The whole of November, this huge empire spent in an "unremarkable" state. It was also at this time that news from the west came back one after another, which made Tam, who was collecting news, feel very complicated.
On the fifth day of November, he was invited to visit the residence of Li Xun of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Commerce the next day, so he went out to buy some gifts.
He already knows Li Xun. The Persians, whose family has been doing business in both places for three hundred years, have not cut off contact with their hometown. However, in the last one or two generations, they have gradually become "Tang-oriented"
Well, he wrote excellent Tang poetry. The way he looks at things and thinks about problems is obviously the habit of the Tang people.
Twelve years ago, Li Xun was appointed by Shaoyin Khan as the recorder of the Ministry of Internal Affairs - a royal internal service organization, the lowest official.
Twelve years later, he had been promoted to the head of the commercial organization of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Perhaps the biggest help came from his sister, who is sixteen years old this year and a pure Persian beauty. She performed a dance when Shaoyin Khan visited the Li family residence. Later Khan
He was forced to spend the night there. A few months later, his sister became pregnant, and Li Xun was promoted several levels and became one of the main officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
While in Chang'an West Market, Tam was worried about which gifts to choose.
"If you want to buy medicinal materials, I don't recommend doing that." Mansour, a businessman from Baghdad, said: "Xia people are very healthy and rarely get sick."
"Why do you say that?"
"When I was in Guangzhou, five out of ten businessmen who came from Persia died in one year. But this is not the case for the Chinese in Guangzhou. They are very healthy."
Tam was speechless. Is there a possibility that Chinese people are more adaptable to the environment in Guangzhou?
"I heard that among the Persians in Guangling, at most three out of ten people died in a year," Tam said.
Mansuer nodded and said: "If you go to Haizhou and Dengzhou, the cannibals will die at most one or two. But the Chinese seem to be healthier. They won't die so many people. Look at their figures.
How tall and rosy."
Tam gave up talking about it.
It is said that such a vast country has only 40 million people and is rich in products. Just do some rough calculations and you will know how much grain, meat, eggs and milk each person can get. How can he not be tall?
"What do you suggest I buy?" Tam asked.
"Buy some fragrant medicine." Mansoer made a gesture, and a few diners brought a bunch of fragrant medicine.
In the context of the Tang Dynasty, "fragrance" and "spice" are two concepts. The former is often associated with medicine, while the latter is inseparable from diet.
"This is agarwood, which is often used by Xia people during sacrifices. Oh, it is also used when going to the toilet to cover up the smell." Mansuer pointed to the first fragrant medicine and said.
According to historical records, when Shi Chong went to the toilet, there were often a dozen beautiful maids in gorgeous clothes lined up beside him, frying powder and incense, mainly using agarwood.
Is it perverted? People at the time also thought it was perverted. People who visited Shi Chong's house were often "too shy to go to the toilet" - no one would be too embarrassed to poop or pee when being stared at by a dozen gorgeously dressed beauties.
"Dipterocarps (camphor) has been very popular in the Tang Dynasty and is mainly used as medicine. Some monks also used it to gargle and treat bad breath. In the Xia Kingdom, there was a peculiar usage. His Majesty the Emperor asked people to put dipterocarps on them.
In the wardrobe, it is said that it can get rid of insects."
"That's enough." Tam was short of money and didn't have much money, so he only bought a small amount of agarwood and dipterocarp.
After paying the money, he did not leave, but instead asked: "You have been in Xia Kingdom for so many years, what do you think of this country?"
After thinking for a while, Mansuer said: "Xia people are very tall, healthy and strong."
Tam nodded to show he was listening.
In fact, Mansur's statement is very similar to the statement in "Sulaiman's Travels" - that book was written 66 years ago.
Suleiman is a businessman who has been to China and India. After careful observation, he believed that Chinese people are healthier than Indians and are much better-looking than them.
What surprised Suleiman most was that most of the people he saw in China were tall. The word "tall" appeared many times in the book. He believed that the Tang people were taller and stronger than the Arabs and Persians.
This is also consistent with Persian records. During the Battle of Talas more than a hundred years ago, they were surprised by the tall stature of Tang soldiers.
"They are very beautiful, with white and rosy skin, and no hair is darker than theirs. The women of Xia let their hair flow freely. If you have the opportunity to go to Pingkangli to see it -" Mansuer continued
said.
Tam's heart moved.
Writing needs to be connected with reality. What can you write by staying at home? He counted the money in his pocket and decided to find an opportunity to go to Pingkangli to learn about the customs of Xia Kingdom - he considered this matter with a serious attitude.
Although this violates basic doctrine.
"In this country, there is everything for people to enjoy. There are beautiful forests, vast grasslands, endless rivers, and a lot of land is cultivated. They love to have fun very much. During festivals, everyone stops working.
