Daming Yuanfu

Chapter 2431: The Duke is not an assistant, but a regent (XXII) The Persian Mission (Part )

After the welcoming ceremony, Li Tingji hosted a banquet for the Persian delegation and informed the Persian Grand Vizier during the banquet that since he had to inspect the construction of the Andijan irrigation canal and reservoir which had just started that afternoon, the delegation could rest in the temporary embassy or visit the city, and the formal meeting could only be arranged for tonight.

Allahweli Khan seemed to have some complaints about this, but after asking, he learned that Andijan was not the residence of Li Tingji, the Governor-General of Anxi (the Anxi Governor-General's residence was Ili, which is called "Yilibali" in this book during the Western Expedition), but only the residence of the Anxi General. Therefore, Li Tingji needed to take this opportunity to check the progress of various major projects of the court.

Knowing that it was indeed because of the tight schedule, Alawerdi Khan could only patiently agree. After all, Li Tingji also explained the importance of these projects when he explained that the annual rainfall in Andijan was about 200 milliliters, at least half less than the core area of ​​Daming.

Under such circumstances, the importance of water diversion, irrigation and water storage facilities is self-evident. Gao Youshi had issued an order long ago and mobilized engineering masters to go to survey, design and arrange construction, including those from the Ministry of Works and those from Beijing. Since it was a major matter personally taken care of by the teacher, Li Tingji, as a student, naturally did not dare to neglect it in the slightest.

I won't go into detail about Li Tingji's supervisory itinerary, but let's just talk about Alawerdi Khan and his entourage. The hot midday sun in Andijan bleached the newly built rammed earth walls. When the camel caravan of the Persian delegation touring the city turned into the main road under the escort of the Ming army, the shops on both sides of the street were still sparse, but they already showed the imprint of the Ming Dynasty:

The thick wooden door of the "Anxi Military Equipment Bureau Andijan Craftsman Workshop" on the left is open, and you can see craftsmen polishing the bayonets used by the Ming army in the Wanli III period. There seems to be some emblem engraved on the scabbard, but it is difficult to see clearly because the delegation is too far away.

On the right, "Jinghua Commercial Company" has built its iconic "Crystal Building". All windows use transparent glass with a light green tint. In the bright display windows, Jingdezhen white porcelain and Xinzheng Yu Kiln (remember this Gao family industry?) colored porcelain are of various kinds and juxtaposed with local wool felt and other specialty products. The labels are marked with prices in four languages: Chinese, Mongolian, Persian, and Turkic, and there is also a sentence written on them: "Iron can be exchanged for wool, and porcelain can be exchanged for glass."

[Note: The glass here refers to lapis lazuli, which was called lapis lazuli, jinjing, jinyu, qingdai, lanchi, etc. in ancient China. It is called lapis lazuli or vinuli in Buddhism. In short, it is a kind of gemstone with mostly blue color, and it is also one of the sources of natural blue pigment. Because it is the "color of the sky", it is deeply revered by emperors all over the world in ancient times.]

Looking at the five-story building, Alawerdi Khan said to the people around him: "I have heard the Portuguese mention the wealth of Beijing many times. Seeing it today, it is indeed well-deserved... This building is high enough to overlook the entire city. Only the property of the Prime Minister of the Great Ming Cabinet dares to be so high."

Hussein Ali said: "When I was traveling in Europe, I heard rumors that the Pope was trying to reach an alliance with the Ming Dynasty, and the minister in charge of this matter was this prime minister... However, I recently heard that the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty passed away, and the new emperor was very young, so this prime minister became regent. I don't know if it is true or not."

"Both things are true," said Alaverdi Khan. "His Majesty the Pope is also in contact with His Majesty the Shah, and both sides have agreed to deal with the Ottomans. As for the Ming Dynasty, the prime minister's regency does not seem to be a new thing, but..." However, he did not continue.

