palace and had no time to take a shower, change clothes or drink water, a guard came to report and handed over a business card: "A Tang merchant wants to see you!"
Abu Awar could not recognize Chinese characters, so he handed the business card to Busr and asked, "Who is this?"
Buser looked at the business card, which only had a name "Jin Renwen" on it, and a few small characters "Silla Jinshi" next to it. He said, "It should be a descendant of the Silla Jinshi royal family. The entire Silla country is annexed to the Tang Dynasty, and its queen moved to Chang'an. The territory is ruled by the third son of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, and it is a vassal state of the Tang Dynasty."
Abu Awal was puzzled: "Why did this man come to see me?"
"Silla has long been attached to the Tang Dynasty, and the Jin royal family is also Tang people. Since the governor has already negotiated peace with the Tang people, why not meet them?"
"Then let him in."
Soon, a thin, handsome man walked in quickly. He was wearing a brocade robe made of Sichuan brocade, a piece of white and lustrous Hetian jade on his waist, and a fu hat on his head. He looked energetic and bowed politely: "I am Jin Renwen of the Jin family of Silla, and I am honored to meet the Governor-General."
The Arabs speak very fluently.
Abu Awal didn't put on airs. He raised his hand and said, "No need to be polite. Please take a seat."
He now had a deep fear of the Tang people. Even though the Silla people were not Tang people strictly speaking, he did not dare to treat them with disrespect...
A guard brought tea. Jin Renwen took a sip and found it was top-grade Longjing tea. He praised, "The new tea of the Tang Dynasty is indeed the best drink in the world. It leaves a lingering fragrance on the teeth and cheeks, and the sweetness is endless. This grade of tea is rare even in the Tang Dynasty. Many aristocratic families would rather spend a lot of money but still cannot get it. I am very honored that the governor treats guests with this!"
Abu Awal had no intention of being falsely polite with him, so he asked directly: "We are strangers, but I don't know why you are here?"
Jin Renwen put down his teacup and asked with a smile, "I have business dealings with many families in Japan, and we have also jointly opened several mines in Japan. But the governor must know that mining is really labor-intensive, and many people can't stand the hardship and are unwilling to do it. I heard that the governor's office has countless slaves, so I came here presumptuously and beg the governor to take care of me. The price is negotiable. I wonder if the governor will give me this face?"
Abu Awal: "..."
What else don’t you understand about this?
During the previous negotiations, I said that I couldn't afford to compensate the Tang Dynasty for its losses and mentioned the slave trade, but was sternly rejected by the Tang army general. Now someone came to my door and took the initiative to mention it...
The Tang Dynasty was a civilized country and a country of etiquette. How could it not engage in such an unscrupulous thing as the slave trade?
There is really no need to do it, because all the bad reputations were done by the foreign races that were raised and controlled by the Tang Dynasty. These people bear the infamy, while the Tang Dynasty is innocent...
Buser suddenly asked, "I heard that the Jin family of Silla has a good relationship with the Duke of Yue in the Tang Dynasty?"
Jin Renwen straightened his back and said proudly, "My princess, Princess Jin, married into the Fang family, so the Jin family and Duke Yue are related by marriage."
It was more than just the princess. Her Majesty the Queen also gave herself to Fang Jun and was protected by him. Otherwise, Jin Famin's rebellion alone would have been enough for the Tang Emperor to exterminate the entire Jin family, and Jin Famin's younger brother would not have been spared.
But there is no need to talk about this, after all, it is a bit shameful...
Abu Awal was puzzled as to why Busr suddenly mentioned this Duke of Yue. Busr leaned close to his ear and whispered, "This Duke of Yue is the man who created the Tang Dynasty Navy. He is deeply favored by the Tang Emperor and is extremely powerful. Not only that, I also heard that this man is the inventor of firearms. If we can buy muskets, cannons, and even gunpowder formulas from him... the vizier dare not say it, but can the mufti think about it?"
Abu Awal's breathing became heavier.
The disastrous defeat in this naval battle made him realize that the power of the Tang army's firearms was irresistible. It was not that he was incompetent. Even if the Caliph requisitioned naval warships across the country and led the army personally, it would only end in failure.
The combat effectiveness of the two sides was not only different in the performance of ships and the quality of soldiers, but the decisive factor was the firearms possessed by the Tang army.
Before the battle began, the scene of the Tang army's artillery firing in unison and the "Wei Wang Hao" "spewing fire" and advancing straight into the enemy's territory had already been engraved in his mind. The reason why he agreed to all kinds of "humiliating" peace terms without any resistance under the oppression of the Tang army was that he believed that the Tang army with firearms was invincible!
If I could obtain this kind of weapon that could destroy the heavens and the earth and present it to the Caliph, the Caliph would be able to destroy the Eastern Roman Empire in one fell swoop and march straight to Rome, or even conquer the entire Mediterranean like Caesar and Alexander the Great and make it an inner lake of the Caliphate...
What kind of achievement will that be? !
"Vizier" is the "Prime Minister" of the Empire. With my own ability, I am still a little short of that, but it is not impossible for me to become a "Mufti" who is in charge of religious law and presides over trials...
A sense of ambition rose from the bottom of my heart.
A crushing defeat, perhaps, could turn out to be a blessing in disguise, an opportunity for promotion?
