While discussing the details of the rescue with Umayyad's old troops, Zhou Jun began to deal with the redemption of slaves in Damascus with Sayer of the Court of Justice.
Damascus was the largest slave market in the Middle East when it was occupied by the Assyrians.
Because they were extremely rare on weekdays, the more than 1,100 Tang army prisoners who were strong or had special abilities were regarded as hot commodities and sold out when they first arrived in Damascus.
Sayer found the buyers who had purchased prisoners of the Tang army based on the slave market's documents.
Due to the orders of the Abbasids, most buyers were willing to release the purchased slaves after receiving sufficient compensation.
However, there were still a small number of powerful nobles and tribes who were unwilling to give up the rare Tang slaves and rejected Sayer's request.
Among them, there was an aristocratic businessman from Athens who purchased two hundred Tang army prisoners at one time. He was the largest buyer recorded in the documents. However, when everyone found him, the aristocratic businessman also claimed that he had resold these slaves to
The tribes that feasted on the south.
According to the laws of Dashi slave trade, any slave purchased from Dashi must be registered with the Slave Market Exchange if it is to be resold to others. Sayer asked the Athenian merchant to issue resale documents, but the other party said that the documents were not there.
around.
Zhou Jun, who had once worked as a slave, could tell at a glance that the Athenian businessman was lying, and his face immediately darkened.
Seeing this, Sayer whispered to Zhou Jun: "Protector Zhou, Damascus is a free market. Anyone who buys or sells goods cannot be forcibly stopped except for prohibitions, blasphemy, theft, etc. If he cannot produce documents, at most
We can only make him pay a fine."
Zhou Jun frowned, and Du Huan came over and said: "Protector, when I was in Yajuluo City, I once heard rumors that some people thought that the prisoners of the Tang Army were good at fighting, so they sold them to the Byzantine Empire for gladiatorial combat.
Field is used to make money.”
Zhou Jun was stunned when he heard this: "After the fall of the Roman Empire, gladiatorial combat violated Christian doctrine and was banned long ago. Is there still such an activity in the Byzantine Empire?"
Sayer nodded and said: "The Byzantine Empire called itself the Eastern Roman Empire. Although gladiatorial games were banned on the surface, there were still many nobles who secretly operated gladiatorial arenas. Byzantium and the Great Eclipse were still at war. If this
An Athenian businessman sold Tang army prisoners to Byzantium, which violated the laws of the food country and must be severely punished. However, how to find out the whereabouts of these prisoners is a problem..."
When Du Huan heard this, he said to Sayer: "Can you let me take a look at the transaction documents of this Athenian businessman in the market?"
Sayer nodded and ordered the transaction documents to be shown to Du Huan.
Du Huan carefully looked at the trading times of the two hundred Tang army prisoners, and found the items purchased by the Athenian merchants during the same period in the tax list of the exchange.
Du Huan pointed to the purchase list and read: "Bay leaves, tapestries, bone accessories..."
Sayer: "What's wrong? Is there something wrong?"
Zhou Jun heard the trick: "Laurel leaves, tapestries, bone accessories, are all specialties from the south. If the Athenian merchants were selling captives to tribes in the south, then among the goods purchased along with them, there would be no
These things should be there."
Sayer finally understood: "If he goes to the south, the special products he purchased will not be sold at all... This shows that this Athenian businessman is lying!"
Sayer called the guards and began questioning the Athenian merchants.
After some coercion and inducement, the Athenian businessman finally confessed the truth.
He spent money to bribe the guards at the Beirut port, forged documents to go to sea, and registered the merchant ships to go south, but in fact they were going north, and conducted secret trade with the Byzantine Empire.
The two hundred Tang army prisoners were also transported to Thebes in the Balkan Peninsula, where there was an underground arena run by Athenian nobles.
Sayer immediately ordered the arrest of the businessman and seized all the latter's goods.
The businessman was forced to write a letter to his companions in Thebes, release all the prisoners of the Tang army, and pay a sufficient fine to make up for his crime.
After handling this matter, Sayer looked at Du Huan, sighed, and said in an appreciative tone: "When we first met, I took a fancy to your intelligence. In order to introduce you, I specially found
The Caliph, cancels your status as a slave and promotes you to an official of the Court of Justice."
Du Huan dared not take it seriously.
Sayer's love for talents rose and he said in front of Zhou Jun: "Du Huan, you might as well stay in Dashi. I will propose to the caliph that I give you a title of nobility and let you become a member of the Court of Justice."
Second seat. You will have a fiefdom of your own and become the first Tang aristocrat in the history of the Dashi Kingdom."
When Zhou Jun heard this, he kept silent and looked at Du Huan with interest.
The latter did not even hesitate, bowed directly to Sayer and said: "Dear Sir, thank you for your kindness, but please forgive me for rejecting this proposal."
Sayer: "Why? Do you think the reward is not enough?"
Du Huan shook his head and said: "My skin color and appearance, the blood flowing in my body, and even my dreams after falling into the night, all belong to the land of the East. Just like a wanderer who is away from home, no matter how many places he has passed through,
Location, no matter how many scenery I have seen, I will always return to my hometown in the end..."
Sayer said anxiously: "Staying in Dashi does not mean betraying the Tang Dynasty. If you want, you can go home to visit your relatives at any time."
Du Huan: "Chang Yun of the Tang Dynasty said, "You have no clothes, and you share the same robes as your son." My former comrades were captured by Dashi and used as slaves. Now many people still don't know whether they are alive or dead. In this situation, how can I do it?
Do you only care about glory and wealth and ignore them?"
After hearing this, Sayer finally knew that he could not persuade Du Huan, so he could only let out a long sigh.
Zhou Jun looked at Du Huan, but smiled and nodded.
After this episode, Sayer knew that Du Huan was determined to return to the Tang Dynasty, so he never tried to persuade him. He just gave several books he had written to the latter, asking him to take them out and read them when he had time.
.
Zhou Jun found an opportunity to find Du Huan alone and asked the latter: "How many prisoners of the Tang army have been recovered so far?"
Du Huan: "Dashi captured a total of more than 11,000 Tang troops. Currently, including the release of slave troops, requisitioning personnel, and the slave trade between Yajuluo and Damascus, the governor has rescued more than 8,000 brothers."
Zhou Jun: "Where should the remaining three thousand people be?"
Du Huan: "It should be in the slave markets of Kufa and Aden..."
At this point, Du Huan stopped talking and looked confused.
Seeing this, Zhou Jun said: "Ajura and Damascus are the largest markets for slave trade. Compared with Kufa City and Aden City, the number of captives sold should be very few. Even excluding those who are missing and dead
No matter how many people are added together, there cannot be three thousand people."
Du Huan raised his head and looked at Zhou Jun: "Protector, is it possible that the big cannibals lied and there are a group of prisoners hidden by them?"
Zhou Jun nodded, picked up the detailed report on Balad Fortress from the desk, and placed it in front of Du Huan.
The latter picked up the report, glanced at it a few times, and then his expression changed drastically.
Before finishing reading, Du Huan put down the report and said to Zhou Jun: "The cannibals must have detained these prisoners here to spy on intelligence and technology!"
Zhou Jun looked at Du Huan who looked anxious and said softly: "There is a chance to rescue them now. We still need a Tang man who is familiar with the situation to guide us. However, the process is dangerous and may lead to a narrow escape from death. Are you willing to go?"
Du Huan lifted up the hem of his robe without hesitation and said to Zhou Jun: "As long as these brothers can be rescued, I am willing to accompany them. Even if I die, I will not regret it!"
This chapter has been completed!