For some reason, the delegation did not enter the Crystal Building for a visit, but continued to "wander" on the street. When passing by a blacksmith shop, the fire reflected the red face of the Turkic craftsman, and what he was forging was one of the parts of the Ming army's standard artillery carriage, not a scimitar or a farm tool.

Alaverdi Khan gave a wink and the interpreter of the delegation came forward to talk to him.

"These iron works," the craftsman said in stiff Persian, "must be made according to the drawings given by the Ming army, and the distance between each hole must be exact - if these works are done well, they can be exchanged for two kilograms of wheat seeds." He pointed to the shelf in the corner, on which were placed some completed improved stirrups.

Alaverdi Khan did not put on airs. He went forward to check it out personally, and soon a solemn look appeared on his face - these stirrups were made of high-quality cast iron, but were 30% lighter than similar Persian products.

Stirrups are not heavy, so being 30% lighter is not a big deal, but Alawerdi Khan couldn't help but think: if the armor and horse armor of the Ming army were also 30% lighter than similar Persian products, but still as strong, then...

As the setting sun gilded the unfinished city wall, the delegation finally returned to the station. Alaverdi Khan noticed that the bronze door knocker on the lintel of the city gate had not yet been carved, and the rough blanks vaguely showed the prototypes of gears and wheat ears - this was the "badge of practical learning" promoted by Gao Youshi.

After a simple dinner, the delegation hardly rested and went to the temporary governor's office to meet Li Tingji again. Li Tingji seemed to have just returned and took a quick bath before receiving them. Alawerdi Khan knew that this was the etiquette of the upper class in the Ming Dynasty (bathing and changing clothes), so he did not complain about the long wait.

"Your country's construction in Andijan," he said to Li Tingji, who had just taken his seat, "is like newly tempered iron, still carrying sparks of forging."

"If there is a spark, it can set the prairie on fire." Li Tingji seemed to have traveled a long way in the afternoon. Although he had bathed and changed clothes, he could not hide his fatigue. However, he still said with all his strength, "The seeds of the Anxi military settlement have been sown, and the master craftsmen of Beijing have also stayed in many places, both to expand their own industries and to guide the reclamation of the court."

He pointed to the direction of the parade ground, where the Ming army was unloading spring carriage parts shipped from Jiangnan. "Andijan is extremely important. We are working hard to produce heavy-duty carriages. Once these new carriages are officially put into production, they will be of great help to both your country and ours. By then, perhaps your country can consider exchanging wool for our porcelain and glass."

When Li Tingji said this, he seemed to acquiesce that the delegation must have visited the Crystal Tower in the afternoon and must have been envious of the Ming Dynasty's porcelain and glass technology. However, he was not completely wrong to think so, because although the delegation had never entered the Crystal Tower, the Ming Dynasty's porcelain was well known to the world for its exquisiteness, and the glass - standing outside and looking at it, you can tell that it is amazing, even better than the Venetians.

Khan Alaverdi immediately confirmed one thing: although the Ming army had just arrived, they were by no means weak, and they even brought with them a sophisticated colonization plan: using military control as the foundation and craftsmen and caravans as gears to gradually integrate the resources of the Western Regions with the technology of the Ming Dynasty.

The so-called "friendship" was nothing more than the lubricating oil when this huge machine started, and the Persian delegation he brought with him were the first bystanders to observe how this machine worked.

As the night deepened, the negotiations officially began. The candlelight flickered on the bronze lampstand, and the twelve animal-head lamps cast the figures of several people on the mud wall, making them look like the gamblers in the ancient murals.

Khan Alaverdi's eyes first fell on the three maps on the central long table: on the far left was the official "Complete Map of the Western Regions" of the Ming Dynasty, with the Yaosha River to the Amu Darya River outlined in cinnabar as the "Anxi Governorate"; in the middle was the Persian hand-painted "Water Sketch Map of the River", with the city of Bukhara marked with gold powder; on the far right was a blank map of the intertwined forces of both sides, waiting for the boundaries to be drawn with pen and ink.

