Chapter 24

As the first month ended, on the official road where he left Chang'an to travel west, there was a team of about a hundred and ten people slowly traveling west. This team led by the Zhongzhen General of Jinzhou, Jinzhou, and the envoy of the Fan of the Tang Dynasty, included many minor officials from the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Lifanyuan. Of course, there was also a brigade of the 100-man imperial guards, who were considered as guards of ceremonies and guards.

"Master Wang, please go two steps forward." As Cui Po, who was holding the reins slowly, summoned him, a 50-year-old man riding a horse and urged him to step forward. This person was Wang Liang, the ninth-rank rank of the Gulf Corps, who had participated in the alliance twice.

After immediately bowing his hand to the ceremony, Cui Pokaiyan asked, "Master Wang, how many gifts have we prepared for the Tubo alliance this time?"

"According to the convention, there are still 30,000 pieces of cloth and brocade of various colors."

"Oh! So many." Hearing this number, Cui Po said in a daze. He turned his head to see the king's face full of restraint. He smiled and said, "Mr. Wang has been in the Ministry of Revenue for many years and has also been to Tubo twice. This time, there must be a big point of reliance. You must not be so restrained."

"Mr. Cui, you're polite," Wang Liang said with a smile, and the expression on his face relaxed a lot.

"Mr. Wang, my court gave me 30,000 pieces of cloth. What is the return gift from Tubo?" Cui Po asked the question just now.

"Five hundred horses" said the King of Kings with a moment of contemplation and a wry smile.

"So much difference! This..." Cui Po was shocked again when he heard this, and he was about to ask, but after a little thought, he understood that the enemy was strong and he was weak, and it was useless to ask this matter. He could only sigh and said, "The court's financial resources are already weak, but this... are a big sum!"

"That's right, in the end of this year, the Ministry of Revenue has been asking for money in a constant stream, crying and asking for it, which is really a variety of techniques. But if Curry had no money, no one could do anything about it. If Lord Liu Butang had not been smart and capable and had to support it, he would probably not even be able to pay the salaries of officials. If it were to reach that point, the court would have lost its face." When it came to the mention of money, the head of the branch office who gave the salaries of officials was immediately full of talk.

"Liu Butang?" Cui Po asked with confusion. The state affairs were so difficult and the finances and taxation were naturally in short supply. He was not surprised. Instead, he was interested in this Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, who could be so admired by Wang Liang.

"It is Lord Liu Yan, who is the prime minister of the dynasty who is now building a yamen in Yangzhou and specializes in the matter of salt and salt. He is currently in charge of the Ministry of Revenue," Wang Liang introduced proudly.

"Liu Yan" Cui Po felt that the name was so familiar that it was so familiar that he lowered his head and pondered for a moment before he suddenly looked up and said, "You are talking about the Lord Liu Yan and Liu, who was the first to be the secretary at the age of nine?"

Wang Liang, who was very satisfied with Cui Po's shocked expression, replied with a smile: "Mr. Cui said it."

"I didn't expect to see another person again," Cui Po muttered to himself. Liu Yan's fame was very legendary. He was originally a Chinese from southern Caozhou. He was seven years old and was promoted to a prodigy. In the 13th year of Kaiyuan, when His Majesty Xuanzong was in charge of Mount Tai, and when he was in his hometown, he was recommended by local officials to face the saints and sang to praise the grand event of Fengshan. Xuanzong was very happy and ordered the then prime minister Zhang Shuo to give a test on the spot. Liu Yan, who was young, answered Yuru and used nine

At the age of age, he was named the Secretariat and was spread throughout the world. What is even more surprising is that this figure, who is famous for his child prodigy, showed his talent and financial management skills after his long-term officialdom. He was praised by his masters as the first planner of the Tang Dynasty. After the Anshi Rebellion, he could be said to have supported half of the Taifu Treasury with one person, especially his financial management principle of "making profits for the country, but the people have no advantages" and praised it for the people of later generations.

"Liu Xiang's extraordinary achievements in the canal transportation, and he also opened up the salt administration reform of the Changping salt system, which wiped out the accumulated problems for a hundred years. The tricks of this change are really amazing!" Cui Po said with emotion, and at the same time he was secretly happy. It was really a blessing to have such an expert here. His words were exchanged for the King of the King's Officer's joyful smile. It seems that Liu Yan is really popular in the Ministry of Revenue.

While the two were chatting and laughing, Jingfeng, who was standing at the rear of the team, came and said, "Junior brother, there is a pair of people following us, and they look very weird in their outfits, but their horses are really good." After saying that, he was still amazed in his mouth, and it seemed that he was really satisfied with the horse.