, there was revelry everywhere. Officials, nobles would even dance with the serfs."
"It's a bit like Persia," Tam said.
"This country is rich in flour, rice and millet." Mansur said: "The princes and nobles eat fine bread, and ordinary people eat corn. People use rice to make vinegar, wine, and sugar."
"Is the grain yield high?" Tam asked.
"Frankly speaking, it is very high. In China, only a few places such as Syria and Baghdad can achieve their level of wheat production."
Tam nodded again.
Syria and Baghdad are one of the most elite areas of the Great Food Empire, with dense population, prosperous commerce, well-managed farmland, and high yields. Comparing these two places already illustrates the problem.
"There are more than three hundred prefectures in this country, maybe four hundred, I'm not sure." Mansoer said: "Each prefecture has officials and other cities are affiliated with it. There are a large number of people living in the cities.
And a well-trained army.”
"Four hundred?" Tam was a little surprised: "How big is the city?"
"I have been to Guangzhou, Yangzhou, Bianzhou, Luoyang and Chang'an. I can only tell you that each city is very big, not much smaller than Chang'an." In fact, Mansuer is not very sure, but as far as the cities he has been to, he is not sure.
These five cities were indeed very prosperous, which gave him the illusion that other cities were as prosperous.
"Four hundred Chang'an? Impossible." Tam shook his head and said, "Look at this city. Every morning, royal stewards, slaves, and servants of the general go there on horseback or on foot to purchase the items their master needs.
.In other cities, are there so many nobles?"
"I don't know." Mansuer was also a little confused and could only shake his head.
"How much is their annual income?" Tam asked again.
Mansor was stunned. Is this something he could know? But he made up a random number: "According to an acquaintance of the eunuch, it is about one billion dirkhams."
Tam gave him a suspicious look.
Taking his hometown of Bakhna as an example, the annual income of the capital Bakhna is 280,000 dirhams, and the annual income of the largest city is 100,000 dirhams.
Shashi (Tashkent) has a silver mine, and its annual income reaches 607,100 dirkhams.
The annual income in the capital Bukhara is 1,189,200 dirhams.
The income of the entire country is 50 million dirhams - one Arab dinar gold coin is equivalent to approximately 4.25 grams, one Arab dirham silver coin is equivalent to approximately 2.97 grams, and one Persian dirham is equivalent to approximately 3.73 grams.
If the Xia Kingdom's annual fiscal revenue reaches one billion dirhams, then there really is no need to fight this war and just surrender.
"As far as I know, Xia's fiscal revenue is not calculated in gold and silver coins," Tam said.
Dashi, Persia is a society with gold and silver currency. Is the same true for Xia? According to his observation, it is obviously not the case. Then, this "billion" is probably nonsense.
Mansoer was a little overwhelmed by what he said, so he waved his hand and said: "I dare to swear by my faith that all this is true. You can go, I will not talk to you again."
Tam apologized politely, then left, quickly returning to the hotel where they lived.
After spreading out the pen and paper, he began to write again——
"...the country ruled by Shaoyin Khan is a beautiful and fascinating place. The people are tall, healthy and beautiful, and are very attractive to foreigners. The following has nothing to do with this book, but please note: in
Traveling to the Xia Kingdom requires two certificates. One is issued by a city official, which states the name, age, and religion of the traveler and accompanying persons; the other is issued by an outpost official, which states the property and goods carried.
Type, quantity, every time you pass through a guard post, someone will check it."
"...This country is very stable. When Huang Chao massacred 120,000 believers of the Creator, Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians living in Guangzhou more than 30 years ago, the Creator - let us praise the loftiness of the Holy Ming - was completely withdrawn
Without their protection, the whole country fell into chaos. But they recovered, and Hu Dazhi completely integrated the country. It is now unbreakable and very stable, and businessmen from all over the world began to gather again."
"...Shaoyin Khan inherited the military system of the Tang Empire. Two hundred years ago, their soldiers had to spend money to fight like ours, but now the soldiers' expenses are paid by the government. In other words, they are professional soldiers,
Focus more on the military. According to surveys, there are probably more than one million professional soldiers in this country. This number is very terrifying. Professional soldiers can cross thousands of mountains and rivers and fight around the clock without worrying about the livelihood of their families."
Footsteps sounded outside.
Tam put away the manuscript like a thief, and then put the compiled report on the table.
Mahamu knocked on the door and came in, and quickly saw the report on the table.
He picked it up and read it carefully, with a look of confusion on his face.
"I think-" Tam organized his sentences and said, "We should discuss the details of the next negotiation."
"There's no time." Mahamu said.
Tam was stunned.
"The Emperor of Xia has summoned us and we must go now." Mahamu said.