"Let's talk about military first, then business." Li Tingji pushed open the yellow silk cover of the Ming-Bo Secret Treaty Draft, revealing the silk map inside. "According to our intelligence, the artillery your country has concentrated in Tabriz has a range of no more than one and a half miles, while our army's No. 3 gun -" he pointed to the bronze cannon model pushed by Li Rumei, the rifling on the barrel was inlaid with silver wire, "can fire solid bullets two miles away."

Alaverdi Khan's eyelids twitched slightly, but he did not speak. Instead, Hussein Ali ran his finger over the level on the gun carriage and asked, "Would your country be willing to share this aiming device?"

"We can provide your country with ten sets of aiming devices every year, but you need to transport the artillery to our base first, such as Andijan or Samarkand." Xiong Tingbi smiled, "However, the price also needs to be stated in advance. We need to exchange it with your lapis lazuli ore - ten carts of lapis lazuli ore every year." His eyes swept across the Persian delegation, "Oh, don't misunderstand, the reason why we have to transport the artillery to our city is that the aiming device cannot be used immediately after installation, but requires a complex debugging process. If there is any mistake, it will be inaccurate." Alaverdi Khan seemed to be reluctant to discuss such details. His fingertips stopped at the "Bukhara" mark on the "Complete Map of the Western Regions": "His Majesty the Shah will not accept the Chahar tribe claiming to be Khan in Bukhara."

Li Rumei raised her eyebrows: "But according to our understanding, there is a secret agreement between your country and the Chahar tribe... The Chahar tribe paid tribute to you in exchange for your country's tacit consent to its occupation of Bukhara and other places."

As he spoke, he tapped the three characters "Yao Sha Shui" with his fingers, "Our army will not pursue the Chahar tribe for the time being, only because they are all cavalry, so we are worried that if we are not fully prepared, they will escape again, not because our army is not strong enough to defeat them. But if your country wants to cross this river... It is not impossible for my 100,000-strong Anxi army to go south to Isfahan and visit the magnificent Persian capital."

The faces of Alawerdi Khan and others suddenly turned cold. The temperature in the secret room was obviously quite high, but there was a chill for no reason.

"Force will never be as lasting as interests." Li Tingji laughed, dispelling the tense atmosphere in the room. He casually unfolded another "Trade Route Supply Map", which showed the route from Jiayuguan to Isfahan, passing through dozens of Ming army post stations and a total of 21 cities in the Ming Dynasty and Persia along the way.

"As long as your country can defeat the Ottoman Eastern Army with our support, advance westward to Aleppo and Damascus, and open up the Mediterranean route, you can sell our porcelain, tea, silk and other high-priced goods to Europe. Even if there is no direct route, as long as the Venetians, Genoese or other European merchants know about it, they will flock to your country to seek trade, and the price can at least triple or five times."

As the Grand Vizier, although Alaverdi Khan was famous for his military achievements, he was also good at government affairs. He naturally knew the profits and the appeal to Europeans. However, he did not show his eagerness, but asked calmly: "The condition is... your country will deal with the Chahar tribe and occupy its existing territory?"

"In general, your Excellency may think so." Li Tingji smiled slightly, "But this is not all. Our country is quite interested in Arabian horses and European horses. Therefore, once the trade route is opened, our country also hopes that your country can provide convenience in this trade process."

"Of course," Alawerdi Khan nodded. "The Prophet Muhammad taught us through scriptures and sermons to be the most honest and trustworthy businessmen. I can now promise your request on behalf of His Majesty the Shah."

The merchant representative of the Persian delegation, Mikkel Suleiman, traced the trade line of "porcelain for wool" with his finger and suddenly said, "I have seen your country's steam pump today. It is really ingenious and powerful! I wonder if the governor can allow Persian craftsmen to observe the operation of this magical machine?"