"This is the official road, everyone can walk, so what's there to follow me?" Cui Po said in his mouth, and couldn't help but turn his head and look curiously.

On the official road, Cui Po and his party were following a team of about thirty or forty people. Most of the members were wearing black robes, thin, black, and whales, and big and long noses. The horses that Jingfeng never forgets were also very different from those produced by the Tang Dynasty. They were tall, had tight belly and small abdomen, and were extremely long ankles. At a glance, they knew they were good horses who were good at walking.

The more I looked, the more surprised he became. Cui Po blurted out: "How could there be Arabs!"

"This is the envoy who came to our Tang Dynasty to ask for the envoy of the Black Food Kingdom. One of the two walking in front is called Shabei and the other is called Wuji" (the name is recorded in historical materials, and there is no other meaning). Seeing Cui Po curiously looking, the minor official of the Lifan Courtyard who was accompanying came forward to introduce.

"Oh! You know very clearly!" Cui Po turned around and looked at the little official and said.

The little official smiled flatteringly and said, "Go back to Lord Cui, when this mission arrived in the capital, the little man also participated in the reception, so he learned."

"Does there have been many messengers from this great country of food?"

This little official was used to receiving receptions in Lifan Courtyard, and he really had a good memory. He turned his fingers and calculated: "In the first year of Baoying, the fourth year of Dali, the seventh year of the seventh year, and the ninth year of this time, the dynasty alone sent five missions, which was very frequent."

"So that's how it is." Cui Po thought in his heart, and a vague thought arose from the bottom of his heart. Then, he rejected the proposal of the minor official to invite the two to meet. He looked at the big food mission deeply and continued to ride his horse forward.

When he was stationed that night, Cui Po bought wine and food in his own house in the inn, called the minor officials in the Lifan Courtyard to invite him to drink together.

The minor official looked flattered and said he didn't dare to say that he could not resist the kindness he had with the Fan Envoy. After refusing, he sat down.

"I am very interested in this big meal in black during the day. Please introduce it to me." After three rounds of drinking, Cui Po asked in a speech.

The minor official was just a non-class official in the Lifan Courtyard. Cui Po called him "Master" and was filled with joy. After smiling and entering another cup, he spoke up and introduced the situation of the black food and food.

"In the fifth year of Wude of Emperor Gaozong, when this dynasty was just founded, Muhammad, the founding monarch of the Great Food Kingdom, also founded a sect in Medina and raised an army to fight for the world. It was not until the fourth year of Zhenguan in the country that the country finally occupied the great city of Mecca, won the world, and established the Great Food Kingdom. Less than two years after the founding of the country, Muhammad died of illness. Later, after the four major caliphs who succeeded to the throne, the Great Food Kingdom destroyed countless countries. I heard that they had fought to the sea and became a great power, as early as Gaozong Yong

In the second year of Zheng, they condemned us to the Tang Dynasty for the first time to repair it. In the eighth year of Tianbao, all the Umayyad families who had ruled before were killed. The rebel Abbas established a new dynasty. Because the flag of this dynasty was still dark, the Lifanyuan called them black-clothed food and food in the past, which was different from the previous white-clothed food and food. This person was an old official in the Lifanyuanyuan. The case file was really very familiar, and in a few words, it roughly outlined the basic situation of this great food country.

As soon as he heard "Mumhamed" and "Mecca", Cui Po had a clear idea. After seeing him say this, he casually asked a question he had been thinking about all day long: "What is the relationship between this great food country and the Tubo?"

The little official drank a sip of wine, moistened his throat, and then said, "This black-clad food is now thriving. The host ambassador's yamen was established in Mulu City on the west side of the Pamir Mountains. As the base camp for eastward advance, as the tenth year of Tianbao, Gao Xianzhi, who was the governor of Anxi, led more than 30,000 foreign khan cavalry to fight with him, intending to stop him from going eastward advance. Unfortunately, there were less than a thousand survivors, so our dynasty lost many of the Beiting Protectorate.

Fortunately, the Eastern Turkish Modo Khan still condemned 200,000 troops, which blocked the way for the black-clothed food to advance eastward. In the past two years, the Eastern Turks have also declined day by day, and it seems that they can't stop it. Now the first thing to be affected is the Tubo, which is strong in the country. The two strong people meet, there should be a good show to watch. I heard that their mission came this time to discuss with this dynasty to jointly attack Tubo, but was rejected by Chang Xiang."

"So that's it, but why should Chang Xiang want it?" Cui Po asked unintentionally.

"I'm probably afraid of driving the wolf in the front door and getting the tiger in the back door!" The little official surnamed Li guessed.

At this point, Cui Po's purpose has been achieved. If he continues to ask, it is not something that the little official in front of him can know, so he no longer asks each other. He just frequently persuades him to drink. After a while, he has already drunk him.

