The Legend of Shushan Xuanjian

Chapter 479 Preparations for Maritime Trade
The lotus flower brings the setting sun, and the green hills return far away alone.

——"Sending off Master Lingche" Liu Changqing (Tang Dynasty)

……

After solving the mystery of Dougong, the three restored the underground fortress to its original state.Bai Fu asked the Sun brothers to go back first, while he continued to lurk in Mrs. Guo's mansion.

Bai Fu expected that after Xuanzong knew about the transfer of the mansion, he would send someone to investigate the secret room on the first underground floor.

After ambush for several days, finally at the third watch of the fifth night, I saw someone coming.Wearing night clothes, this person flew into the mansion like a big bird.

The man opened the sluice with a winch and dived to the bottom of the well...

Half an hour later, the person returned to the ground, looked around, and then drifted away.

Bai Fu hid in a corner and sneered, from his body shape and lightness kung fu, Bai Fu had already recognized this person as Gao Lishi, Xuanzong's confidant eunuch.

The appearance of Gao Lishi confirmed the inference of Sun Dashan and Bai Fu that Xuanzong wanted to take the wealth of Mrs. Guo as his own.

"The matter of transferring the mansion is urgent." Bai Fusi said.

……

A few days later, the Sun brothers brought two pieces of good news: First, the counterfeit gold, silver and jewelry had arrived in Chang'an and could be transferred at any time.

Second, the buyer of Mrs. Guo's mansion has been found, who is a Persian Hu.

Bai Fu marveled at the high efficiency of the Sun brothers, and Sun Dashan smiled and said, "You know this Persian barbarian very well, brother Bai."

Just as he was talking, he heard the report from the staff that a barbarian begged to see Bai Fu at the door.

Sun Dashan said with a smile: "Say Cao Cao, Cao Cao is here."

Bai Fu pondered for a while, and then smiled, he already guessed who it was.

The guy brought the guest into the living room, it was the old friend Persian General Alberts.

After not seeing each other for several years, Alberts gave Bai Fu a big hug as soon as he entered the door.

The four of them sat down, sipped tea and greeted each other.

Alberts said: "When you were 'killed' because of the Yuwenba incident, we all thought you were really dead. Her Royal Highness was heartbroken and heartbroken. Apart from being sad, she didn't want to stay in Chang'an anymore and returned to Persia.

I arrived in Luoyang a few days ago, and when I heard that the young master survived, I hurried over here.It is great to see you, and Her Royal Highness will be ecstatic to know that you are safe and sound, thank the true god Ahura Mazda for his protection. "

Talking about the Persian princess Boni Atti, Bai Fu asked, "How is Your Highness doing?"

Alberts sighed: "After returning to Persia, Her Majesty the Princess handed over the parchment of Al-Khawarizmi to the royal family. Not only did Her Majesty the Queen not give a big reward, but because Her Majesty the Princess had seen the parchment, in order to prevent leaks, Her Majesty was imprisoned in the palace. .

Her Royal Highness the Princess was worried that Her Majesty the Queen would be angry with me, so she asked the court veteran to find an errand for me to return to the Tang Dynasty.

Because of the Anlushan Rebellion, Tubo took advantage of the emptiness of the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty and took advantage of the situation to seize the Hexi Corridor and other areas, thereby cutting off the land passage from Persia and Dashi to the Tang Dynasty.

So, I chose to come to Tang by sea and land from Nanhai County.Unexpectedly, after going north, the former Qianli Fertile Fields turned out to be ruined and desolate.Only then did we know that the war was horrific and the rebels had done so much harm to the people of Tang Dynasty..."

Looking back on the past, the four of them were full of pride and emotion.

……

Speaking of the present, Mr. Sun Dashan handed over the sale of Mrs. Guo's mansion to Alberts.

Alberts said: "No problem, my identity in Chang'an can represent the Persian royal family. Unless His Majesty the Tang Emperor intervenes, no one else can stop this transaction.

In addition, I have many old friends in Chang'an, all of whom are wealthy merchants from Persia, Dashi and Sogdia. They have strong financial resources and can cooperate with us to change houses many times without being noticed by others. "

After dealing with the affairs of Mrs. Guo Guo's mansion, Bai Fu asked: "General, you have traveled back and forth between the Tang Dynasty and Persia many times, can you tell us about this business route that runs through the east and west?"

