Water Margin people

Chapter 1438: Selling Out the Country for Fame

“So you are from Champa?”

Sun Lei looked at Pu Kaizong and asked.

"Half Champa, half Arab, little man..."

Pu Kaizong begged for mercy. He wanted to say that he was half Qi because he had lived in Guangzhou and Quanzhou for many years, but he didn't dare to say that because he was afraid of angering Sun Lei.

"You have good sense!"

Sun Lei waved his hand to signal the guards to let go of Pu Kaizong.

"Your Majesty, I am willing to submit to Qi and help Qi deal with the Arabs!"

Pu Kaizong spoke sincerely.

Even though Sun Lei was well-informed and as thick-skinned as a city wall, he was stunned by Pu Kaizong's words. He never expected that someone could be so shameless.

Lu Zhishen slammed the table angrily and was about to go forward to beat Pu Kaizong to death. People can be afraid of death, but they cannot sell out their country for fame and fortune. This is something he could not tolerate.

"Brother, take this bastard out and shave him!"

Wu Song was also very angry.

Everyone in the hall was glaring at Pu Kaizong. Their eyes were like steel knives that could cut Pu Kaizong into pieces at any time.

"Generals, please spare my life."

Pu Kaizong was so frightened that he lay on the ground and dared not move. He didn't understand why his words of loyalty had offended everyone.

"Why do you want to fight against the Arabs? You are half Arab, right?"

Sun Lei looked at Pu Kaizong and asked.

"Your Majesty, my ancestors were from the White Arabs. Those traitors from the Black Arabs colluded with the Khorasan people to kill my tribe. My ancestors had no choice but to flee to the Western Regions, and later to Champa!"

"The current Arab Empire is ruled by the Black Arabs and the Green Arabs. As a descendant of the White Arabs, I have an irreconcilable feud with them!"

Pu Kaizong quickly talked about his origins.

Sun Lei was stunned by what he heard, but with the knowledge from later generations, he understood what Pu Kaizong was talking about. The place of Daqin was quite chaotic. Although the people had the same beliefs, they were of different nationalities and there were fights among them. Pu Kaizong's ancestor was probably a defeated wanderer.

After Pu Kaizong said this, the anger on everyone's faces faded a little. After knowing that Pu Kaizong just wanted revenge, they were able to accept it.

Especially Chai Jin, he could understand Pu Kaizong's thinking very well because he had been like that before.

"Your Majesty, the Tang Dynasty once fought with the Arabs, especially the Black Arabs. The former Anxi Protectorate was established by the Sassanid Persians in response to the invasion of the White Arabs."

"The Tang Dynasty later established the Persian Protectorate in Jiling City, Persia. The last prince of Sassanid Persia, Bilus, was the governor of the Persian Protectorate. It was under the jurisdiction of the Anxi Protectorate."

Later, the Black Caliphate rose to power, and the Tang Dynasty fought against them. The Tang army encountered the Black Caliphate army in Talas, and because of the betrayal of the Karluks, the Tang army was defeated miserably! "

Zhu Wu whispered in Sun Lei's ear that he had collected a large amount of intelligence about the Western Regions in preparation for the Western Expedition. The Tang Dynasty was the dynasty from the Central Plains that marched the farthest to the west. Its former territory extended all the way to the Kingdom of Fulin and bordered the Oghuz Turks of the Arab Empire.

"Ah."

Sun Lei nodded slightly. The Tang Dynasty had a good control over the Western Regions, but the time was too short.

"So you want me to help you? Why? Are you worthy of this?"

Sun Lei looked at Pu Kaizong and asked.

"Your Majesty, I control the trade routes with the Arabs. If Your Majesty wants to start a trade, I can do my best to help you!"

Pu Kaizong spoke.

"Business? None of that matters. I want to start a trade. Do you dare to refuse me, the Arab Empire? Oh, it should be called the Seljuk Empire now, right? A branch of the Turks!"

Sun Lei looked at Pu Kaizong and asked.

"Yes, Seljuk!"

Pu Kaizong nodded repeatedly.

"I can give you a chance but you have to prove your worth!"

Sun Lei looked at Pu Kaizong and said.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I am willing to go through fire and water for you!"

Pu Kaizong was overjoyed and immediately performed the Central Plains etiquette to Sun Lei. "Come, let's have a drink together!"

Sun Lei looked at Pu Kaizong and invited him.

Pu Kaizong saluted again and again, and finally sat in the lower position.

Lu Zhishen pushed a glass of wine over to him. Pu Kaizong expressed his gratitude, picked up the glass and drank it all, which brought a little comfort to his frightened heart.

At the banquet, Sun Lei asked about the situation overseas, and Pu Kaizong told him everything he knew.

After the banquet, Pu Kaizong said goodbye.

"Your Majesty, can this man be trusted?"

Chai Jin looked at Sun Lei and asked. He felt a little sympathetic towards Pu Kaizong, but he also knew that such a person could not be trusted.

"Of course I can't believe it!"

Sun Lei said with a smile.

"Unbelievable!"

Chai Jin was stunned. Just now Sun Lei was having a good conversation with Pu Kaizong, but now he said that Pu Kaizong was not trustworthy.

"How can we trust such a despicable person who is so treacherous?"

Sun Lei smiled.

"First, it's true that he is a man of a fallen nation, but he is no longer a Arab. How can you expect him to be trustworthy if he doesn't even have any roots?"

Sun Lei said.

"Your Majesty, isn't he the White Arab?"

Zhu Wu asked thoughtfully.

"All the Arabs believe in the Arab religion. Those who don't believe in the Arab religion have been killed. Master Daoji, you have read the Arab scriptures. What do you think?"

Sun Lei said while looking at Dao Ji standing aside.

"The Arab religion stipulates that Arabs can only believe in Allah and abide by the doctrine. Those who violate it will be put to death. Among them, regarding dietary regulations, Arabs are not allowed to drink alcohol or eat pork!"

Dao Ji spoke slowly, saying that the Arab religion was the most stringent religion towards its believers that he had ever seen, and that this doctrine was more like a law of confinement.

"Drinking and eating pork?"

Lu Zhishen looked at the wine glass in his hand and the pork bones in front of him. He remembered that Pu Kaizong had just drunk wine and eaten meat.

"So he is a fake Arab believer. Since he is from a fallen country and no longer believes in Arab religion, how can we trust him?"

Sun Lei nodded.

"Then your majesty wants to use him!"

Zhu Wu reacted and realized that since he couldn't trust Pu Kaizong and had to cooperate with Pu Kailei, he had no choice but to use him.

"Well, although he is a two-faced guy, he can help us understand the Seljuks and can even become our chess piece."

Sun Lei nodded.

"Chai Jin, you should take care of the port and foreign trade matters from now on."

Sun Lei looked at Chai Jin and said that Chai Jin was quite familiar with various etiquette and banquets, and was very suitable for contacting foreigners.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Chai Jin's face was filled with ecstasy. Being in charge of tea was already a good task, and now being in charge of the port and trade made him feel very excited. He felt that he was being greatly valued.

"You have to be careful and don't be too polite. We in Qi speak with our fists."

Sun Lei looked at Chai Jin and reminded him that diplomacy has been about etiquette since ancient times, but he doesn't like those empty talk. In this world, fists speak.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I know!"

Chai Jin bowed solemnly and said that Qi was different from previous dynasties. Qi's strength made it unnecessary for him to have those hypocritical strategies.