He was sent away by someone to send the slightest official away. Cui Po, who lived alone in the room, fell into deep thought. His face looked bright and dark under the beating candlelight, which was particularly strange.

In the same inn, in the small courtyard separated by a wall from Cui Po’s residence, Shabei and Wuji, who were condemned by the black food service, were also sitting opposite each other under the light and dark lights.

"My Lord Shabei, the mission of persuading the Tang court to jointly attack Tubo failed. How can we go back and explain to the Great Jiedushi of the East Road?" Wu Ji, the deputy envoy with a pair of good hair, said worriedly.

"Allah Allah will surely bless us to defeat those barbaric pagans and spread the glory of Allah in every corner of the sun. Without such cowards as Tang Ting, we can do it. I think uncle will not blame us," said Shabei, a taller person.

"I hope so, may Allah bless us." Wu Ji felt much more at ease when she thought that Shabei was the most beloved nephew of the ambassador of the East Road.

After discussing for a long time, apart from scolding the Tang Dynasty Prime Minister Chang Gun, who was receiving them, they really couldn't think of a better way in this strange foreign country, so they could only go to bed hatefully.

Because they were walking westward, the two missions were walking together in an orderly manner on the official road. However, when they were resting in the state and counties for many days, Cui Po would always change his official uniform and go to visit the local officials alone. On the grounds that there were too few guides, he used the golden beads in his hands to clear all the prisoners in Tubo or Tuyuhun in the dungeons. In just fifteen days, he had already collected nearly sixty people, dragging them back about ten miles apart every day, and followed the mission.

After leaving Gyeonggi Province, the second mission, which set out from Liangzhou Prefecture, Shannan West Road, unfortunately encountered a heavy snowfall caused by the late spring cold. The snow stopped everyone's itinerary and finally had no choice but to camp in the wild.

"Why is this haunting weather so cold?" Sha Bei stomped his feet and complained. For him, who has lived on the Arabian Peninsula for many years, the weather here is too cold.

It was not until the entourage found dead branches of firewood and raised the fire that it was much better. With his repeated urging, a dome-shaped tent appeared in the field in a short time, and entered the large tent with silver edges covered with fur. Shabei let out a long sigh and secretly swears in his heart that from then on, he will never come to this country that will make him feel uncomfortable everywhere.

After having a simple dinner, Shabei arranged a little defense and then he did not stay in his tent for a moment and rested.

The night was getting darker, and the only thing that sounded between the sky and the earth was the rustling of snow, which made the night quieter. Shabei, who was sleeping, was awakened by a sudden scream. While he was trying to sit up and wanted to make himself more awake, screams came in a series of screams, completely dispelling his sleepiness. He picked up the crescent scimitar under the pillow. Shabei, who had just run to the door of the tent, was not as good as drawing the knife, but was blocked by someone with a scimitar of almost the same shape, one on the left and right.

As soon as he saw the black and red faces of the vicious two people in front of him, the half-out-shouldered robe made of fur and the hair full of hair, Shabei's heart suddenly became cold.

"Hurry, hand over your peace agreement with Tang Ting." The man holding a knife on the left urged him in a weirdly pronounced Chinese.

"It turns out to be a Tubo person." Sha Bei, who confirmed his thoughts, knew that he could not be spared today. Instead, he made up his mind, said nothing, closed his eyes slightly, and silently recited the Quran Bible in his heart: "Life is very difficult, the way of heaven is not easy, evil is not a robbery, and insults are meticulous, and he is in danger of others, and he is bullied by poverty and lowly. There is one thing about this, and there is no great sin. Anyone who fights and is killed by the enemy will be able to ascend to heaven..."

"It's not that easy to die. Adamot, go and bring some good materials for our envoys." The man holding the knife on the left smiled and ordered, and the other man then took the knife away and walked out of the tent quickly.

"The glory of Allah shines on me in heaven. Do you barbarians think I will be afraid of torture and death!" Shabei said contemptuously, and his eyes looked at the man were full of disdain and fanaticism.

"Hehe!" The man smiled again, but he didn't talk to him. In just a moment, a cold wind blew in. The man who had just left just entered with a strip of flesh that was still dripping with blood.

"I heard that you cannibals never want to eat pork, otherwise it would be the greatest uncleanness. Our great Zamp refused to believe it. It would be better to borrow it to verify it today, hahahaha!" The man laughed wildly and shouted loudly: "Speak quickly."

Just now, Shabei, who was still unchanged in appearance, was full of fear and anger. He looked at the man with his fire-breathing eyes, and rushed forward suddenly, and actually hit the blade that flashed with cold light.
Chapter completed!