Xinjing Honglu Temple.
An official walked into the lobby and bowed to Hong Xu and reported: "Sir, the envoy of the Eastern Roman Empire to our country, Lord Crelius, is outside the door asking for an audience."
"What is this guy doing here?"
Hong Xu muttered, and after thinking for a while he told the clerk: "Go and invite him in, and bring him to the reception room next to him to serve tea."
"promise" Crelius was led by the clerk to the reception room and sat down, and was served tea.
When Clarius drank half a cup of tea, Hong Xu's laughter sounded outside the door.
He soon saw him walking in with a smile on his face and said to Clarius: "Your Majesty, I'm sorry.
You’ve been waiting for a long time” Clarius stood up, put his right hand on his chest, bowed and said, "It doesn't matter, but my sudden visit disturbed Mr.
Hong."
Hong Xu waved his hands and said: "I won't say any more polite words.
Your Excellency, envoy, please take a seat.
Sit down and talk."
The two sat down separately.
Hong Xu took the tea brought by the official and asked, "Your Majesty, the envoy, is coming to Honglu Temple this time.
I wonder if there is anything I can do to help you."
Clarius said seriously: "Master Hong, on behalf of the Eastern Roman Empire, I strongly object to your country selling weapons, armor and crossbows to the Bulgar Khanate.
Your Excellency, you should know that our country and the Bulgar Khanate have been at war for hundreds of years. , disputes continue, the Bulgars are extremely aggressive, this behavior of your country will To fuel the arrogance of the Bulgar Khanate, after they obtain your weapons, armor and crossbows, they will definitely invade the northern border of our country.
I hope that your country can immediately stop this behavior and detain these weapons, armor and crossbows that have been shipped. , otherwise, this will seriously affect the relationship between our two countries."
Hong Xu pondered for a moment and said to Crelius: "Your Majesty the Envoy, I am sorry that our country cannot agree to your request.
First of all, our country only has normal diplomatic relations with your country, and any diplomatic actions of our country do not need to be for your country. security considerations and responsibilities, unless your country is a strategic ally of our country, but your country is not; secondly, our country’s sales of weapons, equipment, bows and other ordnance to other countries is only one of all commercial trades, if your country needs If you want, you can also buy weapons, armor and crossbows from our country.
Our country can sell them to your country at the same price and guarantee the quality; thirdly, King Bulgar Khan has paid for this batch of ordnance and equipment, and the weapons and equipment have also been shipped. , which means that the deal has been reached and completed.
Our country cannot go back on its words at this time.
This is detrimental to our reputation among all neighboring countries.
Our country will never do such a thing that harms itself and benefits others."
Crelius did not give up, "Mr.
Hong, everything you said makes sense and is correct.
But please think about the relationship between our Eastern Roman Empire and your country among the neighboring countries in addition to the Tang Dynasty. is the most friendly.
Our country’s annual trade volume with your country The country is the largest among all neighboring countries.
Most of the porcelain, silk, brocade, paper, and tea produced by your country and the Tang Dynasty are sold to our country.
I hope that your country can take our country's protest seriously and face up to it, and do not make any harmful remarks.
Things that harm the relationship between our two countries.”
Clarius's words made Hong Xu feel pressure.
He had to admit that Clarius had found an entry point.
What he said was absolutely right.
Although the power of the Eastern Roman Empire had declined, it was still the most powerful in the world.
One of the countries that still has a huge consumer market, more than 25% of all the goods exported by the Western Qin and the Tang Dynasty entered the market of the Eastern Roman Empire.
Once the Eastern Roman Empire closed the trade channel with the Western Qin, Then Western Qin's economy will suffer considerable losses.
Hong Xu thought for a long time before saying to Crelius: "I need to remind you that the goods from our country and the Tang Dynasty enter your country and it is not only our country and the Tang Dynasty that make profits, but also Constantinople and your country."
The people of your country are also the beneficiaries.
Because the goods of our country and the Tang Dynasty respect your country, your country can collect a large amount of tax, and the people of your country have These goods are also needed in daily life.
It is precisely because there is demand that there will be supply.
I hope you will not threaten our country with such things.
However, what the envoy just said, I will inform our royal court.
As for these batches that have been sold It is impossible for the ordnance and equipment to be recovered under any circumstances.
Please forgive me for this."
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Clarius knew that even if he kept talking, he would not be able to make Hong Xu change his mind, and Hong Xu had no decision-making power at all in this matter.
The one who had the decision-making power was Zhao Ziliang, the king of Western Qin.
Clarius stood up and said: "Master Hong, I will never give up on this matter.
I will come again.
Farewell."
Hong Xu stood up and held his hands in his hands: "Your Excellency, the envoy, please go slowly.
I won't see you off."
Clarius returned to the embassy angrily, and the deputy envoy asked: "Sir, are the negotiations with the Western Qin not going well?"
Clarius said angrily: "This Hong Xu makes no sense at all.
I threatened him with trade, but he threatened me in turn.
Judging from his attitude, I am afraid that the senior officials of the Western Qin Kingdom will not relent on this matter.
It is basically impossible for us to stop Western Qin from selling weapons and equipment to the Bulgar Khanate."
The deputy frowned and said: "What should we do?