Alberts said: "From Yumen Pass to the west, along the edge of the Gobi Desert, through the countries of the Western Regions, you can reach Samarkand, Persia and Damascus.

There are two roads to choose from in this east-west corridor, but no matter which one is, it is a daunting road.Where the caravan passed, sometimes there was no official road at all, and the remains of fallen pedestrians and pack animals could only be used as signs of progress.

From Shazhou to Gaochang, you have to pass through the vast white Bailongdui on the way. This is a salt-crusted desert, and it is extremely difficult to walk through, and there are monsters along the way, so experienced caravans would rather take Yiwu and bypass Bailongdui. Go north to Gaochang.

Starting from Gaochang, the caravan could go west through the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains, or cross the southwest, from the south of the Tianshan Mountains, and go westward through the oasis cities around Kuqa.

The other road is called South Road, which is the same road from Shazhou to Gaochang.Depart from Shazhou and go westward along the northern edge of the Kunlun Mountains to Khotan and Congling.

To pass through the east-west corridor, it all depends on the Bactrian camels of the Great Xia Kingdom.The camel can sniff out underground springs and herald deadly sandstorms.There is a saying in the caravan:
'Wherever the wind comes, only the old camel can predict it, so he gathers up in anger and buries his mouth and nose in the sand.Every time people wait for it, they also cover their noses and mouths with blankets.Its wind is swift and swift, and it must be exhausted.If you don't guard against it, you will die in danger. '

Bai Fu asked: "General, I heard what you said just now, this time you came to Zhongtu by sea. What kind of route is the sea?"

Alberts said: "Maritime navigation mainly relies on the seasonal shift of sea breeze, and the law of the monsoon is: south in winter and north in summer.

From Persia and Dashi to Datang, as long as merchant ships can set sail from Basra or Siraf in September or October, they can sail out of the Persian Gulf in time.

After sailing out of the bay, merchant ships stop in Muscat before sailing into the Eritrean Sea (Indian Ocean).Taking advantage of the northeast monsoon, merchant ships cross the Eritrean Sea (Indian Ocean) downwind.

Or set off directly to Malabar, and then from Malabar to Lion Country (Sri Lanka).Merchants can buy gems in the Lion Kingdom.

From the Land of the Lions, the sea route went east to the Nicobar Islands, where merchants could exchange coconuts and ambergris with savages in canoes.They will then disembark in the state of Kedah in the Malay Peninsula.Since then, merchant ships have crossed the narrow strait from the Malay Peninsula to the Golden Continent.

Finally, the merchant ships will turn to head north. Driven by the southwest monsoon, the merchant ships will be able to travel north from Malaya to Songping County, Jiaozhi County.It even continued northward, crossing the sea area in the south of the Tang Dynasty, and arriving at the Tang Empire Guangzhou and other southern coastal ports.

From west to east, all the way through Dashi, Ula, Brahman, Nantianzhu, Lion Kingdom, Polu Kingdom, Goguluo Kingdom, Guluo Kingdom, Heling Kingdom, Srivijaya, Luoyue Kingdom, Longya Gate, Gate Sea countries such as the Poison Kingdom and the Ring Kingdom. "

Bai Fu continued to ask: "General, you have traveled both by sea and by land, which one is easier?"

Alberts said: "From land to Tang Dynasty, you have to cross the desert, Gobi, and high mountains. The wind and sand are rolling all the way, the severe cold and hot summer, and the climate is changeable. Once you get lost, you will be trapped in the Gobi Desert, and you can't find the oasis. Difficult to survive.

In addition, there are many thieves and horse bandits along the way. If there is no elite armed escort, it is impossible to escape the fate of being robbed and killed. "

From the sea to Tang, although the journey is quite far, as long as you choose a good sailing season, avoid hurricanes and ocean currents, and have a smooth journey, you can reach the southern states of Datang in dozens of days.

Along the way, the sea and the sky are wide open, gulls and herons soar, fish chase, and occasionally you can see giant whales like hills floating out of the sea, and springs and waterfalls spew out from their dorsal fins..."

The scenery drawn by Alberts fascinated everyone, and Bai Fu sighed: "One day, I will also go to sea to see the vast world beyond the Tang Dynasty."

Alberts smiled and said, "Next time, I will accompany you on this journey. If Her Royal Highness knows that you are coming to Persia, she will be very pleasantly surprised."