"You can watch it," Li Tingji said with a smile, "but this steam pump does not belong to the court, but to Jinghua. There is no other place in the world. I have had a chat with the person in charge of Jinghua in Anxi before. If nothing unexpected happens... even if it is just for watching, I am afraid I will have to exchange your country's Persian carpet weaving skills for it - Jinghua's craftsmen are very interested in Persian geometric patterns."

Mikel Suleiman's face suddenly turned ugly. Just to observe the operation, he had to exchange the geometric pattern weaving technology of the Persian carpet. This price was too outrageous. It seemed that this deal was not easy to make... But although he was disappointed, his curiosity about this steam pump was growing.

Li Tingji broke the deadlock again and said with a smile: "I heard that His Majesty the Shah has bred tens of thousands of fine horses in the horse farm in Shiraz..."

The secret room suddenly became quiet. Alawerdi Khan said with a sullen face, "This is the royal stables. Even I, the Grand Vizier, have no right to interfere, let alone use it for any transactions."

Li Tingji smiled and shook his head, saying, "No problem. Then please ask the envoy to bring a message to His Majesty the Shah, saying that my Minister Gao Rixin is very interested in the war horses in Shiraz Racecourse, and he is willing to send a fleet from Bengal to Port Abbas to trade with them. At the same time, the Minister is also interested in distributing part of your country's pearl trade in Bahrain Island to His Majesty the Shah.

Oh, by the way, when trading with the Prime Minister, your country does not need to worry about the Portuguese interfering - their fleet would never dare to fight with the fleet under the Prime Minister's command flying the Book and Sword Flag. "

This time, not only Alawerdi Khan, but also the military adviser Hussein Ali beside him had his pupils shrinking - because Persia had been fighting with the Ottoman Empire on land for many years, it had no time to take care of naval construction, so the Portuguese forcibly controlled Hormuz at the gate of Abbas Port, resulting in the strait's navigation being dependent on the Portuguese.

Unexpectedly, Governor Li Tingji actually said that the Portuguese did not dare to fight against the private navy of his teacher, Prime Minister Gao Youshi. This is really... really shocking.

Alawerdi Khan thought for a moment, and suddenly said, "If your country can recover Hormuz for my country and ensure navigation in the strait, I am willing to risk angering His Majesty the Shah and persuade His Majesty the Shah to meet your prime minister's...business needs as much as possible."

Li Tingji shook his head slightly and said, "The Portuguese have signed some treaties with the Prime Minister, the details of which I am not very clear about. I guess it is not convenient for the Prime Minister to attack them actively, so it may not be easy to seize Hormuz. However, as I said before, the Prime Minister's fleet must be able to navigate the strait. If your country has commercial needs, you can entrust the Prime Minister's fleet to help."

"How is the commission fee calculated?" As a follower of the Prophet Muhammad, Alawidi Khan is very serious about business issues, especially when it comes to the direct interests of His Majesty the Shah.

However, Li Tingji was not good at this, so he could only say: "I am not in a position to make the decision on behalf of the Master. For now, I can only reach a cooperation intention with the envoy. The specific situation needs to be submitted to the Master for personal decision... I believe that the envoy must also ask His Majesty the Shah first, right?"

"Okay, it's a deal." Alaverdi Khan nodded.

The negotiations lasted until midnight, when the Persian delegation left, personally escorted by Li Tingji and others.

Li Tingji and his companions saw off the Persian delegation and returned to the house. Under the candlelight, the shadows of Li Tingji, Li Rumei, and Xiong Tingbi intertwined on the map, like three strands of hemp rope about to be twisted into a rope, weaving a network of cooperation spanning thousands of miles between the yellow sands of the Western Regions and the oasis of Persia.

In the center of the net, the dragon tail of the Ming Dynasty entrenched in Anxi and the lion tail of the Persian lion of Abbas I seemed to be testing each other's power through the killing water.
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