Teletz and his party have nearly two hundred warriors, all of them are fierce barbarian warriors.
Our strength in Western Qin is too weak, and in addition, we are in Western Qin.
We have nothing to do with Teletz, we can only watch as he takes these weapons away."
Clarius thought for a long time, and finally sighed: "There is no other way now.
Within 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 responded as soon as possible.
After Teletz returned to the Bulgar 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.
Right, I asked you to check this batch of weapons.
Have you checked the quantity of equipment?"
"It's clear."
The deputy nodded and took out a list and handed it to Krilius, "Look, this is the list of this batch of weapons and equipment.
The number is not very large, but the Western Qin Kingdom all followed the Bulgars' rules.
According to the requirements, it is forged into the style of Western weapons and equipment, and the quality is no less than that of our country."
Krilius took the list and looked at it, and said: "The quantity of this batch of weapons and equipment is not large, but you have to know that this is the first time that the Bulgar Khanate purchased weapons and equipment from the Western Qin Dynasty.
He was also worried that the weapons and equipment were not good.
To use it, they can only buy less for the first time, but if this batch of weapons and equipment is easy to use, then they will buy less for the second time.
I will increase the purchase quantity the second time.
With the trust gained from the first time, the second transaction will probably be more convenient and easier.
I already feel that the severity of the situation is increasing, and I will immediately send someone back to you as quickly as possible.
Constantinople tells the emperor and ministers the news and lets them worry about it."
"Understood, I'll make arrangements right away" June 20, Ice Palace.
"Tell me, what's the matter?"
Zhao Ziliang, who was sitting on the Wangtianya training platform meditating and practicing Qi, opened his eyes and looked at Dugu Wensu and said.
Dugu Wensu raised his hands and said: "Your Majesty, Huang Zhanpeng, the envoy in Baghdad, sent someone to send back an urgent message.
Regarding the seizure of ten warships and 300,000 kilograms of metal ore purchased by our country from the Papal States, he has already contacted Dashi.
Relevant officials from the country negotiated, and the country agreed to release the permit, but our country has to pay a deposit of 2 million guan, a daily parking fee of 1,000 guan, and a loan of 2 million guan.”
Zhao Ziliang sneered: "So the compensation we received from the Food Country is not enough to pay the ransom."
Dugu Wensu nodded: "Yes."
After weighing for a moment, Zhao Ziliang asked: "How much did we spend on the ten warships and 300,000 metal ores we purchased from the Papal State?"
"Eight hundred thousand guan and there are no weapons on these ten battleships" "Peng" Zhao Ziliang was furious on the spot, slapped the training table where he sat down, and snorted coldly: "Hmph, they are asking for more than 4 million guan for something that is not worth 800,000 guan.
How dare they say this?
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Regardless of whether there are interactions or games between countries, there must always be some rules and principles.
This big food country does not follow rules and principles at all.
Four million guan, it is not that we, the Western Qin State, cannot come up with it.
Come on, I am angry that the Dashi Kingdom used such despicable and rogue methods to humiliate me, Western Qin, in disguise, which is intolerable.
If I, Western Qin, don’t make some reaction under this situation, the news will spread.
How can I explain to the people of the world how I can save the face of Western Qin?
I will inform all the civil and military officials of the third rank and above of the royal court to come to the Ice Palace tomorrow to attend the court meeting."
"promise" The next day, June 21st.
At the beginning of the court meeting, Zhao Ziliang ascended to Danbi and sat on the throne, and all the ministers paid homage.
"All the ministers are equal" "Thank you, Your Majesty" When the civil and military ministers were divided into two sides, Zhao Ziliang asked Dugu Wenshu: "Prime Minister, tell the ministers that the Dashi Kingdom has detained the ten warships and warships that our country purchased from the Papal State and the 300,000 purchased from the Frankish Kingdom.
The matter of kilograms of metal ore” "Nuo" Dugu Wensu agreed and immediately stood up to introduce the situation: "After the incident occurred, under the instructions of the King, the Government Affairs Council quickly sent someone to notify Huang Zhanpeng, our envoy in Baghdad, and asked him to negotiate with the Food Country.
Yesterday's negotiation The results were sent back to Beijing from Baghdad.
After consultation, Huang Zhanpeng also made the greatest efforts The final bottom line of the food country is that our country has to pay a deposit of two million guan, a daily berthing fee of 1,000 guan, and a loan of 2 million guan.
The total value of the ten sea-going warships and 300,000 kilograms of metal ore Less than 800,000 kilograms, which means that the Great Food Country wants us to redeem these ten battleships and 300,000 kilograms of ore at five times the price."
After Dugu Wensu's words fell, the court suddenly exploded.
The courtiers were furious.
This is okay.
How can anyone bully others like this?
Some of the ministers clamored to send troops to make Dashi Kingdom look good, and to let the rulers and ministers of Dashi Kingdom know that Western Qin could not be easily offended.
Another part of the courtiers called on everyone to exercise restraint.
If it is possible not to fight, it is best not to fight.
If it can be resolved through negotiation, it is best to resolve it through negotiation.
This group of people were strongly despised by the warring faction, and the generals even wanted to rush forward and beat these peace-promoting officials
.
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