Bai Fu said: "What is the size of a large ship for sailing? Can it withstand wind and waves?"

Alberts said: "The seafaring merchant ships that travel across the ocean are different from the flat-bottomed Sichuan ships and broad Wu ships that deal with hidden reefs and dangerous shoals. Brahmin Ship'.

'Persian ships' are dhows built in the Persian Gulf.This kind of boat is small in shape, equipped with triangular sails, and has a brisk hull.Dhows are made of raw planks joined edge to edge, and the planks are not nailed together but sewn together with the fibers of coconut shells and then painted with whale oil or a layer like Datang olive resin, which can be solidified like black paint, can prevent the hull from leaking.

Seafaring Merchant Ships The largest merchant ship is the 'Shi Zi Ship' from the Lion Kingdom.The merchant ships in the Lion Kingdom are eighteen feet long and can carry six to seven hundred people. There are also lifeboats towed at the stern of the merchant ships, and they are equipped with carrier pigeons.

This kind of sea ship has a tall building with a strong hull and several masts, which can support several huge sails.When the wind is favorable, the boat can travel a hundred miles a day.

However, when sailing in the sea, the quality of the ship is important, but more important is the experience of the captain and sailors.Whether they can sail safely depends in many cases on their accurate judgment of the terrain and climate such as shipping routes, ocean currents, and monsoons.

Relying on long-term sailing experience, the big food sailors combined astrology and arithmetic, and created a kind of astrological navigation technique called "star-drawing", which can determine the position of the ship in the sea.

Why, Young Master Bai is planning to go to sea soon? "

Bai Fu said: "I'm thinking, if this sea channel is smooth and convenient, is it possible for my firm to also do sea business.

During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, since Bowang Hou Zhangqian emptied the Western Regions, the East-West Corridor was officially opened. Although it can connect the vast land from east to west, it is difficult and dangerous, and the cost of freight transportation is high.

Sea passages have existed since ancient times, formed in the Qin and Han Dynasties, and expanded in the former Sui Dynasty.

My sworn brother, Chen Honghu, is the young leader of the Minjiang gang. After suppressing the rebellion of Yongwang Li Lin, he took charge of the Jianghuai navy.There are thousands of warships under his command, and tens of thousands of soldiers manning the boats.

As long as we transport the goods to the southern coastal ports by sea, he can transport the goods from Persia and Dashi to the Central Plains through the Jianghuai and Grand Canals.

If the sea route is feasible, I would like to unite the wealthy merchants of Datang, Persia, and Dashi to build another sea corridor to sell goods from Persia, Dashi, and Datang back and forth, so as to achieve great business achievements.

Specialties such as jewelry, jade, spices, rare animals, medicinal materials, and horses from Persia, Dashi and other countries were very popular in the Tang Dynasty, and the four major products of the Tang Dynasty, silk, porcelain, tea, and copper and iron, were also popular in the Western Regions. Money is hard to find. "

After finishing speaking, Bai Fu ordered people to find out a map and confided all his ideas, and everyone who listened was filled with pride.

With ambition in mind, Tu Xingsun patted his chest and said: "Brother Bai, if it is possible, can my two brothers join in this grand undertaking?
I have walked darts for half my life, and the farthest I have gone is Yumen Pass. Now that I am half buried in the ground, I have no other wishes. If I can't relax, I just want to walk around. "

Sun Dashan said with a smile: "What my brother said is true. I have long heard that Persia and Dashi are paving the way with gold, horses are everywhere, beauties are like clouds, and there are thousands of styles. I have always wanted to see and see. I am just afraid of the Gobi desert and dare not go west. If the waterway is reachable, my two brothers are willing to explore the way first.”

Sun Dashan intervened in the class, and his words were humorous. Everyone smiled and clapped their hands and laughed.

……

　1. Cited bibliography: "Golden Peach of Samarkand: A Study of Imported Products in the Tang Dynasty (Oracle Bone Inscriptions)", author: [US] Xue Aihua, Social Science Literature Publishing House, published in April 2016.

　　 2. Quoting poems

　　Cangcang Zhulin Temple, the bells are late.

　　The lotus flower brings the setting sun, and the green hills return far away alone.

　　——"Sending off Master Lingche" Liu Changqing (Tang Dynasty)

　　
　
(End of this chapter)